The Parameters of Church Health: Holiness

THE PARAMETERS OF CHURCH HEALTH

SERMON 1

THE PARAMETER OF HOLINESS

(ESV)

ETS – PETER CALLS THE EXILES OF THE DISPERSION TO LIVES OF HOLINESS BECAUSE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.

ESS – GOD CALLS BELIEVERS TO LIVES OF HOLINESS BECAUSE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.

OSS – TO CONVINCE BELIEVERS TO PRIORITIZE HOLY LIVING AND TO HELP NON-BELIEVERS RECOGNIZE THAT HOLINESS CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.

PQ – IS YOUR LIFE CHARACTERIZED BY HOLINESS?

UW – HOLY (FOUND FOUR TIMES)

INTRODUCTION:

FRANCIS CHAN – “HOW CAN WE HAVE ROOMS OF PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD ALMIGHTY INSIDE THEIR BODIES. GOD ALMIGHTY INSIDE OF YOU? AND YOUR LIFE LOOKS JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE? NO WONDER THEY’RE SHUTTING DOWN…CHURCHES.”

THE QUESTION THAT BURDENS MY HEART CONSISTENTLY IS “WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM THE NAME OF JESUS TO BECOME SERIOUS ABOUT MATTERS OF FAITH?”

IS IT GOING TO TAKE PERSECUTION? IF SO, THEN GOD PLEASE BRING PERSECUTION UPON US…

IS GOING TO TAKE DESPERATION? IF SO, THEN GOD, PLEASE MAKE US DESPERATE…

WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR TODAY’S CHURCH TO EXPERIENCE FAITH AS IT IS COMMUNICATED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?

WHEN THE LORD WAS ADDING TO THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM DAILY THOSE WHO WERE BEING SAVED…

WHAT ARE THE PARAMETERS FOR CHURCH HEALTH AND GROWTH?

THIS MORNING, WE ARE STARTING A NEW SERIES THAT I’M CALLING “THE PARAMETERS OF CHURCH HEALTH…”

AND WHILE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD BE A SERIES ON THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS THE CHURCH, WHICH COULD BE QUITE BORING AND LESS THAN USEFUL…

IT IS ACTUALLY A SERIES ON THE ORGANISM THAT IS THE CHURCH, WHICH MEANS THAT IT IS ABOUT ME AND YOU…

AND HOW THE IMPACT THAT CHRIST HAS ON BELIEVERS IS THE KEY ELEMENT IN THE ISSUE OF CHURCH HEALTH.

THE OTHER DAY, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN A POST THAT I SHARED ON MY FACEBOOK TIMELINE…

IT WAS POSTED BY A FRIEND OF MINE, AND I THOUGHT IT REALLY CAPTURED THE FOUNDATIONAL PROBLEM IN MANY CHURCHES…

HERE IT IS…

PUT UP PICTURE FROM FACEBOOK…

NOW I DON’T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT I AM UNWILLING TO PLACE BLAME ON LEADERSHIP FOR SOME OF THE PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH…

BUT HERE’S WHAT I HAVE SHARED WITH EVERY CHURCH I HAVE EVER SERVED…

IF YOU STUDY THE TRENDS AND LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS OF ALMOST EVERY CHURCH – WITH VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS – YOU WILL FIND THAT THE ONE CONSTANT THAT IS PRESENT IN EVERY CHURCH IS…THE PEOPLE…

PASTORS AND STAFF COME AND GO, BUT THE ISSUES THAT STIFLE GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION DO NOT…

SO THE QUESTION THEN IS “WHAT IS NECESSARY TO IMPROVE CHURCH HEALTH, WHICH WILL IN TURN HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON CHURCH GROWTH?”

