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Text: 1 Peter 1:13-16
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I. Gird up mind. The race of holiness.
II. One thing you learn from the study of the tabernacle
is that the more “holy” a place becomes. . .the more
restrictive it becomes.
1. World
2. The camp of Israel. Several million. God’s
people.
3. The Linen Fence enclosure.
4. The Gate facing East.
5. Brazen Altar.
6. Brazen Laver.
7. Holy Place – priests by course.
8. Holiest of Holies – H.P. only once a year.
III. Matt. 7:13-14
“Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the
gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction
and many there be which go in thereat: (14) Because
STRAIT is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth
unto life, and FEW there be that FIND it.”
IV. S-T-R-A-I-T: not S-T-R-A-I-G-H-T.
1. Phil. 1:28 “For I am in a stait betwixt two,
having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ. . .or
to abide in the flesh.”
2. STRAIT: difficult situation, distressed, narrow
or confined, strict or rigid.
3. STRAIT- JACKET: narrow confining.
4. STRAIT- LACED: excessively strict.
V. Isa. 35:8
“And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it
shall be called The way of holiness;”
1. Matt. 7:13 & Isa 35:8: HOLINESS – STRAIT
2. Highway: opposite of contemporary usage.
3. HIGH (above others, exceptional) WAY (route)
4. Away from BROAD WAY toward more restrictive way.
VI. When you correctly read Matt. 7:13-14 or Luke
13:24: “STRIVE to enter in at the STRAIT gate. . .”
1. STRIVE: angonizonai – agonize
2. NARROW: thlibo – pressed.
3. STRAIT: stenos – groaning
4. You get a picture of a natural birth – intense,
agonizing, pressing, groaning”
5. “. . .kingdom suffereth violence. . .”
6. Joy and gladness are a RESULT of the New Birth
NOT the way in which one enters the kingdom of God.
VII. “Except a man be born of water and Spirit he cannot
ENTER the kingdom of God. . .”
1. Which takes you back to the Tabernacle scene:
Brazen Altar – Death (elab)
2. Brazen Laver – water
3. Holy Place – Holiest of Holies.
4. Acts 2:38
VIII. B.T.W: in the Holy Place:
1. Light in this room is not natural light.
2. Oil Lamps
3. Without this light cannot see “bread” (If this
gospel be hid. . .)
4. Could not see: Altar of Incense: Prayer, worship.
IX. Menorah: light bearer, lampstand.
1. Pure gold – of beaten work
2. One talent – approx. 125 lbs of pure gold.
3. Not molded like golden calf.
4. Unique, one of a kind.
5. Gold – divinity
6. Beaten work – Calvary.
X. Seven (7) Lamps
1. 7 spirits of God.
2. Pure Light – fullness of light (number 7)
3. Spectrum – 7 colors.
4. Light of the World!
XI. Lampstand is illuminated by its own light.
1. “No man can say Jesus is Lord but by the Holy
Ghost.”
2. The marvelous Light – revelation light!
XII. Each branch – 3 buds – 3 blossoms – 1 almond bowl.
1. Six branches, I central staff: Root and
offspring of Jesse!
2. BUD= FATHER
3. BLOSSUM= SON
4. ALMOND= HOLY GHOST
5. OT = BUD = FATHER
6. Matt – John = BLOSSUM = SON
7. Acts – Rev = ALMOND = HOLY GHOST
8. BUD OPENS TO MAKE BLOSSUM – BLOSSUM IS THE BUD
REVEALED!
9. God MANIFEST in the flesh.
10. No man hath seen God --- the Son hath revealed
Him.
11. SEEN me you have SEEN the Father.
12. BUD >>>> BLOSSUM
13. BLOSSUM dies to produce the ALMOND.
14. “If I go not away -----“
15. BUD >>>>> BLOSSUM >>>>> ALMOND
16. “Baptizing them in the NAME of the BUD, and of
BLOSSUM and of the ALMOND!”
17. HOLY Light!
XIII. World and Church operate on 2 very different value
systems.
1. Luke 16:15 (read)
2. The other side of that coin is: that which is
highly esteemed of God is abomination in the sight of
man!
XIV. The world, for the most part, does not use the
word “holy” in a complimentary form.
