GROWING BY GOD'S SCRUTINY
SPIRITUAL GROWTH • Sermon • Submitted
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Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Introduction
Introduction
The Emperor’s New Clothes, by Hans Christian Andersen is a humorous parody on pretense. A vain emperor who cares about nothing except wearing and displaying clothes hires weavers who promise him they will make him the best suit of clothes. The weavers are con-men who convince the emperor they are using a fine fabric invisible to anyone who is either unfit for his position or "hopelessly stupid". The con lies in that the weavers are actually only pretending to manufacture the clothes; they are making make-believe clothes which they mime. Thus, no one, not even the emperor nor his ministers can see the alleged "clothes", but pretend that they can for fear of appearing unfit for their positions, and the emperor does the same. Finally, the weavers report that the suit is finished, they mime dressing him, and the emperor marches in procession before his subjects. The townsfolk uncomfortably go along with the pretense, not wanting to appear unfit for their positions or stupid. Then, a child in the crowd, too young to understand the desirability of keeping up the pretense, blurts out that the emperor is wearing nothing at all, and the cry is taken up by others. The emperor realizes the assertion is true but continues the procession.
Our text from the book of Hebrews echoes the message of this parable. It is foolish to pretend and to clothe ourselves with insincerity, to represent ourselves as other than what we are. Sooner or later, we will be exposed. We live before a God who sees us, not as we pretend to be, but as we really are.
Notice two important perspectives about this matter:
I. We are Exposed by God
I. We are Exposed by God
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid hare ().
A. Sin leads to pretending.
A. Sin leads to pretending.
1. The first thing Adam and Eve did after they ate of the forbidden fruit was to hide.
1. The first thing Adam and Eve did after they ate of the forbidden fruit was to hide.
2. They hid from each other and they hid from God.
2. They hid from each other and they hid from God.
3. According to the Bible we hide because we sin.
3. According to the Bible we hide because we sin.
4. Some people spend all their days hiding.
4. Some people spend all their days hiding.
5. Their lives are nothing but a charade, a great hypocrisy.
5. Their lives are nothing but a charade, a great hypocrisy.
B. Sin is ultimately exposed.
B. Sin is ultimately exposed.
1. God looks behind our masks in order to deal with the real person.
1. God looks behind our masks in order to deal with the real person.
2. The Result: God “finds us out.”
2. The Result: God “finds us out.”
Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
3. The instrument of this divine expose of men is the living and active Word of God.
3. The instrument of this divine expose of men is the living and active Word of God.
4. Like sharp daggers, God’s commands pierce our pretensions to disclose our true level of trust and commitment.
4. Like sharp daggers, God’s commands pierce our pretensions to disclose our true level of trust and commitment.
5. The double-edged sword of the Word not only reveals God to man, it reveals man to God.
5. The double-edged sword of the Word not only reveals God to man, it reveals man to God.
II. We are Examined by God
II. We are Examined by God
“… before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” ().
A. Man has difficulty believing the reality of accountability. Our culture conditions us reject obligations, run from responsibility and resist any efforts to hold us accountable.
A. Man has difficulty believing the reality of accountability. Our culture conditions us reject obligations, run from responsibility and resist any efforts to hold us accountable.
Culturally conditioned to be “under no obligation, “we spend most of our lives running from responsibility and resisting any efforts to hold us accountable.
Culturally conditioned to be “under no obligation, “we spend most of our lives running from responsibility and resisting any efforts to hold us accountable.
1. We build loopholes into our laws and put escape clauses into our contracts.
1. We build loopholes into our laws and put escape clauses into our contracts.
2. We get out of bad debts by filing for bankruptcy and out of bad marriages by filing for divorce.
2. We get out of bad debts by filing for bankruptcy and out of bad marriages by filing for divorce.
3. The prospect of having to answer to God is a thought from which we steadfastly recoil.
3. The prospect of having to answer to God is a thought from which we steadfastly recoil.
B. The God of the Bible is a God who judges His creatures.
B. The God of the Bible is a God who judges His creatures.
1. The God of creation is also the God of the flood.
1. The God of creation is also the God of the flood.
2. The shepherd who lays down his life for His sheep is also the shepherd who will separate the sheep from the goats.
2. The shepherd who lays down his life for His sheep is also the shepherd who will separate the sheep from the goats.
C. God’s scrutiny penetrates to the inner man and examines the heart.
C. God’s scrutiny penetrates to the inner man and examines the heart.
There are at several reasons why God focuses on our hearts:
1. According to the Bible, the “heart” is the seat of human intellect and will.
1. According to the Bible, the “heart” is the seat of human intellect and will.
2. The heart is that part of us that dreams and schemes, that plans and decides. It is, therefore, the source of human behavior.
2. The heart is that part of us that dreams and schemes, that plans and decides. It is, therefore, the source of human behavior.
3. A man’s heart does not always match his habits.
3. A man’s heart does not always match his habits.
4. It is only when we know the heart behind the habit that we know the real person.
4. It is only when we know the heart behind the habit that we know the real person.
Conclusion
As any recovering alcoholic will tell you, the first step toward recovery is the honest admission of the problem. Being exposed can be a painful experience, but it can also be a redemptive experience. It peels away the layers of pretense behind which we hide, and it enables us to present our true selves unto God.
Illustration
In C.S. Lewis’ fantasy, Chronicles of Narnia, the character Eustace is saved from his dragonish ways by being “undressed” by a huge lion (the Christ figure in the Chronicles) and then plunged into water. With great fear Eustace endured the pain of the lion’s claw as it tore layer after layer of dragon’s skin until he recovered his real self. This portrait of redemption is close to the one presented in this text.
Being exposed can be a painful experience, but it can also be a redemptive experience. It peels away the layers of pretense behind which we hide, and it enables us to present our true selves unto God.