HOW TO BE THE CHURCH IN Y2K: THE CALL TO HOLINESS
Pastor Andrew Chan
Jan.9, 2000
And you will be to me a kingdom of priests, my holy nation. Give this message to the Israelites. Exodus 19:6
God envisions A HOLY NATION.
A. Count the Cost of Being Unholy
“…the way of the unfaithful is hard.” Proverbs 13:15 (NIV).
1. Lack of direction.
No where to go!
But the way of wicked is like complete darkness. Those who follow it have no idea what they are stumbling over. Proverbs 4:19 (NLT)
Wilt the Stilt, may have conquered 10,000 women but he had no idea what he was stumbling over, in end he died alone!
2. Lack of real life.
One word: misery!
When a bird sees a trap being set, it stays away. But not these people! They set an ambush for themselves; they booby-trap their own lives! Such is the fate of all who are greedy for gain. It ends up robbing them of life. Proverbs 1:17-19 (NLT)
Many celebrities, rich beyond imagination but hear them wishing “normal” life. George Harrison attacked, hired more bodyguards
Pavel Bure, refused to play for Vancouver because he hinted at fish bowl existence, in Florida can get lost in crowd
3. Lack of a good name.
Poor reputation.
We all have happy memories of the godly but the name of a wicked person rots away. Proverbs 10:7 (NLT)
No one names their child Adolph today, right?
Name like Ben Johnson linked with drugs cheating, disgrace
4. Lack of peace.
Fear of being found out.
The wicked run away when no one is chasing them…. Proverbs 28:1 (NLT)
The Y2K Bug got some stockpiling food, water, built bunkers in the wilds, store guns and ammo. Go bonkers in bunkers!
5. Lack of hope.
What is there to hope for?
When the wicked die, their hopes all perish, for they rely on their own feeble strength. Proverbs 11:7 (NLT)
There are those who believe science can bring hope some freeze their bodies, using cryogenics …
Common sense, dead don’t rise!
6. Lack of satisfaction.
Thrill me to death!
Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied. Proverbs 27:20 (NLT)
Vancouver’s tone down Y2K celebrations really got some people upset, we’ve got have the same sort of thrills and chills, not satisfied but if it were done, barrage of letters to editor saying what a waste of taxpayers money, use money for hospitals, downtown eastside.
Human desire will never be satisfied… that’s what drives economy spend on desires, even if no money to pay for it.
To depart from righteousness is to choose a life of crushing burdens, failures, and disappointments, a life caught in the toils of endless problems that are never resolved. Here is the source of that unending opera, that sometimes horror show known as normal human life. The “cost of discipleship”, though it may take all we have, is small when compared to the lot of those who don’t accept Christ’s invitation to be a part of his company in The Way of life. - Dallas Willard in The Spirit of the Disciplines
Linda Kavelin Popov, BC Psychotherapist, quoted in Sun, appeared on Oprah
“Too many of our children are technical wizards and moral illiterates.” Society is churning out so real bad stuff but the unholy things it is feeding on.
7. And the ultimate cost of an unholy life is:
… Without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 (NIV)
B. Holiness: The Way to Go
for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16 (NIV)
“Follow me”
It’s a matter of position
we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus once for all… because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy… there is no longer any sacrifice for sin… let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith… Hebrews 10:10-22 (NIV)
Play out of position, gonna lose game.
It’s a matter of practice
And let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds. Hebrews 10:24
Play without practice, gonna lose game.
It’s a matter of perspective
Christ invites us to practice holiness just as He did:
Surely you know that Christ showed up in order to get rid of sin. There is no sin in him, and sin is not part of his program. No one who lives deeply in Christ makes a practice of sin. None of those who do practice sin have taken a good look at Christ. They’ve got him all backward… It’s person who acts right who is right, just as we see it lived out in our righteous Messiah… The one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God, nor is the one who won’t love brother or sister. A simple test. 1 John 3:5-10 (The Message)
Jesus, ultimate coach, his approach to sp.life. - how easy it was for him to make great statements, comebacks against bad teaching of Pharisees, things came easy. Why?
Overall preparation - put on the spot he comes through with spectacular sp. Slam dunks. Any star player like Jordan make difficult plays, score winning basket, because when they are away from the public eye they train, they build on to what they’ve acquired, they pay the price of preparation with real sweat so that when the buzzer sounds, their playing looks easy, spectacular, God-like. Come back find rest in position, practice spiritual disciplines, perspective.
Play only when you feel like it. You’re out. Keep playing through injuries, get it.
Educators often are challenged by this well-known stat, we retain
10% what we hear
50 say
70 see
90 do
Keep doing it, holiness!!
Who’s the coach?
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you an learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
… And his commands are not burdensome 1 John 5:3 (NIV)
His way is not that difficult, if overall prep. Training is there to support that life. Spiritual training, coach is here.
Encounter coach, seek his wisdom by His word, seek His personal encouragement in prayer, He knows our gifts, gifted to do, just do it, practice
Who’s the assistant coach?
… for in Christ I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. 1 Cor.4:15-17 (NIV)
One Sunday a farmer went to church. When he entered he saw that he and the preacher were the only ones present. The preacher asked the farmer if he wanted him to go ahead and preach. The farmer said: “I Ain’t too smart but if I went and feed my cattle and only one showed up, I’d feed him.” So the pastor began his sermon.
One hour passed, then two and two half hours. The preacher finally finished and came down and ask the farmer how he had liked the sermon.
The farmer answered slowly, “Well, I’m not very smart, but if I went to feed my cattle and only one showed up, I sure wouldn’t feed him all the hay.”
Feed people with content of word for sure, however, we need not feed them all the hay in one sitting. What’s more important, is the personal tie. God did not send pamphlets, packets of info., he sent Jesus. Jesus is sending us. See in life of Paul sending Tim. Personally relate to, follow. Holiness is grounded in way of life, practical down to earth, bodily personality not abstract Omm… or a mantra or some words muttered into nothingness, or reading words, or encounter persons, God is a person, a holy one, but nonetheless personal! Even Bruce Lee noted wisely:
“To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person.”
Inst. Of Am. Church growth folks who come to Christ -
79% - friends
6 - pastor
5 sun school
3 walk in
3 attracted program
2 special need
1 visitation
.5 evangelistic crusade
NO wonder, God envisions a holy nation to impact the world.
Did not envision an evangelistic crusade a la Graham
Did not special speakers, envision a holy nation.
When you move into holiness?
C. MY RESPONSE:
We are all players in this game called LIFE , it’s a hard game.
Many play foul, break rules, but is it worth it in the end? Lose big time!
So here we are.
May not look like big potential, but God loves to use people with little or no potential. Think of fishermen, tax collector -apostlesThink of Moses, an old guy who can’t speak well, David, a shepherd boy, defeated Goliath, became great king
Think of baby born in manger… King of Kings
God has assembled a team here, in this location, Pilgrim Baptist, why not work out, practice praying together, practice word, sharpen each other skills,
now build team together, build on the vision of holy nation.
Work on holiness, work in tandem asst. coaches
If our team is not playing by our coach’s instructions, the game called LIFE will fall apart, enlist help through asst. coaches God puts on our paths.
Who calls the plays in your life? Do you know your position? Or are you playing out of position. How’s practice? Perspective?
Who’s the asst, coach in your life? Have one, find one!
When will you make a serious move into holiness?
