“Ways of the World (Part 1)”

Several years ago Royal Robbins, a professional mountain climber, wrote an article for Sports Illustrated which demonstrates the importance of seeing ourselves and life as we really are. He wrote:

If we are keenly alert and aware of the rock and what we are doing on it, if we are honest with ourselves and our capabilities and weaknesses, if we avoid committing ourselves beyond what we know is safe, then we will climb safely. For climbing is an exercise in reality. He who sees it clearly is on safe ground, regardless of his experience or skill. But he who sees reality as he would like it to be, may have his illusions rudely stripped from his eyes when the ground comes up fast.

Now more than ever it is important to be sober minded about who we are and what we believe. There will be eternal consequences. The problem with our culture is that self-deception is pervasive throughout. When we say this is how it is, but in reality it is not. Now more than ever we have got to be super honest with ourselves. The consequences are eternal. Are you sure that in the end you will not hear the dreaded “depart from me I never knew you”. If you are sure do you know why you are sure? You say Shane it is because I have faith… but as soon as trials and difficulty hit, you are disobedient and disappointed with God. Trials and testing come and when you fail… it is showing you that you do not have faith. Suffering, hardship, and trials are the things in life that test to see if your faith is real. We say we believe, but it is these things in life that let you know whether you really do.

James 1:3 NLT

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

2 Corinthians 13:5 NLT

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.

If you fail the test … you will be condemned. The patterns of this world cause us to be delusional. It causes us to be be deceived. We walk in both ignorance and delusion. We don’t know and we think we know. There will be eternal consequences. I remember one time there was a girl I was kinda interested in in college and she made it very clear from the beginning that there was no possibility that we would ever date. She said I know this for a fact. It will never happen. We were dating a month later. People get married and in the beginning there is no way they would ever part. I know for sure that this is forever pastor Shane. We will never break up we will never be divorced.

This is super serious. If we are deluded in self-deception, the consequences will be eternal and unpleasant.

Matthew 7:21–23 ESV

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

The glaring reality of this is…they think that they are Christians. They were self-deceived. They were delusional. The scriptures tell us to examine ourselves. The scriptures urge us to make sure our faith is real. Why does it tell us this, if it is not a possibility to be delusional?

It is the ways of this world that cause us to be deceived. The ways of the world trap and coerce us into apostacy. The ways of the world blind us in the bliss of ignorance. The ways of the world deceive us into thinking the lion is tame when it is not. The ways of the world declare sure footing but in reality we are stepping on air. The ways of the world cause us to believe there is peace when there is none. They ways of the world cause us to find comfort in the arms of human wisdom even though our knowledge is that of school children. The ways of the world are skewed mirrors. The ways of the world is a drug. It brings moments of escaping ecstacy, but reality will come like a huge morning crash. We are addicted to lifestyle in our culture. Addicted to the ways of the world. The ways of the world cause us to walk a different path… one that is wide and broad. The highway to hell.

Matthew 7:13 NLT

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.

But the apostle give us some insight into this. How is a Christian to walk in the world. Why are we in the world but not of the world? How are we to walk in the light as He is in the Light. How are we supposed to be the light of the World? Let’s check it out today.

Colossians 2:20–23 NLT

You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.

Dead in Christ

Unfading Good News

The first thing we will look at today is what it means for us to be dead in Christ and to the world and why we should not follow its fleeting directives. Finally, we will rejoice in the unfleeting nature of the good news of Jesus, that which will remain forever.

Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world may cause us to fall into and into even deeper self-deception, it is the truth of the scriptures and the power of the Holy Spirit that will cause us to walk in the light and in the truth and in the joys of true genuine faith.

I. Dead in Christ

- Preoccupied with the ways of the world.

A. The Christians in Colossae we susceptible to the false teachings that were being dealt because they were preoccupied with the ways of the world. They were so focused on the the world, loving the world, being like the world, listening to the world, that many of them were becoming sidetracked. The were losing focus. They were walking the wrong path.

B. Insightful here is a quote from the SBC’s own Dr. Richard Melick and it will be helpful to us as we look at this passage...

