The Make-up Artist

Message Transcription

Well, if you have your Bible with you this morning, I invite you to turn over to Romans chapter 12. We're going to be there for the bulk of our time this morning as we think about the series that we're in called Fake. We're learning how to be real with one another. Last week, we looked at Jesus encouragement to us, his followers, that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. This amazing thing about being a follower of Jesus, that God's desire is to be reconciled to all of His people. And the way that He is chosen to do that is to work through his people. The church that we get to play a part in that reconciliation plan that's unfolding. He says, I want you to shine so brightly that when folks see the work that you do, the kind of life that you live, that they would turn and praise your heavenly Father, that they would see in you a different way to live, to relate to one another. So we asked last week how we could allow God's light to shine in us and through us into the world. This week we're going to turn our attention to Romans Chapter 12, as we hear once again this this challenge, this encouragement for us to become who God has called us to be. You know, it's an amazing thing, that promise. Reagan pointed us to it just a moment ago, John, three, 16 and 17, maybe one of the most if not the most famous passage in all of scripture for God.

So love the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him would not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. That God's great plan of reconciliation and restoration is unfolding in our lives, that not only are we reconciled back to him, but now God is calling us to be reconciled ours alongside him. The lives that we live would be powerful. He would say, Jesus, time and again he came into the world to save the world, to show us the way of how to live. That's been God's plan from the beginning that his people, his church would be a light in the world. But we have struggled to keep faithful to that. And so in Christ we see the one who is faithful and we follow his way in his life. So our discipleship to him is more than just getting into heaven when we die, but it's actually helping get heaven into us when we live and into the world that others might see and experience a different way of living. When we miss this, Jesus says, If we miss this reality, this truth, then we end up spending our lives chasing after the very same things that people who don't even know God chase after. It's a stunning and startling thing to think about. We could fritter our lives away in the pursuit of wealth and power and status.

Instead of the things that truly matter. See, if we do that, then we end up presenting this fake picture of what the Kingdom of God is really like. Folks see people in the church and people outside the church and notice there's not a whole lot different. So I guess there must not be much different in the Kingdom of God. And the truth is it's a lot different. One way Jesus helped his followers visualize what does it look like to be this kind of disciple was to point them to one of the most popular events in his day, and that was going to the theater. He would say, I don't want you to be like the hypocrites, a hypocrite. In Jesus day, that was simply an actor, someone who played a part who would often put on a mask and play a role so that others might see something than what that person truly was. Jesus would call us time and time again. His followers say, When you pray, don't do it like the hypocrites do. When you fast. Don't do it like the hypocrites do when you give. Don't do it like the hypocrites do. That there was a way of pretending and faking that isn't real. And people see that. They understand it and they respond to it. We certainly do. When we encounter people who are not living honest lives, we sense it, we know it in the world does. And so would we be willing to be honest with ourselves about who we really are? It's an amazing thing when when we will humble ourselves before God.

Perhaps you remember the parable that Jesus told once in Luke Chapter 18 about a Pharisee and a tax collector who had gone to pray at church. They knew enough to know I need to be praying. And the Pharisee stood and he prayed these words. He said, God, I thank you that I am not like other people. Verse 11, Chapter 18 Robbers, evildoers, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and I give a 10th of all I get. Yeah, Thank you. I'm not like him. A tax collector won't even look up, said he stood at a distance. He wouldn't look up to heaven, but he beat his breast and he said, God have mercy on me, a sinner. Jesus said, I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves, will be humbled. And those who humble themselves will be exalted. See, Jesus knew that the Father in heaven could do some pretty amazing things in a humble heart, a heart that's willing to be honest and open and authentic before God and before Christ, before his people. Last week we looked at this image of the theater that Jesus used and looked at a position called the Gaffer. The gaffer is the lighting technician. This is the person who helps shine and illuminate the area of the screen or the stage that that the director wants you to see and focus on.

And so we thought together about this challenge to be the light of the world. How are we allowing God's light to shine in the areas of our life so that others, when they see us, don't see us, they see the work of God in us? How are we being a gaffer in our life? This week I want us to look at another position, another person on the stage, and that's the makeup artist. Now, some of you may be more familiar with this position than others, but a makeup artist, this is the definition. Skillfully transform forms the human canvas into a desired character or appearance. They work with actors to enhance physical features and create a flawless appearance. The makeup artist is designed to help accentuate things just like the gaffer who who shines light. Only the makeup artist is now drawing us closer to that character. They want us to see what the director wants us to see. And so they work with makeup and prosthetics to create these incredible images I was looking through, thinking about what are some of the the most astounding ones I've seen in movies before. These are certainly not necessarily top ten, but they were just initial ones that came to mind. Maybe you remember some of these figures, Jim Carrey in the Grinch, right. You know how long it took him to get into makeup. On average, each day when he would show up, he had to spend 8 hours in the makeup artist chair getting ready and prepared so that he could look like that.

