Church and Culture

Church and Culture

Philippians 2: 12 – 18

Introduction

Back in August, my family spent two weeks at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado.  This was my third time to be invited to preach a Sunday morning chapel service at the YMCA.  The normal routine is for someone from the chaplain’s office to take us out to eat Sunday lunch after worship.  The couple who took us out to eat this year was a volunteer couple from Pennsylvania.

I noticed on the schedule of events that this couple from Pennsylvania was teaching a class about the TV show, “Amish Mafia.”  They live in Amish country, love the Amish people and are trying to spread the word that “Amish Mafia” is totally fiction.  The premise of the show is that Amish people are pacifists and will not take revenge when someone wrongs them, so there is an informal “mafia” who can be called on to do what a person cannot do for themselves.

(It’s interesting that a television network would pick on the Amish.  But, they are actually the perfect people to pick on.  The Amish do not watch television, so they probably don’t even know that such a program exists.  AND, if they do know it exists, it is against their religious convictions to try to defend themselves against negative attacks.  The Discovery Channel can say whatever they want about the Amish and know they will never face a lawsuit or any opposition.)

I do not know much about the Amish people, so I asked a lot of questions about what it was like living in Amish country.  They told us that it was very common to see horse-drawn buggies on the main roads.  Most of the businesses in town have hitching posts in the parking lots for Amish customers.  But, the funniest story they told is that the newspaper will occasionally publish a story about an Amish DUI.  (It’s funny, because the horses are so well trained that they know where they are going and can find their way home even if the driver cannot.)

Amish people do not drive automobiles; they don’t use electricity in their homes; they don’t use telephones; and they dress in simple / plain clothes.  What is their reason for doing this?  This is their way of being different from the non-Christian world around them.  I would say that they do everything in their power to withdraw from the world…to be separate from modern, American culture.

Some people believe Christians are supposed to withdraw from the culture and remain separate / unpolluted from any worldly influence.  The Amish are an extreme example.  But, they aren’t the only Christians to separate from the world.

Other Christians take a completely opposite point of view.  Instead of withdrawing from the world, these groups take an adversarial approach.  They get angry and attack the culture.  The only two examples I can think of are probably not good examples.  I think of the group known as “Westboro Baptist Church” and the groups who plant bombs in abortion clinics.  “Westboro Baptist Church” claims to be a church, but every member of the “church” is related to the pastor.  They are famous for their signs and for protesting at military funerals.  They claim that every bad thing that ever happens is a direct result of God’s judgment on America for immorality.  September 11, hurricanes, military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan…all of these are signs of God’s judgment on America.  (I thought about showing a picture of some of their signs, but all the pictures I found were offensive and not appropriate for a church service.)

Some Christians believe they are supposed to withdraw from culture and remain separate.  Some Christians believe they are supposed to be enemies of the culture and attack the world in the name of God.  But, what does the Bible say?  Does the Bible tell us how we are supposed to relate to the culture / the world around us?

In Philippians 2, Paul addresses this very concern with the church of Philippi.  They were living in an anti-Christian culture.  The world around them either worshipped false gods or elevated the government to divine status.  Should they withdraw?  Should they attack?  Actually, Paul suggests something completely different.

Philippians 2: 12 – 18.

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. 

14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Paul uses a common illustration to describe the proper relationship between church and culture.  The church in the world is like the stars shining in the dark night sky.  The world is crooked and depraved…Therefore, the world is dark as night.  The church is blameless and pure…Therefore, the church is like a bright and shining light.

Notice that Paul is very encouraging to the church at Philippi.  He never outright criticizes them or their behavior.  In fact, he makes a point to tell them that he is aware of their faithfulness and takes the opportunity to encourage them to continue their obedience.  The only way they are able to obey God’s will and purpose is the fact that God is at work in them.  God is at work in individual Christians.  God is at work in the church.

Since Paul encourages the church to continue obeying God and to continue allowing God to work in and among them, this tells me it is always possible for Christians and churches to resist what God is doing.  If you are a Christian, God is present in your life, leading you away from temptation and providing you with a way to avoid sin.  However, it is possible for you to ignore God’s leadership.  We can say the same thing about churches.  God is present in his church.  But, sometimes the leaders of the church and the members of the church ignore God’s will and purpose.

Complaining and Arguing

One way we ignore God is through complaining and arguing.  I believe we can read this as a warning to BOTH individual Christians and to churches.

