So, amen. Amen. Revelation chapter four. Revelation four and we're going to read verses eight through 11 and if you have been coming for a few weeks, it should be familiar to you. If you're haven't been coming for the last few weeks, you're visiting or this will be new to you maybe but we're going to read verses eight through 11 again to reintroduce series that we're doing on for thy pleasure.

Why are you here? Why are we here? Well, we're here at God's pleasure. We are here for his pleasure. He is the potter.

We are the clay. He is the creator. We are the creation. Reminded that in Revelation four, the universe eight and the four beasts, these are four angels in heaven. Had each of them six wings about him and they were full of eyes within and they rest not day and night saying, holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, which was and is and is to come and when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne who liveth forever and ever.

The four and twenty elders representing the redeemed of Christ in heaven, fall down before him that sat on the throne and worship him that liveth forever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne saying, thou art worthy, oh Lord, to receive glory and honor and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure, they are and were created. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for this day, this opportunity to worship you here together, to praise your name, to thank you for all that you've done, to proclaim your word and the good news of the gospel, to remind us that we serve a holy God who desires to be served by a holy people. Lord, please work in our hearts by the power of your holy spirit. Use your word that it might not return void today and may you be honored and exalted in all that said and done.

In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen. So, why did God create you? He created you for his pleasure because he suited his good pleasure to do so. He wanted to and so he did.

He did so because it gave him pleasure to do so. He did so in order that you might give him pleasure, continue to give him pleasure by doing his will and those things for which he made you. Now, if I if I make a kite and I enjoy making the kite, but then I take the kite out and the wind is blowing, but the kite, the kite refuses to what? To fly, then then that that doesn't bring me all the pleasure that that thought the kite would, would it? Because I made the kite to do what?

To fly. And if it doesn't fly, well, that's that's frustrating. God found pleasure in the creation of man and woman created in his what? In his image in the Garden Of Eden. It brought him pleasure to do so.

But sadly, when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, sin entered into the world and and the human race and sadly, rather than doing things that bring him pleasure, we often do the things that that bring him displeasure. And God made us that we might glorify him, that we might bring him pleasure, and we are most fulfilled in our life when we are doing the thing for which we were created also. And so, we decided to spend a few weeks looking into God's word about and to discover how we as Christians can bring our heavenly father pleasure and have divided it up into these three categories. We've always already looked at the first two. We're going look at the third today.

How do we bring him pleasure by choosing him as your Lord by faith and trusting him more each day exhibited in your obedience also. Trust and obey. Trust and obey. How are you going to bring pleasure to God? Put your faith in him.

Put your faith in Jesus Christ to be the Lord and savior of your life. That's the reason he came to die on the cross. So that you might have a way. He is the way, the truth, and the life and through faith in him, you can be saved. You can be redeemed.

God can begin to restore the image, his image us that was marred by sin. Till the day we stand before him when we will see him as he is because we will be like him but begins with faith, with faith that is impossible without faith. It is impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. So, how can you bring pleasure to God by choosing to put your faith in him.

Number two, by choosing to love and serve him first of all. What is the greatest commandment? Thou shalt love who? The Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and mind. That is the greatest commandment.

And we give God pleasure. When we choose to love him, to value him. Above all other things. And to demonstrate that love to the world around us. By our love not only for him but also for them, for those that he created by showing our love, his love to them also.

Number three today, we can give God pleasure by choosing to be what? To be holy. Be you holy for I am holy. By choosing to be holy and live a holy life before our savior. Set apart to our holy God and separate from worldliness and sin.

Be you holy for I am holy. God's command, that is a command and it's an expectation and you can bring pleasure to God today this day, this week, this month, this year, by choosing to be more like him and he is holy. Back to first Peter 113 through 16. First Peter one thirteen through 16 and I read at the beginning of service. You'll have to turn there because I don't have on the screen.

First Peter one thirteen, wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Looking forward to what? We've been studying in Sunday school. We're looking forward to eternity for the day we stand before him complete. But we're not there yet, are we?

No, we're still here. We're still in this world. We still gotta deal with all the things that this world puts in our path. It says, concerning this day and time, verse 14, as obedient children, not fashioning, not conforming yourselves according to the former lust and your ignorance, that's before you came to Christ for salvation but as he which have called you as holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation. The word conversation there is not limited to communication that you of of your mouth.

It's a word that more broadly speaks of conduct or behavior. So, God says, be holy in all manner of conduct. In every aspect of our life, God wants us to be holy because it is written be holy for I am holy. God is glorified in the holiness of his children as they grow in their likeness to their holy God. As our life choices, our attitudes, and behavior reflect like a mirror, the righteousness, the righteous nature, the holy nature, of the God we serve.

