Without further ado, the pastor must be out of his mind. He is surrendering the pulpit on Mother's Day. You know, yeah, it's it's a big deal. It's a big deal. Nope, no pressure. No pressure. But you know, something that we have been actively stating as a church and believing in is that we want to raise up leaders. And here's the thing in raising up leaders, we're we're raising up, we've got we've got six people in NSTA right now. And we're believing that God is calling them into ministry. And so we want to we want to actively have them pursue like what God is calling them to, stir up that gifting, and then expand their ability to teach and preach. And so we're excited to welcome up Kelton. Kelton's gonna give the message today. Not so quickly. Hold on, hold on. Okay.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, kids, get out of here. Go.
SPEAKER_02Get good morning. How are you guys? Good, man. Happy Mother's Day. I gotta, you know, put out there. It's always a blessing to be able to serve with my mother and get to lead worship with her. It's always a wonderful thing. And so I'm so grateful for her. She was, I mean, she was the one that really instilled the love of worship, I believe, in me. And I owe it all to her and God. So, you know, for all the wonderful mothers, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So talking to you again. That's cool. Preeking again. I'm excited about this. I was a little nervous. I'm not gonna lie, putting together this message, you know, the first one, I was like, oh man, it's just I sat on my computer and it just boom, I felt like it wrote itself, it just flowed in. And this time it was like 15-minute spurts. I'd like to write a little bit of inspiration. I'm like, that's it, I guess. And I'd put it away and I'd come back into it. So it was a little bit of a different process writing the second message, but I think it's it's great. I'm excited for what God has for us. So I'm gonna give you a little bit of time really quick. So I want you now to grab your Bibles. If you don't have a Bible, there are some paper ones under the seats. Go grab one. If you don't have that, you can also use your Bible app. But I'm gonna give you some time to turn to Matthew 6. We're gonna read Matthew 6, 1 through 8 and then 16 through 18, we're gonna skip the Lord's Prayer. Not because it's not important. We just got other stuff to talk about in this message. So while you're turning there, all right, uh, I got a question for you. All right, I just want you to ponder it. Why do you do what you do? What's your motivation for the things that you do in your life, right? Every action has to have a little bit of motivation. And I also believe that everyone's a little guilty of doing something that maybe doesn't have the best motivations or intentions behind it, right? So let me tell you a story about that. So some of you guys know I'm pretty big into the gym, pretty big into fitness. I love working out. It's my favorite thing in the world. My wife let me turn our garage into a gym because I love it so much. Back when I was a little bit younger, I was kind of getting started into it. I was really excited about it. I was like, oh man, you know, I was, you know, excuse the terminology, but I was always kind of the fat kid growing up. You know, I was always uncomfortable with myself, and I lost all this way, and I started working out. I was like, oh man, I feel, I feel kind of good about myself, man. I feel pretty good. I got a little bit of a little bit of six pack going on there, and I felt really proud of it. So I started posting some workout stuff online on TikTok, on Instagram, all that kind of stuff, right? And I would do that, and here's the thing, I told myself it was for really good intentions. All right, here's some of the reasons I told myself. I told them I was posting pictures to show my progress in my fitness journey, right? To to document it. I told myself that I was posting because I was really proud of the work I was putting in, and I felt like it was something that I should share because of, you know, it meant something to me, it was important to me. I told myself I was doing it, this was the biggest joke of them all. I told myself I was doing it to inspire others, to maybe start their own journeys. The truth is a lot suckier than that. I posted those pictures and videos because I wanted validation. I wanted people to think I looked good. I was really proud of this when I wrote this in here. I wanted girls to think I looked attractive, and I wanted guys to be jealous of how I looked. I was proud of that when I wrote that. But the truth is, I was being really boastful. I was being self-inflated. Every like that came across, every comment from a stranger on TikTok, it felt good.
SPEAKER_01It felt really good. It was short-lived. The thing is that I wanted to glorify myself.
