Seeing the World As It Really Is
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· 1 viewWhat do we value in this world?
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Today’s Reading from God’s Word:
Today’s Reading from God’s Word:
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.
16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world.
17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.
Introduction
Introduction
Longing for something more.
Think back to historical figures who, in the face of great adversity, clung to the hope of a better future.
In the late 90’s I visited Independence Rock — a few miles SW of Casper, WY
where the names of the settlers as they passed through are inscribed on this giant piece of granite on the prairie.
I’ve walked around this rock … and seen the wagon ruts still carved out in the ground.
And while I don’t know their personal stories — I am inspired by their drive, determination, and bravery as they traversed the wide open country in a wagon train on horseback — all looking for something better.
The hardships and danger they faced are unimaginable to most of us.
Extreme Weather / wild animals / hunger
Hostile indians
Life was fragile and hard.
There were many things that drove them.
Religious freedom.
A chance to start over.
A sense of adventure and a chance to be the first to do something or experience something.
But … it’s just inspiring to me.
Just as they persevered through trials by fixing their eyes on broader, more significant goals, we too can find inspiration in their resilience and determination.
Their stories remind us that our current struggles are but a small part of a grander, eternal narrative waiting to unfold.
I believe that spirit is in us as Christians. We’re looking for something better. This world is not our home.
Last week we took a look at Ephesians 1 and talked about the inheritance we’ve been promised by the God who cannot lie.
It’s ours. It’s been given to us. We are heirs.
God has gone out of His way to make sure we understand he’s not going to change his mind on us.
Like a man proposing to his bride to be, He has given us the Spirit as our engagement ring of promise.
We don’t have the full inheritance yet, but we will.
Look at how scripture defines our inheritance.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.
What we will receive is everything this world is not.
And since it is ours, Look at what Peter says a few verses down:
13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
We have to be serious in our pursuit.
We have to be faithful to God.
We have to live the life.
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance.
15 But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct;
16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.
This is the standard. But we often fall short.
The lure of this world is real. Temptation is a thing.
Distractions are a thing. Things that in and of themselves are not wrong — can get in the way — and get us off course.
Worldliness is a big deal for most Christians.
It’s not surprising. We all live in the world.
But we’ve been called on to not be worldly.
Yet we get tied up in the things here and relegate the eternal to secondary status.
We can get caught up in all sorts of stuff. Money. Things. Fun. Cars. Politics. Sports.
Just think how much emotional energy is invested in these things.
None of it matters. It’s all passing, temporal stuff.
Eternally speaking - it’s just the rearrangement of deck chairs on the Titanic.
2 Peter 3.10 -
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.
one day, everything will burn up.
Do we live like we believe that?
Where are we placing our security?
Matthew 6.19-21 challenges all of us to move from a godly, eternal perspective.
19 “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.
20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Where is your heart?
Today we will discuss our need to place our affections in the right place.
We are called live from a new, higher perspective that God has brought us to.
We will look at four passages that encourage us to see this world as it really is.
Galatians 1 - we’ve been delivered from the present evil age.
Galatians 6 - we are dead to the world.
Colossians 2 - we’ve died to the elemental spirits of the world.
1 John 2.15-17 - we are not to love the world.
Galatians 1.3-5 - Delivered From the Present Evil Age.
Galatians 1.3-5 - Delivered From the Present Evil Age.
Why did Jesus die?
3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.
5 To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Your salvation was to deliver you out of this world.
Because of that, this world should become less and less attractive.
Again, not that we should be totally uninvolved in our world...
but we understand it is temporary and glorify God by the way we live in it.
Let’s focus on verse 4.
Galatians 1:4 (CSB)
4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.
rescue means “delivered.”
In Acts 7 the word is used in a physical sense twice by Stephen in Acts 7. We also see it in Acts 12 (Peter) and Acts 23 (Paul). Rescue (or delivered) from a very dangerous situation.
Here, in Galatians 1.4 - the word is used to describe Jesus’ work on the cross.’
“Age” is not referring to a time as much as it is a system or era.
Evil started at Eden and continues until now. It will go on until God ends our world.
Our world is characterized by lies, deception, and Satan’s agenda.
It is temporal. It is physical. It is passing. Everything we see will ultimately be destroyed.
God has rescued us by the power of Jesus.
Galatians 6.14 - Dead to this World.
Galatians 6.14 - Dead to this World.
