EASTPORT BAPTIST CHURCH                                   AND PRESCHOOL

"LOVING GOD BY LOVING HIS PEOPLE"                 

Living the difference

Everywhere we go today we are hearing the same lies everywhere.

We hear it:

J     on the radio,

J     on television,

J     on the news,

J     in magazines,

J      on billboards

o       we here the same old story but told in different ways

o       and different sound bites

o       and different styles of pictures…..

These lies can be to me…broken down into two groups.

1. The first lie works on the premise that all people are the same.
   1. Men and women are equal
   2. White vs. black vs. Asian vs. what ever and there is no difference.
   3. TV tells us all what we should be or look like.
   4. Insurance companies tell us what we should weight and how tall we should be.
   5. Dentist want us all to have great teeth
   6. We live in a universal world…we are all interchangeable with everyone else.
   7. We should believe in and trust one thing and that is the government.
   8. We are all told what politician is best for us and how to vote.
   9. Global warming is real and we all need to go green…they are even telling us what light bulbs we have to buy.
   10. We are a village and it takes a village to raise our children.
   11. We have to work together to live a better life.

Now some of these lies have partial truths in them and so the part that is not true sounds like it could be. Now we know that when a body or groups of people do become one then there is a greater power in that group.

Genesis 11:9  Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

Did you know that the word BABEL means confusion….thus we have the babbling idiot.

2. The second lie is if you don’t believe in the first one then is that we are different. Which is in reality the truth but the lie is in how they abuse the truth just like in the first one.
   1. Yes we are different:

                                                              i.      In color

                                                            ii.      In race

                                                          iii.      In intelligence

                                                          iv.      In attitude

                                                            v.      In humor

                                                          vi.      In wealth

                                                        vii.      In advantage

                                                      viii.      In nationality

                                                          ix.      In parents

                                                            x.      In ability

                                                          xi.      In gifts

2. Yes we are different but the lie is used to separate us.
3. To divide us and to conquer us.

4. To keep us from being the best we can be and using the differences to destroy us instead of becoming one body and one mind.

Mark 3:25  And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

Now these two forms of lies that we are assaulted with everyday are supposed to be different in the life of a Christian.

These two lies become complete truths.

Let me start with the last first.

Differences:

As Christians we no longer become part of this world.

Eph 2:1 ¶ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

This is the way we were.

J     Lost

J     Hopeless

J     On a path that this world lays out for people to hell and destruction.

Eph 2:4 ¶ But God,

I love those but Gods.

 who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Here again we see that we are sentenced to death but Christ has made us alive by Gods mercy and His grace…

We are saved by Grace…

J     there is nothing we can do to earn heaven,

J     to earn Gods grace,

J     Or to earn a reward that would set us free from our sentence of death.

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

 

We are his workmanship….meaning what….

Simply he created us…

Like when you go to a craft show and you visit each booth where the artist has created his own personal whatever’s for you to purchase.

It may be a painting

A toilet paper holder

A slingshot or whatever they make…

But they make it for a purpose.

God has created each of us for specific purposes.

One of those is for Good works.

Or to serve our Risen savior.

Now good works does not get us into heaven but it is what we are suppose to do.

This is where the differences in Christians and worldly people differ.

In the world we work to gain.

In the spirit we love others to gain.

We do the works of Christ to gain.

Not for selfish personal reasons but to glorify our Living God in the life that we are living.

The problem is that us Christians are Not doing what we are suppose to do or what we are created to do.

Let me underline the word NOT.

If I were to ask you today fill out on a blank sheet of paper 10 things I have done for God yesterday, what would you write down?

1. I worshiped God by listening to Christian Music
2. I worshiped God by reading or listening to His Word
3. I worshiped God by having a conversation with Him.
4. I encouraged someone to trust in God’s promises
5. I called a brother or sister from my Sunday school and asked them to come today.
6. I called or visited someone who is sick.
7. I talked to someone who doesn’t attend my church and invited them to come.
8. I encouraged someone.
9. I loved someone today
10. I cared for someone today.
11. I told my spouse that I love her and I wasn’t trying to gain advantage for some reason. Men.
12. I told my spouse that I appreciate the hard work he does for the family. ladies
13. I told my spouse thanks for being a godly person.
14. I did something special for someone who wasn’t expecting it.
15. I helped a stranger for no reason.
16. I encouraged a child.
17. I told someone God loved them.
18. I thanked God for the blessings He has given me.
19. I studied my lessons for church or Sunday school
20. I gave God my 10% Today. Not just on Sundays.
21. I trusted the Lord in a situation that needed Him to work on.

How many of those can you put on your list…those are the things and I just quit at 21, that we are suppose to do every day.

As Christians we are to have a joy in us that the world doesn’t have.

As Christians when we walk into a room, people should know that we are Christians. But yet do they?

More than likely they don’t…

J     We all talk about the same things

J     We all have the same problems…but the answer to those problems should be different.

J     We should be encouragers but we are gossipers.

o       That is one thing that goes on in all churches that should be stopped at the doors.

o       When we come into Gods house we are about Gods business and you know how many times all people want to do is put down others and talk about others.

J     The divorce rate in the church is higher than in the world.

J     Our children have as many problems as the outside world.

What can I say except say it isn’t so?

When we look at the Christian outside the church or even inside…sometimes you have to wonder

J     Why are they here?

J     Why do they call themselves Christians?

J     Have they really been saved?

Now I’m not standing here as a perfect person.

I’m not saying I’m any better because I’m not…

I pray that most of us here are saved and God is just cleaning the old smelly fish out of us.

But I do believe that we all can do better…

Our leadership here in our church needs to do better.

J     Do they see Jesus in you?

o       Or Do they see scrooge in you?

J     Do they see encouragers?

§         Or do they see complainers

J     Do they see givers?

o       Or do they see someone who believes that money is the answer to everything.

J     Do they see someone who trusts in God?

o       Or do they see someone who trusts in themselves.

J     To they see braggers?

o       Or do they see humility?

J     Do they see walkers?

o       Or do they see talkers.

J     Do they see joy in our lives/

o       Or do they see as the misery that seeks company.

I say that to the church leadership…I say reflect on our lives and see if we reflect Jesus.

Is there any difference in us?

To the church…

I can ask you the same questions…but I won’t …you’ve heard them.. I will just say…

How is your relationship with God?

I did your top 10 list do…

What are the areas as a Christian do you need to work in?

We can say and tell people what kind of Christian we are but until our actions agree with what we are saying people will never know that we are what we say we are.

Eph 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

We are different and we are supposed to be different.

We should celebrate the differences because God made each one of us as individuals.

God made each one of us for a specific task.

A specific purpose.

God gave us each all the tools we need to accomplish what we are suppose to do.

Some have more than others and God expects more from others.

Some have better understanding and God expects us to be more understanding.

Some have better gifts than others and God expects us to share those gifts with others.

Why…to bring others into that closer walk with Him.

To bring others into a wonderful relationship with Christ our King.

If you do not use what God has given you for the purpose that has been given to you…then you will loose what has been given to you. I really believe that.

If you don’t put into a relationship what you expect out of it then you will loose that relationship.

The purpose of being different is so that we all can become one…

We are all equal at the foot of the cross…

Christ is the corner stone and we are the body of Christ…

When we celebrate our differences by doing the part we have then we can be what God wants us to be…His children working together to raise a holy church to the living God, our father in heaven.

Are you living a difference?