The Real You

Bunbury

Sun am

2/10/2011

“The Real you”

Intro: *** To Tell the Truth…US TV program that has been going in one form or another since 1956. Four celebrities attempt to correctly identify a contestant with an unusual occupation or experience by asking a series of questions or gauging their responses to various circumstances. He sits with two imposters…central character sworn to tell the truth while other contestants can lie. Panel then attempts to identify which of the three challengers is telling the truth. Finishes with the line, “Would the real _ _ _ _ _ _ _ please stand up?”

It has aired at least one episode for 6 consecutive decades…I believe its success largely due to people identifying with the struggle! Not just trying to identify others but the real you!

Life is not a game show & your response to life’s circ / questions ultimately reveals the real you!!!

I want to preach a sermon tonight on ‘The real you’.

Text: John 1:41-42 ( NKJV ) 41He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone).

# 1. The power of a good example.

A. Good example is God’s method.

a. And there’s not one of us that don’t need or can’t benefit from the power of a good example.

i. It’s amazing how many people are striving to be individual today …..

*** Interesting to note that the rugged individual is doing exactly the same thing as every other rugged individual.

I went & got a long sleeve Tattoo b/c I’m my own man just like every other individual w/ a long sleeve.

Expanders in the ears …. My individual choice …… just like everyone else!

ii. There aren’t too many today who can truly claim to be individual – when you look at it pretty well every individual is copying some other individual.

iii. God calls us to be follows of good example ….. listen to what Paul says here –

1 Corinthians 11:1 ( NKJV ) 1Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

iv. That’s what true discipleship is about …. Not just doing what suits you, what you think but following men of example as they follow Christ.

v. The Bible warns that the road to individualism is the road of demise.

Proverbs 14:12 ( NKJV ) 12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

vi. Good example is something that God uses to keep us on track & in right r/s w/ Him & others.

B. This method has its dangers.

a. The inherent danger is this: We can follow good example for years w/o ever b/co a good example.

i. Human nature is such that we have the ability to project an image of what we would like people to think we are w/o ever being that person.

ii. Some of God’s people live permanently in the fear of being found out …… if they knew who I was they wouldn’t like me.

iii. The danger of playing to this kind of thinking is that we eventually b/co skilled at being someone other than who we really are.

*** There are a number of stories about how Charlie Chaplin, the famed actor of the silent movie era entered a ‘Charlie Chaplin look-alike competition’ & came second or third!!! While it isn’t clear whether he came second or third what is clear is that he entered a look-alike competition & failed to win in looking like himself!

iv. But what we are concerned w/ here is the same problem ….. failing to look like / appear as ourselves.

*** I remember walking into a Hungry Jacks store in Perth when I was a teenager one Saturday night when something strange was happening. At that time the T.V. hit series ‘Happy Days’ was the latest & greatest thing to hit television. Everyone particularly loved The Fonz played by Henry Winkler. In every episode the Fonz would express himself on at least one occasion with his trademark – Hey! In the unique tone in which he did it. On this particular Saturday night it appeared as though every young man in the restaurant had b/co the Fonz. There were Hey’s! everywhere!!!

v. The danger is that we can get to the place where we are afraid to be our/s b/c we don’t receive someone else’ approval.

# 2. What’s behind the image?

A. There is a profound danger of our lives being image w/o substance.

*** Aimi Eguchi was announced as the latest member of the Japanese AKB48, a popular group with an ever-revolving roster of singers, the Washington Post reported.