It's too hard to be a Christian!
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Intro:
Good morning Church Online. Thanks for joining us.
Recently I’ve been thinking, “It’s really hard to be a Christian.” I don’t know if it’s connected to all the changes COVID has brought about. Or, maybe it’s the reality of trying to live faithfully to Jesus, in a world that in many ways is opposed to that. Honestly, it’s a crazy time to be a Christian.
Now, I know. I’m speaking as an American Christian, living in the beautiful town of Glastonbury, during a time when technology has made it so EASY to access solid Bible-based resources. I’m not living in third-world poverty. I’m not living under heavy persecution. I don’t fear for my life as a follower of Jesus like many of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. So, saying, “It’s hard to be a Christian or it’s a crazy time to be a Christian” is relative to the context. Nevertheless, I still believe it’s a challenging time to be Christian.
For example, while I may not fear physical persecution living for Jesus (at least for now), there is still a very real sense of being rejected by others when they discover you’re a committed follower of Christ.
There’s also another kind of rejection, that is somewhat limited to our current world. While technology has been a blessing in many ways, it’s also a huge distraction. Additionally, it’s led to increased busyness. And in this world, it’s easy to be distracted by the glamour of the world instead of focusing on the glory of Christ. And honestly, as a pastor whose responsibility is to disciple people (teach people) to follow Christ, many times rejection is a normal reality because people are too busy for that kind of Jesus-stuff.
Let me insert this prophetic verse as well...
For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
While I’m sure every generation in church history believed this verse rightfully spoke to their time, I believe it really speaks to ours! Like never before, we live in a world where truth is relative. Personal opinions, based on feelings and non-absolutes, are held up as truths (that can’t be challenged) - which is kinda strange being that all of a sudden the truth of no absolutes becomes an absolute truth. Anyways, my point is… our faith (biblical Christianity) is built on absolute truth - God’s word - like...
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
That’s an absolute. But we live in a world that generally doesn’t accept absolutes, especially when they come from God’s word - they REJECT that. And that makes being a bible-believing Christian… HARD.
And not only that… this sort of “personal preference as king” has slipped its way into the church. While the Word of God calls the church to unity (based on God’s word - that doesn’t mean we don’t divide from false teachers on essential things), but many times we’re attacked by friendly-fire, our brothers and sisters in Christ, not because of essential things, but personal preferences...
For example...
To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
Look, every Bible-believing Christian acknowledges this is a biblical way to live for Christ… but try ACTUALLY living this out and see what happens. Cuz typically, what ACTUALLY happens is church-people get mad because this principle requires doing things “differently” (not unbiblically) than what they are used to or prefer. The church attacked the great missionary to China, Hudson Taylor, because he dressed like Chinese people to reach Chinese people, because that was too different.
So, putting all these things together can make you think, “It’s too hard to be a Christian. Like, I can’t win!” And that’s the title of today’s sermon. I’m taking a one-week pause from our time in Philippians to speak from my heart… I hope that’s okay.
… But as I was thinking about how hard it is to be a Christian, I was reminded of the words of the prophet Micah...
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.
And as I reflected on this, I started thinking… “If this is what God wants from me, this doesn’t sound hard. It sounds simple.” And I was encouraged! I felt as if I received a cold glass of water on a hot day. I felt new strength fill my body. My heart felt refreshed. And so, I wanted to take a few moments to break down this passage together, so together, we can see that “being a Christian isn’t too hard.”
Last week, our worship leader Jon preached on the life of King Jehoshaphat. Well, the prophet Micah lived a few generations later. And during that time, people were not following God. And it seems like some complained “it was too hard to follow Him.”
And God hearing them replied...
“O my people, what have I done to you?
What have I done to make you tired of me?
Answer me!
For I brought you out of Egypt
and redeemed you from slavery.
I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to help you.
Don’t you remember, my people,
how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed
and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead?
And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal,
when I, the Lord, did everything I could
to teach you about my faithfulness.”
God’s like, “What are you talking about? What have I asked from you that’s too hard?” Because actually, God’s like, “I’ve done all the heavy lifting! I’ve done all the work!”
He says...
“I miraculously saved you when you were slaves to the most powerful kingdom in the world. You didn’t do anything. I did it.
Then, I gave you leaders (like Moses) to help teach you how to follow me.
And I protected you! When King Balak asked Balaam the prophet to curse you, I made him bless you instead.
And I even gave you the Promised land where I poured out my blessings on you.
So, what part of that was too hard for you?”
And then, the Micah, maybe anticipating the response of Israel, says...
What can we bring to the Lord?
Should we bring him burnt offerings?
Should we bow before God Most High
with offerings of yearling calves?
Should we offer him thousands of rams
and ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Should we sacrifice our firstborn children
to pay for our sins?
I mean… God did institute a system of sacrificial offerings as a way for them to have relationship with him. Maybe the people were like, “All these offerings!!! You expect too much! It costs too much!!!” But what Micah’s really saying is, “Does God really require all of this in order to follow Him? Does He want a thousand rams, ten thousand rivers of olive oil, or even the sacrifice of our firstborn son?”
The answer is “No!”
So... what does God really want from us? What’s required to follow God?
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.
Again, that’s not too hard. That’s simple. And… guess what: Even though this was spoken to Israel thousands of years ago, I believe it’s still instructive to us today, for how we can follow Jesus!
Let me show you why we can believe this:
It’s very likely Micah’s words, inspired by the Holy Spirit, are repeating Moses’s teaching to Israel on how to follow God...
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?
… But here’s the thing, this also sounds very similar to what Jesus (who is God) said about follow God… [Someone asked Jesus]
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Therefore, considering these passages, and other passages like...
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
I believe Micah 6:8 is for us today! It’s teaching us what God expects from us today, just as it did for Israel thousands of years ago...
Therefore, let’s break down this passage to better understand what it means; and in doing so, let’s make it simple because it really is...
So, the first phrase says, “to do what is right”… How do we simply follow God? Just do what God says.
Now, why does this feel like one of those things that are easier said than done? Is it because it’s not that simple? Maybe. But it’s more likely because of our indwelling sin. That part of our nature that loves to do what we want to do, instead of what God wants, regardless of the consequences.
There’s a war going on inside of us...
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
That’s what it feels more difficult.
Therefore, in order to simply follow God by “doing what is right,” we need to first repent. That’s the hard part for us.
We need to turn away from our sin.
We need to see what God says.
Then, look at our lives.
And if we are living in a way that does not line up with God’s heart and will, we need to acknowledge we are wrong (that we are sinning), and then walk in the opposite direction (repent).
I love the way Paul teaches his friend Titus this principle:
For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God,
In other words, the way to follow God is by, “Saying NO to sin, and YES to Jesus.” Simple. The reason it’s difficult is because by nature we like to, “Say YES to sin, and NO to Jesus.” Or… and here’s where it gets real tricky… “We say YES to sin and YES to Jesus.” And when that’s the case, it truly feels difficult to follow Jesus because we’re essentially trying to walk in two different directions at the same time!
The question then becomes, “How do we know what Jesus is saying, so we can say YES to the right things? Again, simple: READ GOD’S WORD (THE BIBLE)!
God’s word will tell us what is right. So, what we read, we should do. Simple.
You might be saying, “That’s too simple.” Is it? Jesus, the strongest man in history (in every regard) fought the devil by the Word of God. Read Matthew chapter 4. And guess who won. Jesus. That’s instructive to us. If we want to do what is right, obey what you read.
If you don’t know where to start (because the Bible can be an intimidating book), start by doing a YouVersion Reading Plan or watching a RightNow Media Bible study (watching/listening counts just as much as reading!). These are tools what we highly recommend at TRC! And if you need help getting started with those, reach out to us.
Okay, what else is required of us? The second phrase says, “to love mercy.” What does that mean?
The Hebrew word used here is “hesed.” I love that word. It can refer to faithfulness. It’s a word used to describe Ruth - one of my favorite Bible heroes. And in this passage, there is a sense that God calls us to be faithful to Him and people we’re in relationship with. Put another way, it means “be kind to people.” Simple.
But the Hebrew word truly refers to “mercy” as well. And mercy has two basic biblical definitions:
The “legal” definition is to “not give someone what they deserve.” For example, if someone deserves to be punished, mercy withholds that punishment.” God not sending us to straight to hell for our sins is mercy.
There is also a “salvation” definition. Mercy can describe God’s lovingkindness that steps into our broken mess to save us.
Both definitions are helpful in teaching us how to follow Jesus. God simply asks us to love when He shows mercy to people. When He doesn’t pour out well-deserved wrath, but instead patiently saves people - we love it!
He also wants us to willingly step into people’s messes. To love being merciful people! He’s not asking us to change people’s hearts and minds in those situations. That’s too hard. Only God can do that. Rather, that we’d enter into broken and messy situations to point people to Jesus.
Finally, God requires us to “walk humbly with our God.” The specific Hebrew word used for “humbly” here is only used once in the Old Testament. And it refers to living with “carefulness and thoughtfulness.”
It’s similar to what Paul teaches in Philippians. After talking about living with humility, he adds...
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
If you remember, the word for “fear” means to be aware of your ability to self-destruct - understanding that, if left to our own devices, we will ruin our lives. The word “trembling” means to “carefully pay attention to doing what is right.”
How do we “walk humbly with God?” Simple: We understand that we NEED God’s help to do what is right, because left to our own strength, we’ll self-destruct.
What’s required of me to follow Jesus:
If I’m fighting sin and addiction in my life - You say, “I need God’s help.” [Say it with me]
Battling unhealthy thinking - You say, “I need God’s help.”
Budgeting my checkbook - “I need God’s help.”
Trying to lose weight - “I need God’s help.”
Raising our kids - “I need God’s help.”
Even studying for a math test, training for a marathon, or producing music - “I need God’s help!”
“Walking humbly with our God” is the SIMPLE awareness that, “I need God’s help every moment of every day.”
And that Gospel (good news) involves God’s promise to walk with you every step of the way. When you fall, He’ll pick you back up. And when you mess up, Jesus is ready to forgive and restore!
Do you ask the Holy Spirit to help you? Or are you trying to do it on your own? If you’re trying to follow Jesus in your own way, it’s going to feel too hard.
So, that’s it. That’s what’s required of us. Can you live that simply? Can you...
Simply obey Him?
Simply live with a single-minded focus on loving God and people, which involves simply being present with broken people and pointing them to Jesus?
And for ourselves, simply depending on Him for help every day?
If you can, then following Jesus won’t be too hard.
Response:
Response:
We live at a tough time to be a Christian. It can seem like it’s too hard to follow Jesus. But in those moments, it’s good to remember what God ACTUALLY requires of us:
To do what is right (obey His word and live like Jesus).
To love mercy, kindness, and faithfulness (pointing people to Jesus as we step into their brokenness).
To humbly walk with God (who will help us every step of the way).
Let me also encourage us with this. While following Jesus is truly simple, in many ways, the struggle of being a faithful Christian in today’s world is real. It can feel like the world is against us. How will we ever reach a world like this? We don’t feel equipped or strong enough. On the other hand, think about this verse...
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,
You know what this means? Out of every generation that has ever existed, God sovereignly chose (hand-picked) us to live at this time. To follow Jesus and teach others to do the same, in this era. No one else. He trust us! That means that if we simply follow Jesus, we will be able to accomplish everything He has called us to! Because...
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Isn’t that awesome? If He picked us, He will equip us, and He will finish the work He started.
My hope is you’ll leave here encouraged to follow Jesus by simple faith. But… maybe You’ve never made the decision to follow Jesus. Maybe you’ve wanted to but thought it would be too hard. If that’s you, I pray the Spirit of God has spoken to Your heart today to change your mind. If you’re ready to follow Jesus today, simply turn from your sin, put your faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and then walk with Him the rest of your days. That’s not too hard. It’s simple.
Father, open our eyes today. May we have a single-minded focus on Jesus. A simple faith based on obedience, love, and humility. Take every overwhelming thought that paralyzes our faith. Remove the lie that keeps us from following You. And replace it with a heart that does what’s right, loves mercy, and walks humbly with You. In Jesus name, amen.
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