We are bombarded by advertisements, commercials and infomercials. They come by way of mail, newspapers, text messages, email, radio and television.
We’ve all heard some pretty fantastic claims made for everything from capsules for memory enhancement, to weight loss drinks, to antiwrinkle cream.
Now if the products worked as advertised, wonderful. But is it too good to be true? Often it is too good to be true, and when we fall prey to a scam or make a bad purchase, we’ll agree with that conclusion.
A fellow was losing his hair so when the commercial for hair growth cream came on, he decided to give it a go. He was convinced by testimonies by users of the product, and was taken in by the claim, “It’s so good, that if it was any better, it would grow hair on a bowling ball.”
When it arrived, he hid it in his bowling ball bag to avoid teasing and ridicule by his wife. A week later, no new hair, not even peach fuzz, appeared on his head. He went bowling with his pals that night and was surprised when he took out his ball that it was hairier than an ape. Not what he had bargained for.
Satan makes all kinds of promises that are all half truths, misleading statements and complete lies. He promises what he cannot, and will not, deliver as when he tempted Jesus.
Consider his persuasiveness as a salesman: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’ But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, “He will command His angels concerning You”; and “On their hands they will bear You up, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.” Jesus said to him, ‘On the other hand, it is written, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”’ Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.” Matthew 4:1-11 (NASB).
It is evident that some claims or offers are too good to be true because:
I. THE PROMISE IS OFTEN BIGGER THAN THE PERFORMANCE:
A. Satan offered to give kingdoms in return for praise.
1. But, the kingdoms were not his to give, so his promise exceeded what he could provide.
2. He still promises what he cannot deliver.
3. That’s what you will discover if you buy what Satan is selling.
a. He promises freedom and we end up in bondage.
b. He promises joy and we end up in grief.
c. He promises kicks and we end up getting kicked in the gut.
d. He promises kingdoms and delivers ghettoes and slums.
e. He promises life and we get death.
f. He promises that we can have that extramarital fling with no consequences, but we will end up with a ruined marriage, a broken family, loss of innocence, guilt and shame.
B. Satan never fulfills his promises.
1. He is a liar from beginning to end; a scammer in every deal; a con man in every facet of his being.
2. You can be sure of this: you will get the opposite of what he offers.
C. The path is littered with broken hearts, ruined lives, wrecked potential, and the lost souls of those who believed Satan’s lies.
D. Don’t do business with Satan. His promises exceed his performance.
E. A bunch of years ago, at the state fair, we saw a demonstration of a stove top cleaner. The demonstrator had burner rings which were black with crud. With a small application of the product and a brief rubbing with a rag, she had those rings shining like new.
We bought a can and discovered that even with lavish application and vigorous scrubbing, the rings were as black and gukky as before. A new set of rings was less than half the price of the useless goop. The promise was far greater than the performance.
Some claims or offers are too good to be true because:
II. THE PROBLEM IS THE HIDDEN COSTS:
A. When you buy a car for the first time, you are pretty naive about the cost attached to owning a car. I had no concept of those costs when I got that 1951 Mercury.
1. Title and license.
2. Insurance.
3. Lube and oil. For about $3.00.
4. Tires, $22/tire – good for 22,000 miles.
5. How much gas it took at $.29/gallon, and 15 mpg.
6. Repair costs.
7. Replacement batteries, windshield wipers, mufflers, and brakes, etc, etc.
B. We all should be wary of offers with hidden costs.
1. For instance, consider the Nigerian scams, like the one from the Nigerian Prince. For years, this original hustler’s been offering a once in a lifetime opportunity: “Dear beloved,” he writes. “I’m a wayward royal coming to you with an incredible investment opportunity. Mr, Sir,” he says, “did you know you can have millions of dollars unclaimed in a Western Union account? You know, I can help you get it out.” All he needs is a small cash advance or a bank account number to complete the wire transfer. Then, these unexpected riches are yours, or more truthfully, your riches are his.
