Guest Speaker - Rev. Claire Yoder | "The Body of Christ" | A Sermon on John 6

Rev. Claire Yoder spoke at my church this past Sunday while I was a away celebrating my 32nd wedding anniversary.  Here is a transcript of her message:

The Ggospel of John, chapter 6, and I will be starting at verse 26. But I will not read the entire thing — we will do specific verses 26 and 27. Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly" — now when he says that, it means listen up, guys, I got something important to tell. "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and you were filled. Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God has set his seal."

And then we'll go to verses 33–35. "Truly, truly, I say to you, for the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world." Then they said to him, "Lord, always give us this bread." And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not hunger, and he who believes in me will never thirst."

Verse 41: "Therefore the Jews were grumbling about him." So what else was new? Because he said, "I am the bread that came down out of heaven."

Verse 48: "I am the bread of life." Is anybody keeping count of how many times he said, "I am the bread of life."

Verse 51–57: "I am the living bread that came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." Then the Jews began to argue and say to one another, "How can this man give his flesh?" So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As a living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me, he also will live because of me."

The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God.

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This story from John has a few surprising elements to it. The way Jesus handles this situation is confusing sometimes, because some of the things that he is saying is upsetting his followers. It seems that he doesn't make it easier. You would think a God of compassion, a God of love, the God of wonderful things, of miracles, would want to make it easier for the people. But it gets more difficult for them most of the time.

We want to take down barriers in people's way and we want to help them get past these barriers. If someone finds something difficult to understand, what's the first thing we want to do? Explain it to them. We want them to understand. We just hop right in there. We want to make it easier for them. And if there is something in their way, especially one of our children, we want to move it. We want to take it out of the way. And certainly this is what we would expect of Jesus. But this isn't what Jesus does here. Instead of making it easier to believe, he seems that he wants to make it harder. Instead of opening a door, he seems to throw up a barrier.

Early in this chapter, Jesus has fed the multitudes. And so they follow him because they have experienced that miracle. They believe in him. They saw it happen. It's the perfect opportunity for Jesus to add to the number of his followers. They'd appear to be on his side. But Jesus says to them, "I tell you the truth. You are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs, but because you ate the loaves and you got full. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you."

Now, notice here, he begins a little gently. He's healed them. He's fed them. But now he gets down to business. He points them beyond the satisfaction of their physical needs to their eternal spiritual needs. He promises to give them the bread of life of which he is speaking. But this isn't the kind of bread that they were thinking about. Jesus, if somebody says to you, "I'll give you some bread," we think about the loaf of bread that we go and get and make a sandwich with. That's the kind of bread they're thinking about. They don't get yet what Jesus is saying to them. They're as clueless as the disciples are so many times.

Jesus said, "The bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." And then they respond, "Sir, from now on, give us this bread." As if they haven't already gotten it. Jesus knows they don't understand. And he says, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry and who believes in me will never be thirsty." But they still don't understand the metaphor. And they are offended. The scripture says they began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."

Now, since they are upset, you'd think that Jesus would move on to something else, but he doesn't. He only repeats what he's already said, but he adds to the offense. He says it again: "I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

How many times now has he said it? More than once. We know the Jews had very strict dietary rules. There were kosher foods and foods that they would never ever think of eating. Pork was one of the meats that they'd never eat. And if they did, they would become unclean, which was a bad thing back in those days. And cannibalism. Now Jesus is saying, "You've got to eat my flesh." That's cannibalism, folks. Well, and it's a whole different category. So when he said that the bread he was talking about was his flesh, it offended them beyond words. "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Now, this really would be a good time to kind of soft pedal, but Jesus just makes it worse by saying, "I tell you the truth. Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him."

How many more times does he have to say it? Because we don't know the original language, we don't really understand the provocative impact that this had on these people. Jesus makes it even worse because he changes the verbs here. Early in his statements, he uses a verb that simply means to eat. But in the last part of his statement, he uses a verb that means to chew, to gnaw, to crunch. Pretty graphic. Many of his followers turned back and no longer followed him. They never came back. Why does Jesus do this? Well, the loyalty of the 12 is even questionable at this point. And we know this because he said to them, "You don't want to leave me too, do you?"

I believe Jesus did this because he was interested in something more than superficial faith. He was not looking for numbers. You know, a lot of times pastors, churches, they want numbers. They got to turn them in at conference at the end of the year. They got to be responsible for growing the church. Except they want numbers. But Jesus was looking for true disciples. It's all too easy to want God to meet our needs and provide for us and never consider what's really important and what he really desires to do for us and in us.

