When the Church Becomes Like the World

We witness all sorts of horrendous evil all around us: violence against women and children, lust for revenge, and people calling right what God calls wrong. The unbelieving world does what is right in its own eyes, but that shouldn’t surprise us. We should not expect the world to look like Jesus. 
 
But how do we explain when the same worldly evil invades the church? How do we explain when the church looks like the world? When the church looks like the world, it is because the church is not submitting to and following Jesus. Instead of doing what Jesus commands, we do what is right in our own eyes. And when that happens, we blaspheme the name of King Jesus and we ruin our witness. Is it any wonder the world has little confidence in the church? 
 
The book of Judges is meant to function like a mirror held up to ourselves in order to expose our own hearts. Do we look more like the world (Judges), or do we look more like our King? If we don’t submit to our King, we too will become like the world. That is the message of Judges 19-21. 
 
Judges 19-21 is one of the most disturbing passages of Scripture, but it reminds us that because they had no king, Israel became like Sodom. That’s a strong indictment, but this is what the text shows, especially in chapter 19. There, in an echo of Genesis 19 and what happened in Sodom, the Holy Spirit shows us what happens when God’s people do what is right in their own eyes in relation to gender, marriage, and sexuality. In Judges 20, we see what happens when God’s people do what is right in their own eyes in relation to justice. And finally, in Judges 21, we see what happens when God’s people do what is right in their own eyes in relation to ethics: right and wrong. The result is (1) corrupt leadership, (2) corrupt people, (3) abuse of women, (4) violence and vengeance, and (5) situational ethics. In other words, Israel became like Sodom.  
 
The message of the book of Judges is Israel NEEDS a King. Why? Because good leadership lives out God’s word and obeys God’s will. Therefore, good leadership leads God’s people in God’s word to obey God’s will. So, Israel doesn’t just need a king. They need God’s king. A forever king. And so do we. This is why God gave us King Jesus. Jesus is our forever King who rules with justice and righteousness. He is perfectly pleasing to the Father. He is gentle and lowly toward his people. He is counter-cultural in his treatment of women and children, widowed and orphaned. And he is self-sacrificial, giving his life for sinners that the repentant may receive forgiveness.  
 
Now, all who believe in Jesus are empowered by his Spirit to submit to our King. Those who do not submit to King Jesus will look like the world. Those who submit to him look more and more like him. QUESTION: Who do you look like? More like the world or more like our King? 
We are a holy nation under a holy King through whom God is displaying his wisdom and glory to an evil world. Our world needs to see us and understand who our King is and what it is like to be his holy people.

• On Election Day, You Can Be Both Realistic and Hopeful

 

• Our Holey Holiness: A Conversation with Kevin DeYoung (on pursuing holiness) 

 

• Holiness in an Age of Worldliness by Kevin DeYoung

 

• Missions: Missionary: Obeying the Great Commission – New Video Series 

 

• Song of the Month: My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness  

One-Day Membership Class | Sunday, November 10 | 1:15 PM to 4:30 PM in the Old Choir Room
If you’re interested in learning more about High Pointe or pursuing membership with High Pointe, please mark your calendars for our One-Day Membership Class. This class will cover three main questions: What is the church and why should I join, what does High Pointe believe, and what do we expect of church members at High Pointe. You can register for the class online here.

Senior Adult (55+) Luncheon | November 17                                                                                The 55 + Seniors are having a luncheon at Luby's on Dessau and 183 on Sunday, November 17th, immediately after the morning service.
 
Re:Connecting Around the Gospel Marraige Workshop | Saturday, December 7 | 8:30 AM to 12 PM 
This workshop is for any married couple to attend together. The workshop will present biblical wisdom then provide time for couples to reflect, process and pray together. We are planning to provide childcare for ages 8 month through 5th grade. Click here to register. 
 
Life Classes
Life Classes are meant to equip High Pointe for life as a Christian. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and join us. Childcare is available for ages 8 months through Pre-K. This session, we are offering the following classes from August 25 to December 5: 

• Growing in Prayer 
• Discipling: Principles and Practice 
• Student Ministry Life Class | Spiritual Disciplines: For children 6th–12th grades 
• Kids Life Class: For children K–5th grade 

 
Sunday AM Preaching Schedule: Pray regularly for the ministry of the Word at High Pointe. Also, prepare for our gatherings by reading the sermon text, thinking it through, and asking questions about the text before Sunday. Here is our (tentative) preaching schedule designed to help you prepare for Sundays:  

• November 10 | Begin Study of 1 Thessalonians, Pastor Robert 
• November 17 | 1 Thessalonians, Pastor Robert 
• November 24 | Begin Study of Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Juan 
• December 1 | Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Juan 
• December 8 | Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Juan 
• December 15 | Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Juan 
• December 22 | Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Juan 
• December 29 | Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Juan 

 
Begin praying as you prepare to gather with us this Sunday at 10:00 am. 
 
Gospel Partner of the Month: The Gospel Coalition
 TGC is a fellowship of evangelical churches in the Reformed tradition deeply committed to renewing our faith in the gospel of Christ and to reforming our ministry practices to conform fully to the Scriptures. We have become deeply concerned about some movements within traditional evangelicalism that seem to be diminishing the church’s life and leading us away from our historic beliefs and practices. On the one hand, we are troubled by the idolatry of personal consumerism and the politicization of faith; on the other hand, we are distressed by the unchallenged acceptance of theological and moral relativism. These movements have led to the easy abandonment of both biblical truth and the transformed living mandated by our historic faith. We not only hear of these influences, we see their effects. We have committed ourselves to invigorating churches with new hope and compelling joy based on the promises received by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
 
Our desire is to serve the church we love by inviting all our brothers and sisters to join us in an effort to renew the contemporary church in the ancient gospel of Christ so that we truly speak and live for him in a way that clearly communicates to our age. As pastors, we intend to do this in our churches through the ordinary means of his grace: prayer, the ministry of the Word, baptism and the Lord’s Supper and the fellowship of the saints. We yearn to work with all who, in addition to embracing the confession and vision set out here, seek the lordship of Christ over the whole of life with unabashed hope in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform individuals, communities, and cultures. 
 
You will find links to our Confessional Statement and our Theological Vision for Ministry—a vision rooted in the Scriptures and centered on the gospel. 
 
On-Call Pastor 
To better care for you, High Pointe, we have an “on-call” pastor available for emergencies after office hours and on weekends. To reach the on-call pastor, call 512-837-7725, extension 1.