No Boasting - Except the Cross
No Boasting - Except the Cross
Galatians 6:14 (CSB)
14 But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Those seeking to be justified by their own actions or merit - wanted to boast.
Here we see the spirit we are to possess in Christ.
It is all about Jesus. He is our king.
6.14b - what did the cross accomplish?
6.14b - what did the cross accomplish?
Galatians 6:14 (CSB)
14 The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world.
What does it mean to be crucified?
To be dead.
A graphic and dramatic way to express the thought of death.
Now, because of Jesus, we are dead to the world and it is dead to us.
What does this mean?
We no longer have any relation to the world.
All the ideologies, values, honors, and worldly achievements now are seen for what they really are.
2 Corinthians 10:4–5 (CSB)
4 since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments
5 and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.
Current events and honors: Hollywood; worldly renown; educational achievements; etc.
All the pleasures and treasures of this world are now relegated to the secondary.
Colossians 2.20 - Died to the Elemental Spirits of This World.
Colossians 2.20 - Died to the Elemental Spirits of This World.
Colossians 2:20 (NASB 2020)
20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
If you have died with Christ, you have died to the elementary.
Anything of the world that comes up with is elementary when compared to the truth of God.
27 Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.
28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something,
29 so that no one may boast in his presence.
Christians are truly profound people. We have transcendent truth.
We know the origin of the universe.
We know who made it and why He made it.
We know how it will all end.
We know what true understanding really is.
1 John 2.15-17 - Do Not Love the World.
1 John 2.15-17 - Do Not Love the World.
1 John 2:15 (CSB)
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.
World comes from the word “kosmos.” It is the opposite of chaos - which means disorder.
Kosmos means “order” - and here it refers to the present-age system.
It is a system designed by Satan. It is intended to appeal to the sinful.
Its ideas, values, thoughts, and viewpoints exert themselves above God.
We cannot love the world and God.
We cannot love the world and God.
Look again at 2:15.
This does not mean we should not enjoy God’s creation.
It has been designed to bring Him glory.
We don’t look at mountains and say “isn’t evolution amazing?”
We don’t look at a new baby and say “I’m so glad that amoeba living in a pool of ooze decided to split.”
No one looks at someone else and says, “I’m so thankful for natural selection.”
When we look out we:
See people as those who are created in the image of God, Colossians 2.11.
See a mountain as the handiwork of God, the heavens declare His glory...Psalm 19.1.
See the rich pleasures and blessings as the gift of our heavenly Father, James 1.17.
It’s all Him. His signature is in every flower. Hill. Tree. Animal.
This is our Father’s world.
Why do we not love the world?
Why do we not love the world?
16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world.
We do not love the world - we’ve been delivered from it.
Why do we not love the world?
Because of what it is. It is Satan’s system.
Because of what it does. It incites sin.
Satan uses it to pander to our flesh, 2.16.
It passes it’s material and sensual things to us.
It passes it’s educational achievements, honors, power, and philosophies in front of us.
It draws out our covetousness and pride.
Because of where it is going.
17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.
It is passing away.
It is in the process of disintegration or dissolution.
It will self destruct.
It has been smitten with the fatal disease of sin.
The whole world is passing away, but God has placed us in a Kingdom that abides forever.
As We Close
As We Close
Don’t be complacent.
13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Under no circumstances should we be living as if the world is not going to pass away.
Where are your affections?
1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
You can overcome this world.
1 John 5:4 (NASB 2020)
4 For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.
Do you have a lessening attraction to this world?
What is the victory that overcomes this world? Our faith.
We have put our faith in Jesus - and how He has delivered us from this present evil age.
Now look at v. 5:
5 Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
You have to conquer it. How do you do that?
The only way this is possible is through Jesus.
Don’t believe the truth about Jesus?
You can’t be delivered.
We are the overcomers. Word is “Nike.”
Means “victor” or “conquerer.”
Only our faith can conquer the system of evil dominated by lust and pride.
While society runs toward materialism, sensuality, clings to everything it sees, and turns every beauty into self indulgence....
That’s the world and that’s sin.
We have overcome it and now see it as it really is.
Why would we ever value that more than God?
We have been delivered from error to truth.
We have been moved from sin to righteousness.
We live in obedience to God as a practice.
We have been delivered from the system of Satan to an eternal kingdom.
Our affections are heavenly. Our desires are for the eternal.
Will you respond to this truth?