Following Jesus Into Holiness Series

Following Jesus into Holiness

Nov. 6, 2005 Various

These are my actual notes and sermon handouts and they probably mean more to me than they do to you. If you don’t understand something in my notes – feel free to e-mail me for clarification (stevenmary7@hotmail.com). Here’s some deciphering hints: I use hyphens (-) to separate key elements in a thought progression. I use quotation marks when I’m illustrating what some one in the congregation might be thinking or asking at that particular point in the message or to illustrate different character voices in an illustration. Bullets are springboards for thought progressions associated with main points in a thought.

INTRO: Misunderstood subject – shied away from – struggle with – the balance between imputed righteousness of Christ – and living a godly / righteous life – often accused as legalism – what is true? – BOTH!! – need to understand this clearly - something Jesus wants us to understand – High Priestly prayer…

1. The Definition of Holiness.

JOHN 17:15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctifyn them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

His prayer for His followers is that they be “…truly sanctified.”

• If you are a follower of Jesus – you desire what He desires

• The desire of follower of Jesus is to be “…truly sanctified.”

What is this word – Sanctified?

• The word sanctify is to hallow, or consecrate. It was to set something apart for God.

a. All of the vessels used in the temple worship were to be sanctified.

i.e. they were not be used for any other purpose than in the

worship of God. They were never to used for personal

purposes once sanctified to God.

 When you became a Christian – you were set apart by God for His holy purposes.

 To allow yourself to be used then for that which is unholy is a great sin!

b. The great blaspheme of Belshazzar was to take the vessels that his

grandfather Nebuchadnezzer had taken from the temple that

had been sanctified and drink wine out of them as he praised

the gods of gold and silver. He profaned what God had made

holy!

c. The Greek word translated sanctify comes from the root word

“hagios” which means holy. The idea is to be set apart!

Jesus’ desire for you is that you be “set apart” – made “holy”

• We may not think of ourselves in terms of “Holy”

• But that’s what a follower of Jesus is!

• We are still in this world but not of this world!

JOHN 17:15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctifyn them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

He has declared that they are not of this world, now He is praying that they might be set apart from this world.

• When you were born again some radical changes occurred or should have occurred. In your experience - in your heart.

• Things that on a supernatural level – substantially “set apart” / devote / sanctify your heart to God and His purposes in your life.

• If that didn’t happen – you need to search your heart!

How does this process take place in us? – what are we supposed to do?

• The means by which this was to be done was His truth.

2. The Method of Holiness.

17 Sanctifyn them by the truth; your word is truth.

1. In the Old Testament the priests would wash themselves

in water as the agent of sanctification.

2. Also they were sanctified by the blood of the sacrifice

and the anointing oil.

3. God spoke of the tabernacle being sanctified by His

glory.

4. The water, the blood, the oil, the glory of God were

the agents in which they were sanctified.

5. The word of God is the agent in the New Testament

whereby we are set apart from the world. Washed in it.

How does the truth of God’s word sanctify us?

Two ways…

A. Positional Sanctification. & Volitional sanctification

Problem…

RO 3:10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;