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SANCTIFICATION AND EVANGELISM Song: Sanctify me (2x) Purify me (2x) Introduction: How many people have got the opportunity of listening to a message like this on sanctification? What a rare opportunity! This message is meant for those who want to go the extra mile with the Lord. People that God can confide with. Hear what God said about Moses: “But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?" (Numbers 12:7-8). What about Abraham? And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. (James 2:23). Daniel, Hananiah (also called Shadrach), Mishael (also called Meshach) and Azariah (also called Abednego) because of their level of sanctification, they could face the proud and stubborn King of Babylon – Nebuchadnezzar in matters concerning their faith. God’s standard: God’s standard is so high that he cannot compromise or change it. He is the unchanging God in the ever changing and inconsistent world. Here a few words bellow on this subject: “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20). “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48). "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.’” For it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16). “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Psalm 15 A psalm of David. 1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? 2 He whose walk is blameless 3 and has no slander on his tongue, 4 who despises a vile man 5 who lends his money without usury He who does these things
Did I hear you say: ‘that is tough?’ well even if we remain unfaithful he the Lord remaineth faithful: “If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13). What is Sanctification? Sanctification is:
Here we see Jesus praying that his follower be sanctified: 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (John 17:14-19). Here we see St. Paul praying that Christ’s followers be sanctified: 23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). Sanctification will make you to aim at doing extra- ordinary things: 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. (2 Peter 1:5-9). The two quotations below would probably give you an idea of the ‘contented’ believer who doesn’t want to be stretched. These believers are complacent in a sense: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). 19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21). The significant of sanctification: 20 He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' 21For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' " (Mark 7:20-23). Like the Blind Man healed at Bethsaida, you need a second touch so your heart is made clean/ pure. The Healing of a Blind Man at Bethsaida 22They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" 24He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." 25Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village." (Mark 8:22-26). Receiving sanctification:
Fruits of sanctification:
Relationship between sanctification and evangelism: Many preachers (evangelists, pastors, priests etc) are ineffective because there is much gap between their words and deeds. You must be able to transform all your words into deeds. “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.” (2 Corinthians 3:2). “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” God Bless You Evang. Oseh J. B. |