This sermon should not be one that is confusing.  We know that we must go into the world to preach (Mark 16:15:16).  The goal of this lesson is to provide us with the fact that although we need to be in the world we should not be of the world!

I. BE REMOVED FROM THE WORLD

DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD
KJV 1 John 2:15-17
 15.  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
 16.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

BE TRANSFORMED FROM THIS WORLD
KJV Romans 12:1-2
1.  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

DO NOT BE OF THIS WORLD
KJV John 15:18-19
 18.  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

KEEP UNSPOTTED FORM THIS WORLD
KJV James 1:27
27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

BE NOT YOKED WITH UNBELIEVERS
KJV 2 Corinthians 6:14
14.  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

CHRIST PRAYED FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN THE WORLD WORKING FOR HIM
KJV John 17:9-18
 9.  I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
 10.  And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
 11.  And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
 12.  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
 13.  And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
 14.  I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
 15.  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
 16.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
 17.  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
 18.  As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
18. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

DO NOT PARTAKE OF THE THINGS IN THIS WORLD
KJV Colossians 2:20-22
 20.  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
 21.  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22. Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

THE CHURCH IS NOT OF THIS WORLD
KJV John 18:36
 36.  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

II. THE WORLD IS EVIL

IT IS FOOLISH
KJV 1 Corinthians 3:19
 19.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

THIS WORLD IS BLINDED
KJV 2 Corinthians 4:1-7
 1.  Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
 2.  But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
 3.  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
 4.  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
 5.  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
 6.  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
 7.  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

THE WORLD IS EVIL
KJV Galatians 1:4
4.  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

THE WORLD CONFINES
KJV Galatians 4:3
 3.  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

THE COURSE OF THE WORLD IS SET BY EVIL
KJV Ephesians 2:1-2
1.  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
 2.  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

THE RULERS OF THIS WORLD AND IT CONTAINMENTS ARE EVIL
KJV Ephesians 6:11-12
11.  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
 12.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

WE SHOULD DENY THIS WORLD ITS POWER
KJV Titus 2:11-12
 11.  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
 12.  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

NOT TO BE FRIENDS WITH THE WORLD
KJV James 4:4
4.  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

III. TRANSFORM FROM THE WORLD IF YOU ARE IN IT

DELIVERED FROM 
KJV Colossians 1:12-14
12.  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
 13.  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
14. In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

WE CAN OVERCOME WITH BIRTH OUT OF THIS WORLD INTO THE LORD
KJV 1 John 5:3-5
3.  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
 4.  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
 5.  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

THE WORLD IS A FIELD WHICH HAS MANY OBSTACLES FOR SEEDS TO GROW IN (DEVIL)
KJV Matthew 13:36-42
36.  Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
 37.  He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
 38.  The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
 39.  The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
 40.  As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
 41.  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
 42.  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

COME TO THE TRUTH AND THE LIGHT
KJV John 3:19-21
19.  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
 20.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
 21.  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
 

CHRIST IS THE LIGHT
KJV John 8:12
 12.  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

LIVE AND BELIEVE IN CHRIST FOR ETERNAL LIFE
KJV John 11:25-27
25.  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
 26.  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
27. She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

HEAR HIM – ROM 10:17
BELIEVE HIM – JOHN 8:24
REPENT OF SINS –ACTS 2:38
CONFESS HIM – MATTHEW 10:32-33
BE BAPTIZED INTO HIM – ROMANS 6:1-6
 
 
 

Copyright 2000 by Brian Yeager may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.