(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

Amen all right well we're in Exodus 19. So we've been going through the series called the Spiritual House series and I get that from 1 Peter chapter 2 and our first sermon that was preached was a chosen generation and then number two last week I preached about being a royal priesthood how we're kings and priests and God has made us kings and priests through Christ Jesus and today we're going to talk about the fact that we are a holy nation God has called us to be a holy nation well you say well we live in the nation of the United States that's true but if you're in Jesus Christ then you are part of a spiritual nation and so it's like if you think about it think about it this way so we live in the United States and then the Indian nations were conquered you know back in the day and they gave them reservations which are now they're nations within the nation of the United States and they have actually have their own laws and things like that so if you think about that way we're kind of like the Indian nations but we're a spiritual nation where we're inside the United States but yet we are a different nation because we're saved so we have dual citizenship we have a heavenly citizenship and we have an earthly citizenship so our spiritual citizenship is a holy nation it's the nation of the kingdom of God amen so look at verse 5 it says now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant then he shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine and he shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and holy nation these are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel so if you notice there it says you know does this sound familiar to you from first Peter chapter 2 well this is where he's getting it from so it's talking about being a peculiar treasure unto me above all people and a kingdom of priests we talked about that last week and then this week is a holy nation so it's kind of cool that I can pick from different places of the Bible because you know the Bible all syncs together you know and we can find different chapters that still preach the same truths and that's where Peter got this is those verses in first Peter chapter 2 where he's talking about the fact that we're a peculiar people and a kingdom of priests and in holy nation and we're chosen right so God chose us because we chose him look at verse 7 it says that Moses came and called for the elders of the people and laid before their faces of all these words which the Lord commanded him and all the people answered together and said all that the Lord has spoken we will do and Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord and the Lord said unto Moses lo I come unto thee in a thick cloud and the people that the people may hear when I speak with thee and believe thee forever and Moses told the words of the people unto the Lord and the Lord said unto Moses go unto the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow and let them wash their clothes and be ready against the third day for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai so what is going on here well God's preparing to give the people the Ten Commandments he's preparing to give the law to the people and before he can even give it to them he's saying hey these people you know these people are gonna be a peculiar people they're gonna be a holy nation they're gonna be kingdoms of priests but you know what they got to do they're gonna get washed up they got to sanctify themselves you know and God expects us as a holy nation to actually be that holy he wants us to be holy he wants us to be sanctified he wants us to be peculiar amongst all the nations and so when he see when people look at us and our our spiritual nation that they see holiness you know because it's true we don't have to do anything to be safe we don't have to have any good works or anything like that because Christ did all the work for us but he you know last week I talked about that we should do good works and it says that twice I showed you two two scriptures where it said that and one of them was Ephesians 2 10 so where it says that we should do good works right so God wants us to be different he does want us to be a holy nation and that being holy isn't just being like a regular American you know that you're eating chips off your chest instead of going to church you're sitting around drinking beer you know you're going and listening to all the world's music and just being of the world that's not what that's not what God's talking about here he wants us to be holy and you know he says let them wash their clothes what is that a picture of well it's a picture of salvation when we get saved Christ takes the dirty filthy rags off of us and puts on a new white garment on us and so it says let them wash their clothes sanctify them clean them up you know because if you look if you think about the picture of Exodus you know the children of Israel were slaves in the land of Egypt right slaves to sin it's a picture of of salvation and sanctification the book of Exodus and the books you know the first five books of the Bible well how so well you know they were they were God saved the children of Israel out of their slavery that they were in and then what when they parted the Red Sea the Bible says that they were baptized right that that was like their baptism it was a symbol of a baptism and then they came forth and then God expected them to do work right so he set them apart to the priesthood to do the certain things and he wanted the people to be holy and so that's that's the process God saves us from sin he we get baptized and then God wants to set us apart to live a holy life and to do good works for him okay and a lot of this kind of will spill over until last week I think you know but I'm trying to make these sermons different so there's different aspects put in here because you know there's four different divisions of this spiritual house series the chosen generation the royal priesthood the holy nation and the peculiar people I'm gonna be preaching about that next week so that'll be finishing up the series but let's look at the definition of what holy is could God because God expects us to be holy now he's not expecting you to look like walk in look like someone shot you full of buckshot and your pants are you know full of holes and you know you got holes all over your shirts that's not that's not what the holy that we're talking about is different okay so holy means specially recognized or declared sacred by religious use or authority consecrated so when Moses was told to take his shoes off why why did he have to take his shoes off because he was on what holy ground so that particular ground was consecrated it was holy it was a place where Moses needed to take his shoes off okay it was a special place for God a special place where he was standing and it also means dedicated or devoted to the service of God the church or religion like a holy man a man of God right and and each one of us are dedicated and devoted to the service of God we should be if we're saved amen and it talks about being a saint and just being a saint just means you're saved doesn't mean that you you know have your last name is August or your first name is Augustine st. Augustine or st. Christopher and you know we're supposed to pray to you and all this other stuff that's not how it