Define Christian – Above All

Define Christian – Above All takes us into the first part in our new summer sermon series.  Ask ten people what is a Christian and you very well might get ten different answers.  Not all of those answers will be positive either.  So who do you believe?  In our series we’re going to look at what Jesus says a Christian is.  Click below to watch a short one minutes video to hear a few different man-on-the-street takes on the definition of a Christian.

Our first portion of Scripture is Matthew chapter 10.  Jumping back to see the context and Jesus isn’t saying anything new and radicle.  He’s telling his countrymen what it means to be a real Jew.  God hasn’t changed his definition since Adam and Eve!  These words are harsh.  Why would Jesus come to bring division, not harmony.  If Jesus is the Messiah, shouldn’t friends and neighbors be singing Kumbaya?  Not necessarily.

This has a broader application, but let’s look at a family. I have to ask you, how many of you have the perfect family?  I know that there is some pressure to show that side of Christianity, but it’s not real.  You might be relieved to know that every family – I mean EVERY family in this church has something “wrong” with it.  Just like churches – families are made up of sinful people, just like your pastor.  There is a good chance that there will be strife of some kind.  Expand this beyond the kingdom of God and this reality hits very hard.  If you bring the sword of the Spirit into a home – that is God’s word according to the letter to the Hebrews – the results might not be positive.  a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.  The Bible study following worship was on this topic specifically – My Easter Witness – Family. 

Want to hear more?  Watch this week’s message taken from Matthew 10 – the first in our summer sermon series Define Christian – Above All.