Or maybe you remember Karen, Jillian as Nebula in the Guardians of the Galaxy. She had to shave her head completely bald, and then she would sit in the makeup chair for 4 hours, four plus hours every day, getting ready to try to become this character. Or maybe you remember John Rhys-davies in Lord of the Rings, who spent three and one half hours putting on these prosthetics and the makeup, and it was so intense on his body. He said after shooting for a day, he'd have to take a day off just to give his skin relief and a break from all that it took all that it required to become this character. Our makeup artists help us become who the director wants us to become, to get into character. As we think about our own lives and who we're trying to become. Makeup artist spend a lot of time transforming people into something else to play a role. And many have been so good at it, we lose sight that it's even a role they're playing. I remember watching a movie called A Few Good Men, not too terribly theological movie, but there's a scene in it, right, where Tom Cruise is talking to Jack Nicholson and you can't handle the truth, you know, kind of episode back and forth. And and after he shouts that out, my grandmother whispers that Jack Nicholson is so rude. I said, Grandma, that's just a part and a play. Yeah, but he's just mean, right?

Lost any sense of That's just a character playing a role in a movie. It was so real. Some of us have been in situations watching a movie where we still feel so into it that we're crying when the people are crying. You know, they put on this makeup and they become this other person. And one of the biggest temptations for us is followers of Jesus is to do that, isn't it? To put on a mask and to become this character that we think God wants us to be, or we think the people around us want us to be. You know, when we're young, we call it peer pressure and we want to fit in with a certain group. And so we dress a certain way and we look a certain way and we talk and we act and we walk a certain way. And we think as we mature, we kind of grow out of that, don't we? We don't. We don't settle some of that foolishness anymore. And so we start asking questions like, Well, what kind of car do you drive? What kind of job do you have? How much money do you make? What kind of clothes do you wear? And all of a sudden that that pressure, it comes back again. And we're tempted to want to to fall into a character, a role, put on a mask, get the makeup artist out, and and put us into the person that we think we need to be.

Here, Paul in Rome is a church that's facing all kinds of pressure. In fact, when the church first began, the issue that threatened to tear it apart was this issue that we're trying to commit ourselves to here in Lubbock about reconciliation between different groups of people who have been told for years and centuries that you can't get along, you're too different. And instead in Rome it was Jews and Gentiles. Can we actually worship together? What is that going to look like? So there they're battling not only the pressure of the external world on them, but they're now having to go into church and saying, What do I do when I'm sitting across from someone and I don't know that I can worship with them? These two groups of Christians who are trying to sort the way out, what does it mean for us to share this common faith that Jesus is the way in the truth and the life? What does that look like? And so Paul's writing to them about this challenge of how do we be real? How can we live authentically to be true disciples of Jesus? And these were Paul's words. He says, Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters. In view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice wholly and pleasing to God.

This is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is his good, pleasing and perfect will. Oh, there's so much here and I wish we had time to dive into all the different places. But just for a second time, Let me point us to a couple of things to think about as we consider what it means to be real with one another. Paul begins by reminding them that their entire faith, who they are, where they are when they are, it's all a mercy of God. He says, in view of God's mercy. No matter where they came from, whether they're Jewish or Gentile. Where they are now. It's it's God's incredible story that he has mercilessly invited them into. They didn't deserve it. They didn't earn it. They just received it, he says. Therefore, in view of God's mercy in your life and light of that, because of that, the right response, he says, of being given this incredible gift is. Is to worship, to thank God. He says the the way that we do that is offering our bodies not just our physical presence, but our entire lives.

