SkateChurch Recap
In The World Not Of The World
“I have given and delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated
them, because they are not of the world [do not belong to the world], just as I am not of
the world. I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep
and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the
world), [just] as I am not of the world. Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them
for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth. Just as You sent Me
into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” John 17:14-18 (Amplified Version).
Jesus taught his disciples the promise of eternity, and the love of God’s word. After
hearing the good news, the disciples (and christians today) are released from the
pressure of this world. We do not have to try to fit in, because our way of thinking and
behaving should not be of this world. However, Jesus knew that it would be difficult
to go against the way of the world. He prayed that the disciples would continues as
His ambassadors in the world. He also prayed that they would be kept from satanic
influences. Christians should live above worldly influences, even though we must live in
it. We need to look at our lives, the choices we make and the actions we take, each day
in order to determine if we are of the the world or not.
Every day we are faced with hundreds of choices. It is easy to make choices that put
your own will before the will of God, to put temporary pleasures before eternal promises.
Christians are called to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew
6:33). Instead of seeking our own will or the will of others, as Christians we must learn
to seek the will of God first, through prayer and studying the Word.
A person of the world goes about his duties with his own strength, but a Christian goes
about his God given ministries in a partnership with God. We do not have to worry
when things do not work out the way that we want them to. God has a perfect plan,
and perfect timing.
We must also understand that being in the world, but not of it, is necessary if we are
to be a light to those who are in spiritual darkness. We are to live in such a way that
those outside the faith see our good deeds and our manner and know that there is
something “different” about us. Christians who make every effort to live, think and act
like those who do not know Christ do Him a great disservice. Even the heathen knows
that “by their fruits you shall know them,” and as Christians, we should exhibit the fruit of
the Spirit within us.
The world will hate you when you choose to act like a Christian. When you make a
decision based on your Christian values the world will think that you are impractical. As
you appear to breeze through life, they will say that it will not last. And when you clearly
succeed, they will say that you are an exception. Just like the title of this message is ‘live above the world’ it is our privilege to live above the world as Jesus did. Will you?
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