WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:06.400 Also, if you're new here, you picked a great Sunday to come because we are starting a brand new series entitled Revolution. 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:08.560 Everybody say revolution, ready? 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:12.240 The power that changed everything. 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:17.120 And we're gonna be in Matthew chapter 22 and Matthew chapter 23 today. 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:26.160 And I don't know if you have ever experienced the annoyance of losing electricity in your house. 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:30.079 Who has ever experienced the annoyance of losing electrical power? 00:00:30.239 --> 00:00:31.120 Yes, yes. 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:33.039 It's like it's super annoying. 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:35.679 Like let's say you're watching your favorite show. 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:39.600 In fact, everybody on the count of three, I want you to shout out your favorite show. 00:00:40.000 --> 00:00:40.719 Okay, you're ready? 00:00:41.039 --> 00:00:42.880 Now remember, you're in a church service, okay. 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:44.399 Okay, right? 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:46.479 One, two, three. 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:50.399 Yes, that's my favorite too. 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:51.280 Just kidding. 00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:52.960 Unless you said Sports Center. 00:00:53.119 --> 00:01:10.079 Um you watch your favorite show, and maybe like a cliffhanger moment, and you're like, I gotta find out like who did it, or uh, you know, like it, and then all of a sudden, blackout, and you're like stinking PGE, they did it again. 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:17.359 If you if you lost electrical power, you know the impact of not having power. 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:19.840 It's annoying, it's frustrating. 00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:34.079 But it's possible that you have electrical power right now at your house, but you have lost spiritual power, or you don't have spiritual power in your life. 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:42.239 In fact, it's possible that you're living your life in darkness, and maybe you don't even realize it. 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:53.040 And what we're gonna do today is I'm going to show you from scripture how we can flip the lights back on and live with spiritual power. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:55.680 It says this in Romans chapter 1, verse 16. 00:01:55.840 --> 00:02:02.480 It says, For I am not ashamed of the gospel because, watch this, because it is the what's that word? 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:10.560 It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. 00:02:11.120 --> 00:02:15.759 So the gospel gives us the spiritual power, which brings up the question: what is the gospel? 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:20.879 Very simply, it's the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus. 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:28.400 And what this does is the gospel turns on the lights so we can see and have power. 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:37.759 For example, have you ever needed to forgive somebody in your life, but you thought they don't deserve it? 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:41.840 If you're human, the answer is yes. 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:46.080 Some of y'all are like, this happens to me every single day of my life. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:48.479 They don't deserve it. 00:02:48.960 --> 00:02:59.199 But when I remember that in the gospel, Jesus came and died on the cross for me, and even though I didn't deserve it, he forgave me. 00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:05.360 Then I don't forgive that person because I'm a good moral person and I forgive. 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:11.280 I don't forgive that person because I watched that TikTok video and it said that if I want to live a free life, then I just need to learn to forgive. 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:12.719 No, watch this. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:16.960 I forgive because I have been forgiven. 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:20.240 Because forgiving people, what do they do? 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:22.159 They forgive people. 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:25.120 The gospel gives us power. 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:26.400 How about this? 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:29.599 Have you ever had a struggle before in your life? 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:30.879 Like, duh. 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:32.960 Some of y'all struggling right now. 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:44.639 When we have a struggle, sometimes we can have a tendency to hide and not be open and not bring it into the light. 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:58.560 And sometimes the reason why we don't bring it into the light is because our identity is based on us feeling strong, us feeling like we have ourselves together, us being the one that people go to for help. 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:00.159 We don't go to people for help. 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:05.919 And we have this identity that we've built based on us having ourselves together. 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:07.680 This is what the gospel says. 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:16.000 The gospel says that your identity is not based on you having yourself together, but it's based on what God did for you and who God says that you are. 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:20.639 So now you are free to walk in the light and be open and honest. 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:25.839 And something I'm gonna propose to us in this series, it's it's really strong. 