“Real Talk: Life, Faith, and Following Jesus” “No Filters Allowed”

 “Real Talk: Life, Faith, and Following Jesus”

Introduction:

Good morning brothers and sisters. If you are visiting with us this morning, you are our honored guests. We are thrilled that you have come to worship with us here at Eastern Shore Baptist Church. My name is Stuart Davidson and I am the pastor here. 

Today we are in week two of a new six week series entitled “Real Talk: Life, Faith, and Following Jesus”. Today’s message is entitled “No Filters Allowed”. 

Today’s Message:

“No Filters Allowed”

I would wager to say that most of you have a social media account of some sort: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X. Social media took the world by storm around 2005 starting with the advent of Facebook. The desire to be “online” spread like wildfire among America’s youth. Over the year to be “online” has evolved to meaning a lot of different things. The original intent of social media was to be connected, linked together, united. The hope was that even if people were separated by great distances, social media made allowances for people to still feel close. They could remain social. Their interactions…friendly. We could share more than just our thoughts, our views, and our whims. We could uploaded our very lives to cyberspace. With the invention of the iPhone and Android phones, internet driven social connection followed humanity everywhere they went. We could eat a meal in Mobile and someone in Mozambique could see it instantly. 

Let’s be honest, it sounds like a great idea. What could go wrong?

More than 20 years later we have all discovered that a lot can go wrong. Sure, we have been able to stay connected with one another, but at what cost?

Social scientists have claimed that issues of comparison and envy have risen because of social media. It is estimated that billions of dollars are lost every year due to people wasting time and steal time when they are expected to be working. 

I think that most everyone’s mental health has been affected by social media. Especially teenagers. Studies have linked high social media use with increased anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

One of the things that I have noticed about social media is that it allows us to present a carefully curated image of ourselves to the world. I will use myself and my family as an example. If you were to visit my Facebook account, you will see pictures of a happy family. Brothers that love one another. A husband and wife at perfect peace. If you go to my social media account, you will see pictures of my boys always getting a hit. They always make the basket. They always scored the touchdown. Jett seemed to always get the speaking part. If you were to visit my Facebook page you will see me speaking at my best. 

Here is what you won’t see!

You won’t see the fight that Angela and I had on the way to the photoshoot. You won’t see the frustration that we had as parents trying to get the boys to smile, to tuck in their shirts, to stand just so and to open their eyes. You won’t hear me threaten my children with death and dismemberment if they don’t stop picking on each other. 

You won’t see the fist fight that broke out between Jay and Jack. You won’t see the bruise that Jack left when he pinched Jett. You won’t see the tantrum that Jett threw just before the picture was snapped. 

Funny enough, you won’t see the strike outs. You won’t see the bricks off the back board. You won’t see the fumbles or interceptions. You won’t see Jett in the chorus, dancing in the back. 

Nope! No way! You see friends, you will see what I have carefully crafted for you to see. You see the lives of the Davidson’s through our chosen filters. 

Speaking of filters, how many of you have Snapchat? Ok, mostly our youth. Snapchat is an interesting app because one of its special specific purposes is to wrap your life in filters. 

What is a filter you ask?

Filters are like digital masks that can change how you look in an instant. They smooth out your skin, make your eyes bigger, maybe even throw on a pair of glasses or a silly hat. In just a moment, the filter can make you look completely different from how you actually are.

For instance, here are some pictures of some very handsome fellows. Here is a picture of Chris Turner our worship pastor (Show Chris 1). Here is a picture of Bryant Thompson (Show Bryant 1). These are great pictures. Nothing wrong with them. 

However, Snapchat lets me change how these men present themselves to the world. I can put a “filter” on them, thus changing their appearance. 

Again, here is Chris (show Chris 1) but here is a new way to see him (show Chris 2). 

Very nice. Maybe Chris doesn’t like that image and he wants to change it. Easy, just do another filter (show Chris 3). 

Beautiful Chris. 

What about Bryant? Here is that picture of Bryant again (show Bryant 1). He is one good looking guy. Can I get an “Amen” Donna? However, I think that Bryant would look better with a filter (show Bryant 2). 

