Church and Culture #4: Living in a Pluralistic World

You can’t serve 2 masters

and yet that is exactly the world that we live in as world that says I don’t care if you worship God, we aren’t interested in who you say your masters is you must not show were your true allegiances lie.

and as we’ve been learning our mandate is to be IN the world. to be participants in it.... we were not called to run or shy away from the world, but instead to be agents of action and change within it. We were called to go OUT into THIS VERY worlds and preach the gospel!

and I’m sure that Jesus couldn’t have possibly known what the world was going to be like… he couldn’t possible have known that we would be living in a world that has pushed him completely out.

A world that doesn’t allow him at work

or at schools

or in government (you all voting last week right?)

He couldn’t have meant that we were supposed to do this in a world where if you mention his name in public you are generally shunned. or called names, like intolerant, or bigot, or many other worse.

I mean he couldn’t have meant that we need to go out into THIS world… right?

But it’s not like the world has no room for any religion...

It’s a big house with no room for us.

If you’re sheikh or Hindu… that seems to be ok… we’ve got room for that, in the name of inclusiveness.

If you’re Agnostic or Atheist… well now a days the more Atheist the better really...

If you’re a spiritualist, or Buddhist, or Bahia or one of the exotic eastern sounding ones… those are cool.

And of course if you subscribe to any of the many “alternative lifestyles....” of your LGBT or Polyamourous or any number of things.. there's plenty of room for you.

And if this is sounding a little depressing it should.... because there seems to be room in the world these days for everyone BUT Christians.

the world is a big house and it seems that we’re the only ones left out!

We were (and are) a bad guest

If we take the analogy of the big house a step further.... We used to be in the house. in fact we used to be its main guest....

But this thing is we were and in many case still are a bad guest.... we kinda took over the house. we told the occupants that if they didn’t believe like us that THEY should get out.

We abused them

The ridiculed them

we call them all sorts of names

and we authorized anyone in the house that didn't immediately agree with us

We told them that they were going to go to hell and that we would one day own the house!

we went into all the rooms and told them how wrong they were for doing the things they did.

we went into their kitchen and tried to tell the how to eat.

Instead of coming into the house and guiding them gently. We pushed open the door and chided them them for how they were living!

and so they kicked us out!.... and it’s no wonder.

and i’m not really speaking metaphorically...

This society that we live in is our home.. and by and large we have been awful guests in it.

We have chided for their sins while forgetting that we are sinners ourselves.

We have pushed out beliefs on all regardless of if they were ready or willing

We have poured absolute HATE on people. called them all sorts of awful names. rejected and despised them because of their lifestyles

We have condemned whole people groups

and said it was in the name of Jesus… and then we sat back and wondered Why? Why do they not want us? why don’t they respond to this loving God that we know? why do they push us away?

It’s because we haven't learned to live in this world....

But there’s good news

The Good news is that it’s never to late to turn the titanic around! we can learn to live in this world in this culture and do it in such a way that we neither compromise our Christian Values Nor become the kind of people that other people dont like.

And we’ve got a great example in the bible!

Any guesses who?

Wrong! it is Daniel! Daniel 1:1-21

Daniel 1:1–21 NKJV

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god. Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king.” So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.” So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days. And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm. Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.

We Live in Daniels World

The world that Daniel lived in had plenty of room for a lot of things… it had room for a myriad of gods, and deities. It had room for a ton of differing world views. but the one this it didn’t have room for was the true God.

So here we Have Daniel a devote man of Judah and he’s thrust into this world where he was meant to eat things God had forbidden, and do things God had forbidden them to do. He was suddenly surrounded by those who practiced witchcraft and sorcery, and all manner of other things contrary to the commands of God.

and not only where these thing common place but they were also absolutely accepted and acceptable!

So whats a good Israelite to do?

I know what the pharisees would have done:

The would have rebuked the king and and the people/ They would have told the kind and people how sinful they we’re. they probably would have created an underground network and worked to bring down the king. They would have resisted, and they likely would have ended up dead.... but at the very least they would have ended up ineffective witnesses of the God they served.

But look at what Daniel did. no fighting, no rebuking no resistance… but also no compromise.

Look at Verse 8 Daniel 1:8

Daniel 1:8 NKJV

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

no big fan fair. no proclamation from the castle wall. no stiring speech. and no condemnation of what the others were doing… this was simply I WILL NOT COMPROMISE MYSELF!

you also see in this that Daniel was compassionate to the plight of others. Look at the chief of the eunuchs it was his job to make sure that these people were taken care of and it could literally mean his life if one of the people under his care showed up looking unfit, or pale, or not as “good looking” as originally… remember Nebuchadnezzar chose people based on their looks… so this was a big deal. But notice that Daniel showed love, kindness and understanding to this man. instead of demanding that his diet be change.... or going on a hunger strike or refusing to cooperate with him until his demands where met. he responded with a resonable propsal found in Daniel 1:11-13

Daniel 1:11–13 NKJV

So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.”

see reasonable, and faced with a reasonable request the chief of the eunichs responded in kind with reason and allowed the testing.

See look at this...

God was able to work through this situation and show HIMSELF grand because Daniel wasn’t doing or trying to do Gods Job.

Is judgement our job? no!

is chastising our job? no!

WE have ONE. SIMPLE. JOB.

Love your neighbor… that’s what Daniel did and God was able to show himself through that situation.

