S05E011, Light Shines Brighter in the Darkness, Endurance

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On this episode, we look at how to be lights in a dark world.

Endurance is your weekly spiritual workout, whether you think of yourself as a beginner, an intermediate, or advanced!

#GoDeeper

For GoDeeper this week Steven is talking about being in the world but not of the world. He begins by explaining what it means to be of the world.

He gives us three particularly relevant Scriptures which he unpacks. He challenges us to not blend in, but rather stick out because of the Holy Spirit in us.

You can read the GoDeeper transcript here.

#GoDo

For the final segment, Nathan asks Steven some questions about his talk:

1. I gather from those Scriptures you read that we can’t really be neutral. We can’t be on the middle ground, can we?
2. How do we go about obeying God when there is so much opposition to Christians in the world?
3. Do you have a decent bright torch?

Watch this week’s episode of Endurance to find out Steven’s answers to these questions.

Steven and Nathan

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Transcript

Nathan 0:24
Hello and welcome to Endurance, your weekly spiritual workout. This week's episode is titled, Light Shines Brighter in the Darkness. And we're looking at the idea of being lights in the world. Obviously, God does not want us to blend in with the world, with darkness. So we need to be in the world, in order that we can reach out to others, in order that we can spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. But we don't want to be part of the world.

Nathan 0:51
We don't want to be trapped in the ways of the world, we need to be following God and doing what He commands us to do. As ever, if you want to keep up to date with all that the BerryBunch produces, you can sign up to our newsletter at www.BerryBunch.family. And then you'll be able to keep up to date with everything. Steven's going to unpack our topic for us in a moment.

Steven 1:21
When it comes to time spent with God, go for quality, not quantity. #SpeakTruth

Andy 1:32
Well, hello, my name's Andy B.

Jo 1:33
And I'm Jo.

Andy 1:34
And we've got some super exciting nose. Nose?

Jo 1:37
Nose? News.

Andy 1:37
New, we got some news.

Andy 1:39
We've got some,

Jo 1:39
You said you could do this, Andy.

Andy 1:41
Well, I did try. Anyway, we've got some exciting news, not noses, coming for you because on Konnect Radio is a brand new radio show.

Jo 1:46
Yeah.

Andy 1:47
Called Family Focus. And it may be a shock, but actually we're doing it.

Jo 1:51
Yes. And not on our own, because we've got a really cool dog called Dave. Dave, the dog who joins us.

Andy 1:57
Yes, Dave, the dog who's a dog called Dave. It doesn't get much more complicated.

Jo 2:01
He's dead funny. He's dead funny.

Andy 2:02
He's very funny. He comes along and helps. We've got a good, good contract for him. So, that's coming up. We've also got the doggy cushion where we talk about family successes.

Jo 2:11
Highs and lows,

Andy 2:12
Highs and lows,

Jo 2:13
of family life,

Andy 2:14
of family life. So whether you're naught, 8, 88, 888, then you're welcome to join us.

Jo 2:20
You don't have to do maths on this show.

Andy 2:22
No it's fine, we don't. So come join us for some great chat, some great music, and some great stuff coming up on Konnect Radio, Family Focus.

#GoDeeper Transcript

Steven 2:41
So here we are, for another go deeper with me, Steven. And this week, as Nathan said, it's all about being in the world, but not of the world. Light shines brighter in the dark. So yeah, when we say in the world, but not of the world, we're talking about the fact that we are here on Earth, we are in this world. But we are not of the ways of this world. We are not of ways contrary to Scripture, not of ways contrary to God, or anything that functions without God. So like we are here in this world. We don't have a choice about that, it kind of goes without saying, we are living on this earth. We need to have jobs and we are with people who are of this world. But we need to be not of the world.

Steven 3:21
So our behaviour should stick out, it should be different, we should be full of the fruit of spirit and all the usual stuff of being a Christian, it kinda goes without saying. We need to be that, whilst being here on this earth, surrounded by less good things. So we have some scriptures. The first one is James 4, 4, and I just love the book of James. So. you adulterous people? Don't you know that friendship with the world is hostility towards God. So whoever wants to be a friend of the world becomes the enemy of God. Now that is hard hitting right there.

Steven 3:56
What it means by, friendship with the world, is being comfortable with the ways of the world, or too comfortable, or perhaps adopting some of the values which are not so good. Things like idolising things, anything above God. For example, money is an obvious one. Living out of fear rather than out of faith. But it's something that we all fall foul of. Even as Christians we are going to slip into the ways of the world. But generally speaking as Christians, we should be different. But that's not to say we won't slip up every once in a while. And we also have 1 John 2, 15. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Steven 4:38
Again, that's rather hardhitting, isn't it? So we mustn't love the things of the world, doesn't mean that we should not show love or compassion. We know that we need to show love. Other verses of Scripture say that. But we shouldn't love the ways or values that aren't good. And it's easy, I mean, I fall foul of it myself just that falling into the trap of fear, living out fear rather than faith, or idolising things above God, which is so easy to do. I mean, we think we don't idolise things because we don't bow down in worship of things, but we still idolise things like money, careers, stuff, all the usual culprits that can lead us astray. We have some more scripture. Romans 12, 2, don't copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but lead, but let God transform you into a new person, by changing the way you think, then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good, and pleasing, and perfect.

