Devotions

Hypocrites Everywhere

I heard it again recently.  The times I’ve heard it said through the years if I had counted would have been a crazy number.  But just heard it recently – “I’d come on Sunday but there are too many hypocrites in Church.”  I can only respond with

  • “Yes there are – but we always have room for one more. “

Jesus had 12 disciples and one was set to betray him – so one was a hypocrite – that’s one out of 12 – so if we have 500 people here next Sunday just doing the math we will have at least 41 or 42 hypocrites who will join us. But the truth here at Hillcrest, and this will always be true, can be stated this way.

  • You’re not TOO BAD to come in and you’re not TOO GOOD to stay out

Hypocrisy is more than just not doing what you say you will – it carries with it the intention to fool – the deception of being one thing when the intention is to be something else.  It’s not just being a sinner – if we have 500 people here next Sunday just doing the math we will have 500 sinners.

  • 1 John 2:4 – Whoever says I know him but does not keep his commandments is a liar.
  • Matthew 7:21 – Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of my Father.
  • Galatians 6:3 – For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing he deceives himself.

We are all going to fall short and mess up and fail.  The Bible makes that crystal clear but the effort we give to be what we say we are – to stand up for what we say we believe – and to hold up the standard of God’s word will keep us from hypocrisy.   So let me ask how come you don’t shop at Walmart?  Oh that’s right there are too many hypocrites there.  Why don’t you go to the restaurants in town, oh that’s right there are too many hypocrites there.   Guess you won’t go to the library this week, oh that’s right there are too many hypocrites there.  I’m sure they will be here also, but isn’t this exactly where they need to be?  

Marks Sig