After all, I have always found Bryant to be a kind and gentle as a puppy dog. Bryant may not like that filter. No problem! How about this new look Bryant (show Bryant 3). 

Bryant with pigtails and nose ring is the look that I like the best. Can I get an “Amen” Donna?

Now that is pretty silly, but friends, make no mistake, we all are guilty of trying to live our lives with filters. No, maybe we don’t put pigtails, puppy dog ears, and hearts on our heads. As cool or funny as those filters might look, they aren’t real. They only change the appearance, not who we truly are. On the surface, everything looks perfect, but underneath, we’re still the same.

People have been living with fake and fraudulent filters since the beginning of time. Adam and Eve tried to filter out their sin by wearing fig leaves in the garden. Cain tried to filter out his sin by playing dumb and ignorant hoping that it would cover up the murder of his brother Abel. David tried to put a filter on his life by having Uriah murdered so that he could marry Uriah’s wife. Peter tried to put a filter on his life by being macho, boisterous, and by being a braggart. He was really just a coward. I could go on and on. 

Humanity has tried to use the filter of religion to be righteous. We have tried to use the filter of piety to come off as pure. We have tried to use the filter of works to come off as worthy. 

Here is the thing I want you to know this morning. God is not impressed with our filters. Isaiah 64:6 talks about all the filters that we try to deploy with God. 

Isaiah 64:6 CSB

All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.”

Do me a favor this morning. Fill in the blanks under “Today’s Thought”. There is no cover for our crimes. God see with clarity. 

No matter what filter we try to lay on top of our lives God still knows. No matter what we try to get other people to think, God knows the truth. He sees us for who we really are and He knows ultimately what we really need. 

Today’s Thought:

There Is No Cover For Our Crimes. God Sees With Clarity!

Matt Chandler is one of my favorite writers and pastor. He is the pastor at Village Church in Texas. Listen to what Pastor Matt says about living authentically. Listen to what he says about living genuinely before Christ. 

“You can fake being a Christian. You can learn the language, act the part, and even do the deeds, but God is after the heart. He’s after your affections and desires, not just your actions. You might be able to fool others, and even yourself for a while, but God sees past the facade. He’s not interested in a checklist of religious accomplishments. What He desires is a heart that loves Him, one that is shaped by grace, not by performance. External behavior is meaningless if it’s not driven by internal transformation, by a love that reflects the love He’s shown us in Christ.”

Today’s Quote:

“You can fake being a Christian. You can learn the language, act the part, and even do the deeds, but God is after the heart. He’s after your affections and desires, not just your actions. You might be able to fool others, and even yourself for a while, but God sees past the facade. He’s not interested in a checklist of religious accomplishments. What He desires is a heart that loves Him, one that is shaped by grace, not by performance. External behavior is meaningless if it’s not driven by internal transformation, by a love that reflects the love He’s shown us in Christ.”

Rev. Matt Chandler from “Sermons From Village Church”

Background and Context:

If you want, open you Bibles to Matthew 23:23-28. If you have the ability to use different translations, I will be reading from the New Living Translation this morning. Before we read God’s Word this morning, I want to set up the scene briefly. 

In Matthew 23:23-28, Jesus is addressing the Pharisees and religious leaders of His time, calling out their hypocrisy. The Pharisees were known for strictly following religious rules and traditions but missing the heart of God’s law. They used religious practices as a “filter” to make themselves look righteous outwardly, while their hearts were far from God.

Before this passage, Jesus had been teaching in the temple courts and engaging with various religious leaders who questioned His authority (Matthew 21-22). He silenced their arguments, and by Matthew 23, He begins to denounce their hypocrisy directly. He launches into a series of “woes” against the Pharisees and scribes, warning them about the consequences of focusing on outward appearances while neglecting inner righteousness and justice.

This passage is a perfect example of how the Pharisees lived behind a “filter” of religious actions, trying to cover their sinfulness and earn God’s approval. But Jesus reminds us that God is not interested in outward appearances—He cares about what’s happening in our hearts. The Pharisees’ mistake was thinking they could look good enough for God, but true life without filters is about being real with God, trusting in His grace rather than our own actions.

