Chestnut Ridge Church
Rel•e•vant (adjective)
-having a bearing on or connection with the matter at hand
-meaningful or purposeful in current society or culture
Is the church still relevant today? That’s a fair question. Here’s another: in the face of rapid societal change and unprecedented challenge, does the church have anything to say or contribute to the world that is meaningful and helpful? A lot of people would say “no”—church is old-fashioned and irrelevant to real life. What do you think?
Tune in to the series, Relevant, as we see how the message, methods, and ministry of The Ridge is more relevant today than ever before.
In-Person & Online Services // 9am + 11am
Welcome to The Ridge! Attend a service in-person or tune in from anywhere!
Sunday's services are available to watch on your TV, computer, tablet, or phone on The Ridge app, at theridge.church/live, Facebook and YouTube.
Today's Music
We Praise You, Graves Into Gardens, There Is A King, Way Maker, No One But You
Relevant—Part 4
[Tim Haring]
Problem | People don't think the church has a right to speak about the morals of a society
Solution | We can impact the world by living differently than the world
Proverbs 12:28 HCSB
1st week Takeaway | We have a message that can change the world one life at a time
2nd week Takeaway | Be the church you want the church to be
3rd week Takeaway | God invites us inside so we can love those outside
Today's Takeaway | We can impact our world by living differently than the world
1 John 2:15-17 HCSB
[The world is] the organized Satanic system that is opposed to God and hostile to Jesus and His followers; it also refers to the non-Christian culture including governments, educational systems, and businesses.
– HCSB Study Bible
Matthew 5:13-16 HCSB
If we make compromises with the world and don’t maintain our distinctiveness through the way we live, or if we try to hide the fact we are Christians, and don’t just humbly, but boldly, live out our faith, we will lose our impact.
Matthew 5:13 HCSB
“Strictly speaking salt cannot lose its saltiness; sodium chloride is a stable compound. But most salt in the ancient world derived from salt marshes or the like, rather than by evaporation of salt water, and therefore contained many impurities. The actual salt, being more soluble than the impurities, could be leached out, leaving a residue so dilute it was of little worth. In modern Israel savorless salt is still said to be scattered on the soil of flat roofs. This helps harden the soil and prevent leaks; and since the roofs serve as playgrounds and places for public gathering, the salt is still being trodden under foot”
– Deatrick, quoted by D.A. Carson from his book Salt
Jesus is apparently thinking of the function of salt as a preservative, as the enemy of decay, and as giving taste to food. What is good in society his followers keep wholesome. What is corrupt they oppose; they penetrate society for good and act as a kind of moral antiseptic. And they give a tang to life like salt to a dish of food.
– L. Morris
“Loses its saltiness” reads more literally “is defiled.” This is not the scientifically impossible notion of salt becoming flavorless but rather the common problem in the ancient world of salt being mixed with various impure substances and therefore becoming worthless as a preservative.[1] – C. Blomberg
Today's Takeaway | We can impact our world by living differently than the world
Matthew 5:14 HCSB
Matthew 5:15-16 HCSB
Christians, being the light of the world, instead of hiding their light, are so to hold it forth before men that they may see what a life the disciples of Christ lead.
– Dr. Jamieson
James 1:27 HCSB
Galatians 5:19-23 HCSB
Today's Takeaway | We can impact the world by living differently than the world