He says. This is your true and proper worship is a living sacrifice. And that sounds kind of strange, isn't it? Kind of an oxymoron living sacrifice. When we think about sacrifice most of the time, we think about something dying like an animal, like in the ancient world, that would be a sacrifice. And yet Paul says, No, it's a living sacrifice. Jesus has been the true sacrifice, the one who died for all that we would be freed from sin, which leads to death, he says now. Now we're the living sacrifice. We're the ones who humble ourselves and say, God, it's no longer I no longer me what I want, but what you want. Yeah, it's no longer my way and how I'm going to go. But rather, which way do you want me to go? The sacrifice we make is in response to what Jesus did, his incredible mercy. So we present ourselves as a living sacrifice, a living conduit in and through which God can pour new life into us and into the world. Paul says this is holy. This is a holy thing and it's actually pleasing to God. You've ever thought about that? That your willingness to submit your life to God is pleasing to God. He takes great delight in his people, offering themselves up. And saying, God, would you use me to make a difference? Would you use me in whatever way you see fit? I'll go where you want me to go, and I'll do what you want me to do.

I don't have to pretend I'm more than I am. That I'm something other than that I'm not God. Instead, I can be yours. I trust that the Holy Spirit that you have given me has the power to make up for the cracks that are so, so apparent in my life. That instead, those become the places where your light shines out most brightly. I don't have to hide. I don't have to pretend. I don't have to sit in the makeup artist chair for 3 hours every morning, getting ready to become this character that goes out into the world that just pretends and tries to to get people to think well of me, to manage other people's impression. Instead, I can be real. Paul says That's our true spiritual worship. Some of your translations that says good and proper, some say spiritual. It's interesting is this word he uses is not the word that's typically translated for spirit, Numa and pneumatics. Instead, he uses the word logos for logic cos this reasonable. This is your reasonable act of worship. I think what he's meaning here is. We're thinking things were made in the image of God. This is the kind of worship that's worthy and proper of those who were created. to think.

Of those who were created to engage their mind in their heart, in the life that God has created, he says. That's the kind of worship that we're calling you to giving ourselves over. So we aren't to be conformed, he says, to the pattern of the world. We're not just to look like everyone else, to be controlled by desires and appetites and anger. The pursuits of the world. Rather, he says, continue to offer our bodies daily this living sacrifice. It's not me, Lord. It's you. The idea here is we don't just simply learn to live authentically without any pressure. Instead, he says, I want your mind renewed so that what comes out of you reflects the image of God. Amongst the pressure. This mind begins to think for itself. He says. Then you can test and approve what God's will is. Just think about that for a moment.

Paul says it's it's bigger than just a statement that we say says we begin to live this way to offer our bodies to Christ, to say God, whatever it is you want to do in me, would you do? And to begin to humble ourselves and to repent of the ways that we're not and to seek forgiveness and reconciliation, we begin to study God's Word and listen for His Holy Spirit, that it begins to change the way that we think. And in doing so, he says, you're going to be able to test and approve what God's will is.

How amazing. That he's talking about discernment like you can discern God.

What do I do? There are so many situations in life. They're just black and white. Do I do the right thing or the wrong thing? But what about those situations that aren't quite as clear? Without the situations where it's a good and a great. A best, better and a best. What about those times when we're not sure.

Which is which? God. Do I say something? Do I step out in faith here, or do I do I hold back?

Paul says, As our minds are renewed, we begin to learn how to discern. You see, God's desire is not that we just become rule followers. Here's the list. Follow the list. Don't stray too far left or right and you'll be okay. Instead, he says, I want you to learn how to think. The way that a Christian thinks. I want you to learn to live the way that Jesus lives. One of my favorite stories of this is over in Acts 15. Maybe you are familiar with this. If not, flip over there. We're going to read for just a moment about a church who was striving to live this way. Right. The Jerusalem Council is happening and there they're arguing over the same issue that the church in Rome is arguing over. Can Jews and Gentiles worship together? And if so, do the Gentiles. Now that they're a part of of this new community, do they have to start doing the things that the Jewish Christians are doing? Do they have to avoid the same thing? They have to follow the same list of rules and they go back and forth in their sharp disagreement as they come to a resolution, though it's an amazing thing the elders in that city gather together and say, this is what we're going to do.

And they write a letter to the believers in Antioch, we're told. And he says to the Gentile believers, verse 22, This is the letter that they write. The apostles and the elders with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barabbas and Silas men who were leaders among the believers. With them, they sent the following letter. The apostles and elders. Your brothers. To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings. We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization. And they disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul. Men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements. You are to abstain from food sacrifice to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.