works we're just regular men regular ladies it's also means having a spiritual peer quality like you'd have a like a charitable love towards someone it's a quality and also it would it could be like entitled to worship or veneration as or as if sacred so like just think about the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost is someone that we should worship because he's God right so in the Old Testament Israel was a physical and spiritual nation unto the Lord because part of this was was spiritual right he expected them to be spiritual but did were they spiritual I mean they were at certain points in our history but more often than not there was just a small remnant left over and those people were doing the right thing and you see that in the in the spiritual nation today there's still just a spiritual remnant today that are living in the world or are living in you know this world is wicked and we have to try to make a difference though we're small in number so also God was merciful to the children of Israel for centuries for thousands of years you know he would get sick of them and then he would cast them out and destroy their temple and then bring them back in and then finally God just said you know what my long suffering is has been long enough I'm done with the nation of Israel I'm casting them aside as a people as a nation and you know because in Exodus 19 verse 5 it says now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my commandment so there's an if involved in that right so the if they never fulfilled that if they kept messing it up and and and their if was you know he said if you do these things if you keep my covenant then you'll be a peculiar treasure above all people but they didn't fulfill that and so God came like I said God came to the fruit tree you know Jesus Christ came to that fruit tree he came to his own his own received him not he came to that tree and he saw no fruit on it and because the nation of Israel had become corrupted so much so that they were soup they were just racist they weren't teaching the right salvation they were teaching it was by works they were teaching it was by nepotism that they just through nepotism just because there are children of Abraham that they would just be saved automatically that's kind of what the Zionists think today too right like John Hagee how he says that they don't need they don't need a Savior you know they have the other covenant whatever it's a bunch of garbage because Christ has taken away the kingdom of God from the spirits or from the nation of Israel and given it to people that are bringing forth the fruits thereof right so the if was never able to be kept by the nation of Israel they blew it every single time turn to Matthew chapter 21 verse 33 Matthew chapter 21 and verse number 33 Matthew 21 verse number 33 now it's so funny to me that people that believe in dispensationalism and it is God still has the plan for Israel this blows that and and just blows it completely out of the water and this is near the end of Christ's ministry if you look at verse 33 in Matthew 21 it says here another parable there was a certain householder which planted a vineyard and hedged it round about and dig the winepress in it and built a tower and let it out to husband men and went into a far country and when the time of the fruit drew near he sent his servants the husband men that they might receive the fruits of it and the husband men took his servants and beat one and killed another and stoned another again he said other servants more than the first and they did unto him them likewise but last of all he sent to them his son saying they will reverence my son so God sent the Lord Jesus this is talking about the Lord Jesus Christ always and how he sent the prophets and they beat them and threw them out of the vineyard right but he said last of all so this is their last chance and they blow it right says but last of all he sent unto them his son saying they will reverence my son but when the husband men saw the son they said among themselves this is the air come let us kill him and let us seize on his inheritance and they caught him and cast him out of the vineyard and slew him when the Lord thereof of the vineyard cometh what will he do unto those husband men they say unto him he will miserably destroy those wicked men and will let out his vineyard unto other husband men which shall render him the fruits in their seasons isn't it funny how they stay tell him what's really gonna happen because that is what happens there's other husband men were the other husband men the Gentiles were the other husband it says shut which shall render the fruits in their season so why did he do it because there was no fruit with the nation of Israel the fruit had gone dry the tree rep the fruit tree the fig tree represented that fact and it says that they we will render the fruit in its season now obviously there is a time of apostasy that's gonna happen and I think that we're probably in it I don't know how far in it we are but there's not a lot of good churches out there anymore I'm not saying this is the only good church it's a good one though but there's there's still some good churches out there but it's fewer and far in between than it used to be so what's it say in verse 42 it says Jesus saith unto them did you never read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected the same has become the head of the corner this is the Lord's doing and is marvelous in our eyes therefore say I unto you the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof and this is that husband men that it's talking about this is we are that nation that it's talking about because Peter references these scriptures when he in in first Peter chapter 2 so when speaking to the Gentile churches of Galatia what does Jesus say well or what does the Apostle Paul say turn over to Galatians chapter 1 because a lot of people say well Israel's still in on the plan at the same time they are in a sense but we're all the that wall of partitions been knocked down and we're all one fold now so if someone that's one of the sons of Israel were to get saved we're all in it together we're not supposed to have a separate church from the Gentiles and the Jews that's not it's supposed to be one fold right so look at Galatians 1 it says in verse 1 Paul an apostle not of men neither of man nor neither by my man but by Jesus Christ the God and God the Father who raised him from the dead and all the brethren which are with me unto the churches of Galatia so when he's writing the book of Galatians he's writing it to several churches not just one church it's the churches at Galatia so how's that for a universal church for you huh the Bible doesn't teach that there's one universal church the Bible says that there's different churches and so he's writing to the churches plural that means there's more than one of them right okay so put that in your pipe Catholic Church and smoke that okay so turn to Galatians chapter 6 Galatians chapter 6 look at verse 12 it says in verse 12 as many as desired to make a fair show in the flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ for neither they themselves who are our circumcised keep the law but desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh but God forbid that I should glory saving the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I am to the world