Quest Session 2 - Masqueradestorage.cloversites.com/highlandschurch1/documents/Session 2...Lyrics from “Masquerade, Phantom of the Opera” “And they heard the sound of the LORD

Session 2 - Masquerade LOOK IN – The Quest for True Identity

Masquerade

Masquerade! Paper faces on parade. Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you! Masquerade! Every face a different shade. Masquerade! Look around - there's another mask behind you!

Lyrics from “Masquerade, Phantom of the Opera”

“And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and the wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:8 Let’s face it - we all wear masks. All of us, at one time or another, have tried to cover

up. We’ve slipped on masks to hide, to disguise or to pretend. Most guys have so

many different masks we could open up our own costume shop.

So step inside the Men’s Masquerade Shop. We are always open for business. Come

on in and browse the aisles with me. Check out our merchandise.

Immediately on the left, and behind the curtain you’ll see one of our most popular

sections, especially with men – The Bedroom. We keep this portion of the shop

positioned in the front because it gets so much foot traffic. Busy place. Hard to keep

enough inventory on the shelves. It’s always been crowded, but it seems with each

passing year the demand increases. We’ve actually had to expand this section three

times over the last five years alone.

We’ve had a curtain into this area for years, but frankly I’m thinking of taking it down.

There used to be a little embarrassment, a little self-consciousness as men entered.

But it hardly seems to matter anymore. These masks are becoming far less private and

much, much more public.


You are invited to look around in the Bedroom section. It’s filled

with images that will stimulate your eyeballs and arouse your

passions. It’s here where you’ll find what you’re looking for it you

want to impress others with your sexual prominence. You stud.

It’s here where you can boast about your sexual experience and prowess. Why, after

all, you’re a player. You’ve got notches on your belt of all the babes you’ve bedded.

You can take your pick of masks.

You’ve got your James Bond variety. Smooth. Shaken, not stirred. Use ‘em and lose

‘em. One night stands with no regrets, no remorse and of course, never any

consequences. This is a popular mask, because about every year the style changes

slightly.

Perhaps you’re more the Hugh Hefner type. Brash. Blatant. Put her on your arm and

on display so the world can see you’ve still got it. Everyone knows your secret (who

hasn’t seen all the commercials for Viagra or Cialis), but they’ll be impressed, none-the-

less.

Here’s an oldie-but-goodie in the Bedroom section. It’s the locker-room mask. Guys

grab this one all the time so they can yuck it up with the boys. Size matters, so we only

carry this mask in extra large. This particular mask comes complete with a built-in

megaphone - so as you brag and boast others will be sure to hear you. Very popular.

Especially with the younger set.

As we move out of the Bedroom section, we move to

the next aisle of the costume shop – The Ball Field.

And there is certainly no shortage of choices here.

Up on the walls you’ll see everything that can be

measured. Performance of every degree is


highlighted in this section, but the most prominent is the athletic emphasis.

Let’s face it, you put on an athletic mask and people are impressed! Athletes are

strong. They’re fast. They’ve got what it takes. They are the record setters. They are

cheered and revered, applauded and lauded. The ones with athletic masks show off

their stats, they display their achievements, they highlight their highlights.

But the Ball Field section isn’t just about sports. Oh no. We’ve got performance masks

for those who compete at the office – who’s #1 this quarter; who hit quota; who was

salesman of the year; who earned the bonus. We’ve got performance masks for school

- GPA, SAT scores, class rank. We’ve got performance masks for home – keeping

score of everything you do around the house; how many times you’ve helped with the

kids; changed a diaper, went to a chic flick. And yes, we carry a large stock of the

performance masks for church goers. Who doesn’t want to wear one of these? We’ve

got the faithful attender, the perpetual volunteer, the do-gooder at every turn, the “I’m

great, couldn’t be better” smile or the “I’m better than you smirk”. These are some of

the most popular church masks. But no matter the sub-category, it’s all about man-

measurable performance in the Ball Field section.

