Please note.
The beginning of this sermon was not recorded.
Posted below is the manuscript of the beginning of the sermon. Many thanks to Tom for preaching and for supplying the manuscript.
The question I have for today is this.
How can sinners serve a Holy God?
That’s a very heavy question isn’t it?
For those of us who follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, God has called us as Christians to be Holy. To be set apart from the world, to live for Jesus and to serve God in all that we say, think, and do.
1 Peter chapter 1 verses 15 to 16 says: 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.”
We are called to be a holy people, for God is holy.
We are called to be Holy because we are a chosen people. We are a royal priesthood of believers. We are God’s special possession.
And as God’s people, we are meant to be reflecting the nation that we belong to: the Kingdom of God.
The Apostle Peter later says in 2 Peter 1 verses 5-8 to:
make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Goodness, Knowledge, Self-Control, Perseverance, Godliness, Mutual affection, Love.
All good things. All Holy things. But does doing all these things make us Holy? Is that how sinners serve a Holy God? Well, let’s go back to Haggai, let’s see what he says in today’s text....