for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision but what a new creature and as many as walk according to this rule what rule that you become a new creature peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God so what is he telling this Gentile these Gentile churches here he's saying you're the Israel of God if you walk according to this rule hey the circumcision means nothing we're all one in Christ Jesus and the only thing that matters is that we are a new creature that means that we are saved right and so the Bible teaches that that physical nation is now a spiritual nation the Israel of God turn to Ephesians chapter 2 verse 12 Ephesians chapter 2 verse number 12 now I know a lot of this is review for some of you and this has been preached before but it's important to know doctrine hey I'm not going to just teach the reprobate doctor once every 10 years you know like oh the next generation is here I better teach it to them again now we need to teach these doctrine all doctrines of the Bible as much as we possibly can so people understand it everybody's on a different level and maybe sometimes you might not you might be daydreaming in church which I know you never do you always listen to every word I say right but the times that you're you know not daydreaming you pick something else up new they're like oh I didn't even notice that the last time we went through this I didn't even notice that part so it's good for you to keep building your doctrine Ephesians 2 12 says that at that time you were without Christ being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promised having no hope and without God the world but now in Christ Jesus you who were sometimes of off are made nigh by the blood of Christ for he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us so is there is there two different types of churches is there Israel and their covenant and then the New Testament and our covenant no it says who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us there's no knows that when the veil is rent and twain that represented the fact that you know there's no wall between us and God anymore we can go right to God right to the throne room through the blood of Jesus Christ and that also means that we're not separated from the Commonwealth of Israel we're all one big happy family doesn't mean we're all one church we're all of the family of God okay so look at verse 13 it says but now in Christ Jesus you were sometimes a far-off were made nigh by the blood of Christ excuse me verse 15 having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the law of commandments contained in ordinance for to make himself of twain one new man so making peace and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body and the Christ and by the cross having slain the enmity thereby and came and preached peace to you which were a far off unto them which were nine for through him we both have access by one spirit unto the Father you see that through the spirit it's no longer this physical thing we don't no longer have to bring bulls and goats and all these other things and have the priest talk to God for us and offer things to God for us we can go right to them now therefore you're no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God see us as the household of God we're all poor part of this big household of God but not all in the same church now we'll all be together in heaven at some point and then you can say yeah we're one big universal church but until then there's different churches different congregations you know we have to be a congregation you have to be assembled together so if you're watching TVN and you're watching TD Jakes at home don't think that you're sitting there you know in church because you're not especially because they're you know hell-bound heretics right so look at verse 19 says now therefore you're no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the Saints in the household of God and are built up built upon the foundation of the apostles of prophets Jesus Christ himself be the chief cornerstone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord in whom you're also builded together for an habitation of God through what the spirit so it is a spiritual nation that we're part of this holy nation that we're supposed to be part of as a spiritual thing it's not necessarily a physical thing now we're physical but what we do the nation that we are is not a physical nation it's because you know through the spirit we're all saved by Christ Jesus right so we're if we're saved by Jesus Christ that means we're a spiritual nation okay it's not a physical nation we're not supposed to like rise up and have a civil war with the United States and say hey this is our we're the holy nation you know that's not how it works we're not supposed to go in and have wars and fight and things like that so turn to Hebrews chapter 11 verse number 8 Hebrews 11 verse number 8 see cuz even Abraham who's called the father of the faithful this is before the law this is before all this stuff God called Abraham out of his hometown and said hey I want you to come over to Canaan right and you can find that in Genesis chapter 12 but look at Hebrews 11 8 it says by faith Abraham when he was called to go into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whether he went by faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promise for he looked for a city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God one day as a holy nation we're gonna live in this great city called the New Jerusalem and that's the city that we should be looking for that's the nation that we're gonna be a part of now right now we're in this world we're we're here left for a purpose look if God didn't have things for us to do if he didn't want us to be this spiritual house as holy nation these lively stones he wouldn't have he would have just beamed us up right away but he he wants us to work for him that's part of his plan that's part of being a holy nation that's part of being in God's family so we're pilgrims in this world you know you you worry about where are you gonna live what what country you live in all this other stuff look we're just pilgrims here well this world is not our home we're just passing through right have you heard that song before this world is not our home we're just a passing through yeah so we're not really part of the United States if you think about it because ultimately our our destiny is to be in this kingdom in the kingdom of God in the New Jerusalem right so look at a little bit let's see turn to 1st Peter 2 1st Peter 2 I'm gonna read for you in Leviticus 11 45 it says for I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God you shall therefore be holy for I am holy so God once he saves us he has a purpose for us he wants us to be holy like he's holy right he wants us to be set apart he wants us to live a good life he doesn't want it like does God do bad things does God sin no so he wants us to be like him can we be 100% like him not while we still have flesh on our in our you know these bodies of flesh we can't be a hundred percent but he wants us to be as holy as we possibly can be okay so you're in 1st Peter 2 9 it says but you you are a chosen generation a royal priesthood and a holy nation a peculiar people they should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light which in times