Through our faith, we have to scale the barriers. Rather than trying to avoid them, rather than trying to go around them, rather than trying to pretend they aren't there, we have to face them. Life is full of barriers. And those of you that are in my category, the more mature people, we've had one or two barriers in our lifetime. I know a lot of people who are offended at God. They're mad at him and they turn away because their life hasn't turned out the way they think it should have for them. They don't face the barriers. Their temptation is, "Where was God when I needed him? Why did God let this happen to me or to my loved one?" Now, I understand these feelings, but it's a barrier that must be faced if we are to find our way. And it's not easy to follow God. The scripture tells us following Jesus is not going to be easy. So get ready for it when you make a commitment. It is not easy to follow God all the time. And we should not pretend that it is. We shouldn't go out there and tell God we have 100%, 365 days a year, 24 hours of every one of those days, and nothing is ever wrong. It just doesn't work that way. The way of God is often hard, but in the end, we see that it is better and easier than not following God.

There have always been barriers and those who have faced them with faith have become much stronger people. Ever heard of the saying, "If it doesn't kill you, it'll make you stronger." I think everybody has.

Let's take the Israelites for example. They're leaving Egypt. They're excited about what's to come and at the same time, they're a little anxious because they really don't know what's getting ready to happen. They're filled with the excitement of God's promises. And at the same time, there are so many barriers to obtaining their freedom. They got to deal with Pharaoh. They don't have any food. They don't have any water in the desert. And it doesn't take them long to start bickering among themselves. They're complaining already and asking Moses, "Why did you take us out of Egypt? Why did you save us?" How many years? 400 years they prayed to God, "Take us out of this forsaken place," and he answered their prayers. So you better be careful what you pray for.

Think about Job. Job is the epitome of facing his barriers with faith. He was the most tortured person I know of in the Old Testament. But he is the epitome of how to deal with our barriers and not try to avoid them. He kept the faith. How he did it, I'm not sure. I think Paul would have said to Job, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." Job kept his faith throughout his entire ordeal. He never let anyone or anything weaken his faith. Remember one of his friends say, "Why don't you just forget about God?" He says, "No, no, no. That's not the way it works." He had every reason to be angry at life. He had every reason to be angry at other people. He had every reason to be mad with God. But in the end, he overcomes the barriers. And he says, "Though he," meaning God, "slay me, yet I will trust him." No matter what God does to me, I will never forsake him because he will never leave me alone. Now, how is that for strong faith?

I know people who have prayed for strength to allow their adversities to bring glory to God. They never lose their faith. They never get angry at God. But you know what? If we do get angry with God, he can take our anger. The trick is don't lose your faith. Don't lose your faith in God. He understands you're frustrated. He's going to get you through it in spite of all of your doubts. He's going to get you through it. But we must keep the faith.

I saw an interview with a man who had no arms or no legs. You may have seen it. It was quite a while ago. His name was Nick. He had a rare genetic disorder. He had two small feet attached to his torso. Now, as a kid, he had struggled emotionally and physically because his years in grammar, kindergarten, grammar school, middle school, high school were kind of miserable because the other kids didn't really accept him. He had to work on accepting his conditions. And as an adult, he said he had a ridiculously wonderful life. He has a motorboat. He loves to fish. He can swim. He's married. People are always asking him how he can claim he has a ridiculously good life. And he tells them, "You assume — have you ever divided the word 'assume'? You assume that I am suffering from what I lack. I choose to live by what the Bible says. God is the answer yesterday, today, and always. When people read about my life or witness me living it, they are prone to congratulate me for being victorious over my disabilities. And I tell them very quickly that my victory came in surrender. It comes every day when I acknowledge that I can't do this on my own. So I say to God, I give it to you, and then I give it to him, and I don't take it back."

How many of us say we're going to give it to God and two hours later we're worrying about it again? We're fretting over it. We really didn't give it to him, or if we did, we're Indian givers. He says, "The Lord took my pain and turned it into something good. He gave my life meaning when no one and nothing else could. And if God can take someone like me, someone without arms or legs, and use me as their hands and feet, he can use anybody. It's not about ability. The only thing God needs from you and from me is a willing heart."

Barriers — we all have them. I hear my grandmother who died in 1987 and she's still in my head saying, "My dear, it isn't your problems that count, but how you face them and how you handle them."

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen.

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Now, today we're going to celebrate communion. I kind of battled a little while back and forth with myself. Am I going to do a Labor Day sermon or a communion sermon? And it didn't take long for me to say communion's the important one. That's the way we're going to go. Jesus said, "Remember me every time you eat or drink." How many of you eat more than once a day? Twice a day, three times a day. Do I need to keep going? A snack in the morning, take a nap, get up, go to the refrigerator, get something to eat, get something to drink. We don't even think about it. Sometimes it's just gotten to be habit. I know some of us have an elastic arm — it just goes from there to here. Do you remember to thank God every time you eat and drink? Probably not. I don't. I should. I try to. I'm getting better at it. It took me 83 years, but I'm getting better at it.

