Sermon Tone Analysis

Pre-Intro:

Honor God, Pastors, Elders, and Members

We are continuing in our study of Leviticus and Stewardship.

Stewardship definition (not only deals with money) Mange, work, care for

Central Proposition of the book of Leviticus is that it is a guide to Living Holy.

3. The text today is coming from , and the title of today’s message is “Holiness Is Right”

Introduction:

Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God.

If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service, you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already.

– C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

We are commanded to be good stewards over what God’s creation as well as what he has blessed us with.

As you can see in the quote that we can’t give God anything that he does not already own, so we must learn what it takes to be stewards over what he allows us to have.

There are four principles of stewardship according to Hugh Welchel

1. Ownership

2. Responsibility

3. Accountability

4. Reward

And you will see as God teaches us the statutes of Holiness how it relates.

Stewardship means to manage and work, or to care for.

I hear you asking me what does stewardship have to do with Holiness?

Stewardship is an expression of Holiness:

* You cannot pursue holiness without coming face to face with your faithfulness as a steward.

At the same time, holiness is a requirement to stewardship on a relational basis.

What God has created is sacred and He wants Holy people to be stewards over his creation.

Today we are going to learn some of the requirements of a Holy life.

I am not talking about Holiness as in the Pentecostal Holiness denomination.

I. Laws of Holiness

We find no where in the scriptures where God demands for us to be of any denomination.

Here he specifically commands the Israelites to be Holy.

Not Holiness, but Holy.

We were created in the image of God and part of that image is that he is holy or set apart from sin.

YHWH is sacred.

Here the word for Holy is qadosh (kaw-doshe') is a noun.

Show how our makeup matches the image of God and how the essence of Holiness must exist in order for our spirit to be connected to His spirit.

Notice the recurring theme as we continue to the next verse:

lev

The recurring statement is I am YHWH your God.

Not only is He emphasizing his personal name, but he is letting us know that he desires a personal relationship with his people.

Your first blank is:

Being Holy requires a personal relationship with God!

This is what God wants from us.

We should desire it just as much as he wants it.

Notice how God has designed these statutes to delegate how we should be towards others, because we are to be stewards of each other as well.

He is directing how we should relate as well as how we should relate to Him.

lev 19:

Sacrifice so that you may be accepted, not the sacrifice.

The reason of this strict prohibition seems to have been to prevent any mysterious virtue being superstitiously attached to meat offered on the altar.

This was the earliest law for the benefit of the poor that we read of in the code of any people; and it combined in admirable union the obligation of a public duty with the exercise of private and voluntary benevolence at a time when the hearts of the rich would be strongly inclined to liberality.

In other words another example of our duties as stewards.

Your next blank is:

Being Holy requires providing for others!

Providing for those who are less fortunate, or have fallen on hard times

Example of the desire to sit in stores during Christmas and pay for peoples layaways.

Think of something you would love to do above and beyond your church stewardship

lev 19:11-19

Remember I said living holy guides how we deal with others and here in these verses we are told to be fair to each other.

If we must judge each other we are to do it justly and without vengence.

Remember that scripture over in :

This verse is confirmation for verse 5 in today’s text that said it’s not about the sacrifice being accepted, it’s about you being accepted.

This is living holy and being good stewards over each other and God’s possessions.

Your last blank is:

Being Holy requires a principled conduct toward others!

Conclusion:

Holiness covers every aspect of our lives; how we relate with God and people.

The holiness of God meant that the Israelites had to display holiness in their interpersonal relationships.

Living a holy life is a requirement to be good stewards of God's creation.

By having a personal relationship with God, we automatically have a desire to provide for those in need and a loving approach to dealing with others.

By living holy we manage what God has given us dominion by working to spread the love and good news of God while caring for each other.

Holiness is personal, providing, and principled.

And remember those principles of stewardship Ownership, Responsibility and Accountability?

We own nothing, god owns it all and we are responsible for the management and work required for the upkeep of the kingdom and will be held accountable to each other as well as God to keep each other encourage in our journey to living holy.

Living a holy life is a condition we must meet to be good stewards of God's creation.

By having a personal relationship with God, we automatically have a desire to provide for those in need and a loving approach to dealing with others.

By living holy we manage what God has given us dominion, by working to spread the love and good news of God while caring for each other.

Holiness is personal, providing, and principled.

And remember those principles of stewardship Ownership, Responsibility and Accountability?

We own nothing, God owns it all and we are responsible for the management and work required for the upkeep of the kingdom and will be held accountable to each other as well as God to keep each other encourage in our journey to living holy.

Living a holy life is a requirement to be good stewards of God's creation.

By having a personal relationship with God, we automatically have a desire to provide for those in need and a loving approach to dealing with others.

By living holy we manage what God has given us dominion by working to spread the love and good news of God while caring for each other.

Holiness is personal, providing, and principled.

And remember those principles of stewardship Ownership, Responsibility and Accountability?

We own nothing, god owns it all and we are responsible for the management and work required for the upkeep of the kingdom and will be held accountable to each other as well as God to keep each other encourage in our journey to living holy.

I’m reminded of the song by Desmond Pringle where it says,

There's a difference between wrong and right

There's a difference between darkness and light

There's no compromise we must draw the line

Sin is still a reproach but holiness is right

Now the world is living all kinds of lifestyles

But the life of a Christian should be pure and undefiled

Everybody has faults to repent thereof

And then walk in the light because holiness is right

The old folks used to sing:

copyright <a href="https://elyrics.net">http://elyrics.net</a>

I’m not doubting about the way

I’m walking in the light

I know holiness is right

I’m not doubting about the way

Celebration:

But wait a minute preacher.