Recovering Hypocrites

Acts 2:42-47

Verse 47  …praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.  And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

    We have said before how we need to remember that revival is about setting our focus on God and one of the ways we can do that is in praise.  But if our focus it to be on the Lord what does it mean they were enjoying the favor of all the people?  We can’t be God focused and be caring what others think of us, can we?

    This wasn’t about trying to please the people.  It is so easy to think to have the favor of people we have make them happy, giving into what they all want.  The truth is, when we are living God-focused our lives may not be making them happy but they will respect us more when our words and actions align.  Part of the reason we are in need of a revival is because the Church hasn’t been true to its Lord throughout the generations.

    We have mentioned before how before a revival can break out in our world, it must first happen in our own lives.  There needs to be more than individual revival.  If the Church as a whole isn’t being revived it will have less of an impact on the world around it.  This means we need each other, we need the community of faith.  We are stronger together and so is our witness to who God is.  If we want the world to know the truth about God, we have to know the truth about Him ourselves and as a Church.

    We have all heard how people don’t want to be a part of the church because it is full of hypocrites.  The reason they believe that to be true is because we have allowed ourselves to think it doesn’t matter how we live.  Revival of our hearts will change that and when we start adhering to the conviction of the Holy Spirit we will find our reputation will improve, not because we are great but because we are fully surrendering to the work of the Lord in our lives.

    When we start living lives of integrity people around us will start to know the truth of who we serve and whether they agree with us or not they will respect us because we are actually showing in our behavior we believe what we say.

Making It Personal

    Do people have reason to call you a hypocrite?  Where do you struggle to live out what you say you believe?  How can you overcome that struggle?

Making It Personal Kids

    What do you think about people who say they are one way and then act another way?  Are you that kind of person?  What do you think Jesus says about that kind of person?

Closing Prayer

    Father, we repent of not being as true to You and Your Church as we should be.  Give us the desire to be people of integrity which will reflect You and Your love to the world.  In Jesus’ name, amen.