Participants: Jim Reinking
Series Code: LDS
Program Code: LDS000027
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00:34 Christian in a Broken World
00:36 and I want to begin with the text 00:37 and it's found in Galatians 2:20 00:40 and happens be another one of those favorite texts, 00:43 at least for me as one of those favorite texts. 00:45 And just some texts have a ring to them 00:47 and this certainly has it. 00:49 Where it says, "I am crucified with Christ 00:52 and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, 00:57 and the life which I now live in the flesh 00:59 I live by faith in the Son of God, 01:03 who loved me 01:04 and delivered Himself up for me." 01:07 Wouldn't agree that 01:08 its just one little texts that has a ring? 01:11 And yet begins with this idea "I am crucified with Christ." 01:14 What does that mean, I am crucified with Christ? 01:18 Well, we remember when we're baptized 01:19 we enter as Romans 6 says "we enter in the death, 01:22 the burial and the resurrection of Jesus." 01:26 We enter by faith into the death of Jesus. 01:28 There is the renunciation of self, 01:32 our turning away from self because self has been 01:35 deeply affected by this knowledge of evil 01:38 that come straight out of the Garden of Eden. 01:41 And so there is this renunciation of self 01:44 but there is in the renunciation of self and embracement 01:49 of the life of Jesus so that it is no longer 01:53 I who live but what, Christ lives in me. 01:59 That's what it means fundamentally to be a Christian, 02:02 to be a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, very specifically. 02:05 And I want to specifically this morning 02:07 focus in on that part of the text that says the life 02:12 which I now live, which clearly is a contrast 02:19 to the life which I once lived apart from Christ, 02:24 a life that was dominated by self 02:27 that was centered in self. 02:28 Would you not agree? 02:30 And I just I pray I believe that this is the desire 02:34 the prayer of each one of us this morning, 02:36 that desire that hunger to know Jesus more that Jesus 02:40 to be yielded more fully and completely to Jesus 02:42 so that Jesus can live out His life through us, by faith. 02:46 And it's all a faith. 02:49 Now I'm gonna be very practical 02:51 in what I am gonna be sharing with you this morning 02:53 and it is apart with the flow of what we've been studying 02:56 in the area of righteousness by faith. 02:58 Every subject that we've looked at 03:00 in the context of the revival 03:02 has had that beautiful truth of righteousness 03:05 by faith as a foundation to it. 03:09 Take your Bibles and turn with me to 1 John Chapter 2 03:11 the New Testament page 185, 03:15 185, 1 John 2:15-17. 03:23 Again our experience our profession 03:25 must be much more than just allusive teaching, 03:28 allusive doctrines that we believe. 03:30 The teachings and the doctrines are relevant 03:33 only in the context of our relationship. 03:37 And our purpose, our purpose is 03:40 not to intellectualize us, primarily. 03:45 Certainly, we are not to deny 03:48 how important an intellectual understanding is 03:51 because that's why the Word of God has been given to us. 03:54 So it's not a denial of the intellectual aspect 03:57 that is a part of faith but it must not be just simply 04:02 an intellectual experience. 04:04 It must be a relationship 04:08 and the intellectual aspect of it 04:11 is to give us the content to our relationship 04:14 and understanding of who Jesus is, 04:16 what He stands for? 04:18 The principles, the counsels 04:20 and the teachings that we have from His word 04:24 and we believe it's the Spirit of Jesus 04:26 that has spoken to us through His word, right. 04:28 But here we are 1 John 2:15-17 were John says 04:33 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. 04:36 If anyone loves the world, 04:38 the love of the Father is not in him. 04:43 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh 04:45 and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life 04:50 is not from the Father but is from the world. 04:53 The world is passing away and also its lust, 04:55 but the one does the will of God lives forever." 04:58 And we've already taken note in the context of our meetings 05:02 and it's a, its essential to our understanding of the gospel 05:06 and the who Jesus is and when He came to accomplish for us 05:09 to understand this is not the world that God 05:12 intended for us to live our lives out on. 05:17 A world full of all of the problems and difficulties 05:20 I call it the mess that sin has made of life. 05:25 It has just corrupted God's original intention for us. 05:29 Life was never meant be what we are experiencing 05:33 at here in this old world. 05:35 And knowing that and in understanding 05:37 that we can appreciate something what John is talking about here. 05:40 How can we love something that is a marked departure 05:44 from Gods will for us, right? 05:46 And it is, it's a marked departure 05:50 from Gods original plan for us. 05:52 Just God just has a better way. 05:55 He has a better way, doesn't He? 05:57 He has a better way, he has a better intent 05:59 for your life and my life. 06:02 And He has a plan for us. 06:05 By denials we look at this text. 06:07 I know that it may be possibly in this ebb and flow 06:11 that's been taking place in the church 06:12 over this whole area of righteousness by faith, 06:15 that pendulum swing, the perception that-- 06:18 you know and then the reality of it 06:21 as many of us have experienced in the past 06:23 how legalistic some people were when it came to this matter 06:26 of the practice of Christian life, 06:29 the Christian life, the practice of it. 06:31 And because some were so legalistic 06:33 the pendulum has in some way swung the other direction 06:37 and the result has come down to this. 06:39 For too many there is develop, it has developed a disconnection 06:46 between what we profess 06:50 and what we're living. 06:52 Because this whole area of living 06:56 that also deals with lifestyle issues has in the past 07:00 for some of us smacked up legalism 07:03 and so we do not talk about the life that we live, 07:07 now live in the words of Galatians 2:20 07:10 because of these situation 07:12 that many of us have had from the past. 07:15 And there is undoubtedly and you know 07:17 I experience some of this. 07:18 I know what some maybe some of you have gone through 07:22 very personally and they respired legalism. 