As our lights reflect the holiness, our lives reflect the holiness of God like that mirror. God is what? He is glorified. And we bring him pleasure. First thing I want us to see today is God is holy.

Before you can understand how holiness is demonstrated in our lives to the glory of God, you need to understand that he is holy and before you can understand what that means, you have to understand what we mean by holy. Because we use that term a lot especially in religious and Christian circles but we use a lot of terms that a lot of people don't understand and they don't know what they mean. Just occasion, sanctification atonement We could go on. List word after word that a lot of Christians use but they don't know what they mean. What's the word holy mean?

As used in scripture, the word holy is a term which describes describes the unique nature of God in its many aspects and not as narrowly as we often tend to use it. The word holy really describes the nature of who? The nature of God. The word itself is often used in both Greek and Hebrew of cleansing and purity. It is associated with the concept of cleansing and purity and as such God is pure.

He is free from all what? Sin. Or stain of sin in his nature or character in any way. As the lamb for the Passover sacrifice was to be without blemish and without spot. So, our father in heaven is without blemish or spot in any way, shape, or form.

Untouched and incapable of sin or moral failing. As is the son of God and our savior, Jesus Christ. God is without flaw. In any way, particularly sinful. Hebrews four fifteen says this, for we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.

Listen, what what was in all points tempted like as we are, next three words, yet, without sin. Yet, without sin. He was tempted like you and I are tempted. A matter of fact, I think Satan probably spent more time and effort and energy trying to destroy Christ than he does has tried and destroy any of us and yet Christ stood up to the temptation. He quoted the words of the father.

Back to the enemy. He stood strong. He did not give in. He was without what? Without sin.

He is pure. Number two, the word holy means set apart. The whole, the word holy means set apart. This hymn book right here. Look at the hymn books in your hymn book racks.

What color are they? They're red. What color is this one? Blue. Different hymn book?

No. Same hymn book. This this one has a blue cover and those have red covers. Why do you think I like to use this one rather than those? Because there's only one of these and this one is set apart to be used right here.

And it it it also lays nice and open flat. Really really those don't do that. They they might turn on you but not this one. It lays flat and open. It's been used a yacht.

It's mine. It is it is set apart to be used up here, okay? The word holy means set apart. It emphasizes separation. It means to be set apart, sanctified, dedicated, or consecrated.

And so God is set apart. The articles and utensils of the temple in the Old Testament were called holy. Each piece of furniture was called holy. Each spoon or or or tongs or whatever was used was called holy. What made them holy?

Was it because a priest did some elaborate thing over it? No. They were holy because they were dedicated to whom? To God and use in the temple. They were set apart.

They were holy. They were not to be used for anything else but the worship of God. God is set apart from all others. He is God. There is none other god but why?

One, he is the great I am that I am. That phrase I am that I am is used in Exodus chapter three by God to describe himself. He is saying this, there is only one who has always existed, exist today, and will forever exist in the future and that is who? That is God. He is the I am that I am.

Nobody made God. Nobody created God. Nobody gave birth to God. God has always just what? Existed.

He is the uncaused cause. He is the alpha and omega, the beginning, and the end, the eternal God. He is set apart from all other things. He is set apart from all others in his moral nature as well. Separated from sin and anything defiled or corrupt.

So, we speak of holy. We speak also of his moral nature. Not only is he unique and that he's eternal. But he is honest, always, trustworthy, always. He is just always.

He is loving Always. He is holy. He is set apart from all or any corrupting influence. Beholden to no one but his own nature. He is holy.

He is set apart. Number three, he is righteous. The word holy is also connected to the word righteous. Emphasizing that God is just and fair to his very core, incapable of acting unjustly or with partiality to any. There is none righteous, no, not one.

That is there is none righteous but who? There's none righteous but God. Jesus Christ is God. So, yes, there is none righteous but Christ. There's none righteous but God.

In Psalm one nineteen one sixty, it's David says of the Lord, thy word is true from the beginning and everyone of thy righteous judgments endureth forever. In Psalm, in Jeremiah twenty three six, we read in his days, Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called. That is Christ, the king. Name shall be called the Lord our righteousness. The Lord our righteousness.

You see, doesn't say the Lord just his righteousness but he is the Lord what? Our righteousness. For righteousness comes from him. Our righteousness is not good enough. There is none righteous, no not one.

Therefore, we must be clothed in the righteousness of who? In the righteousness of Jesus Christ, our Lord. He alone is fully holy. He is pure. He is set apart and he is completely and in every way righteous.

