Being a Light: Embracing Counter-Cultural Community

Devotional

Day 1: Community as a Creative Minority

We are called to be a creative minority, a community committed to practicing the way of Jesus together. This involves living in a web of loyal relationships that counter the cultural currents of our day. By doing so, we can renew the world through the love of Jesus. In a world that often pulls individuals towards self-centeredness and isolation, the concept of a creative minority emphasizes the power of community. This community is not just a gathering of people but a collective committed to living out the teachings of Jesus in a way that challenges societal norms. It is about forming deep, loyal relationships that stand in contrast to the transient and often superficial connections prevalent in today's culture. By embodying this counter-cultural community, we become agents of renewal, bringing the transformative love of Jesus to the world around us. [28:16]

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your community can you reach out to today to encourage and build up in their faith journey?

Day 2: Sanctified for a Purpose

Just as decorative pillows are set apart for a specific purpose, we are sanctified to represent Jesus' mission and truth to the world. This means living lives that reflect His teachings and being a light in the darkness, guiding others towards hope. Being sanctified is not about being removed from the world but being set apart within it for a divine purpose. Our lives should reflect the mission and truth of Jesus, serving as beacons of hope and guidance for those around us. This involves embodying the teachings of Jesus in our daily actions and interactions, showing others the path to love and truth. [32:55]

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively reflect Jesus' teachings in your daily life to guide others towards hope?

Day 3: Living the Sermon on the Mount

Being the light of the world involves embodying the teachings of Jesus, such as showing mercy, serving humbly, and loving one another. This counter-cultural love stands out and draws others towards the church, much like the early church in Acts. The Sermon on the Mount provides a blueprint for living a life that stands in stark contrast to the values of the world. It calls for mercy over revenge, humility over power, and love over division. By living out these teachings, we not only reflect the light of Jesus but also draw others towards the transformative power of His love. [37:59]

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one area in your life where you can practice mercy or humility today. How can this action reflect the teachings of Jesus to those around you?

Day 4: Avoiding Cultural Conformity

John's warning to the early church about losing their distinctiveness is a reminder for us today. We must not let the desires of the world overshadow our identity in Christ. Instead, we should live lives that reflect God's will and purpose. In a world that often pressures individuals to conform to its values and desires, maintaining our distinctiveness as followers of Christ is crucial. This involves resisting the temptation to blend in with cultural norms that contradict our faith and instead living lives that are aligned with God's will. By doing so, we preserve our identity in Christ and serve as a testament to His transformative power. [40:47]

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)

Reflection: What is one cultural norm or desire that you find challenging to resist? How can you seek God's strength to maintain your distinctiveness in this area?

Day 5: Commitment to the Church

The church is a training ground for living a life with Jesus. By committing to being part of the church community, we can grow together and be equipped to be a light in the world. This involves actively participating and connecting with others in the church. The church serves as a vital space for spiritual growth and community. It is where we learn, practice, and embody the teachings of Jesus alongside fellow believers. By committing to the church, we not only strengthen our faith but also equip ourselves to be effective witnesses of Jesus' love and truth in the world. [43:27]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: How can you deepen your commitment to your church community this week? What steps can you take to actively participate and connect with others?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the concept of being a counter-cultural community as followers of Jesus. We live in a world that constantly shapes us, much like a whirlpool, and if we are to counter this cultural current, we must do so together as a community. This idea of a "creative minority," as described by Pastor John Tyson, is a community bound by loyal relationships, committed to practicing the way of Jesus for the renewal of the world. We are called to be a light in the world, a beacon of hope, much like a flashlight in the darkness, guiding others towards the love and truth of Jesus.

From the beginning of creation, God emphasized the importance of community. It was not good for man to be alone, and thus, God created partnerships and communities throughout scripture. Jesus himself gathered disciples, not to remove them from the world, but to send them into it, sanctified and set apart for a purpose. This purpose is to represent Jesus' mission and truth to the world, living lives that reflect His counter-cultural love.

We are reminded that being the light of the world is not about superficial acts or image management but about embodying the teachings of Jesus, as outlined in the Sermon on the Mount. This means showing mercy instead of seeking revenge, serving humbly instead of desiring power, and loving one another, even those with whom we disagree. The early church in Acts exemplified this, standing out through their love, generosity, and support for one another.

However, as time passed, the church began to lose its distinctiveness, blending into the cultural norms. John's letter to the early church warns against this, urging believers to not love the world or its desires, but to remain set apart, living lives that reflect God's will. This call to be counter-cultural is as relevant today as it was then.

To be a church that stands out, we must commit to being part of the church community, which serves as a training ground for living a life with Jesus. We must also ask ourselves where God has placed us in this season and how we can be a light in those spaces. By doing so, we can reverse the cultural whirlpool and bring hope to those around us.

