Not of This World

I've listened to great sermons the past two weeks at Antioch. Last week, Pastor Ken Wytsma spoke from James 3, and showed us that the kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world are diametrically opposed to one another. Today, from James 4, Brandon Groza explored a related thesis, that we can live according to the world's priorities or according to God's will, not both. If they're not there already, these sermons will soon be available on the website for you to listen to yourself.

Shortly after church this morning, I saw (and not for the first time) a trendy Christian car decal that relates to this topic. It's a decal that always makes me smile. It's an acrostic, the letters NOTW superimposed upon one another, and with the T clearly forming a cross. The message is "not of this world," and represents a personal declaration that the car's owner has grasped the two-kingdoms idea and has chosen to align himself with God's kingdom rather than the world. The great irony (and that which makes me smile) is that if you look closely, there is imbedded in the acrostic symbol a registered trademark--which definitely lends a worldly, materialistic touch that is at odds with the larger symbol's intent.