Chosen, Part 1: Holiness

  (1 Peter 2:9) “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Title: Holiness(1 Peter 1:13)  “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”(1 Peter 1:14-16) “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."Holiness means:  different, pure, clean, set apartWhen it comes to Holiness: 1.    Am I living different than the world?(1 Peter 1:17)  “Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.” (John 15:19) “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (1 John 2:15) “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”VIDEO(Luke 12:15) "….Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."(Luke 12:16-18) “And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. (Luke 12:19) “And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' (Luke 12:20) "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'(Luke 12:21) "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."2.    Is my heart pure?(Hebrews 12:14 NLT) “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” (Matthew 5:8) “God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.” 3.    Am I living a clean life?(2 Corinthians 6:14-18) (Msg) “Don't become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That's not partnership; that's war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God's holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way: "I'll live in them, move into them; I'll be their God and they'll be my people. So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good," says God. "Don't link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself. I'll be a Father to you; you'll be sons and daughters to me." (1 Corinthians 15:33)  “Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."(Psalm 51:10) (21st Century KJV) “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”4.    Can I live a life that is set apart?(Acts 26:12-18)  “One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’ “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future. And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’(Matthew 5:39-42) (CEV) “But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek. If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well. If a soldier forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles. When people ask you for something, give it to them. When they want to borrow money, lend it to them.”(1 Peter 1:14-16) “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."What is the Holy Spirit saying to me right now? PrayerCOMMUNION(Hebrews 10:10)  “..we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” For more information on the vision of Freedom Church, please visit our website at www.freedom-church.org