Now, I want to clarify one thing, point number two on my lesson here and that is this, it's concerning the love of God. Many mistakenly have been led to believe that the holiness and justice of God is contrary to the love of God but nothing could be further from the truth. Sometimes, we talk of God's love and God's holiness as though the two are in competition with each other or the two are contrary to one another but that simply is not the case. These two descriptions of God's character are not in competition. They are not contrary and they are not disconnected from one another.

Very very much connected. His holiness and his love. No rather they are inseparable. The one from the other and they compliment each other. They compliment each other.

If I said mashed potatoes, you would come back with gravy. If I said, husband, you would come back with wife. If I said horse and buggy. If I said silver and gold. If I said bow and arrow, okay?

Why those two things, they're different but they compliment one another. They work together. They belong together. So does God's holiness and his love. They are inseparable.

They compliment each other. They are connected to one another. You cannot have his love apart from his holiness and you can't have his holiness apart from his what? From his love. For instance, let's consider James chapter two.

If you would turn to James chapter two, if you're in Peter, you just have to turn back a couple pages, okay? James chapter two, it'll read verses one through nine. James two one through nine. The love and the holiness of God We also will see the lack of it in humanity. James two, my brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory with respect of persons.

For if there come unto your assembly, a man with a gold ring and goodly apparel and there come also a poor man in a vile raiment and you have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing and say unto him, sit thou here under in a good place or say to the poor, stand thou there or sit here under my footstool. Are you not then partial in yourselves and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken my beloved brethren, have not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs the kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him? But you have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the judgement seats.

Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which you are called? If you fulfill the royal law according to scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, you do well, but if you have respects to persons, you commit sin and are convinced of the law as transgressors. James is writing to his fellow Hebrew Christians. Hebrew Christians that were treating people differently in their services and in their ministry as to whether they were rich or they were what? Poor.

If they were drenched and they were dressed up in fine, it says gay, it means beautiful clothing here. Then they were given the best seat and and people all said hello to them and treated them well but if the poor person in rags who didn't smell quite as good came in the back door, they were given the the back seat or no seat at all. And people avoided them. And James says, this is wrong. This is not like our God.

Our God does not treat people with partiality. He is impartial. He is fair. He is just. He loves who?

He loves everyone. He died for everyone. Because we are all what? Sinners in need of a savior. And he died for us all.

Men are partial. Respectors of persons treat one another unfairly. Often for a myriad of unfounded reasons. Race, skin shade, ethnicity, nationality, region of country you're from, whether you're from the North or the South, whether you're from urban or rural, economic class, whether you're white collar or blue collar, and the list goes on and on. We often judge the book by its what?

Cover and sometimes, we can draw some very erroneous conclusions about one another and treat one another with disrespect and injustice because of our prejudice and lack of love and compassion. We are not what? Holy. We are unholy by nature. And it is sad to see throughout human history the injustices that have been perpetrated upon groups like the Jews and others because of their heritage or their skin color.

Man is inherently prejudiced and partial but not who? But not our God. He is holy and therefore, just, impartial. Also loving, compassionate, and merciful. Why is it that God is impartial, always just and fair, judging everyone by the same standards and righteous in all his doings?

Among other reasons, I would say is because God loves all of his creatures. It's taboo to sing the song today, Jesus loves the little children because it mentions skin color but the message is clear and true. They are all precious in his what? They're all precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world and Jesus loves everyone of us.

And Jesus will judge us fairly and impartially. Furthermore, because he loves us so much, he couldn't just let us go. And so he sent his son to die. To take our place on the cross. Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to what?

Repentance, salvation. The Lord is not slack concerning his promises. Some men count slackness but long suffering to us were not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. What is that verse? That verse reflects the holiness and the love of God.

God cannot simply say, well, I don't care about your sin because he has to care about your sin because he is what? He is holy. The transgression of the law, the breaking of his law, rebellion against our creator must be dealt with and so he dealt with it by hanging his son on a what? His unblemished holy son on a cross. So that through faith in him, we might receive his forgiveness.

As we accept what Christ did for us, as we accept his offer to take our sins, our place, our punishment, as we accept that by faith, and accept him as our Lord. We become the children of God. And God's holiness and love. Work together to bring us God's plan of redemption. For you and for me.

They are not contrary. They are not in competition. They go together and praise God. They do. They do.