But Jesus came to take the sins of the world on himself so that we might be saved from our sins. He continued to tell his disciples and us on that night when he broke the bread that he was coming for that very purpose — to save the world from sin. And after he broke the bread, he gave it to them and he said, "This is my body which has been broken for you." And then after the supper, he took the cup and he said, "This is my blood of the new covenant which has been shed for you and for many. Drink ye all of this."

Now, this is the Lord's table. This is not a Methodist table, a Baptist table, Episcopalian table, a Presbyterian table. I could just go on and on. But it's the Lord's table. And all who earnestly have repented of their sins and want to live as Jesus wants us to live — he invites us to come and partake in this holy meal.

Look Different | A Sermon on Matthew 5:14-16

Introduction
Long ago, God chose you to be Holy and Different. Christians are meant to Think Different, Act Different, and today I want to share that we should Look Different.  

Of all the sermons in this series, I was concerned about this one the most.  Why did God want me to talk about how Christians should look?  I thought about the different ways Christians have looked and dressed over the years.  And to make things easy, I’ve compiled picture showing how Christians can look different. Maybe you would like to choose one of these looks? 

You could choose the monastic look of the monk or the nun.

You could choose the 16-17 century clerical style of Jonathan Edwards or John Wesley.

Or maybe you would like the more contemporary look of the modern worship style.

Or you could opt for a more glamorous televangelist hairdo—what I call the "GlamorEvangelist".

Or if that's not hardcore enough, you could go with the crazy street preacher look.

Maybe we should bring back hats in church?

Or, fellas, maybe you want to go with the bearded look.  There's a handy guide for Christian beard styles…

If we really want to know how Christians should look different, let’s go to the Word of God.

Matthew 5:14-16
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Jesus’ Fashion Advice
Jesus didn’t give much fashion advice.  He did talk about the Pharisees’ clothing once.  The Pharisees liked to dress in elaborate robes ornamented with boxes called phylacteries that held tiny scrolls of scripture.  They liked to be noticed and to look "holy," but Jesus warned they were like white washed tombs, beautiful on the outside but, on the inside, full of dead men's bones.

In the sixth chapter of Matthew, Jesus said you shouldn't worry about what you will wear; He said the lilies of the field are better clothed than anything King Solomon ever wore (and Solomon was the richest man who ever lived).

In Matthew 5:14, Jesus gives a few images of how we are to “look.”  It has more to do with our character, but it can affect the way we look too.  The images He uses are:  light, a city, and a shining lamp. 

Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit and have an inner light that shines. There’s something special about them that transcends clothing, age, or the world’s standards of beauty.  Our inner light leads us and even gives light to others, but in order for the light to shine, you have to open yourself up to the Holy Spirit. 

You have to listen to what the Spirit says and then obey—even if it's uncomfortable or challenging.  When you cooperate with the Spirit, you become more like Christ.

You can also give light to others.  Christians are called to be a witness.  Church members promise to support the church with their prayers, the presence, their gifts, their service, and their witness.  Being a witness means telling people what Jesus has done for you.  Even if you don't say anything, people see the way you live.  And if you let the Holy Spirit lead you, you will shine brightly and others will see.

There's something else about that shining inner light.  Jesus said it can't be hidden.  He said we shouldn't try to hide it any more than we would try to hide the light of a lamp. 

I'm so thankful I live in America—a land where we have the freedom to live as Christians.  It was quite dangerous for the earliest followers of Christ and it is still dangerous for many Christians who live in places like North Korea, China, Africa, and Pakistan today.  Many Christians have to worship in secret and try to keep their faith hidden.  Can you imagine the burden of that?  How do you keep your faith in Christ secret when it causes you to shine like a lamp or a city on a hill? 

I'm so glad Christians in America don't have to hide our light.  And I think we ought to try and shine as brightly as we can in honor and memory of those who didn't have this privilege.  How dare we disrespect those who suffer for Christ by taking our shining privileges for granted?

Christians Gather Together
I’ve never been a big city kind of person.  I think I’m truly a country man at heart.  I love the peace and quiet.  I like my privacy.  I don’t want to be right up on my neighbors.

But Jesus said Christians are like a city on a hill.  Cities are a place where lots and lots of people gathering together.  And that tells you something about how Christians look.  Christians gather together in groups. 

You can't have a city with just one person and there are no solitary Christians.  Christians must come together.  Think of the two most important ceremonies in the Christian Church.  The two sacraments Jesus commanded His followers to practice are Baptism and Communion.  You don’t practice either of them by yourself.  You get together with other believers to experience them. 