THAT’S WHAT I HOPE TO SHARE IN THIS SERIES…

AND TODAY, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE FIRST, AND QUITE HONESTLY, THE MOST IMPORTANT AND FOUNDATIONAL PARAMETER FOR CHURCH HEALTH…AND THAT IS HOLINESS…

TAKE YOUR BIBLE AND OPEN IT TO THE BOOK OF 1 PETER, THE FIRST CHAPTER…

I WANT TO TAKE FOR OUR TEXT THIS MORNING, VERSES 13 THROUGH 21…

STAND – READ – PRAY

DR. BILL HENARD – PROFESSOR OF EVANGELISM AT THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY – HAS WRITTEN A BOOK THAT I BELIEVE SHOULD BE IN THE HANDS OF EVERY PASTOR, STAFF MEMBER, AND QUITE HONESTLY, IN THE HANDS OF EVERY CHURCH MEMBER.

THE TITLE OF THE BOOK IS “CAN THESE BONES LIVE?” AND A SECTION OF THE BOOK SERVES AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS SERIES OF MESSAGES…

IN CHAPTER 14 OF THE BOOK, DR. HENARD WRITES ABOUT WHAT HE CALLS “THE CHANGE MATRIX.”

AND THIS CHANGE MATRIX HAS FOUR COMPONENTS, ONE OF WHICH HE CALLS “THE PARAMETERS.”

DR. HENARD’S PARAMETERS ARE THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES WHICH WILL LEAD TO TRANSFORMATION IN THE HEARTS OF PEOPLE, WHICH WILL THEN LEAD TO CHANGE IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CHURCH, WHICH WILL LEAD TO CHURCH GROWTH.

THE FIRST PARAMETER HE MENTIONS, AND WHAT I WANT TO COVER THIS MORNING, IS THE PARAMETER OF HOLINESS…

IN ,

IN , WE SEE FOUR THINGS THAT HELP US UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF HOLY LIVING.

1. ENCOURAGEMENT IN A TIME OF EXILE.

a. – 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.

i. PETER MAKES REFERENCE TO THE MIND OF THE BELIEVER TWICE IN THIS PASSAGE…

1. FIRST HE ENCOURAGES THEM TO PREPARE THEIR MINDS FOR ACTION…

a. THINKING IN A WAY THAT LEADS TO HOLINESS DOES NOT HAPPEN AUTOMATICALLY; IT REQUIRES EFFORT, CONCENTRATION, AND INTENTIONALITY.

b. IT IS AN ACTIVITY THAT WE MUST ENGAGE IN…

2. SECOND, HE ENCOURAGES THEM TO BE SOBER-MINDED.

a. THERE IS A WAY OF LIVING THAT BECOMES DULL TO THE REALITY OF GOD; THAT IS NUMBED BY THE ATTRACTIONS OF THIS WORLD.

b. WHEN THIS NUMBNESS HAPPENS, PEOPLE LOSE SIGHT OF CHRIST AND CONCENTRATE ON FULFILLING THEIR EARTHLY DESIRES.

c. BY AND LARGE, THIS IS WHERE THE CHURCH IS TODAY…

ii. SO WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

iii. HOW DO WE OVERCOME THE NUMBNESS THAT PERVADES THE LIVES OF BELIEVERS?

b. WELL, FOR ONE THING, WE NEED TO ENGAGE IN THE ACTIVITY OF SEEKING HOLINESS, AND TRY TO OVERCOME THOSE EARTHLY DESIRES, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH THAT IS COMMUNICATED IN VERSES 14 AND 15…

c. AND THAT IS THAT…

2. THE TRANSFORMATIVE WORK OF GOD IN THE LIVES OF BELIEVERS SHOULD LEAD TO HOLY LIVING.

a. – 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.”

i. A LIFE OF HOLINESS ASSUMES A DEPARTURE FROM OUR FORMER PASSIONS.

1. TO BE HOLY IS TO SEPARATE ONESELF FROM WHAT IS EVIL.

ii. WE ARE CALLED TO EMULATE THE HOLINESS OF GOD…

iii. WE ARE CALLED TO HOLINESS IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES…

1. THE COMMAND TO BE HOLY EMBRACES EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE (“IN ALL YOUR CONDUCT”).

1. THE COMMAND TO BE HOLY EMBRACES EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE (“IN ALL YOUR CINDUCT”).

2. NO ASPECT OF LIFE IS OUTSIDE GOD’S DOMINION.

3. WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO COMPARTMENTALIZE OUR FAITH, AND SAY, “I WILL PUT MY FAITH ASIDE IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND I WILL APPLY MY FAITH IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES…”

3. WE ARE NOT ALLOW TO COMPARTMENTALIZE OUR FAITH, AND SAY, “I WILL PUT MY FAITH ASIDE IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND I WILL APPLY MY FAITH IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES…”

iv. WE ARE CALLED TO PURSUE HOLINESS IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES…

iv. WE ARE CALLED TOPURSUE HOLINESS IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES…

b. AND AS WE DO THIS, WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF…

3. THE COST OF HOLINESS

a. – 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.

i. IDENTIFICATION WITH CHRIST IS COSTLY…

1. IT WILL COST YOU IN THE AREA OF CONDUCT…

a. YOU ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED, IF YOU ARE A CHRIST-FOLLOWER, TO LIVE AS YOU CHOOSE…

b. YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO LIVE AS GOD COMMANDS…

c. WHY???

2. BECAUSE YOUR REDEMPTION COST CHRIST HIS LIFE…

a. WE HAVE NOT BEEN REDEEMED WITH THINGS THAT ARE PERISHABLE…

i. WHY DOES GOD MENTION SILVER AND GOLD?

1. BECAUSE IF WE HAD BEEN REDEEMED WITH PRECIOUS METALS, A REDEEMER WITH DEEPER POCKETS COULD OUTBID FOR US…

b. BUT WE HAVE BEEN RANSOMED BY THE BLOOD OF THE SPOTLESS LAMB OF GOD…

i. AND NO ONE CAN PRESENT ANYTHING OF MORE VALUE THAN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST…

ii. THEREFORE, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE COST OF HOLINESS, AND KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN MADE HOLY BY THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST ON THE CROSS...

b. WE LEARN THAT JESUS IS…

4. THE FOUNDATION OF HOLINESS

a. – 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.

i. HE (JESUS) WAS MADE MANIFEST FOR THE SAKE OF YOU…

CONCLUSION:

ii. AND THROUGH HIM AND HIM ALONE WE ARE BELIEVERS IN GOD.

WE ARE SO ENAMORED WITH PROCESSES AND METHODS, AND WE SHOULD BE, BUT WE NEED TO SETTLE OUR HEARTS ON ONE TRUTH…

CONCLUSION:

GOD’S METHOD FOR CHURCH HEALTH AND GROWTH IS PEOPLE…

WE ARE SO ENAMORED WITH PROCESSES AND METHODS, AND WE SHOULD BE, BUT WE NEED TO SETTLE OUR HEARTS ON ONE TRUTH…

GOD’S METHOD FOR CHURCH HEALTH AND GROWTH IS PEOPLE…

NO MATTER WHAT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE MAY BE, YOU HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS, ON BEHALF OF CHRIST, AND BECAUSE OF CHRIST…

ETS – PETER CALLS THE EXILES OF THE DISPERSION TO LIVES OF HOLINESS BECAUSE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.

NO MATTER WHAT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE MAY BE, YOU HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF OTHERS, ON BEHALF OF CHRIST, AND BECAUSE OF CHRIST…

ETS – PETER CALLS THE EXILES OF THE DISPERSION TO LIVES OF HOLINESS BECAUSE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.

ESS – GOD CALLS BELIEVERS TO LIVES OF HOLINESS BECAUSE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.

OSS – TO CONVINCE BELIEVERS TO PRIORITIZE HOLY LIVING AND TO HELP NON-BELIEVERS RECOGNIZE THAT HOLINESS CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.

ESS – GOD CALLS BELIEVERS TO LIVES OF HOLINESS BECAUSE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.

PQ – IS YOUR LIFE CHARACTERIZED BY HOLINESS?

OSS – TO CONVINCE BELIEVERS TO PRIORITIZE HOLY LIVING AND TO HELP NON-BELIEVERS RECOGNIZE THAT HOLINESS CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED THROUGH A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.

PQ – IS YOUR LIFE CHARACTERIZED BY HOLINESS?