|
|
Christians Are Different Because -- They Live Differently Introduction: There is a story of a young man going to work at a logging camp. Before leaving folks were telling him it will be hard once the loggers found out he was a Christian. He left for the camp and came back a number of months later. Some were asking if he had a hard time once folks found out he was a Christian. He replied, "I had no trouble at all. I did not let them know I was a Christian." Some folks have done a good job of hiding their "Christianity." While going to the University of Kentucky I lived in a dorm. I was often surprised to find out that some of these folks were supposedly Christians. Never would have guessed it! We can talk about sanctification, being washed by the blood of Jesus for our sins, and thinking differently, having pure thoughts; eventually the tire has to hit the road, we have to live differently. I) Theology In Action A) To be of influence we must be different, Matthew 5.13-16 1. We must be salty Christians. -- Pure, preserves, melts, enhances taste, etc. 2. It most people will not be initially interested in our teachings but in our lives. B) To be of influence we must be in the world but not of the world, John15.19 1. What does this really mean? 2. We live our daily lives differently than the world. Why because we do think differently as mentioned last week and when that thinking takes over then it shows up in how we live. C) The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7 1. Dealt first with how we think but secondly with how we live. 2. Examples: how to handle disagreements with your brother, lusting after a woman, fulfilling your promises, love your enemies, how to pray, how to properly fast, trust in God to provide what you need, take care of your sins before judging your brother, the wide and narrow gate. 3. A good tree will produce good fruit just as a bad tree will produce bad fruit, Matthew 7.15-20. 4. We must do the will of our Father in heaven, Matthew 7.21-23. 5. We must build our lives on the word of God, Matthew 7.24-27. D) What was the point of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10. 1. To love our neighbor. 2. What were Jesus' last words? v. 37 Go and do likewise. a. It is easy to study the Bible but hard to apply it. Difference between a disciple and a hypocrite. b. But to be pleasing to God we must carry our Christianity outside the church building. Into our homes as mothers and fathers, into the work place, into our recreation, etc. II) How are we (I) different? A) Our love will be different 1. The worlds love is what? Superficial, physically based, temporary, self serving, emotionally based 2. Our love is to be genuine, really concerned about the other person. Matthew 5.43-48 2. Spiritually based, we want to obey God and we want them to obey God. 3. Permanent -- in the sense that we may not approve of what a person is doing but we are still concerned about their soul. Even our brethren that may "leave the faith" we are to treat not as enemies but as brothers. B) Our homes will be different 1. We will be good husbands and wives. Not seeing each other as hindrances to our happiness but fellow heirs of the grace of God, 1 Peter 3.7 2. Have problems we must work those out. a. Not the way the world sees it! b. Unequal yoke, marriage limits your ability to be happy. 3. Our relationship with our children will be different. a. Our children understood that we were not their buddies but their parents. b. Parents are to protect, provide, and train their children. Not society, not the government, not even grandparents. Too many parents today are expecting others to do their job. C) Our words will be different 1. The world uses profanity and God's name in vain without even thinking about it. Even to the point that our politicians can be heard saying words that used to be off limits in public. 2. Our words will be carefully chosen, as grace seasoned with salt, Colossians 4.6 D) Our manner of dress will be different 1. Modesty reflects the attitude of the person. 1 Timothy 2.8-10 2. The world recognizes a truly modest person. The attitude and manner of dress must be consistent. What modest person wants to dress like a tramp? Conclusion: The movie "Second Hand Lions" is one of my favorites. It is about these two old men and a young boy who comes to live with them. The boy starts to hear these stories of these men's adventures in their earlier days. As you go through the movie you are sometimes wondering if the exploits really happened or are they the product of their imagination. At the end the old men died trying to fly a plane through their barn. The boy was not a man as he was looking at the barn. Then a helicopter appeared. A man and his son got off, this man's father had told him about these two men and their adventures. The man's young boy asked the question, "You mean they really lived?" In which the answer is given, "Yes, they really lived!" Can the save be said for us today? Are we really living the Christian life?
|