Key Takeaways

1. Community as Counter-Formation: We are called to be a creative minority, a community committed to practicing the way of Jesus together. This involves living in a web of loyal relationships that counter the cultural currents of our day. By doing so, we can renew the world through the love of Jesus. [28:16]
2. Sanctified for a Purpose: Just as decorative pillows are set apart for a specific purpose, we are sanctified to represent Jesus' mission and truth to the world. This means living lives that reflect His teachings and being a light in the darkness, guiding others towards hope. [32:55]
3. Living the Sermon on the Mount: Being the light of the world involves embodying the teachings of Jesus, such as showing mercy, serving humbly, and loving one another. This counter-cultural love stands out and draws others towards the church, much like the early church in Acts. [37:59]
4. Avoiding Cultural Conformity: John's warning to the early church about losing their distinctiveness is a reminder for us today. We must not let the desires of the world overshadow our identity in Christ. Instead, we should live lives that reflect God's will and purpose. [40:47]
5. Commitment to the Church: The church is a training ground for living a life with Jesus. By committing to being part of the church community, we can grow together and be equipped to be a light in the world. This involves actively participating and connecting with others in the church. [43:27]
** [43:27]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Introduction to The Formation Machine
[02:30] - The Cultural Whirlpool
[05:15] - The Concept of Creative Minority
[08:00] - Biblical Foundation for Community
[11:45] - Jesus' Prayer for His Disciples
[15:30] - The Role of Sanctification
[18:20] - Being the Light of the World
[22:10] - The Early Church as a Model
[26:00] - John's Warning to the Church
[30:45] - The Dangers of Cultural Conformity
[34:30] - Commitment to the Church Community
[38:15] - Being a Light in Our Contexts
[42:00] - The Vision for a Multi-Site Church
[46:00] - Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

"Well, growing up, one of the things I love to do anytime I went to the pool with my friends was to go into the shallow end and make a giant whirlpool. Maybe some of you know what that was like. You would get everybody together, you would make a big circle and then you would all start walking in the same direction over and over and over and over again until you got to the point where you could actually lift up your legs and continue to go in the same motion." [00:21:08] (29 seconds)

"We are currently living in a cultural whirlpool of sorts which we have talked about the past couple of weeks and if we have any hope of countering the cultural current of our day it is by being a community that is radically committed to following Jesus together pastor john tyson he calls this type of community a creative minority he says a creative minority is a christian community knotted together in a syria or in a web of stubbornly loyal relationships living together." [00:21:37] (39 seconds)

"From the opening pages of the Bible and the creation narrative in Genesis, we read that God is creating the world and after each day we hear the phrase, it was good. It was good. It was good. And then all of a sudden in Genesis chapter 2, we hear the phrase, it was not good. And what was not good? He says, it was not good that man should be alone. And so what does God do?" [00:25:25] (22 seconds)

"God creates Eve, a partner for Adam, so that they could partner together to fulfill God's command to care for his creation and populate the earth. And as you continue to move forward throughout scripture, you see over and over again, God bringing people together for a deeper purpose. And then we get to the life of Jesus. And Jesus, one of the first things he does is he calls together a group of people, his disciples for a purpose." [00:25:51] (30 seconds)

"When Jesus says, you, y 'all are the light of the world, Jesus is saying that in the same way that the flashlight that night at camp provided a beacon of light to draw us together, followers of Jesus, the church, we are to be a beacon of hope for a world that is wandering around in the dark. You see, somewhere along the lines, I think we've began, we started to get a little confused, or maybe we do get a little confused about what does it actually mean for us to be the light." [00:30:26] (35 seconds)

"When Jesus talks about being the light here in this passage, it is within the context of the larger Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 through 7. And in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is talking about what a world that is shaped by his countercultural love looks like. It's a world that stands out. It's a world where instead of seeking revenge, we're a community that shows mercy." [00:31:45] (26 seconds)

"John, who many scholars believe is the same John who wrote the account of Jesus's life, he writes a letter to the church in 1 John chapter 2. And I can't help but wonder if while he was writing this, if he had in mind the prayer that he heard Jesus pray that we talked about just a little bit earlier. He says this, do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love for the Father is not in them." [00:34:55] (31 seconds)

"As you continue to read John's letter, you find out that sort of what was happening is that many in the church had started to question or go back on the belief that Jesus truly was God in human flesh and that Jesus had come to give us all a new life that is shaped by the self -giving love of Jesus. And if Jesus wasn't actually who he said he was, if that life that Jesus came to bring didn't actually exist, why should my life today change at all?" [00:37:04] (27 seconds)

"Pastor Rich Valotis, he says this, the greatest danger in Christians in every generation is being indistinguishable from the world. Will our values mirror the conventional wisdom of society, or will they confound it? Will we feign agreement on everything, or will we demonstrate love to those who see the world differently than we do? Will we define success based on net worth or on faithfulness to Jesus, no matter what the numbers may say?" [00:40:00] (38 seconds)

"As we've talked about this morning, the world is constantly being formed by culture, but the church is the vehicle of counter -formation to pull us back towards Jesus. You could think of the church as being sort of the practice field or the training ground for living a life with Jesus every single day. Because when we gather as a church, the culture might be telling us that life is all about making a name for yourself, or it's all about your glory." [00:41:56] (32 seconds)

"And now for the larger church, for all of us, the first step to become a counter -cultural church and to reflect Jesus's light to the Bay Area is to simply commit to being part of the church. And if you've been at the church for a while and you still kind of just come and you sit back and then you go off into the rest of your life, I encourage you, take a step this week to lean in, to take one step to connect just a little bit deeper, because we need each other. We need you." [00:46:43] (34 seconds)

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