New Normal?

Watch video here.

         I've talked in the past about how nothing seems to be certain and everything changes - but what we're living now... wow! Many of you lived through the social upheavals and cultural revolutions we've seen in the past 50-60 years - but I'm not sure any of us have seen anything at the pace and scale we see now. Morality, politics, technology - how we view race, gender, sports and culture - everyday life post pandemic - everything seems drastically different than it was just a few short years ago.

You see - I am an admitted 'creature of habit'. I like things the way I like them. I will change - but not without a bit of whining first. The problem is - we live in a world that never stays the same. Everything changes whether I like it or not. And while change is not necessarily bad in itself - there's a lot of life now that doesn't seem to be changing for the better. I can't sit and watch TV with my kids without an inappropriate commercial or situation coming up - even on kids shows - without having to stop and explain, 'No - that's not right, that's not God's view, that's not God's design...'

And as we look around us - our world, our nation, our schools - we all understand...

I. Life has changed

Our society has undergone dramatic downward shifts; our Churches even look very differently than they did just a few years ago. What was plainly spoken from the pulpit 30 years ago and accepted as 'common morality' is now flatly rejected in many denominations. Church attendance is down significantly. Even before the pandemic, the numbers were dropping nationally - now, most Churches are struggling to get people back from 'online only services'.

But despite all this 'change' - we can be confident in the fact that God doesn't change. I want us to spend some time in the first chapter of the book of James this morning. - Keep a thumb there in your Bible this morning even as we jump around a bit. But I want to start in James 1:17 (NIV)...

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

The same God who allowed His people to be carried away into slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh is the same God who led them out under Moses. The same God who allowed His people to go into captivity in Babylon is the same God who led them back to their home in Jerusalem. The same God who allowed His Son to die on a cross is the same God who raised Him back to life, defeating death! - Same God.

The God of Abraham and Moses and Ruth and Elijah and David in the Old Testament is the same God of Peter and Paul and Timothy and Mary and James in the New Testament. And He is the exact same God we serve today. Through the thousands of years, circumstances changed drastically - God did not.

God never changes - but His creation does. Life around us has changed, and change can be...

A. Both good and bad

The book of James is probably one of the earliest New Testament books written, even though it's placed towards the end of the New Testament. When James wrote his inspired statement about God and His unchanging character - God's people were experiencing a massive amount of change and difficulties. There was a massive shift from worship being centered around the Temple to the birth of God's Church, God's people going out into the world.

This incredible, God initiated change turned everything upside down! It was completely different from what 'religious people' of that time were used to for thousands of years. And God's idea for change brought with it conflict - both from outside and inside forces. I want to look back to the beginning of chapter 1 from James...

James 1:1-4 (NIV)

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. (2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (3) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (4) Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James wrote about an unchanging God during a time of absolute upheaval. Believers were scattered. Many early disciples were run out of town, beaten and many even killed because some didn't like this change at all. At the birth of the Church the disciples saw opposition from both the Roman government and their Jewish brothers and sisters because they were proclaiming a change from the religious tradition of the day.

And not only were they proclaiming a change in how to worship God in this new way through Jesus - they were even changing who could come to God. Previously, only Jews were God's Chosen People - only Jewish people could worship God in the temple. Now, the disciples were calling their enemies, the gentiles, the Greeks, the Romans, everyone to come to God through Jesus. This was unthinkable to the religious people of that time who had been called to strictly avoid everything 'pagan', to keep themselves ceremonially pure from non-Jews.

This massive shift with this New Covenant with God even brought the Spirit of God out from His separation in the Holy of Holies - and through Jesus' death and resurrection - allowed God's Holy Spirit to live inside a person. That went against everything the Jewish people were taught under the Old Covenant. And many accepted this change and were saved, and many rejected the change - many rejected the message of Jesus.

And I have to wonder - what if I had been born in another time, in another land. Being the 'creature of habit' that I am - would I have accepted this incredible change? Would I have accepted this grace from the promised Messiah, or would I have held fast to the traditions that I knew? How different might any of us have been from those who rejected these new teachings because it was too uncomfortable to change...?

Change isn't the enemy, and it can bring both good and bad - however, we do have to be discerning in...

B. Evaluating change

And just as those first Jewish converts had to weigh the truth of the Gospel message - they had to discern whether this change was good or bad. And just as back then - everything has to be evaluated against a higher authority.

Many times, our gut reaction is to evaluate change by our feelings. But God doesn't ask me how I feel about what He does or values. Those first converts who moved from the Temple to God's Church - they probably had a confusing mix of emotions. But evaluating this change against the truth of God's Word is what made all the difference.

And James, who was the brother of Jesus, who was the leader for the first Christian Church in Jerusalem - at this time when everything seemed to be changing - James understood how to cut through the emotion and chaos and how to get to something solid.

James 1:5-8 (NIV)...

