Christ and Culture

Christ and Culture
Author: Ian Young, Middle School Director
Ten - Part 3
How has our culture influenced you? Have you downloaded Instagram? Have you sent a meme from your iPhone or ordered something from Amazon? Do you set aside multiple hours on the weekend for football? Is there a desire in you to climb the corporate ladder or have a beautiful home that HGTV would want to visit?

I do not believe any of these things are in and of themselves evil or sinful. How we navigate culture and the Gospel can be a beautiful thing that makes a Kingdom impact. However, we must be aware that the world has the habit of trying to infiltrate our hearts, convincing us it’s more important than Jesus.

Exodus 20:3-5a says, “Do not have other gods besides Me. Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.”

Despite these words of God, Israel allowed their culture to negatively influence their hearts and worship. They combined the Egyptian practice of making idols, which were seen as an extension of whatever false deity they were believing in, with their worship of Yahweh, the one true God. Exodus 32:1-4 details how the Israelites created a golden calf and began to worship it as if it was an extension of God.

Now, most of us, I would say, do not have golden calves in our backyards beside our marigolds in our flower beds, which we believe is an extension of the Triune God we serve. But how have we let culture influence our worship and faith? How have we let the world and American culture permeate our understanding of Scripture?

Ask God to reveal any idols in your life and where our culture has overstepped into your faith. Ask for the strength to submit those things to Him so He may take the proper place in your life.

Let’s look at one commonly misinterpreted verse, Philippians 4:13. It says, “I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.” To be clear, this verse, at face value, is absolutely true. There is nothing that God cannot do and nothing that God cannot help you do or accomplish.

However, this verse is often used to further personal agendas rather than the Kingdom of Christ. People quote Philippians 4:13 as a magic formula to manifest their desires: fulfilling the American Dream, winning a sporting event, getting that promotion, and so on. I say this gently and with love because I used to believe this way, but that’s not how it works or the meaning of this Scripture.

Let’s back up to Philippians 4:11-12, which will provide more context for the heart of that verse. These verses state, “I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances, I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.”

Through Paul, God is communicating that no matter the circumstances, whether you have a little or a lot, no matter how severe the suffering, Christ is there—empowering you to endure with contentment so you may persevere with the mission of sharing the Gospel and being a witness to the world.

As you go about the rest of your week, I encourage you to ask God to reveal any idols in your life and where our culture has overstepped into your faith. Ask for the strength to submit those things to Him so He may take the proper place in your life.

Recent

Archive

 2024

Categories

Tags

1 Timothy 4:3-4 1 corinthians 13 3 tips Abraham Barb Bible Christ centered friendships Christ-centered friendships Christ Control David Deuteronomy 31:8 Elijah Gideon God's Word God's faithfulness God's will God\'s Word God\'s will God\\\'s will God\\\\\\\'s will Gods Word Gods name Gods voice Gods will God Good Samaritan Isaac Isaiah 41 Isaiah 53 Isaiah James 1:22 James 4:14 Jesus is coming Jesus Jonathan Josiah Live at Peace Matthew 26:38-39 Messiah Old Testament Paul Philippians 2 Psalms Romans 6:9 Saul Savior Scripture Significant Others Talented Word of God You Say a mother's prayer a mother\'s prayer a mothers prayer abandon abby conner absolute truth acts 1:8 acts 2:42-47 acts adam and eve adam etris adam adulteror advent alls well that ends well andrew archer andrew angels sing anger anguish anxiety apostles appreciation archer arch are you prepared art of neighboring attributes austin michels austin authorities authority baptism sunday baptism barabbas barb banhart barb barnhart barnhart be a friend be still be strong and courageous be transformed beauty from ashes becoming fearless believers believe betrayal better neighbors better be brandy gibson brandy broken bronze serpant bruce lane bruce cancel culture cancel care carols celebrate others christian life christianity christian christmas with the ridge christmas church defined church design church circles cleaning the temple clinging to jesus colossians 1:13 community compassion concentric circles conflict connection courage created for community crisis in israel cross crowd crucifixion cultivate the soil culture daughter death debt delaney deuteronomy 31:6 devotional devotion disagreement discernment do not fear doers don't panic don\'t panic do early church easter sunday easter elderly empathy encouragement end times endurance ephesians 3:14-23 ephesians5:21 eternal impact eternal king eternal life eternal security eternity etris exhausted extended family face to face faithful in the small things faithfulness faith family famous last words father fear less series fear less fearless fear first commandement first commandment foretold forgiveness forgiven forgive forgiving forsaken foundation four tips fourth commandment free from sin freedom freely given free friendships friendship friends friend garden of gethsemane generosity generous get ready getting along gibson gifts give thanks gloria gods faithfulness good enough good friday good works gospel government grace and truth grace hill grace grateful gratitude great commission greed grief grieve with others groups hard heart haring he has come he will be called heart heaven hell helping hill holy monday holy saturday holy tuesday holy wednesday holy week holy homecoming hondruas honduras hope huggins husband i do but do i ian young ian identity of God identity idolatry idols immovable in all things in christ inspired intimacy invitation israel jamie huggins jamie jill wargo jill john 8:1-11 john 8:10-11 john josh rhodes josh joy judas judgemental judgement judge katie lemley katie key relationships kim sheets kim kingdom of heaven king kinsman redeemer know the truth la ceiba lamb of God lane language last supper legacy lemley life light of the world light listening live generously living intentionally living water logos love one another love loyalty luke 10:42 luke 23:34 made new manna marriage matters marriage martha matthew 22:37-39 matthew 23:24 matthew 6:3-4 maundy thursday mediator melissa parker melissa mercy michelle lemley michelle trimmer michelle michels mikvah mission trip missions money morality moses neighbor new family new year new o holy night ourselves overcome evil with good palm sunday parables parable parenting parents parent parker passover lamb passover path of life peacemaker peace people of god people perfecter perfector perserverance perseverance persistence perspective philippians 4:6-7 philippians pioneer point of church point possessions power of the past pray like paul prayer life prayer plan prayer pray prepare promises of God provision psalm 139 purpose quality time race read reconciliation recreated redeemed redeemer redemption reflection rejoice relationship with God relationships relationship relative truth religion religious leaders remember response rest resurrection retaliation return revenge rhodes riches roger sealey roger role model romans 12:12 romans 12:15 romans rules sabbath day sabbath sacrifice salvation sealey second coming second commandment secure seek the truth selfish selflessness selfless separation sermon on the mount serve Jesus serve others serve serving others serving set free shame share the gospel share the truth sharing the good news sheep and goats sheets signs sing sin social media soft heart sower speaking the truth speak spiritual gifts spiritual leaders spiritual relationships spring cleaning stand firm stillness still strained straining out gnats and swallowing camels strength submit substitutionary atonement support surrender take time talents ten commandments tender heart ten thankfulness thanksgiving thanks the dishonest manager the good samaritan the lost coin the lost sheep the lost son the parables of jesus the persistent widow the plot the point of church the primary purpose of the church the prodigal son the purpose of the church the rich fool the sheep and goats the sower the talents the ten virgins the two foundations the wedding banquet the word of God the word third commandment through thick and thin throught thick and thin tim haring tim transformation treasure tribulation triggered trimmer trustworthy truth about people truth is truth matters truthiness truth two foundations two lies and the truth ukraine unbelievers uncertainty unclean victorious victory volunteer wargo wealth wedding feast weep what's the point? what\'s the point? what\\\'s the point? what\\\\\\\'s the point? what\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s the point? whats the point whatsthepoint when we pray who am i who i am who we are wife words works of God work worry wronged you are forgiven young