Normal Isn’t Working

Citizens of Heaven: Living Different From This World

Scripture References

Primary text

• 1 Peter 2:11

Other references

• 1 Peter 4:10
• Romans 12:2
• Colossians 3

Overview

Pastor Craig closed the series “Who Do You Think You Are” by reminding us that followers of Jesus are not from this world—we are citizens of heaven. Where you are from determines how you speak, think, and live, so believers are called to adopt the values of God’s kingdom rather than the customs of the culture around them. The message pressed us to set our minds on things above, resist the cultural current that pulls us down, and live lives that make heaven visible on earth.

Context

• Final week of the identity series.
• June launches “Book Club” with guest communicators.
• Pastor Craig spoke with palpable urgency, often contrasting kingdom living with modern norms.

Main Points

1. Where you’re from shapes how you live

• We instinctively ask, “Where are you from?” because origin explains accent, values, and habits.
• Illustration: Craig’s Australian college tennis team—nicknames (Robo, Hilly, Grae-y), “beer and Barbie,” and a new vocabulary of Aussie slang showed how place forms culture.
• Cultural shoe customs (Korea, Japan, Craig’s childhood friend’s house) further proved the point.

2. Earth is not our home—believers are citizens of heaven

“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.”

• 1 Peter 2:11 calls Christians “temporary residents” and “foreigners.”
• Greek roots para- (“near, beside, temporary”) underline that we live near this world but are not of it.
• Because allegiance is to a heavenly King, Christians must guard against desires that “wage war against the soul.”

3. Citizens of heaven think differently

• Romans 12:2 commands us not to copy the behavior and customs of this world but to be transformed by renewing our minds.
• Colossians 3 urges us to “set your hearts on things above.”
• Practical contrasts:
  • Culture says, “Live for yourself”; Scripture says, “Consider others first.”
  • Culture obsesses over now; kingdom people think eternally.
  • Entertainment saturated with sin should grieve us, not entertain us.

4. Citizens of heaven live differently

• Changed thinking leads to changed living—time, money, relationships, and media choices shift.
• Craig challenged the church to examine what feels “cozy” but is actually corrosive to the soul.
• Illustration: Hours on TikTok vs. minutes in God’s Word reveal what kingdom we truly value.

5. Actively resist the cultural current

• Illustration: Playing in ocean waves and looking up to find the family blanket far away—drift happens slowly but steadily.
• Parents must model and teach intentional “different” choices (phone age, social-media limits, Sunday priorities, mission trips, dating standards).
• Warning: “If you don’t actively resist the current of culture, you will drift into the deception of this world.”

6. “Normal” isn’t working

• Normal in today’s world = debt, divorce, loneliness, addiction, anger, anxiety, and discontent.
• Holiness (hagios) means “set apart.” Don’t fear being different; fear blending in.

7. Worldly things can’t satisfy eternal beings

• Story: Adapted Tony Evans illustration—give a fish a $1,000 Target card, viral TikTok fame, or bikini-clad companions; it still flops because it was made for water, not sand.
• Likewise, people made for heaven will never find lasting fulfillment in earthly trinkets.

8. Declaration of identity

“I am a citizen of heaven.
My life belongs to God.
Because earth is not my home, I think differently and I live differently.”

9. Invitation to full surrender

• Knowing about God is not enough; Jesus must become Lord.
• Salvation moment: repent, believe, surrender “past, present, and future” to Christ.

Key Truths

• Origin determines outlook; heavenly citizens cannot adopt earthly values unchecked.
• Renewed minds precede transformed lives.
• Cultural drift is constant; resistance must be intentional.
• Holiness is not superiority—just consistent allegiance to a different Kingdom.
• Earthly pleasures, possessions, or praise can never fill a heart designed for eternity with God.

Response

• Set your mind daily on things above through Scripture and prayer.
• Audit entertainment, spending, and time to see if they reflect kingdom priorities.
• Establish at least one concrete family practice that distinguishes your household as followers of Jesus.
• Engage in Christian community (life groups, serving teams) to swim upstream together.
• Declare your true identity aloud when tempted to blend in.

Closing

Pastor Craig pleaded with believers to “stop acting like this world is your home.” The Spirit that raised Jesus lives in us, enabling kingdom thinking and living that shines light into a dark culture. Different may feel awkward, but “normal is broken.” Walk into every room as a visitor on assignment, displaying the love of the King whose kingdom is your true homeland.