Embracing Our Identity as Strangers: Living a Counter-Cultural Christian Life

In this thought-provoking sermon, Reagan explores the concept of living a Christian life that stands out as different and counter-cultural. Beginning with a reading from Hebrews chapter 11, he discusses the idea of embracing our identity as 'strangers' in the world and how living like Christ necessitates being viewed as different. Reagan emphasizes that this distinction should be embraced and confessed, not just to ourselves and God, but also to others. Through practical examples and biblical references, including Matthew and 1 Peter, he encourages Christians of all ages to accept and live out their faith boldly, shedding light on the positive aspects of being distinct from the world. The sermon culminates in an invitation for those seeking a purpose-driven life to come to Christ and be recreated in His image.

00:00 Introduction and Opening Prayer
00:47 Embracing Our Differences as Christians
04:23 Biblical Examples of Faith and Strangeness
06:34 Living Counter-Culturally in Modern Times
10:05 Confessions of Our Differences
11:20 The Importance of Confessing to Ourselves
25:33 Confessing to God and Others
32:08 Conclusion and Call to Action

Transcript

Would you take out your Bible please and turn to Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11. We'll begin reading in verse 13 here in just a moment. Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 13. I want to thank all of those who have led us, uh, so ably and worship this morning. Um, not just for their talent and abilities, but for how well thought out.

Um, everything has been this morning. It's made it easy for me to worship. And, and I wanna thank all of you who have participated so well in that worship as well. Thank you for being here and worshiping our God with us. Uh, whether you're a member here or visiting with us, we're grateful for both your presence and for your love of the Lord.

Uh, we'll be in Hebrews chapter 11, uh, and we'll read beginning in verse 13 here in just a second. But before we do, I've, I've got a question for all of us here this morning. Uh, I want you to think about this and then by a show of hands, who here enjoys. Being different, standing out, being perceived as strange or different from everybody else who kind of enjoys that.

Okay. I know you're telling the truth because you're raising your hand right now, right? I, I don't mind standing out. That's okay. Everybody can look at me. That's all right. That's not a character flaw. There's nothing wrong with that. But I'm not gonna ask everybody else to raise your hand because you were thinking, oh, great.

He's asking us to raise our hand again. What am I gonna have to raise my hand for this time? And I'm just like 1% afraid that Reagan's gonna call me out if I don't raise my hand, uh, when he asks me to. I think for most of us, that's not really what we want. We don't want to be perceived or seen as different.

We don't wanna be seen as strange or to stand out and maybe we don't even mind being different so much, as long as nobody knows, as long as people don't point it out. But I'm here to tell you this morning, this is the reality. If we live like Christ, we will be perceived as different. That's the reality.

That's the truth that is imparted to us in the New Testament. This is the way things are, and as Christians, we have to not just be okay with that. We have to embrace it. We have to confess it because that's the reality of living the Christian life. And so I want us to think for a few moments this morning about this idea of confessing.

We are strangers. And this concept of living Christian lives counter culturally that we're gonna be different than our culture. We're gonna be different than those around us. And over the next few months, we're going to explore this concept with several lessons, with several specific applications. And while I'm gonna.

Specifically tune some of my applications toward young people about to go back to school, and all that implies and entails. I think really there is application to be made for Christians of all ages because no matter our age, no matter our stage in life, no matter really, the people that we find ourselves around, most of the time, we're gonna constantly be living counter culturally different than our culture.

And sometimes that culture. Is more in favor of Christian principles and sometimes that culture is gonna be more against Christian principles, but truly living the Christian life is gonna cause us to stand out and be different. How do we. How do we do that in a godly way? How do we grapple with that concept?

And so our first lesson in considering this idea of confessing we are strangers and living counter culturally is just this concept of coming to grips with being different than the world, accepting this reality, no embracing this reality. That this is not just something I've got a grin and bear as a Christian.

