Take Time To Be Holy
Sermon by Bud Fenner 1/14/01
Scripture Reading 1 Peter 1:14-19
Introduction:
 Holy - perhaps the most unusual word in the world today.  It seems as though on every hand other profane four-letter words have taken it's place.  It is not a word that should be thrown around loosely and, with proper study, it's significance should cause us to have deeper meaning whenever we read it in the Scriptures.
Without an understanding of the word "holy" it is difficult for us to understand  God,  worship, and of the people of God.  Holy means "to be set apart."  different from all others.  One word, hagios, is used for holy and  saints in the New Testament. This word means holy. Consequently, saints are the holy ones.
 
  1. Who or What is Holy?   To Be Holy is to Be Different from all others
    1. The One True God
      1. "Who is like Thee among the gods, O LORD? Who is like Thee, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders?  (Exo 15:11)
      2. Our God is unlike the mythical gods worshiped in false religions and the worship of idols.  We serve a God who cares for the oppressed and afflicted.   Most foreign gods are described as using mankind to their own advantage, but our God loves His creation.

        Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation. (Psa 68:19)
      3. A God For All Nations
        "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE THEE, For Thy righteous acts have been revealed."  (Rev 15:4)

        Isaiah speaks of angels proclaiming, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." ( Isa 6:3)
    2. God's Name Should Be kept Holy
      (Psa 111:9)  He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name.
    3. God's Dwelling Places are Holy
      1. Holy  also applies to places where God dwells
        When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."  Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." (Exo 3:4,5)
      2. Also TheTemple and  tabernacle. He now Dwells in a temple not made with human Hands
        Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.  (1 Cor 3:16-17)
  2. God's people are to be Holy
    1. God chose the Israelites to be Holy
      (Exodus 19:5-6)  'Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; (6) and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. 'These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel."
      1. Because He delivered them from Egypt.
        'For I am the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, to be your God; thus you shall be holy for I am holy." (Lev 11:45)
      2. Because They were chosen from all the inhabitants of the Earth.
        'Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine. (Lev 20:26)
    2. In The Same Way, God chooses us to be Holy in Christ
      1. We Were Chosen
        (Ephesians 1:4)  He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.
      2. God Dwells not Around Us, but in Us!
        (Ephesians 2:21-22)  in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; (22) in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
    3. To be Holy We First need to be clothed in Christ
      For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  (Gal 3:26-27)

      (Col 1:22} yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-- {23} if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.
  3. We are commanded to live Holy: Thus The Song suggests “Take Time To Be Holy”
    (1 Peter 1:14-19)  As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance....  (NOT LIKE THE WORLD - Romans 12:1-2)

    (15) but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; (16) because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." (17) And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth; (18) knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, (19) but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

    We are to abide in holiness (Hebrews 10:19-22)  Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, (20) by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, (21) and since we have a great priest over the house of God, (22) let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

    Peter suggested that we need to realize, “what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God...”(2 Pet 3:11-12)