How to Be Holy

Introduction

Introduce self

Dismiss Children

Connection moment: Amazing to see God working. Baptisms this morning, this afternoon we have people completing their next steps seminars, and whether you know it or not we have quite a few people currently involved in what we call our mens and women’s mentoring program. Please stand.

Thankful for Dave and Kim running this, thankful for the people who are involved deciding to take their next step of faith to grow and become mentors themselves.

Would you join me in prayer to give thanks and ask God’s continued blessing on the steps of faith we are seeing people take? Don’t just bow your heard, call out to God with me.

Be seated

Excited to start a new series with you today that’s titled set apart.

We are going to be in First Peter looking at how we are set apart for Christ.

Lets take a moment and lay a good foundation to understand the context of 1 Peter.

This letter is written by the Apostle Peter, the one who followed Jesus in the gospels, the one who betrayed him three times, the one who cut off a guys ear before the crucifixion, and the one who preached t pentecost when 3000 were saved in Acts.

He wrote it around 64 Ad, 33 years after Christ’s death. He wrote to gentile, or non-jewish believers in Asia minor. What now makes up Northern turkey.

The purpose of the writing can be summarized like this:

To have greater understanding of our salvation and suffering with a focus and perspective on the future hope of glory leads to a holy life lived for God.

Context:

Written by: Apostle Peter

When: ~64AD

To who: Gentile Believers in modern day northern turkey

Summary: To have greater understanding of our salvation and suffering with a focus and perspective on the future hope of glory leads to a holy life lived for God.

Today we are going to put a focus on chapter 1:13-26 to better understand how to be holy.

How many of you have ever been told that Christians should live a holy life?

hands up....Ok…hands down.

How many of you have ever had a holy life defined for you? hands up…ok

And last one, of those that had a holy life defined for you, raise your hadn if that definition had inside it a list of things to do and not do?

Great, put your hands down.

This last week I had a man named Jason Hodges, director of Send Network New England zoom into our staff meeting and speak on the topic of goal setting.

While speaking to our staff about that, he made a great point, that you cant have goals unless you have vision.

Your goals are a by-product of the vision you are trying to achieve.

Your goals come from the reason you wnat to acccomplish them. If you extablish goals but have no vision, then your accomplishing tasks and going nowehere.

Sure, your getting things done but why?

Knowing why you are doing or not doing something determines the motivation behind it and the spirit in which you approach it.

In this passage Peter reaally lays out the pathway and the goal of holiness.

Wherever you are in your christian walk, not a cchristian, or been a chritian for years, this messge applies to you. This emssage will help you put your life into perspective and determine if you are doing and not doing for the right reason.

If you are not a Christian I hope this message will clear up some misunderstandings of what the Bible says and who God is.

1 Peter 1:13-16 “13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

Exegete:

The word wherefore here is the same as if we used the word, therefore. The word therefore points backwards.

The passages prior to this one in the first chapter of peter speaks of the gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It reminds the readers of their salvation obtatined only thoruhg Christ.

And now, because of that truth, beccuase of who you are in Jesus…gird uip your loins.

Let’s break down some elizbethean english here.

To gird up the loins of your mind means to prepare yourself for battle. The reference peter is making would have been readily understood in the time this was written because girding up your loins was a common practice for men of the day.

Men would take their robes and tie them in such a way that they would allow for better movement in battle or work.

Peter is telling those who are reading this to prepare their minds for action.

Be sober…not just free form alchol but serious. Take the things of life and your salvation seeriously.

and hope, look to the future, for the grace which is the return of Jesus fulfilling all things.

Do this as obedient children that are not acting like you used to.

Paul writes about this in 1 Cor

1 cor 13:11 “11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

As you grow in your faith, you find yourself putting away the things you used to do. The thoughts you used to have and so on.

Don’t act that way but act according to the one who has called you out of that lifeestyle…he is holy. you be holy in all manner of conversation, that means lifestylee. In all that you do be holy.

Why? how?

Becucase He is holy.

Now Peter is making a great statement here that can be misinterpretted if we are not creful.

Be holy…becuase God is holy.

Let’s first answer the question “what does it meana to be holy?”

The word holy is from the greek word “hagios” and speaks to being pure. morally, relgiiouslly, and also understood as blameless.

Someone could say “becuase God is pure I have to make sure I’m pure.”

Now on the surface, that sounds great right? On the surface, that statement is one we should all truly make.