No, there are some really positive and important aspects of being different, uh, that I need to see in my life. I need to come to grips with being different than the world. I need to confess that I am a stranger. In this world, and that terminology comes from Hebrews chapter 11, and if you'll begin reading with me in thir verse 13 of Hebrews chapter 11, beginning in verse 13, we'll read a couple of passages to introduce our concept.

Uh, and then we will have some specific points to make about this idea. So we'll start Hebrews chapter 11, starting in verse 13. The Hebrew writer has already introduced these people who have done things by faith, people like Abel and Enoch and Noah and Abraham and Sarah. He is gonna go on to talk about people like Moses and Rahab and others leading us to Christ.

But he has just kind of a brief aside, beginning in verse 13 when he says. These all died in faith. Not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them, embrace them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things, declare plainly that they seek a homeland.

And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would've had opportunity to return. If they had thought about the world and the way they lived before they came to know God, they could have returned to that life. I mean, Abraham literally could have turned around and gone back to the Kdi if he so chose, but that was not what was in their mind and hearts verse 16.

But now they desire a better. That is a heavenly country. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared a city for them. We should confess like they did, that we are strangers and pilgrims seeking the things above. And in so doing, we are confessing Christ. We declare plainly.

It's easily understood. We declare plainly what our life is really all about. So what are we confessing? Well, I, I think somewhere along the line, um, some Christians have gotten the wrong idea that you have to be weird to be a fateful Christian. You know, you can't be popular, you can't be successful, you can't be influential because you must be too much like the world if you're any of those things.

But, but what he's saying here and talking about about us being strangers is not that we're just weird for the sake of being weird. You know, that really bothered me as a young person. It's like, okay, well how am I supposed to act? That's just weird compared to anybody else. It seemed like the wrong start, the wrong motivation.

Instead, what he's saying here is, we begin with this idea. I'm going where God wants me to go. I'm being who God wants me to be, and the natural result of that is that we're gonna be different. We're gonna be strangers in our culture and in our world. It is others who think us strange, who realize this and call us strange.

And so if you turn to First Peter, chapter two, just a few pages over to the right in your Bible, toward the back of your Bible, first Peter, chapter two.

Read with me beginning there in verse nine, one Peter chapter two, beginning in verse nine. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, talking to Christians, a holy nation, his own special people. Um, the old King James, I think maybe did us a disservice here, not at the time it was written, but how language has evolved.

Anybody reading from the old King James here this morning? A few hands, right? So the old King James says that we are a peculiar people, right? A peculiar people. And what we understand that in modern English to mean well that's peculiar kind of means weird. But his own special people is what the new King James says.

It's not peculiar in the sense of weird, it is peculiar in the sense of particular you are this people, you are his own special people that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, who once were not a people. We came from all different backgrounds. We came from all different situations.

But are now the people of God who had not obtained mercy outside of Jesus, but now have obtained mercy. So what does that look like? Verse 11. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners, strangers and pilgrims ofs stain from fleshly lust, which wore against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, those who are not Christians.

When they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works, which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. What sets us apart, what makes us different, that we are his people, that this world is not our home. And we declare plainly that we are seeking another homeland and our lives reflect that.

Okay, so how do we do that? How do we confess that we are strangers on this earth? How do we confess that we are different? Well, for many years I've taught here and other places when I've gone and preached other places, that when it comes to confession, specifically confession of sin, there are three confessions that we all must make.

So if I've sinned, I need to confess to myself. I need to admit to myself, yes. This was wrong. I shouldn't have done it. I need to confess to God, I need to go to God and confess that sin, say, Lord, I was wrong. Please forgive me. And if I've sinned against somebody else, I need to go and confess to them. I need to confess to others.

That was wrong. I shouldn't have done it. I wanna make it right. Well, let's see if we can build on that prior knowledge. We're not talking about confessing sin this morning, but we are talking about confessing something, and so I would suggest that there are three confessions we must make. That we are different than the world.

