Wolves in Sheep Clothing

When I was a kid, I used to love fair tales. But let’s be honest, fairy tales are weird. They are usually about kids in danger. And maybe that was the point. Teach kids to be scared all the time.

But one that always bothered me was Little Red Riding Hood. And what always bothered me about the story, was at the end, how did Little Red Riding Hood not recognize that her grandmother was actually a wolf. I mean all the evidence is there. This is the story:

When Little Red Riding Hood entered the little cottage, she could scarcely recognize her Grandmother.

"Grandmother! Your voice sounds so odd. Is something the matter?" she asked.

"Oh, I just have touch of a cold," squeaked the wolf adding a cough at the end to prove the point.

"But Grandmother! What big ears you have," said Little Red Riding Hood as she edged closer to the bed.

"The better to hear you with, my dear," replied the wolf.

"But Grandmother! What big eyes you have," said Little Red Riding Hood.

"The better to see you with, my dear," replied the wolf.

"But Grandmother! What big teeth you have," said Little Red Riding Hood her voice quivering slightly.

"The better to eat you with, my dear," roared the wolf and he leapt out of the bed and began to chase the little girl.

How could she miss that a wolf was pretending to be her grandmother.

But in the real world we miss wolves all the time even if the evidence is right in front of us.

Transition to the Text: Turn with me in your Bibles to Acts 20:28-38. The Acts of the Apostles recounts the continued work of Jesus by his disciples after he ascended into heaven. The Holy Spirit descended with power on the disciples and the Gospel began to Spread around the world.

In the beginning, the focus was on Peter, but as the book progresses, the focus becomes Paul as the gospel spreads beyond Judaism to the non-Jewish gentiles.

Paul started churches throughout the Roman world. He spent the most time at a church named Ephesus. And this church had a special place in his heart.

In end Paul begins a journey to Jerusalem where he will be arrested an ultimately ends up going to Rome. As he passes near the city of Ephesus he calls for the Ephesian elders to come see him. With what Paul thinks is the final time he will ever see the Ephesian elders again, he takes the opportunity to provide a warning. His warning can be summed up in our Authentic Principle.

Introduce:

Authentic Principle: Beware of those who pretend to be who they are not.

Read:

Acts 20:28–38 (ESV)

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. 35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” 36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. 37 And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, 38 being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Authentic Principle: Beware of those who pretend to be who they are not.

1. Protect God’s Family. (Acts 20:28)

Explanation:

It’s a warning that is very reminiscent of when Moses blessed the people of Israel before passing the the reigns of leadership on to Joshua. Moses knew that times would come when people would abandon the law and be led astray.

And this happened throughout the history of God’s people. They have periods of godliness and they thrive in times of obedience to God.

But over time, people rise up that begin to question what they’ve been taught. And they come in like ravenous wolves to devour God’s flock.

The ephesian church had experienced incredible growth under the guidance of Paul. But he fears what will happen after he is gone. When he’s not their to protect them from people who will come in and deceive them.

So Paul says to pay attention. Watch out.

Now he starts off by saying, Pay attention to yourselves.

This goes along with the idea of considering the log in your own eye before considering the speck in someone else’s. Paul go on to say that some of the men from among their own group will arise speaking twisted things.

1. Don’t be that guy.

2. Hold each other accountable.

3. Be a united front against the wolves.

Paul says that he has made these elders overseers over the church of God.

Now the word overseer is the same word that Paul uses for pastors in 1 Timothy 3 where he gives a list of qualifications. But this also applies to all of the leaders of God’s church. To start it is the Holy Spirit who picks the leaders of the church. This begins in the time of our conversion to Christianity. The Holy Spirit makes us alive in Christ. But then the Holy Spirit also sets apart some with the spiritual gifts necessary for leadership in the church. Some might say that it’s the congregation who votes on the leaders. And we do vote on the leaders of North Hills as we participate in God’s plan. We vote on certain staff positions at North Hills, particularly pastors. However, really what’s happening is that we believe that at all times the Holy Spirit is in control and guiding us to the right people for each job. And through prayer, we believe that by relying on the Holy Spirit, we’ll get to the right person. Therefore, in a real way it is Holy Spirit who appoints and anoints overseers over the church.

