Sermon Central
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Strangers In This World
Contributed by Kemuel Travis on Jul 6, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through
INTRODUCTION
-Science Fiction & Fantasy’s Popularity
-This world is full of aliens
-Key verse 17
-We, the believers in Christ, are the aliens
-We’re only visitors here on this planet
I. Strangers Think Strangely.
-What you think about shows where your home is
A. Earthly people think of things of this earth
1. Pleasures
a. Sinful ones
b. Non-sinful ones
2. Stresses
a. Work
b. School
c. Family
B. Heavenly people think of things of heaven
1. Their mansion
2. Their Savior
a. His grace
-Saving grace
b. His return
II. Strangers Act Strangely.
-How you act shows where your home is
A. In obedience
1. To God’s commands in scripture
-Absolute Truths
2. To the Spirit’s convictions on your life
-There are some things that are a sin for
me, but not for you & vice versa
B. In nonconformity
1. To the world’s standards
-It’s sometimes hard to tell the difference these days
A. Media choices
-Movies glorifying immorality
-Sitcoms with innuendo
-Music that promotes sin
-Video games that praise violence
B. Dress code
-Summertime is here
-In efforts to be cooler, many wear less and less clothing and thereby become less and less modest
1. Ladies, do us guys a favor and keep it covered
-We are not called to be fashionable or stylish, but to be modest
-Which do not need to exclude each other
2. Guys, do the same
-Keep your shirts on
C. Sense of humor
-21st century America does not know what is truly humorous and what is vulgar
-Bodily noises
-Innuendo
-Sinfulness
D. Leisure time activities
-Too often we focus our leisure time on ourselves
-Missions trips
-Campmeeting
E. Financial priorities
-God requires 10%
F. Time Management
-Organization
-Learning to say “no”
2. To the world’s gravity
-As it tries to hold you down and keep you prisoner
-It tries to make you enjoy it so much that leaving seems undesirable
-Don’t plant your roots too deep
III. Strangers View God Strangely.
-How you view God shows where your home is
A. Reverently
1. Treat God with respect
2. Point everything towards God
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B. Fearfully
-In awe and wonder (amazement)
1. Recognize God as worthy of worship
-It would make many more faithful to the worship services of the church
2. Accept God’s will as it unfolds
WARNING: Persecution And Misunderstanding Will Come!
-You will be seen as being strange and even undesirable
-If it didn’t, you would need to be concerned
-Skipping the outing to go to church
-Giving thanks over your lunch at work
-Saying no to drugs, alcohol or tobacco products
-Taking your Bible to read at work
-Refusing to listen to certain singers
-Spending your vacation building a church in Jamaica
-Passing up that popular looking outfit to wear more
modest clothing
-Not laughing at that dirty joke your friend tells
-Giving 10% of your income to the Lord through the church
-Turning down attending that “R” rated movie
CONCLUSION
-Today, I wonder, how many of us are strangers in this world
