Live Out Loud, part 1

This past Sunday, I was privileged to be able to preach in my pastor's absence. Since I have been so focused on preparing for that, I have neglected to post anything recently. So, since I spent most of my time preparing for this sermon, I thought, I would share what I learned in my studies. I will however, break down the sermon into bite sized morsels. The sermon went long, but I feel like I said what God told me to say. My sermon text was 1 Peter 2:9-12. Here was my introduction...

Our culture today, in many ways, mirrors that of the days of Noah described in Genesis 6. I go few weeks without getting at least one email chain letter bemoaning the fall of societal values and the demise of good ole’ fashioned Americana. It is very easy to get down in the mouth and take our eyes off our Savior. However, we should not despair, because “despair is a sin. It is a sin because it denies the sovereignty of God.” The battle is not ours; it is the Lord’s. The people of this world are not our enemies, but rather His name is Satan and his followers. (Ephesians 6:12)

And yet, that is the world in which we live, and that is the world in which we have been called to reach. We can complain about how things have gone, but I believe one of the primary reasons that the world has taken such a dramatic turn into immorality is that we as the Church of Jesus Christ have failed to be Salt and Light in that lost world.

Don’t believe me? Only a few weeks, while attending the Southern Baptist Convention, we learned that we are losing ground. "According to the Annual Church Profile baptisms last year dropped from 371,850 to 364,826" in the Southern Baptist Convention. The church in general is declining the younger you go, the fewer that attend. Consider the following numbers of those reporting going to church:

52% of Builders generation (born before 1946) drops to 36% of generation X
If you are like me, I consider these numbers to be very generous.

The things that the unchurched have to say about us is mostly formulated by what they see and hear from the drive-by media. Do you want the media speaking on your behalf? However, most of these that have critical things to say about Christians and the Church have not even met someone who is a Christian. That would lead me to believe that we, as a whole, are not engaging the lost. Most of the criticisms they have have more to do with attitude and heart than with doctrine.

So, we are faced with making a decision. We can either choose to complain about how things are in comparison to how things used to be (good old days mentality); we can choose to ignore the problem and go on about our own business thinking they are lost and are gonna get what they deserve anyway (looking out for number one); or we can look intently into where we are now and where we are going, and choose to do something about it (biblical response).

The third choice may require that we make some significant changes in our thinking, our methods and our lifestyle. What are you choosing? I believe this text has much to say about how to do this.