Jehovah Mekoddishkem

Introduction

Last November, Fox News published an article about former NFL players who have made quick turn arounds in building teams to be tough competitors. The articles stressed that these former player coaches knew what it took to be a player, how to communicate in ways young players understand, and also share tactics and strategies for improving their game. These things have proved invaluable in the coaching process in the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Houston and the 49ers turn arounds. But what does former players being coaches have to do with the name Jehovah-Mekoddishkem?

Jehovah Mekoddishkem means the Lord who sanctifies.The Lord who sets us apart. Just as a good coach wants his team to stand out as the best, God knows what it takes for us to be set apart. He is our Creator and God, but he is also the Savior who lived as a man like us. He first was set apart for us.

As I prepared this message, I felt the Lord would have me do this message in a more topical style. Because as I studied the concept of sanctification I didn’t find any passage really grasping the big picture of what God does when he sanctifies us. In the Old Testament God made it very clear that He was the one who sanctified the people of Israel as a people for himself. Nine times we find the “I am the Lord which doth sanctify you.” Ex. 31:13; Lev. 20:8; “I the LORD, which sanctify you, am holy” Lev. 21:8; “for I do the LORD do sanctify him” Lev. 21:15; “for I the LORD do sanctify them” Lev. 21:23; 22:9, 16; Ezek. 20:12; “I am the Lord which hallow you” Lev. 22:32.

This phrase that the Lord sanctifies is found 7 of the 9 times in a book that’s theme is holiness: Leviticus. This theme of sanctification to God through holiness is continued in the New Testament. Jesus Christ in His high priestly prayer in the Gospel of John chapter 17. For when a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior and forsakes any merit of their own they become a saint.

The word saint means “one who has been set apart.” It is related to the word sanctified, which means “set apart.”

Warren W. Wiersbe

Furthermore, the plural of holy is saints in the Greek. We are called holy ones in Christ our Savior.

D. Therefore, Jehovah Mekoddishkem still sanctifies his people today.

P. Jehovah Mekoddishkem has set every Christian apart for himself, so we ought to be set apart to him in how we live.

T. How should Jehovah’s Mekoddishkem’s sanctifying work effect us today? I will share three truths about Jehovah Mekoddishkem’s work in our lives today. First, Jehovah Mekoddishkem’s work is done through the trinity. Secondly, it is carried out by means of the truth. Thirdly, it is also affected by your Christian Testimony.

1. Jehovah Mekoddishkem set us apart through the Trinity

A. Explain:

God sets people apart for himself kind of like a coach sets apart his players for particular roles on the team and how he wants them done. The Hebrew root of sanctify is the same root as the Hebrew word for holiness. The same phenomenon is true of the roots of sanctify and holiness in the Greek language. So when we think about the name of God Jehovah Mekoddishkem we find it linked very closely to the idea of making the nation of Israel a holy people, people that are set apart to him. Leviticus shows the Israelites were sanctified by God to be his people but manifested this separation to God by their observance of the laws He gives them especially sabbath day observance and the purity of the levitical priesthood.

This we see in the Scripture is done by three parts of the Trinity. In the first occurence of this name we see Jehovah Mekodoshkim responsible for the sanctification. God sets apart certain things for himself. He set apart Saturday for the day of rest in the Creation week. Since Jesus resurrection, Christ’s followers have worshipped on Sunday in remembrance of the day of Christ’s resurrection and also signifying that Christ is our sabbath rest. (Hebrews 4:1 “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.”

a. The Father

Jude 1“Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:”

The Scripture is pretty clear that God the Father sets apart his people based on foreknowledge of their belief of the Gospel. Which then begs the question. What role do I have in accepting salvation? Some say you have virtually no role. God makes you willing so you receive the gift. However, that is not completely accurate. For we find all throughout Scripture that God holds man accountable for what they do with the Gospel. To offer man a salvation he cannot possibly receive is deceitful especially when other Scriptures such as 1 Timothy 2:3-4 teach that God wants all mankind to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

Those of Israel who chose to doubt God’s promise of the promised land and their ability to conquer the enemies therein died in the wilderness. So we find although alot of 20 and ups were redeemed out of slavery in Egypt, most did not enter the promised land. Hebrews 4:2–3“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.”

