← ArchiveYou Asked for itYou Asked for It: Jesus and CultureDateAugust 27, 2023SpeakerDr Josh BurnhamText—Passages in this sermonJohn 174:31Genesis 1:114:30Ephesians 615:03TranscriptMachine transcribed. Click any line to jump there.0:00*music*0:30And just to clarify for those who actually have a calendar handy, this Wednesday is not the first Wednesday of September. This Wednesday is the last Wednesday of August, so first Wednesday is not this week, but next week.0:59But we would love to have you both weeks. So just keep that in mind as you think going forward. My name is Josh Burnham, one of your pastors, and today I get to bring the word. And we are answering questions in the next three weeks, questions you asked from a survey this Easter at Bethel. And that's why we've called this series You've Asked For It. So if you don't like what we're preaching the next several weeks, it is your fault, that is not on me.1:28Look in the mirror because you asked. Last week we asked biblical questions of how can we share our faith? How can we defend our faith against others who do not believe, maybe others who are antagonistic towards us? And today is really a second installment of that question. Because today we will look at how as Christians do we live out our faith in the midst of a culture that is quickly evolving.1:54How do you live out our faith in the midst of a culture that is quickly evolving? Culture is defined this way. It's the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group.2:13Which means that you can have inside of a nation separate subcultures and inside of a state and inside of a locale. Now you might think, well we don't have a culture where I live. You do. The reminder is that every person who has ever lived has a written and unwritten culture.2:39And whether you like it or not, at the end of every day, the people who know you evaluate and judge you based on the written and the unwritten social norms that you either do participate in or you do not participate in. So how as people of faith do we live out our walk with Jesus in the midst of these social norms?3:03That's our task. Now listen to what Chad Bird said about culture. He gave some unwritten Ten Commandments of culture. And he says this: "Thou shalt not be fat." "Thou shalt be light." "Thou shalt be open-minded." "Thou shalt be popular." "Thou shalt be successful."3:33"Thou shalt win." "Thou shalt dream big." "Thou shalt not settle." These are just a few of the laws written on the cultural tablets of our society. And maybe some of those hit home with you. Because whether they're written or unwritten, we are all judged at the end of the day by how we follow the social norms of our culture.3:55So how is a person of faith who has committed to walk the narrow path of Jesus to live in light of the culture that you live and breathe in? That's the task at hand today. Today's message is simple. It's called Jesus and Culture. So before we jump into the Word of God, and if you have your Bible, we will look at the Gospel of John.4:25John 17 shortly. Jesus' prayer for His disciples. So you can go ahead and find your way to the fourth Gospel. The 17th book of that Gospel. As we ask the question of the Holy Spirit, "Father, how do you want us to live out our faith in the midst of our ever-changing culture?"4:49We pray over us. Father, we thank You for the demonstration that we have already seen in Avaro's life, in Levi's life, Lorylan's life, and the many others here who have testified that You are the God who saves. That sinners who were dead in sin can be made alive again because of what Jesus did on the cross for us.5:13We thank You for that reminder. Lord, for those who do not know You today, save them. Convict them of their sin that they might repent and turn to You, the author and the finisher of their salvation. And Lord, may today, in the gathering of Your Holy Saints, may we not be hearers only of Your Word,5:42but may we be doers of Your Word. Lord, let us live out our faith in the midst of a world that does not understand. This is our prayer, Lord. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. So the question before us is not, "Do we have a culture?" The answer is, "Yes." And unequivocally, we live in a specific time,6:11and you live with a specific people, and you live in a particular place. And it's not necessarily the culture that divides us as Christians, because we share the same culture. What divides, and really, the question that begins our dive into the Word of God, is how do you react? How do you live as a person of faith in the midst of culture? The division of faith and flesh is your response.6:41How, as a Jesus follower, do you respond to a world that says, "You should behave, think, and do this way?" Well, this is not a question that's unique to you and to me. Actually, from the beginning of time, people have struggled with and wrestled with, how do we live out our faith? So I'm going to give you three examples from people during the time of Jesus Christ, and then I will give you a fourth example from the Lord Himself,7:10how we are to live out our faith in the midst of the world. The first is called sameness. Are you living same as the world? Maybe this is a way of saying that the culture impacts