“Paul’s teaching reveals that any preoccupation with this world and its ways sidetracks Christians. Too often, Christians let the practical issues of the world become reference points for their spiritual development. This may happen in two radically different ways. Christians may become preoccupied with this world by indulging in its activities. Lives of luxury, licentiousness, and lust destroy spiritual insight and growth. Christians also easily become preoccupied with this world by measuring their Christian growth in terms of this world and its reference points. Thus they look to their separation from the world as evidence of their Christian maturity. In this, their spiritual road signs are the things of this world, rather than the things of Christ. This latter situation was the problem at Colossae. They were looking to worldly wisdom to measure spirituality. When this occurs within the church, the church is misdirected and lives are powerless.”

C. In Colossae, they were following the worldly wisdom influenced by the philosophy of the day… gnosticism. And because of this it is of no wonder that they were more prone to acetic behaviors and values. The gnostics saw the material world as evil. And it was the spiritual world that was of true value. And along with this, the elementals of the spirit world, had power over them and they were those who would enforce the behavior to abstain. In that time, it was the motivation of the people in that culture to try to live in harmony with the elemental spirits because of their fear of them.

D. This is why they were able to be deceived by false teaching. They were following the ways of the world. They were following teaching that would uphold the values and beliefs of the world. They were following teaching that would keep them inline with the ways and values of the world while still acknowledging Christ as a part of it. The markers of what it means to live a full life come not from the scriptures alone, but the markers and values of this world. The world and the teachers say, do not handle, do not taste, do not touch. We seek to be in harmony with the ways of the world.

E. If you all will continue on this path, you will ok. You will find fullness in your life. You will gain all that you hope for. You will have your best life now. And the elementals will be happy with you. And the people of the world will be happy with you. You will be at harmony with the Spirits and the ways of the World. You will be in harmony with the universe. You will be in harmony with the quantum realm. You will be in harmony with the unity of humanity. This is the wisdom of the world and the teachings that come from it.

F. Paul gives us some direction… You are dead to this world. This is huge. We are dead to this world. This is important. We are dead to this world. What does this mean? All of the rules do not apply to you. All of the fear you have from the powers of this world do not apply to you. Nothing binds you to the world at all. They have no power over you. They have nothing to teach you. Their words and directives will not lead you to where you are wanting to go. They have no voice to you. The world is nothing to you.

G. It reminds me of Karate Kid part 2… the Uncle told Chozen that he is now dead to him. And when Chozen came in to fight Daniel, the uncle told him to stop. But Chozen said… “I cannot hear you uncle, I am dead to you remember.”

H. Paul and Timothy are telling the Colossians that they are dead to the world, so why are you acting as if you can still hear their voice and can still direct your steps? Why do you still follow their directives. Why do you still honor their values? Why do you still listen to their voice? As if you were still alive to this world. Stop falling for it. Do not be deceived. Dr. Doug Moo writes,

“His point, rather, is that believers no longer count the world as their true home or as the place that dictates who they are or how they are to live. By dying with Christ, we have been set free from the elements of this world, and we no longer therefore “belong” to the world over which they rule. How foolish, then, to continue to submit to the rules of this world!”

I. But going back to what Melick outlined for us. Today, the ways of the world are not abstinence. The rules are not do not handle, do not taste, do not touch, but rather… handle, taste, touch and do not let anybody tell you not to. It’s not abstinence, but indulgence. The philosophy of our day is not like the gnostics, but from existentialists and pragmatists. We are our own authorities and our values our right and wrong come from successful methods. If it succeeds its right and if it fails its wrong. Pragmatism is the fuel that makes the categories of winners and losers so devastating. My worth today is not based on who I am, but what I have accomplished.

