Alternate Reality

One of my favorite all time TV shows is LOST.  I really miss the creativity, mystery, and character development that show had.  Nothing has matched it since.  In its last season, one of the plots (not giving anything away) was there was a potential "alternate reality" the main characters were living in.  As they got glimpses of this different reality, they soon realized the world they thought they lived in might not be the real world.  

It's also interesting to me that there are now many "popular" books by people who study physics and astronomy that purport the possibility of alternate realities in the universe.  Now, I was never good at science or math, and I probably would not even be able to read these book, yet the very idea is fascinating.

I say all this because:  if we believe in the resurrection of Jesus, what that means for our eternal lives, and have the Holy Spirit living in us, then I believe we live in an alternate reality in the here and now.  It's what Christians mean when we say - "we are in the world, yet not of it."  If the Holy Spirit lives in us, we are part of a different world, an alternate reality.  How?  

As Paul writes in Galatians 5:  19-21, the world we live in is:  "the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."  

Then, Paul goes on about the alternate reality, the life of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5: 22-24 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Not those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." 

The more I grow in Christ, the more I realize the real world, the real life, is the life in and of the Holy Spirit.  And the world we think is the real world, really isn't.  At Bellwether we want everyone to know this different world, this alternate reality, and live in it.  

For the next month, we'll be preaching about the real world.  The sermon series is:  "Alternate Reality - Life by the Spirit."  We hope you can be there to see this alternate reality, this different world.  Even more, we hope you will make a decision to live in it.  

Have a great day, and hope to see you Sunday.