Removing the Mask
Thomas A. Gaskill October 30, 2011
Opening illustration:
Many years ago there was an emperor who was so fond of new clothes that he spent all of his money on them. He did not have any concern about his army; he cared nothing about the theater or for driving about in the woods, except for the sake of showing himself off in his new clothes. This emperor had a costume for every hour of the day, and just as they say of a King or an Emperor, "He is in his council chambers," they said of him, "The emperor is in his dressing room."
One day a couple of strangers came to town; they were con men who disguised themselves as master weavers. And they said that they knew how to make the most exquisite clothing. Not only were the colors and patterns uncommonly beautiful, but the clothes were made of stuff that had a peculiar property -- that of being invisible to every person who was unfit for political office or who was exceptionally stupid.
"Those must be valuable clothes" thought the emperor, "By wearing them I should be able to discover which of the men in my empire are fit for office... And I will be able to distinguish the wise from the fools. So the emperor paid the two scoundrels a handsome sum of money in advance, as they required. Now the two men pocketed the money and pretended to be weaving.
As time passed the emperor was getting anxious about his new clothes -- but as he reflected that the clothes revealed those who were unfit or stupid, he wasn’t sure that he wanted to go. So he sent his top aide. Well of course when this aide went to where these men were busy about their weaving, he saw nothing, but not wanting to be judged unfit or stupid -- he said "Oh, it is most elegant and beautiful, what a fine pattern and what fine colors. I will certainly tell the emperor how pleased I am with these fine cloths.”
As time passed the emperor sent more aides all of who brought back the same reports.....Finally the day came and the emperor with the help of his stewards after taking off his old clothes, pretended to put on and button his new outfit…
As he marched down the streets, his attendants were behind him acting as though they were carrying his long train and everyone in the streets was shouting, "What beautiful clothes, how splendid...." though in fact they saw nothing, but they didn’t want to be judged as being unfit or stupid. Until that is, a little child said, "But he has nothing on." Soon everyone, spurred on by this truthful revelation, begins to shout out the truth. The emperor indeed is naked; he is wearing nothing but his self-deception.
How often do God’s people behave somewhat the same? Christians have been known to go on complimenting each other to maintain their own personal ambition in the relationships rather than having the best interest of all in mind. Eventually, churches consisting of this type of Christians become spiritually superficial and, eventually, are revealed as no more than a social club. Let me ask: What are you wearing? Are you wearing the true robe of righteousness found only in Christ or are you wearing your own cloak of self-deception?
As I reflected on Halloween, these three words came to mind: mask, deception, and hypocrisy.
The mask is always meant to deceive and acting according to the mask is hypocrisy.
To run the race in such a manner as to win the prize you must first remove the mask. Remove deception and avoid hypocrisy. If we continue to wear our masks, we not only hamper our own race but the race of others as well. Jesus recognized this in the religious leaders of His day and gave this stern rebuke:
Selections taken from Matthew 23:1-28 NKJV
(1) Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,
(2) saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.
(3) Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
(4) For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
(5) But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.
(6) They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
(7) greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'
(11) But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.
(12) And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
(13) "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
(14) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
(15) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
(23) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.
(24) Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
(25) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
(26) Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
(27) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
(28) Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
In the Scripture just read, Jesus is revealing the mask, deception, and hypocrisy among the religious leaders. Jesus knew that the hypocrisy of the religious elite was hampering the faith of God’s people. Jesus reveals the mask of tradition that many of the religious elite wore in order to promote their own power and comfort. They wore the mask to promote themselves as spiritually elite in the law of God. They wore the mask to make themselves more important than everyone else around them. They wore the mask for financial gain at the neglect of the poor. They wore the mask to make others think they were closer to God than others. They wore the mask to draw other people in to become just like themselves whom Jesus called “sons of hell”. They wore the mask to exercise authority over people and make their own laws. It was their mask of tradition that enabled them to outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside they were full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. They wore a mask of tradition but violated the very principles that was originally behind the tradition. Blind guides because they were wearing the “mask” of tradition rather than living out the tradition.