The next section has been hard hit lately, but oh, you should

have seen it a few years ago! It’s The Billfold section. It’s

here where you can find a mask that appeals to all that

money can buy, or that credit can float. Prestige on parade.

All the trappings of success. We’re talking bling and a fling. The mask that says, “I’ve

arrived.” These masks come with all of the necessary accessories: pure Corinthian

leather, the finest silk shirts and ties, tailored suits and fancy pens. Not just a timepiece

– a statement. This Billfold section would be about the boys toys and all the latest

gadgetry. The Sharper Image catalog can’t

even keep up with what we have to offer.


Moving on, we next come to The Bullring section of our costume shop. The most

popular mask here is, of course, the proud matador. Self-sufficient. Self-reliant. This is

the loner who boasts of his independence. These masks say, “Who needs anyone

else?” or even “Who needs God?” With this mask, you’re the kind of guy who can fly

solo. You don’t need any wingman for support. You’re the scout who travels by

himself. You’re the lone wolf. You’re the macho hermit. You are the army of one.

Our last major section is surprisingly popular. It’s The Blindfold aisle. On these

shelves you’ll find blindfolds of every shape and color.

Everything here screams, “not me”. Need something to

block out the problems of the world – slip on the blindfold

and simply slip into denial. Want something to keep you

safely anchored in the harbor of apathy? Then most of

these blindfolds will do the trick. They’re perfect for

keeping you right where you are. No need to ever

change or make waves wearing these beauties!

WARNING!

As proprietor of the costume shop, I’m required to disclose the dangers of the products

that we sell. (Oh, those lawyers! They’ll put disclosures and disclaimers on a cotton

ball.)

Confusion

Most customers have such a large choice of masks that picking the right one is as

confusing as a 31 Flavors ice-cream store on steroids. It’s tough to figure out which

mask to wear at which time. For this reason, here are some suggestions.


Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. we recommend the Ball

Field/Performance variety. You’re going to be surrounded with other fellow posers all

chasing something to measure, so join the crowd. Be sure to keep your occupation

mask spruced up and shiny because it is the one mask that most guys will ask to see.

After hours, and especially on the weekends, of course, it’s the Bedroom mask you

need. Put on the appropriate cover-up here and look for your identity through a

smorgasbord of indulgences of the flesh. The Billfold comes in handy on the weekends

as you try to impress your neighbors and friends. And it’s always a good choice for

those reunions where you are called on to one-up your long-forgotten friends. The

Bullring masks are worn pretty much any time. Pride and ego go with about anything.

They’re like a pair of jeans. But be sure you keep this variety on real tight, especially if

feel vulnerable to emotions or a tinge of loneliness. And for the Blindfold – most guys

prefer wearing this one at home. Ignore the problem and hopefully it will go away.

Cover up with the Blindfold and hopefully you won’t be forced to face what needs facing.

Insecurity

All of these masks attempt to cover up our insecurities. As Joe Ehrmann says, “We’ve

learned since we’ve been little boys that if we don’t have the right stuff we better have

the right bluff.” And to some of us have learned to excel at bluffing through life. Fears,

failures, anxieties. I’m required by truth to disclose that they will never totally go away –

no matter how many masks you wear.

Compromise

Anytime you put on a mask there’s a compromise. A give and take of sorts. You give

up a piece of who you really are and take on something that you’re really not.

Sometimes you compromise your standards and values. You settle for less. Like a real

estate rookie going up against Donald Trump you know you deserved more, but you

slide out with much less than you thought going in. Compromise your true identity and

you’ll eventually suffer. There will be painful delayed consequences.


Apathy

Here’s a tragic and common side-effect of mask wearing. So many guys simply refuse

to admit a problem exists and never deal with it. We’ve stuffed and bluffed for so long

that we’re as numb as tongues on Novocain. We’ve lost touch. We’ve become

desensitized to our emotions and feelings. And since we’re not quite sure what to do,

we do nothing. The mask-wearer has become so commonplace that he never takes it

off. It becomes a natural part of who we are.

