12-26-2018

  Good Morning All,

      Leviticus 11:45; “Here is the reason again: I am the Lord. I brought you out of Egypt to be your God. Be holy because I am holy”

    We are to holy.  Wow; that is probably not going to happen any time soon.  I am a sinner; there is no possible way that I will be holy.  I don’t know the Bible that well; I miss church; I can’t say the creeds without reading them; I don’t know the books of the Bible; the only thing holy about me is my socks.

    This is a common thought among many Christians.  We can feel that God has just set the bar way out of reach.  It is easy to be discouraged and right after Christmas, too.  I was just feeling good with all those angels singing and a baby and the shepherds and now, I have to be holy.  I wish I could but there is no way I can be holy.

    Actually, you are holy.  The word “holy” doesn’t mean perfect or without flaw.  The word “holy” means to be set apart for the use by God.  When we consecrate the elements in Holy Communion; they are holy.  This is not because some special perfect person made them, shipped them, delivered them and put them on the altar.  These elements of bread and wine because they have been separated from the others and placed into special use by God.  To be holy is not about how we act but about the purpose for which God has made us His own.

    We are holy because God has declared us to be holy.  We are to be different because of our faith.  We are to be different from those who hate or destroy.  We are to be different than those who are idolaters or immoral or who live for themselves.  We are to be different because Jesus died to cleanse our sins and then rose to assure us of eternal life with Him.  We are different from the unbeliever because the unbeliever does not have Jesus and we do.  Jesus was holy; he was set apart by God to be our Redeemer.  We are holy because we are claimed by Jesus who makes us holy.

    So, are we perfect?  No, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t strive to be better.  Jesus’ death and resurrection pays for our sins and the Holy Spirit now dwells in us and moves us, motivates us and encourages us to follow God’s law as best we can.  This is what we should desire; we should desire to keep God’s law.  We do this because God has declared us holy and not because we are trying to impress God.  We try and live according to God’s will because our love moves that way as the Holy Spirit reminds us of God’s promises, of Jesus perfect love for us and of the hope of eternal life.  We are to be holy; to live a life of love and not selfishness.  We are to be holy; looking to God for our security and peace.  We are holy; serving God in all that we do.

Gracious Father, you have declared us holy by the blood of Jesus.  Guide our hearts with your great love and mercy.  Defend us and encourage us to be holy for you.  Lead us to those in this world who need your mercy spoken to them and who need to feel the loving embrace of your arms.  Use our hands and our voices to proclaim your grace.  In the precious name of Jesus, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret