"To Be Or Not To Be"

AS WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE SAYS ;”TO BE OR NOT TO BE THAT IS THE QUESTION”! WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY TODAY WHERE THE WORLD IS ASKING THAT QUESTION TO SO-CALLED CHRISTIANS EVERYDAY AND IN EVERY WAY; AND BEYOND POPULAR BELIEF THERE ARE SOME WHO HOPE WHO WE SAY WE ARE; WE REALLY ARE! THEY ARE HOPING THERE IS AN ANSWER TO LIVES PROBLEMS. WE AREN’T THE ANSWER BUT WE KNOW WHO IS.

JOHN14:6 - 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

TODAY’S YOUNGER GENERATION CALLS PEOPLE WHO REALLY AREN’T AS THEY SAY A POSER - A POSER -IS SOMEONE WHO IS INSINCERE IN WORD AND ACTIONS, A PHONY, A FAKE. THIS MORNING I WANT TO LOOK AT THE DANGER OF BEING A POSER.

ACTS 19:13 -20 -(ISV) -13Then some Jews who went around trying to drive out demons attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had evil spirits, saying, “I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches!” 14Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15But the evil spirit said to them, “I know Jesus, and I am acquainted with Paul, but who are you?”16Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them, got the better of them, and so violently overpowered all of them that they fled out of the house naked and bruised. 17When this became known to everyone living in Ephesus, Jews and Greeks alike, fear came on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus began to be held in high honor. 18Many who became believers kept coming and confessing and telling about their practices. 19Moreover, many people who had practiced magic gathered their books and burned them in front of everybody. They estimated the price of them and found they were worth 50,000 silver coins. 20In that way the word of the Lord kept spreading and triumphing.

CAN I TELL YOU THIS MORNING; “IMITATION WILL CAUSE LIMITATION”

1) PROCLAMATION IS PROVED BY DEMONSTRATION!

THE SHOW OR PUBLIC DISPLAY OF ACTION”

ACTS 19:13 -14 -(ISV) -13Then some Jews who went around trying to drive out demons attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus on those who had evil spirits, saying, “I command you by that Jesus whom Paul preaches!” 14Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this.

OUR PROCLAMATION WITHOUT DEMONSTRATION SHOWS NOTHING BUT EXAGGERATION!

MARK 16:17-18 -(NKJ) -17And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

IT’S NOT OUR PROCLAMATION THAT PROVES OUR FAITH BUT OUR DEMONSTRATION IN WHAT WE FACE THAT PROVES FAITH.

JAMES 2:20-22 -(NLT) - Fool! When will you ever learn that faith that does not result in good deeds is useless? 21Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was declared right with God because of what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see, he was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to do. His faith was made complete by what he did—by his actions. 23And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous.”£ He was even called “the friend of God.” 24So you see, we are made right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE ISN’T BASED ON WORDS ONLY BUT ALSO WORKS.

2) AUTHORITY COMES FROM AUTHENTICITY!

“ BONA FIDE, GENUINE, REAL AND TRUE”

ACTS 19:15 -15But the evil spirit said to them, “I know Jesus, and I am acquainted with Paul, but who are you?”

THE DEVIL AND PEOPLE WILL KNOW IF YOU’RE THE REAL DEAL OR A POSER. AUTHORITY DOESN’T COME BY WEARING A BADGE OR CARRYING A GUN OR EVEN BY WEARING A UNIFORM BUT BY BEING GIVEN AUTHORITY. (“ILL- ME -CONSTRUCTION WORKER”)

JOHN 1:12 -13 - (ISV) - 12However, to all who received him, to those believing in his name, he gave authority to become God’s children, 13who were born, not merely in a physical sense, or from a fleshly impulse, or from man’s desire, but of God.

AUTHORITY COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD “EXOUSIA”- WHICH MEANS THE ABILITY OR STRENGTH WHICH ONE IS ENDUED, THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE POWER. IF WE AREN’T AUTHENTIC WE WILL BECOME PATHETIC. IF ONE MUST QUESTION WHO WE ARE THEN WE MAY NOT BE!

LUKE 9:1-2 -(NKJ) - Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.