Trending - Week 3 - St. Peter - Pastor Tim Glende
Trending
Week 3 - St. Peter
Pastor Tim Glende
It is so great to be with you today. Thank you for being here for week number three of “Trending”. If you are joining us online. We are so glad that you are with us as well. I'm pray that you are blessed in that message today. If you missed out on the first few weeks, if you haven't caught them, you can find them online at our website, 922ministries.com. Both of our campuses had different preachers for them on the topic. So “science is real” is that trending phrase we unpacked to talk about science is good. For example, “science is real”. To find it correctly and we have to understand science is limited in the things that they have observed. So it's a matter of faith. At the end of the day, no matter which path you go down in week two, we talked about “God told me” and yes, God does speak to people. He did it in the past. But remember how God does speak to all of us His word. And if you really want to know, the will of God, listen to God's word as he speaks. And all those things build up into the next few weeks, like science is, real is a trending topic and has been for some time. “God told me” is something that does speak to people and when we need spiritually, but this week will flow into next week and will flow into the following week. Because it has so many implications. In fact, I would tell you today that while we're talking on a series called “Trending”, be used as far more from a worldly perspective than a trend. It's culturally accepted truth. And the reason why it's so important for us to tackle this and talk about this is because there are many times, when even in the church, we use the phrase “Be You” to makes it tricky. Like, just this week, I googled, “Be You” movement and I found several different organizations that identify with that trend one was The “Be You” movement for underserved communities, people who are in the underserved communities, and how they can sometimes fall through the cracks and struggle. And the encouragement of that movement, is for them to celebrate who they are, the uniqueness. I found another one that was about “Be You” movements for kids who are in grade school struggle with depression and anxiety. And who can like elevate that cause I want to deal with that issue.
And then there's another one that talked about a lady who started, raising funds because she was diagnosed with alopecia at a young age, and it affected her, and her world, and her relationships. And she identified with the disease and the health issues that she had and not recognizing the person that she was.
Those three and how “Be You” is applied to it. And there's a part of me that could say I get it.
But, those aren't the only times when people use the phrase and follow the trend.
Which is the dangerous part? Like the Bible would actually reinforce and say “Be you”. God says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. God says you are gifted in unique ways, “be you”.
So, how do I understand? And know what that means from God's perspective. How do I identify the trickiness of it? What I need to be aware of what's the danger in it? What damage can be done to me if I fall prey to “be you”?
Because here's the thing. The odds are pretty good at some point, whether you know it or not. You've given in to the trend. Just “be you”. Like behavior that you put on display choices you made were driven by the concept of “everyone's doing it”. “You're not hurting anybody”.
Just “be you”.
And I need you to remember the “why”? Behind the “what” of the series? As we get into this week and roll onto the next few weeks. The “why” behind the “what” of this series is simply this. I told you I can use the same phrase every week, but I'm not. I'm going to tweak it a little today because I want you to see the real difference between trending and endings. And here's the difference between trending and endings worldly trendies, things that are not biblical and not godly things that are tricky and have to a worldly trendies can lead to your spiritual ending. If you don't think there's any big deal, if you want to go down the path of everyone else is doing it. If you want to fall into the worldly trendy things, it can lead to your spiritual ending.
Jesus said, so the Bible says so and today's training is one that's filled with dangers. And you don't need to say before I go any further. Like, some of you think the “Be You” movement that phrase should be accepted and tolerated,
But you don't believe that to be true. Like moms and dads are here today like it if you really believe and think that the “Be You” idea and theme is of acceptance. Universally how many of you would be cold up and down with your 18 year? Old going away to college and busting out the heroin and cocaine. Just “be you”.
Or how about sex Trading? “Be You”, You would say absolutely not which leads to the trickiness of the trend. You know, why you say no to be you sometimes and yes to be you other times.
What makes “Be You” so tricky is? Absolutely, you.
It's you.
It's subjective.
It has to do with the world, a trend.
