God's Holy People — Denny Kenaston

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God's Holy People and Their Distinctive Calling

Well, this evening, I want to continue moving this evening along the lines of where I started last night. I just want to develop this whole concept of God's people, who they are, what their place is in the world, in a very practical way.

We began last evening. I want to finish this evening. God's holy people, that's the title of my message this evening. God's, God's people. You know, I studied that word people. It's different. It's like special people, God's people.

It's not the word like this people, and there's some people over here, and there's people over here. It's a special word. God's holy people. I'd like you to open your Bibles to 1 Peter, chapter 2. We're going to develop this theme.

We're going to look at several portions of Scripture in the New Testament. And I want to say this as I begin this evening. I do not believe in the doctrine of being different. I want to make that real clear.

The Bible does not teach a doctrine of being different just for difference sake. However, I do believe if you live according to the word of God, you are going to be different. But there's a difference between those.

I don't believe we should put on a black hat so people know that there's something religious about us. I don't believe we ought to wear suspenders just so people can look at us and think that there's something different about us.

I don't believe in the doctrine of being different. But I do believe in obeying the word of God. And I do believe if we obey the word of God, in the midst of a crooked and a perverse generation, we are not going to be like the world around us.

And I do believe that God does not want us to be like the world around us. And we want to look at that again this evening and develop the theme by looking at several portions of Scripture in the New Testament.

There's something beautiful about God's holy people. There's something sweet about it. There's something that is a sweet treasure about God's people standing out, being set apart from the people that are around them.

I don't know how that sits with you. I know that some people have an aversion about being different. But I believe God's people are supposed to be different. 1 Peter 2. Let's see, we're going to start reading in verse 6.

Christ the Cornerstone and the Chosen People

In 1 Peter 2, we find these words, Wherefore also it is contained in the Scriptures, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Now, I'd just like to make a note here, because in some places in the Scripture it says, He that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

There are other places where it says, He that believeth on him shall not be ashamed. And I believe that word, confounded, or that word, ashamed, those two words are very close together. And what it simply means is, If you love the Lord Jesus Christ and you follow Him with all your heart, you will not be ashamed.

You will not. Unto you, therefore, which believe, he is precious. But unto them which be disobedient, And I'd like us to notice that the Spirit of God did a little bit of a twist there on those words.

Unto you which believe, he's precious. Unto those that are disobedient, notice it didn't say those who don't believe. It said those that are disobedient. And that's the bottom line of those who do not believe.

They do not believe because their deeds are evil. He who comes to the light, comes because they want their deeds to be manifest, that they are wrought in God. But those who don't want to come to the light, they don't want to come to the light because they do not want any of those things exposed.

And so the bottom line, according to this scripture, of believing or not believing, is not just, I can't believe or I don't understand. But no, the bottom line is, I don't want to obey God. Wow, that's different, isn't it?

I don't want to obey God. But unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made, the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, even to them which, notice what it says, stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed.

But ye, now this is the text we want to look at, but I wanted us to look at the context there, see? Because the opposite of what we're going to look at in verse 9 is a bunch of people who stumble at the word, who do not want to follow God's word, who do not want to change their life.

They stumble at the word, being disobedient. But ye are a chosen generation. A chosen generation. A royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people. Now let's just stop and think about these words for a little bit.

Every one of those phrases comes out of the Old Testament. God used every one of them in the Old Testament. And remember, we looked at the Old Testament example of God's testimony upon the earth. We did that on Monday and Tuesday evening.

God used these words in the Old Testament to share His heart with Israel about how He wanted them to be. And He told them things like this, If you will walk after My ways and keep My statutes, you will be a nation which is different than all the nations that are around you.

God said, If you will walk in My ways, I will make you My peculiar treasure. God said those kind of words to Israel. Now here they are showing up again in the New Testament. And all it says to me is that the heart that God had in the Old Testament, and how He worked with Israel, and the desire He had for Israel to be a testimony to the world around them, God has the same desire for us.

But now, it's a very different situation than it was in the Old Testament. But still, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a nation of priests, a holy nation, a nation that is set apart, a nation that is set apart for God's purposes and God's will, and a peculiar people.

Now that word peculiar, when we look at that today, our understanding of peculiar is a little different than this one here. We might say, if somebody's a bit odd, we might say, He's kind of peculiar. But that's not what this word means.

