What Is a Hypocrite?
Acts 5:1-11 (NLT) But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. 2 He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”
5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. 6 Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?” “Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.”
9 And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.” 10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.
Principle of Precedence: God will make a strong statement at one point in time to be remembered and applied to all points in time.
Let’s talk about the meaning of the word HYPOCRITE.
Matthew 23:13 (nkjv) But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
A hypocrite is not someone who claims to be a Christian and…
- Says something she should not have said
- Does something he should not have done
- Acts in a way he should not have acted
- Reacts in a way she should not have reacted
That’s not hypocrisy, that’s called HUMANITY – Christians just living the Christian life and come up short from time-to-time. (1 John 1:9)
HYPOCRICY is completely different!
The word hypocrite means, “actor; one who is wearing a mask.”
- It refers to actors who wore large masks on stage in order to be seen by those in the back row.
- Hypocrisy then, was those who had two faces: one for the stage, one for the street.
1. Hypocrisy kills your WITNESS.
2. Hypocrisy kills your JOY.
3. Hypocrisy kills your PEACE.
Conclusion:
What is the lesson that the Lord is trying to teach us here in Acts 5:1-11?
Just be yourself!
1 Cor. 15:10 (NKJV) By the grace of God I am what I am…
- Hypocrisy will kill your witness – as others see the masks you wear and the act you put on.
- Hypocrisy will kill your joy – as you analyze and criticize others in order to justify your own deceit.
- Hypocrisy will kill your peace – as you live in fear that someone will someday see the real you.
