Be Different, Part 2

Today on Summit life with Judy Greer way of Jesus is countercultural in every society, just in different ways. Truly following Jesus was countercultural in the night countercultural different ways that would be in 21st century America.

We always say the Bible is an equal opportunity offender. If you're not offended by vineyards not paying attention, author and theologian G Greer. I'm your host Molly benefits you.

We should see our lives as beacons of hope in a world of despair because he said the world we live in like Daniels is often very dark and hostile to the message of God. But thankfully he doesn't call us to escape this world.

He calls us to transform today will learn that the power to make a difference is only found in the commitment to be different and one thing that definitely describes Dana he was different. So let's put ourselves in his shoes as we traveled back to the ancient near East and are dropped in the middle of Babylon ready to go. Open your Bible to Daniel chapter 1 and let's get started. If your life is shaped by the Bible to be stranger and more offensive to those people around you than then what about what you use, where Christian phrases were listen to music all the time. Good you dress like a weirdo because you are opposite of the world and the pain three things are most important, beautiful, strange and offensive ever to describe. I best imagine you're watching a big marching band on on a football field. A couple hundred people out there on that field. If you been in a marching band. You watch one you know that that him in the band everybody. The whole place is looking one place all the eyes are trained on the one guy or girl that conductor are marching in petite beat with their but God so you you got your binoculars out your understanding. You look you look out the middle that marching band. You notice there's one guy is not looking the conductor their project and he's listening to the Draeger little wave radio station and he's marching that big house he can look strange, chaotic, out-of-control sound because you got that rhythm is not because he's actually chaotic at all because he's dialed in the music from another place. The question is what are you dialed into what time are you watching if you are marching.

According to heavens values you're going to look strange before the wondrous sight of English are some really practical places will show up and I won't press this because I really thought this was kind about the bread-and-butter of it all you college students and young professionals. If you are living by the principles of Babylon. You will approach your career the way that every Babylonian approaches their career. Every other Babylonian colleges. Let what careers government you feel the motion failed, what careers you get me the most money. That's gotta be your approach if you're shaped by the Bible you will ask first what career which career can best serve the great commission.

But when we are say to our students are on your questions, not difficult.

The question is only where and how the call of Jesus to leverage your life for the great commission was a special mystical thing that was given to just a few of us went to seminary the call of Jesus to leverage your life for the kingdom of God recognition that called him everybody follow me on IQ fisher of men. Now if you don't have a gift to be up here are good to be a full-time Christian ministry, then you should think through your job to the lives of how does my job serve the great commission house and get a job somewhere when you get a job and a place for you to be a part of what God is doing strategically in his kingdom.

So we challenger college students are young professionals were displayed as we don't go to, which is to take at least the first two years after you graduate and spend it on one of our church plant somewhere around the country some 1400 of our members on that kind of program to say in how to pursue my career widely apart. I'm leverage is a part of what God is doing is how you approach your career fundamentally different than the other college students around the shape of the Bible, it will be.

I was going the other end of the spectrum for those you are approaching retirement. If you are shaped by the Bible you are you not to be thinking finally get to retire. Finally, I don't have money just get up and do what I want to do all day with no obligations. Instead, you will think okay how can I use this chapter where I have the arguably most to contribute in the least financial me. How can I use that season to invest in Jesus as being some of you who are retired or about to retire and think about what you have to offer real UI financial even more because you save wisely. Right now you're a place where you got a lot to contribute as you have a lot of wisdom. You understand that Jesus didn't bring you here. This chapter you like to spend the next 15 or 20 years on vacation before you go into eternity here is on the way to think about. That is, the trajectories of what all is the trajectory of your life right now is the trajectory going toward suffering or away from suffering the people of Babylon use their power and their money to take them away from suffering. That's the point I nice house comfortable everything I am moving away from suffering isolate themselves and suffer for the follower of Jesus is the opposite. The trajectory of their life moves toward suffering more power and the more money that you have, the more you're freed up to bless others more capacity to bless them with it financially. I'm in a place where where I can retire early. That means I'm freed up to serve in a new capacity we never really retire because there are always people who need Jesus.

