We are told to examine ourselves for a very crucial purpose as we approach Passover.  It is because God knows our hearts, and we do not.  Yes, we think that we know ourselves, but it is God who tells us to – think again.  Does that mean that it is no use even trying to properly evaluate our own spiritual condition?  No.  But it does means that we cannot casually go about it if we hope to appropriately assess ourselves and see ourselves as God sees us.  Paul said:

1Corinthians 11:28  Let a man examine himself, and then let him [take Passover] eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

So, how do we measure ourselves against the word of God?  The important thing is that we do not end up fooling ourselves because Jesus Christ says that if Passover is not observed in its proper manner, damnation is the result. "He that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.”  (1Corinthians 11:29).  Because God tells us, "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness." (Proverbs 30:12), we do not want to be the ones who year after year pat ourselves on the back and give ourselves a passing grade with flying colors.

We are able to see the insufficiency of natural man to scrutinize himself in the way of salvation, but we have the Spirit of God to instruct us.  Have we ever wondered why it is that we find ourselves “being sorry” for the same sins that we have been dealing with for a long time?  Have we decided that since God knows our frame – how weak we are – He understands and overlooks our failing?  Let’s not mistake God’s mercy in giving us time to repent, for His approval of our deeds.  Or, after a thorough self-examination do we always find ourselves doing, “just fine.”  That is like sweeping the floor in the dark.

1John 1:8  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

None of us wish to think that Jeremiah 17:9 applies to our own heart.  We quickly say that it is someone else who’s heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?  We tend to look pretty good to ourselves – but that is in the eye of the beholder.  All too often we start with the premise that we are doing everything right in our lives as we begin our self-evaluation.  The hardest thing for a human being to do is to admit to himself that he is wrong.  So, how can we know that we are looking at ourselves as God sees us?

Do we realize that our minds are entirely capable of justifying absolutely everything we think, say, and do?  How can we begin to strip away our self-deception?  If we are sincere about our faith, how do we ever get around that obstacle to seeing ourselves as God sees us?  How can we get the beam out of our own eye?  We see everyone’s faults but our own.  Why won’t we ask ourselves, “How many people have I offended, argued with, hurt, and cut short?”  Can we admit to ourselves that we do not walk as Jesus walked?  We must say to ourselves, “I wish I did walk in Jesus’ steps – but I go off track – and therefore I need Passover.”  That is how we begin to get the beam out of our eye so that we may begin to see clearly.

Matthew 7:5  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

God’s integral and vital involvement is absolutely necessary.  We must beseech God for a clean heart to His pleasing.  We must ask God to examine us – and then turn us away from evil; change us; lead us to the right way.

As we grow in spiritual maturity, we learn to view ourselves more and more as God sees us.  We no longer justify ourselves – but we ask to be justified by the blood of Jesus Christ.  That is a picture of Passover.  We ask ourselves how much we have taken on a spiritual resemblance to Jesus Christ our High Priest.  And we also ask how much our thoughts and actions compare to His.  Are we making progress toward the perfection of the fullness and stature of Jesus Christ?

Could it be that within God’s Church we are in danger of making the mistake of speaking religious sounding words but in fact exhibiting very little Christian substance?  When we measure that which passes for religious practice in many of our congregations today – it is only a pretense of true Godly faith.  Can it be that we are doing just enough to fool only the most superficial of adherents – and ourselves at the same time?

Where is the seriousness, the faith, the urgency, the reconciliation, the mercy, the humility, the zeal, the sacrifice, the honest introspection, the giving, the caring, the integrity, the spirituality, the submission, the yieldedness, the forgiveness, and the crucial concern for our brother and sister?

As we grow in spiritual maturity we learn to view ourselves more and more as God sees us.  We no longer justify ourselves — but ask to be justified by the blood of Jesus Christ.  Let's be sure to spend time in prayer – asking God to show us and lead us in a pre-Passover self evaluation.

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Sermon:

"Eye of the Beholder"