Called to be Holy: 1 Corinthians 1v1-9

Help us.

Our Father God, we thank you for the church and for this church family.

We thank you for every person who is here and every family that is represented.

We thank you for your love to us.

We thank you for your kindness.

And Father, as we meet together like this and as we live together as your people,

we want to become the kind of people you call us to be.

We want to be the kind of church that you say we should be, not what we think or what we decide.

And so we pray for your help and your power to be at work within us,

to show us who you are like and what you are like,

so that we too become people who reflect you

and people who show you to the world around us.

We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Amen.

The problem with this church is...

I wonder how would you complete that sentence?

And please don't shout out.

You can have a private word with me on the way out if you like.

Well, whatever you think the problems are in this church,

the problems in Corinth are very disturbing.

Have a look at chapter 3 and verse 1.

Chapter 3, verse 1.

Brothers and sisters,

I could not address you as spiritual,

but as worldly.

Mere infants in Christ.

You see, this church in Corinth behaved more like the world around them

than the Christ they claimed to follow.

And the problems were indeed very serious.

Just look at verse 3 of chapter 3.

You are still worldly,

for since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you,

are you not worldly?

Are you not acting like mere men?

But you know what?

All that jealousy and quarrelling was just the tip of the iceberg.

Have a look at chapter 5, verse 1.

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you

and of a kind that does not occur even among the pagans.

A man has his father's wife.

They were very serious problems.

In fact, the problems were very, very deep.

They were fighting with each other

and they were suing each other,

taking each other to court.

Have a look at chapter 6, verse 5.

Chapter 6, verse 5.

I say this to shame you.

Is it possible that there is nobody among you

wise enough to judge a dispute between yourselves?

But instead, one brother goes to law against another

and this in front of unbelievers.

So not only were they making a mess of their own lives,

they were a bad witness to those around them.

And to cap it all off,

their church services, gatherings just like this,

were like a drunken feast.

Have a look at chapter 11, verse 20.

Chapter 11, verse 20.

So he's describing a gathering when they come together.

Verse 20, when you come together,

it is not the Lord's supper you eat,

so it's not communion or the Eucharist

that you're sharing in together.

For as you eat, each of you goes ahead

without waiting for anybody else.

One remains hungry, another gets drunk.

So this indeed was a very messy church.

Rather than look like Christ,

they actually looked like the world around them.

No wonder that Paul would tell them in no uncertain terms

at the very end in chapter 15, verse 34.

He is absolutely crystal clear in what he says

chapter 15, verse 34.

Come back to your senses as you ought

and stop sinning.

But let's not be too quick to point fingers.

You see, this isn't just a Corinth problem.

This is a church problem.

It is a carigoline problem.

Because we too are messy people.

We also fail and fall.

We also gossip and quarrel.

We get jealous with one another.

We fall out with each other.

We judge ourselves to be superior and others inferior.

Our marriages are not always what they should be.

We mightn't sleep around,

but we secretly watch porn.

We mightn't turn up to church drunk,

but it can happen when we're out with our friends.

The sad reality is church is messy.

And we too, myself included,

are messy people.

So what should we do with a church

when its behaviour is actually more worldly

than spiritual?

Do we just shut it down?

Say start again,

tell everybody go home,

that's it,

that's the end,

that's finished.

What would Paul,

or what would God,

have to say to this church

through Paul?

Well,

go back to chapter 1 of Corinthians.

Chapter 1 and verse 2.

Look at what he says

to this church.

Verse 2.

To the church of God in Corinth,

to those sanctified,

and sanctified means to be made holy.

So to the church of God in Corinth,

to those made holy in Christ Jesus,

and called to be holy.

Now isn't that amazing?

We might not always look like

the holy church of God,

but that is what we are.

This messy church,

with all its problems,

beginning of verse 2,

is still God's church.

We are his holy people,

set apart from him,

or for him,

and belonging to him.