07:26 So we've got to clear the air, 07:29 we got to get the legalism out of it 07:31 and when we get, 07:32 the only way to get the legalism out of it my friend 07:35 is to get Jesus centered in it. 07:39 And when Jesus is centered in it, 07:40 it is foundational in it then the legalism will be gone. 07:48 So I am interested in my own life 07:51 and let me bear my testimony 07:53 and I believe you are too, I want my life to be a-- 07:58 I want my life to be a practical life as a Christian. 08:01 I want my faith to be integrated into my life. 08:05 I want my faith in Jesus to be integrated 08:08 in what I do and in what I say. 08:13 I pray for that. I pray for that daily. 08:16 And I can't stand up here and say that I've arrived. 08:20 I still fall short but the righteousness of Jesus 08:24 covers me at every point, amen. 08:27 And I am accepted as fully and completely 08:29 as if I've never failed. 08:32 So we need to remember that too as we, 08:35 we get into our subject a little bit 08:36 more practically this morning. 08:39 One need not to be a Christian to understand that in the world 08:43 we have good and we have evil. 08:47 One doesn't have to be a Christian to know that. 08:50 And to know that there it just has to be a better way 08:54 one does not need to be a Christian. 08:57 And let me take you to 1 Peter 2 09:00 the New Testament page 180, 180, 1 Peter 2:9. 09:06 So we've got good, we've got evil in the world. 09:09 We have it around us, we have it within us 09:11 because again we've been tainted by evil, haven't we. 09:14 We've tainted by sin. 09:15 We each have had our own individual experience in sin. 09:20 Again what temptations, what sins what may be sin to you 09:24 may not be a temptation to me and vise versa 09:27 but we all have our individual experience in it. 09:30 In 1 Peter 2:9 09:33 it declares "But you are a chosen race, 09:38 a royal priesthood, a holy nation, 09:40 a people for God's own possession." 09:45 I looked out among you today we profess, 09:49 we profess to be the people of God 09:52 and we've been set aside to be possessed by God, 09:56 to be possessed by the Spirit of God, 09:59 the Spirit of Jesus right. 10:02 Boy, what a holy calling is ours has Jesus said it 10:05 "I've chosen you, you're mine." 10:09 And we're his again by our profession 10:11 our response to the claims of Jesus. 10:15 So we are holy nation and people for God's own possession 10:18 so that-- there is a purpose of all of this. 10:21 "So that you may proclaim the excellencies of him 10:25 who is called you out of darkness 10:27 into his marvelous light," that's powerful. 10:33 And so my friend, it is not simply the preaching 10:36 in the proclamation of the word that is needed 10:40 but it is a living demonstration of the law 10:46 then the joy and the power of the gospel 10:49 in God's people, in our lives. 10:54 A living testimony individually and collectively 10:59 of what the Gospel is like in the hearts of people 11:02 just like you and me 11:04 who were struggling along, living demonstration. 11:07 And so this morning as we look at 11:09 again 1 John 2:15-17 11:13 as we talk about some of the practices about this 11:15 they are three things that John speaks of here 11:19 that we're gonna-- its the basis of 11:21 what I'm gonna be preaching on its the outline effect. 11:24 He talks about first of all the "Lust of the Flesh. 11:27 We're gonna broaden this up beyond what we usually think of. 11:30 Number two, the "Lust of the Eyes" 11:32 which is a fascinating term, isn't it the lust of the eyes. 11:36 And then finally the pride of life. 11:40 The Pride of Life. 11:45 My friend, it is through our senses, 11:50 it is through our senses that we are deeply affected. 11:55 Just put a whole-- sorry 11:57 the whole thing of the spiritual life. 11:59 Everything is depended upon our senses. 12:01 Just think of what life would be without the senses. 12:04 You know the five at least that 12:05 I was taught when I was growing up. 12:07 I mean you know being able to see, being able to hear 12:11 in a few moments to enjoy the senses of smell 12:14 and taste and touch. 12:19 You tell me what would a hug be without touch, 12:23 it's a marvelous thing that God did when He create us 12:25 the way that He did with these senses, 12:28 we taken for granted. 12:30 I mean the marvel of just sight being able see, 12:34 to take light and for the brain to interpret this, 12:37 the, the colors as I look at the windows, 12:39 the blues and the oranges and the reds 12:42 and whatever else those colors are, you know, 12:44 to look out in you and see the forms. 12:48 Oh, you know how wonderful sight is. 12:50 And think of the marvelous thing that God gave us 12:53 when He gave us ears to be able to take, 12:56 pick up those beautiful vibrations 12:59 and the music that we were hearing just few moments ago. 13:02 I'll tell you there won't be any pretty singers, 13:04 there wouldn't be any instruments 13:05 if it wasn't for this marvelous mechanism 13:07 that God gave us right here. 13:10 And it is through the senses that we are affected deeply, 13:17 we're affected deeply for good 13:19 and it's also through those same senses that 13:21 we can be deeply affected for evil. 13:25 Again as we're looking at 1 Peter 2:9 13:27 in the context of the fact that "we're chosen race, 13:30 we're a holy nation and people for God's own possession," 13:33 set aside to what He say here 13:36 "to proclaim the Excellencies of Him 13:38 who's called us out of darkness into his marvelous light." 13:43 You see we through Jesus Christ are to be a light 13:47 in the darkness of this old world. 13:50 The Corvallis Church has been set aside 13:54 by God Himself to be the light. 13:59 It is nonexclusively us the light that is to shine 14:03 through us is the light of the life of Jesus. 14:09 That is the light that is to be shining 14:11 and each one of us are to be reflectors of thee light. 14:17 It is behind what Jesus said when He said to His followers 14:20 "you are the light of the world." 