Authenticity: Are you for Real?

Genesis 21:22-34

Opening

I want to talk to you about authenticity today. The title of my sermon today is “Are you for Real?”

This sentence is exclaimed when someone has shared something that sounds to incredible to be true. In fact, it might be a joke. But authenticity is one of the few remaining virtues that people claim to value highly.

Things and people are either authentic or counterfeit, real or fake. There’s a huge difference in the value of what is real and what is fake. You can buy a fake Rolex for a few hundred dollars or a real Rolex for several thousand. I once bought a set of fake Ping irons. I figured my game was no good, why not get some clubs that were worth the same amount as my game? Shockingly, the counterfeit Pings failed in my second round. I hit a 7 iron and the head went farther than the ball. Counterfeits are cheap to buy but Dangerous to own.

There are certain situations that seem to bring out our lack of authenticity. Job interviews can be that way. “Share your greatest weakness” the interviewer asks. “My colleagues say my greatest weakness is that I care too much.” We tend to beig disingenuous when the stakes are high and we have a lot riding on how things go.

Courtship, which is supposed to help a couple get to know each other, can be the most inauthentic stage of a relationship. You spend more money than you can afford. You’re only together when you look your best. You only do fun things. Why are we not surprised when we wake about a year after the wedding and say “you’re not the person I dated”. Our course they’re not the person you dated. That person was trying to win you. The person you married is the person who is trying make a life with you.

If you really want to know the real authentic person, go with them to work. Walk with them through grief and major setback. Serve with them. This is why we advocate long courtships.

Lack of authenticity stems from the need to be something we are not but something we feel we need to be. We feel the need for influence and acceptance so we carefully curate our image. This is why social media is so popular. You can carefully build an image of who you want people to think you are. We strive to appear authentic because we know authenticity leads to influence. 

And everyone wants to have influence on someone. We want influence so we can get what we want. But what is it that we want? In Genesis 21:22-34 we see what Abraham wants.

Exegesis

Authenticity Demanded

Genesis 21:22–34 (ESV) 

22At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. 

23Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.” 

24And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

We covered the first story of Abraham and Abimelech a couple of weeks ago from Genesis 20. If you recall, Abraham had tried to pass his wife Sarah off as his sister for the second time. This time the Philistine king Abimelech took Sarah into his harem but he and his household was immediately strickened with an illness that prevented fertility and was likely fatal. God spoke to Abimelech in a dream that if we didn’t give Sarah back to Abraham, he would die.

When confronted, Abraham admitted what he had done but justified by saying Sarah really was his half-sister. Abimelech returned Sarah along with wealth and livestock as a gift to Abraham. 

Now, after Isaac was born, Abimelech shows up with the commander of his army seeking a non-aggression treaty with Abraham. Can’t you just feel the tension rise in Abraham’s neck as he watches Abimelech ride up with his commander? “What does he want now? Does he want some of the stuff he gave me back? Is he still sore about me and Sarah bringing the wrath of God down on him and his people?”

Abimelech knows the power that accompanies Abraham. He knows what happens to people who mistreat him. He sees Abraham as a potential threat as evidenced by the presence of Philcol, the commander of his army. Abimelech demands that Abraham deal with him honestly. He demands authenticity from God’s representative.

People who see God as a threat or have some reason to believe that God exists and that He is powerful demand authenticity from God’s people. They need to be told the truth even if they refuse to believe it. Abimelech doesn’t want Abraham telling him something is ok when in fact it will kill him.

Authenticity Demonstrated

25When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized, 

26Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.”

Abraham demonstrates what an authentic, above board relationship looks like. This is the opposite of how he acted previously. He has abandoned his “fly under the radar” attitude. He is being totally forthright with Abimelech. Abraham’s interest in deceiving Abimelech was completely self-serving. He did in hopes of saving his life from a perceived threat. Now he is telling him the truth even though he may not like it. 

