Take the Heat

CAUTION: IT’S HOT

IT MAY SEEM OBVIOUS, BUT COFFEE IS HOT

ON MANY COFFEE CUPS , THERE’S LABEL WARNING YOU THAT THE COFFEE IS HOT

LABELS AND SIGNS ARE INTERESTING BECAUSE THEY LET US KNOW SOMEONE LEARNED THIS LESSON THE HARD WAY BEFORE ME.

THAT LABEL IS THE PRODUCT OF A $3M MISJUDGEMENT

WE TELL KIDS…AND ADULTS, NOT TO PLAY WITH FIRE BECAUSE YOU MIGHT GET BURNED

WE HAVE A HEALTHY FEAR OF FIRE

WHAT’S INTERESTING ABOUT FIRE, IS THE SAME FIRE WHEN MISHANDLED CAN CAUSE GREAT HARM, WHEN HARNESSED CAN BE USEFUL AND LIFESAVING.

THE SAME THING THAT CAN HEAT YOUR HOME CAN LEAVE IT IN ASHES.

TRANSITION: WHEN IT COMES TO FIRE, NOT EVERYTHING THAT BURNS CAN HURT US. WHEN IT COMES TO FAITH, NOT EVERY DIFFICULTY IS MEANT TO DEFEAT US.

REFINED SERIES

NEW SERIES ON HOLINESS.

THE BIBLE USES THE IMAGERY OF FIRE OFTEN WHEN IT COMES TO HOLINESS.

MALACHI 3:2-3 SAYS WHEN THE MESSIAH COMES HE WILL BE LIKE A REIFNER OF SILVER AND GOLD TO REFINE THOSE THAT SERVE THE LORD.

1 PETER 1:6-7 SAYS THAT THE TESTING OF OUR FAITH REVEALS THE CHARACTER OF OUR FAITH AS “MORE PRECIOUS THAN GOLD.” PETER SAYS EVEN THOUGH IT’S TESTED BY FIRE WHAT IS REVEALED WILL RESULT IN PRAISE.

A REFINER WILL HEAT UP PRECIOUS METAL TO GET THE IMPURITIES OUT SO THAT YOU’RE LEFT WITH A MORE PURE METAL.

WE OFTEN GET ANXIOUS TALKING ABOUT HOLINESS BECAUSE WE FEEL HELPLESS TO LIVE A TRULY HOLY LIFE.

SLIDE: WHAT IS HOLINESS?

I LOVE THIS QUOTE FROM JOHN WESLEY ABOUT HOLINESS:

SLIDE: “Always remember, the essence of Christian holiness is simplicity and purity; one design, one desire; entire devotion to God.”

BREAK THE WORD DOWN INTO TWO PARTS AND BRING IT TOGETHER

IF SOMETHING IS HOLY, IT IS SET APART FOR SPECIAL USE.

GOD IS HOLY IN THAT NOTHING IS LIKE GOD. HE IS UTERLY HOLY AND OTHER THAN ALL OTHER THINGS.

WE WORSHIP CORPORATELY ON SUNDAY AS A TIME SET APART FROM NORMAL LIFE. THIS IS TIME TO WORSHIP GOD TOGETHER, NOT COMMON TIME.

THE SUFFIX NESS TAKES THE ADJECTIVE “HOLY” AND MAKES IT A STATE OF BEING OR A CONDITION.

HOLINESS THEN IS LIVING SET APART.

GIVING YOUR WHOLE-SELF FOR SPECIAL USE BY GOD.

SOUNDS GOOD, FEELS IMPOSSIBLE

I WANT TO START TODAY WITH THE GOOD NEWS.

SLIDE: GOD IS ABLE TO PURIFY OUR LIVES.

Leviticus 22:31–32 ESV

“So you shall keep my commandments and do them: I am the Lord. And you shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel. I am the Lord who sanctifies you,

THIS SET APART LIFE IS ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE WORK OF GOD IN US.

WHAT IS THIS WORK?

READ: HEBREWS 12:3-11 ESV

WE MAY WORK REALLY HARD AT LIVING A LIFE TO HONOR GOD, BUT THE WRITER OF HEBREWS REMINDS US THAT OUR WORK AGAINST SIN IS NOT AT THE INTENSITY OF THE WORK OF CHRIST WHO SHED HIS BLOOD FOR US.

GOD INVITES US TO PURITY, EVEN THOUGH IT’S HIS WORK THAT PURIFIES, BECAUSE WE ARE HIS KIDS.

THE PROCESS OF BEING REFINED BY GOD (DISCIPLINE) IS FOR OUR GOOD.

HERE’S THE PURPOSE: THAT WE MAY SHARE HIS HOLINESS.

SLIDE: HOLINESS IS HOW WE ARE MADE INTO THE IMAGE OF JESUS.

I WANT TO USE WESLEY’S QUOTE AS A GUIDE THE NEXT TWO WEEKS FOR HOW AND WHY THIS HAPPENS IN OUR LIVES.