And those same three confessions are found with this confession that we need to confess that we are different than the world to ourselves. We need to admit that and acknowledge that to ourselves. We need to confess that to God. Lord, yes, I am your person, part of your people, and that makes me different, and then I need to confess that to others.

So we'll look at those three confessions and here's how we're gonna do it. We're gonna spend. Most of our time or the majority of our time with that first one, not because it's the most important, but because it is the most fundamental that we need to come to grips with this reality in our own minds and hearts, that I'm gonna have to be different than the rest of the world if I'm gonna live the Christian life.

So the first confession that we must make that we're different than the world is that we have to confess that to ourselves. Set the expectation. For the reality that you're going to experience. Again, this is not manufactured weirdness, but just the result of living a Christian life in the midst of a world that is by and large hostile, or at the very least against Christian principles.

If, if you live the Christian life, your respect for authority is going to be different than the world. Your obedience to your parents young people is going to be different than your friends and classmates. Your dress is going to be different. Your speech is going to be different. Your behavior is going to be different.

Your goals and aspirations for what's important to you is going to be different. Your habits are going to be different. The way you treat people who are less fortunate or excluded is going to be different. Your work ethic. Is going to be different because you're working for the Lord, your love for worship and the closeness you have with your brethren.

All of that is going to be different. It's going to stand out when compared with the people in the world who don't know Jesus Christ, and so young people. When you miss practice so that you can go to church, when you don't drink, when you don't cuss, when you dress modestly, when you obey your parents, when you respect those who are in authority.

When you aren't constantly sensual and lustful in your thoughts and actions, when you work hard without murmuring or complaining, when you a avoid people and places that hide your light or lead to temptation, others are going to notice that. And the sooner we all come to grips with that reality, the sooner we can face it and be okay with it, the sooner we can confess it.

Obviously that means we don't sin. We're Christians. Well, we do sin, but we try our very best not to sin. We avoid sin at all costs. But may I suggest that our different counter-cultural living goes beyond just not practicing those things that are inherently sinful. You know what I mean by that? To live counter culturally, it can't just be, well, I don't do these sins that everybody agrees.

This is sinful. There must be something more to living the Christian life, living counter culturally than just not committing things that everybody agrees are sinful. May I suggest it would also include that we are also different because we abstain from unwise and ungodly things and we pursue actively wise and godly things.

If it is of the world, we avoid it. If it is of our father, we actively and clearly practice it. In other words, we think about what we do and we choose to do those things that are spiritually beneficial to ourselves and otherwise and others. It is not just a matter of, okay, preacher, tell me if it's wrong or right.

No, there's a whole other list of things where we need to be wise about the things that we practice. It is how and what we choose to do and not do that I'd like to talk about in these lessons, especially those things that aren't inherently sinful, but maybe impacting our light and confession more than we realize because of these differences.

You are going to be treated differently. I'm going to be thought strange when I'm in the world because I'm different than most other people in the world. I want you to, if you're still there in one Peter, it talks about how we're his own special people. But if you go over to chapter four, first Peter, chapter four.

Peter doesn't just leave that hanging out there and saying, okay, you know the Gentiles, they're gonna see that your conduct is honorable, that it's different. They may speak evil against you, but they're gonna glorify God in the end. No, he is very specific about what that looks like. First Peter, chapter four, beginning in verse three.

If you read that with me please. One Peter chapter four, beginning in verse three. For we, we, Christians. Have spent enough of our past lifetime and doing the will of the Gentiles, uh, our past lifetime. I love that idea. I was a different person living a different life. That was, some people say this, that was a lifetime ago.

Well, for us as Christians, when we were outside of Christ, it truly was a lifetime ago. We've spent enough of our past lifetime. And notice he doesn't say, you know, for those of you who lived in the world for 30 years, you spent enough of your past lifetime, no, however long it was that we lived against Jesus.

When we lived according to the world, however long it was, it was long enough. We have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles. When we walked in, lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. Now, those of you who have been here at Timberland for a while, you probably know the, uh, technical theological term for that list of sins.