Christians look different because we are always gathering together with other to worship, to study, to serve, to grow, to hold one another accountable, and to just share life. 

Christians Have Scars
Last week, I shared I have this old truck I call "Dry Bones."  It used to be a dump truck.  They say farm trucks live a hard life, but the life of a dump truck is just brutal! 

You can see the scars from that tough life in the rust that covers Dry Bones.  But it's the rusty old worn-out look that I like most about Dry Bones. 
It reminds me so much of the Christian life.

Jesus comes to us when we are broken and beat down by the consequences of our sin.  He loves us, despite our ugliness, and He redeems us and gives us a new life.  That's what I think about when I see my Dry Bones truck.  It was just a worn out dump truck, discarded and forgotten, but I'm bringing it back to life and making it cool.  People stop me all the time and tell me, "Man, I really love that old truck."  And they love it, not because it's shiny and new.  They love it because it’s rusty and worn-out.

Dry Bones is a good picture for how Christians look different.  Christians have scars.  Even Jesus had scars.  In fact, the risen Christ often showed people His scars to prove it was really Him.  "Look," He would say, "Here are the scars where the nails pierced my hands.  Here is where the spear pierced my side."  Jesus scars are not an ugly thing anymore.  Now, they are a badge of honor that shows what He did for us--how much He loves us.  

Christians have scares too—scars inflicted by the sins of others and some we caused ourselves.  But a scar is not a live wound.  It is a wound that has healed.  And if Jesus is healing you (that’s who Christians are—people Christ has healed and/or is healing)—you will have the scars to prove it. 

And your scars aren't an ugly thing; they are a badge of honor that glorifies God and shows what Christ has done for you.  Don't be afraid to show your scars—to say, "Here.  Here is where Christ healed me from sin."  Our scars tell our story.

Two More Scriptures for Christian Fashion
Before I close, let me share a couple more scriptures about how Christians should dress.

Luke 12:35 – Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast.

1 Peter 5:5 – And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

So, be dressed for service and dress yourself in humility.  That's your Christians fashion advice. 

Conclusion
Remember, God chose you long ago to be different, to be holy.   God chose you to think different, act different, and to look different. 

You should be like a city on a hill, shining for all the world to see so they may glorify God. 
Are you ready to look different?

Act Different | A Sermon on Ephesians 4:13-32

Introduction
Long ago, God chose you to be Holy and different—to think different and to act different.  Thoughts and actions go hand in hand.  The way you think changes the way you act.  But sometimes, the way you act can change the way you think. 

Today, I want to share how God's Holy people should act different than the rest of the world.  Listen to what the Word of God says. 

Ephesians 4:17-32
¹⁷ With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. ¹⁸ Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. ¹⁹ They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

²⁰ But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. ²¹ Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, ²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. ²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. ²⁴ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

²⁵ So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. ²⁶ And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

²⁸ If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. ²⁹ Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

³⁰ And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. ³² Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Characteristics of the Ungodly
Our passage lists some characteristics of ungodly people.  It uses the word "Gentiles", but in the context Gentile means anyone who doesn't follow Jesus.  Gentiles are the ungodly and the passage begins saying they have dark minds.

Our world is full of senseless violence.  We see it too often in mass shootings in our times.  We don't understand why someone would do such a thing.  Whether it’s a terrorism, hate, or just a mental illness, it’s clear these acts come from a dark mind. 

We say, "How can anyone do something like that?  I would never do that!"  We don’t understand, but know this:  the same darkness lurks in every human heart.  We are sinful, fallen creatures.  We may never pick up a gun and shoot someone, but we do other things that hurt people because we are broken inside.  Christians are those who admit we are broken beyond repair and desperately need Jesus to heal us and save us. 

The ungodly have a dark mind and hard hearts and they have closed their minds to God.  They refuse to let Him be Lord and continue to seek their own selfish designs.  Ephesians says they have no sense of shame, live for pleasure, and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

Paul’s not just saying how bad the ungodly are.  His point is:  that’s how bad we all are without God.  That's how we all used to be before Christ saved us.  But now, Christians shouldn’t be like that anymore. We should be different.

Christians Act Different
Ephesians tells how Christians should to act different.  Christians are to stop telling lies.  We have to be honest with each other, even when the truth is awkward or difficult or goes against generally accepted beliefs.

And the passage says, "Don’t let anger control you.”  Notice, it doesn’t say don’t get angry.  It says don’t let your anger control you.  Anger is a natural emotion—especially in the face of evil and injustice, like when someone murders innocent children.  Anger can motivate you to act when you need to act, but don't let anger control you.  Don't lose you temper and let anger make you do or say something you shouldn't.