past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lust which war against the soul so now we have where where Peters given us some advice he says hey since you're a holy nation to kill your people and all this stuff and and the fact that you're a pilgrim you need to abstain from fleshly lust and those are the lusts that we you know usually it's something that we're prone to already usually it's something that we want that our flesh wants and it says it's a war against our soul see we have two natures we have that spiritual new man once we get saved and we also have the flesh and those those things will battle against each other till the day we die and we also are being sanctified until the day we die so people get confused about sanctification sanctification is the process where God purges you from things and and makes you a better man a better Christian a better what you know a better just a better Christian in general until the day you die now part of that it has to do with you also you know are you gonna be able to take those purgings are you able to take your wings getting clipped from time to time because it you know sometimes those purges hurt those purges are painful and the Bible says here in 1st Peter 2 11 that I bet he said I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from what fleshly lust which war against his soul why why would we why what's the big deal why can't we just do what we want well it says having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evildoers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation so what's the point of us being holy well God wants people to be able to look at us and say hey that person's different there's something about that person now I'm not for just doing lifestyle evangelism okay but hey there's nothing wrong with living a clean life and and being the people of the land being able to see that you're a good person that you're a good Christian that you do good works and that's what he's talking about hey abstain from these fleshly lust which war against the soul because you should have your life honest amongst the Gentiles you should have you know you should have good works they that they could see the good works that you do say hey that's a good person right there look at that look at Justin just hold the door open for all those people what a nice guy that's a that is a good work you know there's nothing wrong with that but you know obviously helping people out when they need help things like that but just the fact that you don't partake in the in the gutter talk at work and things like that I mean those are things that can show you honest among the Gentiles and the thing is is that why what's the point so that they can glorify God in the day of visitation the day that you knock on someone's door that you know ever had that happen before and they know who you are they know what you are they know where you've been but they've seen that change you know and that's not always the only thing in the day of visitation they're gonna look at and say hey I know some Christians that live that live right and these Christians are from this church I'm gonna listen to them don't listen to them you know and I know that people accuse us of being hateful and all this other stuff and you know they're right to a certain degree because there is should be a balance you know God hates people too sometimes you know he loves the world wants them to be saved but at a certain point he hates people you know the Bible says there's a time for love and a time for hate so there should be more time for love though I think there should be there's got to be a healthy balance there it can't be all hate they can't I don't even think it should be half and half I think it should be love a lot and then hate the very few that deserve to be hated right but you know we should live our lives so that people can see that we're you know and so when that day of visitation comes when God says hey you know what I'm gonna talk to this person but that person watched you live like a like the devil they're gonna be least likely to be saved because of that fact so why should we live holy because God's holy why should we live holy so that people can see our lives and say hey I want to be saved I want to be like them I want to quit drinking I want to quit doing drugs I want to learn I want to live my life and have it mean something the the thing is that these people's minds are deceived by Satan and they can't stop doing what they do they can't just quit they're in the slave pit they're in a slave to sin and until they get saved they can't even begin to work on that they might be able to stop smoking stop drinking you know maybe put a quarter thing so they can stop swearing or whatever they can quit people can quit some sins but they can never do enough to be saved right so when we come to them hopefully they've you know viewed you as someone that is worthy to give them the gospel you know what I mean like they look at you and say hey that person's living a holy life I'm gonna listen to them but if you're not and all they have is a bad example to look at then they're never gonna get saved because they look at you and see the opposite of what you're saying okay turn to Matthew chapter 5 verse number 13 now I know that we all fail in life sometimes we all do nobody is a perfect Christian after salvation I don't care what pastors saying that they do that they are they're full of baloney just like they say that their marriages were perfect we never sinned again I lost my whole swearing vocabulary as soon as I got saved cigarettes I choked on it and threw it away I quit drinking that same day that's a lie and to say that they never desired those things it's not true so I mean what's what's what's the real truth it's hard work to be a holy person to live a holy life to be a person that's filled with good works Matthew 5 13 Jesus tells us this you're the salt of the earth but if the salt hath hath lost his savour wherewith shall it be salted is there thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden underfoot of men so hey you might be salty but if if your salt loses its savour it's good you're good for nothing you're just to be cast out that's what Jesus thinks of a person that won't live their whole their life holy and they won't do the things that God's asked him to do he says hey you're good for nothing I might as well just kill you and take you back to and take you to heaven because you're not gonna lose your salvation but you might lose your life you might lose things on this in this earth that make that you know make it uncomfortable for you here maybe you know God doesn't just necessarily kill every person that does something that doesn't live a holy life I'm not saying that but you know God gets sick of it and his long-suffering has an end just like it had with the nation of Israel right he said okay I'm done that's it you know and then he scattered amongst the nation's way verse 14 says you're the light of the world a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid if you're a Christian people know it unless you don't act like a Christian at all they're like you're a Christian I had no clue you don't want that to be said to you because then you realize at that point that you need to make some changes in your life right because a city that's set on the hill cannot be hid hey you can't hide the fact that you're a