When the Church Becomes Like the World
We witness all sorts of horrendous evil all around us: violence against women and children, lust for revenge, and people calling right what God calls wrong. The unbelieving world does what is right in its own eyes, but that shouldn’t surprise us. We should not expect the world to look like Jesus.
But how do we explain when the same worldly evil invades the church? How do we explain when the church looks like the world? When the church looks like the world, it is because the church is not submitting to and following Jesus. Instead of doing what Jesus commands, we do what is right in our own eyes. And when that happens, we blaspheme the name of King Jesus and we ruin our witness. Is it any wonder the world has little confidence in the church?
The book of Judges is meant to function like a mirror held up to ourselves in order to expose our own hearts. Do we look more like the world (Judges), or do we look more like our King? If we don’t submit to our King, we too will become like the world. That is the message of Judges 19-21.
Judges 19-21 is one of the most disturbing passages of Scripture, but it reminds us that because they had no king, Israel became like Sodom. That’s a strong indictment, but this is what the text shows, especially in chapter 19. There, in an echo of Genesis 19 and what happened in Sodom, the Holy Spirit shows us what happens when God’s people do what is right in their own eyes in relation to gender, marriage, and sexuality. In Judges 20, we see what happens when God’s people do what is right in their own eyes in relation to justice. And finally, in Judges 21, we see what happens when God’s people do what is right in their own eyes in relation to ethics: right and wrong. The result is (1) corrupt leadership, (2) corrupt people, (3) abuse of women, (4) violence and vengeance, and (5) situational ethics. In other words, Israel became like Sodom.
The message of the book of Judges is Israel NEEDS a King. Why? Because good leadership lives out God’s word and obeys God’s will. Therefore, good leadership leads God’s people in God’s word to obey God’s will. So, Israel doesn’t just need a king. They need God’s king. A forever king. And so do we. This is why God gave us King Jesus. Jesus is our forever King who rules with justice and righteousness. He is perfectly pleasing to the Father. He is gentle and lowly toward his people. He is counter-cultural in his treatment of women and children, widowed and orphaned. And he is self-sacrificial, giving his life for sinners that the repentant may receive forgiveness.
Now, all who believe in Jesus are empowered by his Spirit to submit to our King. Those who do not submit to King Jesus will look like the world. Those who submit to him look more and more like him. QUESTION: Who do you look like? More like the world or more like our King?
We are a holy nation under a holy King through whom God is displaying his wisdom and glory to an evil world. Our world needs to see us and understand who our King is and what it is like to be his holy people.
But how do we explain when the same worldly evil invades the church? How do we explain when the church looks like the world? When the church looks like the world, it is because the church is not submitting to and following Jesus. Instead of doing what Jesus commands, we do what is right in our own eyes. And when that happens, we blaspheme the name of King Jesus and we ruin our witness. Is it any wonder the world has little confidence in the church?
The book of Judges is meant to function like a mirror held up to ourselves in order to expose our own hearts. Do we look more like the world (Judges), or do we look more like our King? If we don’t submit to our King, we too will become like the world. That is the message of Judges 19-21.
Judges 19-21 is one of the most disturbing passages of Scripture, but it reminds us that because they had no king, Israel became like Sodom. That’s a strong indictment, but this is what the text shows, especially in chapter 19. There, in an echo of Genesis 19 and what happened in Sodom, the Holy Spirit shows us what happens when God’s people do what is right in their own eyes in relation to gender, marriage, and sexuality. In Judges 20, we see what happens when God’s people do what is right in their own eyes in relation to justice. And finally, in Judges 21, we see what happens when God’s people do what is right in their own eyes in relation to ethics: right and wrong. The result is (1) corrupt leadership, (2) corrupt people, (3) abuse of women, (4) violence and vengeance, and (5) situational ethics. In other words, Israel became like Sodom.
