The Call to be Different
Pastor Glenn Newton November 16, 2003
“Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will
gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become
a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay,
grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.
And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The
unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools
will not go about on it.
No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be
found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD
will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
Isa. 35:6-10
I read a story of a little boy named Bron who goes to church for the first time with his
Aunt. He watches with interest every part of the service. Then the preacher climbs into
the high pulpit, and Bron hears terrible news. A brave and kind Man was nailed to a cross
a long time ago, and He feels a dreadful pain even now because people are not doing
something He wants them all to do.
Bron thinks the preacher is telling the story because a lot of people are there and
will do something about it. He sits impatiently on the edge of the pew. He can hardly
wait to see what the first move will be in righting this injustice, and he expects that after
the service somone will do something about it. Bron begins to weep, but nobody else
seems at all upset. The service ends; the people walk away as if they had not heard such
terrible news, as if nothing remarkable had happened.
As Bron leaves the church, he is trembling, His Aunt looks at him and says, “Bron,
don’t take it to heart -- someone will think you are different.”
This morning I have some disturbing news for you........
The truth is there’s something about human nature that causes us to shrink back a little
when we hear this news.....
What is it? If your a Christian this morning this is for you. If this morning you are here
investigating Chrisitanity and want to know more about what it means to be a Chrisitan,
then what I’m about to say is something you will need to consider and accept if you
choose to Follow Christ.
What is it? We Have Been Called To Be Different. REPEAT
Now I’m not talking about Weird, different. Even though some of us may fall into that
category......
This morning what I want to show you is that Christ has called us to be different, different
from those who don’t know Christ, different from those who reject Christ. Shouldn’t we
be distinct, separate, not the same, out of the ordinary, unusual?
Christ was distinct, separate, and out of the ordinary, and he called His followers
to be like Him. We have been Called to Be Different.... How are you living?
Let’s go to the Word and see what the Bible says about how we are to live, or
how we are to be different.
First, look at Heb. 12:14 with me.
HEB 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without
holiness no one will see the Lord.
I wanted to share this verse with you first because there’s alot of people out there
today who would try and tell you that if you have been saved, then you really don’t need
to worry about how you live, because your signed, sealed and delivered.
Let me make it clear this morning, the Bible doesn’t teach that kind of nonsense.
By defintion, to be a Christian, is to be a Christ Follower, and Jesus said many times over,
and in many different ways, If you are my disciple, you will obey my commands. Jesus
said, If you love me, you will obey my words. A Christian is someone who knows Jesus
personally, who has a relationship, friendship with Him, and who desires to continually to
become more like Christ... to become Christlike in their words, actions, thoughts, and
deeds.
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without
holiness no one will see the Lord.” One of the ways to describe the Biblical word Holy,
is to use the contemporary word Different.
I need to make this point, just so there’s no confusion. I don’t equate Holiness
with long dresses, hair in a bun, no make up, and no TV on Sunday. Those are all
outward appearances that have nothing to do with inward Holiness.
When I talk about living a Holy Life, it simply means living in close fellowship with
Christ, living in obedience to God’s Word, and willing to stay in tune with what the Holy
Spirit teaches you. Holiness is something that God gives you as you live in obedience to
Him.
Friends, the truth is ...... as we allow Christ to be the Lord of our lives.... our lives
change from what they used to be... that makes us different.....
as we allow Christ to be the Lord of our lives..... our relationships with other
people change..... instead of just hanging out having a good time with our friends.... we
have a higher purpose in our relationships.... our goal is to share Christ with our
non-Chrisitan friends, and we want to encourage and love our Christian friends in their
faith.
as we allow Christ to be the Lord of our lives..... our priorities change. Those
material things I thought were essential are not that important anymore.... those goals I
had have changed..... people have become more important than things in my life, God has
opened my spiritual eyes to see what He sees.
Friends, when we allow Christ to be the Lord of our lives.... Everything changes,
because at our very core.... because our Soul has been brought to life through Christ, and
the purpose of our life is brought into focus... and we come to the wonderful discovery
that God really does have a plan for my life.
