City Church Family,

Come celebrate with us this Sunday at one of our three service types: indoors, outdoors, or online! We’re taking every precaution to ensure your safety, including requiring masks, distanced seating, and a place to safely gather outside. 9:30am & 11am at the Tulsa Ballet, or you can livestream. Find all the details and more here: citychurchtulsa.com/indoor

If you plan to watch the service from home, you can livestream here: citychurchtulsa.com/watch

If you plan to watch the sermon “on the lot,” we will have a TV setup under a tent in front of the Tulsa Ballet building.

August 16, 2020

Pastor Matt Nelson – Walking Away: Hypocrisy

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• What if we learned to STRUGGLE WELL, as followers of Jesus, instead of STRUGGLING ALONE?

• What if we developed such a foundation in our relationship with Christ that the things that cause many to walk away actually serve to deepen our faith?

From the Religion, Brain, & Behavioral Journal

An abnormally large number of young adults who turned to atheism were raised in homes where the parent/guardian was insincere or unfaithful to their professed faith (i.e. hypocritical) 

We must start by admitting that we’re all recovering hypocrites at some level.

Luke 7:1-15

The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus ² and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.³ (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.⁴ When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.) ⁵ So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”  ⁶ He (Jesus) replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. ⁷ They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ ⁸ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” ⁹ And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! ¹⁰ For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ ¹¹ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— ¹² then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. ¹³ Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” ¹⁴ Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. ¹⁵ Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”

Signs you are in the hypocrisy danger zone:

1. You are more concerned with perception than reality. 

2. You have built your spiritual foundation on another person.

3. You have a tendency to confuse God with his followers, his church, or his leaders.

4. You minimize or ignore your own struggle but are quick to see and call out the faults in others.

5. You are quick to accuse or join the mob when someone’s sin or struggle is exposed.

6. You have such a cheap view of grace that you persist in sin because God’s forgiveness is available.

7. You have successfully compartmentalized certain parts of your life and faith.

8. You highlight the rules, holiness, and changing your behavior but diminish the role of the gospel in our hearts.

A Prayer for Recovering Hypocrites:

Father, I’m sorry for all the times I claimed to be a follower of Jesus and yet my life failed to reflect your heart. I’m sorry for being quick to judge others and slow to see my own sin. I’m sorry for picking the speck out of my neighbor’s eye, while being oblivious to the log in my own.

 I ask you to give me the humility to see – to own – to be aware of every place in me that is not fully surrendered to you.

By your Spirit, help me to fully align my faith and my life. Help me to overcome the pain and wounds that have been inflicted on me by others. Today, I put my hope, my faith, and my life in YOU; not another person, leader, or church.

Father, help me to struggle well in this life and to find a deeper place in YOU in the midst of this messy journey.

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1. Find someone who can partner with you.
2. Watch the sermon video.
3. Walk through the 6 discovery questions together.

For more information or help getting connected with a micro-church contact justin@citychurchtulsa.com

Thanks for joining us today! Please fill out the form below and visit us in the Welcome Room located in the lobby after service for a free “I Heart My City” t-shirt.

UPCOMING EVENTS

If you’d like to check out our event calendar to find out about our upcoming events then click below and find out more.

3 WAYS TO GIVE

RESOURCES

Generosity Pathway

• Financial Peace University – Next class begins March 6th – register here!

• Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn – Pick up a copy at Connection Corner

• Contact us for financial consulting and we can recommend a financial advisor – justin@citychurchtulsa.com

• Budgeting tools – Download Here

CONNECT | DINNER WITH THE STAFF

If you’re interested in learning more about City Church and partnering with us as we reach people for Jesus, we would like to personally invite you to join us for Dinner with the Staff. It’s a time to connect with our staff and hear the vision and heart behind our church. It’s only one hour long, it’s completely free, and we even provide childcare!

To RSVP for our next Dinner with the Staff event, visit our website.

DISCOVER | PATHWAY CLASS

Live out the gospel in community with others as we commit ourselves to becoming disciples and making disciples. Pathway is a 4-week class designed to help you discover and live out God’s unique mission for your life.

Our next class will begin Sunday, September 8th at 10am. The class is free, however there is a suggested donation of $25, which covers all your materials and helps provide grants to our Love Tulsa partners. Register here.

GROW | CITY GROUPS

Live out the gospel in community with others as we commit ourselves to becoming disciples and making disciples.

For more information on City Groups and a list of groups currently meeting, visit our website.

MULTIPLY | CITY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

CLA is a 5-month journey learning how to lead yourself and others to fulfill the Great Commission. CLA is offered twice per year for those who have already committed to serving, giving, & leading at City Church.

For inquiries on CLA, contact Pastor Jim Moss jim@citychurchtulsa.com

GET CONNECTED

Ask about volunteer opportunities, share your story, submit prayer requests, or let us know about your experience with us!