Time to Deal with Loose Ends - Part 3
Notes
Transcript
Time to Deal with Loose Ends - Part 3
Time to Deal with Loose Ends - Part 3
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you
21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
This is the 3rd part of a 4 part series: Time to Deal with Loose Ends.
We first need to recognize the invaluable redemption we have been given. The second thing we need to do is to cut off or box up those things that trip us up and affect our mind. The third thing is we need to be holy as God is holy.
We are called to Holy as God is Holy.
Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology Holy, Holiness
Holy, Holiness. One does not define God. Similarly, the idea of holiness is at once understandable and elusive. Nevertheless, there is no term equal to the fullness inherent in holiness. All of heaven’s hosts, Israel, and the church ascribe praise to a holy God because that idea sets him apart from everything else (Exod. 15:11; Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8). Holiness is what God is. Holiness also comprises his plan for his people
God is separate than anything else in existence. He is in a class by Himself. Nothing else compares. We are to be separate also. We, as Christians, are supposed to be in a class by ourselves. Unique, separated to do good works. We are His workmanship.
3 And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”
8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
Nothing compares. God is in a class all by himself. Jesus Christ came, suffered, and rose again for us to be unique and in a class all by ourselves.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
So what were we?
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
Wow. This is quite a list. We can each look back on our life and see what we were:
sexual immoral, idolater, adulterer, homosexual, thief, covet, drunk, slanderer, and violently greedy.
alabaster box video
What was in your box? What did you have to pour over the Lord?
All of us at one time fit into one of these groups:
sexual immoral, idolater, adulterer, homosexual, thief, covet, drunk, slanderer, and violently greedy.
Let us not go back to them . Our alabaster box may have seemed dirty and tainted as an embodiment of what we were. But God is so good. He promises to take our dirty and tainted lives and turn them into something beautiful.
3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
Conclusion:
This morning, do you fit into one of those groups that Paul laid out? Do you want to give what you have in exchange for something better that will last forever? It is easy to do. God could not have made it easier.
A - Acknowledge
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
B - Believe
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
C- Confess
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
What if you have made Jesus Christ your Lord and Saviour, but you have not made holiness your lifestyle. You still are flirting with one of the 9 categories. Today could be the day you cut all ties. Take your salvation and redemption seriously and turn our back on those things which pull you down. Would you commit today to this being a day beginning with you committed to live holy as God is holy?