That's why Paul,

knowing what the church was like,

as he would go on to describe

all the mess that was going on,

and try to correct all the problems,

he could still say this

at the very beginning.

Look at verse 4.

I always thank God for you.

Isn't that amazing?

Despite all the ongoing struggles,

and all the mess in our lives,

we can still say,

thank you to God,

for the church,

and for one another.

Because,

we are loved by God,

treasured by God,

we are his people,

the holy church of God.

But,

how can a messy church,

be also,

a holy church?

Because,

the two things,

seem in contradiction.

There's a bit of a tension.

On the one hand,

we've just seen,

what a mess they are.

And then,

at the very beginning,

he's saying,

you're a holy church.

How can that be?

How do you put those two things together?

Well,

we need reminded of two things.

Here's the first one.

First,

we have been made holy.

Let's read verse two again,

of chapter one.

To the church of God,

in Corinth,

to those sanctified,

in Christ Jesus.

Now,

we often come across that word,

sanctified,

in the Bible.

And it simply means,

to be made clean,

and to be made pure,

deep within our lives.

In other words,

it's to be made holy,

so that we are acceptable to God.

You see,

throughout the Bible,

God reveals himself,

as the only one who is holy.

You start at the very beginning of the Bible,

and very quickly,

God introduces himself,

as holy.

We read it at the very beginning.

He says,

be holy because,

I am holy.

He declares himself,

to be perfectly pure,

in all that he is,

and all that he does.

He's perfect in love,

perfect in goodness,

perfect in his justice,

perfect in mercy.

He is absolutely pure.

There is no fault,

there is no blame,

there is no sin,

there is no evil,

there is no wrong,

he never gets cross.

Everything is perfectly pure,

and good,

and beautiful.

That is what God is like.

And he sets the standard,

for perfection,

and purity.

And because God is holy,

that means,

by nature,

he cannot tolerate anything,

or anyone that is unholy.

Holy and unholy,

cannot mix together.

They are distinct,

they are separate.

Just like oil and water,

you can't mix the two,

they can't be together.

And in the same way,

God in his holiness is one,

and we in our unholiness,

are another.

So that leaves,

unholy people like you and me,

separate from God,

and under his pure judgment.

But look what it says in verse 2.

To the church of God,

in Corinth,

to those made holy,

or sanctified,

in Christ Jesus.

Christ,

who is the God-man,

God who became flesh and blood,

and walked this earth,

is perfectly pure.

And he entered into our imperfect,

impure world.

And Christ,

who is holy,

took on our unholiness on himself.

And he has given to us,

and he has given to us,

his holiness,

so that we are treated,

as if we are holy.

I'm going to repeat that again,

because that is central,

to what it is to be made holy.

Christ,

who is holy,

he came and took,

our unholiness on himself,

died on the cross,

and took the blame,

for our unholiness.

And in place of that,

has given to us,

his holiness,

so that,

we are treated,

as if we are holy.

Have a look at chapter 1,

verse 30.

It tells us there,

chapter 1,

verse 30,

it is because of him,

that is,

it is because of God's work,

not our work,

God's work,

it is because of him,

that you are in Christ Jesus,

who has become for us,

wisdom from God,

that is,

our righteousness,

our holiness,

and our redemption.

Through our faith in Jesus,

we have been made clean,

we have been washed,

deep inside of us.

Our sin has been dealt with,

so that messy people,

like you and me,

are presented before God,

as acceptable,

and holy.

Now that,

is something amazing.

Messy me,

in all my failures,

and in all my falling,

because of my faith in Jesus,

am presented before God,

and treated,

as if,

I am holy.

Now,

incredibly,

the work that God begins,

in us like that,

lasts forever.

It doesn't just happen for a day,

our faith in Jesus means,

it happens for,

an eternity.

Look at verse 8,

of chapter 1.

It tells us this,

he will keep you strong,

to the end,

so that you will be blameless,

and that word blameless,

is connected to the word,

holy,

it's to be pure,

to be right,

before God.

