The Need for A Holy Church | Vision Of WCC

The need for a holy church is great, because just like God called Israel to be holy in the Old Testament, He has called the church to be holy in the New Testament: “As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16). We tend to think something is holy if it is moral or righteous, and something is unholy if it immoral or unrighteous, but it’s better to understand holy means separate. For example: When Moses approached the burning bush, God told him he was standing on holy ground, not because the ground was better than other areas of ground, but because it was set apart for God. If there were two identical vessels, but one was used in the temple and one wasn’t, the one in the temple was holy because it’s set apart for God. Israel was holy by keeping ceremonial commands (those dealing with tassels, foods, clothing, farming), and the church is holy by being separate from the world: “Do not be conformed to this world…do not love the world or the things in the world…friendship with the world is enmity with God” (Romans 12:2, 1 John 2:15, James 4:4). https://youtu.be/05RN--psIgU The need for a holy church is great, because just like God called Israel to be holy, He has called the church to be holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). Table of ContentsSermon Lessons for The Need for A Holy ChurchFamily Worship Guide for The Need for A Holy ChurchSermon Notes for The Need for A Holy ChurchLesson one: God always has an inside and outside.Lesson two: holiness separates the inside from the outside.Lesson three: holiness in the church means avoiding worldliness.Lesson four: seeker sensitive churches blur the line between the inside and outside.Lesson five: draw the line at immorality when being “all things to all people.” Sermon Lessons for The Need for A Holy Church Lesson one: God always has an ____________ and ______________ (Matthew 21:31, Mark 4:11, Luke 16:16, Colossians 4:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:12, 1 Corinthians 5:12-13, Revelation 22:14). Lesson two: ________________ __________________ the inside from the outside (1 Peter 1:15). Lesson three: holiness in the church means ________________ ______________________ (Romans 12:2, 1 John 2:15, James 4:4, Hebrews 12:14). Lesson four: ____________ __________________ churches blur the line between inside and outside (1 Corinthians 9:19-21, Galatians 5:6, 6:15, Acts 15:5, 16:3, 18:18). Lesson five: draw the line ____ ____________________ when being “all things to all people” (1 Corinthians 8:7-12, 9:22). Family Worship Guide for The Need for A Holy Church Directions: Read the verses and then answer the following questions: Day one: Matthew 21:31, Mark 4:11, Luke 16:16, Colossians 4:5, 1 Thessalonians 4:12, 1 Corinthians 5:12-13, Revelation 22:14. What does it mean that God has always had an inside and an outside? Why do you think this is the case? Can you think of any other examples in the Bible of an inside and outside that were not mentioned in the sermon? Day two: 1 Peter 1:15, Romans 12:2, 1 John 2:15, James 4:4, Hebrews 12:14). What are some moral commands in the Old Testament? What are some ceremonial commands? What are the differences between them, and why are they so important? What did it look like for Israel to be holy in the Old Testament? What does it look like for the church to be holy in the New Testament? Why is holiness so important for the church? Day three: 1 Corinthians 9:19-22, Galatians 5:6, 6:15, Acts 15:5, 16:3, 18:18. We appreciate the seeker sensitive churches’ desire to reach the lost, but in what way or ways do they typically err? What does it mean to “be all things to all people”? What does it not mean? How do we know where to draw the line? What are some amoral things Paul did to reach unbelievers? In what way, or ways, is Christ the greatest example of becoming “all things to all people that He might save some”? Sermon Notes for The Need for A Holy Church The title of this morning’s sermon is “The Need for a Holy Church.” Katie and I had a wonderful time in California last week. We were able to see many dear friends. Grace Baptist will always have a special place in our hearts. My previous mentor, Joe Gruchacz, left the ministry, but he still attended the conference with his wife, Janet, and spent an evening with us. I met the new pastor, Tim Dinkins, at last year’s Shepherd’s Conference. We get along very well and were able to spend quite a bit of time together. It was a wonderful time, but we are glad to be back. I appreciate Pastor Nathan preaching for me, and I really enjoyed his sermon. If you haven’t listened to it, I would encourage you to do so. Let’s pray. Last time I preached I shared that we were going to talk about the vision of our church. We haven’t done so for over seven years. In this morning’s sermon, as you can tell from the title, we’re going to talk about holiness. It is part of our vision to have a holy church, and I want you to understand why that’s the case. I’m going to back up and get a little momentum by asking you to consider that God always has an inside and outside…and this brings us to lesson one… Lesson one: God always has an inside and outside. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I think it’s worth repeating, because it helps explain why holiness is so important. God has always separated His people from those who are not His people by having an inside and an outside. I’d say the devil – and the demons with him – were the first ones to learn God establishes an inside and outside. The devil was inside heaven, but when he sinned he was cast outside…and the third of the angels who joined him were as well. Who were the next people to learn there’s an inside and outside? I’ll give you a hint: they’re the first people! Adam and Eve were inside Eden, but then they learned there was also an outside. A few chapters later it started raining and what did everyone learn? There’s inside the ark and outside the ark. As you move through the Old Testament, you see every historical book deals with an “inside” and “outside”: In Exodus, God unleashed the plagues on Egypt, and everyone learned there was: Inside Goshen where the Israelites were safe. Outside Goshen where the Egyptians were unsafe. Then God delivered Israel from Egypt and it was clear there was inside Egypt and outside Egypt. In Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy Israel traveled through the wilderness and there was inside the camp and outside the camp. In Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings and Chronicles there was inside the Promised Land and outside the Promised Land. If we leave the Old Testament and move into the New Testament, we reach the Gospels and the pattern continues… What did Jesus bring with Him when He came from heaven to earth? The Kingdom of God, and there was an inside and outside: Matthew 21:31b Jesus said to [the religious leaders], “The tax collectors and prostitutes go INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD BEFORE YOU.” Mark 4:11 [Jesus said], “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but FOR THOSE OUTSIDE everything is in parables. Luke 16:16 [Jesus said], “The kingdom of God is preached, and everyone FORCES HIS WAY INTO IT.” You reach Acts, and now there’s inside the church and outside the church: Colossians 4:5 Walk in wisdom TOWARD OUTSIDERS. 1 Thessalonians 4:12 Walk properly BEFORE OUTSIDERS. When Paul described the qualifications for elders in 1 Timothy 3:7 he said [elders] must be well thought of BY OUTSIDERS. 1 Corinthians 5:12 What have I to do with judging outsiders? (Paul says we don’t have to worry about judging – or confronting the sin of – those outside the church) Is it not those INSIDE THE CHURCH whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those OUTSIDE. The pattern even continues for eternity… Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that THEY MAY ENTER THE CITY BY THE GATES. 15 OUTSIDE are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. Believers are inside. Unbelievers are outside…for all eternity. Now let me ask you to think about something… In the Old Testament the boundaries were physical. Eden… The ark… Goshen… The camp in the wilderness… The Promised Land… Had physical boundaries establishing the inside and outside. But when you reach the New Testament, there’s no physical boundaries. The church is spiritual. So let me ask you this… How do we create the boundary between inside and outside and the church? This brings us to Lesson 2… Lesson two: holiness separates the inside from the outside. Holiness is what allows people to recognize they have: Left the world and entered the church Moved from being among those who are not God’s people to being among those who are God’s people But without holiness: You can’t tell the difference between the church and the world. You can’t tell if you’re still among those who are God’s people or among those who are not God’s people There is no separation. The inside looks like the outside. Briefly take your minds to the Old Testament… There were moral commands, such as those forbidding lying, stealing, adultery, and murder. But there were also amoral commands that were ceremonial to help God’s people be holy. These are the commands we typically think are weird: The commands associated with clothing: Tassels they had to wear Fabrics they weren’t supposed to mix together The commands associated with farming certain ways. The discussion of beards: Leviticus 19:27 You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard. Some of you are so unholy you don’t even have beards :-).