DELIGHTING IN GOD’S HOLINESS

Introduction:

USE SLIDE OF THE MOUNT OF GOD

When we were in Egypt last summer we had the privilege to climb to the top of Mt Sinai - The mountain of God.

And as we got closer and closer to the base of this massive Mountain, I tilted my head back to take in the sheer size and majesty of its beauty, and in that moment I felt a sense of awe and reverence wash over me.

The mountain’s towering presence made me feel small and insignificant in comparison to its majestic size and beauty.

Have you ever been there in your life where You stood in awe at the beauty and majesty of Gods amazing creation.

Now, multiply that feeling of insignificance a thousandfold, and you might begin to grasp the overwhelming awe one would feel if you were actually in the presence of God's holiness. TheOne Who holds all of the universe including those majestic mountains in his hands.

Our delight in God Must begin with delighting in His Holiness because without a proper understanding of who God is in all of his perfection we cannot delight in Him fully.

Do you understand that In the Bible, when people encountered God in all of His Holiness, their typical response was not an over whelming desire to run up and give him a big hug out of admiration,

it was to fall facedown in reverence, utterly overwhelmed by His holy presence.

When we think about who God is, it’s His holiness that stands as His preeminent and incommunicable attribute.

It is the cornerstone of His boundless perfection and the essence of His supreme majesty.

When we declare that God is holy, we are not merely ascribing a virtuous quality to Him, but proclaiming the infinite transcendence that separates Him from all created beings and things.

It’s His holiness that enshrines Him in unapproachable glory - a glory so blazing, so dazzling, that Moses' face Glowed with its radiance after encountering God on that Holy Mountain for just a split second,

and it was in the presence of God’s Holiness that Isaiah fell to the ground as a dead man and declared in Isaiah 6 ”Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" (Isaiah 6:5).

It was when Isaiah Saw God in all of his Holy perfection, That all he could see about himself was his own sinfulness and the sinfulness of his people.

God's holiness denotes His absolute moral perfection and radiant purity.

The God we worship is the high and lofty One, dwelling in unapproachable light, perfectly righteous in all His ways.

When it comes to God’s Holiness -There is not even a hint of sin, or darkness, or blemish that can even reside in His presence.

Friends, All other claims to perfection pale into utter nothingness when compared to the blinding holiness of our God.

Today, we are going to delve into Psalm 99, a beautiful psalm that celebrates the holiness of our Great God.

Trans; The first thing we will see in this passage about God’s Holiness is that..

I. God's Holiness Reigns Supreme (v. 1-3):

Psalm 99:1–3 (ESV)

1 The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! 2 The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. 3 Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!

The Psalmist begins with the resounding declaration that "The LORD reigns" (v.1).

This is not merely a poetic expression, but a profound truth that speaks to God's sovereign rule and authority over all creation.

He is putting God in His rightful place on the throne of all creation!!!

As Psalm 103:19 affirms, "The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all."

Brothers and sisters, We need to understand that There is no realm, no power, no sphere that exists outside of God's supreme reign and dominion.

There is NONE LIKE OUR GOD Our God in all of His peerfection is supreme over all!

As the psalmist wrote this opening statement about Gods Supremacy, He realized that The only response that man should have to this awe-inspiring reality should be one of reverent trembling.

Church family,, God has not changed- He is still on the throne!!! AND HE IS STILL HOLY IN ALL HIS WAYS, HE IS STILL PERFECT IN ALL THAT HE DOES, AND HE IS STILL WORTHY OF OUR PRAISE,

In verse 2 the Psalmist says “Our God is great in Zion and exalted over all the peoples" (v.2).

Psalm 97:9 magnifies this truth, declaring,

Psalm 97:9 (ESV)

9 For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

To Delight in God’s Holiness is to acknowledge that there is No other power or authority that could ever compare to the supreme exaltation of our holy God, who reigns unrivaled over every nation, every ruler, every principality, everyone and everything.

Can I get an AMEN for our God!!!!

the Psalmist in verse 3 reiterates that in the face of such Sovereign Majesty we should be compelled to "Praise His great and awesome name" (v.3),

The Point is this ,when we truly delight in the Supreme rule of God- Our hearts should echo the words of the seraphim in Isaiah 6:3, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"

From the opening verses, the Psalmist leaves no doubt – our God is no mere figurehead or powerless deity.

Our God Reigns- There is no one greater than our God!!! AMEN

To delight in Gods’ Holiness begins by standing in Awe of God’s Perfection and by worshipping Him as the supreme Holy ruler over all things.