Why? They didn’t believe God’s promise. In like manner, you may have grown up in a Christian home, but that doesn’t guarantee you will be saved. You personally must decide to accept or reject Christ. “For by grace are ye saved through faith.” (Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

The grace of God is granted to us through the vehicle of faith. I don’t believe that I am passive in receiving God’s gift of salvation. When the human responds to the Father’s gracious drawing God sets them apart and predestinates them to be like his Holy Son, Jesus Christ. Romans 8:29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Every person who trusts Christ is in the eternal purposes of God to become like Jesus Christ.

T. Which brings us to the next person of the Trinity: The Son.

b. The Son

1 Corinthians 1:2 “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:”

Hebrews 2:11 “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,”

We see here the union that we enjoy with Christ through putting faith in his Son, whereby we are sanctified by being put in Christ. Our sins are cleansed and forgiven and we by faith in Christ’s redemptive work are imputed His righteousness on our account. We who were sinners are made righteous. That happens by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus to be saved.

i. The Name

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

Why does the name of Jesus sanctify and not the Father’s or Holy Spirit’s?

ii. The Body

John 17:19 “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” Does this refer to Jesus as the truth or is it in the sense of a life honoring truth is credible.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary (17:16–17)

The truth is communicated in the Word, which is both personal and propositional. That means Jesus body and belief in what he did for you on the cross. As the message about Jesus was heard, believed, and understood, the disciples’ hearts and minds were captured. This change in their thinking resulted in changes in their living. The same is true of believers today. As they appropriate God’s Word to their lives, they are sanctified—set apart for God and changed in their living in order to honor God (cf. 15:3). God’s message set the apostles apart from the world so that they would do His will, not Satan’s.

Hebrews 10:10 “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Jesus offering himself in the body of his flesh through death allows him to sanctify us to God the Father. Hallelujah. Yet without the shedding of blood there was no forgiveness for our sins. Hebrews 9:22.

iii. The Blood

Hebrews 10:29 (KJV 1900)

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

We have the responsibility to respond to the covenant offer of salvation to mankind. John 3:36

Hebrews 13:12 KJV 1900

Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Have you responded to the Gospel. If you haven’t ask the Holy Spirit of God to work in your heart to save you.

c. The Holy Spirit Romans 15:16

Romans 15:16 “That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.”

Paul served as an apostle to the Gentiles. He did not trust his own talents and abilities to win the day, but knew that the Holy Spirit played a role he could not do. He was simply responsible to be the witness God commanded. John 3:8 “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

That being said we ought to pray that God would save for He has promised He will.

B. Argue: Why was Christ’s sacrifice necessary?

Animal sacrifices couldn’t satisfy God’s justice. God the Father would have no other way.

Human merits fall short of satisfying God’s just demands.

God’s justice could be satisfied in no other way than through the sinless sacrifice of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

Nothing less than complete moral integrity will ultimately satisfy the God who is himself holy and righteous, completely set apart from sin.

Douglas J. Moo

C. Illustrate: Special needs kids often have routines that ought never to be altered in anyway or they may be very upset.

D. Apply:

Have you trusted the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Savior and been sanctified as his saint. As J. Vernon McGee humorously stated a sobering truth.

There are only two classes of people in the world: the saints and the ain’ts. If you are not an ain’t, then you’re a saint. And if you are a saint, you have trusted Christ.

J. Vernon McGee

My friend, upon what are you relying for your eternal salvation this morning. Have you been sanctified by the Father by putting your faith and trust in Christ? You can’t trust Christ and your good works it’s all or nothing.

2. Jehovah Mekoddishkem will use HisTruth.

John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

John 17:19 “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.”

Acts 20:32 “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”

Ephesians 5:25–26“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,”

A. Explain:

The disciples are set apart by the Father’s truth.

Just as the children of Israel were recognizably separated to God by their observance of the laws of their God, so we as Christians are identified as set apart to God by our careful obedience to the Word of God, especially that contained in the New Testament.

That is not to say the Old Testament does not matter. The Old Testament was written for our example and also gives us insight into what God deems good and holy although it may not be expressly expressed in the New Testament. I believe the Old Testament gives many principles which we can thus apply to our Christian lives today.

What is true is that as we read God’s Word there is an increasing awareness that we must be separate from the world and its system in the way we live. John 17:15 “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” Notice in Ephesians 5:26 How Christ uses the Word to wash and cleanse us. It is amazing the cleansing affects the word of God can have on a mind exposed to the filthy language and music of this world.

