A WORD WITH YOU “Impressive On the Outside

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A WORD WITH YOU - By Ron Hutchcraft # 8317 – “Impressive On the Outside, Nothing On the Inside” 2 Timothy 3:5 November 27, 2018

Hollywood is a world of illusions. If you didn’t know that already, you learn it for sure when you tour one of the major movie studios. I toured one where they have a lot of our movies and TV shows filmed. I saw this old Western town, there was a World War II vintage French village, a 1930s neighborhood in Chicago—some really impressive buildings, un l you open a door and you go inside any of those buildings. Guess what? There’s nothing there. It’s all just a set! I'm Ron Hutchcra

and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about

“Impressive On the Outside, Nothing On the Inside.”

Unfortunately, that describes more than just a Hollywood studio set. It describes a lot of people’s lives. Maybe, if you’re honest, it could describe yours. Our word for today from the Word of God, 2 Timothy 3:5. describes people who it says here have "a form of godliness" (that means they look good on the outside), but they are "denying its power." Then it talks about people who are "always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth." So, the Bible says there are people with impressive exteriors, but behind the set, there’s emp ness. They have religion, but no real spiritual power. Do you ever feel that way? They have educa on, but no real answers. Back in the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon described the great "set" that he had up in his life. He had massive wealth, fabulous entertainment, and great accomplishments. But in his own words, he described it (Listen to these words.) as "meaningless, a chasing a er the wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:14). Wow! Behind an impressive set, he was feeling empty. Look, I’ve had a state champion high school athlete ask me, a er having all his dreams come true, “Then, Ron, why do I feel so empty?” A couple of days later a community leader, ac ve in his church, asked me almost exactly the same ques on, “Why am I so empty?” Maybe your life has a great set for people to see. They look at you and they see success, friends, and a sense of humor. But you know that behind the act there’s no power, there’s no answers, and there’s no peace even a er years of wearing the right mask and saying all the right things. Clearly, behind the set, something’s missing. Solomon figured out what it is. He said, "God has set eternity in the hearts of men" (Ecclesiastes 3:11). You need something eternal, something that’s forever to fill that hole in your heart. What’s missing is the vital rela onship you were made for. Speaking of Jesus, Colossians 1:16 says you were "created by Him and for Him." You’re missing Jesus in your heart. Even religious people can miss Him. Your Chris an exterior may actually have allowed

you to believe that you have Jesus when, in reality, you’ve never really consciously given yourself to the man who died to pay for all your sins. If you’re red of just repain ng the scenery and improving the exterior, why not open the door of that set and let Jesus into that emp ness inside. If you want to begin for real, finally, your personal rela onship with Jesus Christ, would you tell Him that now? “Jesus, I was made by you. I was made for you, but I’ve lived pre y much for me. And today I turn from that. I believe you died to pay the death penalty for every wrong thing I’ve ever done, and today I am giving myself totally to you because you gave yourself totally for me.” He’s alive! He walked out of His grave and He is ready to walk into your life this very day when you open the door. Aren’t you ready for this; to have the real deal inside? If you are, I would encourage you to go to our website. Because right there I’ve tried to lay out simply the informa on you need to anchor a rela onship with Jesus Christ. It’s ANewStory.com. That’s the website. See, Jesus is the One who goes in that hole in your heart. And He can take a life that’s been just a "set" and make it a home that you can really live in. INT-8317(E)5666 "Impressive On the Outside, Nothing On the Inside" © 2018 Ronald P. Hutchcraft Permission to distribute this material via email, or individual copies, is automa cally granted on the condi on it will be used for non-commercial purposes and will not be sold. To reproduce "A Word With You" transcripts in any other format, including Internet websites, wri en permission is needed from Ron Hutchcra . If you would like to receive further informa on about this ministry, please contact us at: www.hutchcra .com or 1-877-741-1200 OFFER: ANewStory.com