A Resilient Faith: An Active Faith

Story Commentary - we are not persecuted - we are ignored, mocked; discredited

1. North Korea 2. Afghanistan 3. Somalia 4. Libya 5. Pakistan 6. Sudan 7. Yemen 8. Iran (Iraq used to be on this list)

Theme: We aren’t all persecuted, but we all suffer.Which one of these apply to you?

Abuse, violence, bullying; verbal abuse; sickness, injury, disappointment

Sermon Intro: Even when we are hurting, we can still have an faith.

hospital: frustrated bc can’t do what you used to do; e.g. Wasn’t just the walking, lifting; it was the preparing meals, visiting the sick; serving the homeless - IF YOU ARE GOING TO COMPLAIN, THAT’S THE WAY TO DO IT

2 Things we can always do. 2 ways we can always have an active faith;

be holy and 2) love people

these are not simple concepts; if they were I would’t be preaching about them;

we don’t understand them and we don’t practice them

We have the greatest announcement ever made, we undermine it, bore people, blend; we are ignored by the world (wait until the end - do my best to drive this point home)

Be holy!

What does the word holy mean?

“Holier than thou.”

1 Peter 1:14–15 NIV

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;

Moral purity? Checking off the boxes. Being as good as we can. Resisting sin and temptation. - part of it, but the bigger meaning it means set apart

sacred: space; that is sacred - not ordinary; picture; not just similar, but a noticeable different; special purpose; the kind of difference that requires no label, little explanation;

we are set apart from the ordinary; we do not blend; we do not require a label; disciples do not require a huge label; sneak it into the conversation; because we are set apart

How can we be holy

challenge you one specific way: do not blend with the political discourse of this day

I didn’t say don’t be politically engaged, but don’t imitate the way it’s done today

sick of me saying that? I won’t mention things that I don’t think are necessary for me to talk about.

another week of scrolling down facebook flooded candidate signs, followed by - comments, debates, complaints; blend in with the rest.

Facebook - candidate you support v. how the Gospel transformed you! (hammer this down at the conclusion)

2. Love People

Goes from a call to holiness to show what holiness can look like:

1 Peter 1:22 NIV

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

if you are holy, you will love one another; this is one huge example of what holy looks like;

How we love one another - the biggest attraction to a church and the biggest repellant; church is a family: the kind where you look forward to seeing, or a dysfunctional one that you go out of obligation (e.g. family reunion)

do you have that person in the family? Are you that person

“there’s no point arguing politics specially on facebook. all it does is make people mad. People are going to vote for who they want.” are we loving people by our speech?

a contradiction: serving the homeless but angry with our church family

Getting to the Gospel

We have to be holy (don’t blend) and we have to love one another (a powerful tool of healing or destruction)

Gospel means good news, news that has been verbally announced

No newspapers, heralds

One who proclaims a message or paves the way for a promised event. In Scripture both angels and human beings are employed as heralds, and on occasions even specific events may herald future happenings.

Doctrine, laws? Good news of something that has happened, an event, a change

Good news for those who aren’t good enough...

John 13:35 NIV

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Gospel is good news in a Culture of shame

Bible times singleness childlessness, foreigners inferior; life of sin

you were labeled with shame

People carry a label of shame

cant afford the latest fashion, nicer home

women today have eating disorder

If I’m so wonderful, why am I still single?

status come with salary figure

Every culture has values that oppress certain groups of people

Good News? Gospel? - one way to describe the Gospel: who cares what people think?

In Christ God finds me beautiful / who cares what people think

new status: the family of God

our past: we are forgiven

our income: good news for the poor

words will always hurt, but: Fewer comments will anger you, shame you; fewer comments will assess your worth

because the Gospel says we are released from shame; free from

That is good, great, liberating, healing news but it requires:

1) Holy living. Living in a way so different - noticeable exception; we are transformed by the Gospel, not a people affiiated with a political party

2) Love one another - intentionally- a way that transforms, heals, encourages; notices the invisible

Let’s be holy - be different - let’s love passionately: preserve our witness rather than undermine it