Be Holy - "Who, me?" February 9, 2014

Be Holy -“Who, me?”

Exodus 19:1-6, I Peter 1:3-9, 13-16

February 9, 2014

Grace Presbyterian Church

Rev. Dr. Richard E. Miller

Donna’s Valentine Card  I found out this morning that Dona Troutwein’s birthday is tomorrow. “Mark, did you remember to buy a birthday card for Donna?” Good. But what you didn’t know was that Donna has picked out a beautiful Valentine card to give to you this Friday. There’s a large heart on the cover with flowers around the edges. Isn’t that nice?  However, what Donna wrote inside is even nicer. [Mark, this is a spoiler alert. If you don’t want to know ahead of time, put your hands over your ears.] Ok. Are you ready? Donna wrote, “My beloved Saint Mark. You are most holy. I love you.” Isn’t that sweet? Telling your husband that he is both a saint and holy? That surely beats “Roses are red, violets are blue. Sugar is sweet and so are you.”

            Now Mark I know you heard what I just said so when you open Donna’s card, act surprised and pretend you haven’t heard about it in advance. But inwardly you might be thinking “Me a saint? Me holy? No way!” And I think most of us would feel the same way since we are all too aware of our shortcomings and sins.

            Yet the fact is that each of us here this morning is a bonafide, certified saint. And each of us Is holy, at least at times. Why do I say this? Because the Biblical definition of a saint is simply a forgiven sinner. Since all of us are forgiven sinners, all of us are saints. However, as I mentioned last week, forgiveness is not a license to sin again, but instead is a call to a holy life.

            Holy is an amazing word. We hear it used in many ways. For instance, people say, “Holy Smoke”, “Holy Mackerel”, “Holy Cow”, “Holy Moly” and “Holy Toledo.” At least those are phrases which people used to say years ago when profanity wasn’t such a popular expression of choice.

           

As Christians we refer to the Holy Bible. In our prayers we use the term Holy God. In the Bible, the word holy is used in numerous ways, such as holy ground (Exod 3:5), a holy assembly (Exodus 12:16), a holy sabbath (Exodus 20:8), holy garments, holy anointing oil (Exodus 30), and the most sacred room in the Temple is called the Holy of Holies. (Exodus 26:33). How can so many things be holy?

Definition of Holy  The answer to that is by noting that the word for holy in Hebrew is “kadosh” and in Greek is “hagios.” Both words are used to describe any person or thing which God has set apart for his divine purpose.

            Thus, this sanctuary is holy because it is set aside for a sacred use. If we no longer worshiped here but instead turned it into a grocery store or converted it into apartments, it would no longer be holy. I remember a little, rural one-room church that was built in the late 1800s right next to my father-in-law’s farm in Illinois. For years people gathered very Sunday to worship. It was a holy place and a holy building sitting on holy ground. But then the congregation dwindled and it closed. Then the church building was used to store feed for the cattle. It no longer was a holy church but a storage bin. Finally the building was taken down. I have one of the stained glass windows from that church in my house. I still look upon it as being holy.

            Last Sunday we celebrated Holy Communion. The bread and juice we used  were purchased at a store. They only became holy elements when they were set apart from their everyday use to the sacred use in the Lord’s Supper.

            We, as a congregation, become holy because we meet to praise and worship God. Sunday as the Sabbath day is holy because it is different from other days since it is a day of worship and a day of rest. Our Bible is holy because it is God’s written Word set apart for his exclusive use.

           

            So Mark and the rest of us are saints because we have been forgiven, and we are holy when God uses us for his purposes. For instance, whenever people see in us the fruits of God’s Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, we are holy. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Being Holy in a Secular World  In the Church of today, the sharp contrast between Christians and the world has become blurred. We say “A Christian doesn’t need to be so very different from the heathen or atheist down the street.” Often we try to keep our walk with Christ a secret from people around us. And too often we succeed. Many times our actions and speech are secularly directed rather than being divinely inspired.

            The story is told of a church-going man that worked for an atheist. For many years he had tried to get his boss to come to church with him. But his boss wouldn’t come. However, during those years, the man also had been taking files home from the office for his personal use. He had rationalized his actions by thinking that he was underpaid and this was one way he could make up for it. However, a strange thing happened. Guilt. And so he went to his boss, confessed his acts of stealing and paid for all the files that he had taken. His boss asked him why he was doing this. He replied that he was a Christian and that he realized what he had done was wrong. His boss said, “You’ve shown me one important thing today. Only a Christian would come, ask forgiveness and repay me. I will be in church this coming Sunday.” For that moment in time, the man was holy.

            Peter’s Letter  In our morning scripture, Peter writes to Christians in Asia Minor who are being persecuted by the Emperor Nero. He urges them to stand fast in their Christian commitment by reminding them that they have been chosen and destined by God to be obedient to Jesus Christ. Here the key word is “obedient.”  

+ In the midst of their trials, they are to remain obedient. 

+ In the midst of pressures to renounce their faith and go along with the crowd, they are to remain obedient.

+ In the midst of temptations to follow other gods, they are to remain obedient.

Now why should they do this?

Paul explains that God has saved them from sin, from the perils of the present age, and from the power of death. They did not deserve this, but because of God’s mercy, he has given it to them and they are to respond in thankful obedience.

Be Holy in all your Conduct  He ends this portion of the letter by saying, “Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." [See Leviticus 11:44,45]  

Be not conformed to your former desires. Instead, be holy in all your conduct. There it is! The command to be holy! The command to become living letters of recommendation for Christ to all whom we meet.

The command to be the aroma of Christ  and the ambassador for Christ with each act we perform.

The command to become living stones with which God can build a holy church.

The command to be the light of Christ to a world living in darkness.

Not Holy All the Time Obviously, we aren’t holy all the time. Actually we slip in and out of holiness. Thus at any particular moment, things and people are either holy or not holy. Either they are being used by God to carry out his purpose or they’re not. Whether or not our time on this earth is holy is up to us.

            So, when we say that we are holy, we are saying that our lives are conditioned and directed by Christ.

To be holy doesn’t mean we’re perfect or “holier than thou.” It doesn’t mean we’re better than others. It doesn’t mean we’re sinless. It doesn’t mean we spend our days shining our halos. It simply means we are doing our best to live out, day by day, God’s purpose for our lives.

Final Thoughts  How can we do this?

Each time we allow God to use us - our voice, our hands, our money, our talent - we become holy.

Each time we let go of resentments, regrets and revenge, we become holy. 

Each time we forgive someone, We become holy.

Each time we treat one another with dignity and respect and refuse to gossip, we become holy.

Each time we stop using profanity and hold our temper in check, we become holy.

Each time we reach out to invite someone to church, we become. 

Paul captured the idea of being holy when he wrote, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” [Colossians 3:17 ]

            The story is told of a minister who asked the children what a saint was. One of the children looked at the stained glass windows and said, “A saint is a person the sun shines through.” If whatever we say is said in the name of the Lord Jesus, and if whatever we do is done in the name of the Lord Jesus, then the light of Christ will shine through our lives and we will become holy. And now Donna’s card to her holy St. Mark makes sense. May the time we have left to live on this earth be holy in every way. Amen.

Exodus 19:1-6 NRSV

At the third new moon after the Israelites had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day, they came into the wilderness of Sinai. They had journeyed from Rephidim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain. Then Moses went up to God; the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.’

I Peter 1:3-9, 13-16 NRSV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct; for it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’