Over the Noise
The world is a loud place.
The average person may not get peace and quiet until their head reaches the pillow each night. Even then, there are Bluetooth masks equipped with headphones that can keep you occupied until sleep takes you.
There is no limit to the sheer amount of media that a person can partake in. A person will get over two hundred messages a day and, interestingly enough, a person has over three hundred negative thoughts a day.
The delivery systems are new but the world has always been loud and chaotic.
I can see why some of the early church fathers decided to retreat to the desert to start the first monasteries. The world will always be loud because they must drown out reason. When Jesus was on trial with Pilate, the crowd yelled and screamed for death. Despite the pleas from Pilate which were drowned out by the rage of mob. As Christians, we are up against three different adversaries: the flesh, the world and the enemy. I want to discuss the second adversary: the world. How are we, as Christians, supposed to live out the calling God has placed on our lives, when the world screams for the opposite to occur?
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. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
1 John 2:15–17 (ESV)
As Christians, it is time that there is a clear distinction between how we conduct ourselves and how worldly people conduct themselves.
The Lord calls us to be holy, which means, “to be set apart.” The world has sided with immorality, as evident with the latest performance by Sam Smith on the Grammy awards. This was broadcast on national television with zero warning to any viewers. The sad part about this incident is that the performance was neither edgy nor original. The world has been worshipping false gods since the fall in the book of Genesis. What the performance did do was confirm that the world has chosen sin over Jesus. This is not new either. This is why the Apostle John wrote the above verses.
As Christians, we must stand on what God has called us to, which is living a Biblical life. Furthermore, we must be the people on the front lines that are helping the casualties of this secular assault. Our kids are suffering from the highest suicide rates in history. People have easier access to drugs and are numbing themselves to the point of death. Our families are under direct assault, as people do not value the immense benefits that come from a home with both a mother and a father. My church holds a food pantry every Tuesday… since the start of the new year we have reached record highs each week with people that need food assistance.
The world is very loud and it will keep screaming at the top of it’s lungs that the Bible is outdated and narrow minded.
The secular worldview is built upon sand that eventually consumes those standing upon it. Jesus is the rock and the Word of God has not changed. He is the only way to true peace.
You will hear many pundits call this a culture war. However, I am not at war with people. Jesus came to save; and thus that is my mission as well. I was once part of the world but Jesus gripped my hands and pulled me out. The line has been drawn, but I urge all Christians to reach your hand across that line. We do not bend on our beliefs but we do bring Jesus and the Gospel to the people.
Everyone prays for a revival, but revival starts with us preaching the Gospel every chance we get. It starts with recognizing that God puts people in our lives that need Him. It starts with getting back into a local Body of Christ and building the community around Jesus.
The world is loud but the only victory comes from Him.