2. When we snap up the offerings of Satan and the world, sooner or later we will begin paying the hidden costs by the loss of precious commodities:
a. Lost joy and peace.
b. Lost enthusiasm for Christ and the church.
c. Lost innocence and purity.
d. Lost integrity and reputation.
e. Lost marriage and family.
f. Lost freedom and victory.
g. Lost peace with God and Salvation.
C. We think we want to gain the world, but Jesus asked a piercing question, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:36 (NASB). The hidden cost of gaining the world is our soul – that’s no bargain! That is too high a price to pay for the fleeting pleasure of sin.
D. Remember the story “The Portrait of Dorian Gray”? In his vanity, Dorian Gray has a portrait painted of himself. He had been convinced that the only thing important in life is beauty. However, Dorian realizes that he will become less beautiful as he grows older. He wishes the portrait would become old in his place. Dorian then sells his soul so he can be young and beautiful forever.
Dorian's wish comes true. For 18 years, he does not age. He does many mean and selfish things, and his portrait becomes more aged with each bad deed. Later on, Dorian decides to stop doing bad things in the hopes that this will make his portrait become beautiful again, but it only makes it worse. Dorian thinks that only a full confession will make the portrait beautiful again. However, he does not feel guilty for anything he has done. So Dorian picks up a knife and destroys the portrait.
When his servants hear a scream from the room Dorian is in, they call the police. The police find Dorian's body on the floor with a stab wound in his heart. His body has become very aged. However, the portrait has returned to the way it was when it was first painted. What a high price he paid for the purchase of perpetual youth. The hidden cost was his soul.
E. But it is ever so – if you shop in Satan’s store, in the end, your “bargain’s” hidden cost will bankrupt you and cost your soul.
Some claims or offers are too good to be true because:
III. THE PAIN IS PERPETUATED BY RELENTLESS PURSUIT:
A. Have you made the mistake of requesting information and / or a free sample of something you find on the internet? And have you been hounded mercilessly? Big mistake!
1. Marlene and I receive 3 - 4 calls most days from a hokey Canadian Pharmacy and we can’t avoid them.
2. You block one number and they call on another. You hang up and they redial. You demand that they cease and desist and they keep on.
3. What a Pain in the kneecap or other areas of your anatomy.
B. Satan is like that.
1. Sample his wares, show an interest in his offering and you have signed up for his relentless pursuit.
2. You have revealed to him your Achile’s heel, your area of desire and he will not relent.
3. He knows our weakness and attacks constantly, over and over.
4. No wonder Peter warned, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NASB).
C. Again, What a pain! But, tempt as relentlessly as he will, we have these promises from Jesus:
1. “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NASB).
2. “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 (NASB). But he’ll be back – so keep your guard up.
3. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” Ephesians 6:10-11 (NASB).
D. God’s performance matches His promises. He has no hidden costs, and He relentlessly pursues us to save us. And that’s not too good to be true!
E. One evening a woman was driving home when she noticed a huge truck behind her that was driving uncomfortably close. She stepped on the gas to gain some distance from the truck, but when she sped up the truck did too. The faster she drove, the faster drove the truck.
Now scared, she exited the freeway. But the truck stayed with her. The woman then turned up a main street, hoping to lose her pursuer in traffic. But the truck ran a red light and continued the chase.
Reaching the point of panic, the woman whipped her car into a service station and bolted out of her auto screaming for help. The truck driver sprang from his truck and ran toward her car. Yanking the back door open, the driver pulled out a man hidden in the backseat.
The woman was running from the wrong person. From his high vantage point, the truck driver had spotted a man crouched down in the back seat of the woman’s car. The chase was not his effort to harm her but to save her even at the cost of his own safety.
Likewise, many people run from God’s provision of atonement on the cross, fearing what He might do to them. But His plans are for good not evil--to rescue us from the hidden sins that endanger our lives. (James S. Hewlett,)
And that is not too good to be true!
