Pursuit of Holiness

Mo. 7/29/13: Exodus 28:36 – 38                  What did the engraved words mean?

You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet:

HOLINESS TO THE Lord.

And you shall put it on a blue cord, that it may be on the turban; it shall be on the front of the turban. So it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall always be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.

What did the engraved words mean? They mean ‘wholly to the Lord.’ Aaron bore the sin where we could not follow the commandment, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength.

Tu. 7/30/13: Romans 6:19                  What gifts do we present?

I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

What gifts do we present? We present the members of our body to God.

We. 7/31/13: 2 Corinthians 7:1                  What do we cleanse ourselves from?

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

What do we cleanse ourselves from? We don’t remove dirt, but the inner filthiness of our human susceptibilities.

Th. 8/1/13: 1 Thessalonians 3:12 – 13                  What does God work in us?

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

What does God work in us? God makes us increase and abound in love.

Fr. 8/2/13: Hebrews 12:12 – 14                  What are we to pursue?

Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord

What are we to pursue? We actively pursue peace with all and holiness.

Rebellion

Busy weekend; early post!

Mo. 7/22/13: Numbers 16:1 –3                  What was the rebel’s complaint?

Now Korah … with Dathan and Abiram … rose up before Moses with two hundred and fifty … men of renown. They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves... Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”

What was the rebel’s complaint? Moses placed himself in a position of power.

Tu. 7/22/13: Numbers 16:4 – 7                  What was Moses’ reaction?

So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face; and he spoke to Korah … saying, “Tomorrow morning the LORD will show who is His and who is holy … whom He chooses … to come near to Him … Take censers … put fire in them and put incense in them before the LORD tomorrow … the man whom the LORD chooses is the holy one. You take too much upon yourselves, you sons of Levi!”

What was Moses’ reaction? Moses’ fell down and prayed: the LORD gave him an answer.

We. 7/22/13: Numbers 16:19 – 22                  How did Moses and Aaron avert catastrophe?

And Korah gathered all the congregation against them at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation. And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” Then they fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?”

How did Moses and Aaron avert catastrophe? They pleaded for the children of Israel, not the rebels.

What danger did Korah put Israel in?

Th. 7/22/13: Numbers 16:23 – 26                  What was the LORD’s answer?

So the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’” Then Moses … spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.”

What was the LORD’s answer? The LORD’s judgment would fall on the rebels and their families.

Fr. 7/22/13: Numbers 16:31 – 38                  What was the LORD’s judgment?

Now, … as he finished speaking … the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, … closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. And a fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Tell Eleazar … to pick up the censers out of the blaze, for they are holy, and … let them be made into hammered plates as a covering for the altar … they shall be a sign to the children of Israel.”

What was the LORD’s judgment? The earth swallowed them all up alive. The only sign left was the bronze covering for the altar made from 250 censers.

Fruit

Mo. 7/15/13: Luke 8:14                  The parable of the Seed Sower

Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

The parable of the Seed Sower: if you are choked with cares, riches and enjoyment, you will bring no spiritual fruit to maturity.

Tu. 7/16/13: John 15:1-2, 4-5, 8                  The vine and the branches parable

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

The vine and the branches parable: if you live your life in Christ, the Word of God, you will bear much fruit. This is a promise for eternal reward.

We. 7/17/13: Philippians 4:16-17                  Financial gifts

For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.

Financial gifts: in giving the gift, you receive so much more! Not just here but to your account in heaven.

Th. 7/18/13: Hebrews 12:11                  Chastening

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Chastening: corporal punishment is frowned upon and hard to take: if the giver is God, its yield is peaceable fruit.

Fr. 7/19/13: Hebrews 13:15                  Praise and thanksgiving

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Praise and thanksgiving: this is a sacrifice and the fruit of our lips.

Ordinances, O.T, & N.T. compared

Mo. 7/8/13: Exodus 12:43                 What is the Passover ordinance?

And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it.

What is the Passover ordinance? It was an annual celebration of the last night Israel spent of 430 years of sojourn in Egypt. No foreigner was to participate.

Tu. 7/9/13: Leviticus 18:3  Whose ordinance was not to be followed?

According to the doings of the land of Egypt, where you dwelt, you shall not do; and according to the doings of the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you, you shall not do; nor shall you walk in their ordinances.

Whose ordinance was not to be followed? Neither Egypt nor Canaan’s ordinances were to be followed.

We. 7/10/13: Numbers 9:14         What about a stranger in Canaan?

'And if a stranger dwells among you, and would keep the LORD's Passover, he must do so according to the rite of the Passover and according to its ceremony; you shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger and the native of the land.'

What about a stranger in Canaan? After all males were circumcised willingly, they could keep the Passover.

Th. 7/11/13: Romans 13:2    Whose authority was not to be resisted?

Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

Whose authority was not to be resisted? Roman authority was not to be resisted. The Church had new instructions, being the Body of Christ on Earth.

Fr. 7/12/13: 1 Peter 2:13a         Whose ordinance was to be followed?

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake

Whose ordinance was to be followed? Every ordinance of man, for the Lord’s sake. This applies to members of the Body of Christ, a New Testament beginning.