Sermon 96
Sermon by Jane Scott-Thompson at Wonersh on 9th September 2007.
Distinctive Christian Living
This evening, we’re starting a new sermon series,
the Distinctive Christian Life. It’s intended to be very practical, about how
we live out our faith in a way that is distinctive and different from the way
the world around us lives. Over the next few weeks we’ll be seeing what the
Bible says about subjects such as Service in a world that looks after number
one, Contentment in a world that never has enough, Purity in a world obsessed
with sex, Certainty in a world in which everything is relative, Holiness in a
world where anything goes, and Wholeheartedness in a world that can’t be
bothered. The first in the series, tonight, is “Perspective in a world that
lives for the moment.”
Ok, let’s look at the passage which was read to us, page 1198:
Paul is writing to Titus, a young church leader, telling him what to teach the
church in
Why should we, in the 21st century, take notice of how
Christians were told to live in the 1st century? I think we should
take notice, because there are similarities in society then and now. In
So, what on earth has that got to do with our sermon title? Perspective in a world that lives for the moment?
Isn’t perspective more to do with drawing pictures, how you make a landscape
look real, with hills and valleys on a flat piece of paper? Yes, that’s part of
it, but then we have to exercise our brains, and think how that concept of
perspective applies to spiritual or moral issues. Let’s think about the Sermon
on the Mount, where Jesus says “Do not store up for yourselves
treasures on earth… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What’s your
spiritual perspective? Are you focussed just on living for now, having fun,
pleasing yourself, or are you trying to live God’s way, store up treasure in
heaven?
How do we do that? By keeping Jesus
at the centre of our lives, by asking ourselves “What would Jesus do?” in the
situations we’re involved in from day to day. Paul tells the Colossians “set
your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For
you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ,
who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory”. The
Bible gives us an eternal perspective. As Christians, we are called to
be different, our vision should not be limited to the
present.
Perspective is all about taking the long view. In the world, especially
the financial world, many are desperate for a quick profit. Jesus, on the other
hand, is offering us a long-term investment that lasts.
The challenge for us, is how on earth do
we put this teaching into practice, without becoming a goody-goody or a
spoil-sport. The clue is in the last paragraph of the chapter, verses 11 to 14.
Look at verse 11; it’s God’s grace, His free
gift to us, that brings salvation and eternal life. Our salvation is not
earned by keeping rules. Instead, because of God’s great gift to us, and
verse 13, ‘our blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our Saviour’,
because of that, we want to live in a way that pleases Jesus, ‘who gave
Himself for us’ (verse 14).
In his commentary, Tom Wright
says Jesus’ life, death and resurrection were how God’s generous and powerful
love, i.e. grace, was shown for the benefit of all the
human race. The future has been unveiled, and everything looks different: now
we have caught a glimpse of this new world created by God’s love, we can see
how to live in the present, whilst anticipating that wonderful future of
eternal life with our Lord Jesus.
So does this all sound much too hard? Look again at verse 14.
Quoting Tom Wright again, “Jesus isn’t telling us to live in an
impossible way. He is welcoming us into a way of life for which He
has set us free.”
The world’s view is about living for the moment, having a good time,
ignoring rules and regulations if they’re inconvenient, partying, getting drunk,
etc. The Christian view is focussed on the forgiveness that Christ has won for
us on the Cross, the freedom that He gives - not external laws, but the Holy
Spirit’s power working within us – and that’s so good, that for us, leading a
friend to faith in Christ or good Spirit-filled worship can be just as exciting
as the best champagne celebration. If you’ve always wondered why Paul said “do
not get drunk on wine, instead be filled with the Spirit”, then try asking God
to fill you more ….. and more, and more…. until you are
drunk with His Holy Spirit!
Think back to what Jesus said, in John 10:10: “I came that they may have
life, and have it abundantly”. From my Daily readings on Friday,
I noted these phrases: Romans 12:12, rejoice in
your hope. Colossians 1:5, the hope laid up for you in heaven.
Philippians 4:4, rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say
rejoice. Romans 15:13, May the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may
abound in hope.
Isn’t that the clue, the power of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit
of Jesus coming to dwell in us when we give our lives to Him?
Surely this abundant life is too good to keep to ourselves? Or if it’s not
good enough to share, perhaps we should be asking ourselves why not, and
what can we do about it?
One thing we can do is to ask God to fill us again
with the Spirit of Jesus, His Spirit of power, and love and self-control. Let’s
ask God to give us the confidence, the excitement and the passion to share our faith.
Jesus promised His disciples “you will receive power when the Holy
Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses”. That word power comes
from the Greek dunamis which also gives us the words
dynamite, dynamic, etc. Jesus told His friends to “go and make disciples”.
Another thing we can do, harness that dynamism, ask our friends to come
with us to Alpha – phone them tonight, see them tomorrow, then call
us to make sure there’s enough food! The introductory, taster, session is this
Wednesday, only 3 days away. Don’t just sit on the sidelines watching others do
the work: Come and get excited as you see people meet Jesus. I promise you, your
faith will grow too, if you get involved. There’s no need to commit to the
whole course, just come with an open mind, and try the first 2-3 sessions. And
if you can’t come to the course, you can pray, you can wash up, you can cook,
you can baby-sit, you can pray some more – and if everyone does just one
thing, once, then we can all share the fun!
A challenge as I finish: As you share the Peace in
a moment, ask your friends here to pray for the person you’re going to invite,
or to pray for you as you help behind the scenes, and offer to pray for them in
what they’re doing.
Let’s pray.
Father God, please fill us again with your Holy Spirit of love. Fill us
up to overflowing, pressed down and running over, Your
love pouring out to those around us. May Your love
empower us to live godly lives that draw others to You, lives that bring glory
to Your Name.
Amen.