CHRISTIANS AND COFFEE BEANS

1 Peter 1:17-23

John 17:14-19

Potatoes, eggs or coffee beans?

Which are Christians called to be?

We're going to find out as we explore what it means to be “in the world but not of the world” in today's message, “Christians and Coffee Beans.”

Put three pots of water on to boil.

When the water begins to boil, put some potatoes in one, eggs in another pot, and coffee beans in the third point. Boil for 20 minutes

The potatoes went into the pot hard. After boiling in the hot water, they are now soft, easily broken up and mashed.

The eggs, with their fragile shells and soft centers, are also changed. They are now hard-boiled.

The coffee beans are different. While they look the same as they did when they were put into the water, they have transformed the water. The water has taken on the smell, taste and color of the coffee

Jesus was not of this world, yet he came into the world to redeem the world by his death and resurrection and to teach us a different way of living that is in contrast to the ways of this world.

We are called to follow Christ's example, to witness to the world not just with our words but with the way we live our lives and are in relationship with other people that there is a different way, a more meaningful, satisfying way of life.

As Christians living in this world, it often feels like we're up to our necks in hot water.

• Life is not always easy.
• It's not always comfortable.
• It's difficult at times to maintain the integrity of our faith.
• Things don't turn out the way we think they should.
• People say and do things that we know are wrong and harmful..

We can be like potatoes.

• We start out strong and resolute in our faith.
• But living in the world can change us.
• We get tired. It's easier to conform to the world and be like everyone else.
• We feel overwhelmed with all the problems and needs we see, and we feel hopeless and powerless.
• We give in, we give up, we go along to get along.
• Step by step, we get further and further away from God. We get soft.

We can be like eggs.

• We start out tender-hearted and idealistic. Things happen that disillusion us and harden our hearts.
• We begin to hate: judging others and disliking ourselves. We become hard-boiled and cynical.
• We're no longer living in love but in bitterness.
• We may talk the talk, but our walk is not with Jesus.

Christ, however, calls us to be like coffee beans.

Coffee beans, although they flavor the water, remain pretty much intact. They retain their original form.

Like coffee beans subjected to hot water, we are called to impact the lives of others, to transform the world through our sharing of Christ's love with others, while maintaining our integrity as Christians.

We thrive in the hot water environment of life by anchoring our lives in our relationship with God through Christ. In God's word, in both the Old and the New Testament, we find the guiding metaphors for making decisions. Studying Christ's teachings helps us understand what Jesus would have us do in every aspect of our life. Prayer keeps our relationship with God alive and vital.

We are not alone in our struggle to live in the world and not of the world. Christ is with us, and God has giving us a network of support through the Body of Christ. John Wesley found that the best way to maintain Christian integrity was not only to be present through worship but to also be present through small groups where we can share and pray with one another.

Each day is a challenge to live in contrast to the ways of this world, but this is our gift to the world: to infuse the world with God's transforming love. As John Wesley wrote,

Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you you can.

Like coffee beans in hot water, live with Christian integrity and purpose, in the world but not of this world.