5.8.16 Youth Sermon

Holy  Possession

Holy Possession
 
Deuteronomy 7:6 – For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
 
What is Holiness? And where does it come from?

1. Leviticus 11:44, “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy”
2. Consecrate means to separate. In other words, holiness means to be separate, unique, and transcendent above all things.
3. Holiness is what we see as God’s defining attribute! Because God is merciful and loving, He is unique and transcendent. Because God is totally just, He is different from the world. Because God knows everything and can do everything, He is Holy. Every attribute of God that we just try to imitate shows that He is Holy.
4. In summary, holiness is God’s main characteristic and it shows that He is utterly unique, separated, and beyond comparison of all of creation. All holiness comes from God!

 
How can we be Holy?

1. Now God can interact with an unholy world in one of two ways – He can either choose to veil His holiness, or to make things Holy by making it belong to Him. Because only God is holy, this is the only way we can become Holy – by becoming possessed by Him.
2. Deuteronomy 7:6 – For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
3. I once found a picture in my attic. I thought it wasn’t worth anything but when I turned it around, guess what I found: [Picasso autograph]
4. Similarly, when I talk to you for the first time as complete strangers, but I notice that something about you seems holy, I recognize who she belongs to. Holiness is God’s autograph upon people who belong to Him. When you are possessed by God, holiness is the autograph that characterizes your life. Therefore, we become just like Him – unique, separated, and distinct. 

 
So how do we know if we are Holy / possessed by God?

1. 1 Peter 2:9 – But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people chosen for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
2. You know you are holy when your life proclaims God’s virtues! Now God’s virtues don’t only involve refer to his moral perfection, but also his power, his life, and his grace. In other words, if you are truly possessed by God, you will not only display God’s holiness by demonstrating His integrity, kindness, and patience, but also His supernatural qualities – true spiritual life that transforms and heals the world!
3. This means practical holiness! First, this means that you separate yourself away from sin! Look for traces of sin in your life! Attack it and struggle with all you might and creativity and wisdom to kill sin in your life. Second, practical holiness means separate yourself to God! Look for every opportunity to know God, love God, and do His will.

 
Are you possessed by God? Do you have His autograph on you? Does your life really prove who you belong to?
 
Let’s pray.