Don't Be Like You, Be Like Jesus | Pastor Mike Frisch

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Creative Priority Over Human Curiosity

The Genesis creation story centers not on biological details but on God’s identity as a purposeful, loving Creator. When questions about origins arise, Scripture redirects focus to the wonder of being made in God’s image. Wrestling with unknowns becomes worship when grounded in trust. The Bible’s silence on secondary matters invites humility, not division. Curiosity is holy when it leads back to the Maker. [40:14]

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
(Genesis 1:27, ESV)

Reflection: What unanswered questions about faith tend to distract you most? How might shifting focus to God’s creative love reframe your curiosity?

Day 2: Majoring in the Minor: When Questions Distract from Purpose

Religious debates often fixate on secondary issues while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Jesus rebuked leaders who prioritized technicalities over transformed hearts. Doubt festers when minor disputes overshadow God’s redemptive story. Wisdom discerns between essential truths and speculative details. The gospel remains clear: Christ came for sinners, not scholars. [42:28]

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
(Matthew 23:23–24, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you seen religious communities major on minors? How might focusing on justice and mercy strengthen your faith?

Day 3: Hypocrisy’s Heavy Load: When Faith Feels Like a Burden

Bad Christians add rules where Jesus offered freedom. They demand perfection while ignoring their own flaws. Christ’s yoke lifts burdens; hypocrites chain others with expectations. Doubt often begins when leaders confuse performance with grace. True disciples lighten loads through compassion, not condemnation. The gospel thrives where mercy outweighs judgment. [50:24]

They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
(Matthew 23:4, ESV)

Reflection: When has religious hypocrisy weighed you down? How might extending grace to imperfect people lighten your spiritual load?

Day 4: Fixing Eyes on the Pioneer: When People Fail, Jesus Stands

Human leaders stumble, but Christ remains steadfast. The writer of Hebrews urges believers to fix their gaze on Jesus—the perfecter of faith who endured betrayal without bitterness. Disappointment with people dissipates when anchored to the sinless Savior. His resurrection power outlasts every failure. The church survives not through perfect people, but a perfect Lord. [01:02:17]

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
(Hebrews 12:2, ESV)

Reflection: Whose failures have shaken your faith recently? What practical step could help you refocus on Christ’s character today?

Day 5: Forgiveness as Freedom: Releasing What We Cannot Control

Forgiveness doesn’t excuse harm but liberates the wounded. Like Christ with the adulterous woman, believers confront sin while offering new beginnings. Unforgiveness chains us to the offender; grace breaks bonds through divine perspective. Restoration begins when we surrender vengeance to God. Trusting His justice frees us to heal. [01:12:16]

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
(Ephesians 4:32, ESV)

Reflection: Who holds power over your emotions through unforgiveness? What small act of release could you offer God today?

Sermon Summary

Genesis draws the line straight: God is the marvelous Creator who made all things and stamped humanity with his image. The text does not aim to map the mechanics from two to billions, so any how-of-origins beyond that is opinion. The call is not to major on minors but to let the story’s main thing stay the main thing: God’s good design and God’s saving purpose. Doubt, then, is not failure but an opening for curiosity. And the doubt that most often bites is not about doctrine but about people, especially bad Christians who carry the Lord’s name and misuse it. Exodus’ command against taking God’s name in vain is not mainly about vocabulary; it is about representation. When a Christian harms, it can feel like God harmed, and that confusion turns the screw on skepticism.

Matthew lays down Jesus’ clarity. In Matthew 23, Jesus says to hear what the teachers say yet refuse to copy what they do, because they do not practice what they preach. Their religion straps cargo on backs that they will not lift, while Jesus’ yoke is easy and his burden is light. Followers of Jesus make things lighter, not heavier. So Jesus speaks woe. He names hypocrisy for what it is, not failed effort but staged performance, hearts far from God. He even warns of millstones and of the awful discovery, I never knew you. The stakes of misrepresenting God are real.

Hebrews then orients the heart: fix eyes on Jesus. People can inspire but cannot save; when they fall, Jesus holds. Psalm 16 sounds the same confidence: set the Lord always before you and do not be shaken. Paul remembers what Jesus actually did for sinners: while they were dead in sin, God made them alive with Christ. Grace arrived before merit. That grace then sends. God’s handiwork is crafted for good works.

John’s story of the accused woman shows how those good works begin. Jesus does not start with a stone but with kindness. Neither do I condemn you comes before leave your life of sin. Paul matches the cadence in Galatians 6: restore gently. Ephesians 4 adds the spine: be kind and compassionate, forgiving as God in Christ forgave you. Forgiveness is not excusing or forgetting; forgiveness sets others free from the personal courtroom of bitterness and hands them to the God of justice. Restoration moves at the speed of wisdom and does not guarantee restored platforms or titles. The church’s next faithful question becomes simple and courageous: who hurt you, and are you willing to do for them what Jesus has done for you?