14:23 Think of what it means in a darker world to be lights, 14:28 lights for God. 14:29 I am gonna share little bit Greek with you this morning. 14:32 Let me take you to this word ecclesia 14:34 that we translate church, 14:36 translate church in the New Testament, 14:38 ecclesia is really based upon two words 14:43 the first word is ak is the word out, 14:46 that's how you literally translate it. 14:49 And the other part ecclesia comes from the Greek word 14:51 kaleo that translates, I call. 14:55 Now think of the meaning of the word church. 14:58 It means the ones whom Jesus has called literally, I called out. 15:03 Called out of what? 15:05 Out of darkness, out of the darkness of sin, 15:09 is what we've been called out of right. 15:11 And so to put it in other way, 15:13 when we talk about being a part of the church 15:15 it is collectively the called out ones. 15:18 We are the called out ones. 15:22 We have heard the call of Jesus 15:24 and we've responded to the call of Jesus, haven't we. 15:29 But my friend, this gives 15:31 a holy purpose to all of us, a holy purpose. 15:36 Take a look at Romans 8 the New Testament page 123, 15:39 123, Romans 8 and verses 5-7. 15:46 Okay, 15:51 going to be talking about the Lust of the Flesh 15:53 here in just a moment. 15:56 I know you can hardly wait, can you? 15:58 What is he gonna be talking about 16:00 when he gets to the lust of the flesh. 16:01 But I'm still laying down a foundation for God's word. 16:05 Here it is Romans 8 and beginning with verse 5, 16:07 where it says "For those who are according to the flesh 16:10 set their minds on the things of the flesh, 16:14 but those who are according to the Spirit, 16:17 the things of the Spirit. 16:19 For the mind set on the flesh is death, 16:22 but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 16:26 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God 16:29 for it does not subject itself to the law of God, 16:32 for it is not even able to do so." 16:37 Those whose minds are set on the things of the flesh 16:41 and as I've talked about how important senses are, 16:44 my friend, the senses have a direct connection 16:48 on the brain on the mind. 16:51 It has a direct bearing on our mindset 16:56 and there is a mindset, 16:59 a mindset for those who have in darkness, 17:02 a mindset for those who are out in the world 17:06 and in contrast for those of us who have called to proclaim 17:10 His marvelous light there is a mindset 17:13 that sets us apart, right. 17:18 It sets us apart. 17:22 A mind that is set on the things of the flesh, 17:26 things of the flesh, a mindset that is set 17:29 on the things of the spirit represents 17:31 two orientations to life. 17:35 And the two orientations of life is on one hand 17:38 the spiritual that is the mindset, 17:40 the mind that is set on the things of the spirit. 17:42 We would call this the spiritual mindset 17:45 in contrast to those who have their 17:47 mindset on the things the flesh which is the sensual. 17:51 It's the spiritual versus the sensual 17:54 that Paul is talking about here. 17:57 And my friend, we have been called 17:59 to be a spiritual people, right, Amen. 18:03 And we're spiritual because of the relationship. 18:06 We're spiritual because it is Jesus that inhabits us, 18:09 it is Jesus that is living out His life in us. 18:13 But my friend, it's a process it is a process of becoming, 18:19 becoming like the one that we truly love. 18:24 Another fascinating text Hebrews5:14. 18:27 Hebrews 5:14 says, "But solid food is for the mature, 18:31 who because of practice have their senses." 18:34 Here it is senses again. "Have their senses trained" 18:38 trained, disciplined or that "to discern good and evil." 18:46 We have been tainted by this knowledge of evil 18:48 this is not something that we come naturally by, 18:52 the natural heart is in contrast. 18:56 The natural heart is at enmity with the spiritual 19:00 and that is where the battle is fought out 19:03 in each one our lives, isn't it. 19:05 Those natural tendencies because of sin on the other hand 19:11 you know the call of Jesus to a better life 19:15 and it is a better life isn't it, it's a better life. 19:18 It's a spiritual life. 19:21 It's a spiritual life that we're talking about. 19:25 And then let me add into the whole of it, 2 Timothy 3:1. 19:30 Now I am and it's not clear yet 19:32 I am gonna get down into some specifics. 19:35 I'm gonna get down into 19:36 the principles and the applications 19:39 and what it means to live as a Christian 19:41 in the kind of world that we live in, 19:43 living in the western civilization 19:44 that we're living and particularly living 19:46 in the good old American culture that we're living in. 19:50 And how when we talking about letting our light shine 19:52 what does that practically mean? In 2 Timothy 3:1. 19:58 Paul says, "But realize this, 20:00 that in the last days difficult times will come." 20:05 Who knows how this whole thing is going to play out? 20:08 I'm thinking of the whole financial thing. 20:10 "For men will be lovers of self, 20:12 and lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers." 20:15 There a long list describing the end times 20:19 and the list ends with these words 20:20 "lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." 20:24 "Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." 20:28 And my friend, it is the pleasure principle, 20:30 it is the hedonistic society. 20:33 I didn't say hedonistic, 20:34 hedonistic society that we live in. 20:37 It is that pleasure principle. 20:39 It is living for the pleasures and satisfying 20:42 all of the hearts of desires but again 20:45 recognizing that the heart has been tainted by evil 20:48 which has and effect on those pleasures, doesn't it. 20:52 Now let me say from the outset, 20:55 I'm not into this idea that as Christians. 20:59 We must some how be kind of doughier, 21:02 we must be kind of sober I mean 21:04 yes there's a sober side of faith, isn't it. 21:07 There is some sobering things 21:09 about our commitment to Jesus Christ. 21:11 But my friend, we are to be people of joy. 21:15 We're be to be a people that are happy. 21:18 Yes there gonna be trails. 21:20 Yes, there gonna be difficulties. 