Sermon---Are we Christians or Chameleons ???
by Pastor Kenneth Burisek
The Ole’ Country Church
Medford, Wisconsin
Romans 12:2
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Chameleon---a lizard that changes color---a tree-dwelling lizard with long thin legs---a strong curled tail---a long sticky tongue---and the ability to change color---native to---Africa and Madagascar---Family Chamaeleonidae !!!
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Maybe yer thinkin’ to yerself---this sermon ain’t gonna be about me---I ain’t no tree dwellin’ lizzard with a sticky tongue---I don’t have me a curled tail or live up in a tree !!!
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Sorry ta bust yer bubble folks---but that ain’t the definition we’re usin’ today---there’s an entirely different definition for the word Chameleon !!!
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Chameleon---somebody who is changeable---somebody who frequently and rapidly changes their personality or appearance !!!
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How many folks do you know who have a Chameleon-like ability to just blend right into their surroundings ???
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How many Christian folks do you know who are God’s gift to the church on Sunday---and are the Devil’s right hand man the rest
of the week ???
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Come Sunday mornin’ thar’ all gussied up in thar’ Sunday best---carryin’ thar bible in one hand and holdin’ thar halo on
with the other.
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When thar’ in church thar’ just one step below the angels of heaven---spoutin’ scripture and shountin’ Hal-le-lu-eah !!!
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I’m tellin’ ya---these folks are so perfect they even put the Pharisees ta shame !!!
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But these same---bible spoutin’---Holier than thou Christians seem to evaporate off the face of the earth the minute they step out-a the door of the church.
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These same fine folks have the ability to change themselves into the form or lifestyle of whoever they come in contact with.
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How many ever saw the movie "The Thing" ???
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It was a movie about this alien creature found in the Antarctic that somehow could take over the body of another living creature just by comin’ in contact with it---and they become identicle to the one it took over !!!
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Thar’s christian folks today who seem to have a similar ability to become identicle with whoever is around them---they blend into their surroundings just like a Chameleon..
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When thar’ in church---they’re the perfect christians---praising and worshipping God with their lips.
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Those same folks---as soon as they are out in the world commence to driftin’ around---til they come in contact with another life form.
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Instead of setting an example of Christianity for those around them---they become fearful of not fitting in---and suddenly those same lips that were filled with beautiful praises to the Lord in church---are now filled with the curses and lies of this world !!!
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The Bible sums it up in Matthew 23:27-28---"How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees---Hypocrites!--- You are like whitewashed tombs---beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity---You try to look like upright people outwardly---but inside your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
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The world today and even many so-called christians would have us believe that we can have it both ways.
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We can live for God on Sunday and live like the world the rest of the week---and everything’s OK--we can live in a sinful lifestyle and still call ourselves christians !!!
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The Bible paints a different picture in Galatians 6:7-9 where it says---Don’t be misled---Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it---you will always harvest what you sow---those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death---but those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit---so don’t get tired of doing what is good---don’t get discouraged and give up---for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.
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Even back in the early church---the Apostle Paul had to deal with people tryin’ ta have it both ways.
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Revelation 3:15-16 says---"I know all the things you do---that you are neither hot nor cold---I wish you were one or the other!---but since you are like lukewarm water---I will vomit you out of my mouth!
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According to the word of God---nothing sickens God worse than when us human folks try to have it both ways.
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God says He’d rather have us totally for Him or totally against Him---but this middle of the road Christianity sickens God to the point of vomiting.
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In other words---don’t claim to love God with one breath and curse Him with the next.
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Don’t claim to love God and continue to indulge in sexual pleasures outside the bonds of marriage !!!
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Don’t claim to love God and live a sinful and worldly lifestyle !!!
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I Thessalonians 5:21-22 says..............Prove all things---hold fast that which is good----abstain from all appearance of evil.
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Even if somethin’ in our life just looks bad---if there is anything in our life that harms our christian testimony in any way---get out
of it !!!---stop it !!!---leave it !!!---do it today !!!---do it now !!!---make it right with God !!!
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John 14:15 tells it like it is---"If ye love me---keep my commandments."
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As belevers in Christ we are not to be like the world---we are not to be like Chameleons blending into our surroundings---we are to be different---even though we still live in this world---there is to be a distinct seperation---we are to stand up and be counted for Christ in everything that we do !!!
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Matthew 10:33 says---But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before my Father in heaven.
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Anytime we are with our friends or our family or our co-workers we are to reflect our love of Christ---we are to take a stand on what is right and what is truth !!!
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When we hear others putting down the things of God or talking about sinful lifestyles or maybe they’re telling a dirty joke---do we take a stand for God’s truth ???---or do we remain silent because we have this intense desire to fit in and be accepted !!!
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We become Chameleons---blending into our surroundings---yet even if we ourselves don’t participate---our very silence can send them the wrong message---that we are accepting what they are doing and what they are saying by not speaking out against it !!!
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II Corithians 6:17 says---Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them---says the Lord---don’t touch their filthy things---and I will welcome you.
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Romans 12:2 tells it this way---Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world---but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think---then you will know what God wants you to do---and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.
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Any time we give in to the temptations of this world to fit in---we are putting our walk with the Lord at risk !!!
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It’s always easier to blend in to the world---than to live by Biblical principles.
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We might say to ourselves---how can we stand up for God’s truth ??? ---they won’t listen to us !!!
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I Corinthians 1:18 says--"I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction--but we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God."
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We might say to ourselves---my friends will laugh at me if I tell them they are doing something wrong !!!
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I can tell you this right now---they might laugh at you---they might even hate you---but that will never change the fact that what you are saying is the truth !!!
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Matthew 13:13 says it like this---And everyone will hate you because of your allegiance to me---but those who endure to the end will be saved.
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John 8:32 tells us---And ye shall know the truth---and the truth shall make you free !!!
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I got news for every one here today who has decided to follow Christ---you chose the toughest road---not the easy one.
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Matthew 7:13-14 says this---"You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate---the highway to hell is broad---and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way---but the gateway to life is small---and the road is narrow---and only a few ever find it.
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The way to hell is paved with the good intentions of men---I would have !!!---I could have !!!---if only !!!---I know it’s wrong BUT....!!!
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While the human race is busy making excuses---the bible tells us this in Isaiah 5:14---"Therefore hell hath enlarged herself---and opened her mouth without measure....................."
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The key to staying on the narrow way that leads to Heaven may be as simple as our choice of the very friends we associate with !!!
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Psalms 1:1-5 tells it like this---"Oh---the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked---or stand around with sinners---or join in with scoffers---but they delight in doing everything the Lord wants---day and night they think about his law---they are like trees planted along the riverbank---bearing fruit each season without fail---their leaves never wither---and in all they do---they prosper---but this is not true of the wicked---they are like worthless chaff---scattered by the wind---they will be condemned at the time of judgment---sinners will have no place among the godly."
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When we give our lives to Christ---our thinking---even our very thought pattern is now led by the Holy Spirit !!
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Worry is replaced with faith---suspicion is replaced by trust and sorrow will be replaced by joy.
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Phillipians 4:6 says---“Don’t worry about anything---instead---pray about everything---tell God what you need---and thank him for all he has done..”
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Our own selfish and self-centered ideas will be replaced with righteousness and truth !!!
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Put the things of God as your priority in life---meditate and memorize God’s word and you will see just how it will lift your spirits and boost your faith.
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God says in Matthew 6:33---"But seek ye first the kingdom of God---and his righteousness---and all these things shall be added
unto you."
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Spend time in God’s word---spend time in prayer---commit your ways to the Lord and He will then direct and prosper your life.
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If we don’t put the Lord first---we can be sure that the world will lead us on the path of self-destruction and doom !!!
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The secular-humanist thinking of today says---“I can do all things through me!”
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In other words---man can solve his own problems with no help from any kind of Supreme being !!!
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The Bible on the other hand tells us in Phillipians 4:13---"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
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We need to listen to the voice of God and no longer listen to the negative influences of the world.
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Let’s each ask ourselves---are we listening to the right voices and influences in our lives ???
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In Proverbs 15:22 it says---“Plans fail for lack of counsel---but with many godly advisers they succeed.”
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We all need to have wise counselors in our lives---those who can help us to not only find the right path in life--but to help us stay on that path as well !!!
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James 1:22-23 says---"And remember---it is a message to obey---not just to listen to---If you don’t obey---you are only fooling yourself---For if you just listen and don’t obey---it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance..”
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Now lets all be honest here---the first time we look at ourselves in the mirror in the morning can be quite a shocking experience !!! Amen !!!
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What would people think of us if we did nothing to improve how we looked---what if we left our beard all skuzzy---didn’t wash our face---or didn’t even bother to comb our hair !!!
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What kind of impression would we make on others if we
did that ???
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That’s kind-a what our lives look like when we have sin messin’ things up---and we don’t do anything to fix it !!!
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People who know what is right and then don’t do what is right---are guilty of sin---according to God’s word !!!
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In other words---it does us no good just to know God’s truth---we also must obey God’s truth in every area of our lives !!!
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As believers---our joy is found in the Lord---not in the world---only when our will becomes HIS will can we find true satisfaction.
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So lets each ask ourselves a question this morning ---this past week---were we Chameleons---camoflauging our Christianity---trying to fit in---or were we true followers of Christ---trying to make a difference for the Kingdom of God ???
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Closing Prayer
