Pursuit of Holiness
1 Peter 1:1-1:17, 1:13-1:21
Introduction-
We have come out of an extremely exciting service last week.
For it to be Easter week and have:
Several people come front and acknowledge that God is doing something is special.
To have one person accept Christ as Lord and Savior is a God moment.
We discussed what Jesus resurrection means to each one of us on this side of the cross.
How seeing is not necessarily believing.
There was several different attitudes and actions of people running to the empty tomb.
This morning, the passage in 1 Peter is a great scripture to look at after Easter.
It goes from praising God for what He did on the cross to living a holy life.
Holiness is one of our tenets of our faith.
1 Peter 1:1-1:7, 1:13-1:21
Peter begins the main body of this letter (3)
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
He tells us to cherish that born again experience.
The moment we accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and that we are becoming new creations in Christ.
That we have an inheritance- because we have accepted Jesus Christ, the resurrected savior, we share in that resurrection experience.
That the inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, will never fade, reserved in heaven for all those that call on the name of Christ.
This is our future hope and our present hope.
It is what we can look forward too, and what we can hold unto right now!
“I am going to prepare a place for you” Amen.
What a great promise.
We also have present hope:
(5) “Who are protected by the power of God through faith for the salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
God shields our salvation for those that call upon the Lord.
We possess it now, (present tense), but will see it in its fullness at the return of Christ. Amen.
There is something that should happen the day that you accepted Christ.
I know that every experience is different, but the one thing that is constant is that there should have been a change in your life.
A change in attitude.
A change in allegiance.
A change of priorities.
The word of God is transformational!
Meaning the word of God can change you if you will let it.
There is a difference between information and transformation.
Trying to live a life informed by scripture will bring disappointment.
Many live informed of God’s word, and few allow God’s word to transform them.
The goal is not information, it is transformation!
Christ is the living word. He wants to envelop our lives, fully formed within the believer.
Apostle Paul says “Until Christ is fully developed in our lives.”
Every Christian is to pursue holiness.
Every Christian is called to a life of holiness.
Every believer is to stay away from sin.
“He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am Holy.”
God desires that we take on the image of Christ.
Many people today are satisfied taking on the pattern of Christians around us.
That is why they can find someone they are better than.
Illustration-(Sermoncentral)
A father told his young son that it was time to get ready for Sunday School. They would be leaving in just a few minutes. You know how little boys can be. They are inquisitive. The boy asked his dad, Dad, did you go to Sunday School when you were a boy? The father gladly answered, well yes I did. The boy looked disappointed as he said, “it probably won’t work for me either.”
We have to be careful how we live our lives to those that are watching us.
One of the greatest problems today is that people acknowledge Jesus with their lips and deny
Him in their lifestyle.
The church of the Nazarene has a holiness background. That means that we teach, preach and live holiness.
We believe once that you profess Christ, there should begin a process of change.
Are we perfect? No!
Do we make mistakes? Yes!
Do we sin? Yes!
We advocate living a holy life.
We believe that we should live as close as we can to God’s Word.
Holiness I believe in the past has been misrepresented.
To be holy was all about what you don’t do. No dancing, no gambling, no smoking, no drinking, no ear rings, and throw out the evil T.V. sets!
Holiness is doing everything we know to do to be more Christ-like.
(Do) read your Bible- understand and read God’s word for yourself.
(Do) pray- actively speaking and listening to God every day.
(Do) go to church regularly- making God’s house a priority in your life.
If we would pursue holiness as God intended, the Do’s would increase so that the don’t would eliminate themselves.
The Pharisees were legalistic- over 600 rules, if we would keep God’s Ten Commandments, we would not need the 600.
Illustration-
Ever met mean people? Aren’t they terrible to be around?
The only thing worse than a mean person is a mean person that professes to be a Christian.
Mean Christian- my new oxymoron for 2012
John says:
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
“Love the Lord God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. That is the greatest commandment.
2nd is “love your neighbor as yourself.”
There should be a change- there must be a change.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Holiness is allowing the Holy Spirit to get rid of the things that are not pleasing to God.
You determine you are going to live Christ-like and Christ takes the things out that are not Christ-like.
John’s letter to the believer is clear. Do not sin!
We have the power of the Holy Spirit to help us.
The goal is not to sin, but most of us the goal is not to sin much.
Jonathan Edwards said we should live our lives like it is the last hour of our life and not do anything we would not do then.
Holiness is not about how long or short your hair is, it is not about clothing, jewelry, or make-up. It is about Christ-likeness, and how we treat each other.
It is about doing what we know pleases God and the things that don’t please God will stop. He will take care of it.
(13) “Therefore prepare your minds for action, be self-controlled, set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Very quickly
1. Prepare your mind for action- be self-controlled.
Be determined you are going to be Christ-like- you are going to allow the sanctifying word of the Holy Spirit to draw you close to Christ and away from sin.
Hope is not wishful thinking. It is firm conviction by the Holy Spirit that points you away from where you are right now to where the Lord wants you to be in the future.
2. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ revealed.
Set you hope on the fact that you surrender to Christ and Christ will get you where you need to be.
People want to change the outward signs, Jesus wants to start on the inside.
God’s change starts in the heart, and in the mind.
Closing,
Now that we took a quick look at what God’s definition of holiness is. It is easier to handle knowing that holiness is not a bunch of don’ts, but that God desires us to be Christ-like
The good news-wait for it! Is that He will help us achieve it.
John 16:13
“But when He ,The Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.”
1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all un-righteousness.”
God doesn’t expect us to do anything that He has not promised to help with.
He forgives us and helps us when we stumble
He gives us direction and guidance
His word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105
Holiness may not of been why we came to Christ for our salvation, but the longer we serve Christ it should become important as we desire to be Christ-like
The working of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life is always evident by the fruit we bear.
Are you pursuing holiness? If you didn’t, are you now?
What fruit are you bearing? A change should be evident?
Are you desiring to get rid of all sins- not just some.
Peter is called the apostle of hope- encouraged his readers to trust in Jesus, live faithfully and desire to be more Christ-like and fix our hope on Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has begotten us anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Amen.
Altar Call.