And the passage says, “quit stealing.”  Work hard and give.  Notice, it's not enough to just stop stealing.  Christians act different by going even further and being generous, which is actually the opposite of stealing.

Christians should be different because we don’t use foul or abusive language.  Now, if you've grown up in church or among polite people, you might nod your head in agreement.  Don't cuss.  But Christian differentness is so much more than just refraining from profanity. 

“Dry Bones” Truck
I have an old F350 rat rod pickup truck I call "Dry Bones."  A few years ago, I was on my way to a car show.  I stopped by a hardware store to pick up something to shine the tires (The tires are the only thing on the truck capable of shining.)

Anyway, as I checked out, the cashier asked if that was my truck outside.  "Yes ma'am," I said. 

"Do you mind if I come out and take a look at it?"
"Sure." I said and we went out and she looked it over.  She immediately exclaimed, "Man!  That's cool as heck!"  (Only, she didn't say heck.)

So we were walking around it and got to the back tailgate where there is this big wooden cross and she repeated, "Man! That is cool as heck!"  (Only she didn't say heck.) 

Then she looked over at me and saw I was wearing a Christian t-shirt and a cross necklace.  
And she said, "And your a Christian."  "Yes ma'am."
"And you go to church."  "Yes ma'am."
"And I just cussed in front of you."
And I said, "Yes ma'am, but don't you worry about it.  I'm not offended and God loves you."

I’m not too worried about that lady for her choice of words.  On the other hand, I knew of a Christian who was a member my church at that time who frequently made abusive remarks on Facebook about politicians she didn’t like.  The ironic thing is she considered herself an ultra-devout Christian.  In fact, she made some of her vicious comments because she thought being Christian meant she was supposed to.  The truth is, I think God is more disappointed in her vitriol than He is about the lady at Ace Hardware who used a 4-letter word to express her admiration of my truck.

Act different.  Speak life and hope as verse 29 says:  “…Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”  Verse 31 hints at what real foul language is.  It says, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.”

Ephesians 4:32
We have all acted like ungodly people at one time or another (Rm 3:23). However, the Word of God teaches us to let the Holy Spirit of God invade our hearts and change us so we act different.

Verse 32 says, “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”  Christians act different. We are kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving.  Some will say, "Yeah, but I know some non-Christians who are kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving."  The difference is why Christians act this way.  We are different because Jesus Christ acted that way toward us first.  Christ was kind and gracious to us even when we didn't deserve it.

Christians Act Different Because We Never Give Up
Good people will eventually run out of goodness.  Christians don't have to run out because our source of goodness is not us—it is beyond us; it is in our eternal Lord, Jesus. 

In Christ, there is always hope.  The symbol for Christianity is the cross.  The cross is not a decoration or piece of jewelry.   The cross is an instrument of torture and death.  Our Founder was crucified on it.  And everyone—including Jesus' closest followers—thought all hope was lost.  They saw him die and put in a tomb.  But then on the third day, Jesus rose from the grave.  

There is always hope!  And every time we look at a cross, we are reminded—the is always hope!  Never give up!  The Holy Spirit works within Christians to change us and make us act different.  You may have a long way to go, but you don’t have to change all at once.  Don’t be overwhelmed.  Remember, following Jesus is a journey.  You make it one step at a time.  

Don’t give up.  Let the Holy Spirit change you little by little, day by day, and soon you will start to look back and see just how far you’ve come.  Trust Jesus to take you from the person you are now to the person God wants you to be.

Are You Ready to Act Different?
Spend time talking to Jesus.  Is He your Lord?  Your all in all?  Is He the most important priority in your life?  

When Jesus is your all in all, you think different and act different.  When Jesus is your all in all, there is a fire down deep in your bones that drives you to love God and love your neighbor.  

You might get tired sometimes, but then the Lord fills you with new energy, and renewed drive, and bold courage, and relentless ambition, and Holy Ghost power, and Spiritual energy, and you go out and change the world! 

Following Jesus is a journey, and none of us has arrived yet.  But maybe today God is showing you a next step—something He wants to change in you, something you need to let go of, or some new way He is calling you to live.  You don’t have to have it all figured out, but spend some time praying to Jesus and say, “Lord, here I am. Keep changing me. Help me take my next step and act different.”

Think Different | A Sermon on Romans 12:1-3

Introduction
Long ago God chose you to be holy and different.  Have you ever noticed that all the heroes of the Bible were a little different?  Some might say, they were a little off or weird; they were definitely different.   

Noah built an ark out in the middle of dry land.  Can you imagine what his neighbors thought when he build the biggest boat they'd ever seen and there wasn't anywhere to sail it?  

Abraham took his only son up on top of Mt. Moriah to sacrifice him, because "God told him to."  That's just crazy!  

