The Imitation Game (Why Followers Fail #3)

Message Listening Guide

Guiding Question: What should we say when people point out Christian hypocrisy?

Response 1: Maybe they're better off than you think
The Truth: We all start from different places with Jesus. Some struggle with obvious sins, others with more hidden ones like pride and envy. The key is not where we are, but where we’d be without Him.
The Response: "I don’t know their whole story, but for me, following Jesus has been a slow, messy journey. By God’s grace, I’m not where I used to be, but I’m still not where I want to be. I want to be careful not to condemn the middle of someone’s story without knowing where they started.”
Application: Don't get comfortable where you are. Keep taking your next step with Jesus.

Response 2: Maybe they're worse off than you think
The Truth: Jesus foresaw that there would be both true followers and fake followers (Matthew 13:24-30). Just as wheat and weeds can look similar, some people who claim to be Christians might not actually be.
The Response: “While I don’t know this person, I do know that some ‘Christians’ may be worse hypocrites than we think—not because of their behavior, but because they may not be true followers of Jesus at all. Sadly, studies have demonstrated that people who fall into this category tend to be much worse than other people.”
Application: Are you a wheat or a weed? How do you know?

Closing Thought: If you’re going to consider the bad examples, you should also consider the good examples.

Connection Group Conversation Guide

Get-to-know-you Question: Share your name with the group and answer this question: If your life were a movie about a journey of growth, what would the title be?

Review: Last Sunday's message focused on addressing the common criticism that Christians are hypocrites. The sermon explored two responses: 1) maybe people are better off than we think—they're just mid-journey in transformation; and 2) maybe it's worse than we think—some who claim to follow Jesus may not be true disciples at all. Using Peter's story and Jesus' parable of the wheat and weeds, the message emphasized grace, ongoing transformation, and honest self-reflection about whether we are truly following Jesus or simply imitating faith.

Discuss: Why do you think the charge of hypocrisy is such a common critique of Christianity today?

Read: Have someone read Matthew 13:36–43 aloud. (Jesus' explanation of the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds)

Discuss: Do you tend to assume that everyone you see at church is a genuine follower of Jesus? If you were to take this parable seriously, would it change how you interact with people at church? How so?

Discuss: Let’s say someone was complaining that Christians are a bunch of hypocrites. Let’s role-play one of the responses Luke discussed in the message. How might you naturally explain that either “maybe they’re better off than you think?” or “maybe they’re worse off than you think?” (Choose one approach to explore.)

Discuss: One of the applications from the message was to make sure we really are a work in progress, not a work in stagnation. Where do you currently see signs of growth in your faith? Is there any area where you sense the Holy Spirit inviting you to take a next step?

Pray: Share prayer requests and close in prayer.