Summary:
We are not of the world, yet, we are left to remain in the world. Why?
1. To save others: We cannot be content with our own salvation!
2. To save ourselves: There are still many impurities that need to be purged from us so we are fit for heaven above.
We get a really sweet deal. By just living for Christ for 80 short years, He gives us blissful eternity in return. Life is short, live it for Christ.

Every Christian is in the world. Many things are not in our control. For example, it’s been raining continuously the past few days. The rain may not cease just because we pray hard (like how Elijah prayed for rain). The speaker rides a motorcycle and prays the rain will stop often because it’s very inconvenient. He’s prayed many times but it doesn’t stop all the time, even though it might abate sometimes.

Truly, many things are out of our control. In the world, we are influenced by many of its ideologies.

In 2020, many people planned their holidays for the year. They could only stay home, go to work or exercise.

We are in the world, but how can we act as if we’re not of the world?

We must not think that a lot of things aren’t in our control because we’re not of the world. There are many external things we can’t control but there are many things in our heart we can control.

Jesus is an example for us. He was not of the world but came into the world to lead us who are in the world to get out of the world.

John 17:15-16
I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

We draw 3 concepts from Jesus’ prayer. Jesus first doesn’t pray that we be taken out of the world. This means we have to stay in this world. This is a reality of life we have to accept. Because we have been baptised and received the Holy Spirit, we could leave this world already. But we still remain. It’s difficult because the world is full of temptations that could cause us to lose our faith. That’s why Jesus prays for the second thing: that God should keep us from the evil one.

In this world, we have protection. Let’s not be overly worried about falling in this world because our Heavenly Father will keep us from the evil one. If you do fall, it’s your issue. That’s why Paul says when we meet with temptation, God will surely make a way of escape for us (1 Cor 10:13). He’s also given us the Holy Spirit. God has given us many layers of protection.

From this perspective, remaining in this world isn’t so much of a problem.

But why are so many still aren’t able to live a life of a Christian? We need to understand we are not of the world (v16). This is the third thing Jesus prayed about.

Christians think they are of this world. They feel they have no choice. For example, their boss tells them to organise a Christmas party. “How can I refuse my boss? I don’t have control and have no choice!” But you can leave your job. You can still find a job, not like the Great Depression in 1920’s. You can even work at MacDonald’s and get a basic sum.

Why do we compromise? Because we interact with people in the world and feel we have to compromise to their ways.

Remember these 3 concepts in Jesus’ prayer:

1. We are in this world and have to remain
2. While we are in this world, we are protected from the evil one
3. Know we are not of this world; we have a choice

Why doesn’t Jesus just take us away from this world? Wouldn’t it be nice to leave and rid ourselves of all these difficulties?

v18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

When we stay in this world, we carry out God’s will. Just as the Father sends the Son to the world, the Son sends us to the world. Why?

v23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Jesus explains to help us understand why He has sent us to the world. He wants people to get to know who God is and the love of God. That’s what Jesus did. We have this responsibility too. We have to let the world know who God is and how great His love is. We are the salt of the earth and light of the world.

Why does He want us to be the salt and light? Shouldn’t Christians just preserve themselves? Preserve your soul, reach your destination. This is one part of being a Christian. But the other part of being a Christian is to be sent to people in the world so we can be salt and light. Because these people are still in the world. Just like how Jesus knew we were in the world and was sent to the world to save us.

Have we ever thought we are in this world to save others? Let’s not just be content with our own salvation? Do we think how to bring more people to be saved?

Being salt and light seems like a passive task. We just need to preserve ourselves and act properly as a Christian. Do we think in this way? That people are looking at us like we’re a celebrity. There are some people whose family background and what they’re doing is unknown until they step into politics. Then even their tax returns come to light. We think we as small fries won’t be taken notice of. But we may be compared to other Christians who eat food offered to idols and buy toto.

Understand that we are put on a stage for others to see. Sometimes we feel it’s not fair but understand this is what God and people expect of us. Remember we are sent to this world to guide others.

Another aspect is of course saving ourselves. How many of us can say we are perfect Christians and true sons of God? Are all our actions with God in mind?

To gain the status of a true son of God, we must be baptised in the word and undergo sufferings (1 Pet 1:6-7). We are gold and that’s already valuable. But we have a lot of imperfections and impurities in our hearts. Some of which we may not be aware of. Like Job. He was described to be perfect (Job 1). God allowed the devil to attack him. Even under such circumstances, Job initially still didn’t sin. Why did God allow him to endure these sufferings then? There was self-righteousness deep in his heart that Job himself didn’t know about. It was brought to the surface. After God asked Him whether he was there when He created the world. Job finally said that he had only heard of the Lord last time but now he sees Him (Job 42:5).

We need to go through sufferings so we can change. It’s just like when we take an exam, we have to take it until we pass. Why do we keep failing? Because we don’t study. We think we can anyhow choose since it’s an MCQ. The speaker failed his advanced theory test 7 times because he didn’t bother studying, thinking since he rode a motorbike already he would know the answers.

We will face with the same problem again and again in life. Until we are willing to accept God’s correction and that we need to change. Then we will be able to get past this issue.

We are in this world for 2 reasons. First, we are the light of this world, supposed to shine on people in the world. Secondly, to be diligent for our own salvation.

Why are some Christians unable to do these things? Because when it comes to making a decision, we make the wrong choice.