Although I'm afraid people have used it that way and said we're supposed to be kind of peculiar. No, this word peculiar means a treasure. It means a treasure, something very precious. And that's what we are, and that's what we are to God, and that's what we're supposed to be.

So that's quite a bit of difference between the disobedient who stumble at His word and the chosen generation who are a holy nation. But let's look on at the end of verse 9 here. As we just broaden this theme of God's people, you're a chosen generation, you're a royal priesthood, you're a holy nation, you're a peculiar people.

Why? Whenever you find that word that, it's an explanation. Now He's going to explain why we are these things. That ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light.

Now that word praises there, that means more than just praise God, praise God, praise God. I mean, it does mean that, but it means much more than that. It means the virtues which bring forth praise. The virtues of God which bring forth our praise.

We are to be the people who show forth the virtues, the praiseworthy virtues of Him who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. That's what we're supposed to be doing. That's why we're to be a holy nation and a peculiar people, so that we can show forth or live out the praiseworthy virtues of the God who called us from where?

Out of darkness and into His marvelous light. Look at that. Verse 10, which in time past were not a people. And every one of us can say that, can't we? But now, are now the people of God. And like the little song says, the people of the living God.

Which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. That's a good word for us American Christians.

We live in a land where we are surrounded with fleshly lusts which war against the soul. And Peter pleads with us to abstain from those fleshly lusts which war against our soul. And look at the testimonial aspect of verse 12.

Having your conversation or your life honest among the Gentiles. That whereas they may speak against you as evil doers, they may buy your good works which they shall behold. There it is again. They're going to see them glorify God in the day of visitation.

You know, some time ago I was reading some of the accounts of the marchers, the persecuted Christians of the early church. It's very interesting to read those. You know, as critics do, they make up all kinds of stories as they talk about God's people back in those days.

I mean, they said things like they sacrifice babies and eat them, you know, because talking about taking communion and things like that. But there were a few accounts that I read which intrigued me where people wrote about the early church and the people and what they were like.

And in their writings, though they were enemies, they were writing favorable testimonies about God's people. And the jest and the spirit of the words that I read was this. I can't believe the way these people live.

These people who call themselves Christians. I don't understand them, but they just seem to be spotless in the way that they live. That's the way God wants it to be. That they may, by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Practical Holiness in Titus

Now, they may not glorify God now. You're persecutors, they may not glorify God now, but someday they will. In the day of visitation, they will glorify God. They'll remember the way we lived. Let's turn over to Titus chapter 2.

Well, let's stop for a moment. We don't want to read any further, but I want you just to notice the flow of the context of these verses. Because God is bringing out this principle that we started on last evening and we're going to finish this evening, that God's people are not going to be like the world around them.

So God brings the principle here first. And then what do you find after that? Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man under the governors. Servants, be subject to your masters. Honor all men. You know, all the way down through there, what do we find Peter talking about?

Very practical, everyday things that he wants them as God's people to do. You'll find it that way again over in Titus. Shall we turn there now to Titus? Paul is speaking to Titus. Giving him direction about how he should direct the churches on the island where he left him.

To set in order the things that are lacking there. And you know, we use that, and it's not wrong, we use that as a verse to strengthen our burden to have ordained leadership in a church. And that's right.

Paul did leave him there to set that in order. But there were some other things that he wanted him to set in order too. He was not just there to ordain leadership. He was there to set in order the things that are lacking.

And that's why Paul gave this epistle. We're going to read from verse 11. But before we read verse 11, just skim through the verses that precede that in chapter 2. Just skim through it. Paul is talking to Titus.

And he's giving him instruction on how to instruct the different groups of people in the church. He talks about the aged men. He talks about the aged women. He talks about the young women. He talks about the young men.

He talks about the servants. He gives specific, clear direction on how Titus is supposed to instruct these different groups of people. And in every one of them, it's very clear, practical teaching on how they are to conduct their lives.

We all know that. But I want us to see that before we get into the rest of it. Well, let's start in verse 10 to get the flow of the context. Talking about the servants, not purloining, but showing all good fidelity.

Why? That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. Look at that verse. Look at that verse. Servants. Instruct the servants. How they should conduct themselves. And how they should serve their masters.

Not purloining. Not answering back again. Not just with eye service. And why, Titus? That those servants may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. Or, by their lives, they will beautify the doctrine of salvation.

Why? So that somebody else can get born again. So that that unconverted master can see that converted slave laboring and honoring and respecting and serving his master. And you'll see by your life that you're different.

