Pastor Wayne Cordeiro
August 30, 2020 - W2035

"How Then Shall We Live?" 

What to Do? Draw Me Close!

Pastor Wayne Cordeiro

August 29 & 30, 2020 

Welcome, everybody!  Today, we'll be talking about "How Then Shall We Live?" from our series What to Do? Draw Me Close! We are living in a world that seems to be falling apart--spinning out of control, with people having a myriad of opinions and drawing funny conclusions:  Is the sky falling?  Is our government being ripped apart?  There are millions suffering with COVID-19, but can we trust the numbers? How is data gathered and analyzed? What should we believe? How then shall we live?

This reminds me of a funny story of how we can come to crazy conclusions.  There were three archeologists--from England, China, and Portugal.  The one from England dug 10 feet down and found some fragments of copper wire and came to the conclusion that a thousand years ago the English used a communication system that went throughout England.  The Chinese dug 20 feet down and found fragments of copper wire, so they concluded that 2000 years ago the Chinese already had in place a communication system predating the English by 1000 years; but when the Portuguese archeologists dug 30 feet down and found nothing, they concluded that 3000 years ago the Portuguese had already gone wireless! 

We can come to funny conclusions by skewing gathered data to create a narrative that controls the minds of people. From February through the end of March, in just two months, the media mentioned “Coronavirus” or “COVID,” 1.2 billion times. Everybody is hearing it all the time, so it’s on the minds of most people.  We’re also hearing Black Lives Matter or BLM, and the thinking that goes into creating the narrative that makes us draw funny conclusions. It's irrational to stake a life on something that's questionable--yet thousands of people are doing that.

A video clip from Candace Owens, a brilliant lady, is interviewing the chairman of BLM in New York. As you listen, question the thinking of how conclusions might be drawn.  In summation: Candace Owens asks questions that are left unanswered because they spoke from totally different perspectives.  For example, she says that former President Obama considered the absence of fathers in homes to be the biggest problem in their community, causing protests and riots; while the BLM chairman replies that the root of racism is the diet imposed on his culture--the fats, sugars, sodas. The parameters are so far apart!  How are sugary drinks a form of racism?  It’s the thinking!  

THREE OPTIONS FOR SUCH UPHEAVAL: 

1. Protest for A Cause: Just or Unjust. The cause could be for racial equality or for police brutality.  In the '60s, it was to get out of the Vietnam War--it could be for whatever it might be.  This is just a protest, and the silent majority stands by while the well-organized minority group creates a pernicious assault on society.  It's basically a protest for a cause that will die down and then rise up again in the next generation and die down and rise up because there will always be causes to protest.

2.  End of Civilization, Transfer of Power. It could be the end of a civilization wherein there will be a transfer of power.  General Sir John Glubb wrote an essay in 1976 called The Fate of Empires. He wrote that every civilization from the Greeks, the Romans, the Turks, the Europeans, and the English had a life cycle of approximately 250 years; thereafter, a transfer of power to another empire or nation. Well, the United States of America has now existed for 244 years, and things are starting to shake quite a bit: the nuclear family is breaking down, moral rules are being broken, and our economy is shifting; we could be on the brink of a major transfer of power!  Maybe in the next 6 years something might happen.  Is that true?  We don't know.   

3. The Last Days.  Many signs are indicating that we could actually be living in the Last Days.  We don't know for certain because Matthew Chapter 24 says that even the angels and the Son of God don't know the day or the hour when Jesus will return. The Father keeps that one pretty close to His chest for some reason, so we must maintain a lifestyle of expectancy, as if Jesus could return at any moment; He gave a parable of the ten virgins.

In the Old Testament, they looked forward to the coming of the Messiah when He would bring redemption; the New Testament looks back to The Messiah on the cross, when redemption was fulfilled, the sacrifice has been completed, and the scriptures were fulfilled in Jesus. These are called the Last Days after the cross. Jesus could come at any time or He could delay longer.  If God delays, it’s because of His patience, He doesn't want anyone to perish; The Bible says He will not tarry forever. 

2 Peter 3:9 NASB says: "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

Think of the fact that we are in the end-times. If you think it's just protests or just a change in civilization, you might be filled with fear; but if you believe that we're living in the end- times--there's a blessing for you!  