Trans: the Psalmist goes on in verses 4-5

and declares that

II. God's Holiness Demands Righteousness and Justice (v. 4-5):

Psalm 99:4–5 (ESV)

4 The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. 5 Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!

The declaration that "The King in His might loves justice and equity" (v.4a) reveals a profound truth about the nature and character of our holy God.

God is perfectly and equally JUST

Justice: is a legal term that describes The fair and impartial treatment of all people,

This means that He will ensure that everyone receives what they are due, whether punishment for wrongdoing or reward for right behavior.

God, our mighty King, loves justice and establishes fairness.

He is the ultimate judge, and His holiness demands that He cannot overlook sin or wrongdoing.

Psalm 89:14 Declares..

Psalm 89:14 (ESV)

14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;

When God Rules from his supreme Holy throne He rules perfectly Righteous.

Righteousness means moral uprightness, it means truth without any fault, and it carries with it the responsibility to adhere to perfect moral standards without any failure.

Do you understand what this means about your God?

Because God is infinitely holy, He is utterly righteous and just, He cannot overlook or excuse unrighteousness, injustice, or sin in any form.

His holiness burns against all that is contrary to His perfect moral character.

Brothers and sisters God’s Perfect righteousness demands perfection from our lives.

and His perfect Justice will not let our unrighteousness go unpunished.

The Psalmist exhorts us in verse 5 and says , "Exalt the LORD our God; worship at His footstool; because He is holy".

To Delight in God’s Holiness is to worship him Because all that He does is right, and H is supreme rule over all creation is perfectly just- He will reward those who do Good, and He will not let anyone’s sin go unpunished.

Trans: The psalmist moves on in vs 6-8 and says that God’s Perfect Holiness doesn't just demand righteousness & justice , It doesn’t Just condemn us to an eternity apart from Him for ever because of our Sin, but it also Offers Perfect Grace and forgiveness.

III. God's Holiness Offers Grace and Forgiveness (v. 6-8):

One of my favorite verses in all of the Bible is Eph. 2:8

BEphesians 2:8 (ESV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

God in his perfect Holiness gives us the gift of Grace.

Friends, There is no word more precious than Grace!!!

Grace is God givning us what we have not earned Grace is God giving us what we do not deserve.

It carries the idea of offering mercy and blessings to those who deserve the opposite.

Friends God’s Holy Justice demands that our sin be punished,

At first, this concept of grace seem paradoxical when viewed through the lens of God's blazing holiness.

Think about it…

How can the perfectly righteous God simply overlook sin and extend undeserved pardon when his very nature demands Justice?

Brothers and sisters- Herein lies the miraculous beauty of God's holiness -

it is through His perfection that he is able to make a way for grace and forgiveness to be extended to guilty sinners!

it is only through His perfection that He can personally pay your debt of sin in full,

Verses 6-8 provide a powerful example of God's merciful dealings with His people in the past.

SLIDE: Moses, Aaron and Samuel All ”called upon the Lord, and He answered them" (v.6).

Though they were imperfect servants, God responded to their cries for salvation.

SLIDE: vs 7 reminds us that He even "spoke to them in the pillar of cloud" (v.7), guiding and revealing Himself amidst their frailties.

SLIDE: But what is Most remarkable in this text is that in verse 8 “He willingly forgave them" ,

Despite their wrongdoings, their sins against His holiness, Their constant rebellion against him as their God.

Even in the midst of their sin, When they Cried out to Him -God extended pardoning grace into their lives.

Think about what this means?

It didn’t matter how far Isreal ran from God- he still offered them grace. He still willingly forgave them when they cried out to Him,

Do you know what this means?

it means that this incredible truth extends even to the worst of sinners who call upon the Name of the Lord to Be saved. even to those who have hated God the most,

friends it means that if you still dont know Jesus as your Savior- You are not to far from God for His grace to reach you.

God is offering you Salvation this morning and that IS GRACE.

So How does God’s Grace fit with God’s Perfect Justice?”

Well Let me tell - This is Good new…. God’s Holiness is equally gracious and forgiving as it is just and righteous!

Meaning He is 100% Just, 100% Righteous, 100% Gracious and 100% Forgiving , He is fully perfect in all His ways,

These threads of Gods perfect character are weaved together to form the beautiful tapestry of the Gospel message.

Think about it….