And that will adorn and beautify the doctrine of salvation. And that master can get born again. There it is. Just like we said last night. Then he goes on to explain. Now he's going to give the doctrine that is motivating him to tell Titus to instruct all these people how they should live.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Doing what? Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. That's good for us American Christians, isn't it? Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.

We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Now, if you live soberly in a laughing world, you're going to be very different. If you live righteously and godly in an ungodly world, you are not going to be like everybody else.

Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. Who? Now note this verse. Who gave himself for us. Why? So that we could go to heaven. Who gave himself for us.

Why? That he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people. There's that little phrase again. A peculiar people zealous of good works. May I just say it again. That word good works is not just talking about taking care of your neighbor when they're having a struggle.

Or maybe they lost a loved one and you go to comfort them. It means that, but it means more than that. It encompasses every area of a Christian's life. Because all of our lives should be motivated by love.

All of the works that we do should be motivated by love. So here we see that Jesus gave himself for us. That he might produce a people who, number one, have been redeemed from all iniquity. That's the negative side.

And then purify unto himself a people. His people. God's people. God's holy people. Zealous of good works. That's what Jesus went to the cross for. You know, if we have it in our mind somehow, I don't want to be different, you know.

Oh, it's okay to be a Christian and I'm glad to go to heaven someday, but I don't want to be different than everybody else. Listen, if you don't want to be different, you can't be a Christian. Can I say that again?

If you don't want to be different, you can't be a Christian. Christians are different. And then Paul finishes with these words. These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Thank you, Paul.

Thank you for that word of encouragement. Don't hold back, Titus.

Bring these practical things to bear upon the churches that are there at Crete because this is the very reason why Jesus died. That he might redeem a people from all of their iniquities. And then purify them and make them a holy people upon the earth.

That's what he went to the cross for. You see what I'm talking about? Some time ago, I was in South Dakota and out there for the weekend and there was a letter on the bulletin board. And it was a letter from the local rest home where the young people go to sing and, you know, visit with the old folks and all of that.

And I was caught by this letter as I read it. This is basically what the letter said. Dear Milbank Christian Fellowship, we, this is the authorities at the rest home, by the way, not the people. I'm sure the people would write a letter too, but these are the authorities at the rest home.

Dear Milbank Christian Fellowship, we want to thank you for sending your young people to our rest home to minister to the people. Their attitudes, their conduct, their attire, and everything about them is a refreshing blessing when they come.

I read that, Lord. That's the way it ought to be. That even the world is looking on and saying, I may not understand those people and I may not at this point want to join them, but I sure do appreciate many, many things about them.

Some time ago we were having a little meal in a restaurant, three couples having a little meal in a restaurant. It was a papa and a mama, and a papa and a mama, and a young man and a young lady. We were having a very special meal in a restaurant.

And, you know, restaurants are pretty open. You know, everybody else is there. But we were so filled with joy at the occasion of that meeting in that restaurant that halfway between two places, between Bainbridge and Lancaster County, we were so full of joy.

We were sharing. We were excited. We had a sweet prayer together. We reached our hands around the table and held on to our hands and bowed our heads and blessed God and thanked God for all He has done and all those things.

And we were just bubbling over. And this went on, you know, for about an hour and a half. Then we asked Samuel and Kate to disappear for a little while that we might discuss a few things about courtship and how it should be and all that.

And when that young couple went away, the couple over here sitting in the booths over here walked up to the table and said, What is going on over here? It must be exciting. We had a blessed opportunity there to testify to that couple and tell them what was going on and tell them what courtship was all about.

And this is the first time they've ever been together. And I mean, this is weird stuff in this world we live in now. But that man and that lady, their eyes lit up with joy. And we told them, They've never touched each other.

They've never touched each other. And they're not going to touch each other until their marriage day. And their eyes lit up again. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, all unequity in our lives, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of holy living.

May I say it that way? Because that's what it means. Zealous of holy living. Let's turn to Philippians yet. We just want to look at a few scriptures and then we want to get practical here this evening.

Working Out Salvation in a Crooked Generation

Ah, the Lord is good. The Lord is good. Philippians chapter 2. We're going to start reading in verse 12. But I want you to notice the context of these verses also. These are the verses that precede verse 12 are the verses which describe the self-emptying of Christ.

The self-emptying of Christ. That is something that God is calling every one of us to do, isn't it? Even as Paul said, Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,.

Who emptied him.

Verse 12. Wherefore. And that wherefore is there because of all the verses that Paul just gave us before. Wherefore my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Notice that phrase. His good pleasure. Do all things without murmuring and disputing that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.