You're the one who determines, right? And wrong. You're the one who determines good or bad. You're the one who makes a decision to be you.
And it makes sense. Because in today's world, you know, what trumps everything. You like science used to be the authoritarian of all authoritarians in our world, but now you are the individual is
Like, we live in a time in an era where the individual is God.
A, my wife would tell you that if I get to be God, there's a whole lot of issues because this guy really messes up a lot. What makes “Be You” tricky is me and you and I need, you understand the “why” that is so important to understand unpack and emit today, when it comes to behavior and identity to pass, we could go down. If we fall prey to the worldly trend. It could lead to a spiritual ending, It's tricky because this is true. First John, the Apostle John would be inspired by God to write these words, gives us insight and reasons why this trending is both tricky and so trendy, do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the father is not found in them. Like two polar opposites the world and the father. If you love one, you can't love the other. I guess what you pursue is the world and not God, they're complete opposites for everything in the world. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life comes not from the father, but the world. The world and it's desires, pass away. But whoever does the will of God lives forever. I want you to identify verse 16, if you're taking notes, you just write down those phrases because these are the reasons why this trend is so real. And so troublesome. And so tricky the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
Right. Three verses you find the reasons for of them. I believe. Why this trending Is so real and prevalent in our world today. Here's number one. If you're taking notes. I want you to maybe put a stone in your shoe to see if there's something that has caused you to buy into the be real movement. You might understand why if you rationalizing behavior justifying your actions minimizing what you're doing. It might be because of these things. Why this trends “be you” is because it's appealing to you.
The last of the eyes.
And I need you to understand this. This is the devil's number one, play in the playbook. Like this is Genesis chapter 3 on display as you know, what the devil said to Adam and Eve, “Be You”. God's keeping something from you. That tree, that fruit. If you eat from it, you'll be like God and Adam and Eve. They saw the fruit that was appealing for food and also for gaining of knowledge, you know what they did.
They ate it.
It was appealing.
Like being you as appealing to the eyes, to the flesh.
And you know why it's appealing to the eyes and flesh? The reason why Adam and Eve fell for it like you fall fo, like I fall for it. Is because a reason number two, it's not just appealing to you, but it's also determined by you.
Like everyone wants to be the boss. Everyone likes to call the shots. Everyone likes to be in charge.
And ther “Be You” Trend allows you to be the man and be the woman be the person how we need to say it correctly, in today's world, because you get to be you. You get to choose your path. You get to choose your actions, you get to justify your behavior. It's determined by you. Did you see that the pride part that came out in that verse like the stone in your shoe. The reason why “Be You” is so appealing is because you get to be God.
And you don't like to be told what to do, do you? Like mom's, Mother's Day. You can tell them that whatever you want today and get away with it. But the other 364 days of the year, do your kids like to listen to you? It's friends because it's appealing that the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes at Trends because it's determined by you, the pride of the sinful heart. But here's the honest to goodness truth about the trend. Why? “Be You” is so appealing. It's because it's easier for you. It's easier.
Like to just go down the path as opposed to fight the urge.
Easier.
Like when it comes to self medication, it's just easier to give in. Just be you. Take the pill, open the bottle Medicaid in whatever form food or shopping spending, whatever you just be you.
When it comes to Identity and behavior, it just easier to be you. Rather than fight the urge.
For the temptation.
And all those things together. Probably summarized it best. Why? This is so dangerous. It's appealing determined by you. It's easier for you. At the end of the day, being you offers some form of benefit to you. It's beneficial. But did you catch the end of 1st John chapter 2? It says, the ways of the world will perish. They don't last but right now. Short-term pleasure, Israel. Sometimes it's hard to pass up by you. And me.
And I need you to understand the reasons why it's trending. I need you to be willing to look at your heart and honestly today, say, have you crossed the line? Have you gone down the road? Have you justified rationalize or your behavior? Because it was easier because it was beneficial because you got to determine it because it was appealing.