SPEAKER_02And just because we lie to ourselves about why we do what we do doesn't make it true. You can sit there and you can lie about it all day long, and it's still not gonna be true. See, Jesus illustrates this point in our scripture today. So, did you guys have enough time to turn to Matthew 6? Sweet. Let's get to it. So we're gonna read, like I said, Matthew 6, 1 through 8, and then we're gonna skip the Lord's Prayer. Go back and read in your own time. Uh, and then we're gonna read verse 16 and 8. So we'll kind of buckle in. Watch out. Don't do your good deeds publicly to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do, blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity. I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your father who sees everything will reward you. When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your father in private. Then your father who sees everything will reward you. When you pray, don't babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don't be like them, for your father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him. Pray like this. And when and when you fa oh, sorry, excuse me, whoopsies. Verse 16, skip down there. And when you fast, don't make it obvious as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled, so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair, wash your face, then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your father who knows what you do in private. And your father who sees everything will reward you. Let's pray. Father God, thank you for this day, Lord. Thank you for bringing each person into this place. God, I'm so grateful that we get to gather today. We get to celebrate our mothers, Lord, and we get to come together and we get to worship and glorify you. God, we get to know you just a little bit more. God, throughout this time and service, Lord, I pray that we seek you out humbly, God. We we humble ourselves before you, Lord, and you highlight in us those ways that we're trying to glorify ourselves, even if we say it's for you, God. Highlight that. God, make it known to us today. Father, we just praise you and thank you in Jesus' name. Amen. So I asked me to bring me to my first point: performative Christianity. Glorifying yourself in the name of God. Let me repeat that again. Glorifying yourself in the name of God. So let me let me run down a couple things. Let me say what here's what you probably might think you might be doing in those instances, right? This is gonna sound kind of harsh and it might sound a little bit mean, and I'm so sorry, but let me know that just like I'm chief of the sinners in this. I've been there too. So trust me, every time I point a finger, I got three coming back at me, okay? So I promise. Here's the thing. You think that you're honoring God, right? You do what you do really loud, you do it really publicly because you're trying to show people that you're a good Christian, right? Because you think that's the proof, right? You need to make that proof known. It's like, oh, if I don't tell people, they won't know that I they won't know it, right? So let's go, so let's go over some of the examples that Jesus talks about in our scripture. When you give money or provide your other for others, you make sure people know. You help so that you can prove that you have a caring heart. You gotta prove it. You play, you uh you pray big long prayers because it makes you look extra spiritual, right? You let folks know that this fast you're on is really tough, and seeking God is just so hard right now. I'm really, really working on it, right? You've been given the gift of ministry, and you make sure everybody knows how hard ministry is. Every day. Maybe some modern examples, right? This is a fun one. Again, I'm proud of this one. Aaron was like, oh boy, but I'm gonna do it. Who here knows what a thirst trap is? Raise your hand. Yeah, I know, I know. If you're under 50, you probably do. If you're over 50, maybe not so much. Bear with me, I promise I got a point here. All right, so a thirst trap is when you post something online to make people think you're attractive. Well, we'll call it that. That's the nice way to say it. You guys ever heard of Christian thirst traps? Oh, makes me sick. I'm just gonna be real with you. It's people posting half naked pictures online with a little Bible verse and a sermon in the caption. That's right. She just said, What? And that's right. What? I'm gonna digress. I'm gonna get worked up here. I'm gonna get worked up. I'm this is I tell this is this was part of our conversation. I was like, it's gonna be easy for me to get worked up and I gotta rein it in. How about when you go to a worship night? You go to a worship night and you're there and you're you're you're you're you're you know the presence of God is heavy, but you gotta make sure your phone is out and that video is recording of you worshiping. And then you gotta pause during worship to edit it really quick. And then you gotta post it. Well, could you weren't at the worship night then? How did I know if I didn't see it on on your on your stories? But you're there, you're letting people know. I mean, hey, I'm I'm I'm worshiping, I'm at church. Here's what you're doing when you're doing that, you're glorifying yourself, you're drawing attention to yourself by way of God. And the underlying nature of it is you're using these really big, these really loud actions to cover up what's really going on inside you. I got another example here. Mark 12, 38 through 40. You don't have to turn to it, but you can if you got the time here. Mark 38 through 40, Jesus also taught, beware of these teachers of religious law, for they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplace. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues in the head table at banquets. Here's the part, though. Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property, and they pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished. I know Jesus right there, he's talking about the priests and he's talking about the high, you know, high people in the faith, right? But that boils down to even just the smallest person. If you are using God to claim, to claim status, to claim this and that, you will be judged and it will be harsh. Being flashy with your faith while lacking real evidence of it. That's what's really going on. 1 John 2, 4 through 5. If someone claims I know God, but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Calling attention to how good of a Christian you are is not the same as loving Jesus. And it's certainly not following his example. I liken it to a kin. My wife and I talk about this all the time. You're using Jesus as a mascot, not as a savior. Jesus and Tony Tiger are not the same. There's a difference. One is a whole lot greater, and it's not Tony the Tiger. Thing is, you're doing this because you want that validation. Just like I, just like I posted my gym pictures, man, right? I wanted validation. I wanted people to give me praise. I wanted people to say, oh, he's so good.
