1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:05,040 Amen. And we're turning this morning 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:08,920 in our Bible to 1st Thessalonians chapter 5. 3 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:22,680 First Thessalonians chapter 5. We'll read from verse 14 to the 4 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:28,680 end. For those of you who are joining 5 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:31,680 us this morning, you're very welcome in the Lord's name. 6 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,600 We are coming near an end of a series of expository sermons on 7 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:41,000 1st Thessalonians. Hence the reading. 8 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:46,280 First Thessalonians chapter 5 will read from verse 14. 9 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:54,000 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn men that are unruly, 10 00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:01,040 comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient 11 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,920 toward all men. See that none render evil for 12 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:09,720 evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good both 13 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:18,240 among yourselves and to all men. Rejoice evermore, pray without 14 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,640 ceasing, and everything give thanks, for this is the will of 15 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,440 God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 16 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:32,160 Quench not the spirit, despise not prophesying, prove all 17 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:37,560 things, hold fast that which is good, abstain from all 18 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,680 appearance of evil, and the very God of peace sanctify you 19 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,280 wholly. And I pray God, your whole 20 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:48,280 spirit and soul and body be preserved, blameless unto the 21 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:53,160 coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that call of you 22 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:58,920 who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us. 23 00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:03,080 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. 24 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,600 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all 25 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,280 the holy brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus 26 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:14,240 Christ be with you. Amen. 27 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:16,840 Amen. We know God will stamp with his 28 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,640 own approval and blessing this reading of His own precious and 29 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,680 infallible word. Amen. 30 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:29,560 Amen. Now this morning, as we continue 31 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,840 with our series of expository sermons in the book of First 32 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:37,960 Thessalonians, my text today is found in First Thessalonians 33 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:42,720 chapter 5, verse 23 and verse 24. 34 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:48,960 And if entitled this morning's message, Paul's Prayer for the 35 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:53,920 Church's sanctification. Listen to the words and the very 36 00:02:53,920 --> 00:02:58,160 God of peace sanctify you holy and I pray God, your whole 37 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,960 spirit and soul and body be preserved, blameless unto the 38 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:06,640 coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you 39 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:13,600 who also will do it. Now, beloved, as we come to the 40 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:18,040 closing words of the apostle Paul in his first letter to the 41 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:21,240 Thessalonians, a letter remember, that's marked by 42 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:28,000 pastoral warmth, the duty and discipline of holy living, and 43 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:34,000 hope in the return of Christ. Paul now closes his ladder not 44 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,360 with instruction, but with intercession. 45 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:42,680 You see, in these two verses, Paul turns from exhortation to 46 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,320 intercession. If you look at verse 14, he says 47 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:50,600 now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, 48 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,000 comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be peace and 49 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,520 toward all men see that none render evil for evil unto any 50 00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:00,160 man, but ever follow that which is good both among yourselves 51 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,360 and to all men. And then he adds another 52 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:07,440 exhortation, Rejoice evermore, and another on top of that pray 53 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:12,480 without ceasing. Then he mentions in verse 18 in 54 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,600 everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ 55 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:19,440 Jesus concerning you. Then another exhortation, quench 56 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:23,360 not the Spirit, despise not prophesying, prove all things, 57 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,640 hold fast up which is good, abstain from all appearance of 58 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:30,640 evil. Now look at verse 23 and the 59 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,440 very God of peace sanctify you holy. 60 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:38,400 What follows after the exhortation is intercession. 61 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:40,880 What follows is a prayer for them. 62 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:45,600 His instruction broke into intercession. 