When we walk in obedience to the Lord Jesus, we become a distinct people. Because we no longer walk the course of this world, but the course of God. It was much this way for the nation of Israel too. Leviticus 20:8 “And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you.” Obedience to God’s Word made them different from the nations around them. Deuteronomy 4:6 “Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”

The church is separated to Christ by the washing of the Word.

Much like a brook flows and can cleanse the filth off our skin and clothes, so the washing of the water by the Word bringeth forth faith. Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

The promises of God allow us to be partakers of the Divine nature of God. 2 Peter 1:3–4 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

B. Argue:

Isn’t Jesus the truth. John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Jesus is the yes to every promise of God.

William Barclay (New Testament Scholar)

Is there more than one truth? There are many who profess a to know a truth in a relative sense. Yes 2+2=4. Jesus is truth in the sense there is no other way to God. The truth of 2+2=4 is part of the laws God has incorporated into nature. There is personal faith in the truth of Jesus Christ as he is the only one that can save. Jesus Christ is the propositional truth in that he is the one that solves the problem of sin.

C. Illustrate

God’s word, though spoken in human language, should never be confused with mere human speech, or even mere human words about God, however accurate. Rather we are talking about divine speech that changes human lives.

Ben Witherington III

When we share the Gospel we can be confident that God will allow it to accomplish its intended purpose. Isaiah 55:11 “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: It shall not return unto me void, But it shall accomplish that which I please, And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

D. Apply:

a. We must be allowing the Word of God to change us daily. Be in it reading it and allowing it to transform our thinking. Meditating upon it and making it our delight and song. Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

We are not taking any risks when we step out on the Word of God.

Havner, Vance

b. Even our prayers can be sanctified through truth as we pray God’s Word back to Him.

T. But even more special than that is that God can use you for His glory to the salvation of others.

3. Jehovah Mekoddishkem will use your Christian Testimony. 1 Corinthians 7:14

1 Corinthians 7:14 “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.”

2 Timothy 2:10 “Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

A testimony itself does not convert you.2

A. W. Tozer

Yet it is also true that ...

If lips and life do not agree, the testimony will not amount to much.

Henry Allen Ironside

638In proportion as a church is holy, in that proportion will its testimony for Christ be powerful.—15.92

Charles Spurgeon

We see the need that godliness is needed in our lives to help aid the effectiveness of our witness. It is not promoting self, but Jesus Christ.

638In proportion as a church is holy, in that proportion will its testimony for Christ be powerful.—15.92

Charles Spurgeon

Testimony is not a synonym for autobiography! When we are truly witnessing, we are not talking about ourselves but about Christ.

John Robert Walmsley Stott (English Preacher)

A. Explanation: The idea of 1 Cor. 7:14 is a special inroad for the Gospel.

The person can observe closely the difference the Gospel makes

a. Holiness unto salvation

God uses the Word of God to sanctify His people to salvation when they trust his Son’s redemptive work on the cross and bodily resurrection. The believing sinner is sanctified by God.

b. Holiness in our conversation.

Jesus is said to have sanctified himself, so we might be sanctified through the truth of the Gospel.

Jesus holy life set-apart to the Gospel, still has saving power today. Your life set apart to the Gospel of Christ may be instrumental in bringing lost sinners and family to the saving power of the Gospel of Christ.

In practical terms, no-one can be ‘sanctified’ or set apart for the Lord’s use without learning to think God’s thoughts after him, without learning to live in conformity with the ‘word’ he has graciously given.

D. A. Carson

I set apart this day for secret fasting and prayer, to entreat God to direct and bless me with regard to the great work I have in view, of preaching the gospel.

David Brainerd (Pioneer American Missionary)

c. Holiness in our lives.

The reality of Jesus saving a person makes a difference in a persons life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” In a person who is saved there will be a genuine change that starts to happen. Some happen abruptly and cold turkey, for some it is more gradual.

Some of our men will freely admit before they were saved they drank alcohol heavily. When they trusted Christ they quick drinking it immediately and haven’t drank a drop since. Then some folks have had a foul mouth before they are saved, and when they got saved that was a more gradual process as they sought to yield the control of their tongue to the Lord. A person who carelessly lets whatever comes to mind flow out his mouth bares the marks of a fool. A wise man seeks to bring his tongue under the control of the Holy Spirit.

When you live in close quarters with people you get to know them very well. If you are in a marriage with an unsaved spouse, you are their sanctifying influence, not in the sense you can save them, but God may use your godly witness to draw them to Jesus Christ as they God change you.