you the most, rather than you impacting culture. During the time of Jesus, this was the pattern of the life of the Sadducees. The Sadducees believed it was politically expedient to embrace the culture as their own.7:39Now they had good reason to, because the Sadducees, who were very affluent, who lived for the day, they did not believe in the afterlife, so they very much believed in eat and drink today, for tomorrow you die. And the Sadducees believed if they were to link up with Rome and to look like the world, then that would be what was best for the temple.8:08So the Sadducees believed it was good for them and good for God if they looked like the culture. What will it hurt? What will it hurt? This is best for God's people. So if they look like the Romans and then their thought and their worldview and their values, this was a small price to pay to keep the temple open. And let me remind you, some of you might not call yourself a Sadducee today,8:36but you look the same as the world. And here is the reminder from the word of God, if that is you today, living same with the world will never bring you peace with Jesus Christ. To live like the world will never bring you peace with Jesus Christ. And we live like the world because we want the world to accept us. And here is the second part of this equation.9:04The world will never accept you. The world will only accept you in as much as you do what they want you to do. And as soon as you do not do what the world says should be acceptable, leave us alone, you are not part of us. You will never find peace with God. And you will never find lasting relationship with others if your goal in life is to be like everyone else. And the propensity to acquiesce to fleshly morality9:33only grows as you say yes to the world. It only grows. The world only asks more and more and more of you. And maybe sameness in your life doesn't look like Sadduceeism. But maybe it sounds like this. We love each other. So what does it hurt that we live together? God knows our heart.10:03We're not married and that's God's institution for intimacy is within the bounds of a biblical marriage. But we love each other. So it's a spiritual thought that counts. Friends, sameness with the world will never bring you peace with God. Maybe you say, well, I'm not hurting anyone else. What does it matter if I live like this or if I drink this or smoke this? I'm only hurting myself.10:32What does it matter? And yet God says to you, you are my temple. My spirit lives within you. If you have confessed me as Lord, your life matters. Your tabernacle matters. Sameness with the world will never bring you peace with God. Or maybe you say, well, I'm just trying to get ahead, Pastor. Our world says win. Our world says succeed. And if this helps me get ahead in life, God will turn his eye.11:02He knows my heart. Sameness with the world will never bring you peace with God. It will never bring us peace with God. And at the end of the day, it only leaves you empty and wanting more. Are you letting culture impact your life? There's a second group during the time of Jesus and they had the opposite reaction.11:27Some wanted to be the same, but some wanted to fight and struggle. So that's some of you. Maybe you're the fighter. Maybe you're the brawler. So if the same person says culture impacts me, the Pharisee says, you will change or I will die trying. And this is the heart of the Pharisee. This was their strategy. Pharisees and their disciples were deeply concerned about guidelines of ritual purity and adherence to the law.11:56Both written, what was in the law of Moses, and what was oral, what they said should happen. Sinners were the Jews whose observance fell short of their standards. So a sinner was anyone that the Pharisee said did not live up to the Pharisee's standard. And that's why the Pharisees took issue with Jesus.12:25Because Jesus ate and lived with sinners. And if the Pharisee said, we will change culture or we will die trying, Jesus did not live according to their oral traditions. And so, hence, there was a deep struggle in their life. Not to be outdone, there was a certain group that went over and above what the Pharisees taught.12:55And they were the zealots. They were zealous for the righteous things of God. There was a certain group among the zealots who were called the Saqqari, named after a short blade that they would keep in their tunic. And if the opportunity arose, they would stab and kill a Roman leader if they could. But it's okay because they were doing so in the name of Yahweh.13:23Because they were struggling. They were part of the fight. And even the zealots and the Pharisees can be saved. Simon the zealot became part of the circle of Jesus Christ. When he realized that there was a different and a better way. Now, some of you might not have your knives with you today. Some of you might not have your pistols with you today.13:51Some of you do. So we might not think, well, you're not talking to me. I'm not the Pharisee. I'm not the one who fights culture. But maybe our fight sounds like this. Maybe we're not focusing on Jesus today. We only can think about the glory days. We just think, well, if things went to the way they used to be, then our lives would be right again.14:13And you just think, well, if I could have things the way they used to be. So how far do you need to go back to the way they used to be? Because as I read the Bible, you need to go back to Genesis 1:1. Pre-fall. Because there's no glory day after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden that was good, holy, and right.14:38That's why we need Jesus Christ. He is the one that makes us right. So for you who are in struggle mode, maybe you're on the struggle bus, or maybe you just want to join the struggle. Remember what the word says. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the cosmic powers of this darkness in Ephesians chapter 6.15:03If you're going to fight anyone today, don't fight culture. Fight the one who is the prince and the power of the air. Fight against darkness. Now some of you are not on the struggle bus and you're not on the sameness bus. Some of you are just like, I'm done.15:32I give up. Leave me alone. You go your way. I go my way. And we will be happy as larks. Well, there's a word for you. That's what the Essene did in the time of Jesus Christ. The Essenes were a group that said we are tired of the world. We're tired of our culture. We're going to go find some beachfront property on the western side of the Dead Sea. It's super hot, but we'll be lonely, we'll be isolated, and Jesus will come get us one day.16:00This group actually believed that they were the sons of light against the sons of darkness in their culture. So they isolated themselves. They segregated themselves. And they were very strict in what they did and how they lived. They believed that asceticism, separateness, was a sacred tenet of their lives.16:23And today I think we would call this the Christian bubble. It's easy for us to say, you know what, we're going to create our own places and we're going to only shop around other Christians and we're going to only go to Christian schools, assuming that everyone who goes to the Christian school is a Christian, which is a bad assumption. And we're going to only own Christian stocks and we're going to only listen to Christian TV shows.16:52We're going to have our Christian bubble. And if the only thing I hear is Christian music and think Christian thoughts and have Christian friends and go to a Christian service, if I insulate myself enough, then I'll hold out until Jesus returns. And let me confess to you, there are days where I want to get away.17:15And if I could live on my Christian island by myself, maybe a couple other people, my life would be a lot better. And some of you are in my camp, you're thinking, if I could just get away, I'm tired of the hurt. I'm tired of the brokenness of our world. I'm tired of illness.17:43I'm tired of sickness. I'm tired of death. When will it end? And then I read verses like this, that realize, that make me realize that being segregated is not God's answer for our lives. When Jesus said, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them everything I have commanded you.18:11Dear brother and dear sister, how can we go make disciples of all people if we are content to segregate ourselves into a Christian bubble? So then how do we live? There is a fourth way. And this is what Jesus prays in John 17, verse 9. He doesn't want the culture to impact you.18:41He doesn't want you to fight against culture because our, even if we win that war, our fight is not against flesh and blood. He does not want us to isolate ourselves on the Dead Sea because you think it's been hot this week. Go to the southern region of Beersheba in Israel. It's hot. That is not the answer. But Jesus prays in John 17 for his disciples, his current disciples, the apostles, and for those who will come after.19:08And he prays this way, John 17, verse 9. He says, "I pray for them, Father. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me. Because they," that's the disciples, "are yours.19:34Everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine, and I am glorified in them. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. And I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy. And I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy. And I speak these things in the world. And I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy. And I speak these things in the world. And I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy. And I speak these things in the world. And I speak these things in the world.20:03And I speak these things in the world. And I speak these things in the world. And I speak these things in the world. And I speak these things in the world. And I speak these things in the world. And I speak these things in the world. And I speak these things in the world. And I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy completed in them. I have given them your word. The world hated them. Because they are what? They are not of the world.20:31I am not praying that you take them out of the world. But that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. I sanctify myself for them so that they also may be sanctified by your truth.20:56The fourth way that we need to live as Christians. How do we live in the midst of our ever-changing culture? It's called the sanctified way. The way of