SURE CURE FOR HIPROCISY
Ephesians 2:1-10
The Message vv. 1-5: “It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose His temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with incredible love, He embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ.”
“Do you want to go to Sunday school with me again, Keith?” Shakira asked. (See Remodeling Keith evotion).
A game of 4-Square during recess from their third-grade classroom had become their norm. “You didn’t hear me scream at my little sister, Shak.” Keith admitted. “I feel like such a hypocrite! No way do I want to return to where I’ll be condemned.”
“Not true, Keith. No one will condemn you at my church, or Sunday school. Even Christians mess up. We may be saved, but we’re miles away from perfection.”
Hypocrite (HIP-o-krit is a Greek word that means “play-actor.” It comforts us to know that whenever believers act terribly, we’re not being who we really are. We display something we’re not. We temporarily (tem-por-AIR-i-lee means briefly) forget whose we are. We flash a replay of how we used to be. This happens all the time in the world; but hopefully not how people typically behave in church. “Be on good behavior” is not just something moms say, so our performance doesn’t embarrass her around company. It also prevents us from embarrassing ourselves.
Keith doesn’t realize it, but the Holy Spirit is planting seeds in his heart about Jesus. The sign is that his conscience is in high gear, now. God is love (1John 4:16). The Holy Spirit is God. Sunday school is precisely where Keith needs to be to learn more about Jesus.
“Everyone regrets things, Keith. Please come back at learn more about Jesus.” Shakira said. “We can bring your little sister, too.”
Keith smiled shyly. Then he slammed the ball into the far corner of the 4-Square paint, ending the game. “I’ve got one better. We’ll follow you in our own car this time."
Take Home Nugget
Let’s never forget our accountability to God, and allow our old ways to rule. His power through grace shows our lives to be consistent with being “alive together with Christ” (verse 5). A sure cure for hypocrisy!
The inconsistent Christian helps the devil the most.
J.D. Griffith
A personal, private lesson experience with our staff Written for http://www.biblestudyforkids.com/
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