Now there are many things that I would like us to look at in here, but again, Paul is bringing out this principle that God's people are supposed to be an influence. They're supposed to be different than the world around them.

And it seems to me that what Paul is saying in verse 16 is if they are not that way, if they don't reach that place where they are that light shining in the world, holding forth the word of life, standing out in the midst of a crooked and a perverse nation, if they are not those things, if they don't reach to that, then he considers that he labored in vain at Philippi.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Why? Because God is inside of you. And what is God doing inside of you? God is inside of you working out His will, both to will and to do His good pleasure.

God is inside of you attempting to work out His good pleasure in you. And what is His good pleasure? To purify unto Himself a people zealous of good works. Oh, do you understand what we're getting at here, my people?

God is after so much more than just giving you a one-way ticket to heaven. God's plan of redemption goes so much deeper, reaches so much further than giving you a one-way ticket to heaven. Now, praise God!

When this whole thing is all done, blessed be the Lord, we do get to go to heaven. But God is a plan for our life. God has a burden upon His heart. God is desiring to raise up a people who will represent His name.

He sent His Son into the world that He might purify unto Himself a people that are zealous of good works. And so we see the plan of redemption. We see the redemption plan working out in the heart and the life of a believer.

Someone comes to the Lord. I came to the Lord thirty years ago. I believed on Christ. I repented of my sins. And the Spirit of God came to dwell inside of me. Now God is inside of me. I wasn't the same person the next day after I was born again.

I woke up that morning. I was not the same person. What was different about me? I had a new heart and somebody was inside of me that was not inside of me the day before. And it was God. And a holy God living inside of a man is going to make a man holy.

And it started from day one. I couldn't help myself. All of a sudden I wanted to read this book that I never believed was anything. All of a sudden I wanted to read it and I began to read it three hours a day.

Why? God was inside of me. And what was He doing? He was wanting to sanctify me. He was wanting to change this old hippie into a holy man. That's what He was doing. That's what He had in mind from day one.

I mean, He didn't even give me a day. He was after me. But by the way, it was no burden to me. It was God. I mean, that's all I wanted to do. I woke up and I wanted to read this book. You know, all of a sudden I realized this book has God's Word.

This is what God thinks. I want to find out what God thinks. God was inside of me. And God has been inside of me for 30 years. And God is inside of you. But the question is whether you are allowing God who is inside of you to work out His work and His grace in your life.

That's the question this evening. It is God that worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure. And what that simply means is this. God is creating the desires in your heart. You open up the Bible and you read it.

God creates desires in your heart to do that which is right. And bless God, not only does He create the desire, but He turns right around and gives the power to do that desire for anybody who wants to do it.

Hallelujah! He gives you the power. There is no excuse for anybody that is in this room to go your own way and live. And there's no reason for you to say, I can't do it. It's not I can't do it. It's I won't do it.

Because anybody who wants to, God is right there to give all the power to live it out. Hallelujah! That's the way it is. God is inside of you, my friend. What are you doing with God who lives inside of you?

He's in there. He's stirring inside of you. Do you just run away? Too much? Head out the back door? God is inside of us, brothers and sisters. And He is trying to work out His good pleasure. Hallelujah!

I like that. His good pleasure. Are you going to let God work out His good pleasure in you? You know, hey, we're all in different places, but we're all in that sanctification process. Every one of us in this room.

I mean, God never quits dealing with us about something. He's working in my heart. He's been working me over on a few things. How about you? Are we going to let God have His way as He continues to work in our heart?

There's no stopping in this thing, brothers and sisters. You can't do that. You can't just say, that's far enough and I'm not going any further. No, you can't do that. This is God. This isn't just some club.

This isn't some social club. This is not just a place where people get together. This is God. You don't do that with God. It won't come out right, I guarantee it. So you can't say to God, okay God, that's as far as I'm going to go.

God is inside of you. You'll just be miserable if that's as far as you want to go. You're going to be miserable until you bow. God's holy people. You see it. There are many places where we can go in the Scripture to show you this same principle.

And you know, some people get converted because they're afraid of hell, or some people they get converted because they want to go to heaven. But hey, how about getting converted just because you want to glorify God?

Okay, young people who grew up in a Christian home, you don't have to be afraid of hell to get born again tonight. You can get born again so that God can be inside of you. You can get born again simply because you know your life is not glorifying God.