You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell. You ever thought about verse 28 right there? It seemed good to us and to the Holy Spirit. Right. If I were writing you a letter and saying Broadway Church, this is what God wants you to do, I would have book chapter verse to go with it. I would say, citing this passage of this scripture where Jesus said these words, You need to do this. That's not what he says. He says, We've been arguing about this. We've been wrestling together. We've been praying about this and trusting that God's spirit will lead us. And so it seems to the Holy Spirit and to us that this is what we should do to discern. All, says Church. It wasn't just for the for the church in Jerusalem. That discernment isn't just for them. That's the kind of mind that we can have. But what it's going to take is for us to take off the mask. To get out of the makeup artist chair. And say thanks, but no thanks. I'm going to be me. I'm going to get honest with those that I love and who love me. I'm going to deal honestly with the challenges that I'm facing. And I'm going to try to do as best I can to open myself up.

God, would You use me as a vessel?

See in doing so, Paul says, You're no longer conformed to the pattern of the world because the pattern of the world tries to form you into an image. And and that's not that's not the work of Jesus disciples. Instead, he says, I want you to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. And as you do so, you're going to learn how to think the way that Jesus thinks.

And to make decisions the way that Jesus made them that you discern together. I love how he says It seemed good to us, not just me standing over here on my own in the corner. He says, No, no, no. We get into community and we wrestle with scriptures and we wrestle with questions and some that are really, really tough. And then we trust the Holy Spirit is going to lead us in the right way. And so that's what they say. We seem good to us and to the Holy Spirit that this is this is where we're going to go. And we invite you to go. That's the mind controlled by the spirit. That way, we don't have to be fake anymore. We can be real with one another. We can say what we honestly think and believe. Not an angry, hurtful ways. But in humility. Paul follows this right up with that verse that I wanted Len to read just a moment ago. Don't think of yourself more highly than you ought. It all comes back to humility. And we see that beautiful poem that illustrates the early church would sing time and again of Jesus, who, though he was equal with God, did not consider that equality, something to be used to his own advantage.

But he humbled himself.

Oh, church. May that be us this week. And whatever situation you find yourself in, I invite you to begin with a step of humility. Oh, God. Would you help me to hear a kernel of truth in whatever I'm. I'm receiving right now in this beat down? Is there something I need to hear in this? Would you help give me the strength and the courage to stand up in this moment, to say this or to not say this? God, would you help renew my mind so that I begin seeing things as they are not not in the makeup chair, not the special effects, but the. But the true reality? Would you help me to become that kind of person?

Not conformed, but transformed?

God. That's my prayer for us this week. That you would help us in all the situations that we face to have our first step. Be one of humility. To humble ourselves before you. To think about how we might like Jesus did become a servant of those around us. Do not always assume that we have all the answers.

But instead humbly God to listen to you.

We live in a world that is obsessed with image and managing impressions. And God, I may be chief sinner of that at times.

Or would you give me the courage to just be the real me? Would you give us the courage to be the real us? Knowing that like that tax collector, that you have mercy.. You have so much mercy to give.

And in view of that mercy, God, may we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to you this week? Lord, would you remind us that it's in the broken areas of our life, that your light shines most brightly? So, God, would you give us the courage not to cover those up with prosthetic or makeup or blemish remover? But instead. Father, help us to see those as opportunities for your light to shine in us.

Would you help us to pursue the way of healing and reconciliation in those areas? Would you help us to step into the light? To be honest, to find the healing that only comes from you.

And then God would give us the courage to to live that witness in the world. A witness of One who has been transformed. by the amazing mercy and love of Jesus. Yeah. Thank you. From our friends who take this so seriously. The gab. We don't want to miss this. We don't want to spend our life chasing after the same things that people who don't even know you chase after.

Oh, God. Help us to see things as they are to see past the special effects and into the truth. And, Lord, would you transform our minds? God, we want to be able to discern where it is that you are leading us at this day, at this time, as we're pursuing so many different avenues.

Here at Broadway, we want to make sure we're living out the vision you've called us to to be partners with you and reconciliation. Yeah. We want to find more and more ways that we can teach other people how to pursue you. And we can build authentic and genuine community. I gather you would use us to unleash compassion. Father, we want that to be not just words that we say, but the life that we live. So God, give us courage. Help us this week in a situation at school.

Maybe at work, at home, in a relationship, whatever it is, God help us. To have transformed minds.

Our father, we are so thankful. We are so thankful that we get to live in light of your incredible mercy. God may it transform us once again. This week, in Jesus name, Amen.