Is God That Particular?

These are the issues that separate us from God.

Today--we often joke about the things that God is particular about. We go "woops." and forget about it. No big deal. God says --wait a minute. That’s serious stuff. It separates us. It separates our relationship.

I tell a racist or sexist joke. Someone from another race or opposite sex in room--I’ve built a wall of separation whether I wanted to or not. God is particular about the things that keep us separated from him.

What is it that God is particular about? What is it that separates us from God?

"But your sins have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear." Isa 59:2

"Sin is breaking God’s law" I John 3:4

"Whoever keeps the law and but fails to obey even one command is guilty of breaking all the commands." James 2:10

"Woe to the world for the things that cause people to sin." Matthew 18:7

Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord didn’t we prophesy in your name, and drive out demons and perform miracles." Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers." Matthew 7:21-23

"Without holiness no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14 No one uses that word today, but holy is used over 600 times in the bible. Count em. God’s particular about it.

How many of you tonight can say, "Man I’ve never sinned. I’ve never broken God’s laws. I’m holy. I deserve to go to heaven. I’ve got a pure heart and clean hands." Not me. Not one of us. Our culture today says no big deal about holiness. God says big deal. And we’re separated from God. Not one of us can say to God, "You owe me heaven and eternal life." He doesn’t owe God doesn’t owe anyone eternal life in heaven. None of us here deserve one second in heaven, because we’ve all missed the mark.

So how do we fix it...I was thinking this week how Holiness is like a tuxedo. Ladies imagine it’s a formal dress.

God is throwing a party called heaven and he has invited everyone to come. However without holiness (tuxedo) you can’t get into the party. You show up at the door. You’ve lived a good life, right--a lot better than the neighbors down the street. Lot better than Howard Stern and Dennis Rodman. You at least went to church on Easter and Christmas right? You ought to get right in. But you get stopped by the doorkeeper because you don’t have a tuxedo. But, you say, I was a good person, I did good deeds...and he reminds you.

Isa 64:6 "All our righteous acts are like filthy rags..." Look at your outfit, you thought you had a tuxedo--you thought you were dressed up--but you find yourself in rags.

Romans 3:23 "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

But here’s what the doorkeeper says. Look--there is no way you’re getting to the party like that...but I’ll tell you what--go around the back door and you can get in easily. You walk around the building and notice some windows. You glimpse into the party and notice everyone’s having a great time. You try to slip into the window, but it’s locked. No luck. So you walk around back and a man calls out to you "This way. You can get to the party this way." The closer you get you see a big wide open door and Jesus standing there. Jesus says, "I am the door, and the person who enters through me will be saved and will be able to come in and go out." John 10:9 He gives you a clean outfit just your size. You walk into the party.