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:28.160 This is not preacher language. 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:31.040 This is this is this is strong. 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:34.480 But I'm gonna, we're gonna see this over the next few weeks in the series. 00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:42.000 Is that if you will embrace the implications of the gospel, it will literally change everything about you. 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:49.040 If you will embrace the gospel and its implications, we're gonna see this over the next three or four weeks. 00:04:49.199 --> 00:04:52.959 If you will embrace this, I'm telling you, it will change everything about you. 00:04:53.199 --> 00:05:00.480 Because as we say here, the gospel doesn't just save us, it shapes us, strengthens us, and guides us. 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:02.480 This is what the gospel does. 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:12.319 What man-made religion does is it doesn't change us at the heart level. 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:22.000 What man-made religion does is it causes us to focus on our outward behavior and wear a mask. 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:30.959 That's all about us performing and all about us doing, and all about us focusing on the outward behavior. 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:36.639 But what Jesus does and what the gospel does is it changes our hearts. 00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:52.160 So what we have to do, and this is the title of the message today, it's this we have to drop the mask and be real with God and real with ourselves, and allow Jesus to touch every single part of our hearts. 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:57.680 This takes us to a place in Matthew chapter 22 where you had some Pharisees. 00:05:57.839 --> 00:05:59.519 Everybody say, Pharisees, ready? 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:00.959 Pharisees. 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:08.800 They were the most religious, educated people of the day, and they go to Jesus with one question. 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:11.439 Verse 35 of Matthew 22. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:12.079 Here it is. 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:18.319 One of them, one of the Pharisees, an expert in the law, asked a question to him. 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:21.040 They asked a question to test him. 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:28.879 Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest? 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:45.199 What the Pharisees had done is they had searched the Old Testament and they had identified 600, hear this, 613 different Old Testament laws, and they had them all memorized. 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:49.360 I can't even memorize my Wi-Fi password. 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:52.079 Like, I forget that. 00:06:52.240 --> 00:07:01.680 These bros had 613 laws identified and memorized, and they come to Jesus and they say, Okay, 613 of them. 00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:05.839 Which one is the greatest? 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:08.079 And this is what he said. 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:09.519 Some of y'all already know. 00:07:09.680 --> 00:07:17.839 He said to him, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:26.079 Now when he says, your heart, your soul, your mind, this represents the whole person. 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:32.480 Jesus says you should love God with complete devotion. 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:33.519 Your mind. 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:37.040 Your heart, your soul, like everything. 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:43.279 He says, This is the greatest and most important command. 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:49.519 And what's interesting is the type of people that Jesus says this to. 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:16.720 So they had obeyed outwardly, not because they love God, but because they had some other motive. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:18.240 It would be like this. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:26.959 Let's let's pretend, let's say you decide that you guys, you and your family are gonna go to family counseling, which is a great thing to do. 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:33.919 Maybe you tell your group leader, you tell your ministry coordinator, you're like, hey, we're gonna go to family counseling, and they're like, that's great. 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:35.039 Like, we're gonna pray for you. 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:39.840 We're super excited, you're gonna take that next step and work on some things. 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:44.559 And outwardly, you go to family counseling with your family. 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:47.360 That's the behavior. 00:08:47.519 --> 00:08:50.559 But inwardly, you're like, I'll need a change. 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:52.399 They need a change. 00:08:54.000 --> 00:09:00.559 They need to work on their traumas, they need to work on their junk because they got a lot of it. 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:06.720 And outward behavior can look like, oh, you're doing a really good thing. 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:14.080 But inwardly, in your heart, there's no change and there's no openness. 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:22.399 What man-made religion does is it just focuses on our behavior, but it can't change our heart. 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:29.679 It can make us look whole, but it but it can't actually make us whole. 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:34.720 It can make us look like we're holy, but internally we can still be empty. 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:38.639 It can pressure you to obey, and you gotta do this, and you gotta do that. 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:43.120 But man-made religion can actually change your heart and make you love God. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:48.720 And what Jesus wants to do is he wants to change our hearts. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:53.840 So, what Jesus does in this text is he does something a little unusual. 00:09:56.080 --> 00:10:07.360 He talks to some people that did everything right outwardly, and he wants them to, well, drop the mask. 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:21.360 So, what Jesus does is he exposes their hearts, and Jesus like comes at these guys with with without pulling any punches, like he tells them, this is what needs to change in you. 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:24.879 In fact, look what it says in Matthew 23, verse 23. 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:28.480 He says this He says, Woe to you. 00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:34.639 Now, when you hear the word woe scripturally in your mind, it should cause you to go, Whoa. 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:37.840 This is what woe means. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:39.519 Woe is an intense word. 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:46.240 I mean, it's like woe, it means horror, and it's a declaration of judgment. 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:54.960 So God, so God, right here, Jesus, he's giving these people a declaration of judgment, and he's saying, It's horrible that you do this. 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:56.480 Well, what do they do? 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:09.600 They pay a tenth of mint and dill and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faithfulness. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:13.440 These things should have been done without neglecting the others. 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:16.000 Now, what's what's mint and dill and cumin? 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:19.360 Here's what that is it it's spices. 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:24.000 So, what these guys are doing, this is like Jesus is almost being comical. 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:26.879 He's like, You cut this little spice up into 10 different places. 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:44.159 You make sure you tithe, you drop it here, and he says, It's a good thing that you tithe, but you do this, but on your way to go tithe, you are neglecting being merciful towards people, you are neglecting having justice. 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:46.879 You got this thing mixed up. 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:52.000 In verse 24, he says, blind guides. 00:11:53.679 --> 00:11:58.159 You strain out a gnat, but you gulp down a camel. 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:09.039 So the idea of eating a gnat, they would like strain out, like but they'll but they're it's it's an analogy, but they'll eat a camel. 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:11.519 Here's another analogy, this might connect with you. 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:20.159 It's almost like you're calorie counting a tic-tac while at the same time eating a big bowl of cold stone ice cream. 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:33.440 It's like you're making a big deal about things that aren't a big deal, and you're giving little attention to what is a big deal, your heart. 00:12:34.559 --> 00:12:38.080 Verse 25, he says, Woe to you. 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:41.200 There it is again. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:51.840 Scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites, you clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 00:12:52.320 --> 00:12:54.799 Whoo! It's like this. 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:57.919 How many of you are like me and you do not like doing dishes? 00:12:58.399 --> 00:12:59.360 Oh my goodness. 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:02.960 How many of you don't like doing dishes, but that that's still your family chore? 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:04.559 You gotta do dishes every now and again, right? 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:07.279 Some of y'all like, I gotta do dishes every day of my life, right? 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:10.559 Come on, guys, a good Valentine's Day gift is do dishes for your wife. 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:11.600 No, I'm just kidding. 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:14.240 Um, let's say y'all do dishes, right? 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:25.519 Let's say there was a there is a cup over there that somehow has been sitting there for like three or four days and it has not been washed. 00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:34.320 And you go to grab this cup and you look in it, and it's got like remnants of an old smoothie, or worse, a protein drink. 00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:38.559 Some of y'all know what I'm talking about. 00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:39.919 That is nasty. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:44.559 And you look at it and you're like, is this a cup or is this like a science experiment? 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:46.559 Something's growing in here. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:55.759 And what you don't do is you don't take that cup and you're not like, uh I just need it, I just need to clean the outside. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:58.559 If you're like me, I don't even want to wash the inside. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:00.080 I just throw that sucker away. 00:14:00.320 --> 00:14:01.360 I think it's done, right? 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:04.399 We'll we'll order one for 50 cents on Amazon or something, right? 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:04.879 Or whatever. 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:11.679 What you don't do, you don't you don't clean the outside and then put it up in the cabinet, and you're like, look, it's clean. 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:15.279 I like I polished it, I washed that. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:20.639 No, you're like, you gotta clean inside the cup, right? 