63 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,160 You see, these two verses are not merely commands to be 64 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:53,800 obeyed, but a prayer to be answered. 65 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,160 Now remember Paul is writing under the power and inspiration 66 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:02,560 of the Holy Spirit and at the leading of the Spirit he writes 67 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,160 and also offers this particular prayer. 68 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,200 Now please feel the weight of this. 69 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:16,120 The Holy Spirit gave Paul the very words for his prayer. 70 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,720 This is a Holy Spirit inspired prayer. 71 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:27,520 They notice how the verse opens and see even the children can 72 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:32,640 spell out a small but very significant word. 73 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:40,400 You see, and this is not accidental and is adjoining 74 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,360 word. It is a connective. 75 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:47,920 It connects what has gone before and what comes after. 76 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:51,120 It connects what has just been commanded, especially from verse 77 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:57,440 16 right through to 22. And it's especially important. 78 00:05:58,280 --> 00:06:01,040 It's highly significant. Why? 79 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:08,760 Because the duty to accomplish these commands can only be 80 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:14,200 achieved by a life of dependency on God, this prayer is not 81 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:17,440 offered in the abstract. This prayer is marked by 82 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:23,640 urgency, accuracy, spirituality. This is a powerful prayer. 83 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:29,080 This is our a real prayer. It is a heartfelt, honest 84 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:31,280 prayer. You see, Paul knows that these 85 00:06:31,280 --> 00:06:34,320 commands cannot be achieved by human effort. 86 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:40,120 These commands must be coupled with the power of God. 87 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:47,680 Notice the words I pray God. They're in italics. 88 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,920 They have been added by the faithful translators of the King 89 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:57,200 James Bible to help, to give the sense, in other words, by the 90 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:00,560 addition of these words. But whether they're added or 91 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:06,760 subtracted, we discover that it is a prayer established beyond 92 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:10,560 any doubt. Paul had a longing for this 93 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:12,840 young church, the suffering persecution. 94 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,160 He's concerned for their welfare. 95 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,800 He's concerned about their spiritual well doing. 96 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:24,240 And his prayer displays the longing of a pastor's heart. 97 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:28,960 He longs for their sanctification, and he prays 98 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,240 about the sanctified life on their behalf. 99 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:37,400 He's praying over the subject of their sanctification. 100 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:43,600 So in addition to exhorting them to a holy life, a life of 101 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:47,080 holiness, a life of ecclesiastical and personal 102 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:53,000 separation unto God, Paul says, in addition to exhorting you, 103 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:57,560 but we have instruction, I'm now praying for it. 104 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:04,640 He adds in verse 24, Faithful is he that calleth you who also 105 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:08,680 will do it. You see, he's saying to them, 106 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:14,000 you know that you're called to this life, but only God by his 107 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,280 divine grace can sanctify you wholly. 108 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,200 A sanctified life, a life of holiness is not optional. 109 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:24,600 It's integral to the Christian life. 110 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:29,440 A truly justified soul will also aim and aspire to be a truly 111 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,480 sanctified soul. Sanctification impacts upon 112 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:40,480 every area of our lives, our worship, our walk, our witness, 113 00:08:40,799 --> 00:08:43,760 our words, our warfare. Now look at the text. 114 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:46,480 I want you to think of a number of things. 115 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,440 One, the subject of sanctification. 116 00:08:49,680 --> 00:08:55,880 Notice the word sanctify. OK, the Shorter Catechism says 117 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,720 this sanctification is the work of God's free grace. 118 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:03,280 For by we're renewed and the whole man after the image of 119 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:07,840 God, and are enabled more and more to die on the sin and live 120 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:10,800 on the righteousness. Now let me ask you a question 121 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:12,840 this morning, a very personal question. 122 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:20,360 If you profess to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, so 123 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:25,280 you profess to be saved, or you profess to be born again, you 124 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:29,000 profess you have a testimony to the saving and keeping power of 125 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,240 Christ. Now let me ask this. 126 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:36,760 Do you have a desire to live a sanctified life, a holy life 127 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:44,640 unto God, not perfectly but passionately, not sinlessly but 128 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:50,320 sincerely striving to die unto sin and live unto righteousness? 