I want to be pure because God is pure.

the problem comes into our lives when we begin to apply this truth or seek to achieve it.

You see I could say that to be holy I need to not go out of my house on Thursdays. Now, that seems silly right? But if I work a job where Thursdays are my day off and to be holy I have to spend 24 hourrs in my house as a means of resting to honor God, then my Thursddays at home are an act of holiness. Is that wrong? I don’t think so. If a person is lead of the Lord to do that, then go right ahead.

however, are we not holy because we don’t spend oru thursdays in our home? No.

Ok. Then holiness, isn’t about the actions you take to be holy is it? If it were, then we would have a definitive list given by God and follow that list.

That’s what he did for the Israelites but we are under grace, not the law. How do we live holy lives by grace?

Illustrate:

How many of you have ever heard of a lensatic compass?

A lensatic compaass has a number of different parts than just a normal compass and at one point in my military career I was required to know them.

Can I tell you something I don’t know today? All the parts to a lensatic compass.

Through research and some memory I do remember some of them.

Thumb loop, sighting wire, rear site lens…that’s all we really need to know today. And of course, the ccompass.

This compass is extremely helpful in land navigation. You take a map, determine where you are, determine where you want to go. Determine the degree angle from where you are to where you want to go and then you “shoot an azimuth”

It looks like this.

Now, when I do this I’m lining the sighting wire up to where I want to go. Some tree, rock, or something that I can remember right?

Ok, I do that and then I proceed to go that direction.

Now between me and my point of reference, there could be a number of things. Logs, rivers, wild animals, etc.

While I’m on my journey towards my point of reference I’m going to have to jump ove ra log, build a bridge, fight off a wild animal, and other various things.

Now what is the reason I am choosing to jump over logs, saw down trees, build bridges, make fires ,and fight wild animals?

beccuae I want to? nope. So that I can say I did it? nope. Becuase I think everuyone else should do what I am doing? nope.

In pursuit of what I am focused, I must make these decisions becuase what I am pursuing after is important enought for me to do so.

Question for you about my point of reference…does the point of reference move? nope.

Does it reject me if move toward it and build a swing bridge rather than a draw bridge? nope.

If there is someone else on their way to the same point of reference, coming from a different angle, could their journey look different than mine?

If there is someone going a completely different direction, and they saw me building a bridge over the water or jumping a log, could they make an assumption about the point of reference I’m pursuing? yes, yes, yes

Apply:

Being holy is not about people seeing what you are doing. Being holy is to help people see who you are pursuing.

Holiness isn’t for others to think you are holy, it’s for them to know God is holy. You live a holy life separated unto God, making deccisions about his glory and not your own, so that others can see what you are focused on.

The more you focus on your point of reference, Jesus, and pursue Him, the more people will know the actions you take are becuase of Him and not for him.

I. Be holy because of Jesus, not for Jesus

You do what is right according to God, not to be loved and accepted by Him, not to be holieer than other people, but because of who he is.

You wouldn’t puruse Him if he wasn’t worth purusing.

Your choices to be holy, are becuase of who Jesus is, not for Jesus to approve.

Will Jesus approve of you liveing a holy lifestyle, yes. Jesus approval and acceptance was given when he died on the cross for you.

Becuase of his approval and acceptance you choose to live a holy life.

What does that look like? It looks different for each of us. This does not mean sin is relative. It does mean that the guy just starting down the path is living holy because he isn’t getting drunk on the weekend any more and for another it means surrendering your life and business to the Lord for Him to use you in ministry.

When men and women dress modestly, choose not to drink, don’t gamble, watch certain shows or movies, becuase they believe it hinders their pursuit of Jesus, we should not judge them based on our pursuit.

When others decide to do things we wouldn’t do because it would hinder our walk with Jesus, we should not judge them.

Living a holy life is not about elevating us in the eyes of others, it is about elevating God. Holiness must be partnered with humility for it to cause honor to Jesus.

Once Jesus is your focus, you cna begin pursuing him.

But we as humans have a problem. We get distracted. We forget things sometimes.

Peter knew this and after telling the readers to be holy, he writes

1 Peter 1:17-21 “17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”

Exegete:The first thing to notice is verse 17 “got is not a respector of persons” God judges each of us basedd on our work…hmmm..

Then what…Peter reminds them they are redeemed, bought back, with the blood of the perfect Son of God, Jesus.