21:21 Yes, there're gonna be tears 21:24 but I am not into the kind of Christianity 21:26 and I don't think you are either. 21:28 You better not crack a smile because if you do 21:31 you've sin until you get on your knees 21:33 until you make it right with God. 21:36 I mean when Jesus said it 21:37 "I am come that they might have life, 21:39 and have it more abundantly." I believed what He said. 21:45 We're to enjoy life. 21:49 And my friend, who better to enjoy life 21:51 than we who are in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? 21:59 It is not a sin, young people it is not a sin to have fun 22:04 within framework 22:06 of our commitment to Jesus Christ, right. 22:09 And our relationship does create a framework for a life. 22:15 So have fun, enjoy life, be happy 22:20 but again remember we have been called 22:23 to be a light in the world, we are light. 22:27 I didn't always understand these things as a young person, 22:30 it was my junior year in academy, Auburn Academy 22:34 and one Saturday night a really close friend of mine Jimmy Downs 22:37 and I decided that we will go down 22:39 and we came down the hill. 22:40 At the bottom of the hill this is where 22:42 were going was a skating rink, 22:43 and next to it was a bowling alley. 22:46 And as we came down the hill 22:47 we saw that the-- they shared a parking lot. 22:50 We saw that it was packed 22:53 and we thought to ourselves man, 22:54 everybody in town looks like they're out. 22:57 You know and we were kind of bemoaning the fact. 22:59 You know it's-- you know when you're out skating 23:02 and the skating they still have them around don't they. 23:06 Do you still have them here in Corvallis it's A skating rink? 23:09 Corvallis has none. Oh my, oh my. 23:13 So you've not a clue what I'm talking about 23:16 some of you who are younger. 23:17 But anyway, so you know when you-- 23:20 and if there is a crowd at the skating rink 23:23 particularly if you're like a little bit of speed 23:25 within certain you know restrictions, 23:28 you know it's kind of hard 23:29 when you have to be weaving in out of people. 23:32 Actually we didn't know until we got up to the door 23:35 having parked way out 23:36 that there was a teen dance that was going on. 23:40 And when we opened the door light bland and the music, 23:45 I have to admit we've been listening to that kind of music. 23:48 And intended to be there but the music is self chosen 23:51 and there were all these young, 23:53 young people teenagers that were there. 23:56 And they were out on the floor. 23:57 Again I'm not gonna date myself 23:59 because they were doing the twist. 24:02 Young people they don't know what the twist is just Google it 24:06 and you'll find out what the twist is. 24:08 So they were out there on the dance floor 24:10 and didn't look like they were really 24:11 paired up as such and had never done it. 24:14 I was not intending to be at a dance, 24:16 I've never been to dance before I've been never to a dance since 24:20 but we found ourselves out there twisting around. 24:24 It was not a difficult thing to do 24:27 with a kind of music that we're playing. 24:29 And on the surface of it seemed very innocent to me 24:33 until a little bit later into the program 24:35 they came to a number and it was slow. 24:37 And right on queue the lights came way down 24:41 and as my eyes adjusting to the light 24:43 I saw that there were pairings that were taking place. 24:47 That was not taking place initially 24:50 and I began to see things happening out 24:52 on that dance floor that as a young Christian, 24:55 and I am about 17 years of age that embraced me. 24:59 And I did may be probably what I shouldn't done the very 25:02 at the very beginning I got out of there. 25:05 I knew instinctively as a young Christian 25:07 that was not a place for me to be. 25:11 Now this came even closer to me because my dad loved to dance. 25:15 My dad was not a Christian, 25:18 he was a good man but he was not a Christian. 25:20 He want to be outs club and found this woman 25:25 he was still married to my mother had a dance 25:29 and the relationship developed with this woman, 25:34 this woman who happened to be a Seventh-day Adventist. 25:39 There some places if you think about this 25:41 in a commonsense way, there are some places 25:45 that as Christians that are conducive 25:48 to our spiritual commitments. 25:51 And as the well-- and our spiritual wellbeing 25:54 it is commonsense of you think about it. 25:57 Well, I am interested in 25:59 is a growing spiritual experience. 26:03 And I know just like any good recipe 26:06 there're certain ingredients if you're baking a cake. 26:09 Ladies, you know there're certain ingredients 26:11 that are essential. 26:12 If you're gonna end up with a good product at the end 26:15 and in the spiritual light there're certain ingredients 26:19 if you want to end up with the kind of product 26:21 that you and I have invested ourselves in, 26:25 in entering into this personal relationship with Jesus. 26:29 And I would just speak for myself 26:30 this is not one of those ingredients. 26:35 It's not one of those ingredients. 26:37 Now I'm not just here to talk about dancing. 26:40 There're some places I choose not to go as a Christian 26:44 for much the same reasons. 26:46 I don't feel as a Christian that going to the clubs 26:49 and to the bars are consistent with the values 26:55 that I have as a Christian, right. 26:59 And again one need not be legalistic 27:03 to say that there're just some places. 27:06 Even with music, music which is so powerful 27:10 it's such a beautiful thing. 27:12 Did you enjoy the music this morning? 27:14 Oh man you know they've been here practicing. 27:18 And I don't know I assume that all of you love music 27:22 some of us really love music. 27:24 I have to confess publicly that you know 27:27 I have had this love affair with 27:28 music for a very, very long time. 27:30 And I do recognize that it could almost become 27:33 idolatress for me because I love music. 27:39 You know, I don't have all of the equipment that some have 27:42 and you know vocally or otherwise but I just love music. 27:47 It has been such a powerful thing. 