True Colors
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: Pledge
: Passage 25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
: Prayer
: Title - True Colors
ME:
How many of you know what this is? (HOLD UP A LEMON)
It is produced for a purpose! (It has a reason to exist)!
There are 2, if not more, reason for the existence of a lemon!
Culinary use:
..... Whole lemons used to make marmalade
..... Lemon Curd/lemon meringue pie
..... Lemonade
..... Soft drinks (Sprite)
..... Lemon Juice
Industrial use:
..... Aroma
..... Cleaning products
When pressure is applied to a lemon, what do we get?
Lemon juice! (WHY?)
I would be willing to say without doubt that when a lemon is squeeze you will get Lemon Juice.
Here is the reason I state this ..... What’s internal will always be produced externally.
Especially when pressure is applied!
So how does this relate to us?
Many of you remember me sharing the story of Jody Carl!
A childhood friend that I got into a fight with because I believed he took something from my house!
If you remember, he didn’t do it! ......... My brother did!
If you also remember I shared with you, Internally, I was a hurting, angry young kid at this time in my life!
What was internal was going to be produced externally.
Jody got the repercussions of my anger, hurts.
What was inside of me came out!
When I was squeezed, the stuff that was in my heart is what was being produced externally.
Mind you, this was before I met Jesus!
Since surrendering my life to Christ He has been healing me, purifying my heart.
In our church we call this Sanctification!
Being transformed into the very image of Christ!
This is internally done producing evidence externally
When we are pressed what is coming out of us is JESUS!
Transition Statement: The times I feel, are my worst pressed/squeezed moments, I desire to produce Jesus. (TRUE COLORS)
WE:
I would be safe to say, the majority of us here this morning desires to produce Jesus: (Wakes up thinking I can’t wait to produce that .....)
Peace (Not Anger),
kindness (Not meanness),
gentleness (Not harshness),
self-control (Not Out of control),
purity (Not contamination).
Living Holy/righteous lives ( “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” Peter is referencing “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves .....”
For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves
16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Internal Purity produces external evidence. (TRUE COLORS)
What is in our hearts will be the things that is produced externally.
..... What people will see and hear coming from us!
When we see someone do something that is so reprehensible, our first reaction is what? ...... SHOCK!
Why is this our reaction?
Because we know that people are not suppose to do reprehensible things.
But what we are looking at today, we are learning that what is going on inside of a person will always be produced externally!
When Pressured (It will always come out)!
To be honest, the very thing we are talking about is THE HEART!
Over the last few years we have see man do some of the most reprehensible things imaginable.
We have great debate over how to stop this .... more, harsh gun laws, more harsh punishment!
To be honest with you today, nothing is going to change until we address the root of the problem.
What is that? THE HEART OF MAN!
Transition Statement: This is exactly what Jesus was dealing with when it came to the Pharisees: THE HEART!
GOD:
What Jesus was doing by making these Prophetic indictments against the pharisees, ..... In our society today, we would say he was “Calling them Out!”
Let’s take a look at how Jesus was dealing with the heart of the Pharisees.
As we see, Jesus addresses them the same way, “Woe to you, scribes and pharisees, Hypocrites! (Same as 1,2, & 4)
He points out an O.T. , Jewish ritual.
He uses this as an example to make his point!
He states to them that they were so focused on the outside cleanliness of the Cup and plate .....
How clean they had to be ....
How presentable they had to be ....
How many of us have done this as a kid?
As you were putting the clean dishes away and noticed that one that had some stuff still on it?
You go ahead and put the dish away hoping Mom doesn’t find it.
But mom uses that dirty dish radar that is built into her and she pounds you with the evidence.
It wasn’t important for us to make sure they were clean, we just wanted to get it done!
For the Pharisees they were so concerned about the outward appearance, all the while neglecting the more important thing.
Jesus states, “But inside they (the cup and the plate) are full of greed and self-indulgence.”
What Jesus is referencing here is not the Cup and the Plate being full of unclean stuff.
It’s the Pharisees and the Scribes being filled with unclean stuff (Greed and Self-indulgence)
We are not sure why Jesus picked these 2 things to mention.
The focus was not on these 2 items but on the fact the Pharisees and scribes were portraying outwardly (Cleanliness) while inwardly they were harboring unclean things (Greed and Self-indulgence).
I wonder if any of us can relate to this?
On the outside, “Hey man congrat’s on the promotion!” But on the inside we thinking, You jerk, you don’t deserve it, I deserved it!”
Jesus doesn’t just point this out to them and then walk away.
He gives them instruction as to rectify the situation
“First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.”
I like what the NIV states, “ First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”
First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
Internal Purity (cleanliness) produces external evidence.
Internal Purity (cleanliness) produces external evidence.
Transition Statement: Can anyone here this morning resonate with this?
You have seen someone who says they are a peaceful soul but in a heated encounter it sure doesn’t look peaceful.
Someone who says they love someone but yet physically, mentally hurts them.
YOU:
Maybe we have told ourselves our hearts are pure but have found ourselves thinking, acting, or saying things that are not signs of purity.
We do realize that Jesus know what we are thinking, saying under our breath or doing when no one is looking.
I am sure there are people who come to your mind that talk one way but act differently.
Teens: you have friends who act one way at church but when they are at school they act differently.
Co-workers: You have a coworker who attends church with you that acts one way at church but acts unChristlike when they are at work.
They are showing their true colors.
There might be someone here this morning God is revealing to you ....... This is you!
Transition Statement: What if I told you we can change!
WE:
We can be transformed into the very image of Christ.
How?
DECIDE!
Make the Decision!
Jesus tells the Pharisees to “FIRST ....”
There is always something that happens before we do the first thing of anything.
There is a decision to do “FIRST” before you put the decision into action.
EXAMPLE: DIET
I am going to allow Christ to help transform me into HIS IMAGE!
REACT!
After the decision has been made then you need to react.
You react to the decision that was made.
I am allowing Christ to point out any and everything that needs purified/cleansed/removed from me.
REPEAT!
Just as every day is a new day.
This is what we call “The progressive” aspect of Sanctification.
Waking up every morning asking God to sanctify me more today than you did yesterday.
Purify me more ..... transform me more today than you did yesterday.
I am going to continue to allow Christ to point out any and everything that needs purified/cleansed/removed from me.
HAVE THE PRAISE TEAM COME UP.
Internal Purity produces External Evidence
HAVE THE PRAISE TEAM COME UP.
I have to believe there are some here today that have given your life to Jesus.
You understand its about the heart.
Having your heart cleansed/ transformed into the image of Christ.
You’re not putting on a facade.
You get up every morning and ask Him to sanctify you more today than He did yesterday.
To you I say, Continue on! Don’t quit!
I would guess there are some here this morning that has done this but for whatever reason has stopped.
You are desiring to get back to being cleansed/transformed into the image of Christ.
I encourage today to come and seek Christ today! Come and pray for Christ to do this in you.
I would like to encourage those who have never done this before.
This might be all new to you!
Thats okay!
What I want to do is encourage you this morning.
I know first hand, what it feels like to have never experienced the transforming power of Jesus.
But what I did was this ......
I decided there had to be something better out in the world.
I came to Church, later accepted Christ, and each day I may a decision to allow Him to transform me.
You know what I did ....
I made a decision!
I reacted to that decision!
I have been repeating ever since!