Paradoxes

Par·a·dox – 1. A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true: i.e. ‘This statement is false.’ 2. An assertion that is essentially self-contradictory, though based on a valid deduction from acceptable premises. 3. A statement contrary to received opinion.

Chris·tian par·a·dox – 1. A belief, value, or way of life that contradicts the normative belief system and lifestyle of a given society or culture, yet which will result in a life that is more pleasing to and blessed by the Creator than would be possible otherwise.

One reason it’s so hard for us to allow ourselves to be changed by our faith is that we naturally accept the values of the world around us; we carelessly accept the messages that surround us on a daily basis and begin to think of them as normal. Then when we see the reality that confronts us in the pages of the Bible, we tend to think of those godly values as difficult, or old-fashioned, or bizarre.
Many of the values that God calls his followers to possess stand at odds with the values of our culture. Many times, those cultural values seem to make sense, they feel normal. It’s easy to begin to doubt God’s way because sometimes his ways seem weak, or ineffectual, or foolish. But maybe that’s the point. Paul writes in I Corinthian 1:25-27: “This "foolish" plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength. Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful.”
It’s God’s intention that we rely on his strength, his power, and his values to get us through life. It’s tempting to think that we are surviving on our own strength and talent and intelligence, when God wants to remind that in his world, weakness and brokenness and frailty reign supreme. It’s one of the greatest distinctions that mark us as Christians. If we have any power, we know it comes from God, not from an illusion of possessing it ourselves. If we see clearly, it’s because our sight comes from God.
So here's a list of values I think the church should adopt (also my current sermon series); teachings of the New Testament that are counter-intuitive, that may not make sense on the surface, but will bring us closer to God, boost our spiritual maturity, and give us some surprising insights into the spiritual reality of the world God created for us. These are some ways God calls us to be different.

1. We must SURRENDER in order to WIN (Matt. 19:16-22)

2. We must be HOMELESS before we can find our HOME (2 Cor. 5:1-10)

3. We need to become SIGHTLESS to really SEE (2 Cor. 5:7; John 9:17-33)

4. We must MOURN to be HAPPY (Matt. 5:4; Luke 23:50-24:9)

5. We’ve got to WORK before we can REST (Genesis 2:1-15; Matt. 11:28-30)

6. We must become POOR to become RICH (Matt. 5:3; James 2:1-13)

7. We must become LEAST to be the GREATEST (Matt. 20:25-28; Phil 2:3-11)

8. We must work at being FOLLOWERS in order to be LEADERS (Matt. 4:19; John 10:27)

9. We must be WEAK to be STRONG (2 Cor. 4:1-11)

10. We must DIE so that we can LIVE (Romans 6:3-4; Gal. 2:20)