129 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:54,320 You see, we've already seen in our studies First Thessalonians 130 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:56,680 4 and 3. For this is the will of God, 131 00:09:56,680 --> 00:10:00,280 even your sanctification, that you should abstain from 132 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:07,280 fornication. What is the will of God for me? 133 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:11,320 What's the will of God for you? What has God chosen for your 134 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,040 life and mine? What has God called us to do? 135 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,280 Well, you know, there's a very simple answer over there in the 136 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:23,520 book of First Peter, in First Peter chapter 1, and in the 137 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:27,480 verse 15. But as he which hath called you 138 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:33,400 as holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. 139 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,040 The word conversation is more than just our words. 140 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,640 The word conversation is an old Elizabethan word which means 141 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:44,000 your style of living or your manner of living. 142 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:48,680 Now let me ask this is this the motto of your life? 143 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:56,000 Holiness unto the Lord? You say, I stress this and I'm 144 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,560 stressing it for this reason. In Northern Ireland, thousands 145 00:10:59,560 --> 00:11:03,720 of individuals profess they take the name of the Lord Jesus upon 146 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,440 their lips. And yet the Bible says in Second 147 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:09,720 Timothy 119 the Lord knoweth them that are his. 148 00:11:10,400 --> 00:11:12,880 That's tremendous. But he adds this. 149 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:19,640 But let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from 150 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:23,720 iniquity. Is your profession of Christ as 151 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:30,480 Lord and Saviour joined or coupled with a life of purity? 152 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:35,040 And if it's coupled with a life of purity, it will impact upon 153 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:40,440 your walk with God, your witness for God, your worship of God. 154 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:43,080 It'll impact upon the words that you speak. 155 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:50,560 It'll impact upon your worship. See over there in the Gospel of 156 00:11:50,560 --> 00:11:58,360 Matthew, In Matthew Chapter 7, we read some of the most saddest 157 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:04,360 words in all of the Bible. They come at the end almost of 158 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,720 the Sermon in the Mount in Matthew 721. 159 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:11,880 Not everyone that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the 160 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,920 Kingdom of heaven, but either doeth the will of my Father, 161 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:20,040 which is in heaven. Many, that's a multitude, Many 162 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:24,080 will say to me in that day, this is the day of judgement, this is 163 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:28,680 the last day, This is the day when the doom of men is finally 164 00:12:28,680 --> 00:12:30,680 sealed. Many will say to me, in that 165 00:12:30,680 --> 00:12:34,440 day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in 166 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:37,560 thy name of cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful 167 00:12:37,560 --> 00:12:41,000 works. Now listen to these words, and 168 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:44,800 then will I profess unto them. I never knew you. 169 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:49,520 Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 170 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:54,920 Note these words, and then will I profess unto them. 171 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,360 That's the people who are saying, we know you, Lord. 172 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,560 We have professed you, we have preached in your name. 173 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:05,360 We've done many wonderful works. We give this to charity and that 174 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:08,640 we, we, we, we, we, we. We have even cast out demons in 175 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:11,720 your name, Lord. And then when I profess unto 176 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:18,680 them, I never knew you depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 177 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:21,440 See. What's your attitude to sin? 178 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:26,600 That's a good test. What's your attitude to Christ? 179 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:33,080 If you're professing Him as Lord and Saviour, then coupled with 180 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:39,000 that profession will be this desire for a sanctified life, 181 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:45,400 the subject of sanctification. I want you to think secondly, if 182 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:48,440 the source of supplication, look, look at our text again, 183 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:52,640 and the very God of peace sanctify you holy and the very 184 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:57,280 God of peace. You see, real, genuine biblical 185 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:02,160 sanctification doesn't begin with men, but with God. 186 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:08,280 Sanctification is the work of Gods, free grace. 187 00:14:09,680 --> 00:14:14,000 This is the work of God. It's free grace. 188 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:17,800 Think of his supremacy, the very God of peace. 189 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:22,000 You see, the true and living God, the God of the Bible, the 190 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,840 God that we worshipped this morning, is not a distant deity. 191 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:33,160 He's not one who's absent from his people, but he's actually 192 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:39,280 the very God of peace. He is the one who has reconciled 193 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:43,880 penitent sinners to himself in and through the Lord Jesus. 194 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,280 Romans 5 and one. Therefore, being justified by 195 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:52,560 faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ 196 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:57,320 and peace with God. Procedure comes before purity, 197 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:02,400 before God. Justification comes before 198 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:08,080 sanctification. So I asked again, do you really 199 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:11,240 know him? Are you living and rejoicing in 200 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:14,760 the knowledge that you have peace with God, in the knowledge 201 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:19,080 that on the cross the Lord Jesus offered himself a once and for 202 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:23,200 all atoning sacrifice for sin? But this man, after he'd offered 203 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:26,520 one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down in the right hand of 204 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:30,160 God, and you rejoiced at God's righteous wrath, has been 205 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:34,120 satisfied and appeased by the blood shedding of the Lord 206 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:37,800 Jesus. See the God of peace. 207 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:45,000 He sanctifies those who are His in the new birth, in the act of 208 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:50,520 regeneration, the Spirit of God comes and through faith applies 209 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:55,360 the merits of the shed blood of the Lord Jesus and sanctifies us 210 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:00,840 unto God. I want you to feel the weight of 211 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:06,080 that purchase. A divine purchase took place. 212 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:13,920 Notice that Paul says, and the very God of peace sanctify you, 213 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:17,240 holy Paul doesn't say sanctify yourselves. 214 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:21,000 So think of his sufficiency, sanctify you holy. 215 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,400 True sanctification is not what we do. 216 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,160 It's not even the outcome of a decision that we make. 217 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:33,200 It's the work of God's free grace by the Spirit of God, 218 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:37,040 grounded in the merits of the Lord Jesus. 219 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:41,120 The word sanctify here's a verb. It means to separate. 220 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:47,320 It means to set apart for himself, set apart from a life 221 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:51,720 of dupree, of defilement, set apart from a life of craving, 222 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:57,200 corruption. God sets apart his own for a 223 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:03,320 holy and sacred purpose. And this is God's will for every 224 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:10,079 Christian, and it is God's work. The God of peace sanctify you. 225 00:17:10,599 --> 00:17:14,599 It's all of God. It's not partly of God and 226 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:19,920 partly of man, but the work of God's free grace. 227 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:23,800 It's all of God, all of God's grace. 228 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:28,200 In the book of Exodus 3113, we read that you may know that I am 229 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:32,400 the Lord that does sanctify you. Now think for a moment. 230 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:37,400 Think of a tree, trees of branches. 231 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:41,880 The leaves are of course out in abundance, and on the branches 232 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:45,680 there's blossoms, and on the branches there's tiny buds which 233 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:50,800 will become fruit. But that branch doesn't produce 234 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:55,080 life by itself. How does it bear fruit? 235 00:17:55,640 --> 00:18:00,360 It bears fruit by abiding as a branch attached to the tree. 236 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:07,280 The the branch draws its life from the tree, and in a similar 237 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:12,080 fashion you and I who are in union with Christ. 238 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,360 Every believer discovers that they don't manufacture 239 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:19,440 sanctification or holiness by themselves. 240 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:26,680 Every believer receives it from the God of peace through faith 241 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:29,720 in Christ. And as God's salvation is 242 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:34,280 applied by the Spirit of God, and it's important that you 243 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:36,920 grasp that. It's important that you know 244 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:41,400 this, the source of sanctification, the supremacy 245 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:44,640 and the sufficiency. Very quickly think about the 246 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:48,680 scope of sanctification. And I pray God, your whole 247 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:52,240 spirit and soul and body, we'll pause there. 248 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:58,680 Notice these words and the very God of peace sanctify you holy. 249 00:19:01,360 --> 00:19:04,840 The Apostle Paul is emphasising totality here. 250 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:10,320 Think of the word holy. It literally means complete. 251 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:15,600 It reaches every part, it's entire and it's extent. 