May 04, 2025

Pastor Ron's sermon begins at 32:00 min into the video. The music "Shine Jesus Shine", "What a Beautiful Name", "A Thousand Hallelujahs",  "Majesty", "Holy Forever", "White as Snow", and "4HIM - The Basics of Life" are licensed under CCLI Copyright #2723035 and Streaming Media #22024223 licenses.

Where Will You Stand? – The Basics of Life

Join Pastor Ron on a journey to deepen your faith and stand firm in your beliefs. His sermon challenges you to live as a true follower of Jesus, aligning your actions with your faith. In a world where "Christian" is often misunderstood, he encourages you to ensure your life reflects your commitment to Christ.

Are you ready to move beyond merely claiming Christianity? As society promotes values contrary to biblical truth, God calls us to choose; stand firm on His Word or go with the flow. This journey offers freedom and blessing through alignment with God's truth.

Pastor Ron urges you to distinguish between calling yourself a Christian and being a true follower of Jesus. Just as Jesus confronted leaders who honored God with words but not hearts, we must demonstrate our faith through actions.

Standing on God's truth may lead to opposition, but God honors those who honor Him. Your daily choices validate or contradict your claim to follow Christ. Are you willing to be identified as a follower of Jesus, even at a cost?

Pastor Ron’s Key Teachings

• Reclaiming True Discipleship: Jesus distinguished between empty religious claims and genuine heart commitment to God, as seen in Matthew 15:8-9. Rather than simply identifying as "Christian," commit to being known as a "follower of Jesus" through your actions and choices. Pastor Ron noted, "The word 'Christian' has been abused. I tell people, 'I'm a follower of Jesus.' There's a difference, because all through America, it's like, 'Oh yeah, I'm a Christian.' But when you watch them and see them, it doesn't describe them." Regularly ask yourself: Would others identify you as a follower of Jesus based on your actions, or just your words?
• Standing Against Cultural Pressure: Jesus wasn't afraid to challenge the religious authorities and their man-made traditions that contradicted God's commands, as described in Matthew 15:3-6. Identify areas where current cultural messages contradict biblical truth and choose to stand firm on God's Word. Pastor Ron declared, "In America, we're going to have to start choosing whether we're going to stand for Jesus or if we're going to go along with the flow... I am sick and tired of the world winning on their philosophy of what's going on." When facing pressure at work, school, or in social settings to compromise biblical values, remember that temporary discomfort leads to eternal reward.

Trusting God Through Opposition: Following Jesus may lead to opposition and offense, just as Jesus Himself offended the Pharisees (Matthew 15:12). Prepare yourself to face opposition with grace and trust that God will provide for those who stand for His truth. "You can't outdo God. We've got to stand, and whatever it takes, it might be we lose our jobs. It might be. But God will take care of us. He's promised us in His Word,” Pastor Ron asserted. The story of Joe, who refused to repackage expired meat and initially lost his job but was later promoted to manager, demonstrates how God honors integrity.

Scriptural Foundation

• Matthew 15:1-12 - Jesus confronts the Pharisees about valuing human traditions over God's commands. This passage teaches us that true devotion isn't about following religious rules but having a heart aligned with God's truth.
• Isaiah 29:13 (quoted by Jesus) - "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." This verse warns against empty religious profession without authentic commitment.
• Honoring Parents (Exodus 20:12) - Jesus referenced this commandment to show how the Pharisees created loopholes to avoid God's clear instructions. This reminds us to follow God's Word over human justifications.

Your Journey Forward

• Examine your identity - Move beyond simply calling yourself a Christian to intentionally living as a follower of Jesus in your daily choices.
• Identify cultural messages that contradict biblical truth in your life, workplace, school, or community.
• Prepare for opposition by strengthening your understanding of Scripture and building community with other believers who will stand with you.
• Take a specific stand this week in an area where you've been tempted to compromise. This might mean speaking up at work, setting boundaries on media consumption, or addressing harmful patterns in relationships.
• Trust God's provision when standing for truth costs you something. Remember that God honors those who honor Him.

 Closing Prayer and Reflection

As we close, let's remember that we are called to "get back to the basics of life" – a heart that is pure, a love that is blind, a faith firmly grounded in Christ, and a hope that endures for all time. These are the essentials that will anchor us in a shifting culture.

When you face the choice between cultural acceptance and biblical faithfulness this week, remember the question: "Where will you stand?" Like the courageous examples shared in this message – from the young woman who stood against inappropriate bathroom policies to the meat cutter who refused to participate in dishonest practices – your stand for truth may initially come with a cost, but God will honor your faithfulness. Let your life clearly demonstrate that you are not just a Christian in name, but a true follower of Jesus Christ.