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:22.480 That's what you do. 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:24.559 You know what the Pharisees did? 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:29.039 They didn't clean inside the cup, they just focused on the outside. 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:34.720 And Jesus says this in verse 26 blind Pharisee. 00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:39.919 And I don't know if he pointed the finger, but I bet you he did. 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:42.240 Blind Pharisee. 00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:49.679 First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside of it may also become clean. 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:53.440 Whoa, there's the word again, woe to you. 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:54.799 This is horrible. 00:14:54.960 --> 00:15:01.279 Scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites, you're like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside. 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:11.840 But inside, you're full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:20.080 The nation of Israel, what they would do is they would take the tombs and the graves and they would whitewash them. 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:23.279 And they wouldn't make them all white just so they would be pretty. 00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:26.000 They made them all white to identify them. 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:36.240 And the reason being is because if somebody were to touch a grave or they were to touch a dead body, they would be considered ceremonial unclean, ceremonially unclean. 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:38.799 So for seven days, they had to be away from everything. 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:41.519 So what they would do is they would very clearly identify them. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:45.919 So if somebody's just walking down the road, they wouldn't accidentally touch a grave. 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:50.000 And everybody knew, everybody knew, oh, that's a whitewashed grave. 00:15:50.159 --> 00:15:57.200 Like it looks good on the outside, but inside, somebody is dead in there. 00:15:57.919 --> 00:15:59.679 It's filled with bones. 00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:02.720 Yeah, it looks good, but it ain't good. 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:06.720 And this is what Jesus said: you are just like that. 00:16:08.159 --> 00:16:17.840 In the same way, on the outside, you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:20.240 He ain't pulling no punches. 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:31.279 And when we think about the Pharisees in this passage, sometimes somebody will come to our mind. 00:16:32.080 --> 00:16:35.440 Like we think, oh, that person's a Pharisee. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:45.759 We think, oh, I had a family member growing up, and they were like really judgmental, or I knew this person, and they would they went to church services all the time, and they were just always ugly, I don't know. 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:53.759 But the person we never think about, ever, ever think about, we talk about Pharisees, is we never think about ourselves. 00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:57.200 And we don't think we're a Pharisee. 00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:58.960 I don't think I'm a Pharisee. 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:01.519 You probably don't think you're a Pharisee. 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:14.960 But if we looked at what the Pharisees did, it's very possible that all of us have tendencies of Pharisees. 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:21.920 So it's possible that all of us could have Pharisaic tendencies. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:24.640 You say, not me, Pastor Nate. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:26.319 I have none of them. 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:28.400 Okay, how about this? 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:31.920 This is what Pharisees have a tendency to do. 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:36.640 They serve God primarily, number one, so God will bless them. 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:44.960 God, I'm gonna serve you and I'm gonna do this over here for you, and then you gotta do that over there for me. 00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:55.200 And what it is, is it's not serving God out of devotion, but rather serving God out of a transaction. 00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:59.519 I do for you, you do this for me. 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:09.839 And if your obedience is a transaction, not devotion, you're not loving God, you're negotiating with him. 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:20.160 Number two, you find your personal worth, identity, and value in what you do for God. 00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:29.440 So we think, hey, I uh I do all these things for God, so I'm valuable because I do all these things for him. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:36.400 I have identity, I have worth because of what I do for God, not because I'm a child of God. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:38.559 And can I just say here's a little secret? 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:40.720 Pastors are the worst at this. 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:45.920 They find identity in everything they do, and they find identity in the church and all this stuff. 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:48.160 That is a pharisaical tendency. 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:52.160 Number three, you measure your spirituality by your behavior. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:19:03.759 So when you think of the spirituality in your life, you don't look at your heart and your desires, you look at, well, I do this over here, I do that over here, I do this over here, I'm good. 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:12.480 Number four, you are quick to spot the sin in others, but not yourself. 