9 “ I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine.
10And all Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine; and I am glorified in them. 11And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep through Thine own Name those whom thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are. 12While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
INTRODUCTION:
It's becoming harder than ever to be faithful in a faithless world.
The Christian life demands change, and the toughest kind. It often means turning from the things that come easiest—things that satisfy our natural urges. But the ability to freely choose to say no to our urges and impulses is what makes us distinctly human. (This is why we do not lock up dogs and chimpanzees for rape and murder.) To say no—and yes!—at the right time is what makes humans happy. This is true freedom. Christianity is an invitation to actualize the human destiny of everlasting happiness; and through the Church, God has provided the roadmap to get us there.
John 17:3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.”
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”
(v3 kjv)
Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.
Ephesians 1:4 NLT
Christianity is hard because it aims to soften hearts. One of the tough facts of Christianity is that we must face up to the fact that we are fallen. We are often not what we ought to be. G.K. Chesterton writes: “One of the chief uses of religion is that it makes us remember our coming from darkness, the simple fact that we are created” (from The Boston Sunday Post).
What makes Christianity hard is that it reminds us of our imperfections. We are much too prideful to enjoy such a thing—and this, I fear, is where the skeptics and the critic of our faith checks out. The skeptic robs himself of the opportunity to encounter the Good News. Chesterton famously remarked: “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried”
1- TRANSFORMED & NOT CONFORMED:
First, Christians are not supposed to become like the world. There is a call to non-conformation to the world. For example, Paul says in Romans 12:1-3 that Christians are not supposed to conform to the patterns of the world. Hence, Christians are called to create a new culture.
For me, transformation come from a Union with God in the Holy Spirit because of what Jesus had done for us. I want to listen to Him. The Source of my everything....
“I will listen to what God the Lord will say; He promises peace to His people...”
(Psalm 85:8, NIV)
The Lord speaks in many ways. First of all, He speaks through the Word of God. But sometimes He speaks through the encouragement of a friend, or through a song, or in the beauty of nature. Sometimes it’s a simple “knowing” deep down on the inside of you in your spirit. If you aren’t sure how God speaks to you, ask Him to teach you. Open your heart and be willing to hear His voice. As you take time to be still and listen to Him, He will speak. He will reveal Himself to you and give you peace all the days of your life.
This is transformation!
You can get out of the mold of the world and enter into His fold. A sheep in the Loving arms of our Great Shepherd...
2- SANCTIFICATION NOT ISOLATION:
The basic meaning of “sanctification” is to set apart to God, for His use. But God works in those whom He claims as His own to conform them “to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29). This moral renovation, in which we are increasingly changed from what we once were, flows from the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:13; 12:1, 2; 1 Cor. 6:11, 19, 20; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:22–24; 1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 13:20, 21).
God calls His children to holiness. Sanctification is an ongoing process, dependent on God’s continuing action in the believer, and consisting of the believer’s continuous struggle against sin.
Christians are not called to separate from the world. This point might sound very odd in view of point one. This tenet which is contrary to the opinion of the world or paradox is resolved in John 17 when Jesus says Christians are supposed to live in the world but not be of the world.
It is in the degree in which we possess Jesus’ life that we come to be aliens here, and it is in the degree in which we keep in touch with Him, and keep our hearts wide open for the entrance of His Spirit, that we possess His life. Christ’s relation to the world is our pattern.
3- PROMISE OF THE WORD AND
NOT COMPROMISE WITH THE WORLD:
To compromise is to make concessions or accommodations for someone who does not agree with a prevalent set of standards or rules.
The world has a standard apart from the Word. Christian mind runs opposite to the wisdom and ways of the world. The Bible makes it clear that God does not condone compromising His standards: “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in His paths. “You have charged us to keep Your commandments carefully” (Psalm 119:1-4, NLT). The word joyful or blessed describes people of righteousness, those who are totally subservient to God’s will and wholeheartedly devoted in their relationship to Him. We do not compromise or deviate from His standards but “walk only in His path.” We hear only God’s voice (1 Kings 18:21; John 8:47; John 10:27), and we should not yield to or permit any deviation from His Word (Deuteronomy 4:2; Psalm 119:128; Revelation 22:18-19). Not compromising requires our unswerving submission to Him and to Him only, regardless of the world’s concession to godlessness (Joshua 24:15; Psalm 119:10; Psalm 119:15).
As believers, we must “see to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8; see also Hebrews 3:12). We are also told to be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you...” (1 Peter 3:15). In other words, we are commanded not only to remain faithful to the Word but to defend it and correct those who are in opposition to it (2 Timothy 2:24-25). God is serious about our not compromising His Word with the values of the world—the reason being that those outside of Christ may then “come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil …” (2 Timothy 2:26).
A Christian compromising in one’s total allegiance and devotion to God is allowing the allurements and enticements of this world, with its accompanying worries, to take precedence over Christ (Matthew 6:24).
When Christians compromise they don’t realize what living out faith truly means. They depart from the promises of God in His Word Which are faithful and compromise with the ways of the world.
CONCLUSION:
So what does it look like? It looks like service, love, and discipline. And it’s hard. You can’t be a lazy Christian and have a strong faith. When Christ was asked what God’s greatest commands were, He replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Take a moment to consider the implications of Christ’s statement. It means that the secular world is not our enemy. We are not to attack non-Christians. We are to love them. We are to serve, help, and comfort them.
The Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control should be manifested in our daily lives.... These are characters cultivated by the faithful, and that strengthens our faith.
So get involved in loving others through charity work, kindness, and whatever other ways you may be able. That’s how you live out your faith, and how you make it stronger than ever before.
Finally, above all Christians are supposed to be people filled with love for others. 1 Corinthians 13 makes this point very clear.
As a conclusion, We are the salt and light of this world. A good example to a world without taste, an earthly state of rancidity, the “real”life is us... not the other way around and Jesus has given us the formula to live in the sermon on the Mount. It is not just a sermon but the “way”to live in this fallen world:
Matthew 5:
13 "Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
5:14 Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.
5:15 If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand.
5:16 Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand--shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
5:17 "Don't suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures--either God's Law or the Prophets. I'm not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama.”
Finished: @doJpowerHouse!47thSunday2018
@bubotparagosermoncentral.com
@stabarbarapreachingsfacebookpage