spirit-filled Christian if you're at work people know that there's something different about you right says neither do men light a candle and put under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house hey when you're the only one at work that's saved you're like this light in a dark place right and that's why we're trying to get as many people saved the work where we work because then you got many lights pop up it's not just you right so it says neither do men light a can't excuse me look at verse 16 it says let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven so that day of visitation that they have instead of them saying hey I don't want anything to do with that guy's God they're gonna say hey I want to get saved and I want to glorify the father I want to glorify God and be thankful that this person came to my door we can't just talk the talk we also have to walk the walk not to be saved but to be a holy nation God expects you to be holy okay you can't you know can you be saved and not walk the walk of course you can you know there's no requirement for salvation besides believing on Christ but you know what else if you don't live a holy life if you don't live a godly life if you don't have good works in your life if you don't go soul winning your influence is greatly going to be diminished if your vocabulary consists of and but or and the f-word at work then your influence is gonna be greatly diminished it's something if it's something you have a hard time with look there's there's some colorful language at my work and when you hear that all the time and you used to be a person that talks like that you're gonna be more likely to say those things than someone that grew up in a Christian home grew up as a Baptist you never heard those things until you grew up but if that used to be you know your favorite word the f-word or any other swear word then it's gonna come out sometimes it's gonna be easier for that person to say it than it is for the person that never had it in their vocabulary so kids don't use cuss words even if you hear your parents use them that doesn't give you an excuse to say them yourselves okay so you know and the thing is is that God and the day that you your visitation and God's visitation comes to a person that's that's not saved they're only gonna see that you didn't walk the walk if you're that person so the day comes you're in the truck you're alone but they heard you use every filth word ever imaginable and you're and it's your time to get them saved you think they're gonna want to listen to you probably not they may but more likely not and so basically you've lost your influence to be able to reach that person you know and that's a bad feeling anybody that's ever been in that in that position it's a bad feeling it makes you feel ashamed it should make you feel ashamed it should make you feel ashamed that you you know maybe God because in that moment you think God put this person in my life for a reason and I blew it and so when you're not living as a holy nation then those you know why why do it well do you want people to be saved or not so is you looking cool to the other people at work more important than that person getting saved I hope not turn to Philippians chapter 2 Philippians chapter 2 have you heard that term talk is cheap it's easy to just talk and you know it's easy to come to church and act like you're so holy and you know you're such a great Christian but then in the other part of your life you're not your kids see it your kids see that they see your hypocrisy your family members see your hypocrisy and they'll say hey I know he acts holy when he's around all this church buddies but when he's around us it's F this and F that and blankety blank and blah blah blah and you're talking about every disgusting thing that that you know that shouldn't be your report people in your family shouldn't see that in you so Philippians chapter 12 2 verse 12 says wherefore my beloved as you also obeyed as as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling this isn't talking about working your way to heaven okay because there's hundreds of other verses that say something different so you know here's just an example of a place where a false prophet or somebody that is not stable take that verse and I'll go see you got to work out your salvation you got to work it all up now it says work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it's good for it is God excuse me which worketh in you both to do to will and to do of his good pleasure so God wants you to work out and show the works that you have in your life because you're saved there's now I mean verse 13 gives you the context of what it's talking about for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure to do all things without do all things without murmurings and disputings so we're not supposed to work our way to heaven we're supposed to work out and show people you know we're supposed to show people our good works and so how do you do that well how do you build yours how do you build your muscles how do weightlifters build their muscles well they they pump iron they work out and so if you're working out you're you know showing people that you're saved you're working out you're showing people the good works that you have in your life and it shows your spirit you know it shows your spirituality now obviously there's people that try to do good works to get to heaven that's a different story but Warren that's not what works supposed to be doing God wants us to work out and show our you know do lots of works and that builds your spiritual muscles you know you're like I can do these shots or whatever they can do 1600 crunches before breakfast but God wants us to work out and show people salvation so look at verse 15 it says that you may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation so we're supposed to show people our good works and to live a holy life why because that we can show that we may be blameless and harmless the sons of God we need to we need to show we need to show that to people without rebuke that means there's nothing that you could be rebuked for that people would say that guy he's bad now obviously if you're preaching the Bible and people think that you're wrong and they say you're not supposed to hate love conquers hate and you know all this other garbage you know we then at that point you know hey they're just they're mad at you because you're preaching the Word of God you know some people preach Christ for contention I think about those what do they call those guys the the prayer boys or whatever what are they called no they're the ones that go and clash with antifa they're Patriot prayer boys or whatever I don't know those guys you know I don't know some some of them probably are saved I don't know I'm not sure but they go to be contentious and they go in the name of Christ to start fights instead of going out and preaching the gospel to people like they should be what are they accomplishing they're just accomplishing people to hate Christians more than they already do yeah says we're supposed to be without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom you shine as lights in the world say it goes back to Matthew chapter 5 you know the Bible it just you know has layers upon layers of things and it just proves itself over and over again that he wants us to be a light in the world we're