2022 - FIRST SERMON - THE PURSUIT OF HOLINESS

THE PURSUIT OF HOLINESS

Hebrews 12:14 ESV

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

IN THIS YEAR WE MUST GIVE OURSELVES TO THE KING AND HIS KINGDOM.

WHAT IS THIS HOLINESS THATM, IF WE DO NOT POSESS IT, WE WILL NOT SEE THE LORD.

IT IS CLEARLY, NOT OUR POSITIONAL HOLINESS. IF WE ARE IN CHRIST WE ARE HOLY.

BUT HERE, THE HEBREW WRITER IS SUGGESTING SOMETHING ELSE. WE KNOW THAT IT IS SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE HE SAYS THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE MUST STRIVE FOR.

STRIVE MEANS:

TO EARNESTLY PURSE

TO ASPIRE TO HOLINESS

TO FOLLOW HOLINESS

WE MUST UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING ABOUT HOLINESS:

- HOLINESS IS A PATH

IT IS A PATH THAT WE ARE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING WITH OUR LIVES

- HOLINESS IS ALSO A CONTINUED ACTIVITY

SO THE HEBREW WRITER IS TELLING US, AS ONE MAN NOTED, THAT WE SHOULD STRIVE FOR A PROGRESSIVE, AND PERSONAL, AND ACTUAL HOLINESS IF WE ARE TO SEE THE LORD.

THEREFORE WE CAN SAY THE FOLLOWING:

I CAN BE ASSURED THAT I AM POSITIONALLY HOLY (IN CHRIST) IF I HAVE A FRUITFUL AND FLOURISHING RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST

I BEGIN WITH THIS MESSAGE FOR 2020 BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT BELIEVERS NEED TO BE REMINDED OF BECAUSE IT THE MESSAGE THAT THE ENEMY MOST WANTS US TO BE CONFUSED ABOUT.

THE ENEMY AND HIS PREACHERS CHANGE THE MESSAGE OF HOLINESS IN TWO WAYS:

1. THEY FALSELY PREACHES HOLINESS AS PERFECTION

IF WE BELIEVE THIS NARRATIVE WE ONLY END UP IN ANXIETY, CONFUSION AND FEAR BECAUSE WE ARE NOT CAPABLE OF SINLESS PERFECTION

THE ENEMY KNOWS THIS AND THEREFORE CAUSES US TO THINK THIS WAY TO TORMENT US AND CAUSE US TO FORGET THAT THE GRACE WE HAVE RECEIVED, IN CHRIST IS:

- A GRACE THAT ERASES OUR SIN

2. THEY FALSELY PREACHES HOLINESS AS SIMPLY TRUSTING IN JESUS

IF WE BELIEVE THIS NARRATIVE WE END UP TREATING SIN TO LIGHTLY AND NOT FIGHTING TO LIVE AS PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FREED FROM SIN

THE ENEMY KNOWS THIS AND THEREFORE CAUSES US TO THINK ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS MERELY CONFESS CHRIST AS SAVIOR AND THAT MAKES US HOLY BECAUSE THIS WILL CAUSE US TO FORGET THAT THE GRACE WE HAVE RECEIVED, IN CHRIST IS :

- A GRACE THAT ENABLES OUR RIGHT LIVING

GRACE ENABLES US TO LIVE LIVES THAT HONOR THE LORD

1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

Titus 2:11–12 (ESV)

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

I WANT TO TEACH YOU FOUR THINGS ABOUT HOLINESS THAT MAKE IT PRACTICAL. I WANT TO GIVE YOU A PATH - INDEED A PERSON - TO FOLLOW TO MAKE UNDERSTANDING HOLINESS CLEARER:

I WANT YOU TO HAVE A FRUITFUL 2022

BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, I LONG FOR YOU TO BE ASSURED THAT YOU WILL SEE THE LORD FOR ALL ETERNITY

THE PURSUIT OF HOLINESS MEANS THE FOLLOWING:

I. OUR LIFE - DIRECTION IS TOWARDS CHRIST

Holiness is not the PERFECTION of your life. It is the consistent DIRECTION of your life

Philippians 3:12 ESV

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Philippians 3:13 ESV

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

Philippians 3:14 ESV

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul is pressing towards Christ; THAT IS HIS SINGULAR AIM AND DIRECTION

II. OUR MINDS - DISPOSITION IS LIKE CHRIST’S

A. CHRIST’S DISPOSITION WAS LOVE AND THIS WAS DEMONSTRATED IN TWO WAYS:

LOVE FOR THE FATHER

LOVE FOR THE HUMANITY

B. CHRIST’S LOVE WAS SHOWN IN TWO WAYS:

HUMILITY

SACRIFICE

WE SEE THIS PATTERN IN THAT FAMILIAR TEXT OF PHILIPPIANS 2:5-8 -

Philippians 2:5–6 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

Philippians 2:7–8 ESV

but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

HEREIN LAY THE DISPOSITION OF HOLINESS: IT IS A LIFE DEVOTED TO THE SERVICE OF GOD BY SERVING HUMANITY

Philippians 2:3 ESV

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Philippians 2:4 ESV

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

IN THIS WAY WE ARE MODELING THE PATH OF THE SAVIOR

Philippians 2:5 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

III. OUR SOUL’S - DELIGHT IS IN CHRIST

DELIGHT = SATISFACTION

IT MEANS TO FIND CHRIST AS YOUR GREATEST SATISFACTION AND JOY

BY DELIGHTING IN THE LORD THERE IS GREAT BLESSING TO THIS:

Psalm 37:4 ESV

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

CHRIST’S DELIGHT IN THE FATHER:

John 5:19 ESV

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.

PAUL’S DELIGHT IN CHRIST

Philippians 3:7 ESV

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

Philippians 3:8 ESV

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

IV. OUR DUTY FOR CHRIST IS OUR DELIGHT

EXPLAIN DUTY AND DELIGHT

Psalm 40:8 ESV

I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

John 4:34 ESV

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

Philippians 1:21 ESV

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.