You are the light. Live like it.

*This post is coming from a mix of different things, and not all of these words are my own. It’s coming from sermon notes that I’ve taken over the years, Pastor Merle’s sermon last Sunday, Chuck’s lesson from home groups this past Sunday, “Jesus Swagger” by Jarrid Wilson, and “Rise” by Trip Lee. And of course, the Bible. :)*

I have a proposal for you and here it is: 

Stop just being a believer, and start being a follower. Don’t just be a Christian, be godly. There IS a difference.

A believer shares Jesus when it’s comfortable. They conform under pressure. They twist the Bible to fit their lifestyle, and they only pray when things are hard. 

A follower shares Jesus regardless of their scenario. They hold fast against temptation. They twist their life to fit the Bible, and they give thanks in every circumstance. 

You can be a Christian, and not be godly. 

If you don’t represent Christ, how are you any different than any other person in the world?

Underneath your good deeds and pretty words, are you anything more than a poser? It’s the heart that matters. It’s one thing to claim a love for God’s word and commandments, and divine guidance, but it’s a completely different thing when one actually tries to live out their life based on these things. 

What good is it if we go to church every week, and pray every night, but we never let the message of Jesus change who we are? It’s like planting a seed in cement. 

Imagine if every person who called themselves Christian actually followed the ways of Christ, and completely turned away from living life for their own desires. The world would change, we would see hope and transformation. Imagine if everyone who claimed to love Jesus actually did and if everyone who called themselves a Christian put more effort into serving their neighbors than catering to their selfish wants. 

Our motives most change. Our focus must be reunited with the gospel. And our passion must be fueled by what God is doing through us, not just what he can do for us. We need to allow Jesus to become more than just a person we believe in: he needs to be a person we also relentlessly follow and hunger to be more like. 

A lot of people may ask, “Well how exactly do I do this?” Of course, I don’t have all the answers, but I’m hoping to help you out. 

It’s quite simple, actually. Just follow what the Bible has to say. Do not seek revenge, and be generous to those who steal from you. Give to those in need, but don’t make a show of it. Pray quietly. Forgive others when they sin against you. Don’t judge others, and many more. 

KNOW YOUR INFLUENCE.

You resemble your values, and your attitude and actions ARE your identity. Remember to be on mission in all circumstances. 

Ask yourself, “What sets me apart from the rest of the world? Is how I act consistent with who I am in Christ? Can others see God in my words and actions? From the outside looking in, can people see the God I claim to follow?” 

Following god does not mean you have to be perfect, but it does mean you have to be obedient. 

No, we are not expected to attain the same holiness as God, but we are expected to strive for it. 

The way you walk talk and present yourself matters when it comes to your faith because if you claim to be a Christian, outsiders expect you to act like one. 

You are automatically held to a higher standard.

Some of us think too highly of ourselves. In our pride, we think this wrongness and evil chaos is completely outside of ourselves. We tell ourselves that our sin is “Okay, because God knows my heart.”

Gandhi once said of Christians, “I loved your Christ, but disliked your Christianity.” Ouch. 

STOP WITH THE EXCUSES.

The temptation is just too strong? God gives you the strength to say no, you just have to choose it. 

We CANNOT keep sinning just because we know God will forgive us. 

That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your life!! Don’t give it the time of day. Don’t even run little errands that are connected with it. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full time toward God and his way of doing things.

Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey?

No, our mistakes do not define who we are, but we aren’t supposed to take this gift and run with it or ignore God! We are supposed to pursue him and thank him for the liberation he has provided us. 

No matter the circumstance, you are called to reflect an image that portrays the purity and boldness of christ himself. At a party, around your non-Christian friends, in school, at church, EVERYWHERE. NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCE. 

Ask yourself these questions.

1. When our gospel centered tweets and faith driven Facebook posts are stripped away, and we are left with nothing more than our hearts and a face to face conversation with God, who are we then?
2. What are you making God known for?  Cussing? Drinking? Drugs? Partying? Judgement? Hate? 
3. At the end of your life, how many will people know that you lived for Jesus? What about your everyday attitude will leave them wondering about the greatness of your God? Will it be the way you treated people? The confidence you walked with? The way you feared God and loved without limits, shared your faith, and modeled Jesus? 
4. What in my life promotes controversy with God’s work?
5. Is what I’m doing causing others to stumble?

When our faith in Jesus ends with the way we decorate our public appearance, we need to stop, evaluate ourselves, and realize that we are heading down a road of false assurance. 

Teens this is for you especially. I want to bring it down to one thing. Your words. Your words are more important than you think. This past weekend we talked about Isaiah’s words, and this is exactly what Pastor Merle said.

Maybe Isaiah’s words were unfiltered critical words about people he didn’t even know. Maybe Isaiah cussed.

But remember that it’s out of the heart that the mouth overflows.

Unclean lips say we believe in god but live in a way that doesn’t demonstrate it. Unclean lips is seeing what’s wrong with everyone else but not what is faulty in ourselves.

"Those who use lots of profanity just have small vocabularies.”

Yes, maybe everyone else cusses. Maybe everyone else gossips. BUT WE ARE CHRIST FOLLOWERS. WE ARE NOT EVERYONE ELSE. 

And if you think the way you act and talk is irrelevant to your walk with Christ, you are DEAD WRONG. They are a direct correlation with your relationship with Christ. 

In a world of constant conformity, god has called us to be different, set apart.  Following God is a lifestyle that resembles Jesus to the fullest, not worrying about the opinions of others, but instead holds firm to a foundation in Christ alone, one that is able to anything the world throws at you. 

Pure hearts do not speak poorly. It’s as simple as that. 

Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 

James 3:2  We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

James 3:10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

We’ve become a tribe of people who rank our faith in a measurement of likes, re tweets and memory verses. We need to up our game. 

So here is what we must do. We must be generous, open, loving, and have a total dependence on God. We need to be forgiving, slow to anger, and overflowing with compassion. We are supposed to sacrifice our comfort and the sinful things that we love. 

Yes, bad stuff happens. But you have the choice of how to respond. You have to choose recovery for yourself. 

Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

But you are the light. Live like it. Make the most of every opportunity. Don’t be foolish. Understand God’s will. BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LIVE. In a world of darkness, war, and self righteousness, the light you give off could help many down the narrow path we are called to walk. 

So allow the message of Jesus to penetrate the core of your heart, releasing an overflow of love, selflessness, and servanthood that goes beyond mere appearances, and makes a positive difference.