Key Takeaways

1. Hypocrisy ignites doubt, not theology [46:36] When a believer misrepresents Jesus, pain often attaches to God himself. Matthew records Jesus’ strongest words for religious pretenders, not for strugglers. Naming that gap protects faith from collapsing under someone else’s failure. The wound is real, but Jesus is not the wound. [46:36]
2. Jesus makes loads lighter, not heavier [52:13] He offers an easy yoke and a light burden, while performative religion piles on weight. The church is sent to make access, not obstacles, and to carry burdens together. Discernment may mean receiving true words without imitating false ways. [52:13]
3. Fix eyes on Jesus, not heroes [01:01:28] Helpful examples are gifts, not saviors. When a mentor falls, the object of faith has not moved. Setting the Lord always before the heart steadies what scandals try to shake. [61:28]
4. Start with kindness before correction [01:08:28] Jesus leads with mercy in the dirt before he calls for change. Kindness does not trivialize sin; it makes repentance possible. Gentle restoration takes holiness seriously by taking hearts seriously. [68:28]
5. Forgiveness frees, boundaries are wisdom [01:11:37] To forgive is to release others from personal judgment and inner control, not to excuse or rewind history. Restoration partners with healing without guaranteeing restored roles or proximity. Wisdom chooses participation that is honest, safe, and faithful. [71:37]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[37:14] - Baptism invitation
[39:01] - Doubt as curiosity and QR
[39:43] - Adam and Eve question
[40:14] - Genesis and God’s priority
[42:28] - Majoring on minor issues
[43:27] - Doubt from bad Christians
[49:27] - Hear words, not their ways
[51:48] - Jesus’ easy yoke
[52:55] - Woe to hypocrites
[56:07] - Millstone warning
[60:38] - Look to Jesus first
[66:28] - Kindness before correction
[71:37] - Forgiveness and wise boundaries
[76:56] - Two questions and prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Matthew 23:2-3 (ESV): "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice."
- John 8:1-11 (ESV): The story of Jesus’ response to the woman caught in adultery, ending with, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
- Ephesians 4:32 (ESV): "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Observation Questions

In Matthew 23:2-3, what distinction does Jesus make between the Pharisees’ teaching and their actions?
How does Jesus respond to the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11 before addressing her sin?
According to Ephesians 4:32, what two actions are tied to forgiveness?

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus emphasize listening to the Pharisees’ words but not imitating their actions (Matthew 23:2-3)? How does this relate to hypocrisy causing doubt?
In John 8:1-11, why does Jesus start with “Neither do I condemn you” before saying, “Leave your life of sin”? What does this reveal about His approach to restoration?
How does Ephesians 4:32 redefine forgiveness as more than just “excusing” or “forgetting” wrongdoing?

Application Questions

When have you experienced or witnessed hypocrisy in someone claiming to follow Jesus? How did it affect your faith, and what steps could help refocus on Jesus instead of human failures? [46:36]
What practical ways can you “fix your eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) when someone you admired spiritually disappoints you? [01:01:28]
Think of someone who has hurt you. How might you extend kindness first (like Jesus did in John 8) before addressing the issue? What would that look like tangibly? [01:08:28]
Forgiveness is described as “releasing others from personal judgment.” Is there a relationship where you’re holding onto bitterness? What would it look like to trust God’s justice instead? [01:11:37]
When have you been tempted to make a “minor issue” (like debates about origins) a major focus? How can you prioritize God’s “main thing” in your daily choices? [42:28]
How can you create “lighter” spaces for others (Matthew 11:30) in your relationships or community instead of adding unnecessary burdens? [52:13]

Sermon Clips

42s

#BadChristiansCauseDoubt

“``The the number one reason why a lot of us have doubt or doubt has been stirred up is because of the behavior or inappropriate behavior or ungodly behavior of other people, other people specifically bad Christians. Those who carry the Lord's name but then use it for manipulation or for profit. Those who are in my position or maybe you're in relationship with that they don't look or sound like Jesus at all. In fact, to take it even further, the number one reason people walk away from faith is because of people. Is because of bad Christians.”

43s

#JesusForBrokenPeople

“And what's good for us today as we interact with bad Christians or maybe struggling with doubt because of bad Christians is that we need to hear from Jesus, our savior, our lord. And what we hear from Jesus is that Jesus never pretended. His followers would be perfect. That doesn't ease the pain. It doesn't make what was done to you or said to you okay. It doesn't excuse behavior. It's a reminder that everyone needs a savior, that everyone needs a king, that everyone needs a lord, that everyone needs Jesus. That's the message of Christianity. Christianity is not about perfect people following Jesus, but broken people learning from Jesus.”

42s

#PeopleInspireNotSave

“Listen, you and I, we have men and women, young and old, that are inspiring to us. We have men and women, young and old, that motivate us. People who are a good example of Jesus to us. We have all of that. That's good to have in your life. You need people like that in your life and need to be like that for other people in your life. But hear me very clearly, they are not your savior. They are not your Lord. They can't forgive your sins. They can't set you free. When they die, they're gonna stay dead. They're not gonna resurrect from the grave. This is why we're invited to turn our attention to look to Jesus or to look to Jesus again when we have been let down by followers of Jesus.”

41s

#StopWeightyReligion

“I mean, they tie up heavy loads and then when you say it, it feels heavy. It feels difficult to say. What Jesus is teaching here is that they will teach you appropriate things from the word of God, good things from the word of God, but then in their practice of it, they're actually making things difficult for you. And that is not the way of Jesus. It's not the way of Jesus at all. In fact, Jesus invited you to follow him, to take his yoke upon you. He said, my yoke is easy and my burden is light, but they're making things heavy.”

Ask a question about this sermon

Active Church This sermon · AI assistant

What is the number one cause of doubt?

How should we respond to Christian hypocrisy?

What does biblical restoration and forgiveness involve?

Don't Be Like You, Be Like Jesus | Pastor Mike Frisch | Active Church Yucaipa