27:49 I've had three Gospel singing groups, you know, 27:52 Maranatha Singers, Voices of Praise 27:54 and then my last group the Abundant Life Singers. 27:58 We produced albums and I just and I love, 28:01 I love Christian music that really has content to it. 28:05 The music that has real message that's been communicated-- 28:08 it's been communicated in it. 28:10 And also miss though something that is 28:12 so powerful as music is that there is a dark side 28:16 to this whole thing about music too. 28:18 In general when we talk about secular music 28:20 you know, don't you? You know. 28:23 First of all the words, the lyrics ought to-- 28:25 you know, they ought to be wholesome. 28:27 Won't you agree they ought to be wholesome? 28:30 But you know there is, 28:32 you know there're some interesting variations 28:34 that develop out of the whole rock scene through the years. 28:38 You know, we're into rap and you know stuff that 28:41 you know I've really don't know very well because I just-- 28:45 I am not attracted to it, I don't listen to it. 28:48 They tell me the words, you know, 28:50 some of the words they actually have to label the CD's now right 28:55 for content which tells us something 28:58 but they are music fronts. 29:00 You know music is kinetic, kinetic. 29:03 Music is not only heard, music is something that is felt 29:07 those deep bass tones, you know, 29:10 that's why we love bass, don't we. 29:13 Music is something that has felt but 29:16 powerfully it can be powerful for good and evil. 29:19 My friend, as Christians as standing for something 29:22 with our value system being a light of world 29:24 as we are called to be, my friend, 29:26 again there some things that are consistent 29:29 with our profession of Jesus and something things 29:31 that I chose as a Christian to not be a part of. 29:35 It's making the choices. 29:38 And my friend, most of us, 29:40 I know we have some young people here but 29:42 most of us are at an age where 29:45 we're making our own choices, right. 29:49 And nobody is going to stand up there 29:51 to tell me what choices I ought to make. 29:53 Though should anybody stand up to try to tell you 29:55 what choices you should make? 29:58 But we can try to stimulate some thought 30:02 and some consideration of what it really means to be 30:06 a Christian in the kind of world that we live in 30:10 with the kind of choices that we are faced with. 30:13 And remember the choices all go back 30:15 to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil 30:17 and fundamentally at the heart of it, 30:19 it is a choice between God's way or the alternative way. 30:24 And my friend, look at the culture, 30:26 the Word of God is-- 30:28 and the principles of the Word of God is the filter 30:30 by which we filter out our culture to determine that 30:34 which is consistent with our faith in God 30:37 and that which represents the alternative way 30:40 that's playing out for millennia down to our own time. 30:44 It can be very sophisticated at least you can see that way 30:48 and it can be seem to be very subtle. 30:51 And yet we need to have this sermon don't we? 30:54 So let's talk about the Lust. 30:57 We've talked about the Lust of the Flesh. 30:58 I mean you can spend the whole time on that. 31:00 The lust of the eyes is a fascinating phrase to me, 31:03 the lust of the eyes. 31:04 I think of Psalm 101:3 where it says 31:07 "I will set no worthless thing before my eyes, 31:10 I hate the work of those who fall away, 31:12 it shall not fasten its grip on me." 31:15 And there is this principle there is this principle 31:18 by beholding we are changed. 31:20 By beholding Jesus, 31:22 when Jesus becomes the focal point of our lives 31:25 we are by means of the Holy Spirit 31:28 and through the power of His love we're being changed. 31:34 The relationship is transformational, 31:37 we're being changed. 31:39 By beholding by focus in on that which is evil 31:43 we are being changed, 31:47 we have the modern term garbage in and garbage out. 31:52 And its true garbage in and garbage out 31:55 that's the way it works. 31:57 There are certain things I do not want to see. 32:00 There're certain things I do not want to hear. 32:04 Because the Bible says "As a man thinketh so is he." 32:08 And we are to a great extent what we think 32:13 and we think is sum total of what these receptors 32:17 have been picking up and absorbing. 32:20 Receptors, the senses the things we've been seeing 32:23 and the things that we're hearing. 32:24 Which means-- of course I got to go to Philippians 4:8, 32:28 the New Testimony page 156, 156 Philippians 4:8. 32:34 And I know for some of us in the context of the past 32:37 and the context of those who are so doughier and sober 32:41 and so much into the dos and don'ts. 32:44 For some of us its going to be a little bit of challenge 32:47 to look at this text in a little different perspective 32:50 that may be its been presented to us before. 32:53 Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, 32:57 whatever is honorable, whatever is right, 33:01 whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, 33:03 whatever is a good repute, if there is any excellence 33:08 and if anything worthy of praise, 33:10 dwell on these things." 33:12 Then King James says "let your mind dwell on these things." 33:16 Now that's a pretty high standard you would have to admit 33:19 because we really talking about Christian values 33:22 and we have values as Christians. 33:24 One way or the other we have them 33:25 and they're demonstrated by the things that we value. 33:29 So think on these things I mean, 33:31 I mean that's pretty high, it's just got to be true, 33:34 it's got to be right, pure, lovely. 33:36 It's got be of good repute all of those things. 33:38 And so I discovered that long ago 33:41 in my teenage years as I was in academy 33:43 I found myself of that part of the library, 33:45 I finally realized I was becoming obsessed with it 33:49 and that was science fiction. 33:51 And I made a decision again about 33:52 my junior year in academy that 33:56 because I just couldn't keep my hands of it. 33:59 It was just fascinating reading stuff 34:01 but it wasn't true and I knew it wasn't true 34:04 and indulge things about it that as a young Christian 34:06 that really did bother me as fascinating 34:08 as I founded to be. 34:10 And so I discovered there were plenty of other 34:13 parts of the library that I really enjoy. 