When making a decision, a person weighs the factors and makes a prioritisation. Why aren’t Christians able to select the best choice? Because they don’t see it as the best choice. Based on the Bible, we know what the best choice is. But they aren’t able to see it.

There are just some things we don’t see. It’s been raining lately. We hope it’ll stop raining. But when we check the meteorological map, we see the cloud mass stretches all the way to Thailand and Indonesia. We know it’ll still rain. So we prepare.

We Christians tend to be like this. We know what it’s going to be like and what the Bible says. But we choose to reject the reality and just do what we want to do. It’s no wonder we make the wrong decisions.

Gen 13:5-13
Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. Now the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land. So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.” And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD.

Lot’s and Abraham’s flocks and herds grew in size. As a result, there was strife. What should they do? Split? Abraham took this choice and suggested separation. The reason? Because they were brethren. When there’s conflict between blood relatives, it can get quite awkward. Abraham knew this and suggested some time apart. Abraham hence told him to pick a side and he would go the other.

v10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar.

Lot saw the well watered plain before him. He made the decision to choose this beautiful land in front of him. Was it wrong for Lot to make this choice? He just chose because it was beautiful. What’s wrong with that? But actually his very choice was wrong.

Why did Lot leave with Abraham? He was mature and had his own household. Abraham must’ve told Lot that God had promised him land. Lot was described to be righteous. He must have believed in God and His promise to bless Abraham. The family of Abraham used to worship idols. Later Abraham had faith and righteousness to worship the true God. Lot followed him. He must’ve understood following Abraham would result in blessing.

But what did he see now? Did he think about how God had told Abraham to remain in the land to receive blessing? He just used his eyes to see but not his brain to think. Leaving Abraham would be leaving the blessings of God behind. Lot didn’t think of these things. He just saw the beautiful plain before him. What he saw before his eyes was more beautiful than the blessings envisioned in his mind. Abraham had not received the land yet. They were dwelling in tents.

Lot saw what was before him. And forgot the blessings promised to Abraham by God. Then he made his choice.

v14-17 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward…Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”

After Lot left him, God appeared to Abraham to say he had made the right choice. Lot made the wrong choice.

But don’t be so quick to laugh at him. We make this mistake too. We just look at the current benefits and things before our eyes. How many of us think about the heavenly kingdom in the future?

Revelation tells us of a place where there’s no pain, tears, death. Does this sufficiently attract us?

We think our choice is better. Even if we have to suffer later, we get to indulge now. We get to enjoy now. What’s so good about going to a place where there’s no tears?

There are a number of Christians who are like this. We have to understand the impact our decisions have.

We have to put the matters of God first. Then we will be able to make the right decision.

Some Christians say: I chose God! In marriage, my other half must be someone of faith!

Sounds like he’s prioritising God. While he claims to prioritise his faith by wanting someone of faith, they themselves don’t even come for service much. Even if the person is an RE teacher, if we look at the quality of the work, we see he’s not invested in it. He comes to church and leaves. He doesn’t really care about the children.

Some say: I can’t get married to you because you’re not a Christian.

They bring an unbeliever to church. “See, I can’t marry someone who doesn’t believe so I bring them.” But after the marriage, even if they’re married in church, they don’t come. They don’t actively participate in divine work. They’re not very invested.

We may have principles like not working on the Sabbath. But what do we do? Shopping. Watching shows. Even if we go to church, what are we thinking about on the Sabbath? Isn’t it strange that we say faith is important but our actions don’t display it.

This is a crisis for some Christians. They say with their lips that they prioritise God but their actions don’t show it.

Do we put God first? What do we take leave for? Would we consider taking leave to do church work, go overseas for divine work? Or just to play, climb mountains, eat food and see the northern lights?

A brother gets up at 8am every morning to read the newspaper because his job requires him to know the situation. He’s very very busy. He does take some time for recreation but he also spends his leave to serve in Myanmar.

If we take leave, would we perhaps use it to bring the children out if we are RE teachers?

Let’s not think of ourselves as having much faith. Constantly examine ourselves to see what state of faith we are in.

Then we can be in the world but not of the world. Don’t be like Lot’s wife. Running out but still wanted to take a glance. She’s been there for so long, what was there to look at? Her heart was unable to leave this world. She became a pillar of salt.

Are our hearts unable to leave this world? Actually it shouldn’t even be there because we are not of this world. It is us who have chosen to be of it. May God give us strength to overcome the temptations of this world.

Hymn 398: “Living for Jesus through earth’s little while”

We are making a profit. For just 80 short years, we get to exchange it for eternity. Since life is so short, live it for Christ.

Because we are still young, we think there are many things we cannot put down. Only when we are older we realise it didn’t really matter. Look to Jesus and the disciples who put down many things.

We pray for many things but do we ever stop to carefully consider what we are praying for? Have we stopped to consider what our direction in life is? Then when we have done some self-reflection, we’d know how to proceed. That’s why long prayers are important. When praying for 30min, we may spend 10min thinking about other things. Only when something happens then we quieten our hearts down and concentrate. We don’t need to wait for something bad to happen. We can start now. For example, where we are going to work, which areas we can serve God in, what to do in matters of marriage. Demographically, there are more sisters than brothers in church. We worry about being left on the shelf. Do we continue searching or go for an unbeliever? At this point in time we have to purpose in our hearts we won’t choose an unbeliever. This is something we have to constantly think about and purpose today. The rest, we entrust to God.