Steven 5:46
That is kind of the how to of the matter how we stay out of the world, no, how we stay not of the world. So we don't copy the behaviour or customs of this world, we don't try to stand. What's it? The opposite of stand out, stand in. But we need to let God transform us into a new person by changing the way we think. We're always changing, growing closer to Jesus. And that should change how we think. We need to shine the light of God, the light of Christ in this world. So yeah, preaching the gospel. We are called to be evangelists, to a certain extent, all of us, in our everyday jobs, lives, all the usual things. And it's a common thing that we hear, preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.

Steven 6:37
But I think a lot of people use that as a bit of a cop out. I know I certainly do. We are supposed to preach the gospel with our actions, I think that should be a challenge. But that doesn't necessarily mean that we don't use words. I think it's too often used as a cop out. And I know I'm guilty of that myself. Our actions and our behaviours should stick out. And that is what that saying is challenging us to do. We should stick out so that we can shine the light in this world.

Jo 7:06
Family Prayer Time. So what is it, Peter?

Peter 7:10
Well, it's where me and mum or well, Jo, we look at, we find a subject for prayer. So maybe it's a Psalm or a country. And then we pray as we feel led. And Bob's your uncle.

Jo 7:21
Excellent. Yeah, absolutely. It's family prayer time, me and Pete pray together. And we'd like you to pray as a family. So join us for family prayer time.

Nathan 7:53
Well I say Steven, That did seem an especially hardhitting talk, today.

Steven 7:57
Yeah, it's challenging, isn't it?

Nathan 8:01
How do we be liked in the world? When it's just, it goes against our nature, it goes against the grain, doesn't it really? Alright, so here are my questions. So I gathered from those scriptures, which were rather blunt. That was, there were there was no beating around the bush.

Steven 8:20
No.

Nathan 8:21
I gathered from those scriptures, you read that we can't really be neutral? Can we? There, we can't find a middle ground?

Steven 8:28
No, you can't sit on the fence. You've got to be, you can't be you can't serve two masters. That's what Jesus said you can't serve the world and God. It's one or t'other. So it's better to serve God really. Isn't it.

Nathan 8:40
Yeah. Yeah, we can't be friends of the world and friends of God, as James said. Okay, so how do we go about obeying God when there is so much opposition to Christianity in the world? I mean, you said that we need to shine as lights, we need to act differently to others, we shouldn't just conform to our natural tendencies, to what everyone else is doing. We need to be different. We need to do what God is commanding us to do. However, if we do that, it's very often when Christians do that, they find themselves either they lose their job or they become very unpopular. So how are we supposed to do that? If we lose our friendships with people then surely we won't be able to reach out to them anymore?

Steven 9:28
It is a tough one. You can't go against your conscience, is something I've heard a lot recently. I love how easy these questions are and how much you prepare me for it.

Nathan 9:42
Good. Yes.

Steven 9:44
Blimey. We need to obey God and it will go well, because we're not, yes, sorry, storing up treasures in heaven, not here on Earth. So we're thinking about what we're doing for God is for the future, is for Heaven, is for that peace that comes from God. It's not for this life. Follow the peace. We need to follow the peace.

Nathan 10:08
Now, thanks to our computer operator.

Steven 10:11
Yeah.

Nathan 10:14
Yeah, so, basically what you're saying is we need to obey God, because any other route we take, we won't be peaceful, we won't be satisfied.

Steven 10:26
Yeah, that sounds good. Is that what I said?

Nathan 10:29
The jist of it.

Steven 10:30
Alright, alright.

Nathan 10:31
Okay, finally. Do you have a decent, bright torch anyway?

Nathan 10:34
Torch?

Nathan 10:36
Well you said we need to shine as lights.

Steven 10:38
Oh hilarious. I got a pretty good torch from my phone. And this, this watch actually has a bit of a light on it.

Nathan 10:44
Really?

Steven 10:44
Yeah, yeah.

Nathan 10:45
Gosh, that watch can do anything.

Steven 10:46
Pretty much.

Nathan 10:47
We'll have to look into that on a next, on some other episode. That watch, just magical watch. You know, makes him cups of tea, you know

Steven 10:54
What I meant by shining a light,

Nathan 10:55
brings the car around, opens the doors,

Steven 11:02
If you're

Nathan 11:02
turns the lights on

Steven 11:03
quite finished,

Nathan 11:03
plays music.

Steven 11:07
If you're quite finished.

Nathan 11:08
Yes, I am.

Steven 11:10
What I meant by shining a light was this sort of a metaphorical light of Jesus Christ.

Nathan 11:14
A metaphorical light. See, I'm glad you clarified that, light right okay, so metaphorical light. So it's, it's a spiritual light.

Steven 11:23
Yes.

Nathan 11:24
We need spiritual Maglites.

Steven 11:28
Yes.

Nathan 11:29
And we need to use them.

Steven 11:32
Yes, that's the other thing, you need to use the light that you've been given, I guess. If you have Jesus, you have the light,

Nathan 11:37
No point in hiding a light under a bushel. As Jesus said. Okay, so thank you for joining us. I suppose in conclusion, we need to be lights in the world regardless of the opposition we face because that ultimately is how we please God and that is how we will have peace.

Jo 12:12
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Steven 12:25
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Peter 12:32
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Andy 12:55
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