“I’M O.K?” by George Crumbly
Matthew 5:17-20
Sunday AM July 22, 2001
Sheridan, Arkansas
(This message David Rings did on a video. I have used it at least 8 times and have had a tremendous response. You will need two different colored socks with one of them having the end cut out exposing all of your toes; take an old tie & strip the end of it with scissors tucking it behind your coat; take an old dress shirt and every area that is hid inside your coat take a knife and strip it. You will want to keep all of this hid before you enter the pulpit.)
I heard W.A. Griswall (First Baptist Church of Dallas Texas) one time on the 700 club; Pat Robertson asked him, “what he thought the biggest problem in the church seemed to be.” He answered Pat Robertson “He did not see anything in our time that even resembled revival”, he also said that you cannot tell the Christians today from the world out on the streets, he said the Christians look like the world, they smell like the world, they talk like the world and they even act like the world.
The church seems to measure their success according to the standards of the world.
(I Samuel 16:7) “For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”
Man goes by what he sees, or what he hears but God looks right into the heart. He knows your thoughts today, He knows your desires, your wants, he knows your priorities today. God sees the secret things in your life, things that maybe hid in the far darkest corners of your life. That should scare each of us to death today to know that God is looking right into your heart.
As we set here today and worship, God knows those that actually love Him, those that serve Him, trust Him as well as fear Him.
Matthew 5: Verses 17-20
What is our number ONE goal in life today? It should be to make Heaven our home. If we intend on getting there, we better do everything God tells us to do. Folks back in Jesus’ day were familiar with the Scribes and the Pharisees. When Jesus explained to his followers what they should do and then how to do it He used the scribes and Pharisees as examples of how not to do it.
Let’s look at this group today:
Pharisees: (separated ones) a religious and political party in Palestine in the New Testament times. The Pharisees were known for insisting that the law of God be observed as the Scribes interpreted it, and for special commitment to keeping the laws of tithing and ritual purity.
Scribes: Members of a learned class in ancient Israel thru the New Testament times who studied the scriptures and served as copyist, editors and teachers.
After the return from Babylonian captivity the Scribes began to read the law before Israel (just as they had in the past), but the Priests were so corrupt that instead of going to the Priest with a theological question or problem they began going to the Scribes. Now not only are the Scribes reading the law they have to interpret them.
They observe the law carefully as far as appearance went. Yet, their hearts were far from God. Today, where is your Heart? God knows because He looks right into it today.
Jesus is instructing His followers on several things that He expects out of them:
Matthew 6: Verses 1-4
First, Jesus is instructing His followers on how to give. He says to not be like the hypocrites do as they give to be SEEN. WE are not to call our attention to our giving. We are not giving for “SHOW”. They wanted to draw attention to what they were giving and to awe the crowd. There are a lot of folks that thrive for a “pat” on the back, this is the only reward they will receive is that “pat” on the back. It means a lot to some folks what others think.
Verses 5-8
Next, Jesus is instructing His followers as how to pray. The Pharisees would go to town on the busiest day and stand in the most crowded area and pray long eloquent prayers. They prayed over and over and over hoping that God would answer their prayers.
Jesus said to go off somewhere in the private and pray. Not just talking to God but also listening to what God had to say.
Jesus said this is how we are to pray (Verses 9-13)
Verses 16-18
Now Jesus instructs His followers on fasting. We do need to be fasting and praying for our lost loved ones, our co-workers, our kids, and our church. We need to be fasting. Yet Jesus says for them to not fast like the Scribes and the Pharisees do. They would stand on the street corner where many could see them and they would disfigure their faces to be SEEN of men.
This is why Jesus refers to the Pharisees as “Hypocrites” because their hearts did not match with their outward appearance. Jesus didn’t have trouble with the liars, or the whoremongers, or murderers, or the thieves. He had problems out of the hypocrites.
(Luke 18:9) “And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.”
The Pharisees were concerned only with the outward appearance. They were concerned at what people SAW, not the way it really was. Jesus wants to come into your heart today. Too many have head knowledge when they need a heart relationship.
Folks today get really good at convincing themselves that everything in their life is OK. They become very good at hiding their hurts, heartaches, pains, at covering up their sins. The things that are on the inside, the places and things that man doesn’t see. Man might not see them but God does.
Today, I want to use myself as an example. I got up today and I was very careful (as always) to make sure everything I had on did match. The pants, shirt, socks, shoes, coat and tie. I wanted to make sure that everything you SEE was OK. If we are not careful we can get caught up on the “outward.”
SOCKS: (Show socks) You didn’t notice at all today that my socks did not match. One is blue and the other brown. I did a good job hiding this from you. (Take off shoe showing exposed foot) you didn’t see this either did you? I have been wearing this all morning and you had no idea my sock was like this.
AS FAR AS YOU KNEW I WAS OK
TIE: (pull out the tie from behind buttoned coat) Now this was a little more difficult to hide from you. I’ve had it on all morning. AS I shook your hands and fellowshipping with you I knew it was like this, but I hid it from you. I had to be careful because I wanted you to think that everything was OK.
AS FAR AS YOU KNEW I WAS OK.
Is there anyone today that is having a hard time hiding something? A lot of folks work extremely hard to hide sin or even worse they are trying to cover it up. What is it that you are trying to hide?
SHIRT: (take off coat now exposing the tie as well as the tore up shirt) this was easier for me to hide, to cover up so you could not SEE it. There are some things in our life that is easier to hide than others.
Now you are SEEING what God has SEEN all morning. You are SEEING what God SEES period. It is not hid anymore. The tears, the flaws, the destruction that sin does. It is finally in the open. God says that “our sins will find us out.”
Today I don’t want to stress what is on the outside. I want to encourage you to let God do something about what is on the inside. Have you gotten used to the misery?
Things may not be OK today.
LET GO AND LET GOD.
