Take Time to Be Holy (Sermon)

The following is a sermon I preached at Cherrydale Bible Church on September 20, 2015.

Title: Take Time to Be Holy

Passage: Colossians 1:9-14

Theme: The Preeminence and Sufficiency of Jesus

1. Intro
   1. What does it mean to “pray for someone?”
      1. “People describe intercession [intercessory prayer] by saying, ‘It is putting yourself in someone else’s place.’ That is not true! Intercession is putting yourself in God’s place; it is having His mind and His perspective.” Ozwald Chambers
2. We /Pray for you (9a)
   1. Reason: your faith, love
      1. He also wants them to have the mind of the Lord.
   2. Do not cease to pray for you
      1. Making petitions before God, on behalf of others
      2. A: Do you love people in this way?
3. Will (9b)
   1. Filled with the knowledge of His will
      1. Filled to the brim
         1. Like a dentist filling a cavity
      2. “God has only one intended destiny for mankind— holiness. His only goal is to produce saints… He did not come to save us out of pity— He came to save us because He created us to be holy.” Ozwald Chambers
      3. “Be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16
         1. What is the will of God for Cherrydale?
   2. In all wisdom
      1. God-given wisdom; Not based in philosophy or worldly traditions.
   3. And spiritual understanding
      1. Not some mystical experientially based on feelings, but communion with Jesus’ Spirit
      2. “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Rom. 8:5-9
4. Walk (10-14)
   1. Worthy of the Lord
      1. Appropriately
   2. Fully pleasing Him
      1. “God does not reveal His will to us in order to satisfy our curiosity. Neither is it intended to cater to our ambition or pride. Rather the Lord shows us His will for our lives in order that we might please Him in all that we do.” WMD
   3. Being fruitful in every good work
      1. Fruitful- successful
      2. Labor
   4. Increasing in the knowledge of God
   5. Strengthened with all might
      1. According to His glorious power
      2. For patience and longsuffering with joy
         1. James 1:2-5
   6. Giving Thanks
      1. Father
         1. Qualified us (completely His work)
            1. Qualify= enable (make meet, suitable)
            2. Justification is secure because it is a work of God. Sanctification is in progress.
         2. Delivered us (completely His work)
            1. Kingdom of darkness
               1. “The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.” Is 9:2
         3. Conveyed us (completely His work)
            1. Kingdom of the Son of His love
            2. Redemption through His blood
               1. Buy back. Pay the price for something.
            3. Forgiveness of sins
5. Conclusion (Walk Worthy)
   1. Quote v. 1,2,4 of “Take time to be holy”