BE Holy

Introduction

When you think of what it means to be holy (holier than thou) or pure, what comes to mind?

Rules

perfection

no sense of fashion/modesty

strict legalism

stained glass

self-humiliation

social awkwardness

no humor

no physical aspects of relationships like making out, cuddling under a blanket, or even the “s” word...

Bible knowledge that amounts to being a nerd

not being cultured

unable to be relevant or popular

Most people think of someone who is pure or holy and think of these things...

I think if we are honest, we long to experience the joy of “those people” yet are unwilling to to make the sacrifices of our wordly desires to experience it...

Holiness or Purity is something that we see as a false-reality. It is something that can’t exist because it is siloed.

I remember a teacher I used to have. His name was Mr. Birney. He was kindest man I have ever met.

I am not sure I ever saw him make a mistake. His joy was contagious! it was so easy to laugh with him, but unfortunately some would laugh at him…

There was one time he drove my friend and I to church after a school event we had. He had a two door truck, he took no pride in it only except for the fact that it met his minimal needs!

We were running extremely late… We run, hop in the truck, and with a large sense of urgency, throw our seatbelts on and pull up to the entrance of the highway.

All along, we are stating our need to hurry, our fear of being late, and the apologies we would need to make to those people who are counting on us to be there!

As we begin to pull out, it was like the truck had hit the thickest of mud… The acceleration was so slow, my body felt no pressure or change of motion...

My friend and I looked at each other and thought, “What in the world is happening?!”

We quickly turned to Mr. Birney. He was smiling ear to ear, talking about his excitement of getting to the service and worshipping with his church family.

All along, the speedometer is slowly climbing. It makes an abrupt stop on 40mp, the exact speed limit on the high way we are on.

We quickly ask what is wrong and extremely unaware of the normative of American driving, he looks shocked and replies, “nothing at all… are you ok?”

The bottom line is this...

“Holiness is the everyday business of every Christian. It shows itself in the decisions we make and things we do, hour by hour, day by day.” - Chuck Colson

If we are going to spend the next three Wednesdays discussing the different relationship statuses, we better have a groundwork for where we begin.

In a world that poses different reasons and processes for engaging with one another, we want to ensure to you that God is in the midst of all of the details.

There is a greater purpose to the married life than just self-enjoyment.

There are ways we can date and explore the realm of potential intimate relationships in such a way that honors the Lord.

But let’s get this clear… It has just as much to do with who you are before entering into relationships than it does how you function within the relationships.

Purity and Holiness is not just within the realm abstinence within sexual immorality.

It is regarding who we are in every area of our life.

I want this passage to be the launching point for our discussion today...

1 Peter 1:13–25 ESV

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

Our future is influenced by our focus.

“13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded”

Peter is calling for us to roll our sleeves up and take a serious look at our life for a second.

He doesn’t want us carelessly looking at our life, living minute by minute. He is asking us to really consider the implications of this life that we are to live for Jesus.

When we are careless, we invest in the temporary instead of the eternal.

At this point, Isaac and his wife Rebekah were of old age… Remember, God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations through his son, Isaac.

Isaac is confused, waiting and praying. He is supposed to be a part of this lineage yet they are so old, 20 years after they have been married, and without child.

Rebekah in her frustration, pleads to the Lord. the Lord answers by stating that she will have twins, the younger being greater than the older.

Esau was a rough, rowdy, all boy manly man.

Jacob was wholesome. The text says quiet, but the word means complete, full of integrity...

Genesis 25:29–34 (ESV)

29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) 31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” 32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” 33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

The birthright: the son of the birthright received a double portion of the inheritance, and he also became the head of the family and the spiritual leader upon the passing of the father.

In this case, the birthright would determine who received the covenant God made with Abraham, the covenant of land, nation, and the coming messiah...

32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?”

This wasn’t necessarily about him dying, it was more of “I am going to die anyways, so who cares??

33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.”

Jacob is now scheming in the flesh to get something God had already promised he would receive! He was trying to purchase what was already his, and Esau was trying to sell something that didn’t belong to him!

Our focus can be hindered by our flesh.

How many times do we live live carelessly, trying to get something that God has promised He would give?

In this pursuit we compromise what God has already claimed for us!

I don’t feel valued, let me chase this relationship. I don’t feel loved, let me sexually explore this relationship. I don’t feel like I have purpose, let me run with this crowd or pursue this type...

At the end of the day, the only thing that you will continually feel is hurt and lost!

All the while, God is crying out, remember who I am and what I have promised! King David understood this...

Psalm 37:4 ESV

4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 107:9 ESV

9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Isaiah 58:11 ESV

11 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

You can trust this truth! Why?

Matthew 6:33 ESV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

So what is Peter calling us into if he is calling us out of this careless life? How do we approach a life that has been corrupted and emptied by sin?

1 Peter 1:14–16 ESV

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

We must be pursue Holiness.

Hear me say, I am not saying we have to arrive at holiness, but we must trust that we have been sanctified, transformed by the grace and mercy of God in such a way that we are able to pursue it.

So will we ever arrive? Yes. The day we step into eternity with the God who saved us from the empty world. But until then...

Our fulfillment is found in our freedom in Christ.

1 Peter 1:20–25 ESV

20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

Until you are pursuing Christ and Christ is your ultimate fulfillment, you are chasing a road that leads to destruction.

This is true for your relationships.

I lived many years trying to serve God and steal what was already promised to be mine.

In 2014, I started dating a girl for the first time. It was a whole new world...

At the time, I thought I was doing everything right. I can’t say I was whole heartedly devoted to the Lord and His word in every area of life. But, she did check all of the “good christian girl” boxes.

There was a night we, by chance, were serving at an event together. We were supposed to be running games at this massive 4th of July church event.

No one signed up for it, so we found ourselves with nothing to do as they canceled that particular event.

We ended up spending the rest of the evening together, walking around and using small talk.

That night, I walked her to her car, because I remember dad harping on what it meant to treat women well and all that good stuff.

I couldn’t drive yet, so I began walking to my family’s hip minivan to meet them there to leave.

As they were asking where I had been, I quickly realized that what I was feeling, a first legitimate crush, was out of my comfort zone.

Suddenly, everything I had ignored, made fun of, rejected, and laughed at became a real desire.

The conversations hangin out one on one, texting 24/7, ditching the boys to spend time with her took priority over EVERYTHING.

I was ignorant to think that wasn’t the case… but it was.

Remember, at this point of life, for the next 3-4 years, God had my attention at any time, other than the time I was involved with her.

I quickly found myself trying to make something work, because it made sense, it gave me what I wanted, and gave me the feeling of that satisfaction I believed I was supposed to get.

I was careless, making stupid decisions, crossing boundaries that are created for a real reason.

Fast forward to about 4 years ago, I stood before Caroline on our wedding day realizing the very realization that Jacob would later have.

He already had in store what I longed for… And unlike what I thought it should have been back in high school and early college, it was perfect.

We aren’t called to be holy because God is a rule maker and we are to just obey his rules...

We are called to be Holy because HE IS HOLY.

We are called to be like Christ.

At the end of the day, all flesh is like grass. It is temporary. It dies.

But you know what lasts forever?

God’ word to you.

To be holy. To trust His process. To believe in His word. To love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

So before we enter into the stages of relationships, let the foundation for this conversation and for your pursuit be that of being like Christ!

Let’s pray.