Hypocrisy
Series: Acts
Chuck Sligh
February 1, 2015
NOTE: A PowerPoint presentation of this sermon is available upon request by emailing me at chucksligh@hotmail.com.
[PROP: A BEAUTIFUL BOWL/PLATTER (LIGHT COLORED ON THE INSIDE). MAKE SURE OUTSIDE IS CLEAN AND INSIDE IS AS DIRTY AS YOU CAN MAKE IT!]
TEXT: Acts 5:1-16 – “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
INTRODUCTION
One of my former pastors used to say that when you encounter the word “therefore” in the Bible, you should pause and see what it’s there for. If I can exercise a little liberty with my former pastor’s advice about the scripture, I would add this: “When in the Bible you encounter the word “but,” always ask “what?” That is, look at “what” was just mentioned, since Webster defines “but” as a word “used to introduce something contrasting with what has already been mentioned.
So what was just mentioned in chapter 5? Well, last week, in Acts 4, we studied Barnabas who owned a piece of property, which he sold and gave to the church to help alleviate the suffering of the believers in Jerusalem. There were several motivations we examined for his action, and one of them was to be generous and big-hearted to those in Jerusalem who were in desperate need.
After reading about that in Acts 4, the very first word we encounter in chapter 5 is “but.” The Holy Spirit, who inspired Luke’s record in the book of Acts, wants to show a counter-point to Barnabas, the big-hearted, open-handed, selfless giver. The contrast is a couple named Ananias and Sapphira who offered to sell their property and give all the proceeds to the church. But they lied about giving ALL the money to God, keeping some of it for themselves.
This husband and wife tried to give the impression that they had made a big sacrifice to impress others, when in fact, they were lying about the “giving it all” part. Theirs was the sin of hypocrisy, and that’s what I want to preach on today.
Illus. – The owner of a French restaurant came up with a gimmick that doubled his clientele in a matter of weeks. When a fellow comes in with his girl, a smiling waiter hands each an ornate menu. They look exactly alike on the outside, but the one given to the man has the real prices listed for each item, while his lady friend’s copy shows the same dishes at fictitious, and highly inflated prices. As the fellow orders, the girl is AMAZED by his generosity!
Do you know what that is?—That, my friend, is HYPOCRISY!—Only after she marries the shmuck does she find out he’s a cheapskate!
Illus. – Etiquette requires that in Chinese conversation a person should compliment another person and everybody and everything that is his in a most flattering style, while he should depreciate himself and all those with him to the lowest possible degree. The following is no exaggeration of a typical Chinese conversation (I know this for because I called a man who had been a missionary in China and he confirmed that the following is a very believable scenario):
“What is your honorable name?”
“My insignificant appellation is Wong.”
“Where is your magnificent palace?”
“My contemptible hut is in Suchau.”
“How many are your illustrious children?”
“My vile, worthless brats are five.”
“How is the health of your distinguished spouse?”
“My mean, good-for-nothing old woman is well.”
Though this is a cultural idiosyncrasy, on a certain level, it’s also HYPOCRISY!
Hypocrisy is illustrated by this bowl/platter [HOLD UP BOWL OR PLATTER, SHOWING ONLY THE OUTIDE AND HIDING THE INSIDE AND SAY…] Isn’t this a beautiful bowl/platter? I think it’s lovely; exquisite. I love its shape and contours and design [FURTHER DESCRIBE ITS GOOD FEATURES, AND THEN PUT IT AWAY WHERE THE INSIDE IS NOT VISIBLE.]
I’ll come back to this object lesson later, but for now, it’s important to notice that Peter did not condemn Ananias and Sapphira for not selling all their land. In verse 4 Peter reminded them that while it remained unsold, it belonged to them? And after it was sold, the money was completely at their disposal. In other words, while they had it, they were free to KEEP it, SELL it, give only PART of it, or give ALL of it—but they were NOT free to LIE about it!
This was not a matter of falling in a moment of weakness for Ananias and Sapphira. This was a premeditated act of flagrant deception and hypocrisy. Note the end of verse 4 where Peter asks in effect, “…why did you conceive this deception in your heart? You have not lied to men, but unto God.”
After Ananias dropped dead, they called in Sapphira, who was unaware of what had happened to her husband. Peter confronts her and asks, “Did you and your husband sell the land for such-and-such an amount,” and she replied, “Yes, we sold it for that amount.”