The second thing is the role of overseers. They are to care for the church. the word care here is where we get the word Pastor. And it means to shepherd. This goes back to Jesus’ words to Peter after the resurrection. Jesus tells Peter to shepherd his sheep (John 21:16). It’s the same word. So Paul is telling these elders that they are to keep watch over the church of God.

And then Paul reminds them that it is God’s church and it was purchased with His blood. Notice that this is a subtle reference to the divinity of Jesus. God, strictly speaking, doesn’t have any blood. Therefore the Jesus is called God. But it’s a reminder that this church does not belong to any one person. It does does not even belong to the individual members. This is Christ’s church and it is he who bought it. And he will defend it.

Illustration: I remember when I was not quite young enough to drive. My dad was driving and we got a flat-tire. It was at night because of course it was and on a somewhat winding road. So he gave me a flashlight and sent me behind the car to be a look out for any cars that would come our way. And then to warn them that there was a hazard up ahead. This served 2 functions. One to protect my dad and the other to protect those cars from hitting our car.

Application: This is kind of what the role of a pastor is, to wield a flashlight and warn people of oncoming dangers. God has given special status to pastors as those who are to look out for the church. Our flashlight is the Bible as we point people to God’s truth. They are not to rule in a domineering way, gently and firmly warning people that danger is up ahead. Likewise Paul is demonstrating that now.

2. Expect attacks on God’s Church (Acts 20:29-31)

Explanation: And here’s why Paul says to pay attention. Attacks are coming. Paul has been like a damn that holds back the waters of heresy and twisted thinking. After Paul is gone he knows that the attacks will come and their may be no one with his resolve to hold them back.

Paul calls them fierce wolves. Notice something. The attacks Paul is talking about are not coming from the outside. They were already facing attacks from the outside. These new attacks will come in from the inside. These fierce wolves will come in among you not sparing the flock. And as stated already, some of them would also arise people speaking twisted things and will draw disciples to follow after them.

You might ask, how could this possibly happen? Well actually pretty easily.

2 Timothy 3:1–7 ESV

1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

This is where we get the analogy of wolves in sheep clothing. Paul talks about this type of person in 2 Timothy 3:5. They have the appearance of godliness. It is possible to have the appearance of godliness and be a ravenous wolf. And too often these qualities spoken about in 2 Timothy 3 make for really great business men and women. When the ends justify the means all is fair game. But these are the exact types of people Paul says to avoid.

Illustration: When I moved to California, our parents were really afraid that we would die in an earthquake. The spoke of California falling off into the ocean. So for the first four years I lived in constant expectation of a big earthquake.

12 years later, I’ve felt 1 earthquake in california. And there was a bigger earth quake in Maryland while were their on vacation.

I no longer expect earthquakes, honestly I’m more afraid of wildfires.

Application: But attacks on the church will come. But in many of our minds, it’s been a long time since a real attack has happened, that we can become complacent. We stop watching because we stop expecting.

We can never stop expecting attacks on the church, because it’s when we stop watching that they come in.

So it starts with...

3. Know your friends. Know your enemy. (Acts 20:32-38)

Explanation: Paul has to remind them that he is a friend. There were times in Paul’s letters where he had to be strong and some might have thought he was a jerk or overbearing. That he overreacted and made mountains out of molehills. How amazing it is that sometimes the very people who are for us are the ones we think are against us.

Paul tells reminds them that for 3 years he served them tirelessly. And that it was with tears that he didn’t cease to admonish them. And what I think Paul means by “admonishing” is “warning.” Paul was paying attention and looking out for them.

And then Paul then says, “I commend you to God” to essentially continue the same work that Paul started. And Paul, as always, provides himself as an example to follow.

Paul worked hard to meet his own needs so as not to be a burden. Paul was always who he claimed to be. Never less.

Paul used this as evidence to say that the person who tells you the truth is not your enemy, even if you don’t like hearing it.

