“Called Out, Set Apart, Sent Together” (October 12, 2025)

October 12 2025 SermonBrian Lee

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Romans 12:1–2

12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Mark 8:34–35

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

Introduction

Today is a special day in the life of our church.

We celebrate God’s faithfulness through the years, we ordain and install new leaders, and we give thanks for all those who have labored before us.

Anniversary Sundays remind us that we did not begin this story. God did. He called us together for His glory, and He continues to write His story through us. But as Bryan Chapell reminds us in his new book, The Multigenerational Church Crisis, every generation faces the same temptation: to forget who we are, to drift with the culture, and to exchange conviction for comfort.

So this morning, may I remind us of three life-giving but straightforward truths:

(1) Who we are, (2) What we hear and think, and (3) What God has done to rescue us.

1. Who We Are — Made in the Image of God

Genesis 1:26 says,

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.’”

We are not accidents of biology or products of culture. We are image-bearers of the living God. That means every one of us—young and old, men and women, children and leaders—is made to reflect God’s character, His truth, and His love into the world.

But Romans 12:1–2 reminds us that this world constantly tries to reshape us:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

We live in an era when people are encouraged to define their own truth. But truth doesn’t begin with us—it begins with God.

Our identity isn’t built on what we achieve, or what we own, or how our children perform. It’s found in belonging to Christ, the One whose image we bear and whose Spirit transforms us.

So who are we?

We are not consumers of religious goods.

We are not spectators in a spiritual show.

We are the people of God, called out of darkness into His marvelous light.

2. What We Hear and Think — When Culture Becomes Our Baal

In the Old Testament, God’s people often drifted—not by outright denying Him, but by adding other gods alongside Him.

They worshiped Yahweh and Baal, and Asherah—because those gods promised rain, prosperity, and success.

They didn’t think they were abandoning God; they just wanted a little extra insurance for their comfort and security. Sounds familiar?

Chapell tells of greeting church members after worship. One says, “Pastor, we just bought a weekend home.” Another says, “Our kids made the travel team, so we’ll be gone most weekends.” Nothing evil about those things. But the pastor hears something beneath the surface--a quiet reordering of loves.

The church is no longer central—it’s optional. Worship is no longer the rhythm—it’s the leftover.

We may not bow to Baal statues, but we bend to the same spirit. How? We chase comfort, convenience, and success (none of these are a "bad" thing)—and then sprinkle a little religion on top to keep it respectable.

We must ask ourselves. "What shapes the way I think? What voices define what matters most?"

Is it the voice of God in Scripture, or the constant noise of our culture telling us to “follow your heart,” “upgrade your life,” and “never deny yourself”?

The truth is, the idols of our age don’t live in temples. They live in our hearts. And the first step to renewal is to name them (the idols) honestly before God.

3. What God Has Done — Christ Against the Status Quo

When Jesus came into the world, He didn’t fit the expectations of His culture, nor did He align with the religious establishment. He challenged the comfort of the self-assured. He healed on the Sabbath, ate with "sinners," and proclaimed a kingdom that inverted all human priorities. And the world hated Him for it.

They hated Him because He refused to play by their rules.

He didn’t come to make people comfortable; He came to make them new. Jesus said in Mark 8:34–35,

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

This is what discipleship means—daily self-denial for the sake of Christ.

Yes, comfort is nice. Who doesn’t like comfort? But it never satisfies the soul. If we are made in the image of the Creator, then we have a God-sized and God-shaped void in our hearts. Our souls will be restless until we rest in God. Knowing Christ (cognition), repenting of our sin (conviction), and following Christ (commitment) will begin to fill our souls one day at a time.

Christ was crucified not because He was a criminal, but because He confronted the idols of His generation—power, success, and pride. And it is the same Christ who calls us to do the same—to live not for applause or advantage, but for the glory of God.

Conclusion — Called Out, Set Apart, Sent Together

So as we celebrate this anniversary, and as we ordain and install new servants of the church, let’s remember:

We are not a club.

We are not a brand.

We are not an event.

We are the body of Christ—called out, set apart, and sent together into a world that desperately needs truth and grace.

Each generation must rediscover this calling for itself. We are not different. The world may change. Values may shift. But our mission does not. We are here to know Christ, follow Christ, and make Christ known.

Prayer

Father in heaven,

Thank you for calling us out of darkness and into your marvelous light.

Forgive us for when we’ve loved comfort more than conviction, and convenience more than obedience.

Renew our minds and hearts by your Spirit.

Help us to be a church that reflects your image, lives by your truth, and follows your Son every day.

Make our leaders faithful, our families steadfast, and our children bold in their generation.

We pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.