Sapphira was a partner in this hypocrisy, and paid the same consequences.
The word hypocrisy is from the Greek word húpakrisē [pron. hūp-a-kri-say’] meaning, “to act or play a part.” It was the same word used of what play actors did in Greek times when they acted out several parts in a play by putting on a different mask for each character they portrayed.
Illus. – Even today, the laughing-sad masks are used on signs outside drama theaters. – These masks were used by the hüpokritēs [pron. hūp-a-kri-tays']—the play actors in Greek times—to portray various characters in the play.
And you know what—that’s what hypocrisy is—the wearing of a mask. It’s “playing a part” that’s different from the real you.
Hypocrisy in the spiritual realm is wearing the mask of holiness and right living and goodness and virtue, when behind the mask is someone different from what others see on the outside.
The best description of the hypocrite is given by Jesus in Matthew 23, which I’d like for you to turn to now. I’d like you to see with me in Matthew 23 four characteristics of a hypocrite. Not every hypocrite does them all, but they are the signs of a hypocrite.
I. FIRST, A HYPOCRITE DOES NOT PRACTICE WHAT HE PROFESSES TO BELIEVE. – Matthew 23:3-4 – “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”
A hypocrite publicly expects strict adherence to righteous behavior of others, but in his own personal life he doesn’t abide by what he publicly proclaims others ought to do or be. In other words, he simply does not “practice what he preaches.”
We’ll never know this side of heaven how much damage hypocrites have done to the cause of Christ or how many people have rejected the Gospel because of hypocrites.
Illus. – I remember a lady who was a sales clerk at a shop in a rock and mineral museum near Lock Ness on our first trip to Scotland. She asked what I did for a living and I told her I was a Baptist pastor. We struck up a conversation, which gave me an opportunity to witness to her.
She said, “I’d like to believe, but what bothers me are the hypocrites. For instance, my brother-in-law is a free Presbyterian in Northern Ireland, and he claims that certain things are wrong. Fine. But when he visits our house here in Scotland, he does the things he condemns. As far as I’m concerned, if you believe something, it should apply wherever you are.”
His hypocrisy made her believe there wasn’t really anything to Christianity.
God only knows how many will die without Christ because of hypocrites!
II. SECOND, NOTE THAT A HYPOCRITE’S MOTIVATION IS TO BE EXALTED.
Look at verses 6-7 – “And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.”
Look also at verses 11-12 – “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”
Now, let me get personal here:
• Do you love the applause of people?
• Do you love to be honored for your good works?
• I guess everyone struggles with that on some level, but the hypocrite uses his religious activity as a platform to raise his position in the eyes of others.
This is why Jesus said that three things should be done in secret in Matthew 16.
We won’t have time to go turn to this passage, so let me just give the highlights.
1) The first is GIVING TO THE NEEDY in Matthew 6:3-4.
Jesus was speaking specifically about giving alms, which was the practice of giving to the poor and those not able to earn a living themselves. Apparently people would get someone to blow a trumpet to get a crowd to gather to announce how much they were going to be giving to the poor. The picture Jesus painted borders on the absurd, but apparently there were people who broadcast their giving this way.
When we give, we should not parade before others how generous we are. Giving should be generous, but not done in so as to draw attention to ourselves.
2) Second, Jesus tells us that we should PRAY in secret in Matthew 6:5-6.
Jesus wasn’t talking about prayer in natural religious forums, like church or a Bible study, but walking through town making a spectacle of one’s prayer life. Personal prayer is to be private, between you and God, not a means of parading your spirituality before others.
Illus. – I remember an assistant pastor friend in a church I served in. On a trip to a conference, he was sharing a new methodology he had implemented to help him be more faithful to and spend more time in prayer. But he couldn’t help but share how much he prayed daily now, and I was duly impressed.
But he came to me a few weeks later and said that ever since that night, his prayer life had dropped dramatically and he attributed it to a sense of pride he had in bragging on his prayer life. He asked my forgiveness and I appreciated that he didn’t want to be a hypocrite.
3) Third, Jesus said that we should FAST secretly in Matthew 6:16-18.
I believe the church would do well to get back to regularly spending time in fasting and prayer to seek God’s face and get His power in our lives. But when we do, we shouldn’t go around long-faced and disheveled-looking, hoping someone will ask why so we can brag about how spiritual we’re being.