There are some church members who believe that complaining is their spiritual gift.  But, complaining is NOT a spiritual gift.  Imagine meeting someone and talking to them about church church.  In the course of conversation they tell you they go to XYZ Baptist Church.  Now imagine that you ask them what they do at the church.  “I’m the chairman of the complainers.  I lead a group of people to complain about everything new the church does.  We make sure there is someone to complain about everything the church does.”  (Actually, I don’t think anyone truly believes complaining is a spiritual gift.  But there are people who act like it’s their spiritual gift / their calling / their purpose for being in the church.)

Don’t be so quick to point fingers at other people at this point.  Ultimately, we are all complainers.  This is a universal struggle that all people face.  We complain about the weather, politics, work, husbands / wives…  It is very possible that Paul is talking about the church here.  It is also possible that he uses the word “everything” literally… “Do EVERYTHING without complaining…”

Perhaps this is one of the ways that the church and individual Christians are supposed to be different from the world.  The world is full of complainers.  It does not need any more complainers!  Instead, the world needs an example from Christian people like you and me.  We can show them that there are circumstances beyond our control…But God is in control.  Even when circumstances are difficult…God is still at work to bring about his good purposes for those who love him and are called according to God’s purposes.

If these words are addressed to individual Christians, then Paul is calling us to be pure and different from the rest of the world.

If these words are addressed to a church / a community of Christians, then Paul is calling us to be united.  We do not all look alike or think alike, but we are united in our purpose to follow God’s leadership and accomplish God’s mission.

Hold Out (On To) the Word of Life

Do everything without complaining or arguing is a negative commandment.  If you are complaining and arguing, stop it.  If you don’t complain or argue, don’t start.  Another way to state this…Don’t look like the rest of the world.

In verse 16, Paul gives us a positive commandment: hold out the word of life.

If you are reading the New International Version, you will notice a footnote in verse 16.  The Greek word translated “hold out” could also be translated “hold on to.”  And Paul does not give us any interpretive clues to help us understand which one he means.  Paul can be very clear about what he writes.  But, for some reason, he left some ambiguity in this expression.  Perhaps we should leave the ambiguity and keep the full meaning of both “hold out” and “hold on to.”

If the church is to be like shining stars in a dark sky, then the church is supposed to be a light in and for a dark world.  We can be a light FOR the world by “holding out” the word of life.  We can be a light IN the world by “holding on to” the word of life.

I think we can safely say that “the word of life” is the Gospel.  Human beings are sinful and separated from God.  We could not overcome our sinful condition.  So, God took the initiative by sending his Son, Jesus.  Jesus died on the cross as the final sacrifice for sin and rose from the dead as the first to experience eternal life.  Through faith in Jesus, our sins are forgiven, and we can have eternal life.

The church is a light FOR the dark world by sharing the Gospel with the world.  Preaching the message of salvation.  Inviting others to place their faith in Jesus and to experience eternal life.

The church is a light IN the dark world by remaining faithful to the Gospel.  There is no other way to have relationship with God.  There is no way for the world to save itself.  There is no way to escape death and the grave.  The Gospel is the only answer.  Religion is not the answer.  Government is not the answer.  Clean living is not the answer.

Conclusion

I want to brag on you for a minute.  I am really proud of the way our church participated in Trunk or Treat Thursday night.  We were shining like stars in the dark sky.  We were holding out the word of life.  We were holding on to the word of life.  We were light IN Lufkin and light FOR Lufkin.

For the past several years, we have decorated cars, dressed up in costumes and handed out candy on our church parking lot.  We provide food and a safe environment for children to do their trick or treating.  We have noticed over the past few years that Trunk or Treat is fun and safe…But, I don’t think we have ever had people come to our church as a result of Trunk or Treat.  So, this year, we did something different.  We invited elementary school students in Lufkin and combined with five other churches to have a really big Trunk or Treat.  We gave away candy and free food.  But, we also provided people with information about the participating churches and the plan of salvation in a child friendly format.

A lot of the people who attended Trunk or Treat did not look like us.  (Some of them were wearing costumes, so we couldn’t really tell what they looked like.)

We made a choice Thursday night not to withdraw from the world.  We could have been like the Amish and chosen not to engage the culture around us.

We made a choice Thursday night not to attack the world.  We could have been like “Westboro Baptist Church” and walked around town with protest signs.

But, that’s not who we are as a church.  We want to be a light IN the world and a light FOR the world.  We want to use an event like Trunk or Treat to tell other people about Jesus and to demonstrate the love of Jesus by loving people who aren’t like us and may never come to our church.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:

Matthew 5: 14 – 16…14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

We are the light FOR the world and the light IN the world.  But, we are not to draw attention to ourselves.  We draw attention to our Father in Heaven by sharing the Gospel and remaining faithful to the Gospel.