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  (SERMON CLIP) GRIEVING OVER THE SPIRIT AND SYSTEM OF THE WORLD
  by Art Katz
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Summary: This sermon delves into the theme of resisting the corruption
of values in society and the church, emphasizing the need for moral
discernment and a deep anguish for the prevailing anti-Christ culture.
It challenges believers to not conform to the world's standards and
promotions but to remain authentic and sensitive to God's ways, even if
it means being seen as foolish pilgrims and strangers in the world.

Topics: "Moral Discernment", "Authenticity in Faith"
Scripture References: Matthew 6:24, Romans 12:2, 1 John 2:15, James 4:4, 1 Peter 2:11, Philippians 3:20, 2 Corinthians 6:17, John 15:19, 1 John 4:5

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DESCRIPTION
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This sermon delves into the theme of resisting the corruption of values
in society and the church, emphasizing the need for moral discernment
and a deep anguish for the prevailing anti-Christ culture. It challenges
believers to not conform to the world's standards and promotions but to
remain authentic and sensitive to God's ways, even if it means being
seen as foolish pilgrims and strangers in the world.

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CONTENT
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2018, what did I pay, $50,000 for a pitch? The rise and fall of the
American empire and the corruption of its values because there's a
church of dum-dums upon whom this has not been registered and will even
go along and pay the bill. No moral discernment, no anguish of soul for
the anti-Christ thing that is already prevailing in our culture. We are
not in a felt disjuncture with the world.

We are in the world and with the world and using its promotions, its
mentality, and all the kinds of things to augment our religion that
augment the sales in Walmart. All you have to do is flood the mailboxes,
Oral Roberts knows that, and you'll get a certain percentage back that
will far exceed anything that it cost you to send out that enormous mass
mailing and finance everything, even a lifestyle, that you can live as a
robber baron and be celebrated as the great hero of faith. You think the
powers of the air are impressed with that? Jesus they know and Paul they
know.

They know whom to fear, whom to recognize. When they see authenticity,
when they see a fluke, fake, counterfeit success based on the world's
model, using manipulation, they yawn. We need to be so, how shall I say
it, sensitive as to not to condescend to anything in which the world
majors.

Choosing to be foolish pilgrims, strangers, and sojourners in the earth,
rather than we should in any way accommodate them in response to their
advertising, to their lures, to their seductions. We would hate it. Our
souls should be chafed like righteous lot rather than condescend and be
in the whole system of merchandising together with everybody else.

Paul, when he woke up that morning in Athens where he had not intended
to be, in flight from persecution, and he saw the city wholly given to
idolatry. He was chafed and grieved in his soul. Therefore, confronted
he the devout Jews in the synagogue and in the marketplace where
idolatry has its most profound forms.

There was a therefore that set Paul on an apostolic journey in Athens
because his spirit within him grieved when he saw the city wholly given
to idolatry. Where's our grief? The true apostolic church will be
grieving. It will be at disjuncture with the world.

It will not be one of the boys. It will not embrace a Christianity by
which it could think itself Christian at the same time enjoy the
acceptance of its neighbors as being nice guys. You'll no longer be fun.

You'll no longer be invited to the barbecue. You're too solemn. You're
too serious.

There's a strange look in your eye as if you see beyond the apparent and
see the things that are ultimate and eternal that makes you unfit to be
fun and one of the boys. You're willing for that? Do you wanna be a
pilgrim and a stranger? Or you wanna be accepted even as a Christian?

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Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/E719hvIBCxY.mp4
Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/art-katz/sermon-clip-grieving-over-the-spirit-and-system-of-the-world/
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