So,

you will be blameless,

on the day,

of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So when Jesus comes back again,

on that day,

you will be presented,

as blameless,

holy,

pure,

perfect,

before him.

What God,

has made,

holy,

if God has done,

that work in you,

you cannot be,

made,

unholy.

If God,

has made you,

holy,

you are kept,

holy.

His cleansing work,

in our lives,

has an eternal,

impact.

Yes,

we are messy people,

but we are also,

God's,

holy people.

We are a,

messy church,

but God,

has made us,

his,

holy church.

That's incredible.

Now,

that doesn't mean,

we ignore,

all the sinful mess,

and go,

okay,

I'm a messy person,

God has made me,

holy,

doesn't matter how I live,

I do whatever I like.

No,

if we understand it correctly,

being made,

holy,

also means,

we begin to live,

holy lives.

Look at the rest,

of verse two.

We'll read it again.

To the church of God,

in Corinth,

to those sanctified,

or made holy,

in Christ Jesus,

and called,

to be holy.

And in case you don't think,

it applies to us,

read the rest of the verse.

We are called to be holy,

together,

with all those,

everywhere,

who call on the name,

of the Lord Jesus Christ,

their Lord,

and ours.

So this is written,

to the church then,

but it applies,

to every Christian,

in every church,

now.

God has given us,

his holiness,

and now he calls us,

to start living out,

that holy life.

You're made holy,

now go and be holy.

Go and live,

a holy life.

There's a great scene,

at the end of,

The Lion,

the Witch,

and the Wardrobe,

that great series,

by C.S. Lewis.

And those four characters,

Peter,

Susan,

Lucy,

and Edmund,

at the very end,

of that story,

they've all arrived,

at the great hall,

of Kerr Paval.

And as they arrive,

they're met,

by Aslan,

the Lion.

And this is,

what it says.

In the presence,

of all their friends,

and to the sound of trumpets,

Aslan solemnly crowned them,

and led them to their four thrones,

amid deafening shouts of,

Long live King Peter!

Long live Queen Susan!

Long live King Edmund!

Long live Queen Lucy!

And then Aslan says,

Once a king or queen in Narnia,

always a king or queen.

Bear it well, sons of Adam.

Bear it well, daughters of Eve.

Now can you see the parallel?

Hello?

God has welcomed us,

into his family,

and he has crowned us,

if you like,

with his holiness.

He has dressed us,

and robed us,

with his holiness.

And once we are made,

holy by God,

always holy before God.

Now bear it well,

sons of God.

Bear it well,

daughters of God.

Live out your new life of holiness.

You have been crowned with holiness.

Now become what you have been made to be.

Start living like Christ,

and stop looking like the world.

And let's be clear,

as to the calling of this,

that doesn't just mean a little private aspect

of a couple of hours on a Sunday morning.

This calling to live a holy life

covers every aspect of our life.

Let me give you just one pointer to that.

Have a look at chapter 6,

verse 19.

Chapter 6, verse 19.

So we're made holy,

we're called to be holy,

and this calling

is covering

every aspect of our lives.

Look at chapter 6, verse 19.

Do you not know that your body,

so your physical body,

as you're sitting there

and I'm standing here,

your body is a temple

of the Holy Spirit,

the perfect,

the perfect, pure Spirit of God.

Your body,

your life,

if you are a Christian,

you are a home

of the Holy,

pure Spirit,

your life.

Who is in you,

whom you have received

from God.

You are not your own.

You don't belong

to yourself anymore.

You don't live

your kind of way.

You now belong to God.

You're God's holy people.

Verse 20.

You were bought

at a price.

Therefore,

honour God

with your body.

We've been made

the holy people of God.

We have become

the home

of the pure,

perfect,

Holy Spirit of God.

So now let us go out

and live

as the holy people of God.

What a calling.

What an amazing thing

he has done for us.

But how do we actually

live out this holy life?

Because as I think about this,

made holy,

get that.

