SERMON

I have to confess that during my lifetime there have been few people who have crossed my path that I would refer to as holy. That is people who had an aura about them that suggested that they were different from the run of the mill day-to-day kind of person that I normally meet. I don't know if that is the same for you but if it is, considering that we probably meet mainly in Christian circles, it would seem that there has to be something wrong.

I have been in churches and buildings where there is a sense of awe and wonder but not generally through meeting with people. There are lots of lovely people about and it is a privilege to know many and to count them as friends but is being lovely all that God expects of us. From our reading in 1 Peter it would seem to suggest that God has an expectation of much, much more, He wants us to be a holy people, holy in the same way as He is holy but what does that actually mean. The dictionary defines the word holy as being morally and spiritually excellent, belonging to or devoted to God, consecrated and sacred. I wish that were me but if I am honest, I don't believe it really is. I have recently been reading a book by David Wilkerson, an American evangelist who many years ago wrote a very popular Christian book called, The Cross and the Switchblade. It recorded some of his experiences of working alongside a number of violent American gangs of young people and the significant successes of transformed lives by introducing them to Jesus. In his latest book he challenges the complacency of modern day Churches and Christians who want to experience and practice Christianity on their own terms rather than Gods.

In Romans chapter 12 verse 2, Paul tells us not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Far too often the Church, which includes us, is ready to compromise on standards and values in order to be seen as loving and caring without causing offence when all it does is to make people think that the Church has nothing to offer than they already have in their own lives. We do God a great disservice when we fail to be the holy people that He wants us to be. Holiness and holy living should set us apart from the crowd which far too often our conversation and our actions fail to do. We wonder why our Churches are in decline and why people do not listen to what we have to tell them about Jesus when all the time we are authors of our own downfall. Sadly we deceive ourselves when we sink into a comfortable Christianity which makes few demands upon us and allows us to believe that whatever our age and status we have no accountability to God and no responsibility to others. The sacrifice that Christ made on the cross gives some indication that there is a price to be paid if we are to follow in His footsteps.

The early disciples found out very quickly that there was going to be a very bumpy road ahead. There are many saints who followed on and even to the present day learnt that discipleship is likely to be a costly business. Friends, family even lives can be lost because of our allegiance to Jesus. To a great extent we sit comfortably in this country but it is quite possible that in days to come this will not be the case. There are already signs that in failing to comply with the falling standards of society there will be persecution. Holding opinions that differ from others will bring accusations against you and a denial of your right to free speech.

In John chapter 17 there is what is commonly referred to as the High Priestly prayer when Jesus prays firstly for himself but then for His followers. His prayer acknowledges that we have to live in the world, difficult and complicated that it may sometimes be but that we would not be of the world. He wants us to hold on to His standards and values and not to compromise in order to accommodate the ways of a fallen people. That is never going to be easy but we can find strength and comfort in the knowledge that our loving Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ has prayed for our protection. Now I fully realise that some of these things are not easy to digest but we are not doing justice to God or others by delivering platitudes that do not reflect the reality of the challenges that being a Christian actually bring.

Holiness and holy living can cause offence and lead to isolation but it is not an optional extra that we are allowed to choose or not to choose in our walk with Jesus. Even in biblical times there were many people who found the challenge of discipleship far too much so they walked away. We may find that the very same thing could happen today with people coming to Church, singing lovely hymns, sharing wonderful fellowship and just finding it so nice to be there. The problem comes with a doctrine that teaches that we are all sinners, when there is an expectation for personal devotions which entail reading the Bible and praying. Are we really expected to share our faith with others when the opportunity presents itself and as for living holy lives, surely that is a step too far?

Fortunately or unfortunately for some, God does not lower His standards just to accommodate what people think should be acceptable but He constantly keeps them in order to lift us to that higher plane of holiness and holy living. He wants us to stand out against the crowd and as Christians we have to live with that. It may and probably will mean that we have to strive for improvement if for no other reason than we want to please God. Of course it is challenging and demanding but it is the road we have chosen to follow if and when we committed our lives to Him. Too often the Church has made it sound far too easy to become a Christian without making it abundantly clear that it includes a call to take up our cross daily. There are more than sufficient blessings in living the Christian life and securing a heavenly destination but they come with discipline and responsibility which are not quite as easy to cope with. I suppose holiness comes with the perfect love outlined in 1 Corinthians 13 and the fruit of the Spirit reflected by Paul in his letter to the Galatians. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control which are all characteristics of holy living but sadly are not always seen in the people of God. We have such a long way to go.

In our reading we were reminded that we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood. There are no levels of importance in the family of God. From the youngest to the oldest, from the smallest to the biggest job there is equal importance and we are priests intended to be a holy people in the doing of them. The more I read the Bible the more challenged I am about the Christianity I practice and the image I project. Can I do more? How do I go about it? And I am led to believe that the answer lies wholly in Jesus. Do I really trust Him, am I sufficiently submissive to His will for me and despite however many times that I may stumble and fall am I ready to get up and try all over again. Whenever I do I am not alone because when Jesus says, 'lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age' I am inclined to believe it.
If there is just one thing that I would wish us to take from this service today, it is a desire to be holy as God expects of us. If that is your wish as indeed it is mine, maybe we should just ask the Lord to help us to achieve it. I am sure that He will and who knows what impact it might make on others who have known us as we are but will then know us as what we have become, a holy people, a royal priesthood. Amen.