So the time is to get really honest with God and really honest with yourself because if you believe that and fall prey to that and don't fear the other direction from it, here is the danger that will produce beating your future. You.
We know why it's trending but here's where it leads to ever. So as to please their flesh, like if what you cast out the seed, you plant grows up gets right produces fruit that over. So as to please their flesh, what you will reap? What you will get in? The end is spiritual destruction from your flesh.
Like, this is 200 proof truth that you may not want to hear, that you may not like.
But if you go down the path of “Be You” and behave and do whatever you want to do as opposed to it, what God says is true. You will spend eternity away from God, and I don't want that for you.
I know, it's Mother's Day, but I need to be real with you.
And here's the thing that I know.
This gets the best of all of us.
Like there's appealing and beneficial and easier reasons why iPhone free to be you.
I call it the hats I wear.
Like I'll pastor and you guys have certain expectations of me like me cursing out in the parking lot at the baseball game. You probably would go. That shouldn't be you.
But there's a part of me that just wants to be me sometimes and I like to take that hat off and be like you everybody else. No judgment, no restrictions. Maybe just for a day. That's dangerous.
It's me, and you.
But that's not how it has to end for you or me.
And you know why?
Because of him. Like, Jesus Christ who came to Earth, you know what, he never did fell prey to the trend. The devil's tricks of being you. Like in the wilderness when he was tempted, after 40 days of eating nothing. He didn't go for the trick of turn these stones into bread. He didn't fall prey to the getting of all the riches. Be you just by bowing down. Like so many do.
So he said, no, I'm not going to be me. I want to honor God. And, you know, I could do that. For you.
And instead, he went to a cross. Instead of putting himself first. Instead of choosing, what was appealing? Or doing what put him in control are following the path to what was easier.
He suffered and died so that you and I could be and understand and know, the real you God has ultimately in store and want you to experience now.
And the Apostle Paul knew that. Like when the “Be You” phrase comes up in your head when when “Be you” as real, I want you to remember that it's biblical to be you but it looks way differently than the world's version of do anything and everything that feels good. That's easy. That puts you in control kind of like Barry Bonds it with his home run record, put an asterisk by the phrase be you, so that you understand, there's a different definition, the Godly definition of what it looks like.
Because the Apostle Paul said while you can so to please your flesh. There's another path that you can go. I urge you to offer your bodies as a Living Sacrifice. Holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship be you with the asterisk as way different because of you live in light of God's mercy. Jesus Christ, dude. Loved and died. Who saved you? Who rose for you has a better path and experiencing a lot in store for you. So in view of His mercy, be you God's way which is different. But is very biblical Romans 12 goes on to highlight the biblical.. Before we get there, here's the truth. I want you to remember what makes be you. So tricky is you but who makes you you Is God if you can get that right? Like, “Be You” the world says, you are God, you are in charge. You are the master of your fate. God says celebrate who makes you, you? And it's me and that's game-changing to behavior identity. How we live from rationalizing justify and minimizing it. It leads to a different path in a different life for you. Romans chapter 12 goes on says this and before we get to the things, I want you to remember.
Remember the words of do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you'll be able to test and approve. What God's will is His good pleasing and perfect will. At the world says, one path. Do not conform to it. Do not be that version of you. But instead be the version of you that digs into God's Word test and approve, what you hear because it's good and pleasing and perfect will bless you for by the grace. Given me, I say to every one of you do not think of yourself more highly than you ought be you elevate yourself God's version of be you says put yourself under
Don't be so filled with pride, the lust of pride, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment in accordance with the faith. God has distributed to each of you. He then goes on to say, is each of us has one body with many members. Remember those members do not have all the same functions. So in Christ, the go mini, we form one body and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts. According to the grace given to each of us “Be You” God says celebrate who you are because God made you to be that way. Fearfully and wonderfully made Psalm 139 says like if God says that in his word that you that you are is the person he wants you to be the gifts that you have.