He points them to the focus point here. He just spent the majority of chapter 1 doing this same thing.

Why say it again? Why beat a dead horse?

Let me ask you al something. Have you ever walked into a grocery store, walked out, and forgot where you parked?

OK, have you ever left your kid somewhere?

have you everr left your wallet at home? You know the thing with your identification and money in it?

So what we are saying right now is you are a forgetful person.

God knows this. Whicch is why he built into the lifestyle we should be living, moments of reflection. We see this in the life of Christ often.

We should see it in ours.

Illustrate:

Have you ever seen the movie the patriot with Mel Gibson?

I love that movie. I watched it in 2020 and my wife made me turn it off. I was ready to lead the rebellion

None the less.

The day after his son dies, mel gibsons character finds the flag he had been carrying and runs up along side soldiers going to a camp to prepare fo rbattle. They get energized and charged up.

Then the battle comes and the british calvary comes in with the guy who killed Mel’s characchters son. While getting ready to attacck him in the heat of battle he notices the American soldiers have called for a retreat. Here is this young solldier running away form battle with the flag and mel runs over to him, tkaes the flag and starts screaming…dont’ retreat, hold the line, hold the line...

When those men saw that flag moving forwarad against all odds they were reminded of what they had forgotten. They were reminded of what they were fighting for. They were reminded of the cause. THey were remindedd what their actions on the battlefield that day would mean for what that flag represents.

Apply:

Prior to that flag being lifted up and moved toward the battle, had the cause they were fighting for changed? no

Did what that flag represents change? no

What changed? They had forgot what they were fighting for. They had forgot what they were doing it for. Once they were reminded, it was eaasy to keep going.

If you are seeking to live a holy life for God and not expose yourself to things that detract from your walk with God you may find yourself in an uphill battle. You will be telling your kid they can’t watch things their friends are watching. You will be telling your family they can’t go and do other things some families are doing.

And don’t come at me with “That’s legalistic” Nope. Legalism is me telling my family they can’t watch movies becuase of God aand telling you that yyou have to do the same thing or your not right with God. Legalism is adding to salvation and me determining how your journey with God will be.

And what about when the time comes for someone to persecute you for your faith? Someone to tell you they don’t like you because you worship Jesus. They don’t think you ar e good person. They think your a bigot because you believe homosexuality is a sin and abortion is murder?

What happens when you are called to not just be holy in lifestyle but stand against the thing God clearly calls sin?

Will you forget the cuase? Will you forget who you are doing it for?

This is why we have to

II. Remind ourselves often of our Redeemer, Jesus

You and I need to daily reset ourselves to the reference point we hve in Jesus.

How? This is profoundly simple and Peter makes it plain and clear.

1 Peter 1:22-25 “22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

Exegete:

Peter tells themt he result of their living should produce love. They have been born again…he’s contiuing with the reminders and this strong remindr.

You are born again by the incorruptible word of God.

What is that word? What is the never fades? It’s what we know as the Bible.

His last statement: this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

The word is not the gospel but the gospel comes form the word.

And he wasn’t just referencing the Old testament.

In 2 peer 3:16 Peter equates Paul’s writing with scripture:

2 Peter 3:16 “16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

What does this mean for us in our pursuit of Holines.

Illustrate:

In land nav I shoot my azimuth based on what? The compass and the direction it tells m to go in order to reach what I am focused on.

In simply profound and cliche terms, The Bible is your compass.

Apply:

It points you towards Christ, gives guidance on how to live like Him and grow closer to Him.

I think to those that attend LBC this seems pretty elementary. All of oru teaching and preaching is on the bible.

However, I’ve had someone come to me in the last couple months and thank me for preaching the Bible becuase their church would spendd a lot of time on social justice issues and such.

How we respond to social justice issues, political issues, religious issues of our day is derived from the principle and truth found in the Bible.

That’s why our relationship with the Word of God is important.

Read, study, meditate, and memorize whats in here.

We do this because of:

2 Tim 3:16 “16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

It points us to Jesus.

In pursuing Jesus, we will be seen as set apart and different and to pursue Jesus we need to know where He is and who He is. That all comes from God’s word.

You see the dietary laaws of the Old Testament and the clothing laaws of the Old Testament let the world see them as set apart but they obeyed those laws becuase they were pursuing God.

Are you holy this morning?

Do you want to be?

How can you be holy? pursue Jesus

III. You find holiness in the pursuit, not the performance

Time of Response