There. That’s enough for now. Our lawyers wanted more, but they get paid by the hour

and by the word, so we’ve capped the disclosure statement to the minimum. And

frankly, these disclosures are about as effective as the warning labels on cartons of

cigarettes. We know they are dangerous, but who cares? Who pays any attention?

And just like those cancer sticks, we know deep down we will probably experience

some sort of future damaging consequence for wearing these masks. But the promise

of pleasure now trumps what we know to be true – and so men line up at the register,

their carts full of masks – pain be damned.

Walk through this costume shop of masks and it all seems so sadly familiar. You’ve

seen them all around. Like the lyrics from “Masquerade” say – “paper faces on

parade…look around there’s another mask behind you.” Everyone seems to be

wearing one. But despite the popularity would you consider a bold change? Instead of

looking around to see another mask behind you – are you man enough to look in the

mirror and see that the mask isn’t behind you, it’s on you? Are you ready to face the

fact that you’ve been playing this Masquerade long enough? Are you willing to remove

the masks and stop the charade? Is now the time to unveil the myths of masculinity and

uncover the real you? Before we move any further, let’s look at one more warning

about those of us who have been wearing the masks.

The Ultimate Warning


Jesus would have hated our costume shop – but he would have loved the caution

section. He didn’t mince any words when it came to those wearing masks. The word

He used was “hypocrite”. Hupokrites is the word in Greek. Strong’s Lexicon defines

this word with the synonyms pretender, an actor, a stage player. Webster defines

hypocrisy this way: “feigning to be what one is not.”

The hupokrites was the guy on stage who would hold up a mask in front of his face to

portray an exaggeration of a certain emotion. You want to portray happiness? Grab the

mask with the big smile. Worry? Put on the one with furrowed brow. Not exactly

Academy Award material – but it was good enough for those in the cheap seats to catch

what was going on.

In Matthew 23, Jesus uses hypocrite multiple times. And in each case he links it with

another word - “Woe”, an expression of grief or denunciation; an interjection of horror;

alas, how dreadful. You don’t need to be a linguist to know you don’t want a woe

headed your way.

And the mask-wearers heard “woe” not once, not twice, but eight times. Do you think

they got the point? Do you think they realized that the One who identified Himself as

“The Truth” didn’t much appreciate those who were as false as Freddy Kruger? They

must have. How could anyone miss His message?

Two of these “woe to the hypocrite” condemnations are especially applicable to our look

at the Masquerade game – specifically verses 25-28. Both of these woes are directed

to those who fail to recognize the true inside condition while dinking around with the

externals.

“Woe to you …for you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they

are full of greed and self-indulgence.” (Matthew 23:25)


Surely there’s been a time when you’ve left your coffee cup out right before you left on

vacation? You come back days or weeks later to find a nice layer of some unknown

growth caked on the inside. We’re talking gross!

So can you imagine taking the cup over to the sink, taking a dishrag and giving just the

outside a little touch up, while leaving that slimy glob of mold on the inside untouched?

That’s the image of the hypocrite. So concerned with the outside, but failing to clean

the inside – where it really matters.

But instead of mold, Jesus identifies what was inside. It’s full of “greed and self-

indulgence.” There’s a desire for more and more. There is a drive for selfish

consumption. An ugly heart grows with an insatiable hunger to feed self. Not so

appetizing. More, more, more and never enough. Mask wearer, you’ve got an ugly

mess in your cup!

But let’s pull this self-indulgent condition closer to shore where most of us guys feed.

Are you able to say “no” to stuff and self? Really? How many pens or putters do you

own? How many bottles of wine? How many vacations are enough? How many wings,

donuts, cookies, fancy coffees? How many hunting or fishing trips? Are you free and

quick to offer your “stuff” to others? Are you a giver and sharer? It’s always so easy to

point an accusing finger at those ol’ Pharisees. But on closer examination, they are

surprisingly so much like us. And regrettably we are so much like them.

The other “woe to the hypocrite” statement is closely related. Only this one is directed

to those who are like white-wash tombs.