He gave to you the things that you've been blessed with. In your life. I have been given to you by God every good and perfect gift is from above you. And here's the great thing about this version of you in view of God's mercy, you died with Christ. And were brought back to life with Christ. The old is gone. The Bible says the new has come you.
Like, it might be harder because that is easier.
But short-term pleasure here equals long-term pain and short-term pain here leads to long-term Eternal pleasure. For you.
So I want you to remember to Romans chapter 12, about what “Be You” looks like from God's perspective. The first one is this be humble. Did you catch that are almost 12? God says a life of humility. The Old Testament says what does god require of us? Walk humbly with God put yourself under?
“Be You”.
Don't consider yourself better than other people like you. No more like you have it all figured out. Be humble.
And right alongside of it is the second one. Be selfless. Because that's what Jesus was. He didn't live me first. He lived you and me and all people first.
God says, that's the kind of model you want. That's the way marriage works. That's the way Christian relationships work. When you live, you first, you know what you find. A whole lot of blessings. And maybe there's no greater example of what you first looks like. What being selfless is than being a mom. You know what happens? The minute you have a kid, selfless. Like Dad, sleep through everything, up Mom's wake up at the surface cry and they sacrifice sleep and time. A lot of them give up jobs and work for some time. Maybe longer because of you.
I think of the selfless love of a mom. And that's the kind of love God, calls us to and being you in our world, in our lives, to our family, to our friends. Remember, that's the version of “Be You” not you first, but are you first instead of me? First be humble. Be selfless. The obedient like it's harder to be obedient. It's harder to listen to what God says about the boundaries for sex and sexuality. It's hard to listen to God about the boundaries of the words that you use in their vocabulary that you speak. It's hard to be obedient. When God says, don't be sinfully angry. Don't be a bitter person and hold on to it. Don't seek revenge like it's easier to long for revenge. It's easier to get bitter. It's easy to lash out in anger.
We need to hear this about being you being you requires being obedient to God.
Like, at the end of the day, You tell me you're going to go down a path. And God says, go down another one. You have to know the word of God, but if they do not line up. Spiritual ending that might be damaging, could be for you.
And then like Romans chapter 12 said, be you. Like so much of our world's found with being you. Is that we buy into this lie? That our value is determined by our performance. Like what I do is what gives me value like if I have better, gifts are different gifts. If I have that job, if I'm in that Circle of Friends. You know, God says we're all different were all uniquely gifted. He said it right in there bu
Like celebrate that you are so hard wired differently than me. Like your gifts are not my gifts. Like there are people like the Jonathan's and Chelsea's of the world, who can sing, there are pastors and teachers who can teach there are people who have gifts and technology, who work behind the scenes, and develop things the, all you see in worship. There are people that are far more smiley than I am, who, greet you at the door. Thank God for those people because we need you. “Be You.”
What gives that you have the season of life that you're in contentment? Because if it's true that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by God.
That means that's really good. And you should celebrate God Made You, you
Requires obedience and selflessness and humility, but in light of the Cross and the empty tomb, the new you Disabled, by the power of the spirit to live for God.
I know it's really hard and tricky because of you.
I want to pray today is that maybe the stone in your shoe with this truth will make you think before you rationalize and justify behavior. That could lead away from God. It will lead you into the book to see what the word says. God would have you do.
So you can be the you that is safe. He calls you to be. So that you can enjoy being you. I put by your side for eternity. Which is what Paul knew. Like I love in the Bible, where you get some really bad news. You know what you also get oftentimes right next to it, some really good news. Whoever so is the please the spirit. If you live for God if you're though you with the asterisks or decided that God calls you to by God's grace through the love of Jesus. From that Spirit, you me.
And God wants that for you. Amen. Let's pray.
But only Father we call on you, author of life. Thank you for forgiveness, Lord, for the times that we've played God that we've rationalized, justified and minimized our behavior and thank you for being you. Jesus, humble, obedient, selfless. The one that God Called To Save. Amen