Could you imagine a World....

could you imagine a world where Christians and Atheist get a long… and can have rational conversations? there would probably be fewer Atheist.

could you imagine a world where Christians could sit down and with kindness and caring show understanding to those int he LGBT community? there would probably be fewer LGBT

Could you imagine a world where Christians all over the globe powerfully and simply followed the 2 greatest commandments?

Love your God

and Love your neighbors as yourself

There would probably be more Christians!

In my job as a photographer I have to deal with all sorts of people… and legally I don’t get the option to say no I won’t do a photo shoot with you for any reason (other than if they cannot pay). and one day I was asked to do a photo shoot for a person who I found out was trans gendered....

Whats my point?

MY point is this… in a world where multiple points of view are present and accepted

In a world where it’s were speaking against someones beliefs is taboo

In a world were reason has flown right out the window

Our job as Christians isn’t to be the loudest voice in the crowd. yelling at the top of our lungs about how awful and wrong, and sinful the other points of view are!

Our Job isn’t to be the harshest voice to show the world how right we are and how wrong they are.

We can be reasonable like Daniel

We can show the world the reasonable rational discourse is still possible

We can show the world that it’s not necessary to take offence to every disagreement.

We can be one of the most power things in the world… a Still small voice

remember what God taught the prophet Elijah? in 1 Kings 19:11-14

1 Kings 19:11–13 NKJV

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

What is God trying to teach us here? and I know I can go on a whole other sermon on just this passage… but let me draw this one lesson out

Where does our power come from?

Does our power come from how loud we pray?

Does our power come from how often we argue with non believers?

Does our power come from the fervor with which we fight against the sinful nature of others?

NO!

True power does not come from how strong one is nor how fierce.

True power comes simply from from god himself… and the God who created the heavens, the earth, the entire universe and everything contained in it. Does not need to yell to be heard!

God could have Roared at Elijah in the wind or shaken him with the earth shattering power of his might.... But he didn’t… he simply quietly whispered to him

“here I am”

Can we take an example from that? our fighting against the world isn’t getting us anywhere. and in fact we’re loosing the battle because we’re fighting a battle that wasn’t ours to begin with.

The battle belongs to the LORD!

our job isn’t to fight the LGBT community into understanding their sinfulness… that's God’s Job.

Our job isn’t to Protest the removal of Prayer from the schools...

Our job is to be the voice of reason...

Our job, is to be that still quiet voice… because if we truly have the power of God within us. then just like God didn’t need to yell at Elijah… we don’t need to yell at the world.

Look at Daniel back in our passage...

No yelling. no protesting… he was simple and he was reasonable.

“Test us” he said… and if I can teach just one thing and hope that it sticks tonight it would be this.

The World Is Testing Us

and we are failing the test.

Look at Daniel...

He knew that the chief Eunuch was taking a chance. so he showed him compassion and made a reasonable request:

Test us for 10 days… see what we look like and act like after those 10 days and then judge for yourself...

and by being reasonable he was able to show how God can work

Look at what we are doing in the world...

weve stopped being the reasonable ones, and we have to get back to that.

We cannot be the ones protesting and arguing and chiding and rebuking and railing against the world!

We can’t!

this is the world that God has given to us we read in Genesis that it is our to have dominion over… does the master fight with his servant?

Does the owner demolish his own house? No?

The good master guides his servants. converses with them and looks out for their well being.

The good owner. cares for his home. polishing it and showing off its best attributes

We need to treat the world we live in just like that.

We need to care for it not fight it.

we need to love its people, not show hate to them

We need to be the voice of reason, in a world where reason has left

We need to say to the world “test us your servants...”

and then we have to do the scariest thing… we need to get out of the way and let God be God.

because when we are humble. I promise God will show himself mighty

When we show Love people will learn that God is loving

When we show compassion they will learn that God is compassionate.

I was reading an article about how the church is creating Athiests. and someone commented on it and I want to share what she said because its what you will hear alot from those outside of the church (this is a direct quote so I apoologize for the grammar and the language.:

Over the years, a number of different people from a number of walks of life have (in some manner) asked me why I don't belong to or follow any one specific religion.

It's because of the hipocrisy I encounter every single time, without fail. (And other times just outright hate or other things.) Every time someone preaching whatever religion (there has been more than one religion preached at me) to me and trying to build up how great it is, every single time they say stuff like how they accept everybody and give love to everybody from all walks of life, blah blah blah. Then, in the same breath-without fail- they always say, "Oh but these people are awful, these people are evil, these ones will go to hell..." when they had JUST finished saying how they were accepting of those people.

Every single time.

And there have been other nasty/unpleasant things I have observed over time...and I just don't want any part of it.

I have noticed, from my outside perspective, that the basics of all religions are things like love, helping people, being a decent human being overall, etc etc. I have also noticed that human beings like to get in there and twist this stuff around to fit whatever their own agendas are.

So, I just cherry-pick the good things I see from the different religions themselves, create my own personal philosophy, and I try to stay the hell away from all the other BS that humans have put into it.

The Lesson here is that the owrld is looking at us.. Like the chief Eunuch they are testing us… not by our words.... by our ability to fight and protest… but by our ability to do what we preach

IF we want to get along in a pluralistic world.. the formula is simple:

When you say God is loving… be loving too

When you say God is compassionate and understanding. Be understanding and compassionate too

When you say God accepts you as you are… accept them as they are too.

Instead of fighting the good fight.

Be still… not know that He is God.