A CounterCultural Church

Intro

Text - Philippians 1.9

Philippians 1:9 NKJV

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

Romans 12:2 NKJV

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

1 John 2:15 NKJV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Background

The church today is hardly identifiable

the spirit of tue world has crept in and influenced the way of lifemof the church

Key Points

Christ’s design for His Church - countercultural

The Church in the last days - following the popular culture

The problem of the church in the last days - lack of discernment

Benefits in discernment

Christ wanted His church to be countercultural

What is counterculture

a culture with values and practices that run counter or opposite to those of established society (MW dict)

culture may be -

religious - practices established through tradition

moral -

habits and manners -

trends -

to be countercultural means you are opposing or resisting to follow the popular culture

Jesus was counterculture

He did not follow the religious norms created by the Pharisees, Saduccees, etc.

He healed during Sabbath

He made friends with the “sinners”

He touched the sick and diseased

He ate without washing hands

Jesus made a distinction between the commandments of God and the commandments of men

The church was supposed to live and exist opposite the way of the world.

in beliefs

in practices

in worships

in social interaction

The Sermon on the Mount was intended to teach the disciples how to live opposite this world

by seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness - more than earthly needs

by practicing the commandments of God from the heart

by calling his disciples to exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees

by calling His disciples to “perfection”

by praying for the rule of the kingdom of God on earth

He taught His disciples to not follow their leaders

Matthew 23:3 NKJV

3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.

The early church was called to refuse to follow the world

Romans 12:2 NKJV

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

1 John 2:15 NKJV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

The church that we see in history is far from being countercultural

Israel was warned not to learn the way of the Gentiles

Deuteronomy 18:9–14 NKJV

9 “When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you.

Jeremiah 10:2–5 NKJV

2 Thus says the Lord: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. 4 They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple. 5 They are upright, like a palm tree, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot go by themselves. Do not be afraid of them, For they cannot do evil, Nor can they do any good.”

The way of the Gentiles are not confined to idolatry

Leviticus 18:2–5 NKJV

2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God. 3 According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances. 4 You shall observe My judgments and keep My ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God. 5 You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.

The church in the last days has become victim to popular culture

celebrating the same traditions as the world

practicing the ways of the gentiles

following popular trends

2 Corinthians 11:1–3 (NKJV)

Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

The problem of the church in the last days is lacking in discernment

What is discernment

Dictionary of Bible Themes 8226 discernment

The sound judgment which makes possible the distinguishing of good from evil, and the recognition of God’s right ways for his people. It is necessary for the understanding of spiritual realities and, on a practical level, for right government and the avoidance of life’s pitfalls.

to discern - is to make a distinction between things like right and wrong, good and evil, holy and unholy, etc.

The Laodicean Church cannot recognize her spiritual condition

Revelation 3:17 NKJV

17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—

When the church fails to recognize her own spiritual condition, she is most likely unable to discern the things around her

Matthew 16:3 NKJV

3 and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

When a church cannot discern the spirit of the world, she is most likely unable to discern the deep things of God

1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV

14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

A Church without discernment ceases to become a countercultural church - she becomes a church of the world

She is shaped by the way of the world

She follows the way of the world

She patterns her enjoyment from the enjoyment of the world

Examples

RCC - she adopted the practices of pagan Rome

Liberal Christians - they adopted the thinking of modern science

evangelical churches - they incorporated the ways of modern arts to attract more people

message churches - they embraced doctrines that are no longer biblical

message believers are following and liking just about any ”message preacher”

How can the Church grow in discernment

Our minds must be transformed and renewed - by the word of God

Romans 12:2 NKJV

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Hebrews 4:12 NKJV

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

We must exercise our sense in discerning

ask questions

Do research before adopting any practice or belief

filter with the word of God

pray before deciding

1 Thessalonians 5:21–22 NKJV

21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

test is to judge, discern, distinguish between right ans wrong

testing helps us discern between goog and evil

then you can hold fast to the good and abstain from evil

Conclusion

the benefits of discernment

Philippians 1:9 NKJV

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

Philippians 1:10–11 NKJV

10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

you will learn to judge which things are excvellent

you will be sincere and without offense

you will be filled with the fruits of righteousness

SONG

Burning the midnight oil