34:18 And I just picked up-- I was at the library 34:20 last this last Thursday and I picked up autobiography 34:25 written by Tony Blair's wife. 34:28 I know Tony Blair's somebody I, you know, 34:30 I find to be a fascinating person 34:32 and so I love biographies and I love history 34:35 and you know what, there is so much of it. 34:37 I know, I don't feel the pain 34:39 of not being able to visit certain parts of the library. 34:42 You know I've just, I just decided novels 34:45 and that's sort of thing for me as a Christian personally 34:47 for me when there are so much out there 34:50 that's true and that's good and wholesome 34:53 why do I-- it's not like 34:54 I'm gonna miss good reading, entertaining reading, 34:58 you know, they're just better choices. 35:02 "I will set no worthless thing before my eyes." 35:05 Let's talk about pornography this morning. 35:07 And when we're talking about a media dominated culture 35:11 my friend, with all the choices we have 35:13 on the internet and we've cable and satellite 35:16 and I mean it goes on and on and on. 35:20 We have choices to make and our values as Christians 35:25 will be reflected in the kind of choices 35:28 that we make, won't it. 35:32 If my profession Jesus does not reflect in choices 35:36 I make then what is that's saying 35:39 or to say that it doesn't matter as a Christian 35:42 in regards to the choices I make. 35:44 What is that really is saying? 35:46 It's saying that faith is just simply 35:50 a one fuzzy feeling that you have in your heart 35:55 but really doesn't have a lot of meaning 35:58 in the nitty-gritty of life out there. 36:03 This idea, you know, 36:04 you can do just whatever you want to do. 36:08 Well, you know what, 36:10 we are free to do whatever we want to do 36:13 but whatever we want to do always carries some consequences 36:17 as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil clearly showed. 36:20 They were free to choose 36:23 but it certainly its consequences, didn't it. 36:26 So we're free to choose. 36:28 God does not compel us to but it's their correlation 36:32 between what I believe and what I choose. 36:36 Well, let's give you some statistics 36:37 when it comes to the pornographic and videos, 36:39 internet, cable, paper view, $13.3 billion a year. 36:44 People are making tons of money out of the lust of the eyes. 36:50 As you look up pornographic titles 36:51 released in United States going back to 1988 36:54 that little bit bar way up there compare to 2005 36:58 the latest statistics I have notice, we have, 37:03 we have a growing problem 37:07 in the area of pornography from 1988 to 2005. 37:11 And my friend, this is not been produced 37:14 without there being a market for it 37:17 and there is a huge market 37:18 evidently within United States for it, right. 37:23 And then when you look at pornographic websites 37:25 compared to other countries this bar graph notice, 37:31 pornographic websites the US, that good old USA 37:36 represents 89% of the pornographic websites 37:40 that are been produced and in that you can find 37:44 Russia's somewhere and that which just surprises me. 37:46 And Poland and Netherlands and U.K and Germany, 37:49 Australia et cetera they're just little tiny slices. 37:54 Of course may be they don't need to be produce a lot 37:56 because the US is producing so much of it. 38:06 2006 statistics reveal that on any given day, 38:09 40 million adults in this country 38:11 visit a pornographic website. 38:13 Forty million a day statistically. 38:16 It is a serious problem within the church. 38:19 We are not untainted by this. 38:22 Some of us because of the lust of the flesh 38:25 or and the lust of the eyes are been drawn into pornography. 38:31 We are. 38:32 I'm not gonna ask you to hold your hand up 38:35 but some of us are being drawn into it. 38:36 Surprisingly, a significant number of pastors 38:39 were found to be entangled with pornography. 38:41 That's troubling when you look at that. 38:44 Ninety percent of all 8 to 16 year olds 38:46 have viewed internet pornography. 38:50 My friend, it represents abject slavery, 38:56 it does abject slavery 39:00 and we usually take it but primarily for men but men 39:04 when we get involved with pornography 39:07 our view of women is at stake. 39:11 How do we look upon women? How do we view them? 39:15 Are they objects of passion 39:20 or are they what God designed them to be? 39:27 So we have some choices in all of this. 39:29 We do but it is an addiction, it is a addictive 39:33 and those of us who may be into pornography 39:37 knows something of the grip this has upon our lives. 39:42 And I want to tell you it is only going to be 39:45 by the saving power of Jesus Christ 39:48 that that kind of the addiction will be broken. 39:52 My friend, there is better way. 39:54 Sex is a wonderful thing in the context 39:56 for which God created it. 39:59 Within the context of marriage, 40:01 in the context of a committed married relationship, 40:04 it's a wonderful thing. 40:06 And the sex is not of itself 40:09 as God created it dirty or inappropriate. 40:13 You didn't know you're gonna get a little bit 40:14 of a lesson course here about sex. 40:18 But from a Christian prospective let's be clear about it 40:23 because you know it's such a problem. 40:25 Sex is not all itself wrong, inappropriate or dirty 40:31 in the context for which God created it. 40:33 And it was not created just simply for reproduction 40:37 and for the fact that we can have children. 40:39 That's a significant part of it. 40:43 But we need to have a healthy and it holds some view of sex. 40:48 We must not be enslave to sex, must not be 40:54 because we by profession have another master 40:58 that's why I have-- I have these filter 41:00 since in 1990s Integrity Online 41:02 that filters all of the pornography 41:04 out at the service site. 41:07 It's not perfect but it does a great job 41:09 and you turn back in the 90s particularly with young boys 41:13 in my house I was not going to have that temptation. 