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:18.799 When you sin, I become a judge. 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:22.880 But when I sin, I become a defense attorney. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:30.319 When you sin, I'm a judge, but when I say I'm a defense attorney, oh well, I didn't mean to do that. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:36.480 We judge others based on their actions, we judge ourselves based on our intentions. 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:42.799 Number five, we hold grudges, resentment, and bitterness. 00:19:46.960 --> 00:20:02.480 Now, if we're honest, which there's no better place to be honest with than than here in church service, if we're honest, how many of us would say I got one or more of these tendencies in my life? 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:05.599 Don't tell anybody, but I do. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:09.759 Don't tell it. 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:11.359 Here's the thing. 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:12.240 Here's the thing, here's the thing. 00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:23.200 It's easy for me to point at Pharisees, and the easiest way to know if you're becoming a Pharisee is to point at a Pharisee rather than us looking at our heart. 00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:25.920 And this is what Jesus invites all of us to do. 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:34.319 He invites all of us to be open with him and open our hearts to God. 00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:40.079 What man-made religion does is it causes us to wear a mask, but Jesus exposes the heart. 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:45.759 Now there are three ways the Pharisees in this text wore a mask. 00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:51.039 They used denial, deflection, and image management. 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:51.759 What's denial? 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:54.960 Denial says this, I'm not that bad. 00:20:55.119 --> 00:20:56.160 Let's all say it together. 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:57.759 Denial says, what does it say? 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:00.000 It says, I'm not that bad. 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:02.319 Look about verse 26 of the text. 00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:05.440 Jesus said, Blind Pharisee. 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:10.559 These Pharisees, they didn't think they were that bad. 00:21:10.799 --> 00:21:14.160 And they were blind to the true condition of their heart. 00:21:14.400 --> 00:21:16.640 They were like, but I do this and I do that. 00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:19.279 Jesus, like, okay, you do this and you do that. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:20.480 You should do this and that. 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:25.920 But you're filled with selfishness and you're filled with greed and you're filled with self-indulgence. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:36.079 And one of the easiest place places for all of us is to not be real about is to not be real about how we're actually doing. 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:42.559 To not be real about what's actually happening in my heart. 00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:48.720 And we can deny, second of all, we can wear a mask by deflecting. 00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:50.480 What is deflection? 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:53.759 I do good, so I am good. 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:55.200 Let's say, let's say that together. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:09.680 Like what the text says in verse 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint and dill and cumin. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:13.839 Yet you've neglected the more important matters. 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:17.519 You know, it's easy for us to think, man. 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:21.359 I go to church service sometimes. 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:24.400 I help people. 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:28.000 I I I I like I do pretty good. 00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:32.400 The other day we were in service and there was a worship song. 00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:34.640 I almost raised my hand. 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:36.480 Like I went like here. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:41.599 Like I I I I I I do this stuff over here. 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:44.960 So because like I do good, I am good. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:48.400 Like Pastor Nate, you know I'm on like a serve team right now. 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:50.799 Pastor Nate, you know I'm in a group too. 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:54.960 So I'm like going to service, I'm in a group, I'm on a serve team. 00:22:55.119 --> 00:22:56.799 Like, I'm good. 00:22:57.279 --> 00:22:58.240 I got it. 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:15.039 You realize you can go to service, be in a group, and be on a serve team, and your heart can still be filled with bitterness and jealousy and lust and addiction and identity issues and brokenness, and all those things are just a cover for what you really need to address, which is what's happening in your heart. 00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:18.160 Listen, it's it's deflection. 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:20.640 Oh, I do good, so I am good. 00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:22.799 Jesus will have none of it. 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:25.680 He cuts right to our hearts. 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:32.640 We can practice another way of masking is self-image management. 00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:34.319 What's image management? 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:37.599 As long as I appear good, I am good. 