King David got so excited when he brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, he started dancing so hard and worshiping God his clothes came off.  He embarrassed his wife and she had to scold him for exposing himself and not being dignified like a king should be.  David was different; his heart was different.  He loved God more than his own dignity.  

The prophet Ezekiel ate a biblical scroll and said it tasted as sweet as honey!  That's different! 

Jesus was the most different of all.  He is the divine son of God.  If He was going to be born on earth, he should have been born in the most majestic palace or temple with the most important people in the world gathered around, but he did things different.  He decided to be born in a manger with cows and sheep and shepherds gathered around. 

The Son of God came to change the world and he had the power to do it all by himself, but he instead he chose 12 mortal men to help him do it.  I would have chose the 12 most gifted, smartest, powerful, influential people in the world to help me, but Jesus did something different.  Instead of picking the best and brightest, he pick a bunch of smelly fishermen, a Roman collaborator, and a terrorist determined to kill collaborators!  Peter was a bragger. Thomas was a doubter.  James and John were a manipulators. And Judas was a betrayer!

And instead of conquering His enemies by force, Jesus chose to be different—He let them crucify Him on a cross and He forgave them.  And then He said to His rag tag team of disciples, “Alright boys, you know what to do.  Go change the world.”  And today, Christianity is the largest religion on the face of the earth!  

Apparently God sees things different than we do and He has a thing for people who are different.  God wants you to be different! Don’t you want to be different?  

Romans 12:1-3 (Emphasis added)
¹And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. ² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

³ Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

God Chose You to Think Different
Let me first point out a few key insights about this passage that we need to hear.  First, don’t copy the world.  The world has a way of doing things and ideas about right and wrong, but we don't pattern ourselves after the world.  We should be different. 

The Amish people seem to take this verse to heart.  They very literally choose to be different and reject the innovations of modern society.  They dress in old-fashioned clothes, refuse to use TVs or cell phones, and even still ride in horse and buggies.  I admire their dedication to being different, but I don't think that's how God wants us to be different.  The passage says let God change the way you think.

We may dress like everyone else in the world, use modern technology, and do many similar things as everyone else, but God has changed the way we think.  And when you think different, you have a different attitude and you do things for a different reason and you will often act different.

And finally, I want to point out the passage says, "Don’t think you are better than anyone else—evaluate yourself honestly..."  I love the way the Word instructs us on this because it addresses two ends of the same spectrum. 

There are some people who are arrogant and conceited, who think they are "all that and a bag of chips."  To them the Word warns, "Don't think you are better than anyone else."  If you're full of pride or look down on others, you need to change the way you think. 

But there are others who struggle with low self-esteem.  And the Word addresses that too.  It says, "Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us." God made you and God doesn't make junk.  You are special.  God's fingerprints are all over you.  So let God change the way you think.

3 Ways We Need to Think Different:
I want to give you three ways we need to let God change the way we think.  First, stop thinking this world we see is all there is.  This world is an amazing place and it's full of wonders.  We are blessed to be able to enjoy this life, but there is more going on than just what we see.  In fact, this life in this world, is not what it's all about. 

We are tempted to think that because it's all we see right now.  However, the Word teaches us there is more.  There is a spiritual battle going on behind the scenes we can't even see.  Eternity hangs in the balance.  There is Life to come when this life is over.  And the rewards of this life aren't that important when measured in the scales of Eternity.  So, as the old hymn says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of of his glory and grace.”  Stop thinking this world, this life, is all there is.

Second, stop thinking this life is more important than the Life to come.  Since this current life is all we've known and is what's immediately pressing in upon us, we get so wrapped up in its joys and concerns.  Have you ever thought about this when we are praying about those who are sick?  Suppose we pray for someone who has terminal cancer and God miraculously, unexplainably heals them.  (The cancer was there one day and gone the next.)  We would praise God and be so happy! 

But what was really achieved?  That healing—at best—is only temporary.  Even if they live 40 or 50 more years without any other traces of cancer, they will still die.  Everyone in this life dies.  The True Healing comes when they are resurrected in Eternal Life.  And a million years from now, when we are praising God on that Golden Shore, no one will give a second thought to the few measly years we lived in this fallen world or the joys or sorrows we faced here.  All the things we spend so much time fretting over will then seem infinitely inconsequential. Romans 8:18 - “What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.”

Some would say: “Yeah, but I want glory in this life and in the future one."  Why do you deserve that?  Do you think you are any better than the saints that have gone before you?  Think of those saints who suffered and died for Christ. 

Think of Stephen in the book of Acts who was stoned to death simply because he preached about Jesus' death and resurrection.  What about the Disciple Peter who was crucified upside down or the Apostle Paul who was beheaded in Rome. 

