I sense that recently this country has seen a great
interest in its own spiritual roots, and has been found hungry to find truth.
1.
The tragedy, turmoil and uncertainty
has caused us as a nation to remember our God.
1.
Many have not chosen to call upon
Him, but there has been a great awakening to the fact.
2.
There is a hunger for the true
presence of the Lord, a desperate people searching for real answers to hard
questions.
3.
In a sense we have all become “Pursuers of the Supernatural.”
1.
We see it in our every day culture
through mediums, reality tv shows about the dead, zombie craze, the vampire
craze, the haunted house hunts, and every scary movie imaginable.
2.
Let's engage the supernatural is what
people want and they'll pay a very high price to achieve it.
4.
But the challenge isn’t if they will
find a church, a place to go, or even a place where they can experience God’s presence.
1.
The true challenge is will they find “Authentic People?”
2.
An authentic memorial of what Christ
has set forth in scripture for us to live out, model out, as living authentic
memorials to. His cause.
1.
Authenticity: Being real; touchable; tangible;
making sense.
Luke 24:36-43 NLT "[36] And just as they were telling
about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. "Peace be
with you," he said. [37] But the whole group was startled and frightened,
thinking they were seeing a ghost! [38] "Why are you frightened?" he
asked. "Why are your hearts filled with doubt? [39] Look at my hands. Look
at my feet. You can see that it's really me. Touch me and make sure that I am
not a ghost, because ghosts don't have bodies, as you see that I do." [40]
As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet. [41] Still they stood there
in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, "Do you have
anything here to eat?" [42] They gave him a piece of broiled fish, [43]
and he ate it as they watched."
2.
Is He real, can I touch Him, can He
relate to me?
1.
I've had so many set backs,
disappointments, let downs, frustrations, and I constantly feel deserted, will
He too desert me in my time of need?
John 20:24-29 NLT [24] One of the twelve disciples, Thomas
(nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. [25] They told
him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he replied, "I won't believe
it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and
place my hand into the wound in his side." [26] Eight days later the
disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors
were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them.
"Peace be with you," he said. [27] Then he said to Thomas, "Put
your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side.
Don't be faithless any longer. Believe!" [28] "My Lord and my
God!" Thomas exclaimed. [29] Then Jesus told him, "You believe
because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing
me."
2.
The world is full of people like
Thomas.
1.
We are facing a generation that has
witnessed:
1.
Fallen high profile religious
figures.
2.
Computer animation unreal and
manipulation so believable.
3.
Slick politicians cashing checks with their actions
that their mouths can't cash.
4.
And the most intense marketing known to man.
3.
We just don’t
take life at face value anymore.
1.
We have websites designed to
specifically tell us if the other websites are for real.
4.
Thomas had to see it, touch it, hear
it, and experience it.
1.
Just like this culture today.
5.
Jesus met him at the point of his
need, so Thomas would not be questioning, not be wavering, not be untrusting
but believing of the Christ, believing in the Christ as a moment of authentic
memorial.
1.
But this generation can’t put their
finger into the nail prints of Jesus's hands, or their hand into His side where
the Roman soldier pierced Him as blood and water flowed.
1.
They are those who have not seen but
still must believe.
1.
That’s a tough sell.
2.
But not an impossible one.
3.
So what is it that they can put their
finger on?
1.
What is it that they can put their
hands onto?
2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NLT "[2] The only letter of
recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in
our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. [3]
Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among
you. This "letter" is written not with pen and ink, but with the
Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human
hearts."
2.
That is how they will be able to put
their finger on it, and put their hands in it.
1.
In us the message is strong and
clear.
1.
Authentic Memorial?
2.
Cheap knockoff?
2.
Culture, they really don’t really care how
high we raise our hands, how long we kneel, or how conservative or liberal our
standard are, they just wish to know are they real.
1.
Thomas said, "Unless I
see."
2.
Stop being faithless, stop living our
lives faithless, believe and be authentic.
3.
Authenticity is a matter of finding
people, being people we can trust.
1.
Most people can spot a “phony”,
a “con artist”, or “rip
off."
2.
But spotting someone who's authentic
in their faith, authentic in their love for God, authentic in their giving,
authentic in their worship, authentic in their service to others is tough to
pin down.
4.
