Believe In Holy Living

Illustration: Give out the gifts to the staff before preaching. Make a big deal about then 5-10 minutes into sermon have them come back to the front at different times and say they don’t want my gift and throw it at me. This illustration is what some people do with the gift of holiness that God gives us at salvation – we accept it then decide we don’t want it later on and throw it back at Jesus. We need to choose not to hold onto to the gift of holiness.

Theme: True Life

Thesis: True life – a life that matters for eternity and pleases God is one which is based and rooted in truth. Jesus said he is the “Truth.” He is God’s truth to this world and all measurement of true and false are measured against Him and His teachings. If you want to live a true life instead of a deceived life you have to place your faith and trust in Jesus.

Scripture for our theme: John 14:6 (NIV): “Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Series 2: Believe

Thesis: Our second series in our theme “True Life” is about the importance of believing in Jesus and allowing that belief to redirect our life and our purpose for life. This redirecting or change of direction takes the focus off of ourselves and places it on Jesus and God’s Word.

Scriptures:

Mark 9:23: “…Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

John 14: 11-14:

11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Sermon 3: Believe in the Holy Spirit?

Thesis: The Holy Spirit is the neglected part of the Trinity today and we need to allow the Holy Spirit to arise within us, to empower us to be God’s dynamic witnesses to this dying world. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a Biblical experience given to us by Jesus and we need to believe in it and then receive it.

Hebrews 6:1-3: 1Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And God permitting, we will do so.

Sermon 4: Believe in Holy Living (holiness)

Thesis: Because God is Holy, we must hold onto His gift of holiness which he gave us through His Son Jesus Christ. We must perceive it and understand what it is then believe on it and receive it! Once we have it we need to make sure that we hold onto it.

Questions to Ponder this week:

1. Why does God call us to be "set apart" from the world?

2. How does He call us to be different?

3. How are you pursuing a holy life?

Scripture Texts:

Lev. 19:2

2 "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: `Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.

Lev. 20: 7,8

7 "`Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. 8 Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.

Lev. 22:9

9 "`The priests are to keep my requirements so that they do not become guilty and die for treating them with contempt. I am the LORD, who makes them holy.

Lev. 22:32

32 Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the LORD, who makes you holy.

I Peter 1:

1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

2who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you,