Introduction
• For the past four weeks we have looked at practical living steps we should take on a daily basis.
• We have looked at avoiding offenses, trust & faith in God, we looked at the quality of life and last week at covetousness.
• When we take offense we stop the blessing flow in our life. We need to pray and choose to do things God’s way. Walk in love.
• We said that faith is confidence in the Word of God. Trust is the commitment to the doing the Word of God.
• We looked at the quality of life. God cares about our happiness. We should be focused on the quality of life, not the quantity. Jesus told us to have an abundant life.
• We said that covetousness is greed, a strong desire after the possession of worldly things. Covetousness causes us to be greedy and want what someone else has.
• This week we are looking at the next practical life step. We will look at authenticity.
• The word authenticity means to be authentic, real, genuine, credible, not in any way misrepresented.
• Christian people have gotten a bad reputation because there are many who are not authentic in their faith.
• Christians should strive to be as authentic as Jesus was when we walked on the Earth. As a result, it will be much easier for us to win others over to the Kingdom of God and walk in the blessing flow.
(AMP) Romans 12 9[Let your] love be sincere (a real thing); hate what is evil [loathe all ungodliness, turn in horror from wickedness], but hold fast to that which is good.
1) Live a life that is authentic like Jesus and draw the lost to Him.
a) Shout…I am an authentic Christian. I am the real deal!
b) It is easy to be phony but God wants to be the distinguishing factor in our lives. (Show off God)
c) God wants you to be real and be a credible witness for Him.
i) It’s time we draw in the lost.
d) God wants His presence in our lives to separate us from all that is phony or worldly.
e) Jesus wants us to have a real relationship with Him.
f) Most people think it is easy to have a real relationship with God, but it is not.
i) A real relationship with God requires genuine effort.
ii) A real relationship with God requires us to die to self.
iii) A real relationship with God requires us to be authentic.
2) Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
a) Everything about Jesus is authentic.
(NKJV) John 14 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
b) Shout…Jesus is the real deal. Jesus is my Lord, my Savior, my everything!
c) The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
(NKJV) John 1 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
d) Jesus demonstrated who He was and His life’s mission through infallible proofs.
(AMP) Acts 1 3To them also He showed Himself alive after His passion (His suffering in the garden and on the cross) by [a series of] many convincing demonstrations [unquestionable evidences and infallible proofs], appearing to them during forty days and talking [to them] about the things of the kingdom of God.
e) People are watching your actions. They want to know how authentic you are. Will we act like Christ or the devil?
i) People want to know if we are who we say we are.
(AMP) 2 Corinthians 2 9For this was my purpose in writing you, to test your attitude and see if you would stand the test, whether you are obedient and altogether agreeable [to following my orders] in everything.
ii) Are you willing to allow your attitude to be tested? Are you willing to be put to the test to be proven authentic?
iii) Will you past the test? DO you have an attitude of gratitude.
3) The religious types are fault finders and they uphold man-made traditions, even above God’s Word.
(NKJV) Mark 7 1 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. 2 Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.
5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?” 6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘ This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” 9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, 13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
a) Shout…I will put the Word of God above everything.
b) Shout...Religion and man made traditions will bow down to the name of Jesus.
c) Many denominations are very religious focused and not relationship focused. Jesus wants an authentic relationship with His people.
d) Jesus said that hypocrites honor Him with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him.
i) The religious uphold outward traditions instead of the things of God. The religious are not authentic!
ii) Insincerity among Believers makes the Word of God ineffective.
e) God does not was us to misrepresent Him and His truth. Be authentic.
Conclusion
• God desires us to take after Jesus His Son. God has called us to be real in our Christian walk.
• The word authenticity means to be authentic, real, genuine, credible, not in any way misrepresented.
• Many Christians have gotten a bad reputation because they are not authentic in their faith.
• Christians should strive to be as authentic as Jesus was when we walked on the Earth.
• The result is that it will be much easier for us to win people to Christ.
• People are always looking for the real deal. You have it so go share it.
• Like Pepsi, it’s the real thing baby.
• Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. It is not about religion or the man made traditions. It is about relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
• Shout…Jesus I will be a credible witness for you. Jesus I will keep it real and show people the love of Christ. Jesus I will not get religious, but build a stronger relationship with you. Jesus I will not misrepresent you in any way. Let people see the Jesus in me, through my character, my actions and my word. I thank you this day for allowing me to be authentic for Christ sake. Amen.
• Let us pray.
