Sermon Central
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The Sanctification Mirror Series
Contributed by Troy Borst on Aug 21, 2019 (message contributor)
Summary: EXAMINATION, may we INTENTLY LOOK at the Word of God. CONSISTENCY, may we CONTINUALLY LOOK for God’s will. ACTION, may we take Christianity seriously and are DOERS of the Word.
APPLICATION ministry127.com/resources/illustration/sanctification-demonstrated-by-an-iceberg
The meaning and take away for the sermon this morning is very much dependent on where you are in your walk with the Lord.
The process of sanctification can be compared to an iceberg, which is almost 90% underwater. As the sun shines on the iceberg, the exposed part melts, moving the lower part upward. In the same way, we are usually aware of only a small part of our sinfulness and need, which is all we can deal with at any one time. However, as the light of God’s work in our lives changes us in the areas we know about, we become aware of new areas needing the work of God.
In our EXAMINATION, may we be believers who INTENTLY LOOK at the Word of God.
In our CONSISTENCY, may we be believers who CONTINUALLY LOOK for God’s will.
In our ACTION, may we be believers who take Christianity seriously and are DOERS of the Word.
INVITATION
One of the things James says in this passage is that the Gospel is “the perfect law that gives freedom.” What does he mean by that? Well, each of us deals with our sinful nature in our lives. All of us sin. All of us do and say things that are wrong. We have wrong attitudes. Sin keeps us trapped in guilt and separated from God. Sin separates us from God and actually restricts us from following Him.
Psalm 119:45, “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out Your precepts.” You see God’s way leads us out of sin and into a way that gives freedom to have life. John 8:31-32 says, “To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, "If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Faith in Jesus Christ allows us to have the freedom to be forgiven and to have a relationship with God. Without Jesus, we are trapped in sin and unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” So we are free to be forgiven. We are free to be purified. We are free to be righteous. That is the freedom that James is talking about in this passage. We are free to pursue God even though we are sinful people. That is the gift of grace.
PRAYER
