1. Christians and the Mind Romans 12:2 Ephesians 4:17-24

4. Christians and the Mind Romans 12:2 Ephesians 4:17-24

5. A. Everybody’s Preaching This world is not a passive environment. There are voices espousing messages that are trying to shape us. “don’t let the world shape you into its mold.” J.B. Philipps.

6. A. Everybody’s Preaching Artists, singers, songwriters, movie producers, cartoonists, novelists, actors, poets, marketers, teachers, philosophers, organizations, governments, etc. are all preaching. There is very little in the way of entertainment that is only entertainment.

7. A. Everybody’s Preaching The messages are in part or whole about God, man, morality, relationships, authority, commitment, ad infinitum, and how one should view and approach life in relationship to these matters. John Lennon’s Imagine.

8. Imagine “Imagine there’s no heaven; It’s easy if you try” “No hell below us; Above us only sky” “Imagine all the people living for today” “Imagine there’s no countries; It isn’t hard to do. “Nothing to kill or die for; And no religion too”

9. Imagine “Imagine all the people; Living life in peace… “You may say I’m a dreamer; But I’m not the only one” “I hope someday you’ll join us; And the world will be as one”

10. Imagine “Imagine no possessions; I wonder if you can” “No need for greed or hunger; A brotherhood of man” “Imagine all the people sharing all the world”

11. B. Nobody’s Neutral “Don’t let the world shape you”. Unless you take action to resist it, it will. We do not live in a vacuum and we are subject to the influence of others.

12. B. Nobody’s Neutral Ephesians 4:17-19 Our minds are fallen and distorted by sin, and left to themselves they gravitate towards the shape of this world. We are told over and over to resist this influence.

13. B. Nobody’s Neutral Psalm 1; 1 Cor. 15:33; 2 Cor. 6:14-18 This matter is complicated by the fact that today the “world” comes at us 24/7 through the influence of technology and media.

14. B. Nobody’s Neutral You are what you eat to a great degree. What you consume will shape you. “Music Inspired Killing” in World Net Daily.

15. C. Action Must Be Taken We must take action to move in the right direction. There are two actions that are vital: 1.Wise Avoidance– Part of what it means to be a follower of Christ is willfully dying to the world for the sake of Jesus.

16. C. Action Must Be Taken 1.Wise Avoidance –1 John 2:15-17 –We are under obligation to pray about this matter and to seek seriously what the Lord’s will is.

17. C. Action Must Be Taken 2.Consecrated Devotion to Scripture –Eph. 4:21-23; Eph. 5:25-26; Col. 3:16 a.The church’s obligation—There is no place in this city more devoted to teaching the whole counsel of God.

18. C. Action Must Be Taken a.The church’s obligation –We have classes that are centered in Scripture. –We have a pulpit that is committed to the task. –There is meaning in my method.

19. C. Action Must Be Taken 2.Consecrated Devotion to Scripture b.Your Obligation –Take the best from here. –ONE OR TWO DAYS A WEEK IS NOT ENOUGH IN THIS PERVASIVE CULTURE!