You Shall Be Holy
01/18/09 PM
Text: 1 Peter 1:16
Introduction
Colossians 3:16 (NASB) Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
I found out this morning during the opening of our service that I didn’t have a full understanding of this verse. Or perhaps it is fair to say that my understanding became more complete as our brother Logan directed us to this hymn this morning. As we prepared to begin offering up our voices in praise to God I read the scripture written beneath the title of the hymn “Take Time To Be Holy.” The reference was 1 Peter 1:16. What followed in the breath before singing was a flurry of thoughts in my head which became the lesson I offer you this evening.
Let me begin with what little I could glean concerning this hymn and its author:
For many years the only information known about this gospel song was what Ira D. Sankey wrote in his autobiography. Sankey (1840-1908) was the well-known gospel singer and hymn writer who accompanied Dwight L. Moody in the late 1800's as the two of them traveled all over the world holding camp meetings and revivals.
In 1873, Sankey first published a collection of the gospel songs he sang in the revivals. Many gospel songs still in common use today became popular by inclusion in his collections. One of his collections is still in use in England today. And his autobiography is the source work of information about many gospel songs.
"Take Time to Be Holy," Sankey says, was written by William Dunn Longstaff (1822-1894) after hearing a sermon on I Peter 1:16. However, many years later the composer of the tune, George C. Stebbins, said that Longstaff wrote the hymn after hearing a missionary to China being quoted as saying, "Take time and be holy" at a meeting he attended. Whatever the origin (and both elements may be equally true, when you think about it), Stebbins had received the poem from a friend in 1890, who had clipped it from a periodical. Later, while Stebbins was spending a winter in India assisting Dr. George F. Pentecost and Bishop Thoburn in evangelistic and conference work, he recalled that he had the slip of paper with him. He promptly set music to the words and sent it off to Sankey in New York. Part of the reason Sankey probably accepted it was on the basis of his long-time friendship with Longstaff. Sankey published it first in 1890.
In our lesson this evening we will examine 1 Peter 1:16 in light of the hymn which it inspired.
The quotation used by Peter could have been from several different Old Testament texts, God made this statement to His people more than once. However because Peter was dealing with the concept of our Salvation I suspect it likely that he was quoting
Leviticus 11:45 (NASB) ‘For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.’” The analogy of our salvation, our freedom from the bondage of sin, mirroring the freedom of Israel from the bondage of Egypt.
Whichever the source, the imperative is the same for us today as it was for the children of Israel: we are to be holy as our God is holy.
We are given some very valuable insights to help us on our way in the hymn “Take Time To Be Holy.”
I.Holy People Spend Time With God
A.In prayer (speak oft with thy Lord)
1)1 Thessalonians 5:16 - 18 (NASB) Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
a.These are imperatives – commands which are on going, not singular activities.
b.Spending time rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks to our Holy God brings us closer to Him and His Holiness.
2)Philippians 4:4 - 7 (NASB) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
a.The peace of God can act like a soldier on guard to protect our heart and mind. It will not allow anxiety and fear to sneak back in.
1)The peace of God is stronger than the worry and fear of the flesh. Just as God is greater than our situations and circumstances so is God’s peace greater than our inward worries and fears.
2)We can experience perfect inward peace and tranquility in the midst of the most trying circumstances and severe tribulations. This does not seem possible nor rational. But, that is why Paul says that “the peace of God… surpasses all comprehension.”
b.Jesus said, in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
3)The time we spend with God in prayer will increase our holiness and bring the peace of God to our hearts.
B.In Study of His word (and feed on His word)
1)Matthew 5:6 (NASB) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
a.1 Peter 2:2 (NASB) like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
b.John 1:1 (NASB) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (v14 and the word became flesh.)
c.John 6:48 - 54 (NASB) “I am the bread of life. “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. “This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
d.We become more holy by spending time in His word and partaking of the body of Jesus in faithful obedience to His commandments.
C.In Trust of God (each thought and each motive under His control)
1)“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
a.Paul is saying, “Here are 8 filters. Everything you hear and everything you see needs to pass through them. And if it doesn’t make it through these 8 filters then it shouldn’t be in your mind and in your heart.”
b.There is so much garbage in this world. And the old saying "garbage in, garbage out" is true. So think about it. Can the movies you see, and the TV programs you watch, and the music you listen to pass through these 8 filters?
c.Paul says, “Put everything through these 8 filters. If it’s not true, then don’t welcome it. If it’s not noble, if it’s not right, or pure or lovely or admirable or excellent or praiseworthy, don’t let it find a home in your heart. And if you’ll use these filters you’ll have peace with God.”
2)Matthew 6:33 (NASB) “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
a.If we would be more holy we must make God’s priorities our own and trust He will provide what we need in this life.
D.In Fellowship
1)Hebrews 10:24 - 25 (NASB) and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near
a.1 Corinthians 12:27 (NASB) Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.
b.Paul wrote to the church in Corinth and in Rome that the body of Christ is made up of many members and we all have a role, a part to play. When we are absent from the body the body suffers and we suffer.
2)1 Corinthians 15:33 (NASB) Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
3)If we would be holy we need spend time with like minded people.
E.Led by His Spirit, Fit For Service Above
1)Galatians 5:25 (NASB) If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
a.Living and walking by the Spirit of God means practicing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 (NASB) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.)
2)Being led by His Spirit will find us fit for His service.
a.Titus 2:11 - 14 (NASB) For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
CONCLUSION
God commands that we be Holy as He is Holy. We can bring the Holiness of God to our lives by prayer, study, trust, fellowship, and allowing our lives to be led by His Spirit that we might be fit for His service, both here and in eternity.
Invitation