Statement of Belief:

We believe the Bible is inspired, infallible, and authoritative. It is vital for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. God’s Word brings life, peace, and protection, and it profoundly touches the human soul. As a unique and powerful book, let us stand in reverence and respect for it.

Today’s Scripture

Matthew 23:23-28 NLT

"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law-justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. [24] Blind guides! You strain your water so you won't accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! [25] "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy-full of greed and self-indulgence! [26] You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too. [27] "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs-beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. [28] Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Pastor: “This is the Word of the Lord.”

Congregation: “Praise His name! Praise His holy name!”

How Can I Live Life “Without Filters”?

First, Pursue Sincerity Over Superficiality

So, how can I live life without filters? Fill in these first blanks for me this morning. First, purse sincerity over superficiality. 

Jesus does not mince His words here with the Pharisees. He delivers some very real talk to these religious leaders. He calls them out for living life with a filter on at all times, like social media influencers trying to present a perfect, polished version of themselves to the world. However, underneath there is an entirely different story going on. The Pharisees were all about outward appearances but they neglected the heart. Sound familiar? It sounds like the very time and age that we are all living in today! 

First, they were focused on the little things, but missed the big picture!

Jesus says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, but have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness” (v. 23). Now, imagine that—these guys were measuring out spices, making sure they gave exactly 10% of their herbs to the temple, but meanwhile, they were ignoring justice, mercy, and faithfulness!

Think about it like this, I know a lot of you use the Bible app on your phones to do quiet times, devotionals, and Bible reading plans. You open that app daily and do all your readings. You like checking all the boxes saying that you have done the work. You feel good about yourself. It sort of gives you all those religious tingles on the inside. It would be like doing all that but ignoring the person who is depressed, suffering, and struggling sitting right next to you. Jesus is saying, “Look, you’re doing the religious stuff, but your heart is far from what matters to God.” Their devotion was shallow, more about rules than relationships. That’s superficial!

They weren’t sincere. They really didn’t care about God or the people. Have you ever met someone like that? Have you ever met someone superficial, insincere? Yeah, I have met that person too. 

You want me to tell you his name? You guys want to gossip with me a bit this morning? Ok. Let’s dish. 

That superficial insincere person is yours truly! That’s right! It’s Stuart Davidson. 

You see friends, none of us want to think that we are like the Pharisees. None of us want to think that we living with filters but if we are really being honest, we are all guilty of filters. 

Let me tell you a story to prove my point. The other day I was on Facebook. I saw someone write a post about looking for a church home. They were wanting to find a good Baptist church in the area. I thought to myself, “this is low hanging fruit. I will invite them to my church”. 

I did just that. 

After I wrote this person, I really felt good. I knew that I was a good guy and this act just proved it. I am a good person. I am a good pastor. Look at me. I nearly broke my arm patting myself on the back. Then I got a response back from the person. I’d like to read it to you. 

“Thank you! We have actually been to your church and we also became members of your church through _____. Me and my husband, __________. You called me every day for two weeks until we finally became members and then after that we never heard from you again. When we would come back to church on Sundays, the same people would greet us every Sunday and ask if we were new to the church even after we stood in front of everyone and became members. I know that it’s a big church and that people forget names. I sure do, but to me, it said a lot, and I felt like it was more about winning people and making the church bigger than it was about people’s true salvation. And please know that I am in no way being ugly or disrespectful and I may have it all wrong, but we just felt after that that it was not the place for us and it has nothing to do with anyone in a mean or harsh way.but then today you messaged me and I know it’s been a long time, but you didn’t even recognize the names.

Talk about being taken down a notch. Talk about superficial. Not one of my finest moments. Honestly, it broke my heart. I shared this with the staff before I shared it with you. My hope is that not one more person ever fell that way about me or this church. I want everyone that comes to this church to know that they are truly loved, truly cared for, and truly desired. It was a powerful reminder about the value of sincerity over superficiality. 

The entire experience reminded me or Micah 6:8. 

Micah 6:8 NASB

“He has told you, mortal one, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”

How Can I Live Life “Without Filters”?