J. And the rules of the world are still in effect and how much of its rules and values are still followed by us? Why do we still value what the world values? Why are there gold digging material girls in the church? I know this. Pastors with ideals do not make money. Why are there guys still pursuing what is bad in women instead of what is good in them? Why are pastors and missionaries, still judged by size of church and plants? Why are there reserved seating in churches for VIP’s when the scriptures forbid it? Why are churches actively hiring pastors with MBA’s instead of MDiv’s? Why will the prosperity gospel not go away? Why in the church does money and status still dictate decisions and directives? Why can pastors say that we do not need the Bible to be Christians? Why are books like the shack on Christian best seller lists? What are books like the secret doing on the shelves of Christian homes? We won’t sing songs written by the Beatles, but we will sing songs in the church written by men who teach that Jesus was not God? Why do we buy books from teachers who deny the Trinity? Why are students in Seminary being taught to say God instead of Jesus when they preach? Why can’t preachers and pastors simply answer the tough questions on TV? Why do we get angry and violent when people speak against our parents or political party, but let people blaspheme the Name of Christ and take His name in vain? Why do we scream and shout like a crazed lunatic when the Denver Broncos score a touch down and yawn and sigh when the cross is being proclaimed in church? Why do we still value experience over the Word of God? Are you serious? We still hold science over the authority of scripture? Why do we believe the PhD’s on the discovery channel more than we do solid pastors and teachers who dedicated their lives fighting for the faith? Why are we constantly distracted and driven by the riches of the world when the Bible constantly warns us of its folly and its devastation? Why do we pursue lifestyle more than life? Why does church revolve around our lives and not the other way around? Why do we want practical life application sermons instead of gospel driven ones? Why can we binge watch shows on Netflix for hours, but can’t spend one minute reading the scriptures? We can spend hours putting together puzzels, but can’t do five minutes in prayer? Why do we want positive sermons instead of truthful ones? Why can we not take joy when we face trial of many kinds? Why can we not rest in the peace that transcends all understanding? Why is the grace of Christ not sufficient for us? Why can we not believe that the wisdom of God is more precious than rubies? We can talk a good talk but cannot walk a good walk? Why are we constantly conforming to the pattern of this world? Why do we want our church services to not be offensive to the world? Why do we want our church services to be entertaining to the world? Why do we even care about what people in the world would like to see in a church service? Why do we care whether people of the world are bored of our church services? Why do we care about what they think church should be like? What does light have to do with darkness? Why are we so terrified of offending the world? Why is it that we are more afraid of offending the world than we are offending God? Because we love the world more than we love God.

II. Unfading Good News

- The Word of God will remain forever.

A. The scriptures makes it abundantly clear...

1 John 2:15 NLT

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

James 4:4 NLT

You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

B. Do we not realize that the ruler of the world is doing all possible to blind us? To keep us from seeing the truth. To keep us from seeing reality.

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

C. Are we being blinded? Are we being blinded like the unbelievers are being blinded? Are we being blinded because we are unbelievers? Do not deceived today. We gotta be honest with ourselves. How big of a hold does the world have on us? There is no such thing as worldly Christians. No Shane I am a Christian, I’m just worldy. No!! There is no such thing as worldly Christians.

Matthew 6:24 NLT

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

D. Christian… If you love God you will despise the World. You cannot serve two masters. But Shane why do I love the World? Because of sin.

John 3:19 NLT

And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.

E. We love the world because of sin. And sin is a real issue for us all. All Shane? Yup. The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. There is no one on earth who always does good and never sins. No one is righteous no not one. We all like sheep have gone astray. Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. It is the reality of sin. It is the reality of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life.

F. Ok… but Shane can we be saved from this? You bet we can. Now hear this… everything the world gives and the world has taught… is fleeting. But what I am about to tell you will last forever. It is unfleeting. When everything is gone and has passed away, what I am about to tell you will last forever. Even a million years from now while we are in heaven doing heavenly stuff, this will not ever ever fade. It will be there. It will not be gone. You ready for it. This will last for eternity.

G. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures and He was buried and He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. He became sin who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of God.

H. You ready for more… A trillion years from now, when we can’t remember all the languages that we spoke, the stuff we studied at our prestigious university, or what our occupation was while on earth or how much money or possessions we had or who we were even married to … you will remember this… You ready? This will be forever. This will last. It will never be gone.

I. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your hearts that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved. All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

J. Salvation is here. Christ has come. Christ has risen. We can be saved from our love of the World. We can receive power to overcome the World. Christ has overcome the World.

K. Christian today you no longer walk alive to the World... you cannot hear the world, you are dead to the world in Christ, but yet we live, not us, but Christ living in us. Christ is our world. Christ is our life. Christ is our reward.