What Jesus was doing was not trying to keep us from showing our faith in the public forum; but to not to “show off” our spiritual activities to be seen in a good light by other people and to have others lift us up and praise us. That’s hypocritical. Humble believers are satisfied to serve God without recognition or fanfare.
Now back in Matthew 23, let’s consider some other signs of hypocrites:
III. NO. 3, A HYPOCRITE IS EXTERNALLY IMPRESSIVE, BUT INWARDLY UGLY.
He’s just like this platter I showed you. [SHOW THE OUTSIE FIRST, THEN THE INSIDE OF THE CUP OR PLATTER SHOWN EARLIER IN THE MESSAGE.]
Look at verses 25-28 – “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”
Illus. – When I read verses 27-28, I couldn’t help but recall the tombs in Okinawa, Japan where I lived as a teenager.
People, especially the wealthy, are buried in huge concrete tombs. Their tops were shaped like turtle shells because the Okinawans believe that demons will slide off them and thus not haunt the dead. These were often white-washed or the most wealthy might have tombs of marble—all to make them appear beautiful.
However, the oldest daughter of the family knew differently. Traditionally, it was her solemn duty one year after the death of a loved one to enter the small hole that opened into the tomb and place the bones of their dead loved one into an urn. I don’t know if the custom is still practiced today, but it was an awful custom and was known to drive some girls to insanity.
¿What did these girls encounter inside those cold, dark, dank tombs? Certainly nothing white and beautiful, like the OUTSIDE. What they found were dead people’s bones and rotting flesh.
Hypocrites are like that—externally pious and looking good on the outside, but in their hearts they’re not right with God and carry the filth of sin on the inside. They look good on the outside, but inside are things like envy, anger, jealousy, bitterness, lust, materialism and discontent.
They may fool some people, but those closest to them—like their kids—know the real you.
No wonder so many young people are leaving the church in these days.
Turned off by hypocrisy!
IV. FOURTH, A HYPOCRITE BOASTS OF THINGS THEY WOULD NEVER ACTUALLY DO – Verses 29-31 – “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.”
Jesus was saying that they boasted of all the great spiritual things they WOULD have done in the days of their forefathers, but in reality, they would have been no better than their forefathers who killed the prophets.
Illus. – It’s like someone who says flippantly, “If I had a million dollars, I’d give half of it to the Lord’s work.” Sounds good, but he doesn’t really mean it. He’s not even giving 10% to God NOW. He just wants to APPEAR spiritual, but not actually BE spiritual.
The hypocrite loves to boast about what he WOULD do in a given situation as long as it makes him look pious and spiritual before others. But, in reality, he does not posses the true spirituality to do what be boasts he would do.
CONCLUSION
Having surveyed Jesus’s description about hypocrites, I’d like you to take note of His attitude towards hypocrites in Matthew 23:33 – “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”
Folks, listen: God HATES hypocrisy.
It is so serious a matter that He killed Ananias and Sapphira for daring to try to lie to God. You see, they thought they were lying to people; putting on a show before people; impressing people. They forgot that they didn’t pull the wool over God’s eyes; that all sin is first and foremost an affront to HIM; and that He deals harshly with hypocrites.
So let’s make this personal
• Are you a hypocrite?
• Not practicing what you proclaim to believe?
• Doing works for people’s applause instead of God’s?
• Trying to appear to be one thing, but being something else on the inside?
• Boasting of how spiritual you would be in a given circumstance, when you fail to obey God NOW?
Illus. – Hypocrisy can be illustrated by the way some people clean house when company is coming.
They shove their junk in the closet, stuff it under the bed where it can’t be seen, or put it in a room and “lose” the key. Out of sight it doesn’t exist…at least to our guests.
Well, really, there’s not really anything wrong with that in our busy lives, but it’s a terrible way to deal with the spiritual junk in our lives. There is no value in hiding our junk from people if God sees it. He’s the one we’re to please.
Are you seeking to please God?—Cleaning out the inward junk and dead men’s bones? No one will ever see what’s on the inside…but God sees. Confess sin and hypocrisy in your life this morning. Begin to live a life of integrity and authenticity. Be what God wants you to be, and then live out the reality of God’s grace and power in your life before a world that desperately needs to see REAL Christianity in ACTION.