supposed to shine in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation or that holy nation that spiritual nation that's supposed to shine forth it says holding forth the word of life what is that this book right here the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain neither labored in vain hey we're supposed to show forth this book that's what gets people saved and hey we're supposed to live by this book also we're supposed to be holy Matthew chapter turn to John chapter 17 I will read for you Matthew 10 16 it says behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves who sent us forth Christ has sent us forth he sent us forth into these crooked and perverse nations so that we could be lights in the world so like I said last week obviously he thinks we can handle it but you're not gonna handle it if you think that you're just gonna live your life however you want to and then come to work or come to church on Sunday and act like you're holy and act like you're living right in the world and you're really not John 17 verse 14 you're in John says I have given them thy word and the word hath in the world excuse me I have given them thy word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am NOT of the world I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but thou that thou shouldest keep them from the evil so Christ has sent us you know to be this holy nation and he says he's praying he's praying in the Spirit to the Father that he wouldn't take us out of the world he doesn't want us to be taken out of the world but that we should be kept from evil and that is being holy amen they are not of the world even as I am not of the world sanctify them through thy truth thy word is truth you know where you're gonna get your truth from you know we're gonna get your sanctification from from this book right here it's gonna teach you you know the Holy Spirit God's giving you the Holy Spirit to teach you all things right and so when you're reading this book he's gonna teach you he's gonna sanctify you he's gonna set you apart he's gonna go oh man I shouldn't be stealing anymore that's sanctification hey if you were a thief before stop being a thief if you're a big fat liar before stop being a big fat liar and start telling the truth I mean God that's the sanctification process that you just God just prunes you and clips those things away from you so what so you can bring forth more fruit and so those things that you don't need in your life God wants to trim those up but sometimes people are resisting like no not that CD God I love that CD that's my favorite one I still want to listen to that one I still want to listen to tool Richards getting accused online of you know being a closet case for loving the lead singer of tool that his sermon has like 12,000 views right now I think it's awesome but you know look at some point you have to be willing to give up the things of this world that were yours before you got saved and those things are hard sometimes but God Jesus says sanctify them through thy truth thy word is truth as thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world look God wants you to be sent in the world he doesn't want you to be in a compound in Idaho fighting against the government with all your guns and you know joining the hillbilly of the month oh you know whatever he doesn't want you to be some rebel out in the middle of the hanging out with the the Aryan nations and things like that look he wants us to be in the world he wants us to be where people are so we can get those people saved as a spiritual and holy nation we must be holy we must show forth and represent our God turn to first Peter 1 first Peter 1 verse number 13 first Peter 1 verse 13 says wherefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end of for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ as obedient children not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance what are the former lusts your favorite CDs your favorite video games if you played doom before you should probably throw doom away dooms you know a wicked game I always bring up video games and stuff like that I always bring up the things that I had a hard time with right so comic books get rid of them old filthy comic books just whatever it is that you had a lust for in your former your former life it says not fashion yourselves according to that former lust of your ignorance hey you were ignorant about it before but now you're not you've got no excuse now and so sometimes God has to take a slice off and you're not willing to take that slice but you should be because it says in verse 15 but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation now that word conversation it doesn't you know we would think conversation we're talking back and forth but what it's talking about here is manner of lifestyle the life that you live the life that you show forth hey if God's holy he wants you to be holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation all of your lifestyle should be a holy thing so because it is written be holy for I am holy and if you call on the father who without respect a person's judges according to every man's work past the time of your so journey here and fear because why we're pilgrims we're part of the Holy Nation we're so journeying here for a time but that time isn't gonna be forever and look your rewards are on the line your heavenly rewards you know the things that you could have got but you didn't get because you didn't get rid of this you didn't get rid of that maybe God wanted to purge you and have you bring forth more fruit but you were too resistant you just did this you stiffened your neck you hardened your neck you hardened your heart and you said you know what I don't care I'm gonna keep listening to the tool as long as the world stands we're all gonna keep listening to I don't even know Eminem God help you if you're listening to that I'm gonna question your salvation turn back to Exodus chapter 3 verse number 5 Exodus 3 verse 5 I'll tell you what most of these people have sold their soul to the devil anyway they say it in their songs they flat-out just tell you sold a soul to the devil blah blah blah I mean I think Eminem says it in one of his songs I sold my soul to the devil why is he so popular how could he rap so good because the devil controls him the devil he's sold a soul to the devil I don't know he was just Marshall Mathers before and now he's Eminem he's gonna die and go to hell but we want to listen to it we want to listen to the world's music Exodus 3 5 I'm just gonna show you some examples I'll just we'll just go through some and just an access alone okay about dog God talking about holy things right and Exodus 3 5 says and he said draw not nigh hither put off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place wherein thou standest is holy ground see God expects us to be holy and it's not just one thing hey take your shoes you know be respectful in a place that's a sacred place like this place here be respectful wear what you should wear talk how you should talk you know if this is a holy place I mean it's not the building there's nothing special about the building that's when we come together in this building it becomes a holy place it becomes the pillar and ground of the truth the church right so turn to Exodus chapter 16 verse 23 in the Old Testament they kept us they kept one day a