Do you ever feel like you don’t quite fit in with the people around you? Do your values and lifestyle seem to be a little different from the people at work, your neighbours, or even your own family?
Our preaching theme for this year is Dare to be Different and it is a theme that will cause each of us to examine ourselves.
As servants of God, we are called to be different. In Psalm 139:19 the psalmist says, “I am a stranger on earth”. In Hebrews 11:13 all of the great men and women of the Old Testament are described as ‘strangers on earth’. In 1 Peter 1:17 the apostle writes, “Live your lives as strangers or ‘temporary residents’ here”
This morning I want to encourage you to Dare to be strange and live differently!
When we come to Christ, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour the Bible speaks of us being ‘born-again’. We begin a process of change and transformation that changes the way we act, the way we think, the way we live our daily lives. Our focus changes, instead of focussing on ourselves, our needs, wants or desires we focus on God and His will and purpose for us.
That is what is meant to happen to us as followers of Jesus we are meant to be different. Sadly, some people refuse to be different, they want all of the benefits of having their sins forgiven, all the benefits of being loved and cared for by God, the guarantee of a place in Heaven, but they don’t want to be different.
The truth is there is a cost in following Jesus, there are changes that we must be willing to make in how we live our lives. There may be things present in our lives that we enjoy that are against the will and purpose of God.
God calls us to be different, Holy, set apart, strangers. God calls us to honour and serve Him in every aspect of our lives.Not just for an hour or two on a Sunday when we meet together, we are meant to be different every moment of every day.
How can God expect us to really be different from the people around us? Dare we be different? Are we worried that others may consider us strange if we live as God expects us to live?
Can we really be different? In our own strength we can’t, but if we allow God to work in us and through us, we will be changed and transformed by the power of The Holy Spirit.
Remember Jesus last words before His ascension recorded in Acts 1:8 Jesus said: “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The word translated Power is in the Greek dunamis. Dunamis is used 120 times in the New Testament.
It is a word that refers to “strength, power, or ability.” Dunamis is not just any power; this word refers to miraculous power or marvellous works. Dunamis also refers to “moral power and excellence of soul” Dunamis is the root word of our English words dynamite, dynamo and dynamic.
We will be different when we allow God to empower us through the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit.
As I said earlier, this morning I want to encourage you to Dare to be strange and live differently!
Listen to The Psalmist in Psalm 119:17-19, Be good to your servant, that I may live and obey your word. Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. I am only a stranger in the land. Don’t hide your commands from me!
Let’s break this down a little, the Psalmist acknowledges he is a servant of God and he wants to live by obeying the words and commandments of God.
The modern world would call the psalmist strange.
Strange because He believes there is a God.
Strange because He believes God is good.
Strange because He believes in obeying the word of God.
Strange because He believes the Word of God is truth.
The psalmist says, ‘I am only a stranger in the land’ and like the psalmist if we Dare to be Different, if we truly live as servants of God some people will think we are strange.
Truth is, some of us are stranger than others.
I openly confess I know I am strange.
I love God, I trust God,
I believe the Bible is the Word of God,
I believe God speaks to me through His Word,
I believe Jesus is the only way, the only truth, the only life,
I believe the Holy Spirit empowers me,
I believe I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,
I believe God is with me and will not forsake me,
I believe He has a perfect plan for my life,
I believe I have been saved from my sins,
I believe I have a place secured for me in Heaven,
I believe that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor anything above or below will ever separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus,
I believe I am ransomed, healed, restored and forgiven,
I believe I am saved.
I am strange! I hope you are strange too!
We are meant to be different from those around us.
Perhaps some of us need to pray, “Lord, give me the courage to live as a stranger on earth. Lord, open my eyes that I may see the wonderful truth in your word. Lord, help me to obey your word.”
Dare to be strange and dare to live differently.
You and I are called to be different from the world around us and throughout the Bible, we are given practical instructions on how to do this. In 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5, the Apostle Paul gives us very clear guidelines on how we are to live differently.
Listen to 1 Thessalonians 5:4-11, “you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clear headed. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armour of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when He returns, we can live with Him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”
Paul is encouraging the Thessalonians, and us, to dare to be different. Paul uses four metaphors to describe the differences that should be present in our lives: Light not darkness; Day not night; Awake not asleep; Sober not drunk.
Light not darkness
The world is living in darkness. Darkness implies evil, ignorance and sin. How can we live differently? We are to live as ‘children of the light’ and instead of running away from the darkness we are to shine in it. Before I knew Jesus, I was living in darkness. Jesus shone His light into my life. He led me from darkness into His marvellous light. If you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour then you are a child of the light. You are called to be a light in this dark sin-sick world, a beacon for others that shines with the love of God, light should be a distinguishing characteristic of your life.
Day not night
Paul writes, ‘You are... children of the day. You do not belong to the night’. This refers back to ‘the day of the Lord’. We are children of the day of the Lord, we know the day is coming when Christ will return and on that day those who are in Christ will rejoice. We have seen the light, we have been saved from eternal darkness, we have been rescued from death and Hell.
But there are those who choose to remain in the darkness, those who choose to remain away from God. When Christ returns it will be too late for them to be saved. Too late for them to repent, too late for them to step from darkness into light. God has called you as a child of the light and of the day to share the Gospel with those who are living in the darkness of night. Dare to be different, dare to shine the light of God.
Awake not asleep
Paul encourages us to not be like those who are asleep, not to be like those who are unaware of the truth. We are no longer dead in our trespasses and sins, we are alive in Christ. We are to be active, not passive in our daily walk with our Lord. In Matthew 24:42; and Matthew 25:13 Jesus spoke about the importance of keeping watch, of being awake. Don’t allow yourself to go to sleep spiritually. Read His Word, spend time in prayer, serve Him, love God and other,s be active, be prepared for our Lord is coming, be awake and watchful.
Sober not drunk
Like the other metaphors, this speaks of both a physical state and a spiritual reality. Drunkenness arises from a lack of self-control and indulgence of the senses in order to escape reality. Read the papers, watch the news, it seems for many people the only source of purpose and joy is excess, live for the moment, forget about the consequences, if it feels good then do it.
God expects something different from His children, we are to seek to be self-controlled in every area of our life - let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armour of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
Our lifestyle is meant to be totally different from what the world thinks is right. Our lifestyle is meant to reflect that we are more willing to love and serve God than seek meaningless pleasure for ourselves.
As I draw to a close listen to the words of the Apostle Paul from 1 Thessalonians 5:14-22, Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.
You are a citizen of a different world. You are a stranger in a foreign land, you are meant to live differently.
Dare to be strange and live differently!
Today, ask Father God to help you to dare to be different. Thank Jesus that He died for you so that you can live for Him. And ask the Holy Spirit to help you to avoid every kind of evil and live a life of love, kindness, joy and peace.
Dare to be strange and live differently for the glory and honour of God.
Amen
Audio for this sermon is available at: https://sermons.estuaryelim.church/20190113_aam_dean_courtier(daretobestrange).mp3