“Woe to you…for you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear

beautiful, but within are full of dead peoples bones and all uncleanness. So you

also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and

lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:27-28)


Now this needs a little cultural setting. For the Jewish mind, coming in contact with the

dead was a complete no-no. If it somehow happened, you were considered “unclean”

for a period of seven days and would have to undergo an extensive cleansing ritual

(See Numbers 19). In order to avoid having any accidental contact with a tomb, these

places of burial would be white-washed with a lime powder substance so they would

stand out as a warning for the Jews to stay clear.

Jesus comes along to point the finger at the hypocrite and says, you put caution tape on

the outside of the tomb, but you take up residence inside with the rotting corpse. Woe!

Do these woes get your attention too? Don’t you think if Jesus paid such attention to

the mask-wearer that we should too? This Masquerade is serious stuff. It’s “woe”

intense. So let me commend you for taking it seriously.

It’s my belief that most guys have had enough. Especially those of us who are old

enough to know better. We’ve accumulated enough battle scars to realize that the

masks haven’t worked. But what is the answer? If our identity isn’t found in the

Bedroom, Ball Field, Billfold, Bullring, or Blindfold – where is it found? And how can we

find it?

There’s hope. We’ve got an answer. And the answer isn’t just another mask that will

simply cover up the problem. We’ve got a real, genuine, authentic, practical and useful

answer. And the answer is found by answering this one most important question:

“How does God see me?” If a man can truthfully answer that question, it changes

everything!

Are you ready to pursue the truth of who we really are – in God’s eyes and to end the

Masquerade game? If so, then let me give you a big challenge that most will ignore,

sluff off or refuse. The challenge is to take the next step and actively, personally

explore the truthfulness of God’s Word and apply it to your life. You can do this by

completing the “LOOK IN” portion of each lesson.


“LOOK IN” is divided into two main sections. The first section contains questions

designed for either group interaction, or personal reflection. Record your response.

Something productive happens when we are forced to put our thoughts onto paper. A

written response brings clarity.

The second section is designed for you to get into God’s Word and allow God’s Word to

get into you. That’s where the real power to transform a mask-wearer originates. So

use it! Look up the scriptures that are given. Spend some time thinking about what

God has revealed and ask Him to use His Spirit to shine understanding to each word

and phrase. Don’t just rush through each passage!

Let me provide three actions that seldom happen when we open the Bible – meditate,

observe, ponder. If we can put our mind to these actions we’ll be amazed at what

happens, from the inside out.

Do you remember our theme verse? “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new

creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come.” 2 Corinthians

5:17. This marks the start of something new. It’s time to take off the masks! And let’s

vow never to return to The Men’s Masquerade Shop! It’s had enough of our business.

LOOK IN

• Which of the five masks do you feel has the strongest influence on your identity? Why?

• How conscious are you of the masks you wear?


• How do these myths make their way into your life and your roles as a husband, father,

worker, leader and friend? • What specific problems and pains have you encountered with the masquerade?

Read Psalm 32 (if you have different translations read from each). “Blessed” is the idea of finding happiness, true happiness - the kind of happiness that is not found anywhere else, but in God. Where is this happiness found (see verses 1-2)? How might there be deceit in your spirit (verse 2)? How is this deceit tied to the word picture of “The Masquerade”? What type of pain did David (the author of this Psalm) experience as a result of his masquerade? (see verses 3-4) Have you ever experienced that sort of pain? When? What was the cause? A necessary step in ending the Masquerade game is to acknowledge that it exists and that each of us has been a mask-wearer. What does Psalm 32: 5-7 say about this acknowledgement process? There’s only one place where we should hide. Read about this place in the following Psalms. In your own words record the difference it would make if we could hide here instead of behind the other false masks of masculinity that we’ve discussed.

Psalm 17:8 Psalm 27:5 Psalm 32:7

Documents

Quest Session 2 - Masqueradestorage.cloversites.com/highlandschurch1/documents/Session 2...Lyrics from “Masquerade, Phantom of the Opera” “And they heard the sound of the LORD