Authenticity goes against the grain.
1.
In war you can see the heroes from
the cowards easily, one will hide, one will run away, one will dodge the
enlistment.
2.
The other fights in the presence of
fear, acts upon the safety, benefit, and concern for others, runs into the
conflict trusting in his team, trusting in his weapon, trusting in his
training, that's an authentic memorial that anyone can see.
1.
We assume if we do something wrong
that bad things will happen, and if we do things right good things will happen;
but once in a while the test of “Authenticity” is
that while doing right, things come at a very high price.
5.
Let’s look at
authenticity.
Daniel 6:1-27
NLT [1] Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120
provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. [2] The
king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high
officers and protect the king's interests. [3] Daniel soon proved himself more
capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel's
great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire. [4]
Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault
in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn't find
anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and
completely trustworthy. [5] So they concluded, "Our only chance of
finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his
religion." [6] So the administrators and high officers went to the king
and said, "Long live King Darius! [7] We are all in agreement-we
administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors-that the king
should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next
thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human-except to you, Your
Majesty-will be thrown into the den of lions. [8] And now, Your Majesty, issue
and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and
Persians that cannot be revoked." [9] So King Darius signed the law. [10]
But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt
down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He
prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his
God. [11] Then the officials went together to Daniel's house and found him
praying and asking for God's help. [12] So they went straight to the king and
reminded him about his law. "Did you not sign a law that for the next
thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human-except to you, Your
Majesty-will be thrown into the den of lions?" "Yes," the king
replied, "that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and
Persians that cannot be revoked." [13] Then they told the king, "That
man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He
still prays to his God three times a day." [14] Hearing this, the king was
deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the
rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament. [15]
In the evening the men went together to the king and said, "Your Majesty,
you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that
the king signs can be changed." [16] So at last the king gave orders for
Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him,
"May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you." [17]
A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the
stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could
rescue Daniel. [18] Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night
fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn't sleep at all that
night. [19] Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the
lions' den. [20] When he got there, he called out in anguish, "Daniel,
servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to
rescue you from the lions?" [21] Daniel answered, "Long live the
king! [22] My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths so that they would
not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in His sight. And I have not
wronged you, Your Majesty." [23] The king was overjoyed and ordered that
Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had
trusted in his God. [24] Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had
maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions' den, along with
their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before
they even hit the floor of the den. [25] Then King Darius sent this message to
the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world:
"Peace and prosperity to you! [26] "I decree that everyone throughout
my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the
living God, and He will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed,
and His rule will never end. [27] He rescues and saves His people; He performs
miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel
from the power of the lions."
1.
The mark of authenticity.
1.
An Excellent Attitude
1.
Daniel possessed an excellent spirit.
2.
People loved to be around him, work
with him, and people showed him favor.
2.
Faithful To His Work.
1.
Taking care of responsibilities.
2.
No cheating.
3.
Personal Purity.
1.
Even when nobody was looking.
2.
Even as his enemies were plotting,
scheming, talking, planning behind his back.
4.
A Consistent Walk With God.
1.
Regardless of the circumstances.
2.
Right is always right.
2.
So how do we develop and live out
this kind of authenticity?
1.
We can learn three lessons, three
authentic memorials from Daniel.
1.
We seldom get what we deserve from
people, so don’t
expect it.
1.
Whether criticism or honor.
2.
Blame or credit.
2.
We will always get what is best from
God, so don’t
doubt it.
1.
Maybe not in the package we thought
it would be delivered but it is always best.
3.
Our ability to handle both is
directly related to the consistency, maturity, and authenticity of our walk
with God.
1.
Handling what we get from people and
what we get from God then staying true, is authenticity.
2.
Handling what we don’t get from people
and what we don’t
get from God then staying true, that's authenticity.
1.
We have to confident and committed in
what we're telling the world as truth.
3.
For those in scripture who stand out
as unwavering models of authenticity, unwavering authentic memorials of faith men
like Job, Daniel, Jesus, women like Ruth, Mary, Rahab.
1.
The thread I see is in their
consistency:
1.
Job: He offered sacrifices on behalf
of his family, this he did regularly.
2.
Daniel: Knelt to pray, as was his
custom.
3.
Jesus: Went to church, as His custom
was.