Friends its God’s Righteousness that is the stand by which all of us will be judged

If we are going to live with God in His perfect Kingdom forever than we need to be perfectly righteous in all our ways,

Its Gods Righteousness that is the standard that we will be judged against

But the problem is this…

Romans 3:23 (ESV)

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Do you know what this means, Every one of us has failed at living up to what Gods Righteousness demands,

Friends our Sin, defined as any thought, word, or deed that violates God's righteous standards, is an affront to His holiness and provokes His righteous wrath.

It is God’s Righteousness that Proves we have all fallen short of the mark,

God’s Justice is what demands that our sin be punished.

In fact Romans 6:23 tells us that Our thoughts, actions, and our very nature stand condemned before the burning holiness of God.

it simply says for the wages of sin is death- Death means seperation- spiritual death is eternal seperation from the holy God forever in the lake of fire. Thats Justice,

Friends Justice says that Our unrighteousness, our sin cannot coexist with the brilliant holiness of God.

God's holiness in its perfect Justice demands that sin be punished forever in the Lake of Fire, and that perfect righteousness be satisfied.

This reality underscores the grave peril of our sinful condition apart from Christ.

but that is not the end off the gospel story.

God’s Grace Offers Salvation through Christ to all who Believe.

AS PETER SAID IN HIS LETTER

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)

9 The Lord …is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

That’s grace- God offering us what we dont deserve

In the greatest act of holy love, God Sent forth his own perfect righteous son, Jesus to take our place and pay our debt for our sins,

1 John 4:9–10 (ESV)

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

On the cross, Christ drank the full cup of God's righteous wrath against sin, satisfying His divine Perfect justice.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

friends, God wants to extend to you grace - unmerited, undeserved favor and Kindness _ he wants to give you life in place of death.

he sent Jesus to take your sin debt and pay it in Full- Thats Grace

and Friends When we accept Gods Gift of Grace in our lives His…

God’s Forgivenss removes all our sin’s debt in full & imputes Christ’s righteousness upon our lives.

it is God’s holiness that has made a way for your debt of sin to be paid in full Forgive and your record wiped clean forever.

when God forgives the Bible tells us that He cast your sin as far away as the east is from the west- meaning it is no more- Its forgiven- your debt has been paid in full!

The question I have for you is this

Have you experienced God’s Holy grace and forgivenss in your life?

If you have not what are you waiting for? What in your life is better than being forgiven by the Holy God of the universe?

Friends, God”s Justice demands death- either you will pay its price or you will let The God of All grace step in and pay that debt for you in full.

Romans 10:9–10 (ESV)

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

its that simple- Confess your sinfulness and Believe in Jesus and You will be saved.

In order for you to experience Gods Holy forgivness in your life You must accept Gods gift of Grace in your life, You must call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Believe in your heart that He was raised form t he dead paying your debt of sin in full,

Friends to delight in God’s Holiness is to revel in his perfect Righteousness, His justice, His grace and His forgivenss in your life.

Trans: Finally the psalmist in verse 9 tells us what our response should be when we come into the presence of our Holy God?

IV. Our Response to a Holy God (v. 9):

Psalm 99:9 (ESV)

9 Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!

Christian when you Delight the blazing holiness of God it will lead to exaltation and worship.

As Psalm 95:6 exhorts, "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!"

A heartfelt revelation of God's holiness births a posture of reverent awe and adoring exaltation.

John, in Revelation 1:17 fell at Christ's feet as a dead man when he saw Jesus in all of His glory.

There is no recourse for the sinner exposed to the light of God's holiness but to fall down in humble worship.

More than mere outward acts, our response must be one of deep inward transformation.

As 1 Peter 1:15-16 commands,

1 Peter 1:15–16 (ESV)

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.”

An encounter with holiness necessitates holiness. The deeper we are impacted by who God is, the more we will manifest His likeness in our daily lives through Spirit-empowered consecration.

As David exclaimed 1 Sam. 2:2 , "There is no one holy like the LORD...there is no Rock like our God!"

Our response to the holiness of God should be to forever exalt Him for the unspeakable wonder of His holiness.

In amazement and sacred awe, let us cast our crowns before His throne, ascribing all blessing and honor and glory to Him who alone is holy, holy, holy! (Revelation 4:8-11).

BRING IT HOME

Church family as you go through your week take some time to delight in the holiness of God

Marvel at His supreme rule over all things,

Reflect on his perfect justice and righteousness.

Praise him for his un wavering Grace and forgiveness in your life.

Delighting in a Holy God must begin with Delighting in His Holiness.

As we delight on His holiness, let us respond with reverence, obedience, and heartfelt worship.

May we continually recognize and proclaim, "The Lord our God is holy."