SPEAKER_01You want your flowers, but you're looking for them from the wrong source and for the wrong reason. What I love is in our scripture, it shows Jesus is very, very clear.
SPEAKER_02He doesn't just point out what you're doing. He doesn't just point out what's happening, he points out exactly what you're gonna get if that's what you want to do. The flowers that you receive will only be here on this earth. It's a direct result of your performance. You get what you get, you know what I'm saying? What you receive on earth is all that you're going to get. Again, Jesus throughout this passage, he reminds us and he repeats the exact same warning. So we're gonna go through and we're gonna read some of these thrones again. Starting off with verse one, then verse five, then verse 16. Watch out, don't do your good deeds publicly to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do, blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity. Here's what it is. I want you to remember this part. I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. Let's talk about when you pray. When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners in the synagogues wherever I can see them, because what? I tell you the truth. That is all the reward they will ever get. I got one more for you, so stick with me here. Everything comes in threes, right? When you fast. And when you fast, don't make it obvious as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled, so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth.
SPEAKER_01That is the only reward they will get. The reward reflects the action. When you focus on gaining what you want here, I'm gonna repeat it for a fourth time here.
SPEAKER_02I tell you the truth. That is the only reward you will ever get. Come on, man. It's serious. Your faith is not something to masquerade around, and we try to put on these fronts, right? We try to put on this mask, this suit of like, oh, this is who I am, this is the real me, this is the good me. But the truth of the matter is you can fool people, man. People are kind of stupid. I'm just gonna be real. But you can't fool God. He will see directly through every single little thing that you put up, that front that you put up for other people, he's gonna see right through it. He knows what's in your heart, because that's what matters. He will see through your lies. And like I said, if you want to play that game of trying to tell a lie, of trying to put on this big front for other people, there are some pretty real consequences. That consequence is missing out with God in eternity. 1 John 2, 16 through 17, for the world only offers a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. Here's my favorite part of it, though. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. Let me ask you a quick question here. What would you like? Would you like something that is going to be fading and fleeting and will only last you momentary satisfaction? That's over here on this side, okay? Or do you want something that's gonna last forever and eternity? I think I'm probably picking the eternity, right? I don't want the little, I don't want the I don't want the little cheap piece of gum. I want the everlasting gobstopper, all right? Sorry, I kind of want some candy right now. The thing is that momentary praise, it's gonna feel good. Just like I said, those, hey man, when I posted those pictures online, I felt good. I loved it, man. I was like, oh I was single at the time, so shut years. I was just so excited, I was like, oh man, all these girls are commenting. I was like, oh.
SPEAKER_01But now, years on, it's empty.
SPEAKER_02It was empty. It was it was desire and affection that did not fulfill me in any way, shape, or form. I craved that. I craved something that that that I thought I could fill with comments, but then I found what real love was.
SPEAKER_01And now my heart is satisfied.
SPEAKER_02Man, it ain't Jesus the same thing. You can try to fill that void in your heart with things of the world, with things that are gonna fall away. Or you've got Jesus right here, and he's gonna fill that void forever and ever. Come on, somebody. Thing is, we're not called to seek out the useless rewards. We weren't made to seek out useless things, we're called to be with God in eternity. He wants us in eternity. Come on. And we can't fake our way into it. Ultimately, on those last days when you were there, you're gonna have to answer for it. Come on, that's just the truth. You're gonna have to answer for every action that you did, and he's gonna know why you did what you did, good or bad. The best thing about this though, God doesn't just call us out and let us sit in that in that calling out. He shows us here's what we can do. Here's how we get to me, here's what I want from you. And the thing is, God doesn't want a performance, he wants authenticity. Come on, Jesus ain't here. He's not, he doesn't want to come watch a stage play version of your life. He doesn't want to read the autobiography that you wrote about yourself because it's probably full of lies. I thought it said something meaner. He wants, he wants you, he wants the realness of you. That invitation to realness, when we confess that, right? When we say, God, I'm so sorry, I just want you. That's what we're leading to. He doesn't want what you show off to the world. He doesn't want the front, he wants you. The show that we put on it's being dishonest. He calls us a liar right there in that scripture a little earlier. We're lying to ourselves, lying to others, and we're lying to God. God's not gonna honor that. He's not gonna honor that deceit. He's not gonna honor us trying to pull the wool over others' eyes, our own eyes, and his eyes. He's going to honor us when we exemplify our honesty and humility. Matthew 8, it's a lot of the gospels today for Scripture. Matthew 8 gives us a really great example of that humility before the Lord. The scripture is telling the story of a Roman centurion whose servant is sick. And I want you to listen to this. Matthew 8, 8, 10, we're starting a little bit into the story. The centurion replied, Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority with soldiers under me. I tell this one, go and he goes, and that one come and he comes. I say to my servant, do this, and he does it. When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I don't know how much you know about history in Roman centurions. They weren't exactly known for their humility. They weren't exactly known for reaching out and asking for help. This guy in that culture, kind of the big bad centurion, man, he he could have walked in, he could have rode in on a procession to Jesus, found him, and demanded Jesus come to his house and heal his servant right now. But he didn't. This man you had probably had all the, could have had all the pride in the world, he humbled himself before the Lord.