Do you know that I've shared that with you before? The technical theological term for that list of sins is high school. Read it. Lewdness lusts, drunkenness, revelries drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. Some people call it college. Those are the things people are involved in when they're living according to their lusts, living according to the world.

And some Christians live their lives that way before they came to Christ. Most Christians did to one degree or another. We spend enough of our past lifetime doing that. Verse four. In regard to these things, they think it's strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation speaking evil of you.

Who is the they there? They is the world. It's the people in the world, and they think it's strange that you do not run with them to this same flood of dissipation, that you don't practice these things that they practice. We aren't like them. And so that makes us strange in comparison to them. But I want you to point out, I, I want you to see, please don't miss this point.

Strangeness being strange is a comparative term, strange is just different than the norm. And if the norm changes, then what is strange changes along with it. I'm gonna ask you to raise your hands again. This, this one isn't quite as hard. Who here surfs? Do we have any surfers? Any? Not a, Nope. No. Surfers at all would be kinda weird if you did, right?

It'd be strange if you were a surfer. It's what like. Three and a half, almost four hours to Galveston. And you know, Galveston isn't really known for its wicked waves, is it? But if I were to ask that same question to a group of Christians in Hawaii, who here surfs? How many hands do you think would go up if I even said, who here has ever surfed?

Let's raise their hands for that. Anybody in here ever surf a few hands? If I, if I ask that same question in Hawaii, I imagine every hand would go up. Why? That's the norm there. It's not the norm here. So it's strange here to surf, but it's not strange to surf there because that's what everybody does. Do you see how strange is just a comparison to the norm, comparison to what everybody else does?

We are strange and strangers. We are different when we are in the world here, but this is not the place where we belong. This is not our home, and there is a place prepared for us. We're living according to the image of Christ. It's not strange, it's the norm. I want you to turn to the end of our New Testament to Revelation 21 for just a moment.

There are a number of things that we could emphasize from this chapter, but, but just read a few verses here at the end of chapter 21 with me.

Revelation 21 and verse 22 talking about the new Jerusalem, what I believe to be the glorified church in heaven. But I saw no temple in it in this new Jerusalem, heavenly Jerusalem for the Lord God Almighty and the lamb or its temple. The city had no need for the sun of or of the moon to shine in it for the glory of God illuminated it.

The lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light. And kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day, and there is no night there, and they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. Now, notice verse 27, but there shall by no means enter it.

Anything that defiles or causes an abomination or a lie. Only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. Most people here on earth lie even if they don't lie about big things, they lie about small things. You know, the white little lie or the lie that is somehow beneficial to somebody else.

Supposedly it's strange not to lie here on earth, but in heaven there won't be any lies. What strange is totally different in that environment. Now I, I grew up, um, as most of you know, in a small congregation. I was the only person my age, um, at our congregation. And while I was fairly popular at school, I didn't really fit in when my girls were littler, they loved a movie called, uh, home, uh, and it had this alien character called O in it.

Um, that was the noise everybody made when they saw him because they didn't like seeing him. Oh, right. So this is o right here. And he said something in the movie, I didn't cry, I promise I didn't cry in this one, but he said something in the movie that really resonated with me. And in fact, we still say it in our family sometimes.

Um, he said something along the lines of, I don't fit in, I fit out, I fit out.

When I was growing up, I kind of felt that way, never really apart, especially as I got older and we were doing extracurriculars. You know, I was nice to people. I was kind and friendly and helpful to others. I was pretty good at putting a ball through a hoop, and so I wasn't disliked, but I wasn't totally included either.

I wasn't going to do the same things as everyone else, but once a year my family and I would drive up to Colorado and go to camp. Um, it was a, a Florida college camp and even more when I went to Florida College, it wasn't that everyone was trying to do what was right in those places. There were hypocrites and there were worldly people at both places, but what was different was most people were trying to do what's right.

