More Than Performative
Special Message • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 5 viewsWe are performative beings, often preferring the appearance of goodness without worrying too much about whether something is ACTUALLY good. This has become worse with social media, but it's always been a part of our nature. We can see that in the words of Christ and the apostles as they condemned people who were into performative actions but lacked a truly selfless heart. This brings up an important lesson for Christians: just because something has the appearance of "good" doesn't make it good. God knows the heart including our selfish ambitions, wants, and desires. When we simply "perform" like righteous people but do it with a corrupted heart, scripture makes it clear God finds this distasteful.
Notes
Transcript
Handout
The Performative Plague
The Performative Plague
Listening to a financial podcast, I heard a host go on a rant about “performative culture”.
They commented that many claim they are trying to improve their financial outlook, but their actions didn’t appear sincere.
The result was a lot of TikTok/Instagram clout, but they were totally ineffective at achieving their goal.
Performative Culture: Do it for the looks.
What’s more effective: (1) telling someone you care, or (2) showing them you care?
EXAMPLE: Compassion amidst tragedy.
“Thoughts and Prayers” —> Often accused of being performative… but sometimes it is.
Posting, protesting, grandstanding —> Also not helpful.
Actually helpful —> Embracing someone, giving to someone, forming a relationship with someone.
Faith mustn’t become performative!
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder. 20 Senseless person! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works in offering Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was made complete, 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
NOTE: James DOES NOT say you’re saved by works… but that faith that is alive will be “justified” through works.
Justified —>
Paul used to mean “acquitted” (grace).
James uses in the Septuagint manner which is to be proven just or righteous.
THEREFORE… works is what proves our righteousness and a faith which is “alive” will be a faith that leads to righteous actions.
This drives us to reject “performative” behavior because we don’t want to be Christians in words alone… If we love Jesus, people should see it in what we actually DO, not just what we say or post online.
Read James 2:14-26 and consider what James says about the role of works in our faith. Verses 14-19 are considered a “logical” argument while verses 20-26 are a “spiritual” or theological argument.
1. How does having a relationship with someone imprint on your outward appearance or actions?
2. Consider a relationship with God. How will having a relationship with God drive you toward different outward reactions to the world?
3. While works don’t “prove you have faith”, what would the argument be (if anything) for someone having a faith but it not showing in their actions?
4. Some like to use the line “there are no spectator Christians”. How does that play into this discussion?
Performative Is Just a Big Word for “Hypocrite”
Performative Is Just a Big Word for “Hypocrite”
Where James said, “those who have faith with no works are dead”, Christ pointed out that those with ONLY WORKS are also dead.
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach. 4 They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people. 8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 You are not to be called instructors either, because you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 13 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in. 15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are! 16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the temple, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.’ 17 Blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? 18 Also, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the altar, it means nothing; but whoever takes an oath by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.’ 19 Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore, the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and by everything on it. 21 The one who takes an oath by the temple takes an oath by it and by him who dwells in it. 22 And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne and by him who sits on it. 23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. 24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel! 25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside of it may also become clean. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. 28 In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors’ sins! 33 “Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell? 34 This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all these things will come on this generation.
Multiple examples of performative behavior...
Adorn themselves in religious appearances (Verses 5-7)
5 They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.
Flatter themselves with status and titles (Verses 8-12)
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 You are not to be called instructors either, because you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Public shows of adhering to the law (Verses 23)
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These things should have been done without neglecting the others.
Maintain appearances of piety (Verses 25-28)
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside of it may also become clean. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. 28 In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Self-ingratiating affiliation - benefiting from the testimonies of others (Verses 29-32)
29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors’ sins!
Just as dangerous as faith without any indication of resulting righteousness through works is a professed faith with nothing behind it.
We can perform as righteous individuals, but self-serving righteousness can never last.
Glory fades.
Clout becomes ineffective.
Circumstances turn inglorious.
The strongest illustration of communion with God isn’t in crowds, followers, or massive spectacles — It’s in the testimonies of individuals who willingly and joyfully march into situations of humiliation and destruction knowing that they serve a God bigger than themselves.
Read Matthew 23:1-36 and consider the complaints Jesus had regarding the Pharisees who were the supposed “scriptural fundamentalists” of their day.
1. What are some examples of “performative” actions we see the Pharisees engaged in?
2. What would some modern-day equivalent of these actions be?
3. Both James 2 and Matthew 23 describe a form of performative faith. James 2 addresses those who perform by “claiming faith” but not following it up with action. Matthew 23 addresses those who perform by doing “nice things” but don’t seem to have the right heart. The common trait is SINCERITY. How does sincerity in our faith lead us to be more effective in serving and caring for others?
Sincerity
Sincerity
The key word in all of this is SINCERITY.
God values sincerity in our faith.
10 “I wish one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle a useless fire on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Armies, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 “My name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense and pure offerings will be presented in my name in every place because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord of Armies.
God desires sincerity to you, because He showed sincerity in every covenant He made with us.
Really provided.
Really came.
Really died.
Really rose again.
The least we can do is demonstrate that we really do understand what He did for us through our thoughts, our words, and our deeds.