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:39.279 Let's say that together. 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:40.240 Image management. 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:43.359 As long as I appear good, I am good. 00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:45.519 Verse 28 of the text. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:50.720 In the same way, on the outside, you seem righteous to people. 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:55.680 So I appear good. 00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:57.039 You know. 00:23:58.640 --> 00:24:00.319 I know how to say the right things. 00:24:00.400 --> 00:24:04.079 I know how to do the right things at certain points. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:11.599 Pastor Nate is around, so I gotta make sure that I don't like cuss or anything. 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:12.319 You know what I mean? 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:21.680 Like, I don't want to swear on Pastor Nate because you know I want him to think a certain It's it's image management. 00:24:21.920 --> 00:24:25.519 Like I have to make sure that all of you guys think that I'm really good and holy. 00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:33.039 I can't actually be honest because you know, if I'm honest, then I have to like I kind of lose control and I gotta actually have to surrender if I'm honest. 00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:39.519 And you know, I have to control the narrative because I want to I want to control the narrative so you'll think a certain way about me. 00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:41.359 It's image management. 00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:44.640 Image management causes people to wear masks. 00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:48.079 Image management happens in churches all of the time. 00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:52.079 And Jesus says, there's no room for that. 00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:56.960 Jesus exposes their motives and he says, take off the mask. 00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:03.680 But let's be real, it can be super scary to take off the mask because when we take off the mask, we're exposed. 00:25:03.839 --> 00:25:06.000 When we take off the mask, we lose control. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:10.000 When we take off the mask, we actually have to really surrender to God. 00:25:10.640 --> 00:25:15.519 We take off the mask, we can't control and manipulate him and think that we can put him in debt. 00:25:15.839 --> 00:25:18.000 God, you're in debt because I did this for you. 00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:21.279 When we take off the mask, we don't know what God's gonna ask of us. 00:25:22.079 --> 00:25:27.200 We take off that when we take off the mask, we don't know what level of surrender it's gonna be. 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:31.279 We don't like know this stuff, and it scares the life out of us. 00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:44.480 But the only way to experience the freedom of the gospel is by putting the mask down and to stop playing the game and to stop denying or deflecting or practicing image management. 00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:47.759 There's a quote I want us to put up on the screen. 00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:59.359 And if you get nothing, let nothing from this service, I beg you that you would get this quote and this truth, and that it would sink deep in your soul. 00:26:00.559 --> 00:26:05.279 Because when we understand the gospel, it frees us to take off the mask. 00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:06.960 This is what Tolian writes. 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:11.440 He says, the gospel tells us that we have nothing to prove or protect. 00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:14.319 We can stop pretending. 00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:26.319 The gospel frees us from trying to impress people, to prove ourselves to people, to make people think we're something when we are not. 00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:36.799 When you understand your significance and identity and purpose and direction are all anchored in Christ, you don't have to win. 00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:43.519 The gospel frees you because you have a different identity. 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:47.839 The gospel frees you because you don't have to prove yourself. 00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:58.559 And could it be that the freedom that we are looking for, the freedom that we are desiring, and we're coming up with plans of how can I experience, how can I get out of this situation, and how can I take this to make me feel better? 00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:02.640 We're looking for freedom, and Jesus is like, it's in the gospel. 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:10.000 So here's what he invites us to do is number two, is to drop the mask and join the revolution. 00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:11.759 What's the revolution? 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:16.480 People living their lives in light of the gospel. 00:27:17.920 --> 00:27:22.880 Because when we see God's love, this is what it does, it melts our hearts and it changes us. 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:28.319 1 John 4.19 says this it says, We love. 00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:36.160 We love because God grabbed a hold of our necks and said, You have to love me. 00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:45.599 We love because, well, my grandma went to church and she told me that I gotta be on the straight and narrow and love God. 00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:46.480 No, no, no. 00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:47.599 Why do we love? 00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:52.480 Because he first loved us. 00:27:55.680 --> 00:28:00.160 You see, we don't love God because we were even commanded to. 00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:04.319 We love God because his love has captured our hearts. 