You understand the American will call the Babylonian dream and the gospel mission will take you to entirely different place. How you process these values will show what kingdom you belong to those values will show up in how you manage your Christian business or your business. If you are a Christian I know of a Christian business owner who, for example, was committed to invest 10% of all his profits back into God's kingdom wasn't was that is not a requirement, nor is it a formula that God guarantees make you successful in another man feels like God is called him to invest 90% of his profits on save you as you need to prayerfully discern what God is calling you to do. You got to ask that the point is you live by a different set of values for those you are not business owners. These values are so often how you manage your personal budget have explained this to you before, but if you're committed to follow Jesus with your money you will be at least three steps behind everybody else. You Mexican on a money issue your forming a word about human nature right and that is we all know instinctively who is about the same income level as us. We are always comparing ourselves to them and how they live right. While they afford they must be house for well.

Clearly they spend all their money on close to the Bible teaches us three things about our money that will distinguish us from everybody else makes a mother leader, no one tells us to go into debt. They say the average Raleigh citizen lives about 5% above their means and is somewhere in the neighborhood of $15,000 in unsecured credit card debt bubble so you follow Jesus. That's not to be what you're trying to number two tells us to save the book of Proverbs tells us of the wise man saves number three tells us to be generous.

10% is generally the starting point for that. That means if you are following biblical values with your money to be at least three steps behind everybody also makes the same amount of money as you because you cannot not he wanted that unity save any to begin away about 10% or more.

When you live in three steps behind everybody mixing the money of money as you. That's noticeable. Does your life look different in these areas. Number two, we show that we are different by refusing to compromise our integrity.

These four Hebrew young men did not compromise their convictions, even when doing so, threaten to cost them greatly for the follower of Jesus convictions are not something that can never be set aside because everything that we do is done first and foremost as an offering to Jesus, it's only secondarily as a means of obtaining about why Pastor Brian told me about a hotel owner and his previous church that shows not offer pornography as an option on the TVs in his hotel. Even though even though that is one of the most lucrative things that a hotel owner can do it brings in. They say about $100,000 of profit just profit per year, even for a small hotel. I said I can do it because it's hard to see me offering that money as a sacrifice to Jesus.

Or maybe you've heard the story of Eric little whose story was featured in the movie. Chariots of fire, American, little was an incredible incredible runner who was also very committed Christian. He would end up going to China's missionary dime there in China. 1940s, but in the 1920s. He was recruited for the 1928 Olympic team for Great Britain when he was 100 m sprinter writer my formation when globally just to Paris that year.

He is told that the hundred meter qualifying event to get into the finals with him be held on a Sunday in his conviction for the shipping on Sunday.

Consider that work is convictions were that the Lord's day was for the Lord and that this honoring to God for him to run on Sunday nights of the British team appealed to the Olympic Committee to change the date of even the Olympic committee wouldn't budge to the Mayfield Erika just like names on a hearty think is doing this once but he wouldn't budge either and became this huge scandal on the British media just missed you were damn, he was like a worldwide laughingstock for a few days. This team did not know what else to do. This switch is a mode of 400 m race but there's you that a run track.

You know that's a totally different race you train for the completely different ways.

Against all odds, and almost unheard of miraculous way he wins after he wins. He says he says the reason I one is the Scripture says those who honor God, he will honor again. That is not a promise for a magic formula to what is it you see this much do the right thing and you suffer the books like Daniel show us that God often uses your refusal to compromise as the vehicle through which he will show off his power and glorify his name. Number three. We show that we are different by conforming to Scripture not to culture the way of Jesus is countercultural in every society, just in different ways. Truly following Jesus was countercultural in the 1950s there countercultural different ways that would be in 21st century America. We always say the Bible is an equal opportunity offender and I do not offended by vineyards not paying attention in some cultures, it is the Scripture's teaching on the sanctity of marriage that offends the culture, but in others it's the Scripture's emphasis on grace and generosity in giving away power that offends in some cultures it's Jesus's emphasis on the equality of all peoples is made alike in the image of God that offends the culture because that threatens to overturn the power structures yet another cultures it's God's authority over his creation that offends like the fact that God says he made male and female differently and we get overturn the system or reassign her gender because it feels right. One of the great tragedies the great tragedies of the church in the West is how often and how consistently we have conformed to Babylon in my library give you an example.