Now, we turn to the third point this morning and it's this, back in first Peter one hundred fifteen and sixteen, now that we know that holiness speaks of cleansing and purity, that holiness speaks of being set apart as Christians were set apart under who? We're set apart unto God through Jesus Christ, his son. As it speaks of righteousness, and God is all of that. God now tells us in verse fifteen and sixteen, but he which has called you as holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation. Because it is written, be you holy for I am holy.

God expects his children in their mortal in their moral character and in their conduct, in all of their dealings with others, to be holy like their father in heaven is holy. To bring glory to him and pleasure. Not mere outward conformity. No, holiness goes much what? It goes much deeper.

First, you must understand that being holy is not mere conformity to a list of rules of do's and don'ts. That is not, that does not satisfy the meaning of what? Of holy. Because it goes much deeper. We must be set apart unto who?

Unto God and to his service and set apart from the world. The Pharisees of Jesus' day, they were all about the list and and and as Christians, sometimes we like a list, you know? It's kind of nice to have a list. You know, it's easy to check off the list. Gotta do this, gotta do that, gotta do this, gotta can't do this, can't do that, didn't do that, didn't do that, and I feel good about myself because I did the things I was supposed to do and I didn't do the things I wasn't supposed to do and so, that makes us feel good.

And there are rules and there are commands and expectations that God has for us but it's more than the what? It's more than the list. The Pharisees were all about the list. How did Jesus respond to them? Harshly.

He called them hypocrites. The Pharisees changed and added to the list. Many rules. They landed to God's commands. Many other commands and demanded that others conform to their list.

Judging and condemning them if they did not do it. They added rules about dress. They ratted rules about food. They added rules about actions and activities, associations, speeches, observations of feasts, and observations of religious activities, services. Things not specified in the law of what?

In the law of Moses and the law of God. Things they added. Many things they added. I think 600 list. It's codified in something called the Talmud today.

That they added. And they judged themselves to be godly and holy not by the condition of their heart before God or their love or trust in God or their relationship with God. No, they judge themselves to be godly and holy based upon their own self righteous actions, the list. Missing the whole point. And condemning their own what?

And condemning their own soul. Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy saved us. Not of works, lest any man should what? Should boast. And they boasted.

We read about their boasting in the gospels. They boasted. They thought they were really something because they marked the things off their list. But the one thing they forgot to put on their list was repentance. They forgot to put on their list a relationship with God.

They forgot to put on their list faith. No one is the, no one is in the least holy who refuses to acknowledge their sinful heart before God and seek forgiveness and a restored relationship with him through repentance and faith. You cannot be holy in any way, shape, or form in the eyes of who? In the eyes of God. Apart from Christ.

He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father but by me. He is the only way. John the Baptist said to these Pharisees in Luke three eight, he said to them, and again, these were the religious crowd. These are the people that wore the They cut their hair the right way.

They they were sharp. This what John said to them, bring forth therefore fruits worthy of what? Repentance. Repentance of what? We need to repent of.

Sin, sinful heart, unbelief, bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance and begin not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children under Abraham. You think you're you're really something because you're you're descendants of Abraham, you're Jews, and and you're living by the list you made and that's gonna impress God. Guess what? God's not what? God's not impressed.

In Romans chapter two, Paul wrote this, for he is not a Jew which is one outwardly. Might put in there, he is not a Baptist who is one outwardly, okay? He is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, but he is a Jew which is one what? Inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of who? But of God.

There has to be a change in here before God is going to find pleasure in the change what? Out here. You can't be holy in your conversation, in your conduct, in your behavior before God because it's tainted by sin until God declares you holy through his son, Jesus Christ. Matthew five twenty, Jesus said to his disciples, he said, I say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, You shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. So, you're watching them.

They're they're your leader. They're the ones that that hold themselves up as the model of perfection. They're not even close. He said, they're like whited sepulchres. They're pretty painted and ice on the outside and inside, they're full of what?

Dead man's bones and decay. Said you need to get the inside right. You need to deal with God about your sin. You're not going to get to heaven by ignoring it. You're not going to get to heaven by justifying it.

You're not going to get to heaven on your own good works because everyone of your good works is tainted by sin. True holiness, the kind that pleases God brings glory to him and reflects his true nature is far more than outward conformity to rules but a condition of the heart whereby the child of God is redeemed and forgiven through faith in Christ alone. It brings about a life led by faith compelled by love, and empowered by grace. That's the result of having a heart change, a change of heart A change that only God can make when you come to him in repentance and faith And then as we live a life led by faith, compelled by love, and empowered by grace. We bring our heavenly father what?

Pleasure To submit to the will of God as God transforms them into the likeness of the son of God rather than being conformed into the way of the world and the flesh. Why did God save you that he might conform you to the image of his what? Son and and what is his son? His son is what? His son is holy.