And it was strange not to be trying to do what's right. And you know what we have right here in this room? We have a room full of people who are trying to do what's right and what's weird, what's different is those who are faking it. Not that we don't fall short, not that we don't sin, no. That's common to all of us.

But we're trying to do what's right. That's different than the world, but it is what is common here among God's people. So I want you to take heart knowing if you're one of those people who didn't raise your hand, that the whole idea. I like to stand out confessing you're strange in the world now.

Doesn't mean that you're confessing. You're gonna be strange forever. Just the opposite. You're strange. Now you fit out here so that you can fit in there, and I wanna call all of us, especially our young people, confess that to yourself. I'm okay with that because I know ultimately I'm on Jesus' side and that's what's most important.

We confess that to ourselves, but that's something we also have to confess to God that we are different than the world. And really we might call this a commitment that I tell my father in heaven, yes, I will do this. I am willing to be different. Maybe you tell your parents, maybe you tell others. We'll talk about that more here in just a second.

But first, we need to tell God yes, I am one of your special people and I am willing to be different. I am willing to be called strange or thought strange if it means I'm doing what you've called me to be. 'cause this is who you were created to be as we imitate Christ and the fateful who have gone on before.

I want you to turn to Matthew chapter five for just a moment. This is Jesus introducing citizens of his kingdom. He says, my kingdom is not of this world. It's coming. And this is how you have to live if you want to be a citizen of my kingdom. Notice with me beginning, uh, in verse three, this is called the Beatitudes.

So Jesus says, this is the opening of the sermon. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Matthew Chapter five in verse three. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers. They shall be called the sons of God. Now, that's different from how the world says you get ahead. Um, I read something one time from a brother named Paul Earnhardt. He said, uh, this, this says nothing wins like losing.

And from a worldly perspective, that's almost what it seems like for us as Christians. We've gotta be poor and mourning and meek and hungry. We have to show mercy and make peace. That's not how you get ahead in life. But that is how you act if you're a citizen of the kingdom of Heaven. And if we act that way, people are gonna react strongly to that.

Some in a good way, but many in a negative way. There's gonna be conflict with the world if we act this way. Keep reading verse 10. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you Christian, kingdom citizen. When they revile and persecute you, when they say all kinds of evil against you, falsely, for my sake, rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great.

Is your reward on earth? No. Great is your reward in heaven for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. This is who we are called to be and we can't hide it. We must confess it. We must live it. Others are gonna see the way we act. And either they're gonna see God in us or they're gonna see the world in us.

Verse 13, you y'all, Christians are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall that be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. Y'all, Christians are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

You don't hide your light. You shine your light. Verse 16, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. Others see God by the way that we live. Which brings us to our last confession. We need to confess to others. We are different than the world.

And maybe you see that last one. You say, eh, do I have to, I mean like, is this like a requirement or can I just, you know, fit in and blend in and then do my best to live a Christian life like I should? Well, I want you to look in Matthew chapter 10 for just a moment. Matthew chapter 10. Just a few pages over from Matthew five, where we were.

Matthew chapter 10 in verse 32. Jesus says this.

Therefore, Matthew chapter 10 and verse 32. Therefore, whoever confesses me before men, him, I'll also confess before my father who is in heaven, wonderful, but whoever denies me before men, him, I will also deny before my father who is in heaven, we have to confess him. By our mouth and by our deeds. Now, what might happen if we do keep reading verse 34?

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. Well, he did, but not just peace. I did not come to bring peace but a sword for I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.

And he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it. If you're trying to find the good life physically, you're gonna lose spiritual life. But he loses his life physically, for my sake will find it.

You're gonna find spiritual life. We must confess by the way that we live and it might cause a sword of division between us and those that we know, even those that we love. Raise your hand if you remember the first time you lost a friend because you were trying to do what's right and they were choosing to do what's wrong.