week where they were not allowed to work they go they went to church and and they read the scriptures and they print and they had preaching just like we do now but it was a picture of what Christ was gonna do for us that we don't do works and he does all the works for us right so that law has been done away in Christ but it says and he said unto them this is that which the Lord had said tomorrow the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord baked that which you have baked today and see that which you will see that and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until morning so what's he talking about well he's saying that the you know tomorrow's the Sabbath rest you know but in the New Testament we can't we go to church on Sundays right why because on the first day of the week that's when Christ rose from the dead and you can see several times in the scriptures where it talks about gathering together on the first day of the week so we don't have to but you know the Bible says not forsaking yourselves the turn to Hebrew chapter 10 25 I can't quote it right now for some reason I know it by heart but sometimes I get old Hebrews 10 25 it's good to just read it for yourself anyway right Hebrews 10 25 says not forsaking the assembling of your of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching you know then the next verse it talks about if we sin willfully after we've received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrifice for sins look God if you know the truth you know you're supposed to be in church so why are you skipping church you're willfully sinning because you just you know broke a nail or you know you want to go see grandpa's have family day or whatever there's nothing wrong with having a family day there's six other days in the week though isn't there you know you don't we don't force people to go soul winning here so you don't have to go to every soul winning thing time that we have you should probably go once a week at least but you know people just they forsake the assembling for any reason you know this church should be filled right now I know we have more people to go to this church now obviously some people are sick and can't make it or whatever or it's okay to take vacations I'm not saying it's not but look you know if you just have a pat excuse for every time you want to skip church us that's wrong it was wrong to break the Sabbath it's wrong to not go to church okay look at Exodus 19 verse 6 the verse that we were in in the Bible reading it says and he shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and in holy nation these are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel God expects us to be a holy nation he expects us to be holy look at Exodus 20 verse 18 one chapter over Exodus 20 excuse me Exodus 20 verse number 8 remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy there's a whole bunch of different things that God considers holy that all the utensils that they had to make and all the you know everything that was offered to them all the service of the tabernacle all these things God would say set this apart this is holy do this this is holy make Aaron and his sons special garments those are holy and so I've mentioned this last week but shouldn't we you know try to dress up and we go to church too I mean should we look like we just fell out of bed like a bird landed a bird landing in your hair and made a nest I mean you should try to look nice people have you ever heard that term where people say well cleanliness is next to godliness that's not in the Bible by the way but I'll tell you what is God expecting you to be clean your house is to be clean you know and obviously there's times when you know it looks like a hand grenade went off in your house it's been a hard week whatever but as a rule in general don't you think your house should be clean if someone comes over randomly hey which is annoying but hey I'm in the neighborhood I just thought I'd stop by like you're still on your pajama shorts and whatever but you know don't you think you should your house should look somewhat presentable do you think it's important to God I think it's important to God that this place is clean I think it is I'm not preaching about that but Sean mentioned this verse in his sermon about making paddles on the end of your weapons turn over to let's see Deuteronomy chapter 23 Deuteronomy chapter 20 23 verse number 13 says now shall have a paddle upon by weapon and it shall be when thou wilt ease thyself abroad thou shalt dig therewith and shall turn back and cover that which cometh from me now this is you know a poetic way of saying that you're going to the bathroom okay so you know God makes it you know seem a lot you know it's an ugly picture okay so yeah I mean obviously I don't want to focus on that but verse 14 says for the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee therefore shall thy camp be holy that's interesting you know he wants your camp to be holy that he see no unclean thing in thee and turn away from thee you know so that's a good lesson ladies for making sure your house is clean hey when your husband comes home from work do you think he wants that your kids to be screaming and the whole house of disaster probably doesn't if I wants to come in have his feet rub dinner served to him on a silver platter you know and I realize that that's not everybody's deal right but it should be hey he's going out and working his tail off for you you should be at home working your tail off for him there's nothing wrong with that don't let your ladies don't let your house look like a pigsty and your husband has to come home and look at you know if the Lord's gonna depart from your camp your husband's gonna want to depart from your camp too doesn't that make sense I mean who wants to look at a filthy house all the time I don't I like to make the mess but I don't like to clean it up but you know God you know there's certain things that God just finds whole you know that he wants us to be holy in and one of those things is apparently not having a filthy house he doesn't want a bunch of doodoo all over the place clean up your place so and men go out work hard do what you're supposed to do don't be a bomb but here's some other verse I'll just read them for you Exodus 22 verse 31 it says and he shall be a holy holy men unto me neither shall you eat any flesh that is torn from beasts of the field he shall cast it to the dogs hey there's certain kind of food that God didn't want you to eat either now I'm not going into a GMO all-natural discussion here but God does want you to eat things you know he wants your diet to be something somewhat balanced right and he doesn't want you to be filthy when you're eating hey take care of your food when you're done eating it how about put on the refrigerator put some saran wrap on it it's a good idea so you don't get your whole house sick you know God put things in the Bible for a reason there's still it's still okay to wash your hands it doesn't defile you but I'll tell you what if you shake someone's hand that just got done coughing in it you might want to go wash your hands so you don't get sick there's reasons why God said the quarantine people off because they're unclean because they have some kind of germ or virus right so well here's another one let's see I think that's it well God had the holy place and he had the most holy