Jesus Christ. Jesus says it right here. I have sanctified myself for them so that they also may be sanctified by your truth. Now it's fascinating here that Jesus prays this specific prayer.21:26First he says in verse 9 that I am not praying for the world. That does not mean that Jesus hates the world. Really what Jesus is saying in this prayer is that God my focus is not on the world in this prayer. My focus is for the disciples because my disciples and the church will be plan A for God receiving his glory throughout the rest of the world. So if you have given your life to Jesus Christ, Jesus loves the world through you.21:52Because you and I are to go to every nation and tell the world that they are sinners but there is a great savior. And if they would confess their sin and repent of their sin, they can be forgiven, redeemed, and reconciled to a God who loves them so. So how do we live out the sanctified way for Jesus Christ?22:19I'm going to give you three ways that you can live for Christ in the midst of a culture. You can't be the same. You can't fight against it because it's not a fight that you can win and even if you win it, it's not an eternal fight that you've won. You can't segregate yourself. But church, we can sanctify ourselves in the truth of the word of God and through Jesus Christ. Verse 9.22:48Verse 9. We start with remembering who we are. He says it right here. I pray for them. I'm not praying for the world but for those you have given me because my disciples are what? He said, God, Father, my disciples are yours. Church, remember that you are his. When you remember that your eternal salvation is secure, temporal matters dimly fade away, don't they?23:13I think about Lazarus. Lazarus was the man who died and Jesus raised him from the dead. Can you imagine someone trying to threaten Lazarus post-resurrection? Can you imagine the world say, Lazarus, if you don't stop speaking about the resurrection of Jesus, we'll kill you. He's like, come on, man.23:41I've been there, done that. What are you going to do, kill me again? Because I've tasted and seen that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is true and it is more powerful than any pain that the world has to offer. I think Lazarus knew that he was belonged, saved, and redeemed in Jesus Christ. Now, listen to the drumbeat of assurance that Jesus prays.24:08He says this, they are yours. You have given them to me. They have received. They have been protected. They are guarded. They are sanctified. Jesus is repeating this refrain of assurance in our lives. So when you look at the culture and you're afraid, remember that you are given to the Father through the blood of Jesus Christ.24:33When you look at your life and you say, God, I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm worn, remember that you are protected and guarded through the power of Jesus. The word keep, the word guarded here is usually the word in scripture that means that a Christian is keeping the ways of the Lord. But in John 17, it's used in a different way.25:01No longer are you keeping the commands of God, but God himself is keeping you through the power of his son, Jesus Christ. It's a reminder to keep on keeping on because God will not let go of you. It's a reminder for the Christian that your salvation is not secure because you are holding on with a clenched fish to Jesus. Your salvation is secure because the Holy Spirit is holding on to you.25:30And the Holy Spirit will not let you go because you are his. So how do we live out our lives in the midst of culture? Remember whose you are. Second thing Jesus prays, look at verse 11. And may we not lose the context of this. Jesus is praying this prayer and what is happening several hours later.25:58He is dying on the cross. And everything that the disciples hold near and dear is going to be shattered on the cross, they think. And Jesus is praying for them, he's praying for you. And Jesus says in verse 11, not only Lord help them remember that they are yours, but also verse 11. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world.26:24It's a reminder in Christ that you are in the world. Jesus petitions his father to leave the disciples in the world. This means that your holy task is not to withdraw. It is not to segregate. It is not to run or to flee, but to maintain a constant faithful witness to Christ. And again from last week, wherever you work, wherever you go to school, if you stay home, if you are retired, wherever you shop, you are someone's missionary.26:51Jesus actually prays for you. Jesus actually prays for you. Father, do not take them out of this world. But send them into the world. That the world might know my love. And it's not surprising that Jesus would pray this prayer, would he?27:17It's not surprising that I would say to us, how do we live in the midst of our culture? Well, we are sent into the world. Because we worship a God who loved the world so much that he sent his only son. That whoever believes in him would not perish, but have everlasting life. Jesus' prayer for you is that you would remain in the world and make a difference for Jesus Christ.27:42But do not be fooled. That does not mean that you should be of the world. That does not mean that we should