SPEAKER_01He came to Jesus with real and raw faith.
SPEAKER_02Not a show, not not a fake, you know, vivato. And Jesus honored that. He honored that real and that raw faith, that authenticity that he came with. And we need to do that same thing. We need to surrender our selfish and our earthly desires and let God work in us.
SPEAKER_01Only then can we follow the example that Jesus set. Jesus, he slipped away to pray in private.
SPEAKER_02He gave generously and performed miracles without fanfare. He fasted without seeking sympathy. He served without announcing it.
SPEAKER_01Church, even now, let me tell you, I know that I can be guilty. Guilty of it. Worship leading can be tiring.
SPEAKER_02And some days, I make sure to let folks know it. But that's not good. Come on, man. It's a blessing to be able to serve God in whatever you do. And if I really want to honor Jesus, I really want to follow his example, I need to serve and be joyful with it. And that's just one little teeny tiny aspect of it. I'm sure there are other things in your lives, other things in my life that I do, but I need to let go of. I need to let go of the facade, right? It's hard to do. But that's what we're called to do. See, when we when we we need to remember, sorry, that that surrender is not found in those public and loud moments, though. If we make a show out of seeking God, then we're not gonna find him. If we want God to refine us and purify us, right? It's gonna happen when we seek him in our quiet and private moments. Matthew 6, 6. But when you pray, go away by yourself. Shut the door behind you and pray to your father in private.
SPEAKER_01Then your father who sees everything will reward you. When we take time to go in into those moments, you're gonna start to see a change.
SPEAKER_02When we start seeking out God in our quiet and our private moments, the best thing about it is those changes are gonna bleed out into our natural selves. It's not gonna be a show. You don't feel like you need to tell everybody about it. It's gonna exude from you because now you have let God in and you're letting God shine out through you. And that's the ultimate goal, isn't it?
SPEAKER_01I want God to shine through me. We want to be bold for Christ.
SPEAKER_02We want to share his love with people, we want to further the kingdom of God. But that boldness is going to be found in how you carry yourself, not what you're announcing to folks, not what you're telling everybody you're doing. It will be seen when you let God work in you.
SPEAKER_01Just a little bit, but bow your heads and close your eyes.
SPEAKER_02This thing of humbling ourselves and finding humility in the Lord is really challenging. Especially in today's world when everything is broadcasted, everyone feels the need to tell everything that they're doing. It's hard to find that humility. It's hard to serve God simply because that's what He wants from you, not because you want everybody to know it about you. It's difficult. If you find that God right now, I want you just to really seek out God and I want you to just take a moment and ask God, are you highlighting something in my life that I'm doing that I need to surrender to you? And I need to seek out that humility with. If you are, I want you to raise your hand. And it's okay. We're not here to judge. See those hands. I see those hands. It's difficult. I struggle with it on the daily sometimes. But I want to pray right now for those of you that raised your hands. If you did not raise your hand, that's okay. I want you to sit down, want you to pray. I want you to keep seeking out God in these moments. Finding God in those peaceful, quiet moments. But let's pray. Father, God, thank you. Father, thank you for your sacrifice. God, thank you for being our Savior. God, we don't want you to be a mascot for us. God, we don't want you to just be this thing that we put out in front to show other people. God, we want to be, we want to be your children. God, we want to be underneath you, God, and we want to love you with all of our hearts, God. We want to authentically and genuinely show you to those around us. Father, I pray for those that raise their hands, God, and everybody else. God, that when those things come up that we're doing really to glorify ourselves, even though we think we might be doing it for you, Lord. I pray that you highlight that and you let us know. God, because you show us the way out of that. You show us the way to let that go, God, and to follow after you instead. God, what it means to honor you, Lord. I pray that we know that more intimately and more deeply, God, what it means to honor you. And to seek out after you in those quiet and private moments, God. And we do let us let those moments change us. Father, we praise you and we thank you. God, for all that you do for us in the way that you love us. We praise you and thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.