Title: Theme of Leviticus - Sanctification

Focus: Being holy means that God has dedicated us to himself as his possession. Our activities need to reflect this ownership and dedication to God

Function: To help the hearers understand that sanctification is a lifestyle to be lived day in and day out


Intro:
1.  Have to be holy to live with God
2.  Exod 40:34-38 - Sanctuary constructed
3.  Lord now dwelling among his people
4.  Now, he instructs them about Holiness/Sanctification in Leviticus
5.  Some preliminary points about holiness

I.  Sanctification is first and foremost the work of God
	A.  We do not initially make ourselves holy
	B.  Exod 19:1-6 - God sanctifies Israel to himself
		1.  They are his own possession (special treasure)
		2.  A kingdom of priests
		3.  A holy nation
	C.  ILL:  I have a special song book
		1.  Was given to me at singing school
		2.  This one is special, it signed by students.
		3.  For a long time, kept in a special place
		4.  That is what God did to Israel, his special treasure
	D.  So sanctification is first a work of God

II.  The same message comes across in the New Testament
	A.  As Christians, it is our Lord who sanctifies us
	B.  Key passages
		1.  (1 Pet 1:2; 2 Thess 2:13) - Sanctified by the Holy Spirit
		2.  (1 Cor 1:2, 30) - Sanctified by Christ (his blood cleansed us)
	C.  I like the marriage analogy (Eph 5:25-27)
		1.  Jesus is the husband, and we are his bride
		2.  He took us to be his wife
		3.  We are his, and his alone
	D.  So sanctification is first a work of God
		

III.  (Lev 19:1-2)  Holiness is also commanded
	A.  It is something accomplished by God, and maintained by us
		1.  Book of Leviticus all about living holy life
		2.  When the Holy God calls you, he wants you to be holy
	B.  In Leviticus, areas of holiness in all aspects of life
		1.  All brought to the Lord had to be holy
			a.  All offerings had to be holy
			b.  God would not accept anything profane or common
		2.  Holy times, places, objects, and people
		3.  Holiness woven into the fabric of their life
		4.  Will look at these in the coming weeks
	C.  For now, let’s look at 1 Peter

IV.  (1 Pet 1:13-21)  We are to be Holy in all our behavior
	A.  We are to be holy like the Holy one who called us (v.15)
	B.  What does this Holyness mean?
		1.  (18) Redeemed/washed by blood of Christ from futile way of life
		2.  (14) Not conformed to former lusts
			a.  Grk word (epithumia) a neutral word
			b.  Used of God’s desire for us
			c.  Could include desire for power, money, freedom, etc.
			d.  We tune our desires to God’s will
		3.  (13) Fix hope completely on the grace to be brought at....
			a.  Fixing hope is about focus, goal
			b.  What is your goal in life?  
			c.  What do your actions say your goal in life is?
	C.  ILL:  Some people have problem with fixing hope on something
		1.  When I child, I used to say in store “I want this, I want that”
		2.  I had a lot of wants and desires, but I did not have a hope
		3.  Jeremy is opposite, usually wants just one thing
	D.  We need to fix our hope on just that one thing - Christ

Concl:
1.  That is what “being” holy means in a nut shell
2.  We fix our hope, desire, and life on Christ
3.  Gal 2:20 - I’ve been crucified with Christ
4.  Will later look at holy offerings, holy priesthood, holy space, holy times, etc.
5.  But for now - Holiness is tuning desires to God’s desires, and fixing hope on
him