Being Played!

Chapter 37

BEING PLAYED!

(Luke 11:27-54)

We have all been played before! Being played means when someone uses you for their own gain through manipulation, lies, exaggerations, etc, to make you believe something until they get what they want. 

In our materialistic society where every product has many companies selling basically the same thing, it takes good promotional schemes to sell. Hopefully most of us have learned the game and don't just buy something because of what a advertisement says but research it diligently before purchasing. 

Also many ladies get taken advantage of time and time again from players just because the words they speak and actions they give make them feel good. How many times being hurt does it take before one sees through another?

We can expect this in the business marketing arena and the players club but why does it seem the church community operates with the same gimmicks and phonies as the world? 

The children of Israel had experienced nothing but phonies in regards to their religious leaders the Pharisees. So the attitude of the people here in Luke 11:29-54 were not easy to reach. They were like many of us today, we are not going to buy into anything until is it proven before our eyes.  

Jesus gave the example of unlikely people including the Ninevites and the Queen of Sheba who received God while Israel rejected Him. Today we have the United States turning away from the Lord, behaving religiously like the Pharisees but not truly responding to the Lord, while many in unlikely places like Iran and China have thousands getting saved daily.

Christianity is accepted as okay in our society as long as it remains a private affair, once it becomes open and public then it becomes an issue.  If we would just remain silent and let the world go ahead with whatever agenda they want, we would be fine, free from persecution.  But, as it says in vs. 33 "No one lights a lamp, then hides it in a drawer.  It's put on a lamp stand so those entering the room have light to see where they're going."  

True Christianity cannot be hidden.  We are the light to the world it is impossible to be light and those in the dark not see.  That is why people in the underground church in China can only stay hidden for so long, because of the light, people become suspicious and eventually find them out, and persecution follows.  We don't have to say a thing but a difference will yet be seen, light exposes darkness, so those in the dark begin to see.  As it explains in vs. 34 "our eye is the lamp, lighting up the whole body." As long as your in the Sun you will radiate light, if we are in Christ, His presence will be felt.  So to remain in the light is to be transparent having nothing to hide.  

Those who confess to believe and yet are no different than the world are Frauds who have not yet received Christ for they have hidden sins yet confessed, hurts and pains yet healed.  We cannot receive Christ until we confess our sins and open our heart to be healed.  It is a process but if it has not yet begun salvation has not yet occurred.

Jesus in Luke 11:37-54 now gives an example of a religious fraud.  He reveals that their primary focus is the outside of an individual rather than the inside.  Someone can pretend to be something outwardly from a distance but once one get's to know them personally they are able to see through and discover they are not whom they pretend to be.  That is why many leaders are not close to those they lead for of fear of being exposed.  They use intimidation to keep distance.  We must not be intimidated but be willing to get close to those whom God wants to expose as religious frauds for they misrepresent Him and  are the enemies device to draw people into deeper darkness.