Be Holy for I Am Holy
Sanctified: Purified for a Purpose • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 4 viewsFrom the very first words of Peter’s letter, it is obvious that Peter wants followers of Jesus to see themselves as God’s chosen people, set apart by the “sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood.” We are saved and set apart to live a particular sort of life in the world, an “obedient” life. Peter tells his audience, “Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.” So, what does this mean? How does Jesus expect sanctified people to live? What does it look like to “be holy” in all we do?
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Introduction:
Are you familiar with the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo?
- 10 Cadillacs buried nose-first in the dirt
- That have been graffitied for the last 50 years
I drive by it a couple of times a year
- I’ve never stopped
- but there are always dozens of cars stopped
- always people taking pics
What if…
- someone bought a couple of those Cadillacs
- pulled them out of the dirt
- cleaned and restored them
* new engine
* new exterior
* new interior
- and imagine that these are the only 2 types of cars
* buried in dirt
* cleaned and restored
That’s what SALVATION is like….
After being “rescued”—like the car—we can be useful.
We can fulfill our original purpose.
Those cars were not created to rot in the dirt
You were not created to rot away in sin
the question we will be discussing all year…
For what purpose are we saved?
For what purpose are we saved?
This is what we’re going to spend 2025 talking about
We tend to think about salvation
in terms of, “what are we saved FROM?”
rather than, “what are we saved FOR?”
Do you know what we’re saved…
to be?
to do?
Are you fulfilling that purpose?
1 Peter 1:1-7
1 Peter 1:1-7
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
What does it mean to be a Christian?
We are exiles even in our home country
Think about how those Cadillacs would be “exiles”
after they were rescued from the dirt
and restored to working condition
What we are is because of…
the Father’s foreknowledge
the Spirit’s sanctifying work
NOT: because of our genetics or our goodness, but because of his grace
FOR…
obedience to Jesus Christ - Read the Gospel accounts, listen to the words of Jesus and obey them
sprinkling with his blood - sealed as God’s holy, chosen, covenant people
This is the life we are saved to live
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Our inheritance is…
imperishable
undefiled
unfading
kept (being kept safe) in heaven
You are also being guarded
for a salvation
that will be revealed
Salvation has three senses…
past - you were saved
present - you are being saved
future - you will be saved
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Peter’s audience is “grieved by various trials”
rejected
ridiculed
But they can REJOICE in spite of the REJECTION and RIDICULE
because their faith is more precious than gold
it will result in praise, glory, and honor
when Jesus is revealed from heaven
FAITH vs. GOLD
are both tested by fire to prove their genuineness
but gold perishes, while faith is forever
1 Peter 1:13-23
1 Peter 1:13-23
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.
The grace that WILL BE BROUGHT to you
That is our hope
That is our focus
Because of that…
prepare your minds for action
gird up the loins of your mind
“roll up your sleeves”
be sober-minded
some people might be literally intoxicated
some are intoxicated by emotions and distractions
My kids say things like…
“Lock In”
“Get your head in the game.”
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.”
Holy / Holiness - A concept we’re going to discuss a lot this year
It means “set apart” / different / otherly
God is holy
Holiness is RECEIVED, not ACHIEVED
We are holy because the Spirit has sanctified us
God has declared us “holy”
We can’t make ourselves holy, but we can live in, walk in, maintain the holiness God has bestowed on us
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.
Just because we are SAVED by grace—rather than works—doesn’t mean our works don’t matter.
We are saved to do good works
We are saved to live lives of holiness and obedience
His Spirit enables and empowers this, but we must actively obey
We are saved to become a certain type of person
“reverent” fear
as an exile
recognizing the futility (emptiness) of our old life
appreciating the price that was paid for our redemption
Ransomed / Redeemed
If I paid money for one of those Cadillacs to rescue it from the dirt and restore it, I would be “redeeming” it.
Jesus gave his life to do that for you!
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;
You have been purified in order to love from (a pure) heart.
Salvation is not an end in and of itself
Salvation is a means to an end
PURE love for God and for others is the END/GOAL
You have been born again…of imperishable seed
That which brought you to life again…
That which regenerated / renewed / rebirthed you…
Was God’s word
Application:
Application:
the question we need to consider…
Is the life you’re living, the life you were saved to live?
Is the life you’re living, the life you were saved to live?
Holiness
Obedience
Purity
Love
Self-Control
Forgiveness
Kindness
Invitation:
Invitation:
Jesus died to save you FROM…
eternal death
the wrath of God
But, just as importantly, he died to save you FOR…
a life of holiness
Embrace the life to which he is calling us.