Do you deserve more rewards in this life than those protestant reformers in the 1500s who worked so hard to help the Church return to true faith in Christ and received as their only reward in this world to be hanged, drawn and quartered, burned at the stake, or drowned—simply because they believed what God said in the Bible more than the Pope? 

We need to change the way we think.

And third, we need to stop thinking the rewards and consequences of what we do now are primarily realized in this life.  People ask, "Why do the wicked prosper?  Why do bad things happen to good people?" 

First of all, I would say who is really good?  The Bible says, "No one is good.  Not a single one." (paraphrase of Romans 3:10).  We might think of someone who is especially good, but that's only because we are comparing them to ourselves.  But if we place them next to a holy God, all their imperfections and sins are immediately clear and we see they are far from "good."  

Jesus said, "[God] sends rain on the just and the unjust alike" (Matthew 5:45).  And He also taught that we would have to wait until God's sorts out all the weeds from the wheat at the end of the age.  We have to accept that some things will not be settled in this life.  

Your faithfulness in this life may not be rewarded until you get to Heaven, but God will bring justice according to His perfect wisdom in eternity. 

Are You Ready to Think Different?
God has chosen you to be different.  1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.”

In the Bible, oil was used to set people apart for God’s purposes. So today, I want to invite you to come to the altar and be anointed with oil—not because there is anything magical about the oil, but as an outward sign of an inward commitment:  “Lord, I belong to You. Set me apart. Change the way I think, so I can live the life You have called me to live.”

After you are anointed, I’m going to give you a small vial of oil to take home. Let it remind you this week: I have been chosen. I have been set apart. I am called to think different, live different, and be different for Christ.  You can use this oil to anoint and pray for others.

 

Holy Different | A Sermon on 1 Peter 1:1-2

Introduction
I’m proud of all my kids.  They're all intelligent, independent, and successful.  They’ve never been afraid to be different, to be themselves.  My son Gavin graduated from High school 3^rd in his class.  He went to college and used to ride his bicycle from his dorm to his classes.  But two wheels got boring to him.  So he decided he wanted to learn to ride on one.  So he got a unicycle!  He's older now--28.  He decided to learn Vietnamese.  Why?  Because his girlfriend's family immigrated from Vietnam and he want to be able to speak to her mother.  

My middle child, Grace, is a talented creative.  She started singing solos in church when she was in Kindergarten and then with our praise band when she was 13.  Now that she's a young adult, she has sang with rock bands on stage, and I'm always proud to remember who she cut her teeth on performance in church.  She loves plants and birds and decided to go back to school recently to study horticulture.  

My youngest daughter is Abigail.  She also graduated 3rd in her class from high school.  She's a talented musician on a full ride scholarship to West Georgia College studying music education.  She can talk to anybody and loves everybody.  She is firm in her Christian faith, but has never shied away from making friends with people of all walks of life and loves to talk to people and understand their point of view, while always being firmly planted in her own beliefs.  

I've always been proud of their individualism.  They not afraid to be different.  And people like that have always impressed me.

Colonel Sanders was different.  He started his dream when he was 65 years old! He got a social security check for only $105 and was mad. Instead of complaining, he did something different.  He thought restaurant owners would love his fried chicken recipe, use it, and sales would increase, and he’d get a percentage of it. So, Sanders drove around the country knocking on doors, sleeping in his car, and wearing his white suit.  Can you imagine how strange people must have thought Sanders was?  They did.  His idea was rejected 1,009 times before someone finally said yes.  The rest is history.

1 Peter 1:1-2

¹This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.  I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. ² God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.  May God give you more and more grace and peace.

God Chose You!
Do you remember thos pickup games we used to play when we were kids?  Maybe it was kickball or touch-football.  Two captains would pick kids to be on their teams.  They always picked the most athletic kids first.  And you never wanted to be last.

Well, in this life, God chose you to be on His team. 

And He chose you long ago.  Abraham lived about 4,000 years ago when God chose him.  He told Abraham if he would life his homeland and go where God sent him, God would make him a father of many nations.  And Abraham chose to follow God.  

And we who follow Jesus are Abraham's spiritual descendants.  Over 4,000 years ago, God already knew He was going to choose you.  His choice has been in the works for at least 4,000 years.  So if God ever asks you to do something and you feel overwhelmed, like you're not up to the task.  Remember, God already knew He was going to choose you and help you do His will, millennia ago.  You can do it, with God's help.

God's Spirit has made you holy.  Holy means “set apart for the special, sacred purposes of God” – Not to be used for unholy purposes any more.

A communion chalice is just a fancy cup.  But you wouldn't use it to drink you morning coffee with breakfast.  It could, technically, do it.  But coffee is not that chalices intended purpose.  No, the communion chalice is set apart for a different, sacred purpose.  It was made to serve Holy Communion.