place you know he had the the holy of holies where the Aaron was only allowed to walk into there once a year so God makes a separation between what's holy and what's not holy and I'll tell you what he wants us to be a people that hey we show forth our life and holiness people could look and see our good works you know not that you know you're you're playing Metallica from the the the garage and then you're like hey I just want to share Jesus with you they're like what you know I'm listening you're listening to Pantera right and then the next thing you know you're knocking on their door and saying hey I want to share the Lord Jesus Christ with you're like yeah okay you're listening to Pantera and you want to come talk to me about that how is your home doing how is your how do you have a checklist the home have you done like a spiritual cleaning in your life you know we should we should have some things you know do you have scriptures put up in your home so you can memorize them so your kids can memorize them that's that's holy don't you think I mean we were over at Justin's house the other day and he has big old scripture things and you know that's a good thing to do God wants us to do that but it's not just about it's not just about you and your lifestyle that's good we should be a clean living Christians but also your house should be clean too like physically okay I think that's part of being holy you know what do you think when you knock on someone's door there's garbage all over the floor and you know just have you ever been to a house of like you open that they open the door and it's like who you're like I'll puke I'll puke on some of these houses I'd have to run away remember the lady that came in into church at one time I was gagging I was about to throw up that's a disgusting thing that's not clean and God will depart from us if we're not living a holy life not depart like you lose your salvation okay I'm just saying that if your life makes him sick he's not gonna want to be around you that relationship is gonna be severed to a certain extent still saved but you know there's people that are saved that I might not want to hang around with too I'm not saying any of you I love all you but how is your dress standards are your dress standards the same at home as they are here probably not but you know God does expect us to have a dress style like maybe you have a pants style at home I don't know like ladies if you're still wearing pants at home it's it's it's wrong you know if the Bible says it's an abomination to wear a man's garment then you should probably just like that's not a hard thing to internalize that's an easy thing it's like the pants the pants I still need them no you don't get rid of those manly looking pants when I see ladies in pants now I just makes it looks weird to me like I'm so used to being around church people that like when I go out in the world and I see a woman in pants I'm just like it just looks strange it doesn't look right so let's look at Luke 19 we'll close out here Luke 19 if the Lord were coming to your house on a visit three days from now would you be would you be ready for him to come or would you have to do some cleanup what you have to do take some time and clean some stuff up you're like oh I don't want the Lord to see this you know but let's look at the example of Zacchaeus I mean he was a publican and everybody hated his guts but apparently he wasn't worried about the Lord coming over his house look at verse 2 in Luke chapter 19 says behold there was a man named Zacchaeus which was the chief among the publicans and he was rich and he sought to see Jesus who he was and could not for the press because he was little of stature and he ran before and climbed up in the sycamore tree to see him for he was to pass that way when Jesus came to the place he looked up and saw him and said unto him Zacchaeus make haste and come down for today I must abide at thy house and he made haste and came down and received him joyfully so he said hey come on over Jesus but would that be your attitude ladies would you be like yeah come on over Jesus I know some that would not be that way in this room not mentioning any names but you know and maybe it's maybe we need to do some spiritual housecleaning we all need to do that from time to time but you know or is he gonna come and see the accursed thing is he gonna come to your house and see the accursed thing the thing that Achan you know was stoned to death for I mean I don't know what that accursed thing is that you can just imagine that in your mind what you have at your house that might be something that God would say that's a cursed get that out of your house how dare you bring that into your house with your family here and you can just whatever is in your mind to put as that accursed thing you can put that there but you know that's something you think about have you you know I mean I know Justin Bird all his stuff but maybe some new things but added I don't know just kidding but you know it's not just it you know to be a holy nation we got to clean up everything and we know it's hard sometimes to live the Christian life that's why people quit but we need to press forward and and just remember you know why am I preaching this well I want us to be holy I want our church to be holy I want God to be pleased with our church I was looking for a verse in here that I wanted to show but I think I must have left it out of my notes but oh yeah it's where's it at ah verse 19 and exits night or Exodus 19 verse 11 says and be ready against the third day for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people and upon Mount Sinai if you knew that God was coming back in three days what would you clean up in your life it's a good picture of us being ready you know Jesus said be ready for in such an hour the Son of Man cometh right so he cometh we I mean obviously we don't believe in a pre-trip rapture here either but at some point he's gonna come back and he says he wants us to be ready we're supposed to be ready spiritually we're supposed to be ready so hopefully there's some things that you could take home with this and you know obviously there's some things I can take home with this man these kinds of studies are are hurtful to your pastor too because you know I'm not perfect either so but definitely spend some time on my knees when I preach terms like this amen so hopefully you do too let's pray Heavenly Father we thank you Lord for this wonderful day Lord I just pray specifically right now for brother Joe who's in the hospital pray that you'd help him to recover from his sickness that he's had and and Lord also for brother Jim Powell pray that you would help him restore his eyes to full sight Lord if you would and Lord even if you don't I pray Lord that you just help them encourage him and we'll give you the praise and glory for that Lord we just ask that you'd help us to be a people that's holy a holy nation Lord as you called us to be and Lord if there's things that we need to get out of our lives some places that maybe we've delved back into that we shouldn't be Lord I pray that you just help us and work in our hearts and just to point those things out to us Lord I'm not here to you know point fingers at people but Lord your your word points the fingers to us and I just pray that you'd help us to discern those things and help us to be holy in Jesus name we pray amen