Called to be holy,

I get that.

But how am I going to do it?

Knowing what I am like.

How am I actually going to

start living that out?

Well, thankfully,

he does not leave us alone

because what God begins,

God continues,

and he will finish.

His work continues

in our life.

He gives us three resources

to help us

to live out

a holy life

as a holy church.

Here they are.

Here's the first one.

Three resources

that we're given

to live out

a holy life.

First,

we are given

the grace

of Christ.

Verse 4.

I always thank God

for you

because of his

grace

given you

in Christ Jesus.

Sorry,

we're back in chapter 1,

verse 4.

I always thank God

for you

because of his grace

given you

in Christ Jesus.

Grace,

another good Bible word,

is God's unconditional

kindness

which he has placed

or put upon us.

So what is the grace

that he's put upon us

or placed on us?

Look at verse 5.

For in him

you have been

enriched

in every way

in all your

speaking

and in all

your knowledge.

So this speaking

and this knowledge

refer to

word gifts

that he's going

to talk about later.

They're specific gifts

given to us,

word gifts,

speaking and knowledge.

But for now

he wants us to know

that Christ

in his grace

has placed upon us

this great ability

upon his people,

the ability

to know

God's word

and to teach

God's word

and to share

God's word

with each other.

You see,

without the grace

of God's word

at work among us

we will not be able

to live

as God's holy people

because it is

through the word

that we become pure.

It is through the word

that we become holy.

It is as it goes

into our lives

and changes us

that we become

the people

God calls us to be.

So he says

you've been enriched

in speaking

and in knowledge.

You have these amazing

word gifts

to teach and encourage

and build each other up

to become

the holy people of God.

That is the first resource

that we have.

So I want to encourage

all of us

to make it our priority

to meet together

on Sundays

to come together

as we do

in our home groups

on Wednesdays

to come ready

to speak

God's word

into each other's lives

because as we speak

God's word

into each other's lives

it changes us

it transforms us

it enables us

to become holy

and you can do that

in my life

and I can do that

in your life.

So let's keep

the word central

to our lives

this grace gift

from God

to help us

to go on

to be a holy church.

So that's the first thing

he's given us.

Here's the second.

He's given us

gifts of the Spirit.

Verse 7

Therefore

you do not lack

any spiritual gift

as you eagerly wait

for our Lord Jesus Christ

to be revealed.

Again

a wonderful resource

a wonderful gift.

He gives to his church

all the gifts

that they need.

He doesn't shortchange us

He gives as he determines

He decides to each person

what gifts they have

and what the church has

It's not our choice

it's what God gives to us

and so we are never

ever lacking

what God decides

and what God determines

is what is right

and best

for that church

and for those people.

He gives gifts

to his church

but the purpose

of all of those gifts

is to enable us

to be

what we have been

called to be.

He says we are called

to be holy

so the reason

he gives us

all of these gifts

is so that we can become

holy people.

The gifts are not

for our private use

He will go on

to speak about this

at length

in 11 to 14

but we have

this gift

given to us

to the church

for the purpose

of building each other up

so that we become

more like Him

holy

and pure

and right

and all of that

implies

that this calling

to be holy

is a church project.

It goes on

we are told

in verse 7

until

Jesus Christ

is revealed

so from now

until Jesus returns

He calls the church

together

He gives gifts

upon His church

and upon each person

He places us together

as we are

and He says

now start using

your gifts

amongst each other

and for each other

and through that gifting

He moves us

from messy people

to holy people.