252 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,360 Holy means completely through and through. 253 00:19:19,680 --> 00:19:23,120 There's no compartment of the Christian's life that is exempt 254 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:28,920 from God's sanctifying work. It's more than our conduct. 255 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:36,280 It's about our character. It's not just our public, but 256 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:41,200 also our private life. It's not just the outward face 257 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:46,000 that we show and display to family and friends and work 258 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,200 colleagues and neighbours and strangers. 259 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:53,000 No, it's our inward face. It's it's the real us. 260 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:59,040 Let me try and illustrate Robert Murray McShane, the man who 261 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:00,720 prayed. Lord, make me as holiest as 262 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:02,400 possible for a safe Sinner to be. 263 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:06,040 He said one time that we should live the Christian life in the 264 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:12,560 home so that you could sell your pet parrot to the local town 265 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:15,160 gossip. See, a parrot repeats 266 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:18,360 everything. A parrot repeat what it's hears. 267 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:23,920 And he's saying we should live the Christian life in our homes 268 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:28,160 so that you could sell the pet parrot to the local town gossip 269 00:20:28,360 --> 00:20:31,880 and nothing would be said to the local town gossip that would be 270 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,720 derogatory or demeaning to our character. 271 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:40,680 It's entire in its extent, but it's also entire in its 272 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:44,080 experience. Every faculty is involved. 273 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:48,360 Look at these words, your whole spirit and soul and body. 274 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:53,480 This is not a tactical breakdown in human anatomy. 275 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:59,240 It's a comprehensive expression. Notice how it starts spirit. 276 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:04,600 We talk about body, soul and spirit, but the Bible doesn't 277 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:06,040 start with body, soul and spirit. 278 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:11,080 It starts with spirit and soul and body. 279 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:16,240 You see, the Spirit is our God consciousness, and we become 280 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:20,120 conscious of God when we're born again of the Holy Spirit. 281 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:26,000 And the Holy Spirit not only generates and creates new life 282 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:31,720 within us, but the Holy Spirit then comes in to indwell us, and 283 00:21:31,720 --> 00:21:35,080 by the Holy Spirit we have a new life. 284 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:38,600 Therefore, if any man be in Christ is a new creature, all 285 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:41,320 things have passed away and all things have become new and all 286 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,640 things are of God. The spirit refers to our God 287 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:48,880 consciousness and then soul. Well, that refers to our inner 288 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:54,280 life, our heart, the the real us, our mind, our emotions, our 289 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,800 affections. We've got a new interest now in 290 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,240 Christ. We have a new joy, we have a new 291 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:03,320 peace, we have a new love, we have new desires for the House 292 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:06,320 of God and the day of God, the word of God, the the throne of 293 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:11,640 God, the people of God, the Christ of God, and also then our 294 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,640 body. That's our outward conduct 295 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:19,280 because we recognise in Christ, even our bodies belong to the 296 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:24,480 Lord. This is not a partial holiness, 297 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:30,000 it's a personal holiness. It's a a practical holiness. 298 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:35,480 This sanctified life is in the divine plan of God. 299 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:42,120 When you get a new heart, your life has changed and transformed 300 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:45,440 By the grace of God, you also get a new life. 301 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:49,840 Jesus said, I'm come that you might have life and you might 302 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:52,160 have it more abundantly. And the scope of this 303 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:55,440 sanctification experiences sanctify you Holy. 304 00:22:55,440 --> 00:23:00,960 And what does holy mean? It's entire in its extent, our 305 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:04,000 conduct, our character, our private life, our public life. 306 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:08,000 It's entire in its experience because every faculties involved 307 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:11,720 our spirit, our God consciousness, our our soul, the 308 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:18,880 whole inner life and our body. I suppose this morning we were 309 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:22,720 able to go into what you said was, and I would agree, the 310 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,760 cleanest house you've ever been in and carried off. 311 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:32,920 But I guarantee no matter how the owner says to us, I've got 312 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:37,760 the cleanest house and carried off, I guarantee that you would 313 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:43,080 find dust somewhere and somebody would say, well, it's not 314 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:49,000 perfectly clean. And that is true of our lives. 