41:17 I am going to filter it out at the site 41:19 and its great and I recommend it. 41:22 You will find it on my website, find out more about it. 41:25 But we must move on to the last one 41:26 the Pride of Life. 41:27 Oh, yes I know this one, this is the touchy one, 41:30 this is the one that seems so legalistic. 41:34 This thing on adornment and jewelry 41:36 but let's take an honest look, 41:38 an open look at what the Bible teaches. 41:41 Is there a principle in all of this and what might it be? 41:45 In 1 Peter 3:3 it says, 41:47 and this is the principle of it as I understand it. 41:49 "Your adornment must not be external." 41:53 Now some translations put in the word merely 41:55 it's always that tell us which means it's an addition 41:59 because in the Greek it is a clear cut. 42:02 Your adornment must not be external. 42:04 It talks about braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry 42:07 this is a great culture 42:08 so this not time of simple brace and something. 42:11 You know, they take-- we take gold and silver strands 42:14 and they would intertwine them in their hairs 42:15 which is very costly stuff but it does talk about 42:18 wearing gold jewelry or putting on dresses. 42:21 But I want to get to the positive side of this. 42:23 Don't get lost in the first part, will you. 42:27 But let it be, let what be? 42:31 Your adornment. 42:32 There is a new adornment 42:33 that is appropriate for us as Christians. 42:35 "But let it be the hidden person of the heart." 42:41 That's what it's supposed to be. 42:43 So first of all we must not have an external adornment 42:49 but we are to have an internal adornment, 42:51 the hidden person of the heart. 42:54 And who is it that is to be with in our hearts? 42:59 Whose beauty is it that has attracted us? 43:02 Whose beauty is it that is shinning through us? 43:06 It's Jesus, the beauty of His life. 43:11 And it says with the "imperishable quality." 43:14 I mean this is good stuff. 43:16 The "imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, 43:21 which is precious in the sight of God." 43:26 And where is that gentle quite spirit comes from? 43:29 Again it comes from Jesus out of the relationship. 43:34 The one that's promised to abide in us 43:36 and we in Him. 43:41 We're just precious in the sight of God. 43:42 So what does that tell you God's looking upon? 43:44 What's God looking at? 43:46 God is looking at the heart, isn't he? 43:49 But in our culture in the world that we live in 43:53 what do we tend to be looking at? 43:57 We're looking at the exterior, aren't we? 44:00 Remember the, you know, the prophet Samuel came to 44:03 Jesse's sons they were being lined up before him. 44:06 The next king was going to be anointed 44:08 from one of Jesse's sons. 44:10 And far assigned with the oldest to the youngest 44:12 they were presented and each time 44:14 Samuel said, "oh, man he would make a great king, 44:17 what a noble bearing he had." 44:19 Until they came to last one and God said it's none of these 44:23 and Samuels said he was puzzled Jesse, it's none of them. 44:29 It was almost like after thought when Jesse said, 44:31 well, I have one other son he is a shepherd boy, he is out there. 44:34 They had to go searching for him. 44:36 And when Samuels saw him God said "that's the one." 44:42 And then it says, "man looks on the outward appearance 44:46 but God looks upon the heart." 44:48 This is a part of our value system as Christians. 44:51 We're into this worldly idea 44:53 that we value people for how they dress, 44:56 how pretty there are, how handsome or not 44:59 besides of their pocket book, the kind of cars they drive, 45:02 what kind of homes they live in or their status in life, 45:06 we as Christians that is so artificial, is it not. 45:11 We as Christians do not value people for those things, 45:14 we have a different value system it is fundamentally different. 45:18 We value people for what they are at heart. 45:22 Oh, yes, they may not be pretty. 45:25 Oh, yes, they may not be very good looking 45:28 but we value them for what they are at heart. 45:32 Its superficial what the world 45:34 is been doing to us it's so superficial. 45:36 My friend, we got a see these things 45:38 for what they are and stand apart from it. 45:41 You know 1 Timothy 2 goes on to say "Likewise, 45:44 I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, 45:46 modestly and discreetly, not with braided." 45:49 Again this is a Greek culture. 45:51 "And gold or pearls or costly garments, 45:55 but rather by means of good works, 45:57 as is proper for women making a claim of godliness." 46:00 It's not that we shouldn't wear proper clothing 46:02 and I have learned long ago I rather spend a few extra bucks 46:05 to get a good quality suit or running shoes in my case 46:11 I found this pair of running shoes. 46:13 I spend $80-90 for them but the last may oh, hey you. 46:17 Whereas my old new balance shoes I used to use for running 46:20 would last me five or six months. 46:23 So you tell me which is more economical. 46:26 You know good piece of clothing that's gonna last you 46:28 and you know so I think we understand 46:31 the quality that's what you think. 46:33 But some will say yeah, this is all cultural. 46:35 My friend, it is multicultural 46:37 because you follow this from Jacob 46:42 who was instructed to have to have to remove the guards 46:44 from their ears and from their fingers 46:48 to the children of Israel 46:51 as it came out of the Egyptian culture. 46:53 Jacob by way that was more than Mesopotamian culture. 46:56 The Israelites as they came out of the Egypt 46:58 and God removed these things from them. 47:01 We can say that was an Egyptian culture 47:03 because they were deeply influenced it. 47:05 You find the same counsel in an Israeli culture, 47:09 you'll find this in Greek culture. 47:11 When you look at all the text and you see that 47:14 it represents different cultures it actually is multicultural. 47:20 Because the kind of the new thinking is 47:22 it came out of the Greek culture and therefore 47:26 it really isn't relevant to the American culture. 47:30 My friend, it's multicultural 47:31 and the American culture is not aside from 47:34 that phenomenon of multicultural. 47:37 And so we see it. Don't look I'm talking about. 