First, Pursue Sincerity Over Superficiality

Next, Practice Integrity Over Image 

So, how can we live without filters? First, pursue sincerity over superficiality. Next, practice integrity over image. 

So, let’s talk again about the Pharisees. They were obsessed with looking clean on the outside but in reality, they were filthy on the inside. They were all about their outside image, their exterior, but their inside, their interior was disgusting. 

A real life example of this came to light a few weeks ago and was reported in the news. Sean Combs is probably a name that most of you don’t know. Combs is a pop star, a media mogul, and a wealthy music producer. His show name is P Diddy. If you are a kid of the 1990’s you know exactly who I am talking about. At the height of his power, Combs was nearly a billionaire. Everyone in Hollywood wanted to be in his entourage. He threw lavish parties and the elite of Tinseltown showed up. On the outside, Combs had everything: big houses, planes, expensive cars, the best clothing, tickets to all the important events. He lived large. Again, on the outside, Combs had the world at his fingers. However, it has recently come to light that not all was as it seemed. I won’t get into all the details, but Combs outward exterior was finally overtaken by the darkness of his soul. Now he is facing a host of charges and crimes that may land him in jail for the rest of his life.  

Isn’t that the way it always happens? We see this with pop stars, politicians, and preachers. On the outside, these people seem to have it all together. They are respected. They are admired and publicly praised. Then their personal life catches up with them revealing the flaws and failure of their souls that went unaddressed and unconfessed for decades. It’s a shame and it stains God’s Kingdom. 

Jesus uses this vivid image in verse 25 to discuss the Pharisees: “You clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” Ouch! What a picture. It’s like someone spending hours detailing the outside of their car so it’s shiny and spotless, but inside it’s a disaster—trash everywhere, fast food wrappers, and an engine that’s falling apart. 

The Pharisees were so concerned with looking spiritually put-together that they ignored the sin festering in their hearts. They were more worried about what people saw than about their true character before God. That’s what happens when you live for approval instead of living from a place of transformation. It’s just surface-level.

So, how should we try to operate our lives and the way we see the world? We should value integrity over image. Case in point, King David. God had told Samuel that His favor no longer rested on King Saul. God told Samuel that he was to anoint a new King. So God sent Samuel to the House of Jesse. Jesse had 7 sons. Listen to the instruction that God gave to Samuel. We see the advice in I Samuel 16:7. 

I Samuel 16:7 The Message

“God told Samuel, ‘Looks aren’t everything. Don’t be impressed with his looks and stature. I’ve already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart.’”

You see, God knew that Samuel was like any other man. He knew that Samuel would choose to anoint the biggest, the tallest, the bravest, the oldest of all the sons. He was going to judge incorrectly. God wanted to Samuel to look to the heart of the man not the size of his biceps or the broadness of his shoulders. Integrity over image. If you want to live without filters, value integrity over image. 

Lastly, Prioritize The Heart Over Hypocrisy

So, how can we live life without filters? 

First, Pursue Sincerity Over Superficiality

Next, Practice Integrity Over Image 

Lastly, prioritize the heart over hypocrisy. 

In verse 27, Jesus hits them with this: “You are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” These Pharisees were like freshly painted tombs—everything looked neat and tidy on the surface, but inside, it was just death and decay. They loved to put on a show, loved to look holy, but there was no life inside! They were missing the point that God desires a humble heart, not a polished performance. And here’s the truth: you can’t fake real transformation. You can look the part, but God sees the heart.

The Pharisees woke up everyday thinking about their image. How can they make themselves look better than their neighbor. That’s correct, instead of serving their neighbor, it was a constant, daily game of one upping their fellow man. They loved the attention that came along with all their religious trappings. They dressed a certain way, prayed a certain way, and on the outside they seemed like the kind of people who had it all together. But their holiness was just a performance. It was all about appearances than true devotion. 

This is something that hits home with me in a particular way. Now you might not say it out loud, but there is an expectation on preachers and pastors to be a certain way. That’s not a bad thing by the way. Scripture even warns men that seeking leadership in the church is not something to be taken lightly. For those of us who have experienced a call on our lives, we have to be doubly careful because the bar for our lives has been raised. Listen to what Paul tells Timothy in I Timothy 3. 

Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

So hear me church, I am not complaining about the Biblical expectations on my life and my calling. I have been in service to the Kingdom for over 25 years. Sadly, in that 25 years I have seen my comrades fall. Some due to burn out. Some due to moral failures. 

They looked the part. They seemed to have it all together. Then as God always does, their sins were brought into the light. 

Now hear me again, I do not sit in judgement over them. Hardly. Every time I hear of a pastor falling, losing his ministry, it is a wake up call for me! It is a warning to examine myself, my motivations, my lifestyle, to make sure that I am serving not as a Pharisee but rather a servant of God. 

I will tell you hear and now that I am not worthy to be your pastor. I am not worthy of the grace given to me by God. I don’t deserve it and I stand before you a sinner in need of salvation. The only thing good in me is what Jesus has put there and every day I wake, I pray John the Baptist’s prayer. May He increase and may I decrease. 

I am but a cracked weak vessel. However, it is in my weakness that God’s strength is seen. You see the Pharisees were not about God, they were about themselves. 

What Jesus is really exposing here is their lack of humility. The Pharisees weren’t willing to acknowledge their own sin or their need for God’s mercy. They were more concerned with the perception of holiness than the posture of humility.

Humility begins when we recognize our need for grace, when we’re honest about our struggles, our failures, and our sins. The Pharisees were the opposite. They wanted to be admired. They craved human approval and respect. They wore their piety as a badge of honor, but Jesus calls them out because their lives lacked the one thing God values most—a humble, repentant heart.

True humility is about being real with God and others. It’s about confessing that we don’t have it all together, that we need His grace every day. True humility says, “I’m a sinner saved by grace, and without Christ, I am nothing.” It’s about surrendering to God and admitting our need for Him to transform us from the inside out.

James 4:6 reminds us that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” When we are humble, we open ourselves up to God’s transforming grace. But when we’re prideful—when we’re more focused on maintaining a religious image—we cut ourselves off from the very thing we need most: God’s grace.

The Psalmist writes in Psalm 51:10…

Psalm 51:10 Amplified Bible 

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.”

You see friends, on our own, we are dirty sinners. We cannot have a clean heart without the help of the Holy Spirit. 

Remember, we need Jesus and we need each other. 

In the end, the Pharisees were missing the most important thing: authentic relationship with God. They looked holy but lacked the humility to admit they were just as broken as anyone else. Let’s not fall into that trap. Instead, let’s pursue humility, seek God’s grace, and live lives that are real and authentic—inside and out. That’s what Jesus desires from us!

After all friends, we should…

Live With Sincerity Because God Already Knows Your Story!

Closing Prayer:

Let’s go to the Lord in prayer.

Heavenly Father, we come before You with hearts full of joy and gratitude, knowing that You are the One who has saved us! You are the One who has made us worthy—not because of anything we have done, but because of Your incredible grace and love. Lord, we thank You that You don’t just see the surface, but You look deep into our hearts. And even when You see our brokenness, our sin, and our need, You still call us Your own. You make us holy through the blood of Jesus. You provide a way for us to truly know You, to walk in freedom, to live without pretense, and to be transformed from the inside out.

Father, we pray right now for anyone who hasn’t made the decision to follow You, for anyone who may still be trying to clean up the outside but hasn’t let You into their heart. Lord, we know You are standing with open arms, ready to welcome them home. So, I pray that today would be the day they say ‘yes’ to You, that they would lay down their pride and pick up Your grace. If they need salvation, Lord, let them come to You today. If they need to be baptized, take that next step of faith, or join this church family, I pray that they would be bold in making that decision today.

Thank You, God, for the way You love us—for Your mercy that never fails, for Your faithfulness that never gives up. Thank You for making us new and for the joy we have in knowing that we don’t have to pretend—we are fully known and fully loved by You!

Father, help us to walk in that truth this week, to live authentic lives, and to reflect Your grace to everyone we meet. Let us be a church full of real people who have experienced the real love of a real God.

We give You all the glory, all the praise, and all the thanks, for You are worthy!

In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen