Adult Sunday School: Our Church · Pastor Adam Wood · October 26, 2025

Transcript:
Alright, let's get our Bible and go back to Romans chapter number 12. Romans chapter 12. What we're going to do this morning is I'm going to make every effort to finish up this study on our church's music today. We are going to kind of circle back around to something that I covered two weeks ago. And to kind of go over that a little bit more from a different angle because I think the principle is important. And then we're going to cover one more thing to kind of conclude our church's this topic of our church's music. Now, we have already covered the idea of the we've examined the concert atmosphere. And so we've looked at that and how that affects the difference between spectating and participating. And we've looked at the use of our hymnal and how that involves participation and not to not to denigrate or downplay the importance of people who are skilled playing and singing special music. That's, of course, that's allowed and seen in scripture. But seeing that the church of the living God is primarily a participation sport, not a spectator sport. And so as much as we can do to promote that rather than the other, that's what we're going to try to do. And so we're trying to as a matter of principle, we're trying to avoid we want to avoid a concert atmosphere in the church. That's not what we were going for. So that's done that's done on purpose. It's not like, you know, well, we can't find anybody that can play the drums or the guitar or run the smoke machine or the you know, it's not like that. It's it's we are intentionally choosing to do what we do. OK, so and that's that all has to do with with kind of a combination of principles that come together. Then we looked at Romans 12, too, which is what we're going to go back to this morning. But before we do, let's pray and just ask our Lord to meet with us and and be our guide and teacher as we look through the scriptures today. Our father, thank you for the opportunity to meet together in the in the Church of God and Sunday School. Thank you for the people that have come and the hearts that are ready to hear Lord work in us and teach us, help us to understand your truth, not only that, but to apply it honestly and truthfully, both in our personal lives, but also in the church. And, Lord, we just want to follow the scriptural principles and examine them with a sincere heart. So help us to do that today and give us understanding and wisdom that your people might be edified because we look to you, Lord, in Jesus name. Amen. Romans 12, one and two. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies of living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service, and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. We looked at verse two as it relates to music. It is not is not very often that verse two, specifically the part that refers to conforming to this world, It is not very frequently that you see this verse applied to music, but there's definitely really anything, this is just totally and universally applicable to any matter in which we would take our cues from the world in our worldview, in our way of thinking, in our value system, in our actions, in our words, and of course in our music, in our entertainment. We could go on and on, conforming to the world. In other words, molding ourselves after the pattern they have set, okay, the pattern they have set. But before we can really get into that, I have found in the experiences that I've had on this subject, specifically on the subject of the world, or we might say worldliness. That's kind of a charged word, has a lot of emotional response to the concept of worldliness, but it is a scriptural truth, right? It is a scriptural truth, absolutely, and we'll see it. But sometimes one thing that gets a little confusing is what is the world? What things are considered worldly? In Scripture, there's an example in which the temple is actually called a worldly sanctuary. I think it's in the book of Hebrews, it might be Colossians, or it might be 2 Corinthians, one of the three perhaps. The worldly sanctuary, and that doesn't have the negative connotation, it's just one that exists on earth rather than in heaven. But when we talk about worldly, the question automatically comes up, especially when we're talking about entertainment, or things in very practical matters, perhaps dress, perhaps music, perhaps places we visit, our philosophies. What defines worldly? Worldly is obviously in Scripture negative, it's not a positive thing. And the reason that is, is because the world is viewed negative in Scripture. That's what I want you to see. So I'm not going to try to define that for you. What we're going to try to do is we're going to try to look through the Scripture at what the Lord says about the world, and let you, with an honest heart, examine and evaluate what the Scripture says on the matter. And then each one of us, and this is true of our church, and it's true of you and your life personally, each one of us must take these principles of Scripture and sincerely and honestly apply them to every area of our life. We must do that. Because we talk about the world, well let's just get into it here. Look, if you would, we're going to look at, to start with three passages. Look at John 11 and Matthew 16. John 11 and Matthew 16. John 11 and Matthew 16. So when the Bible refers to the world, it has several definitions, and they're all related, they're all related, but there's several kind of emphases that we see that it's a little bit different, a little bit nuanced, and it's important for us to understand that. Not everything in the world is evil. In other words, the sun and the moon and the stars in God's created world, that's not evil, right? The plants, that kind of plant is evil, but the plants that God made are, well technically he made those too in as much as, but anyway. But those things are not evil, but they're of the world. So obviously there's different facets to this term. John 11 verse 9, look at what it says if you would, it says this, Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleeth not, because he seeth the light of this world. What's the Lord talking about when he says the light of this world? Well in this case he's using an example, talking about men stumbling, he's referring to the sun, right? Which lights the earth, right? So in this case the world just refers to his created, his material creation, alright? Now we know that has been tainted by sin, we get that, but in and of itself is not necessarily evil, okay? So that's one way you can look at what the word world means. Look at Matthew 16 now. Matthew 16, another definition is found in this verse, verse 26. Matthew 16 verse 26, For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? In this case the word world is also a reference to God's creation in some facet or way, but it's specifically referring to possessions, alright? He gained the whole world, everything that is to be possessed in the world, that's what he's referring to. So the world in that case refers to material possessions. That's not really what we're looking at for our study in Romans 12. Alright, look at a couple more passages. Look at John chapter 3 and Mark chapter 16. We'll look at Mark first, John chapter 3 and Mark chapter 16. And this definition or this facet of the word world is the one we're going to be looking at today. Mark 16 verse number 15, And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. In this case the word world refers to all of humanity, okay? All people, humanity. John 3, you're famili...