The enemy is the person who lies to you to make you feel good. And a person who lies is never who they seem to be.

And that’s how you can tell a person is an enemy. They lie. People lie about what God has said.

It started it the garden.

The snake has said, “Has God really said?”

That’s what Jesus meant when he revealed the Pharisees as enemies of God.

John 8:44 ESV

44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Too often we think of the enemies as being outside of the church attacking the church. But the most destructive and dangerous enemies and attacks will come from the inside.

And the lies are never overt, but subtle that try to get you to doubt the Word of God.

Never asking you to reject Jesus, but rather to compromise your convictions.

Illustration: Perhaps the biggest lie that people tell us is that we are fine just the way we are.

We neglect to tell them about their sin.

We neglect to tell them that Jesus didn’t just die because he love them, but that he loved his people enough to die to pay the penalty of their sins so that they could have a restored relationship with God.

But today, rather than calling sin what it is, we say…I’m ok you’re ok. But we’re not ok. Sin is bad. And it’s ok to not be ok, but we don’t have to stay that way.

We tell the truth that Jesus is the only way.

We tell the truth that God’s Word is truth. And tells us about God and about us.

Application: Find you people who will tell you the truth.

Find people who will hold you accountable.

Find people who will temporarily hurt you with the truth rather than those who will condemn you with lies.

And as hard is it will be, be that for other people. Especially those in the household of God.

Be that for the church. Be someone who is willing to warn others with the truth.

Response: Are you prepared to defend God’s church?

The great weapon is the truth.

Summation:

Authentic Principle: BEWARE of those who PRETEND to be who they are not.

1. PROTECT God’s Family. (Acts 20:28)

2. EXPECT attacks on God’s Church (Acts 20:29-31)

3. KNOW your friends. KNOW your enemy. (Acts 20:32-38)

Response: Are you PREPARED to defend God’s CHURCH?

Closing Illustration: Some of the best movies involve characters who aren’t who they appear to be.

Super hero alter-egos. Hallmark movies have gotten a lot of mileage out of the prince pretending to be a commoner.

And there is that twist ending when the truth is revealed.

And while there are some really good twists in this world. There are some stories of people surprising us. There is also the danger of those people who wind up revealing who they really are in a negative way. And those are not so good. So we need to pay attention.

We live in a world that is full of distractions.

Distractions from the road that we’re driving on.

Distractions from what we are supposed to be doing but are procrastinating.

Distractions from our family.

It’s never been more important for us to pay attention to all the things that are going on around us.

While we’re distracted, the enemy is at work.

And we need people who are willing to pay attention and look out for us. And we need to look out for others.

Let’s pray.

Week 32 of 2021-2022 Sermon Series: Inauthentic: Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

Authentic Principle: BEWARD of those who PRETEND to be who they are not.

1. PROTECT God’s Family. (Acts 20:28)

2. EXPECT attacks on God’s Church (Acts 20:29-31)

3. KNOW your friends. KNOW your enemy. (Acts 20:32-38)

Response: Are you PREPARED to defend God’s CHURCH?

Opening Discussion: How can you tell the difference between an authentic Christian and a fake Christian? Why is this so important?

Sermon:

Who does Paul tell the elders at Ephesus to “pay attention to?” Why are these 2 groups so important?

Why is it important to pay attention to yourself before you pay attention to others? (See also: Luke 6:42)

Who does Paul say made them overseers? Why is this significant?

Whose church is it? How does this go against some impressions we get from pastors and churches in our culture today?

How does the end of verse 28 speak to the deity of Jesus?

Why might Paul’s departure lead to “fierce wolves?” Where will these “fierce wolves” come from?

What does Paul say these “fierce wolves” will do?

How does Paul suggest they protect against those who would lead the church astray?

Why do you think that Paul, expecting to never see these people again, wants to leave them with a warning against wolves?

Application:

Where have you seen “fierce wolves” in the church or Christianity?

What are some keys to identifying wolves in the church?

What do you do to protect the flock from wolves?

How are you paying attention to yourself?

How are you paying attention to others?

How can we work together to better protect the church against wolves?