315 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:57,400 This true sanctification impacts the whole of man. 316 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:03,640 This life of sanctification, remember, has been purchased by 317 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:07,200 the blood of Christ. It's the cleansing power of the 318 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:11,520 blood and the merit of Christ that's constantly and daily 319 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:15,040 applied that sanctifies us. Over there in the book of 320 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:22,880 Hebrews and Hebrews chapter 13 and in the verse 12, we read 321 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:26,560 these words. Wherefore Jesus also, that He 322 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:30,840 might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without 323 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:34,160 the gain. Here's the chief reason why the 324 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:38,160 Lord Jesus really died. Thou shall call His name Jesus, 325 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,360 for He shall save His people from their sins. 326 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:43,760 Do you know that Jesus saves us not only from the penalty of 327 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:47,640 sin, which is eternal death, but He saves us from the pollution 328 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:51,960 of sin? He breaks the power of cancelled 329 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:55,120 sin and sets the prisoner free. We're no longer ruled and 330 00:24:55,120 --> 00:24:59,000 controlled by the sin principle. We now have a hatred for sin and 331 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,800 a love for righteousness. We have a desire to die on the 332 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:03,800 sin and to live on the righteousness. 333 00:25:04,360 --> 00:25:07,760 He saves us, of course, from the pleasure of sin. 334 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:10,560 He takes the love of sinning out of our heart. 335 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:14,600 We we mourn and grieve when we sin and thought and word and 336 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:19,680 deed against the Lord, and one day He'll save us from the very 337 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:23,400 presence of sin. Remember what we read there in 338 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:29,920 the book of Hebrews, in Hebrews chapter 12 and in the verse 14, 339 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:35,800 Hebrews 12 and 14. We read these words, follow 340 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:43,560 peace with all men, and holiness without which no man shall see 341 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,920 the Lord. And let's remember Paul's great 342 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:51,240 advice to the church at Corinth. And he said this Know you not 343 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:53,880 that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? 344 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:57,320 Be not deceived. Neither fornicators, nor 345 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:02,120 idolaters, nor abusers, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor 346 00:26:02,120 --> 00:26:05,000 abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor 347 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,880 covetous, or drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, 348 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:09,840 shall inherit the Kingdom of God. 349 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:15,440 And such where some of you but ye are washed, but you're 350 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:21,680 sanctified, but you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus 351 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:25,760 and by the Spirit of God very quickly. 352 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:27,920 Think of the standard of sanctification. 353 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,960 If you go back to our text, it says be preserved, blameless. 354 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:35,000 What's the goal? What's not mere self 355 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:37,280 improvement? It's not that we're a little bit 356 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:39,080 batter. It's not that we've cleaned up 357 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:42,680 our life and our act. No, there's a higher goal, 358 00:26:44,360 --> 00:26:49,640 preserve blameless, that is blameless before God, blameless 359 00:26:49,640 --> 00:26:53,240 in the eyes of God. It's not sinless perfection in 360 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:54,720 this life. There is no such thing. 361 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:56,920 The Bible is clear. We will never be perfectly 362 00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:59,400 sanctified here. We'll never reach a state of 363 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,000 sinlessness. So we'll never sin. 364 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:03,720 And maybe I've told you this story before. 365 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:07,240 There was a man came to Spurgeon one time, great Baptist preacher 366 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:11,440 down in London. And Spurgeon, of course, was 367 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:13,000 getting ready for the Lord's Day. 368 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:14,680 And this man was staying with Spurgeon. 369 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:17,360 Told Spurgeon that he'd never sinned in 20 years. 370 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:19,400 That's some admission for a Christian. 371 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:22,160 I've never sinned in 20 years, Mr Spurgeon. 372 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:25,760 Spurgeon went to bed on a Saturday night, get up on a 373 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:27,720 Sunday morning. The man was there at the table. 374 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:31,040 Spurgeon come into the dining room where he's getting served 375 00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:33,360 his breakfast. He lifted the bowl of porridge, 376 00:27:33,360 --> 00:27:36,520 his own bowl of porridge, not the man's, and he dumped it over 377 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:39,640 the man's head. And the man lost his temper. 