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (6) But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (7) That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; (8) he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

The question always has to be asked - does any 'change' or movement or idea align with God's revealed Word - or does it go against God's revealed Word? - Or is God's Word silent about a specific change or idea allowing for freedom of opinion? Everything has to be looked at in the light of God's Word, separate from our emotions or cultural beliefs and trends.

We've had to 'change' a lot of things of how we 'did' Church this past year - with online services and masks and individual communion packets and home communion and no fellowship meals. Things changed whether we want them to or not.

The Bible doesn't spell out exactly how we should serve communion - it just says that we should do it to always remember Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. Does the Bible say we have to pass trays or that we can't do it from home? No. Is it unbiblical? No. But every change has to be weighed - will it get in the way of reaching people with the true message of Jesus or not? And if not - we're given a lot of freedom.

And all of those things that are not spelled out in scripture may change from generation to generation. And that's okay - as long as it is always held up to The Bible as The authority. I may not personally like the way the 'Church of the future' looks or feels - but if its reaching lost people, if its pointing them to a true picture of Jesus - it fits with God's plan.

But even as I say that, there are...

II. Things that will not change

Things change, times change - but as I pointed out in the very first verse I shared - God does not change. God's enduring love does not change. God's moral qualities do not change. God's holiness, His grace, what God values - those things do not change!

And even what appears to us to be a major change between the Old and New Testaments wasn't a change of plans - Israel's promised Messiah was always God's plan to bring His creation back to Him. Jesus coming as God in the flesh, as God's own Son was always the plan! And that plan does not change even as people and morals and society changes. Jesus said, in John 14:6 (NIV)...

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

The message of Jesus is for everyone - regardless of race, heritage, nationality, social class, religious past, political affiliation, good person, bad person, awful person - it doesn't matter! The message of Jesus is all inclusive - but Jesus made the exclusive claim that He is the only way to God.

Using Jesus, using God's Word as The absolute standard for truth is not popular these days. - Even among some 'Christian' denominations. It's important to remember - something that God's Word declared as 'sin' a hundred years ago is still 'sin' no matter what modern 'enlightened' man may believe. We can't redefine things like purity or marriage or gender or even 'pride' to suit anyone's personal beliefs. And that's not mean - that's truth.

I'm not here to condemn people who have sin in their lives just as I don't want to be condemned for the sin in my life. But in order to follow Jesus - everyone, including myself, has to come to the point of admitting their sin, their rebellion toward God and repent, turn away from that rebellion. It's not my job to condemn, but to love as Jesus does - I must preach a better way - I must preach...

A. Jesus is everything!

I do not set the standard for holiness - Jesus does. I do not say what is moral or not - Jesus does - and it doesn't change. I can't get anyone to Heaven - but I can point them to The One who can - Jesus!

Acts 4:12 (NIV)

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

We could make a lot of changes that might bring people to Deep River. I could change my messages to be more progressive or open minded or 'woke' to fit modern theological views. We could stop talking about sin or Hell. We could stop talking about money or commitment - or holiness or purity or any number of things that might make people uncomfortable...

My point is - we shouldn't make changes in order to bring people to Deep River but in order to bring people to Jesus! Jesus is everything! And if we ever get to the point where Jesus isn't everything, where what Jesus taught, what Jesus valued, what Jesus commanded isn't central to everything we do - we're no longer the Church but a hollowed out reflection of a broken and lost world.

My job isn't to make anyone comfortable - but to measure everything against God's unchanging Word. And based on what God has clearly revealed in His Word - there are many things that will not change. - The first being the fact that Jesus is central to everything in the Church. - That Jesus is superior to every man made idea, teaching, system or theory!

But even as I say that - there's one more essential, unchanging thing that I need to remember...

B. Grace

We can never forget the unchanging grace we find in Jesus. As I evaluate the changes we see all around us in our society - and as I view and interact with those who champion those changes that go directly against God's Word - I need to humbly remember that it's Jesus who decides who gets grace - not me. It's easy to get angry and view those who rage against the Church, those who twist scripture, those who condemn Christian values, those who mock God - it's easy to view them as the enemy. - One last reminder from James...

James 1:18-22 (NIV)

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (19) My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, (20) for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

(21) Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. (22) Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Jesus chose to shower us with grace when we didn't deserve it. I need to choose to show grace to others.

So What?

I'm not asking anyone to like change. But I am asking you to evaluate change and to either embrace it - or reject it - based solely upon God's unchanging Word.

And as society continues to pull father away from God, I will continue to strongly stand against many of the changes. But as these things change - I need to continue to change to see the lost as Jesus does - not as the enemy - but lost; sheep without a shepherd. You don't condemn the sheep - you have to take a stand, but you preach Jesus and learn to love the sheep as Jesus does.

Things will continue to change and God's Church will survive as it always has - but will we choose to allow God to change us so that we can play a useful role in His Church and in bringing the lost back to Jesus?