Sunday, February 28, 2010

Sunday: At McLean Bible Church, A Christian's Humble, Imperfect Walk Towards Authenticity


THE HYPOCRITICAL PHARISEES: WHEN WHAT'S ON THE INSIDE DOESN'T LINE UP WITH WHAT'S ON THE OUTSIDE

LAST SUNDAY in between trips to New York, I was back in D.C. attending McLean Bible Church. When pastor-in-chief Lon Solomon talks about what Jesus teaches, I listen. This sermon is from Luke 11: 37-44, teaching about the outward image of piety in the Pharisees in contrast to the true dark, hypocritical reality of their hearts. Woe to the Pharisees' inauthenticity, is the message. Jesus dealt with these religious leaders in the harshest of terms, calling them white-washed tombs, snakes and vipers, because it impugned God's reputation with the people the Pharisees purported to teach and lead.

The church is sadly filled with hypocrites and false, inauthentic teachers and believers. This message is for all of us. True authenticity starts in the heart, only by the transforming empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Walking in the Spirit, relying on the Spirit every day is the only way we have a chance of succeeding in attaining some degree of integrity and authenticity in Jesus Christ.

In this sermon, Lon tells why he always roots against the Dallas Cowboys after the way owner Jerry Jones treated Tom Landry. And also tells about his inner struggle when he received a huge refund check from the IRS that he knew was a mistake but the agency insisted was due him.

No comments:

Post a Comment