The message of the book of Judges is Israel NEEDS a King. Why? Because good leadership lives out God’s word and obeys God’s will. Therefore, good leadership leads God’s people in God’s word to obey God’s will. So, Israel doesn’t just need a king. They need God’s king. A forever king. And so do we. This is why God gave us King Jesus. Jesus is our forever King who rules with justice and righteousness. He is perfectly pleasing to the Father. He is gentle and lowly toward his people. He is counter-cultural in his treatment of women and children, widowed and orphaned. And he is self-sacrificial, giving his life for sinners that the repentant may receive forgiveness.
Now, all who believe in Jesus are empowered by his Spirit to submit to our King. Those who do not submit to King Jesus will look like the world. Those who submit to him look more and more like him. QUESTION: Who do you look like? More like the world or more like our King?
We are a holy nation under a holy King through whom God is displaying his wisdom and glory to an evil world. Our world needs to see us and understand who our King is and what it is like to be his holy people.
Resources of the Week
- Our Holey Holiness: A Conversation with Kevin DeYoung (on pursuing holiness)
- Missions: Missionary: Obeying the Great Commission – New Video Series
- Song of the Month: My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness
Opportunities to Serve and Grow at High Pointe
Women's Ministry Annual Christmas Brunch | Saturday, December 14 from 10 AM to 12 PM
Ladies, please plan to join the women at our annual Christmas brunch! Aimee Barnes will be speaking. Registration coming soon.
Life Classes
Life Classes are meant to equip High Pointe for life as a Christian. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and join us. Childcare is available for ages 8 months through Pre-K. This session, we are offering the following classes from August 25 to December 5:
Sunday AM Preaching Schedule: Pray regularly for the ministry of the Word at High Pointe. Also, prepare for our gatherings by reading the sermon text, thinking it through, and asking questions about the text before Sunday. Here is our (tentative) preaching schedule designed to help you prepare for Sundays:
Begin praying as you prepare to gather with us this Sunday at 10:00 am.
Gospel Partner of the Month: The Gospel Coalition
TGC is a fellowship of evangelical churches in the Reformed tradition deeply committed to renewing our faith in the gospel of Christ and to reforming our ministry practices to conform fully to the Scriptures. We have become deeply concerned about some movements within traditional evangelicalism that seem to be diminishing the church’s life and leading us away from our historic beliefs and practices. On the one hand, we are troubled by the idolatry of personal consumerism and the politicization of faith; on the other hand, we are distressed by the unchallenged acceptance of theological and moral relativism. These movements have led to the easy abandonment of both biblical truth and the transformed living mandated by our historic faith. We not only hear of these influences, we see their effects. We have committed ourselves to invigorating churches with new hope and compelling joy based on the promises received by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
Our desire is to serve the church we love by inviting all our brothers and sisters to join us in an effort to renew the contemporary church in the ancient gospel of Christ so that we truly speak and live for him in a way that clearly communicates to our age. As pastors, we intend to do this in our churches through the ordinary means of his grace: prayer, the ministry of the Word, baptism and the Lord’s Supper and the fellowship of the saints. We yearn to work with all who, in addition to embracing the confession and vision set out here, seek the lordship of Christ over the whole of life with unabashed hope in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform individuals, communities, and cultures.
You will find links to our Confessional Statement and our Theological Vision for Ministry—a vision rooted in the Scriptures and centered on the gospel.
On-Call Pastor
To better care for you, High Pointe, we have an “on-call” pastor available for emergencies after office hours and on weekends. To reach the on-call pastor, call 512-837-7725, extension 1.
Ladies, please plan to join the women at our annual Christmas brunch! Aimee Barnes will be speaking. Registration coming soon.
Life Classes
Life Classes are meant to equip High Pointe for life as a Christian. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and join us. Childcare is available for ages 8 months through Pre-K. This session, we are offering the following classes from August 25 to December 5:
- Growing in Prayer
- Discipling: Principles and Practice
- Student Ministry Life Class | Spiritual Disciplines: For children 6th–12th grades
- Kids Life Class: For children K–5th grade
Sunday AM Preaching Schedule: Pray regularly for the ministry of the Word at High Pointe. Also, prepare for our gatherings by reading the sermon text, thinking it through, and asking questions about the text before Sunday. Here is our (tentative) preaching schedule designed to help you prepare for Sundays:
- November 10 | Begin Study of 1 Thessalonians, Pastor Robert
- November 17 | 1 Thessalonians, Pastor Robert
- November 24 | Begin Study of Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Juan
- December 1 | Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Juan
- December 8 | Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Juan
- December 15 | Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Juan
- December 22 | Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Juan
- December 29 | Luke’s Gospel, Pastor Juan
Begin praying as you prepare to gather with us this Sunday at 10:00 am.