1 John 3:2-3 NASB says: "²Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. ³ And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."

If you are an end-times person waiting for the coming of the Lord, there's a purifying and sanctification that takes place.  Every problem that you have faced, or will ever face, had already been faced by somebody in the Bible--and they've left breadcrumbs behind to show us how we should live!  

1. KNOW WHAT NEVER CHANGES AND STAY WITH THAT 

Jeremiah 6:16 NASB says, "Thus says the Lord, 'Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls.’"  Proverbs 22:28 NASB says: "Do not move the ancient boundary which your fathers have set." 

There are certain things that you can change, and things you don't ever want to change! The key is recognizing the difference. One of the things that never change is the Word of God, which is infallible and immutable. 

Psalm 119:160 NASB says: “The sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances everlasting.”  Psalm 119:89 NASB says: "Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven."  When you and I get to heaven, we will still be reading the Bible, which is valid and certified in heaven for millions and millions of years.  That’s eternity! 

In Psalm 33:6 NIV says:  "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of His mouth.” Even the universe submits to the infallible and changeless Word of God. He spoke the world into existence--it is that powerful, precise, and in perfect rotational orbit. It is so dependable that astronomers can predict an eclipse in the next 112 years. The Word of God never changes--it is infallible and immutable!

Whatever people perceive something to be, that's how it is. This is a narrative of how truth is changed:  A bishop visited one of the Catholic schools in our town, and one of the girls in our youth group asked very innocently: "Doesn't the Bible say in several places that homosexuality is a sin?"  The bishop said: "Yes, it does say that it's a sin in the Bible, but since the Bible was written, we as mankind have progressed so much further than that so it's different now."  If you did that with anything else, there would be a complete devastation in the universe. There will be many contrary voices that will try to test, push, and get you to deny what the Word of God says, but just keep obeying God!  The Word of God does not change, so never allow anyone to deny that!  

Acts 5:28 NIV says: "'We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,’ he said. ‘yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.’ But Peter and the apostles answered, 'We must obey God rather than men.'"  

Stand up for what is right in God’s eyes. We must be people who will stand for truth (not maliciously) just draw a line that you will not cross! Don’t compromise, or you will find yourself in the enemy's territory, where it'll be a free?for?all!   

2.  TIME TO LOVE JESUS WITH ALL OUR HEART  

Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV says: "You shall love The Lord our God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."   

Falling completely in love with Jesus will affect everything we do and redeem our identity. People can argue over your opinions, but they can't argue with your experience.  If I say, “I'm sorry, I love Jesus. You should have seen me before I came to Christ. He's given me His salvation, and now everything is changed. I want you also to experience Jesus and realize how much He loves you!” They can't argue with experiences—what we have heard, seen, touched with our hands, and what we’ve beheld.   

1 John 1:1 NIV says: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life." Spend time with Jesus and experience the power of the Holy Spirit.  

People were coming against Peter and John in Acts 4:13 NIV: "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished, and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."  Jesus must be more than a strong opinion; He must be our life! There is no middle ground when following Jesus.  

Revelation 3:15-16 NASB says: "¹⁵ ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth."

Satan will fool you into thinking that lukewarm is okay, but it's actually square in his lair.  He can dupe you into thinking that you're okay, so choose to fully be in love with Jesus.  

3. BE THE PILLAR AND SUPPORTER OF TRUTH  

Stand without compromising.  The world is shaking with immorality, with weird people coming up with crazy ideas that they put out as truth.  Paul the apostle writes: 1 Timothy 3:15, "...if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth."

What happens if the church compromises? Who will show them the way home when God speaks to them; where will they go to find help?  One day, God will speak to these people, and they will need to find their way home, and the only dependable one is the church.  

4. HOW THEN SHALL WE LIVE?  

Choose the ancient paths.  The Word of God will never change.  Fall in love with Jesus with all your heart. People can't argue against your experience. Be immovable, a pillar in support of truth. Apostasy is when Christians fall away from the truth of God. Will you fall or stand?

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:  

1.  Ask for the ancient paths.  What and where is the ancient path? What does it mean to just stand?

2.  What can we do to build courage in these tough times?

3.  Who do you call when you need help with provision-healing-encouragement?

4.  Who does The Lord want you to witness to? Be prepared.