378 00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:44,360 If you get angry, you've just committed your first sin, Sir, 379 00:27:44,360 --> 00:27:48,360 in 20 years. You see, there is no such thing 380 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:52,960 as sinless perfection this side of eternity. 381 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:57,200 What we're called to is a life of passionately pursuing 382 00:27:57,200 --> 00:27:59,880 holiness. We're to to follow peace with 383 00:27:59,880 --> 00:28:02,000 all men and holiness. The word follow. 384 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:06,400 There in Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 14, is the idea of a 385 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:10,160 hunter going after a prey, the idea of a man going out to seek 386 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:13,280 for treasure. We're called to be sincere, 387 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:17,160 called to be upright, called to be haters of sin, called to be 388 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:20,280 those without reproach. It's really a life without 389 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:24,040 scandal. Blameless means what? 390 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:26,840 That no legitimate charge could stick. 391 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:30,400 We could be accused. But it's not true. 392 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:35,840 It's not accurate. It's a life consistent before 393 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:40,200 and with the one whom we profess to know, love and serve. 394 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,280 It's a life of repentance. We keep short accounts with God. 395 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:47,480 We confess our sin daily. The Bible tells us if we confess 396 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:49,960 our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, to 397 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:51,360 cleanse us from all and righteousness. 398 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:55,240 The Lord's Prayer teaches us forgive us our trespasses as we 399 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:57,560 forgive those who trespass against us. 400 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:02,480 It's a life of dependence. The Lord comes to us and says 401 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:06,640 you can do nothing without me. And we cry out, Lord, I can do 402 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:09,160 nothing without your help. I can't even bend down to time 403 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:12,400 of shoelaces without you giving me the ability and the power. 404 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:16,440 The Bible says blessed is the man who maketh the Lord as 405 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:19,240 trust. It's a it's a daily trust. 406 00:29:19,880 --> 00:29:22,280 Trust him going out in the morning and coming in at night. 407 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:25,920 It's a life of prayer. It's a drawing near to God and 408 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:28,920 receiving grace and mercy and help in time of need. 409 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:31,320 It's a life of faithfully applying the word of God in our 410 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:34,360 hearts. Jesus said man shall not live by 411 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:37,000 bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth 412 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:39,520 of God. And the psalmist asked this 413 00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:44,240 question in Psalm 119. Wherewithal shall a young man 414 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:46,400 cleanse his way? Here's the answer. 415 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:50,320 By taking heed thereto. According to thy word, it's 416 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:54,120 hearing the word of God. It's heeding the word of God. 417 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:59,920 It's holding on to that word. I've gotten a word from the 418 00:29:59,920 --> 00:30:02,880 Lord. I want to finish this morning 419 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:10,040 the security of sanctification. Notice these words. 420 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:14,080 Look at again at the text. Be preserved blameless unto 421 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:17,800 what? The coming of our Lord Jesus 422 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:20,040 Christ. I believe in the personal 423 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:23,040 visible coming of Jesus Christ to this earth and glory. 424 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:27,040 His feet is going to stand on the Mount of Olives, the very 425 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,720 same place that He went up to heaven from. 426 00:30:32,720 --> 00:30:36,960 Here's the great truth. God preserves whom He 427 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:40,080 sanctifies. The same God who commences the 428 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:45,400 work, completes the work does not echo Philippians 1/6. 429 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:48,440 He which have begun a good work on you will perform until the 430 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:53,760 day of Jesus Christ. You see, there's such an aspect 431 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:58,400 to this, that God is guiding and guarding us on our journey. 432 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:03,480 God preserves whom he sanctifies, and of course, the 433 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:07,200 great goal of God is preserved unto Christ's return. 434 00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:12,560 So true sanctification is always looking forward-looking for a 435 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:17,680 person not simply prepared for a condition, not simply prepared 436 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:20,600 for a climax, but prepared for Christ. 437 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:25,480 A life of holiness now anticipates a life of 438 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:30,600 heavenliness. A life of purity here prepares 439 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:35,240 us for a life in His presence. Let me illustrate. 