WEBVTT 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:17.760 First yeah, the first reading is from Isaiah, chapter six, verses one to eight, and it's found on page uh six nine one of the Church Bible. 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:37.039 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:42.320 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings. 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:58.479 With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying, and they were calling to one another Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty. 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:02.079 The whole earth is full of his glory. 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:11.920 At the sound of their voices the door posts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:27.120 Woe to me, I cried, I am ruined, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the king, the Lord Almighty. 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:37.040 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:48.560 With it he touched my mouth and said, See, this has touched your lips, your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for. 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:56.480 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? 00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:00.799 And I said, Here am I, send me. 00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:11.919 Second reading is from one Peter chapter one verses fifteen and sixteen. 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:18.400 That is found on page one two one seven in the Church Bible. 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:24.560 One Peter one verse fifteen and sixteen. 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:34.639 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:39.919 For it is written, be holy, because I am holy. 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:52.639 So here's the outline, here's the brief for today, uh the big idea, if you like, for where we are going. 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:57.919 God is utterly unlike us in his holiness. 00:02:58.639 --> 00:03:14.080 Yet in his grace, he takes the initiative to reveal himself, cleanse sinners through Christ, and transform them into holy people who live for his glory. 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:25.199 So there are going to be uh PowerPoint slides that the AB team will press the button for me to save me making a mess of them to help you follow through. 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:29.360 Uh but the essence of what I want to say is going to be come from here, won't be on there. 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:31.360 Just some bullets to help you track. 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:34.719 So, who is God? 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:44.240 That's what we've been looking at, or that's what we will be looking at through this summer series in the characters, the characteristics of God. 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:54.560 And we uh last week, through Hassan, uh discovered that God stands apart from everything He has made. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:04:04.000 And today we discover that the word uh that the Bible has a word for that, that God is holy. 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:12.719 Every answer to the question who is God shapes how we live. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:22.240 If we have a small view of God, our worship of Him will be just as small and lacking awe. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:31.920 If we have a distorted view of God, our discipleship will be distorted, and so will our lives. 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:38.560 Today's attribute sits near to the very center of Scripture. 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:42.079 God is holy. 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:50.800 If someone asked you over a coffee, what does it mean that God is holy? 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:53.040 Could you answer? 00:04:55.279 --> 00:04:58.079 Hold on to that thought for a moment. 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:01.680 We will come back to it at the end. 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:15.360 On your handout, if you've taken one, the diamond that's on the back is where each week you'll write the characteristic of God. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:17.279 Don't fill that in just yet. 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:20.560 You might already have guessed from the title what it's going to be. 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:31.199 I'd like you to be able to answer the question what does it mean that God is holy before you write your answer in the diamond at the end. 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:37.600 So we often think that holiness begins with us. 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:42.319 But in the Bible, holiness begins with God. 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:46.639 So God is holy. 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:50.319 This key truth, hold on to it. 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:56.240 Holiness is first about God's character and not our behavior. 00:05:57.360 --> 00:06:02.959 If I say to you the word holy, what do you immediately think of? 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:06.480 Perhaps holy people. 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:10.079 Maybe holy living. 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:13.600 Or maybe holy things. 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:19.279 The Bible doesn't begin with such things, but somewhere else altogether. 00:06:19.519 --> 00:06:25.519 Before it tells us about holy people or holy living, it introduces us to the holy God. 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:35.680 Last week we discovered in God's self-existence and independence that he is set apart from all created things. 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:40.480 The God who is set apart is holy. 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:49.120 Throughout Scripture, the word holy means to be set apart, to belong to God. 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:55.199 Israel was set apart as God's people. 00:06:56.240 --> 00:07:00.879 The temple was set apart as God's dwelling place. 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:05.519 The Sabbath was set apart as God's day. 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:09.680 The priests were set apart to serve God. 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:13.920 But here's what is most important. 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:19.120 Things aren't holy because they're special. 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:24.319 They're special because God makes them holy. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:30.480 Royce alluded to it already this morning in his introduction. 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:36.160 Think about Moses in the story in Exodus chapter three. 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:41.759 The bush that caught fire, that wasn't holy. 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:47.360 The ground that Moses stood on, that wasn't holy. 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:55.839 It was God's presence that transformed an ordinary place into a holy place. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:03.279 But to say God is set apart isn't enough. 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:07.839 God isn't simply morally better. 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:12.879 He belongs in an entirely different category. 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:15.519 He is creator. 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:19.839 Everything else is creation. 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:24.000 He depends on nothing. 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:27.839 Yet everything depends on him. 00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:30.639 Hear this. 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:38.240 God is never becoming, but always being. 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:40.799 Never improving. 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:44.240 Always perfect. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:51.360 God isn't simply the best version of humanity. 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:57.039 He is altogether different from humanity. 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:05.600 His love is holy. 00:09:06.159 --> 00:09:08.960 His justice is holy. 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:11.840 His mercy is holy. 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:17.919 Everything he is, he is perfectly. 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:23.360 Think on this. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:31.519 Holiness isn't first about behavior, who you are, what you say or do. 00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:35.919 Holiness is first about God. 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:49.120 If this is who God is, what happens when someone like Isaiah meets someone like him? 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:54.799 Turn back with me if you haven't shut your Bibles to Isaiah chapter six. 00:09:54.960 --> 00:10:03.440 Let me just read with you again verses one to four, slowly, thoughtfully, intentionally. 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:13.840 Try as I read these verses to transport yourself along with Isaiah to the place where he stands. 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:23.519 Stand in the story, breathe it in, feel it, smell it, sense it, be there. 00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:27.440 Isaiah six one to four. 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:48.000 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord high and exalted, seated on a throne, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:57.360 Above him was seraphim, each with six wings. 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:01.360 With two wings they covered their faces. 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:15.759 With two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying, and they were calling to one another. 00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:23.039 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty. 00:11:23.360 --> 00:11:27.440 The whole earth is full of his glory. 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:41.919 At the sound of their voices, the doorposts and the thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:47.120 Have you a sense of where you are? 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:49.759 Do you feel what is happening around you? 00:11:50.240 --> 00:11:53.600 Can you just catch a moment with Isaiah? 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:58.559 So in the year, King Uzziah died. 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:01.200 Earthly kings die. 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:06.480 God's throne remains occupied. 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:14.720 And again, in this story, we have God who is taking the initiative. 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:27.039 Isaiah hasn't come searching for God, but God has drawn him up into a place before him and given him this vision which has just wowed him and blown him away. 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:46.480 And then as you stand with Isaiah and you see the Lord sitting on the throne and the train of his robe filling the temple, notice above him Seraphim, covering their eyes with two wings, their feet with two wings, flying with two wings. 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:54.720 Even sinless heavenly beings cover themselves in the presence of God. 00:12:54.960 --> 00:13:02.320 Not because they're guilty, but because God is glorious. 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:05.440 Holy. 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:08.320 Holy. 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:20.960 Straining language to describe the indescribable. 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:23.600 And then the shock. 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:35.360 Isaiah doesn't say, what magnificent worship, like we might be tempted to do ourselves, or desire after ourselves. 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:44.639 Rather, he says, Woe to me, woe to me. 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:53.360 You see, real holiness doesn't make us compare ourselves with other people. 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:57.600 It makes us compare ourselves with God. 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:05.840 How often have we judged ourselves by the wrong standard? 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:20.080 I'm better than Isaiah didn't take that line, and nor should we, because one glimpse of God ends every comparison. 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:28.480 Let me take you on now to verses five through eight. 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:33.360 Isaiah chapter six, five to eight. 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:46.399 Woe to me! I cried, I am ruined, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:53.279 And my eyes have seen the king, the Lord Almighty. 00:14:54.080 --> 00:15:03.519 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:18.080 With it he touched my mouth and said, See this has touched your lips, your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for. 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:28.799 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send and who will go for us? 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:34.240 And I said, Here am I. 00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:36.480 Send me. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:43.600 Notice something powerful in this text of Isaiah. 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:48.559 Isaiah doesn't first ask for forgiveness. 00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:54.639 He simply stands condemned as he cries to God, Woe to me. 00:15:56.240 --> 00:16:04.480 And I wonder this morning if some of you here have that same sense of Isaiah, woe to me. 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:10.000 I'm in the presence of a holy God and I have no right to be there. 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:19.120 Well, don't finish at woe to me, because Isaiah doesn't stop there. 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:23.759 He takes us on through verse 5 and onwards. 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:31.440 God isn't finished speaking at Isaiah's woe to me. 