In the context, Paul is saying, to husbands and wives who were saved after marriage that they should not divorce their spouse if their unbelieving spouse is content to dwell with them. This was counter-culture to what the Jews had been brought up with. For example, Nehemiah had the Jews that came back from the captivity who married foreign wives put them away/divorce them and disown the children from these marriages because they defiled the family of the Israelites.

Paul states, in contrast, that a Christian spouse can have a sanctifying effect upon the non-Christian spouse. Remember, Paul also said in his second letter to the Corinthian church, 2 Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” So, young person don’t go seeking a non-Christian spouse and think you’ll win them to Jesus after your married. Paul all Christians not to marry a non-Christian.

B. Argue:

a. You are instrumentally used of God to draw an unbelieving spouse and family members in your house to Christ.

The passage goes to say the believing spouse not only sanctifies the unbelieving spouse, but also the children.

They have better chances of being saved because of a family member living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ before them 24/7.

That doesn’t mean that you will automatically have saved family members or that you will magnetically bring faith to your family because you profess Christianity.

You must choose to let God work in you to live out the righteousness you have been given in Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 7:14 (KJV 1900)

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

1 Peter 3:1–2 “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.”

You can win an unbelieving family member to Christ by your willingness to submit to God-ordained authority in your life.

That goes for wives, but also I believe children of unsaved parents too.

C. Illustrate:

The Christian wife who nags and complains at her husband all the time will not win him to Christ, but the wife who seeks obey God through submitting sweetly to her husbands lawful wishes is much more likely to win Him.

D. Apply: Strive to have a Godly Christian Testimony

You can have that kind of testimony as you live in obedience to the Lord, as Jeuss did to his Heavenly Father. This is possible as you walk in the Spirit and the light of God’s Word, the Bible.

Your lifestyle.

Holiness:

Before salvation you may have indulged in certain things that now as a Christian, you don’t want to do because you to engage in such activity would show great disrespect to your Savior who gave his life to redeem and free you from that sin.

1 Peter 1:15–16 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

I have sometimes heard of the “Latter Day Saints.” I do not know much about them, but I greatly prefer the “Every Day Saints.” Those people who are saints anywhere and everywhere are truly saints; and he that is not a saint everywhere is not a saint anywhere, for this is a thing that cannot be put off and on like our Sunday dress. Concerning Saints, Volume 30, Sermon #1796 - Psalm 145:10

Charles Spurgeon

Love:

How do you talk to people? Would people describe you as kind and gracious.

Mark Bejnar was a boss of mine growing up in early twenties. He demonstrated love in how treated his employees. He was benevolent to his workers and treated each employee with kindness.

John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Their ought to be a compassion for the needy, widowed, and fatherless.

Their ought to be a willingness to lovingly speak truth to those who are in violation of biblical principles and commands.

We want it them to be a good testimony (John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” )

We are grieved by disobedience to God’s law. (Psalm 119:136 “Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, Because they keep not thy law.” )

We compassionately help others grow spiritually. (Ephesians 4:15“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” )

Your mouth.

Cussing - Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Complaining - Philippians 2:14–15 “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”

Cuts down others - Galatians 5:15 “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.”

Positively show CARE in your with your mouth.

Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Conclusion

Much like the former football player now successful football coach makes his team standout because his players trust him, Jesus our Jehovah Mekoddishkem is our coach/sheperd who has blazed the way before us. He is our sanctifier. The Trinity: He, the Father, and the Son have done all that is necessary for you to be a successful Christian that bares tones of fruit for God’s glory. He has given you his TRUTH in God’s Word that reveals all you need to know to be a Christian that stands out from the world. And then given you his grace to be the TESTIMONY to be the Christian that God uses to recruit other Christians to Himself.

Have you been living a life set apart to Jehovah-Mekoddishkem or a life set apart to your own desires and plans.

Don’t be like the 20 and ups who God redeemed out of Egypt’s bondage and saw God’s power but refused to trust him to obey him to live victoriously in Christ.

Do you need to trust Jehovah-Mekoddishkem as your Savior? He has done all that is needed for you to become God’s child. Maybe you need to set him apart in your life by taking the step of obedience to his commands whether it be baptism, church membership, or being a better witness, spouse, friend. Maybe you need to be faithful to study the truth so you can live out your sanctification in Christ better?