“Without Holiness no one will see the Lord.” That means no one. Christians aren’t called
to be like everyone else on this planet. Christians are called to be a Light in our dark
world. Christians are called to be Salt.... you should make people thirsty for Christ when
they are around you.
2CO 7:1 “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from
everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for
God.”
The writer is telling his Christian brother and sisters..... Friends, since we know
what God has promised, we know how Awesome Heaven is going to be, We know how
much Christ paid for us on Calvery, We know that Christ is faithful and true.... since we
know all these things and so much more......Let’s live like He’s asked us to live, and get
rid of all those things that are dragging us away from Him, all those things that
contaminate our bodies and our minds..... Why should we do all these things? Because we
love Him who first loved us... Out of reverence for God who by His nature is Holy.
Christians..... How are you different in you daily lives from your non believing friends?
Romans 12:2 says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be
able to test and approve what God’s will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will.” It
all starts with you mind, will you choose to live for Him, will you make that choice?
A natural outgrowth of right thinking is right living.
As the Pastor of this church, and more important, God’s servant called to serve you, I’m
determined with God’s help to build a church, a Holiness church that will stick out like a
sore thumb..., in Clarksville, AR. A church that will be a Light in a dark world... A church
that can offer Hope in Jesus because we have that Hope, and we live with that Hope.
I’m determined that we will raise up a generation of Men and Women, and
Teenagers and Children that will hold up the banner of Holiness without fear, without
hesitation and will be counted as Different right along side our Savior.
Friends, what I’m talking about is a people willing to live for Christ even when it’s not
popular. This week a Christian Judge, Ray Moore was removed from his office and put
up on charges becasue He would not back down from what He believed His Christian duty
and right to have the 10 Commandments in his courtroom. This case will be a watershed
case.... there will be more and more just like it.
If you’ve been riding the fence as a Christian trying to live in both worlds... let me warn
you..... the fence riding time is about to come to an end.... It’s time alot of people who
attend church every Sunday get serious about their Christian faith and living for God in
obedience, because we need to be grounded and rooted deep in our faith, because the
storms clouds are gathering. Don’t be lulled to sleep. Choose to live for Christ today...
Choose to live a Holy Life..... He will teach you what that means... he also will give you
the strength to do it, you don’t have to try and do it on your own. Your Holy Life will
flow out of your Relationship with God... He will provide all you need, but you need to be
in step with Him.
I warned you... We don’t like to hear messages that tell us we need to be different. Maybe
in Arkansas we have an advantage anyway.
Travis and Cathy, our friends from Kansas have been down with us for a couple of
days, we have been having a good time just sharing and visiting. One of the things Travis
wanted to see while he was in Arkansas was a real life Hillbilly.
We drove around Saturday in search of finding a Hillbilly. The problem was we
really didn’t see one. I came to the conclusion that we are either all Hillbilly’s and don’t
know it, or maybe all those jokes about Arkansas just aren’t true.
I tend to think we are already different here in Arkansas.
One thing I do know for sure.... the Christian life is a call to be different, to live lives
devoted to God. You see it’s so much more than the first step which is getting saved, that
has to happen, but if we are going to survive we must grow and be discipled and learn
from God’s Word, learn what God has for us, His plan for our lives. It really is an
exciting adventure with God, what He has for you is so much better than what you think
you are going to have to give up. The trade is not even close... but you still must choose.
Are you different?
Are you living a Christlike life?
Do you want to invite Christ into your life and find out all the wonderful things He has
promised you?
Right now the Holy Spirit is speaking to your hearts, that little voice that you can’t get
away from, that’s the Holy Spirit..... One of the keys to living the Christian life is listening
and being Obedient to what the Holy Spirit tells you. I don’t know what he is telling you,
all I do is preach God’s Word, and God does the work.
Will you be obedient this morning... We have a place to pray, we call it an alter, it’s simply
a place where you can come and pray and talk to God... a place where you can step out by
faith and make a choice today that will change you eternity... will you do that?
Are you different? Are you Christlike?
