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Conversations on Holiness
I read an interesting book a few years ago written by a Christian comedian named Keith Davenport, titled, Conversations on Holiness.
His main point was that conversations among believers about holiness have just … sort of … stopped happening.
Think about it…
When was the last time you talked to someone about what it means to be Holy?
That is not my main point today… My point is this: Holiness is not something we “put on”… it is not an article of clothing… It is a life style!
Holiness is a journey.
It is a journey in which sanctification happens…
Davenport says: “Sanctification is a journey within the journey of salvation, which is one of the journeys of life.”
— Keith Davenport, Conversations on Holiness.
Let that sink in for a minute…
“Sanctification is a journey within the journey of salvation, which is one of the journeys of life.”
Have you ever thought of life as a journey?
— advertisers have… we see it everywhere, “Life is a journey, make the most of it!”
But… What about the Christian life?
Have you ever thought about the Christian walk as a journey?
As an adventure?
In life, we mark our journey by where we’re going… amen?
— Where we are going to school?
— What degree we’ll earn…
— What career we might have…
When we get older though… it seems to become about our vacations, right?
We don’t often consider our jobs a journey (more like a means to the journey!)
But our vacations… our vacations can be a journey, amen?!
Especially if we have kids!
Have you ever noticed that when people talk about their vacations, we rarely talk about the journey to the destination?
People just don’t talk about the bus ride… the car ride… the plane ride… because… that’s just boring…
But… they love to talk about what they did once they got there!
To me… that is sad, because…
It’s the journey that’s the most exciting part!
The journey is the best part!
— I think bikers understand this best… You do know there is a difference between a rider and a biker right?!?
— for Riders, it’s all about the destination… But for Bikers, it’s all about the journey!
It’s about the anticipation… the excitement… it’s about the wind in our hair… and the things we see and people we meet… It’s about the stupid things that happen along the way…
That’s what makes trips so fun!
Life’s about the journey, not the destination.
Now… Let’s translate that into the Church…
When we talk about salvation, what is almost always the first thing — the main thing — we talk about?
Heaven!
We talk about the destination!
Now, don’t get me wrong… there is nothing better then Heaven!
It’s an indescribable place… filled with the Presence of God!
I can’t imagine anything greater than that!
That’s why Elijah begged God to let him see His face… to experience His presence…
That’s why the Psalmist proclaimed:
We know where the journey ends… we long for Heaven… for the day that we will see God face-to-face!
BUT… That’s not where the real adventure is!
The REAL adventure is in the journey to get there!
Salvation is an invitation to join Christ on the journey of life!
It is a journey filled with excitement and adventure!
It is a journey filled with Life and Growth!
It is a journey of Grace!
Look at Abraham…
Chapter 12 — he ends up in Egypt…
13 — he separates with Lot because they had both prospered and grown to much…
14 — He has to go rescue Lot in a special forces op…
15 — God promises to make him into a “great nation” — promises Isaac…(he got to sit with God)
16 — he listens to his impatient wife, Sarah… sleeps with her servant, Hagar… and Ishmael is born…
Have you ever noticed that before that point, Abraham had no requirements in the Covenant?
He had no physical part to play?
But…
17 — Covenant of circumcision — circumcision came after Ishmael (who wasn’t the promised child)…
)Our attitude is everything — Abraham got to experience these things, and he grew through it…)
18-19 — He pleads for Sodom and Gamorrah and witnesses their destruction…
20 — experience with Abimelek (lies about Sarah)
21 — Birth of Isaac… and Ishmael is sent away… (joy and heartache)
22 — he is tested…
23 — he buries Sarah…
24 — gets to see Isaac married…
— And don’t think that he was a weak, feeble old man… Remember… he was about 115 years old when he wrestled that ram out of the bush to sacrifice in place of Isaac!
Abraham was a tough burly man!
He was capable of taking care of himself, protecting his family, and defeating his enemies!
There is no doubt that he experienced one heck of an adventure!
It was all because he answered God’s invitation to “Follow Me” with a resounding “YES!”
Think about the most exciting trip you have ever taken?
What do you remember about that trip?
I’m willing to bet that it was something that happened along the way…
It is the Journey that matters!
That is why the Apostle Paul tells us to “Commit to the Journey”.
Paul knew the journey was going to be difficult… he knew unexpected things are going to happen along the way, but he tells us to go anyway!
Why?
Because… People need to see us Joyfully embracing the Journey!
Holiness is found in answering Christ’s invitation to the journey.
This conversation with the disciples happens after the last supper… after Jesus has told them what must happen… after he has told them He will be betrayed… after He has shared communion with them…
At this point, they have laughed… they have cried… they have drank… they have told stories… they have celebrated… they have worshipped… it has been an amazing night!
It seems that Jesus would have gone from the upper room, straight to the Garden of Gethesemane to pray… after all, He still had a lot to face…
But instead…
John 14:31 (NIV)
31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.
“Come now; let us leave.
John tells us that Jesus takes a walk with them… and along the way, on the journey to the Garden, Jesus shared this parable with them.
Jesus presents us with 2 types of Christians here: the unfruitful, and the fruitful.
I.
The Unfruitful Christian — the Carnal Christian.
— This is the dead branch, which is cut off and discarded.
(plant example)
In gardening, we keep a plant healthy by cutting out the dead or dying parts… we prune them… so that they do not hinder the growth of the entire plant.
(Grandma’s roses)
Jesus is describing the same method at work in the Kingdom.
— God - the Gardener - will prune out anything that hinders growth, both in our lives, and in the Kingdom!
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