And as we allow him to work in our lives, as we walk in the spirit, as we're led by faith, compelled by love, empowered by God's grace, to do his will, our God finds pleasure. Our God is glorified. Romans twelve two reminds us Christians and be not conformed to this world but be you what? Transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is a good and acceptable and perfect will of God. As we are transformed by God's word and and as our minds are changed by it and renewed, To think differently than our human nature tells us to think.

To think differently than the world around us thinks. To live for God and to love him above all else. Else. He changes us from the inside out and it brings him glory and it brings him pleasure. This begins with salvation.

For when we were lost, we were dead in our trespasses and in sins. Unrighteous and unholy to the core. In Isaiah sixty four and six, it says, our righteousness is as what? Filthy rags beforehand. Take that filthy rag and you can try to clean the window with it.

You're just going to make a bigger what? Bigger mess. First, you have to wash the what? The rag, then you can clean the window. God is glorified.

He was, it brings him pleasure when he can take our lives and and do good works. That reflect the holiness of God. But first, you have to what? Get your life, your heart cleansed. You can only do that through faith in Christ Jesus and I'm afraid there's a lot of people sitting in baptist churches and Methodist Churches and Presbyterian Churches and whatever other denomination you want to name.

That don't understand that before you can glorify God in your life by doing good works. You must come to Christ by faith to be saved and cleansed and forgiven. Because only then do we begin to be holy in his sight. Second Corinthians five twenty one. For he hath made him, that is Jesus to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

How are we made the righteousness of God through faith in who? Jesus Christ, the righteous one who took our place, who became sin for us. Obviously, men and women do good things and some in many ways live moral lives. In some ways, exceeding the outward morality of their Christian counterparts. Yet, true holiness is more than good deeds or moral restrictions.

It begins with a condition of the heart. Which only salvation and the Holy Spirit can bring. When we are cleansed by the blood of Christ and set apart unto God through our Lord Jesus Christ and called his children. John one twelve. For as many as received him, that's Jesus.

To them gave he power to become the one, the sons or the children of God even to them that believe on his name. And when you come to Christ by faith and you put your faith in him and what he did for you on the cross that he is a risen savior and he's up in heaven with his hand reaching out to receive you. If you will just call upon him, he will save you. If you let him. As many as received him, for all who call on the name of the Lord shall be what?

Shall be saved. And as we learn as Christians who have been saved, to walk in the spirit and not in the flesh, we indeed become more and more what God has declared us to be. Holy. In each and every aspect of our lives. Next week, we're going to look a little bit closer at what that part of it means and how we can demonstrate that in our lives to the glory of our father in heaven and to the good of those around us.

But today, I want to ask this question before we close. Do you understand? Do you recognize that you're a sinner? That we, you are not holy? And yet the holy God in heaven loved you.

And he sent his holy son to die for you. That he might make a way for us unholy, rotten sinners to be saved and forgiven? To be set apart unto him called holy through faith in his son, Jesus? He did that for you. Have you accepted his offer of salvation?

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be what? Thou help me saved. Have you done that? I did that. I was nine years old.

And I was set apart. I was called holy. Now, I'm not holy in every aspect of my life yet, I am sorry to say. By God's grace, I'm working on it. One day, when I stand before him, I will be.

But for right now, by God's grace, I'm working on it. And I want him to be pleased and I want him to be glorified in my life. But you can't do that if you've not trusted him as Lord and savior. You are still under the weight of your sin. His hand goes out to you today.

Will you accept his offer? Will you accept his son? Will you accept his gift of eternal life and forgiveness from your sins? Or will you hang on to them? That choice is yours.

I hope you, I hope you'll make the right one today. If you've never done that, we're going to sing a hymn of invitation in just a moment. It's two forty nine, your hymn book. It's entitled Just As I Am and as we sing that, If you've never made that decision, I I pray that you will. I'll meet you down here if you'll come forward.

I'll share with you from God's word how you can be saved and know it today. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord. For your offer. Lord, we are so undeserving of it.

Of the attention and love and sacrifice that you have made. A holy God for the filthy rags that we are. But Lord, you loved us and you made a way and it cost you everything. Lord, thank you. Thank you and help us that know you to return with gratitude to you a holy life.

Allowing you to mold us and make us into the image of your son. That you might find pleasure in our life. The life that you created. The life that you redeemed. We pray Lord if there be one here today that's never trusted Christ as Lord and savior.

That they would come this morning as we sing this hymn of invitation. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.