Raise your hand if you remember that. I remember it. I remember it clearly. Clear as day, and it hurt me and hurt me. Dear, dear, deeply, and I think probably it hurt him a little bit too, that we couldn't have the same relationship because we were living two different lives, going down two different paths, serving two different masters.

But I refuse to deny Christ because of my relationship with my friend. And sometimes that's the choice that we must make. Sometimes that's by our words, but more often than not, it's by our actions. Turn back to where we began. Turn to Hebrews chapter 11. This is the last passage to which I'll have you turn this morning.

Hebrews chapter 11 gives us all these examples of men and women and what they had to give up in order to be a Christian and what they gained because they did. But I wanna give you one example. Hebrews chapter 11 and verse seven is the example of Noah. Hebrews chapter 11. In verse seven. By faith Noah. By faith Noah being divinely warned of things, not yet seen by God, the flood that was coming moved with godly fear, prepared an arc for the saving of his household.

That was an action, something that he did by which preparing this arc, listen, he condemned the world. Became heir of the Righteousness, which is according to faith. That boat was a pretty big confession, wasn't it? Do you think Noah tried to hide who he was or what he was doing? I mean, it's almost comical to imagine that somebody coming up and saying, Hey, what you doing, Noah?

And Noah's like, nothing. Just building a barn, you know, just a, that's an awfully big barn. Yeah. Might put some animals in it later. You know, maybe two by two. I'll put some animals in there. Well, why has it got a bottom on it? Noah? Well, just had some extra lumber, you know. It's ridiculous for us to imagine Noah trying to hide who he was or what he was doing, just the opposite.

Second Peter, chapter two in verse five, calls him a preacher of righteousness that he was proclaiming something to the world by his words, but even more by his life. And he condemned the world. The text says by his fateful life, his life declared plainly where their life was lacking. And we see that sort of thing all the time, don't we?

Uh, if we're in college and we're, we've got a roommate and we're over here watching movies and laying in bed, and their life is on studying all the time, they don't have to turn to us and say, Hey, Reagan, you really need to study. No. Their study habits condemn our study habits. Just by the way they're living.

Uh, if I drive, if I back outta my driveway and my neighbor over here's yard is mowed, and over here is mowed back, there is mowed and mine is overgrown, their yards condemn my yard. Right? Alright. If, if you're on a diet, maybe you and your spouse are on a diet and you go to, well, you're not gonna go to raisin canes if that's the case.

Right? But if you go somewhere to eat this afternoon and you order a burger and your wife orders a salad. She doesn't have to give you a dirty look. She doesn't have to sigh or roll her eyes, her salad condemns your burger without her having to say anything at all.

If we live the Christian life, that is a confession to others about what's most important in our life. And yes, it may condemn those who are no, it will condemn those who are living according to the world. But you know what else it does? It shines a light into their life that gives them the opportunity to know Jesus Christ.

Why are they different? Because of the relationship they have with Jesus, and people still in the world react in two ways, being drawn to the light or repulsed by it, but that's not our job. Our job is to live as God has called us to be, to confess that we are strangers and pilgrims. Our life should be a confession and make no mistake, it is one way or another.

Our life is a testimony, a witness of what is really important in our lives and in living for Christ. People here more clearly than even our words could ever say what's important to us, whom it is we serve. If you're here this morning and you've heard that testimony in the lives of others and you've been drawn to it saying, how do they have peace and per and purpose and joy in their life, even when bad things happen to 'em, even when they stand out as different Yet, yet they're living such a way that really, I would love to have that same kind of purpose in my life if you've been drawn to that light, come to Christ this morning because he is the source of it.

And he is the giver of eternal life, that we might have life and have it more abundantly. And if you're willing to come, you can be recreated in his image, putting off your old man of sin. That old lifetime can be over. You can be buried in watery graves so that you might rise to walk in newness of life.

Strange to the world perhaps, but dear to God and precious to him. Being made one of his own special people. And if we can help you with that, even this morning, come while together, we stand and while we sing, I.