Gospel Partner of the Month: The Gospel Coalition
TGC is a fellowship of evangelical churches in the Reformed tradition deeply committed to renewing our faith in the gospel of Christ and to reforming our ministry practices to conform fully to the Scriptures. We have become deeply concerned about some movements within traditional evangelicalism that seem to be diminishing the church’s life and leading us away from our historic beliefs and practices. On the one hand, we are troubled by the idolatry of personal consumerism and the politicization of faith; on the other hand, we are distressed by the unchallenged acceptance of theological and moral relativism. These movements have led to the easy abandonment of both biblical truth and the transformed living mandated by our historic faith. We not only hear of these influences, we see their effects. We have committed ourselves to invigorating churches with new hope and compelling joy based on the promises received by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
Our desire is to serve the church we love by inviting all our brothers and sisters to join us in an effort to renew the contemporary church in the ancient gospel of Christ so that we truly speak and live for him in a way that clearly communicates to our age. As pastors, we intend to do this in our churches through the ordinary means of his grace: prayer, the ministry of the Word, baptism and the Lord’s Supper and the fellowship of the saints. We yearn to work with all who, in addition to embracing the confession and vision set out here, seek the lordship of Christ over the whole of life with unabashed hope in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform individuals, communities, and cultures.
You will find links to our Confessional Statement and our Theological Vision for Ministry—a vision rooted in the Scriptures and centered on the gospel.
On-Call Pastor
To better care for you, High Pointe, we have an “on-call” pastor available for emergencies after office hours and on weekends. To reach the on-call pastor, call 512-837-7725, extension 1.
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Archive
2024
January
Welcome Guyton Garland Our Newest Pastoral AssistantTo the Ends of the Earth 2024 Student Ministry DNow January 12-14 For all Students 6th-12th GradesACBC Regional Conference | January 26-27, February 16-17, and March 8-9 | For all High Pointe MembersLife Classes BEGIN this Sunday at 9:00 AMCuba Mission Trip March 14-19 2024
February
March
We Finished Romans, Now What?! Guest Preachers (sort of) at High Pointe in March and AprilIntroducing Robert Cline Senior Associate Pastor CandidateHelp Provide A Welcoming Environment For Our Guests on Easter Sunday, March 31If Jesus Did Not Rise from the Dead, Then We Should Be at the Lake this Sunday
April
May
June
July
Summer Preaching Series: Celebrating God’s Work through High Pointe | July 7 – August 4, 2024Summer Preaching Series: Celebrating God’s Work through High Pointe July 7 – August 4, 2024Summer Preaching Series: Celebrating God’s Work through High Pointe July 7 – August 4, 2024Summer Preaching Series: Celebrating God’s Work through High Pointe July 7 – August 4, 2024Summer Preaching Series: Celebrating God’s Work through High Pointe July 7 – August 4, 2024
August
September
October
Sibling Rivalry: A Genuine Threat to the Mission of the ChurchReaching Your Child’s Heart Parenting Seminar Saturday, October 19, 2024 9:00 am to Noon At Kinney Avenue Baptist Church 1801 Kinney Avenue Austin, TX 78704The School of Grace (Titus 2:11-15)We Need a Selfless, Sinless SaviorThe Pathology of Idolatry
2023
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
High Pointe Men’s Ministry Kickoff BBQ Friday, October 20 at 6:30 PMBiblical Theology Workshop for Women with Nancy Guthrie November 3 or 4, 2023 at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Austin, Texas (biblicaltheologyworkshop.com)Back in Romans this Sunday Romans 12:1-2Life Classes Begin THIS Sunday 9:00 AM
November
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