be of the world, as Jesus says in verse 15. He says, "I am not praying that you take them out of the world, but that you protect them from the evil one." Now, a quick moment, grammar time with the pastor.28:10A preposition is a governing word that expresses relationship. It's a governing word that expresses relationship. Which means that Jesus is saying you are in the world, that's locative, that's location. But you are not of the world, that's status. So it is possible to be somewhere, but not be your relationship with that somewhere.28:37You could be an alien in a foreign nation, right? When you travel, you have a passport. If you're a United States citizen, maybe you're in Zambia or Bulgaria or Canada or Mexico. You're saying, "Listen, I'm in the country, but I'm not of the country. I'm just passing through." Whether I get a visa, whether I go back home, but I'm not here permanently.29:04Christian, that is your job, living in the world, but not of the world. We are to say to the world, "I'm here in location, but I'm not here in status, because I have a better home. I have an eternal home, and I long for the day where what Jesus has promised me will be received in full in glory."29:23This is why Jesus says in verse 19 for you and for me, "I sanctify myself for them so that they may also be sanctified, set apart for truth." The word "set apart" means "holy." So if the world is to see holiness, they are to look to you if you have confessed Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.29:51This is the sanctified way. In the world, but not of the world. And remembering who we are. Through Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for your sins, The tablets of our hearts are rewritten.30:17In Christ, our heart now sounds like this. Our culture has changed. In Christ, thou shalt be His. The Bible says that in Christ, thou shalt be in the world, but thou shalt not be of the world. In Christ, we're reminded that thou shalt be kept and protected and guarded for eternity.30:41In Christ, we're reminded that thou shalt be hated, but that's okay because they hated our Savior too. In Christ, we're reminded that thou shalt be sanctified. And lastly, we're reminded that thou shalt be sent.31:01How do we live out our faith in the midst of our culture? Live the sanctified path. Look like Jesus. The way is narrow. It is difficult. But it is always worth it.31:29Because He has created you to know Him and experience His love. He has sanctified you to walk this path for His glory and for the good of the world. So how do we respond to this glorious grace of Jesus taking our place on the cross that we might have forgiveness?31:47If you've given your life to Christ by faith and repentance, the way we're going to celebrate it shortly is by the Lord's Supper. And if you've given your life to Christ, if you've confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and if you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, the Bible says that you will be saved.32:16It's not a question. You are saved. And when He returns and He calls you home, you will be saved. That's what Jesus did for us. And if you've been baptized as a sign of your obedience to the Savior, in a moment we're going to invite you to the Lord's table. So as the song plays, we're going to ask you to come and take the elements32:43and go back to your seat because we're going to eat and drink together because our Savior prayed, "Lord, may they be one as you and I are one." And if you are baptized today, I'm going to ask you to do this. We're going to ask you to come first because today you are our invited guest. Because for the first time in your life, you get to come to the table of the Lord. In church, we get to celebrate with them.33:09For the first time today, they are our guests at the same table. Because at the cross of Jesus, no matter who you are or where you came from, we are all one and the same at the cross. If you've not given your life to Jesus, we're going to ask you not to eat and drink. But we're going to ask you to do something different. We're going to ask you to give your life to Jesus. To confess them and say, "Father, today I'm the sinner and I need you.33:38I need to be sanctified. I need to be cleansed. I need to be made whole. And I can't do it on my own." And when you pray that prayer, the heavenly response is this, "Josh, I thought you would never ask. I always knew you couldn't do it on your own." God says that's why He sent His one and only Son. On behalf of guilty sinners. And that all who would confess their sin and turn to Him will be saved, cleansed, and redeemed.34:07And if that's you today, if you've never given your life to Jesus, I'm going to ask you to do that right now. To pray in your heart. Say, "God, I'm sorry for my sin. Forgive me. I believe that you sent Jesus to die on the cross. I believe He rose again. And I believe you did that for me. And Father, today for the first time, I will follow you.34:35No matter the cost. No matter what the world says. No matter what the culture says. I am choosing Jesus rather than anyone else. Father, we thank you.← Previous in You Asked for itYou Asked for It: Being Ready (Acts 17:16-17)Next in You Asked for it →You Asked for It: Jesus and Science
