Playing Make Believe
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good morning and welcome back!
This morning we are going to be looking at a passage from Colossians 2 on the subject of “Playing Make Believe” or “being a pretender” if you prefer.
When we talk about the word “pretender” or “pretending” it actually means to “Speak and act so as to make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not."
And we know that children will often do this when they play.
They may pretend to be a doctor or a lawyer or a teacher, and the list goes on and on.
However, when they are grown up, adults still often do a lot of pretending.
We pretend we have money when we don't.
We pretend we are the most important person at our job when we are not.
We pretend that we were the most popular, greatest thing since sliced bread when we were young, but we were not.
Also, we have a lot of pretending going on in the church today.
And that's really what I want to get to this morning, this pretending that we see going on in the church world today.
So, how do people pretend in the church?
Well, some of them will pretend they like you when they don't.
Some of them will even pretend that they care about you and pray for you when they don't.
Some will pretend to be whatever they think you want to them to be.
However, the greatest amount of pretending that goes on are those that pretend that they are saved, when in fact they are not.
Look at that definition again, to "Speak and act so as to make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not."
We have all kinds of people who know the right things to say and know how to act, to make it appear that they are Christians, when in fact they are not.
These are what I like to call the "Sunday Morning Christian."
They will show up all dressed up ready to go, with a smile on their face on Sunday morning.
But that is as far as it ever goes.
There is no substance to them.
The level of their Christianity goes as far as from the front door to the pew and back to the front door.
This is where they leave it also, in the church house.
They never take it home with them.
Monday through Saturday you can't tell the difference between them and everybody else in the world, but on Sunday they put on the show and act the part.
However, what is most dangerous is that they begin to believe the lie.
The lie becomes the truth, the norm.
Paul tells us that . . .
and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
This is because they are led to believe that this is the way it is.
Nobody ever tells them that they have to be righteous to stand before God.
Nobody ever tells them they have to holy, acceptable.
Nobody ever tells them there has to be a change of heart, a change of direction in their lives.
Nobody ever tells them that it takes more than just pretending.
That it has to be real.
This is what Paul is addressing in our text here out of Colossians 2.
Paul is fighting against of enemy of Gnosticism, which is nothing more than the ancient form of secular humanism that we see going on today.
It is that idea that "man knows best" instead of God and putting your faith and trust in man rather than God, that has deceived and led many astray.
So, let’s read the verses and then get right into it this morning.
Colossians 2, starting in verse 4, Paul writes . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
Deceived By Man’s Logic
Deceived By Man’s Logic
Again, Paul is fighting against these Gnostics who are all about “man’s logic” and “man’s knowledge” and Paul combats this false idea of false hope with . . .
I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.
He is telling the church to stand against those that want to deceive them with "enticing" words or "fine sounding arguments."
He encourages them in verse five that although he can't be there with them in person, he is there in spirit and takes "delight" in seeing "how orderly" they are and "how firm" their "faith in Christ" is.
This is a word of encouragement for them, but questions for us . . .
How orderly are we?
Another way to put that is how dedicated are we to Christ?
Are we "all in," or riding the fence somewhere?
Are we sold out for Jesus, giving him our all and all and our first fruits or do we offer Him the leftovers?
How is our spiritual life?
Do we pray?
Do we study His Word?
Do we seek His face?
-Do we consult Him when we make decisions?
Are our decisions based on His will and not our wants?
What about our faith in Christ.
How firm is our faith?
Do we stand on Hebrews 11 that tells us . . .
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Or do we only believe what we can see, what we can reason out in our own minds.
What about our salvation?
Do we know that we know?
Do we have that blessed assurance?
Or have we fallen victim of the trap of "tradition," "rules," and "expectation."
Not, God's tradition, rules, and expectations, but man's tradition, rules, and expectations.
All those things that man has cooked up so that we can pretend to be a Christian, when in reality we are not.
Has their ever been a change of heart?
Have we ever, as Paul puts it . . .
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Have we been transformed?
The answer to that question is yes, because every experience we have in life transforms us, but what are we being transformed into?
Again Paul . . .
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Is this the image we are being transformed into to?
Have we . .
And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
Do we resemble Christ more today than you did yesterday?
Can someone on the street tell the difference between us and the one that does not know Christ?
Walking in Christ
Walking in Christ
These are the important questions because the answer to these is what is going to help us to NOT be deceived.
Paul goes on in our passage to state . . .
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Paul is basically tell us that IF you have received Christ as your savior, then WALK IN HIM.
But, what does it mean to "Walk in Christ?"
First, it means taking up your Cross.
Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?
What is our cross?
It is our burden, our calling, that thing that God has put in each of us to "do."
It is making a conscience choice each day that we are going to follow him and not our own way.
It is making a conscience choice each day that if what we want and what He asks contradict then we will go His way and not ours.
It is that conscience choice of putting our faith and hope in Him and not in making our own way.
In Him caring for all our needs instead of the world or our ability.
So, do, we carry your cross daily?
The second thing is, do we bear fruit?
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Does our attitudes, actions, and behaviors reflect God or do they reflect flesh?
Do we sow into the kingdom of God?
What do we spend our time, energy, money on?
Godly things or worldly things?
Are we bearing fruit?
The third thing is, do we possess the fruit of the Spirit?
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
And . . .
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Does our life exhibit the fruit of the Spirit?
Or, do we possess the works of the flesh, which are . . .
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
These are very important questions to ask and very important things to consider as we move forward each day.
Don’t Be Spoiled
Don’t Be Spoiled
The last thing I want to talk about is our bad habit of putting all our faith in humans.
Putting all our eggs in one basket, if you will.
And that is fine if that basket is God, but we have a tendency to put our eggs in man’s basket.
Paul warns us of this danger. He writes . . .
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
Folks the ways of man is hollow and without substance.
The ways of man depend on human tradition.
The ways of man depend on worldly principles.
Its philosophy is deceptive, lies, and hypocrisy.
Why would we rather place your trust and hope on this, rather than on Christ?
It makes no sense and we know it makes no sense, but people do it every single day.
Altar/Challenge
Altar/Challenge
So, this morning, remember that we have been talking about being a “pretender.”
And if you find yourself as one of these "pretenders" then this is what you have done.
You have placed your hope in the world and not in Christ.
Our definition again: to "Speak and act so as to make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not."
If this describes you, then you are not right with God and you will not make it to heaven.
The good news is, you can do something about that right now.
I invite you to stop pretending and get the real thing.
The choice is entirely yours but you have to decide to make that choice.
What will it be, the real deal or keep on pretending?
Let’s pray . . .