Have you ever stopped and wondered, “Does my life really matter?” Have I really influenced the world around me? Did I really make a difference?
God wants us to make a difference. I believe that he has actually created you and wired into your DNA a desire to make a difference in your world.
Jesus was the original “difference maker!” Why did he come 2000 years ago, live on earth, subject himself to humiliation and death? Because God knew the world was broke and it need to be fixed. That’s why Jesus established the church.
In Titus 3, the Bible addresses a church that needs to shake things up a little in order to be an influencer in its community. It's a timeless message that affects you and me, and therefore, here’s what I want you to do. I want you to commit to be an influencer in your community! I want you to decide that the life you live will be so radically different from the cultural norm, that it will shake people up. Your workplace will be better because of your faith, your family will be better because of your faith, your school will be better because of your faith.
Titus 3:8 (NKJV) says, "These things are good and profitable to men." I want to show you that this text demonstrates that you and I need a paradigm shift in our thinking.
A paradigm is a model consisting of shared assumptions regarding what works or what is true.
A paradigm shift is that “aha!” moment when one sees things in such a new light that one can never go back to the old ways again.
Each paradigm shift takes us from an old model of thinking that we must discard to a new model that we must embrace.
We have seen a lot of paradigm shifts. In commerce, medicine, even in our social life. Anyone ever hear of Facebook? How about twitter?
In 1994, My TV sat on a huge oak stand that weighed in at a hefty 100 plus pounds. It was a 32 inch JVC that my wife and I had purchased at a national retailer called Brendle`s, and by most accounts it was considered a huge television set! I didn’t even have internet access at my home. That was the year I bought my first mobile phone. A 9 pound set that plugged into my cigarette lighter of my truck. The culture has changed a lot since then!
That same year, Jeff Bezos started a little company that promised to be an avenue for buying goods and services from an online community. It was a paradigm shift in commerce. His little company is the one we now know as Amazon.com and it was started out of his own garage.
If a paradigm shift is needed for us to reach the next generation for Christ, then What does that paradigm shift look like?
The book of Titus spells out for us what a church should look like in order to make a difference in its community. Paul wrote this book, it was actually a letter to Titus, to remind us of what we were created to look like. His Whole theme was fruitfulness.
You will be a world changer when you commit to this paradigm shift in your thinking.
A World Changer:
(1) A world changer Works hard to live a moral life.
Titus 3:1-2 The way you live your life is more important than the things you accomplish.
Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.
Proverbs 16:23 (GW) A wise person's heart controls his speech…
This doesn't mean you are perfect, it just means that you are working hard at being the kind of person God has called you to be. Likewise, it means that you are honest. Honest about your weaknesses as well as your strengths.
(2) A world changer Knows that the Gospel still changes lives.
Titus 3:3-6 God’s grace is what fuels us in our life. IT’s what changed us in the first place.
Luke 6:45 (NIV) The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
Proverbs 4:23 (KJV) Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
(3) A world changer Is the child of a King and acts like one.
Titus 3:7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Mark 7:21-23 (NLT) For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you and make you unacceptable to God."
(4) A world changer Meets needs in her community.
Titus 3:8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
(5) A world changer Knows the gospel doesn't change, but the way we communicate the gospel changes constantly!
We must embrace the change in our culture and learn to speak the truth of Jesus Christ in culturally relevant ways without compromising the gospel.
As a church, we face a paradigm shift today. The church that I knew and grew up in was culturally relevant for its time, but some things have changed. This past week, I bought an electric razor. I didn’t drive to the store and choose between 3 models that the retailer had decided that they could make the most money on. Instead, I turned on my IPad and researched models that 1) were made in America, 2) that were recommended by people who already owned them and then 3) that were offered at the cheapest price. I purchased my razor from Amazon.com and it arrived the next day via UPS at the UPS store where I receive my mail.
There is nothing wrong with shopping at the mall, but that is not the most culturally relevant way for me to receive products.
In the same way, the church faces a paradigm shift. Gone are the days when you can build a building and expect people to come. We have got to live out the gospel in our lives. We must be honest about who we are and we must be know for caring. This means that we are vicious about meeting needs in our community.
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