SIMPLICITY

BEING REFINED MAY NOT ALWAYS BE EASY, BUT IT IS NOT COMPLICATED.

THE PURPOSE OF REFINEMENT IMPLIES THERE IS AN INTEDED VERSION OF US THAT WE ARE NOT YET.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOLINESS AND SIMPLICITY WE MUST BEGIN WITH THE SIMPLICITY OF GOD IF WE ARE GOING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD IS REFINING US INTO.

DIVINE SIMPLICITY

I SAID EARLIER THAT GOD IS UTTERLY HOLY AND NOTHING ELSE IS LIKE GOD.

CONSIDER THAT FOR A MOMENT:

GOD HAS NEVER GOTTEN BETTER AT SOMETHING

GOD HAS NEVER DIMINISHED NOR INCREASED

GOD IS SIMPLE IN THAT GOD IS NOT MADE UP OF MANY PARTS, ALL THAT GOD IS, HE IS FULLY AND ONLY.

NOW THAT I’VE MADE YOU SCRATCH YOUR HEAD AND YOUR BRAIN IS A LITTLE MUSHY LET ME TELL YOU WHY THIS IS ESSENTIAL IN FAITH AND HOLINESS.

A VERY PRESENT HELP

READ: Psalm 46:1–3 ESV

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah”

I DON’T WANT TO BE TESTED OR REFINED BY SOMETHING OR SOMEONE WITH A MOVING TARGET.

THE PURPOSE OF HOLINESS IS NOT TO MAKE YOU A BETTER YOU, IT’S TO MAKE YOU IMAGE YOUR CREATOR: GOD.

WE FEAR THE FIRE THAT REFINES US BECAUSE IT’S UNCOMFORTABLE TO ENDURE OPPOSITION, PAIN, SUFFERING.

BUT WHEN WE SURRENDER TO THE REALITY THAT GOD DOES NOT VARY WE REALIZE THAT GOD DOES NOT NEED OPTIMAL CONDITIONS TO REFINE US.

GOD DOES NOT NEED OUR HELP OR SUPPORT TO BE REFINED.

GOD IS A REFUGE BECAUSE HE IS IMMOVABLE IN A LIFE THAT IS LITERALLY MOVING AT ALL TIMES.

SLIDE: BECAUSE GOD IS SIMPLE, I CAN BE SECURE.

THE ONE THING

COMPLICATION IS NOT TRUSTING GOD. COMPLICATION IS TRUSTING IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN GOD.

THE MORE ATTACHED WE ARE TO THINGS OF THIS LIFE THAT ARE DEAD AND DYING THE MORE COMPLICATED HOLINESS FEELS.

THE PROCESS OF HOLINESS AT ITS ESSENCE IS REMOVING EVERYTHING INSIDE OF US THAT DOES NOT IMAGE THE GLORY OF GOD.

YOUR LIFE BECOMES SIMPLE WHEN YOU HAVE NOTHING TO HOLD ONTO IN THIS LIFE BUT GOD.

IF YOUR GREATEST JOY IS TO BE A CHILD OF GOD IN SERVICE FOR GOD EVERY DAY THEN ANY OTHER ASPIRATION IN THIS LIFE BECOMES A DISTRACTION OR HINDERANCE.

I NEED TO ENCOURAGE YOU TODAY NOT TO DREAD REFINING FIRE OF GOD.

OUR WORK IS TO SURRENDER TO THE PERFECT WORK OF GOD WHO IS ABLE TO MAKE US HOLY.

REMEMBER WESLEY SAID: ONE DESIGN; ONE DESIRE; ENTIRE DEVOTION TO GOD

INVITATION

SLIDE: IS GOD YOUR ONE THING?

IS IT HARD TO FOLLOW GOD BECAUSE YOUR LIFE IS HEAVY WITH BURDENS?

READ: 1 PETER 5:6-10 ESV

PETER WILL LATER WRITE IN A SECOND EPISTLE THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN EVERYTHING WE NEED FOR LIFE AND GODLINESS.

IF GOD IS OUR PROVISION AND IT’S HIS WORK THAT CAUSES US TO BE BE HOLY, THEN WE CAN LET GO OF THIS LIFE AND TAKE HOLD OF THE LIFE HE IS OFFERING WITHOUT FEAR.

IF GOD IS NOT YOUR ONE THING NO AMOUNT OF SPIRITUAL ACTIVITY WILL MAKE YOU HOLY.

GOD INVITES US TODAY TO ABANDON ALL OTHER FORMS OF SECURITY AND STRENGTH AND TO TRUST HIM COMPLETELY.

DO YOU NEED TO SURRENDER TO HIS INVITATION TODAY?

I KNOW THIS IS AWKWARD BUT TODAY AS AN ACT OF SURRENDER YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THE HOLY CONVICTION OF GOD, I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO COME FORWARD AND KNEEL AND PRAY.

RECEIVE HIS GRACE, TRUST HIS PRESENCE, WALK IN HIS WAY.

PRAY