Be Ye Seperate

Background:

This Corinthian letter us used by the Apostle Paul to give counsel and instruction on important issues of the Christian faith and conduct. It also reveals serious problems facing the young church not long after its foundation in the middle of the first century.

Interestingly enough, the problems that Paul preached about back then were some of the same issues that many churches face today.

In this message, I want us to talk about one issue that not only keeps a church from growing but it’s also an issue in leading lost souls to Christ.

Read: 2nd Corinthians 6:17

(Mr. T calling out Rocky in Rocky III – 1982)

Just as Rocky was being called out, I am calling you out. Calling you to “come out from among them and be ye separate.”

Ephesians Chapter 2 gives us three areas in which we as lost sinners would pattern our lives after.

· “According to the course of this world”

· “According to the prince of the power of the air”

· “According to the lust of our flesh”

But when you read on down to verse 4, “God being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace are ye saved).”

It was nothing you did

It was nothing you said

It was nothing you accomplished

It was GOD that brought you out and it will be GOD that keeps you out.

So who needs to come out and be separated?

Those who are:

1. Looking Like the World –

Taking on their habits – Taking on their language – Taking on their looks.

You are what you hang around with –

Sick people – you will catch the flu

Depressed people – you will become down

Crazy people – you start doing crazy things too

Accents – talking like those you are around

(ex. Be like bowlers on tv)

Catch Phrases –

“Yada Yada Yada” – Sienfeld

“How rude” – Michelle Tanner on Full House

“Cowabunga, Dude” – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

“Go ahead, make my day” – Dirty Harry

“I’ll be back” – Arnold Shwartsannager - Terminator

“Good Grief” – Charlie Brown

“Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty” – ALF

“Kiss my grits – Flo on the show “Alice”

“Back Back Back Back” – Sportscenter

“Holy Cow” – Harry Carey – sportscaster

Television and Marketing executives know that if they can get you hooked on a saying, they can get you to buy the products.

Is that not what Satan is trying to do?

If he can get you hooked saying certain words, certain jokes, certain phrase that you ought not to say – He can control you.

You may say:

“I dress this way” “I talk this way” “I act this way” – because I want to be considered normal.

Do you know what this world is now calling normal?

· Dress in all black with tongue/nose/belly button rings

· Two guys walking down the street holding hands

· Praising God on Sunday but hitting the bottle on Saturday

· Men stepping out on their wives/wives falling in love with their bosses

· Kids having kids

· Sunday morning church is all the church I need

We need some people who will become separate – so the world can see that there is a difference in us.

· If we dress like them

· If we talk like them

· If we act like them

· If we go where they go

· If we do what they do

Why should they make a change in their life for Christ?

From the looks of things = they are right on track.

Paul says, come out and be ye separate!!!

2. Living According to the World –

Letting this world determine how we live

(Ex. Three Hebrew Children – Daniel 3)

Christians have come to the place where we have let our guard down and allowed this world, our government leaders, our school administrators to determine how we will live our lives.

1. Can’t pray in school or work

a. Won’t even allow some Christian t-shirts

2. Can’t display the 10 Commandments

a. Deut. 6:3-9 – we are display them everywhere

b. "This ruling is a big setback to Roy Moore’s religious crusade," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, which cosponsored the litigation. "It’s high time Moore learned that the source of U.S. law is the Constitution, not the Bible."

3. Can’t make reference to Jesus during Christmas

They will not allow their employees to say “Merry Christmas” but instead “Happy Holidays”. Wal-Mart officials say they don’t want to offend others who do not believe in Jesus.

a. But yet they will offend us as Christians