Welcome to Waymaker Church! We are so excited to have you join us today! We exist to Encounter, Live for, and Advance the Kingdom of God!

This morning, we are going to continue in our heart for the house series. This month, we are taking some time to look at our mission and core values.

So far, I have shared with you that our mission to encounter, live for, and advance the kingdom is rooted in the belief that God has called this house to be a kingdom-minded equipping center for all generations to grow, activate, and deploy God-given gifts for kingdom advancement.

That we are called to the place of personal encounter and intimacy with God, and the result of our pursuit should be a life of transformation marked by growing personal history with God. Intimacy - we will stop for God and stop for people.

Last week, we looked at the core value of faith - we will invade the impossible. Faith anchors our hearts in what God has said, and it leads us into a realm where the impossible becomes possible.

Today, we will look at our third core value, Authenticity. As a Church, we will choose real love, real life, and real character over fake religion.

Illustration: Pictures of Genuine vs. Knock-off Products.

These types of product replications while normal in our culture are essentially a counterfeit product. They make a halfhearted attempt to make the product look like the original, but rarely do they match the quality or composition of the original.

The ploy of the advertisement is that you are receiving the same product at a reduced price, and it is a better value. The truth is that the counterfeit knock-off product lacks in quality and substance. It seemed like a better value, but ultimately it isn’t.

When we consider this illustration in regards to cereal or soda, a counterfeit knock-off product isn’t necessarily a major issue. But if you view it within the realm of relationship with Jesus, counterfeit Christianity can have destructive eternal implications.

As a minister of the gospel, I have a simple belief. If we are going to profess faith in Christ, then we should live out a genuine expression of that faith. Authenticity of faith is not about achieving perfection, it is about an honest and pure pursuit that results in kingdom transformation in our lives.

As we jump into this value, let me make you aware that it is possible to have a counterfeit relationship with Jesus. Where the outward appearance tries to replicate the genuine, but the relationship does not conform to the composition of the original.

Leading up to this statement Paul shares with Timothy a list of sinful behaviors, attitudes, and actions that are contrary to God’s will.

The essence of the instruction from Paul to Timothy, is that the people are Christians with their mouths having a form of godliness through professing to know Christ, but they act as unbelievers by denying the power of the gospel to change them. Choosing to continue to live rooted in the nature of the flesh.

Jesus also addressed this in, Matthew 15:8-9 “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

The Pharisee’s and Sadducees were displaying an external devotion, but inwardly they were far from Him. They worshipped in vain, and their doctrine (system of belief) were tainted by additional commandments given by men, not God.

Essentially, they created a form of worship based on their desires and traditions, not what God had specified.

The most remarkable thing about this interaction with Jesus in the book of Matthew, is that the people had THE GENUINE ORIGINAL in front of them and they couldn’t recognize it.

Also in Ezekiel 33:31 “So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.”

A life of authenticity where we choose real love, real life, and real character is found when we align ourselves with the original. Alignment with the original looks like obedience to the expressed design.

We don’t look for shortcuts or the easy road. We don’t listen to echo what’s said but not live it out. We won’t allow ourselves to be a counterfeit people.

At this church, we are in pursuit of the genuine. We don’t want to be a people who are satisfied with learning the language of the kingdom but never enter into the lifestyle of the kingdom.

In the passage in Ezekiel 33, the broader context was that hearing without application was going to bring destruction.

Authenticity is defined as something that is not false or copied; genuine or real. It is something having an origin supported by unquestionable evidence. It has been authenticated; verified.

To walk in authenticity, we must position ourselves to know, understand, and align with the original. There is no authentic expression of faith apart from the word of God.

Let me explain, when it comes to choosing real love. God has clearly defined what Love is.

We don’t get to change the definition of love.

Authenticity displayed in the life of a believer is evidenced by spiritual fruit.

Galatians 5:22-23.“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

It is seen in our speech. Luke 6:45 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

It is demonstrated in forgiveness. Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

It’s evidenced in our behavior. Philippians 2:3–4 “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

It’s seen in the purity of our pursuit. 1 Timothy 1:5 “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,”

Spiritual fruit comes through our response to the leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit. When we surrender our lives to Jesus and receive the gift of salvation, we are born again by the Spirit.

John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
When you are born again by the Spirit, God through the Holy Spirit indwells the believer.

John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”

1 Corinthians 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”

When we allow the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide and lead us according to the truth of God’s word, authentic transformation is the result. The validity of the transformation will be the unquestionable evidence of spiritual fruit.

I really want to drive this thought home today, authenticity is not about perfection and striving to be good enough, it is about evidence. You’re going to make mistakes in life. You’re going to fall short in the process of transformation. That is why we needed a savior.

What I love most is that as God calls us to authenticity, He makes provision to purify us along the way. When you make a mistake 1 John 1:9 instructs “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

We don’t stay in the place of sin. We repent and move away from it, allowing the Holy Spirit to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.