47:42 We see it on the screen, we'd see in the, 47:43 it's like magazines the look that's been promoted. 47:48 You got to have the look and if you don't have the look 47:53 and to a greater or lesser extent 47:55 many people are bought into the look. 47:58 You know what I'm talking about. 47:59 The look the way you dress just the right way. 48:05 Again how does that fit into my relationship with Jesus? 48:09 Oh, I got to do with piercing. Oh, since I'm into it 48:11 I may as well just laid out there, right. 48:15 Isaiah 3 "Moreover the Lord said, 48:17 'Because the daughters of Zion are proud,'" 48:19 and notice the correlation between 48:21 the attitude of the heart and how they dress. 48:24 "And walk with heads held high and seductive eyes 48:28 and go along with mincing steps." 48:31 Can you see this ear minds high 48:32 "and tinkle the bangles on their feet 48:34 therefore the Lord will afflict 48:36 the scalp of the daughters of Zion with scabs." 48:39 There is just a way of saying figuratively 48:41 He is going to humble them. 48:43 And my friend, by the way 48:45 humility is a wonderful thing for us 48:48 to nurture in our love for Jesus 48:50 and in our relationship with one another, don't you think. 48:54 Anyway "In that day the Lord will take away 48:55 the beauty of their anklets, headbands, crescent ornaments, 48:59 dangling earrings, bracelets, veils, headdresses, 49:02 ankle chains, amulets, finger rings, nose rings." 49:09 Oh, that would be piercing, wouldn't it nose rings 49:12 I mean how else would you wear one. 49:15 Piercing oh, yes and piercing. 49:19 Talking about piercings, is there a human being there. 49:24 I think there is behind of all it. 49:26 Piercing and yet the body says 49:29 our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. 49:33 Piercings and I'm sorry you can't see that really well, 49:36 tattooing, you know 49:42 it's just real what some people do. 49:45 It's an extreme of this stuff 49:46 that really become apparent isn't it. 49:49 It's an extreme of it. 49:50 But our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit. 49:54 We're to care for them, you know, all of this. 49:59 Oh, I got to tell you the story real quickly. 50:02 I was in New Haven, Connecticut just over a year ago. 50:05 We started on the campus of Yale University. 50:08 In that series it was wonderful to have a decision 50:11 of one of the professors of Yale who was-- 50:18 want to say he was an as anesthesiologist teaching, 50:21 teaching in their school of medicine. 50:24 We also had some Chinese professors 50:27 who were there for their as training. 50:29 Among them we called her Maggie. 50:31 She was from Beijing her husband was 50:34 in the military in the Red Army, 50:36 an officer in the Red Army back in Beijing. 50:39 And she was now in this free environment. 50:42 This was like this end of October, November 50:45 stepping into early December, I had that series. 50:48 She did not miss a night because I think you'll realize 50:51 that openly they could not do this kind of thing in China. 50:55 And she was taking advantage of it. 50:58 And she made her decision, she was returning-- 51:02 last February she returned to Beijing 51:04 where she taught at the University of Beijing. 51:07 And she determined I am gonna get baptized. 51:10 I'm going to accept Jesus as my Savior 51:12 and she was a part of our baptism 51:14 at the end of that series. 51:15 It was wonderful to see-- 51:17 right now we have two churches in Beijing. 51:19 Made sure she knew the addresses 51:21 so that she could connect with the fellowship there 51:23 and I hope that she has done that. 51:26 And so I'm preparing her for her baptism. 51:30 We're going through the teaching and stuff 51:31 I happened to come to this one. 51:33 I've never have a reaction when it came to this 51:35 matter of adornment like I had for Maggie 51:38 because immediately she began to glow. 51:41 She got animated she says I love this one. 51:44 I have never-- I don't see one of you jumping up 51:48 when I tell about this one either. 51:50 You know but she was glowing about it, 51:52 she immediately connected with it. 51:55 And here she is coming out of China 51:59 and that just kind of blew me away 52:01 that this really appealed to her and she got it immediately. 52:04 I didn't have to go any explanations. 52:05 I just read 1 Peters 3 and she got it. 52:08 She told me this story. She said you know what? 52:10 This reminds me of my best friend. 52:13 When I first met her at the university 52:15 there was something just different about her. 52:19 One thing she was smiling a lot and she seemed happy 52:24 and she says I was attracted to her. 52:27 And we developed a friendship when we came 52:30 she is my best friend. 52:32 And she said I found out as I got acquainted with her 52:35 that she loved Jesus. 52:37 She was a Christian and that was what 52:39 was behind the smiles and the joy that she had. 52:44 And she saw that that really was what this was all talking about, 52:48 and it is what it's all talking about. 52:51 Hebrews 11 tells us "We are strangers 52:54 and we are exiles on this earth." 52:56 We're just passing through. 52:58 We're looking for a city whose builder maker is God. 53:03 And my friend, we do. We have different values. 53:06 We are His people. 53:09 And I want you to just as we end with this song, 53:12 I just want to close our eyes meditate what it means, 53:15 a privilege that is ours to know Jesus, 53:18 to be His people, to know His love and His grace. 53:23 And the call that is ours to let our light shine, 53:27 listen to the song. 53:49 Be ye holy, 53:55 holy 53:59 For the Lord God Almighty 54:04 is holy 54:07 Be ye holy, 54:13 holy For holy, 54:21 holy is the Lord 54:26 Be ye holy, 54:32 holy 54:36 For the Lord God Almighty 54:40 is holy 54:44 Be ye holy, 54:50 holy For holy, 54:57 holy is the Lord 55:03 We are His people 55:08 His holy nation 55:12 Called out of darkness 55:17 to light 55:21 We are His building, 55:26 His holy nation 55:30 We're living by faith, 55:34 not by sight 55:38 So be ye holy, 55:44 holy 55:48 For the Lord God Almighty 55:52 is holy 55:56 Be ye holy, 56:02 holy For holy, 56:09 holy is the Lord 56:16 For holy, 56:19 holy is the Lord |
Revised 2014-12-17