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Cont’d from our study about “Holiness as an essential to any Christian”…

In the last session, I closed with a couple of questions:

1/ Do you pursue holiness, or do you see it as a wall, a barrier between you and the world.
— It shouldn’t be a barrier, but it must be a separation. (We cannot walk and talk like the worldly.)

2/ Does holiness seem like a pursuit of a no fun, no joy lifestyle?
— It shouldn’t turn us into sour Christians, but it should limit what we consider pleasurable.

Tonight we will look at the question…

How did Jesus handle HIS holiness? — For Jesus was (and is) as HOLY as any part of the Godhead?
— For discussion about this, look at Mark 2:13-17 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. (14) And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. (15) And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. (16) And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (17) And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Any confusion about how Jesus behaved in these verses can be settled by looking closely at vs.17
…If we consider why Jesus was visiting with these “SINNERS”.

Q1/ What are we told would be His focus in conversing and socializing with these needy souls?

Q2/ If our conversation isn’t about their salvation, are we restricted from disputing with others over secular topics? (How should Christians, handle such topics as Politics, marriage, etc?)

Q3/ What does it mean to be a peace-maker? (Does it mean being silent about controversial subjects?)
— Are we called to be total pacifists, never opposing the governing forces?

Was Jesus silent about abuses around Him? (I’m sure there were many under Roman military occupation.) Let’s turn to the Bible…

— Jesus did say, “Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:19-21)

— However… Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, “It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” (Matthew 21:12-13)

— And the Apostle Paul took a stand against the ruling powers in Acts 28:17-19… After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.  (18)  When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case.  (19)  But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation.

As we see above the answer to being a peace-maker sometimes requires taking a stand against wrong-doing.

Q4/ How can we find peace of mind amidst others who are full of abusive talk and behavior?

READ Philippians 4:5-8  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;  (6)  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  (7)  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  (8)  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

— What do these words that instruct our thinking from vs.8, mean to you?

1/ think about whatever is TRUE.

2/ think about whatever is HONORABLE.

3/ think about whatever is JUST.

4/ think about whatever is PURE.

5/ think about whatever is LOVELY.

6/ think about whatever is COMMENDABLE.

7/ if there is any EXCELLENCE think about these things.

8/ if there is ANYTHING WORTHY OF PRAISE think about these things.

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It takes Godly wisdom to follow the example of Jesus, and not to seek isolation from needy souls, but instead grab every opportunity to tell others about how they can be saved from eternal destruction, and delivered with us into God’s eternal Kingdom. We should always be showing GRACE, but never JOINING IN SIN… (KK)

We’ll close before prayer time, with the song, ‘Lord I come to you’