1. Derisive
2. Mockery
3. Holier-than-thou
4. Holy-Joe
5. Holy-roller
6. “Holy” to the world mean: Narrow-minded,
judgmental, bigot, self-righteous.
XV. The world finds no beauty in holiness, BUT to the
Church:
1. 2 Chron 20:21 – it is the battle song of victory!
2. To the world its: Bitterness not Beauty
XVI. WHY? Because carnal man is never comfortable in the
presence of holiness.
1. Luke 5:6-8
2. Peter didn’t feel comfortable.
XVII. Thieves and murders don’t seek fellowship in the
presence of policeman.
1. Isa. 33:14 (sinners in zion)
XVIII. This explains much as to WHY the multitudes
screamed for His blood and why the Pharisees hated Him.
1. Same reason that only dead prophets are honored.
2. Yet while they were alive they were rejected,
despised, persecuted by their contemporaries.
XIX. Isa 6:3 – HOLY, HOLY, HOLY
1. Rev 4:8
2. 2 wings – fly, 2 wings – COVER face, 2 wings –
COVER feet.
3. In His presence Angels who have NEVER sinned……
elab.
4. Angels blush in His presence!
5. Suppose how SINFUL man must feel?
6. Doorposts moved! Even the lifeless moved!
7. WOE IS ME! UNDONE!
XX. The significance of the repetition of the
word “holy”:
1. (not trinity)
2. Form of emphasis
3. In English: underline, bold, italics,
exclamation point, quotation marks.
4. O.T. Jews also used different techniques:
METHOD OF REPETITION.
5. Truly, Truly
6. Verily, Verily (amen, amen) [at front of
statement].
XXI. Only a few times does the Bible repeat something to
the 3rd degree – SUPERLATIVE degree – SUPER IMPORTANCE!
1. Not just Holy or Holy, Holy, but Holy, Holy,
Holy!!
2. Bible never says that God is: Love, love, love
or Mercy, mercy, mercy
3. BUT it does declare that He is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY!
XXII. Purity – usually we think of when we
consider “holiness.”
1. That is not the usage here, it is not saying God
is Purity, purity, purity.
2. The expression means: Separate, transcendence,
higher, exceeding usual limits.
XXIII. When “holy” is applied to earthly things, such as:
1. Holy Ground
2. Holy Anointing Oil
3. Holy Sabbath
4. Holy Tithe
5. and even Marriage
6. Means: set apart from the rest as for the sole
use of God.
7. Elab: Ground (Moses), Oil (tabernacle), Tithe,
Marriage (an institution of God)
XXIV. Jesus and Disciples on Boat: “What manner of man
is this?”
1. They were looking for a category to put Jesus
in – something they were familiar with.
2. No category adequate! A class all by Himself!
3. This makes people uncomfortable.
XXV. Pharisees: The separated ones.
1. They thought they were the epitome of holiness.
2. Jesus called them: hypocrites, vipers, whited
sepaclures
3. No wonder they hated Jesus.
4. “Now you have no cloak for your sins”
5. The genuine always exposes the conterfiet!
6. True holiness always provokes hatred.
THE CURVE BREAKER
7. Elab.
8. 35 best – 100
9. the curve breaker is never given a standing
ovation!
THE LAW: all sinned – came short!
10. Compared themselves among themselves.
11. Jesus was the curve breaker!
12. They hated Him!
We often use the wrong “H” word.
13. Happiness – Holiness
14. Invitation – Indictment
Why Calvary has no effect on some people.
1. Preaching of the Gospel has been relegated
to “feel-good-ism” and they have no real idea WHY Jesus
went to Calvary!
Paul before Felix: ACTS 24:24-25
1. Reasoned of SIN, RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUDGEMENT!
2. FELIX TREMBLED!
Jesus – separate from sinners.
1. An idea that we must be like them to win them.
2. Doctor and Cancer patient: shall the Doctor
strive to BE LIKE the patient or rather administer aid
to the patient?
Example of criminal scenario
1. Paid fine and suffered for his crime while he is
free, feeling no remorse, etc.
2. BUT Elab: facing cold cell doors, straps on
electric chair, etc.
3. THEN told that someone took his place!.
You and I guilty of Sin.
1. CONVICTION…….preached
Having understood my transgression and my dilemma, I
need no one to beg me to serve God, worship Him, or Live
for Him.
HOLY, HOLY, HOLY – Lord God Almighty!
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