You don't have to have the flames of hell burning at your fingertips in order to get born again. You don't have to hear a sermon about heaven. If your life is not glorifying God, there ought to be something inside of you if you're rightly responding to the light that God is shining on you that says, I want to be all that God wants me to be.

It's time to give my life to God and let God come inside of me and live in me and dwell in me and work out His will in me and empower me to do His will. Hallelujah! That's the New Covenant. Well, this is just the introduction.

Holiness Through Grace and the Call to Sanctification

But we trust the Lord. Let's go to 1 Peter 1. 1 Peter 1. We'll start reading in verse 13. 4. Gird up the loins of your mind. Be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

If I understand that verse, that verse says to me there's a whole lot more grace coming yet. Praise God for what we have, but it's only a down payment. I mean, this might be 10%, 90 is yet to come. Therefore, be sober and hope to the end.

Peter says, 5. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance. Don't live the way you used to live in your former lusts when you were ignorant. Untaught.

You didn't know. Now you know. See, the danger in American Christianity is that American Christians are allowing themselves to return to their former lusts. So much so that you can't tell the difference between who is and who isn't.

It's because they're allowing themselves to go back into all their former lusts. And Peter says, Don't fashion yourselves that way. As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

And that's not just talking about your words. It's talking about your words, but it's not just talking about your words. It is your life. It is every area of my life. As He which is holy hath called you, so be ye holy in every area of your life.

He which hath called you is holy. You know, I thought about it today. How do you describe the holiness of God? You know, that's one of those things which it's hard to even describe in words. But the holiness of God is basically it is all of God's righteous attributes flowing out of Him at one time.

You know, there in Isaiah 6 where the cherubims are and Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up, you know, there in the temple and all those things. And there were the seraphims there and they were flying around there in the throne room, you know, and had six wings.

With twain they covered their feet. And with twain they covered their face, which is their glory. And with twain they did fly. So they're flying around here in the throne room of heaven with their faces covered.

Why? Why? Because they're in the presence of the glory of God. And all they can say is holy continually. They've been saying them eternally. And they never get tired of saying them. You know why? Because they're not just saying words.

Somebody didn't sit them down and say, okay, seraphims, it's your job to fly around in the throne room and say, holy, holy, holy. They're not there just saying words. It is the outflow of their response of being in the presence of a holy God.

All of God's righteous character. All of His love. All of His judgment. All of His fiery zeal. All of His righteousness. Everything about God. It all comes out of God at the same time. See, it's not just a list of things about God.

It is who God is. And all them angels can do is say, holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty. The whole earth is full of Your glory. That's all they can do. It's that God that Peter says, as He which has called you is set apart and holy in everything about Him, so be ye holy in all manner of your conversation.

Now, I know that could blow you away here this evening. You might think, how can I? Yeah, I know. We will never attain, but what Peter is saying is, keep on moving. Just keep on moving. That's all God requires of you.

Just keep on moving. Allow God to continue to sanctify every area of our life. That's all God wants us to do. We're God's people. I know that is a high calling, and I know that we fail at times, but brothers and sisters, and sanctify and set apart every area of our life.

And He has every right to ask us to allow Him to touch any area of our life. He's God. He's God. But, we have been looking at this week at the motivation behind this God and why He wants this. He wants a people who will represent His name.

That's what He's after. I must read it. Ezekiel 36 verse 23, And I will sanctify My great name which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them. And the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

Look at that verse, brothers and sisters. In the Old Testament,.

Hear the heart of God as He's speaking to Israel who profaned His name, who failed the testimony of God. He says to them, I will sanctify My great name. That's what God is after. How is He going to do that?

Which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned. How is He going to do it? The heathen shall know that I am the Lord. How are they going to know that I am the Lord? When I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

That's exactly what God wants to do in every one of our lives. He wants to be sanctified in us before the eyes of the world around us. Are we willing for that? Are we willing for that? Are we willing for God to get that possessive of us?

God said to Israel in the Old Testament, He said, I have sanctified you that you might be mine. Oh, glory! Are you willing for God to get possessive with you that you might be mine? Well, that's the introduction.

The Ways of God Are Different From the Ways of the World

Now we have 24 points to the sermon. Praise God! But can you see God's heart? We want to get some practical things down here, but we want to look at the principles first. I'm not just making these things up here this evening.

This is God's heart. God's holy people. You know the verses there in Isaiah 55 where God says, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways, saith the Lord. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways.