Strangers In This World

INTRODUCTION

-Science Fiction & Fantasy’s Popularity

-This world is full of aliens

-I Peter 1:13-21

-Key verse 17

-We, the believers in Christ, are the aliens

-We’re only visitors here on this planet

I. Strangers Think Strangely.

I Peter 1:13

-What you think about shows where your home is

A. Earthly people think of things of this earth

1. Pleasures

a. Sinful ones

b. Non-sinful ones

2. Stresses

a. Work

b. School

c. Family

B. Heavenly people think of things of heaven

1. Their mansion

2. Their Savior

a. His grace

-Saving grace

b. His return

II. Strangers Act Strangely.

I Peter 1:14-15

-How you act shows where your home is

A. In obedience

1. To God’s commands in scripture

-Absolute Truths

2. To the Spirit’s convictions on your life

-There are some things that are a sin for

me, but not for you & vice versa

B. In nonconformity

1. To the world’s standards

-It’s sometimes hard to tell the difference these days

A. Media choices

-Movies glorifying immorality

-Sitcoms with innuendo

-Music that promotes sin

-Video games that praise violence

B. Dress code

-Summertime is here

-In efforts to be cooler, many wear less and less clothing and thereby become less and less modest

1. Ladies, do us guys a favor and keep it covered

-We are not called to be fashionable or stylish, but to be modest

-Which do not need to exclude each other

-I Timothy 2:8-10

2. Guys, do the same

-Keep your shirts on

C. Sense of humor

-21st century America does not know what is truly humorous and what is vulgar

-Bodily noises

-Innuendo

-Sinfulness

D. Leisure time activities

-Too often we focus our leisure time on ourselves

-Missions trips

-Campmeeting

E. Financial priorities

-God requires 10%

F. Time Management

-Organization

-Learning to say “no”

2. To the world’s gravity

-As it tries to hold you down and keep you prisoner

-It tries to make you enjoy it so much that leaving seems undesirable

-Don’t plant your roots too deep

III. Strangers View God Strangely.

-How you view God shows where your home is

A. Reverently

1. Treat God with respect

2. Point everything towards God

-

B. Fearfully

-In awe and wonder (amazement)

1. Recognize God as worthy of worship

-It would make many more faithful to the worship services of the church

2. Accept God’s will as it unfolds

WARNING: Persecution And Misunderstanding Will Come!

-You will be seen as being strange and even undesirable

-If it didn’t, you would need to be concerned

-John 15:18-19

-Skipping the outing to go to church

-Giving thanks over your lunch at work

-Saying no to drugs, alcohol or tobacco products

-Taking your Bible to read at work

-Refusing to listen to certain singers

-Spending your vacation building a church in Jamaica

-Passing up that popular looking outfit to wear more

modest clothing

-Not laughing at that dirty joke your friend tells

-Giving 10% of your income to the Lord through the church

-Turning down attending that “R” rated movie

CONCLUSION

-Today, I wonder, how many of us are strangers in this world