00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:10.319 You know, I I can't, I can't grit my teeth and make myself love God. 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:13.279 I can't be like, Nate, like you gotta love God. 00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:22.880 Like, come on, like you're a pastor of a church, like you gotta make, you know, you gotta stand up on Sunday and try to keep people awake during the 1115 service when it's a really little bit warm in there. 00:28:23.039 --> 00:28:23.920 Like, come on. 00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:31.039 I can't like, oh, uh, I I can't make myself love God. 00:28:31.920 --> 00:28:33.200 I can't. 00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:35.680 And the sooner you admit that, the better. 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:40.960 But what I can do is see God's love, and God's love will melt my heart. 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:47.279 Paul writes this it's God's kindness, it's intended to lead you to repentance. 00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:48.880 What's repentance? 00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:50.559 It's a change in direction. 00:28:51.200 --> 00:29:01.759 So when I see God's kindness, when I see God's goodness, when I understand that in Christ I'm accepted, I'm safe, I'm his child, that's who I am. 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:05.119 It's only then I can drop the mask. 00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:10.720 It's only then I can stop denying and deflecting and trying to manage my image. 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:12.799 I mean, gosh, what's the new? 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:14.000 What's the use? 00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:16.880 Like, newsflash for all of us. 00:29:17.200 --> 00:29:19.279 God already knows our hearts. 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:22.400 Like He knows what's in here. 00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:33.680 And when I drop the mask, here's what I start to discover that the Christian life is not about behavior modification, but about surrender. 00:29:35.839 --> 00:29:43.200 That it's not about trying harder, gritting my teeth, but trusting deeper. 00:29:44.000 --> 00:29:48.960 It's not about like looking within myself and saying, okay, I can do all these good things. 00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:50.000 No, you know what it is? 00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:52.319 It's coming to the end of yourself. 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:58.960 And it's God's kindness that leads us to surrender. 00:29:59.839 --> 00:30:12.799 So I want to end with three powerful questions that are very pointy questions, and I want us to think about these things because how we answer these next few questions is what this message all comes down to. 00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:22.880 Here's the first question: it's this where am I repenting instead of where am I pretending instead of repenting? 00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:30.640 What's the area in my life where I'm just like, hey, I'm good when I'm not good? 00:30:32.640 --> 00:30:36.880 Where am I hiding instead of surrendering? 00:30:39.359 --> 00:30:47.279 I'm talking about the place that that you've kind of buried and kind of hid in the dark. 00:30:47.599 --> 00:30:52.880 Where's the place where it's like, okay, I need to stop hiding this and just be honest with God and say, hey, I'm struggling with this. 00:30:53.039 --> 00:31:01.519 Hey, I'm struggling with suicidal thoughts, I'm struggling with anger, I'm struggling with bitterness, I'm struggling with these deep heart things that that that it's just real to me. 00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:07.279 I have this, I have this propensity to fall into this sin, to fall into this temptation. 00:31:07.440 --> 00:31:10.160 Everything in me is just like pulling me in that direction. 00:31:10.400 --> 00:31:11.440 But I'm hiding that. 00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:12.400 I don't want to talk about it. 00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:13.519 Where I need to bring that up. 00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:18.559 And then number three, where am I obeying publicly, but I'm resisting privately? 00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:24.960 Like outwardly, it looks like I'm obeying, but inwardly I'm resisting. 00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:34.240 Can I just give you permission to say it's okay to admit your struggles? 00:31:35.279 --> 00:31:39.839 And it's okay to say, man, like I'm struggling privately right now. 00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:45.759 And how you answer these questions will help us answer one final question. 00:31:45.839 --> 00:31:51.039 It's this What area in your life do you need to drop the mask? 00:31:51.279 --> 00:31:57.279 Where are you denying, deflecting, or worried about image management? 00:31:57.680 --> 00:32:04.079 The gospel gives you the freedom to drop the mask because your identity does not hinge on having yourself together. 00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:16.000 The gospel allows you to admit your weaknesses and your struggles because your self-worth does not hinge on what people think about you, but yet, but on who God says you are, and he calls you a beloved child. 00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:23.519 Maybe you're in the room and you're not yet a follower of Jesus, you're you're not, you haven't yet put your complete faith and trust in Jesus Christ and surrendered your life to him. 00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:26.559 Here's what I'm gonna invite you to do to make that decision today. 00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:37.519 To understand that you are a sinner in need of a savior, but Jesus came and died in your place, and if you will turn from your sin and put your faith in Jesus Christ, you will be what the Bible says, saved. 00:32:37.759 --> 00:32:40.079 That's how you're a follower of Christ. 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:56.400 Today, wherever you are, would you drop the mask and join the revolution of living in light of the gospel? 00:32:56.640 --> 00:32:58.400 Let's all bow our heads and close our eyes.