The point being

we cannot become

holy

in isolation

we need

one another

that's why

we meet together

we cannot do it

on our own

we actually need

each other

and God's gifts

to you

are the people

around you

so

He gives us

the grace of Christ

He gives us

the gifts

of the Spirit

and here's

the final resource

we have the promise

of God

look at verse 8

He

that is God

will keep you

strong to the end

so that you

will be blameless

and there's that word

we looked at again already

blameless

to be holy

on the day

of our Lord

Jesus Christ

the calling

to be holy

is great

the fact

of it

can weigh us down

that He would

call me

to be holy

can crush me

can overwhelm me

as I look at

who God is

and what I am like

and say

how can I do it

I am such

a messy person

how can I do it

well not only

do we have

the grace of Christ

not only do we have

the gifts of the Spirit

to make it possible

but God has given

the church

His people

this amazing promise

look at it

in verse 9

God

who has called you

into fellowship

with His Son

Jesus Christ

our Lord

is faithful

the one who

called you

to be holy

the one who's

called you

into fellowship

and who's made you

holy

He

is

faithful

that means

He will not

give up on us

He will never

disown us

or abandon us

as a church

in our failures

He will stick with you

when you fall in sin

He will pick you up

the church

belongs to God

it is God's

holy

project

He's on a mission

to take people

like you

and me

and He is

faithfully committed

from now

until eternity

to make us

holy

and God

is

faithful

we may be

unfaithful

but He is

faithful

He has promised

to move us

from messy church

to holy church

to be the people

He calls us

to be

so what is our

calling

in life

why are we

here

why do we

exist

we're called

to be

holy

like God

and in His

goodness

He has given

us His grace

He has given

us His spirit

He has given

us His promise

and most of all

He's given us

His Son

the Lord

Jesus Christ

who's taken

my unholiness

and your

unholiness

and in His

place

has given

His holiness

upon us

so that we

can be

the people

of God

messy church

but the

holy church

of God

let's pray

together

I'm going

to read

a prayer

this prayer

you will

find

on the

messy church

holy church

little booklet

it's at the

very end

of it

and you

can see

it

afterwards

but let's

pray

our Father

God

thank you

that we

have been

made holy

pure

and blameless

in your

sight

through the

redeeming work

of your

Son

Jesus

Christ

thank you

that through

our faith

in Jesus

we are

forgiven

all our

messy past

and present

failures

and are now

called to live

holy lives

in this

world

by the

power of

your

Holy Spirit

would you

please help

us to live

lives that

reflect you

and honour

you in our

families

schools

and places

of work

please help

us to deal

with the sin

in our lives

to stand

firm in the

gospel

to give

ourselves

fully to

the work

of the

Lord

to make

every effort

to build

up the

church

family

with the

sure and

certain promise

that God

who called

us is

faithful

and will

keep us

strong to

the end

we thank

you for

your word

amen

we're going

to sing

together

a song

which brings

this

theme

to an

end

we are

the

temple

of the

Holy Spirit

if you

are a

Christian

God

lives in

you by

his

spirit

and so

we pray

Holy Spirit

living breath

of God

come

renew my

heart

and make

me whole

cause your

word to

come alive

in me

give me

passion

for your

purity

Holy Spirit

breathe new

life in me

let's stand

together

as we

sing

Holy Spirit

living breath

of God

breathe new

life

into my

willing

soul

let the

presence

of the

risen

Lord

come

renew

my

heart

and make

me

whole

cause

your

word

to come

alive

in me

give me

faith

for what

I cannot

see

give me

passion

for your

purity

Holy Spirit

breathe new

life

in me

Holy Spirit

shall

abide

within

may

your

joy

be

seen

in all

I do

love

enough

to cover

everything

in its

thoughts

and

deed

and

attitude

kindness

to the

greatest

and

the

least

gentleness

that

flows

the path

of peace

turn

my

life

into

works

of

grace

and

oh God

show

Christ

in all

I do

so

show

your

your power once again on earth cause your church to hunger for your way

let the fragrance of the world

lead us on the road to sacrifice

let's pray father we thank you for all that we have and all that we can enjoy together

we thank you for the work you have done in our lives we thank you for your promise

to go on doing that work and we pray that together as your people we would work together to that cause

encouraging helping praying spurring one another on to live lives of holiness that reflect you

to each other and to the world around us we pray this in your name amen

so

you