I've got a three volume history of slavery in the world that's written by an African-American scholar in one of the things that he points out is that slavery was present in almost every culture and history is one of the common characteristics of sinful fallen men is that we tend to use whatever power we have explored those were less powerful. One of the primary expressions of that throughout history has been slavery. See study all these cultures in history and you can find the best present all of it was true in Asian cultures. It's been true in African cultures it's true European cultures numerically. He points out, the Largest Slave Trade Took Pl. in Arab cultures. The terrible European slave trade traffic 11 million Africans twice that many. 22 more than 22 million were bought and sold on the Arabian Peninsula. During that same time. This is the real tragedy. The real scandal is that Western cultures espouse a gospel bay alone espouse the gospel that undermine the very nature of slave I gospel bay had to willfully blind our eyes to in order to participate in slave.

Not because they're conformity to Babylon was was what what what was stronger than their convictions in the Bible are gospel are gospel taught that that all people were made in the image of God. Therefore, one should know me other taught us that Jesus died for all people equally alike in that.

And thirdly, that it was responsibility of a strong look of the week not oppress them. Jesus did for us and yet and yet we find the church in the West not only complicit in slavery, we find them as a defender and proponent of it in several places. What happened they conform to Babylon and I left a legacy of damage both in our society and to the credibility of the church's witness that we still have not recovered from now. Do not get all sanctimonious right now say well we learned our lesson.

There were not going to do that again see the church doing it again in other areas. For example, as Babylon shifts its views on sexuality and gender in the study looked at will show you that many of the church were right along with it the longest Google's are defined as the attitude within the church on things like same-sex marriage change right along with the culture. II got a friend who teaches a religion class and public school is not a Christian is. As you know, that is interesting is watching something upon 34 years.

He said so 15 years ago.

If you would ask, like who thinks that like same-sex marriages in God's plan or is it you know is right you said about is about 50-50 is pretty much the line between the two instructors. You did this about five years ago, I noticed it was shifting to got to third one third.

He said now he said it's one maybe, maybe two, sometimes no kids in the class that will say yes.

I think that is wrong. He said that's not because any fewer of them go to church. It simply because it's just there is modeling what the rest of the cultures say it's caving it's conforming to Babylon. Listen to not congratulate yourself because you get the slavery question white or because you're so bold by the wrongness of discrimination, nobody really debates that anymore. I'm not saying that we have achieved a racially just society or that there is not more work to be done because there is understatement. Very few overtly embrace racism anymore.

The question is, what you gonna do with those things in our culture today requires us to conform to what you do with those royal foods. It requires us to eat. There's this famous line that's attributed to the reformer Martin Luther uses the courage of the soldier is tested and how well he stands for the battle is the hottest matter how brave he postures himself for the battle was passed so the courage of a soldier by going to the place without used to be a man one man I would've stood right here. This is understeer, not my thing and I made a fight.

You show your courage by but what you do with the battle. The hottest stop thinking you're so right. Just because you virtue signal on things that are not really controversial anymore. If you want to be like Daniel, you take your stand of those places were doing so put you most out of fashion with CNA in the New York Times of the culture around you where people say whoa oh you're on the wrong side of history you like. Wonkette was on history month. I'm on the right side of Jesus.

That's what I care about and tell you the church in 1860 had done this, we be in a different place today. And at the church today will do that future generations will be in a different place. Also, what you gonna do when abstaining from that, the king's table cost you for some of you not conforming to Babylon. These things might cost you your job for Daniel not conforming to Babylon threatened the cost him his life. And please don't think that I'm talking about just right or left issues as if I'm trying to push you from one political leanings of the other being shaped by Scripture is to put you out of fashion with both the political left and the political right. I'm not saying about these platforms are morally equivalent or that there's no wiser choice between them. I'm just saying that neither for us fully captures the essence of the kingdom of God is both of them are the political parties of Babylon.

There are many things that are associated with the political left that we must profoundly reject how they treat unborn human life like a commodity to be discarded at will, for the sake of convenience, how they reject Christian understandings of morality and gender and call that oppression probably leave no room for disagreement on these matters and threatened to cancel you if you object, but there are many things associated with the political right that we must also reject some on the right. Go way beyond a healthy patriotism and appreciation for American freedoms they go to an unhealthy embrace of Christian nationalism, sentimentalism, outright lies about the history, where we were wheat we are urged to place our hope for the future in American exceptionalism.

American military might.

Some on the rights because of her only responsibility is to protect their own rights and pursue her own interest. I don't have any responsibility for for less privilege around us, a follower of Jesus is going to look different from all things Babylon. That's because ultimately he's part of a different kingdom, not a better version of a Babylonian kingdom.

The Christian doesn't belong to the donkey belong to the elephant.

The Christian belongs to the Lamb. That's a whole different animal to see a difference.

That's our main idea you're not gonna make a difference unless different in the New Testament, Jesus compared it to being sold so as to preserve the food. That's it.

It's in and it also brings out the beauties of flavor and the food Jesus is a truer and better Lowery seasoning salt like that okay which is that if the salt loses the saltiness what good is it is worthless.

Just throw it out just like our sand same thing is true.

He said of the Christian that conforms to the world that either help preserve the culture there in. Nor did they demonstrate the distinctive beauty of Christ and the culture and as such they become useful to God and uses of the world for that matter. When the great ironies of Christian history in our country is around the 20th century, mid-20th century, as our culture began to change its opinion on Orthodox Christian teaching them Christian morality you found that a lot of these will become mainstream churches, big denominations, a change right along with and that you read their justification is to think that wealth don't change her old fashion outdated views on these things were to be so offensive a culture that that that that will just lose all influence in yet and yet these churches in those denominations that did that, while they been the ones that shrunk the fastest today.

Their numbers are incredibly small, may become altogether irrelevant.

One make a difference now be different gospel countercultural in every culture it's always going to be offensive and some of the key places but half-life it is from a different place kingdom how cities are preaching a God-given life fluid. The best example this is Jesus. Jesus ministry was a paradox right because there's never been anybody who so exalted God's standard of righteousness exhibit sooner would heaven and earth pass away, then then he compromise one jot or tittle of God's moral code and yet and yet the same time. Never has there been anyone who so effectively gathered in the outcast of the nonreligious decided needed a prostitute to the tax collectors all want to be around.

Why because his life pointed to an entirely different kingdom, a heavenly kingdom of purity and wholeness and grace to watching his life was like watching somebody dance to a different beat. I heavenly be even here yet but you know it's wonderful. The point of Daniel, the point of Daniel is not. That's what Dana is really about somebody else appointed Daniel another Daniel and his friends could ever be righteous enough to win Babylon back to God for dangles that method, you can be either Daniel's life is itself a prophecy about a Savior who would come a Savior who would perfectly display the kingdom of God, a Savior who would not defile himself with any of Babylon's delicacies, though it cost him his very life. You see, unlike Daniel Jesus what just threatened with death for doing the right thing. Jesus actually suffered and then in the ultimate act of courage. They did Jesus display the kingdom of God by offering grace and salvation to those who would kill them, and God did not simply make him look better and healthier after 10 days of righteousness God raised him from the dead three days now because of that because he's demonstrated the victory for us as we follow his pattern. We can demonstrate the beauty of God's like he did see some great things in the book of Daniel, but hear me appointed Daniel is not there to be a Daniel point denies not be brave like shadow beside the bed to go.

The point is, Jesus has been the one who demonstrated the perfect beauty of God. It was through his death and his resurrection but he showed you had the victory and it is through those things that you and I have victory and we can just imitate him now, and now he wants to use us like he's going to use Daniel and Babylon white Jesus in the world put you here to make a difference put you in the Babylon and will make it difference by being different.

Not being a slightly more religious version of the same. Are you willing to be different to make that different for different framing strength and courage to transform the beacon of hope for others.

Listening to Summit life and if you'd like to listen to this message again or share with a friend visit Jeannie Greer.com as we live our lives in Babylon. We pray for security and welfare. We look for ways God is at work here and join him in his mission in the world.

We recognize how he is at work interest in setting us apart as we become more like him, even as we intertwined our lives with unbelievers. We make Babylon our genuine home and maintain proceeds that add to its well-being for assets arrives. We thrive that's what we should walk away from the book of Daniel and better understanding of how to ride as exiles with a brand-new Bible that he designed specifically to help process this exact message to help you examine the Scripture and apply it to your life. It's a workbook that will teach you how to study the Bible on your end will sing you a copy as our thanks for the gift to send in my home right now.

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