Likewise, you were set apart for a different, holy purpose by God.   When you are holy, you are different, not like the rest.

It's interesting to me that so many people have tattoos these days.  When I was a kid, it was unusual to see someone with a tattoo.  They were considered different.  (Now, I want to be clear--I don't have any problem with tattoos and I don't think God does either.)  These days, it seems everyone has a tattoo (it's actually 32 % according to a 2023 survey).  If you want to be different today, maybe it's not getting a tattoo that makes you different, but not getting one!

God doesn't want us to be like everyone else.  God wants us to be different.  Then we stand out as special.  When you are holy, you are special.  Perhaps you've known someone who was special, who was different, because of the way they walked with the Lord.  The loved people and were full of God's grace in ways that were different from most people.  People remember folks like that.  And they have a positive impact on people and the world.

·         When you are holy, you stand out--like a diamond.  Diamonds are so valuable because they sparkle.  And that's how God wants His people to be.  He wants us to sparkle and shine for Jesus.  Stop trying to blend in.  Be yourself--the unique, special, sparkling work of art God made you to be.

But some people might say, “I don’t want to be different…”  An interesting thing happens with most teenagers that causes their parents a lot of anxiety.  Doctors and psychologists tell us that teenagers are biologically engineered to start separating from their parents and create their own identity.  From the time they are babies to about the age of 13, most kids adore their parents and want to be just like them.  

Then they turn into teenagers and start to pull away.  All of a sudden, they stop admiring their parents and start thinking they are boring and old and uncool.  And parents often get frustrated because it feels like their teenagers are going off the deep end, rejecting everything they've worked so hard to teach them.  

This is natural, because teenagers are trying to establish their own identity apart from their parents.  They want to be individuals. It isn’t until teenagers mature a bit more, maybe in their twenties, that they truly find their own identity.  They stop trying to be like everyone else and discover it's ok to just be themselves.

Unfortunately, many people never grow out of the human desire to “fit in”.  Most people want to adhere to “social norms.”  We want to be in fashion; we want to "fit in" our community; we want to be accepted by everyone else.  Many still define themselves in relation to others.  Few ever stop to think what they really want without regards to what other people have.  Even fewer stop to think about what God really wants for them and trust that what He wants is really best.

I've always been a little bit nerdy and curious.  That's the way God made me.  I was at the beach on a family vacation a few years ago staring out at the ocean.  I thought, "I wonder how much salt is in that ocean water and if there's a way I could extract it out?"

So I got a empty gallon jug and filled it up with ocean water and went back to our condo.  I put the water in a pot on the stove and boiled it for over an hour until all the water was gone.  And in the bottom of the pan was about a half a cup of salt!  I was so proud of myself, I used some of it to season my dinner that evening when we got together with our extended family.  My brother-in-law looked at me and said, "Chris, I'm all about this DIY stuff you like to do.  But salt?  Really?  You're a wierdo!"

And I said, “Hallelujah!”  I own it!  I'm proud to be weird--to be different, to be the way God made me!

God wants us to be Different
Anybody can start a fast food restaurant, but Chick -fil-A founder Truitt Cathy said, “We should be about more than just selling chicken. We should be a part of our customers’ lives and the communities in which we serve.”  And that's what they do.  Not only do they make great chicken, they also help schools and churches and community groups.  And they take young employees and teach them skills and values that stay with them long after they go on to work in other companies--values that make the world a better place.  And when all other restaurants are open and working on Sunday, Chick-fil-A make a bold statement "We're different!" and they are closed on Sunday.

God wanted the Israel to be like that.  He gave them all kinds of weird laws about what food to eat and what cloth to wear and how to act.  And they were to rest on the Sabbath.  All the other nations around them would look at them and say, "Those are some weird people!"  And yes!  That's what God wanted!  God wanted Israel to be special, to stand out, so everyone would know they were His people and they would represent Him to the world.

In the New Testament, Jesus told us the most important way we would be different be in the way we love.  He said in John 13:35, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”  He even said His followers are to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them.  Now that's different!  And when Christians truly live this way, people take notice.  And many even want to follow Jesus themselves.

God Chose You, but Do You Choose God?
Long ago, God chose you to be holy.  How long will it be before you humble yourself, bow down, and choose to follow God?  When you choose God through faith in Jesus Christ, Peter says you, “have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.”  Then, you are holy and forgiven and you will have more grace and peace.  People will begin to see you are Holy Different and you will live a Holy and Different life, a better life, and you will have eternal life.  And you will know you are loved.  And you will love people like Jesus loves.  

Are you ready? If you are, turn from your sins and follow Jesus and let Him make you Holy Different today!