440 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:38,920 Think of a marriage and of some young people getting married 441 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,680 later on this year and next year and they've set a date. 442 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:45,560 Think of a bride and a groom. What does the bride do coming up 443 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:49,120 to the wedding? Well, she gets herself ready. 444 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:52,320 What's she getting ready for? Her wedding day? 445 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:56,160 She's getting ready to be presented to her bridegroom. 446 00:31:56,600 --> 00:32:00,480 She's getting ready to be received by him to be his wife. 447 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:07,880 She aims to be the perfect bride and as a bride she'll be 448 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:12,360 presented to her husband on the wedding day, presented to her 449 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:18,200 husband to be and so the church passionately and purposefully as 450 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:23,080 being prepared for Christ in his coming so Christ when he comes 451 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:26,320 can receive her. Maybe you're thinking preacher, 452 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:28,160 that's nonsense. I've never heard of that before. 453 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:31,400 Well, listen to the word of God, Ephesians chapter 5. 454 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:36,600 It says this husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved 455 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:38,640 the church and gave himself for it. 456 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:41,920 That's hard, isn't it? We have to pray about that, but 457 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:44,200 that's what we're commanded to do. 458 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:49,080 And here's here's the standard as Christ also loved the church 459 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:51,840 and gave himself for it that he might sanctify. 460 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:56,440 There's our word and cleanse it with the washing of water by the 461 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:58,840 Word. That's why it's important that 462 00:32:58,840 --> 00:33:02,120 we hear the word of God and hide it in her heart and hold on to 463 00:33:02,120 --> 00:33:03,480 it. I've gotten the word from the 464 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:06,040 Lord. Notice verse 27, that he might 465 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:11,120 present it to himself, a glorious church, not having spot 466 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:16,040 or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and 467 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:20,720 without blemish. The Lord Jesus is coming back to 468 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:23,960 this earth in power and glory, a visible personal return. 469 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:29,240 And when he returns, he'll be receiving his bride unto 470 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:34,000 himself. At his coming. 471 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:41,080 Our sanctification will be complete, even if your body dies 472 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:44,800 now and is under death for a time in the grave. 473 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:48,800 And the body, of course, remembers not finally perfected 474 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:51,600 in the grave. We all taste and experience the 475 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:57,200 limitations of the body. We grow weak, become frail. 476 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:00,920 We see death working in our physical field, and we see that 477 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:04,200 in the life and witness of many in the context of our church. 478 00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:08,080 Yet that is coming. Even those bodies in the grave, 479 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:11,080 they're going to be resurrected, and they're going to be 480 00:34:11,199 --> 00:34:17,120 resurrected, and the spirit will return and the soul will return 481 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:22,760 and the body will be raised, and there'll be a new body like on 482 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:27,080 the Christ's glorious body, and that body will be received by 483 00:34:27,080 --> 00:34:37,239 the Lord and reconcile to Him forever, forever with the Lord. 484 00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:39,600 Is that your hope? Is that your testimony? 485 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:43,159 Come tonight and hear more about waiting and watching for the 486 00:34:43,159 --> 00:34:47,040 Lord. But let me say this as I finish, 487 00:34:47,040 --> 00:34:49,000 as you think of this text of scripture. 488 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:50,400 So you go to church this morning. 489 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:51,719 What was the preacher talking about? 490 00:34:51,719 --> 00:34:54,040 Nah, well I don't really know, but you do know. 491 00:34:54,199 --> 00:34:56,560 Here's the text. First Thessalonians 523. 492 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:59,720 What was it all about? It's about the sanctified life. 493 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:02,400 OK, so I'm going to give you just a little thought. 494 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:04,880 This sanctified life is God produced. 495 00:35:04,960 --> 00:35:08,680 You can remember that the very God of peace sanctify your holy. 496 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:16,000 It's all composing because it's extent is soul, spirit and body. 497 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:23,360 It's a moral seriousness because it's from the inside out. 498 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:29,240 It's from the outside in. It's also eternally secure 499 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:34,560 because blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 500 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:36,160 Don't be content with half heartedness. 501 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:41,520 Don't be content with coldness. Let's not rest in our progress, 502 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:48,920 let's press on. The Bible says faithful is he 503 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:52,640 that calleth you who also will do it. 504 00:35:53,240 --> 00:35:56,720 May the Lord take this message on sanctification and bless it 505 00:35:56,720 --> 00:36:00,240 to your hearts this morning. Thank you for coming and thank 506 00:36:00,240 --> 00:36:01,520 you for listening.