Last Wednesday’s Bible study also revealed a mask the religious leaders were wearing:
• John 8:1-12 NKJV
(1) But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
(2) Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.
(3) Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
(4) they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
(5) Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"
(6) This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
(7) So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."
(8) And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
(9) Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
(10) When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
(11) She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
(12) Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
Another mask revealed by our Lord in this passage. The mask of righteousness was worn by the religious elite. The religious leaders were in violation of a greater sin than that of the adulteress. Their mask of righteousness brought the woman to a public trial and humiliation. Behind the mask of righteousness was the face of murder. Their main intention was to put Jesus to death. How do we know this? Because Jesus removed their mask when He said, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first”.
There is speculation about what Jesus was writing with His own finger on the ground. I strongly believe it was the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments were the only thing written in the days of Moses by the finger of God. As Jesus wrote these on the ground, the mask of righteousness was being removed and their hypocrisy was about to be laid bare before all who were present. The older ones left first because they caught on to what was about to take place; they were about to have their sins publicly revealed by the Lawgiver Himself.
• Acts 4:34-5:11 NKJV Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, (35) and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. (36) And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, (37) having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. (5:1) But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. (2) And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet. (3) But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? (4) While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." (5) Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. (6) And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. (7) Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. (8) And Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?" She said, "Yes, for so much." (9) Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." (10) Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. (11) So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.
Side comment: Now we know why there are cemeteries right next to some churches!
Ananias and Sapphira both wore the mask of generosity. While others before them gave sacrificially for the benefit of the church community and were recognized for their sacrificial giving, Ananias and Sapphira were wearing the mask of generosity when they gave out of their abundance. Behind their mask was the desire to be elevated in the community to positions of prestige. It was not wrong for them to give only part of the money to the church but it was wrong to wear the mask of generosity to cover the face of personal ambition.
Ananias, Sapphira, and many more face this question posed by Dan Schaeffer in his book Faking Church: the Subtle Defection:
“Is the ultimate goal in our Christian lives to feel good about ourselves and what we are doing or to honestly and genuinely serve Christ and His church from a pure heart?” (31)
The concluding passage I’d like to share is:
• Matthew 21:12-13 NKJV Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. (13) And He said to them, "It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER,' but you have made it a 'DEN OF THIEVES.'"
John’s gospel records Jesus as additionally saying that they turned the house of prayer into a house of merchandise.
The money exchangers and merchants in the temple were wearing the mask of good intentions. It seemed good for them to be there making a way for the traveler to offer sacrifices to God. It made things very convenient for those traveling great distances to access to lambs, pigeons, and grain offerings. It seemed good for Jerusalem to receive all this money of which some will stay in the temple and city. But behind the mask of good intentions was covering the face of greed.
How does all this apply to us?
We must recognize what masks we are wearing in order to remove them and run the race God has called us to in authentic community as a body of Christ. Ask yourself, “why am I doing what I do?”. Many of us wear different masks in different occasions.
Some can include:
• the mask of love with the face of hate
• the mask of generosity with the face of greed
• the mask of rejoicing with the face of bitterness
• the mask of forgiveness with the face of unforgiveness
• the mask of strength with the face of weakness
• the mask of humility with the face of pride
• the mask of rest with the face of complacency
• the mask of busyness with the face of wrong pursuits
I’d like to quote one of Dan Schaeffer’s writings:
“As strange as it may sound, being truly and completely self-honest is one of the most unnatural exercises any of us can possibly perform. It can be accomplished only with the assistance of the Spirit of God combined with the Word of God, convicting our hearts of motivations we could not even identify apart from Him” (32).
With God’s help, masks can be identified and removed.
• Remember Hebrews 12:1 let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
In order to run, you must be able to see clearly. In order to see clearly, the mask must be removed. To keep the mask on is to be walking like the emperor - in the clothing of self-deception. The only race he ran was the race to hide in shame.
Let this “Halloween” be the time to remove the mask rather than put one on!
Works Cited:
Schaeffer, Dan. Faking Church: The Subtle Defection. Uhrichsville, Ohio: Barbour Publishing, Inc., 2004. Print.