While lack of authenticity led to Abimelech’s encounter with God, continuing to live an inauthentic life leads to the discipline of God. We see this over and over again in the Old Testament. When God’s people continually refuse to represent God accurately, He uses another nation or a plague or natural disaster to discipline them. 

Abimelech is probably thinking, “here we go again” and “am I about to get sick and have another dream? I had no idea any of my people had taken his well.” From Abimelech’s perspective, he feels cheated and endangered if Abraham fails to let him know of something he has done that could bring about the wrath of God.

Do people feel this way today? Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller, an outspoken atheist said this:

“How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that eternal life is possible and not tell them that?”

Penn Jillette

Atheist, Magician and Author

This is the essentially the same thing Abimelech was saying. If you know something that could keep me from experiencing the wrath of God, you need to tell me! Authenticity saves people from suffering the wrath of God because of ignorance. It demonstrates care for them. 

Opportunity Secured

27So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. 

28Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart. 

29And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 

30He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well.” 

31Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath. 

32So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines.

Authenticity leads to a place where God fulfills His purpose. It provides a place, a foundation, a standing for God’s to display His greatness. This treaty provided the alien, Abraham, land and water and the right to exist.

Psalm 138:4–8 (ESV) 

4All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth, 

5and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. 

6For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. 

7Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. 

8The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

This is all God’s doing! Abraham’s role was simply to be authentic with Abimelech and tell the truth. Abraham recognized that God was at work in Abimelech and as a result Abraham saw a foreshadowing of God giving him the land He had promised. Had he not been authentic, Abraham would struggle to have water and he would not have the standing to display who God is.

God is worshipped

33Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. 

34And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.

Afterwards, Abraham worships. He has seen the hand of God supply him with land, water, and a level of respect that would allow Him to have influence and to begin to be a blessing just as God had promised.

When God does something great, to show His power and faithfulness, we need to worship. But we don’t always worship. It’s at this point that our authenticity is truly put to the test. When we know God is going to keep His promise and fulfill His purpose in us, we have to fully embrace what He’s going to do. Do we really trust Him/

Applications

Are you for real?

Or, maybe the question should be, do you have influence.

Because having a place of influence for Jesus depends on authenticity, tell people the truth.

The reason you don’t have influence in that places that matter most is probably because you struggle to be authentic.

It’s often said that children who grew up in the church most often leave the church because of gross inconsistencies in the church and in their parents. We constantly are thinking about this issue when we choose leaders. I am so grateful for our staff and key leaders. 

But what about you? Are you the same person at home as you are here? Are your kids surprised when they see how nice and “spiritual” you are here? Are your truly letting the Holy Spirit live through you?

Here are some things to consisder:

Evaluate which sins in others bother you most?

Which sins do you laugh at?

How do you view your own sin?

How do you view the sins of others?

You see, all sin should grieve us. When we minimize our own sin we claim to be something we are not. This is what Abraham did. He claimed to be a brother when fact he was the husband. He did it because he wanted to survive. We do the same thing when we try appear to be someone we are not in order to get what we want. This is pride.

The heart of inauthenticity is pride. 

It’s trying to be something we are not.

The heart of Christianity is humility. 

It’s letting Jesus be what we cannot be.

Who do you need to be authentic with today?

-       You haven’t been completely honest.

-       You have been trying to present yourself as something you are not.

-       You have been acting like everyone else when in fact you are trusting in Jesus.

-       You have been less than forthcoming because you want to keep all your options open

Close

Do you want to have influence for Jesus? Do you want to make Him known?

Maybe the reason you struggle with authenticity is because you’re not sure you trust Jesus with your life. You’re not sure you want what Jesus wants.

If this is you, you do not understand what you have in Jesus. You have the same thing Abraham had in God’s promise. You have the most precious thing in the world. You have life, life eternal. And, you have the ability to help others have life.

It’s time to be authentic. Some people are craving it from you.

Be authentic so you can have influence to help people know Jesus.