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:40.080 And as we see how a guilt is taken away, do you see how it is God who moves first? 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:51.519 It is a seraph who comes from worshipping God, who flies from God with a coal from the altar, from the fire. 00:16:51.759 --> 00:17:04.960 He carries that live coal from the altar, and he touches the lips of Isaiah with it and declares, your guilt is taken away, your sin is atoned for. 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:23.599 For all of us who have that sense of woe to me, wait, allow a seraph, allow a live coal, allow that touch of the lips, allow that assurance that your guilt is taken away and your sin is atoned for. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:27.519 And we'll see in a few moments how God works that out. 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:35.920 What we have here in this story, in these few verses in Isaiah 6, is the gospel in miniature. 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:41.119 You see, before Isaiah serves, he is forgiven. 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:44.720 And before he is sent, he is cleansed. 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:50.400 Before there is mission, there is grace. 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:56.400 But Isaiah's cleansing raises another question. 00:17:56.720 --> 00:18:02.000 How can a holy God declare guilty people clean? 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:06.960 That's a question we're going to have to wrestle with this morning. 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:10.240 It's a question that every one of us must face. 00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:18.000 You see, the coal wasn't ultimately the answer to the problem of sin and guilt. 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:22.240 It is in the story as it's presented here for Isaiah. 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:30.720 The altar that the coal came from wasn't the subject of it, but pointed beyond itself. 00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:36.240 And every sacrifice through the Old Testament pointed beyond itself. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:40.079 To Christ. 00:18:52.720 --> 00:19:02.880 Isaiah 10, verse 10, we read, We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:06.160 Let me read that for you again. 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:12.799 We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:25.279 And then he goes on in verse 14, by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:33.519 It is this Jesus in his holiness who comes to sinners. 00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:46.880 Remarkably, unlike every other context we know where what is unclean comes into contact with what is clean, sinners never make Jesus unclean. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:52.240 Rather, Jesus makes sinners clean. 00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:03.680 Tax collectors, the morally unclean, he makes them clean. 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:14.799 The woman with the issue of blood in the gospel stories, medically unclean, Jesus heals her, makes her medically clean. 00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:23.039 What Jesus did for them in his lifetime, he does for us now and forever through the cross. 00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:29.440 It is the cross of Jesus we need to come to, not the altar. 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:35.599 At the cross, holiness and love meet. 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:46.480 Know this God doesn't lower the standard of his holiness to make it accessible to us. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:54.000 But rather he satisfies it fully in the death of his son. 00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:58.720 It is Jesus who bears our uncleanness. 00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:05.200 We receive his righteousness and are being made holy. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:10.160 Again, God takes the initiative. 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:16.960 We love because he first loved us. 00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:18.799 He came. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:21.759 He called. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:23.759 He died. 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:25.920 He rose. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:30.640 He sent his Holy Spirit. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:44.559 Now Peter says in 1 Peter 1, verses 15 and 16, and Julia read it out. 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:52.240 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do. 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:58.400 For it is written, be holy, because I am holy. 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:07.039 Peter echoes God's words recorded in Leviticus chapter 11 and verse 44. 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:16.240 I am the Lord your God, consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:19.759 Peter writes, Be holy. 00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:22.960 Notice what he doesn't say. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:26.160 He doesn't say, try harder. 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:34.799 He says, be holy in all you do, because the one who called you is holy. 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:38.880 God always acts first. 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:43.279 It is through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:49.920 And by the empowering of the Holy Spirit, he has promised us that we are made holy. 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:55.359 It is then that he calls. 00:22:55.839 --> 00:23:02.559 And our response should be exactly like Isaiah's. 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:19.440 See God, high and exalted, seated on his throne, and the train of his robe filling the temple, and there are seraphim, wonder and glory, a holy God. 00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:23.359 Then see yourself. 00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:35.359 You cry with Isaiah, woe is me, because you know, and I know that we are unclean. 00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:39.759 Then we receive grace. 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:52.000 God does not come to us in judgment, but with grace, cleansing, purifying, healing, holiness imparting grace. 00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:55.359 Hear his call. 00:23:55.680 --> 00:24:01.200 Who will go as you stand made new before God? 00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:04.960 How will you respond? 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:09.759 Understand this reality. 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:22.559 Holiness isn't instant perfection, it is a lifelong transformation as the Holy Spirit makes us more like Christ. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:33.680 As the Spirit works in you and me, draw others into the presence of the Holy God, that he might also work in them. 00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:40.640 That's your mandate for today and tomorrow and the day after, the week after, the month after, the year after. 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:50.319 As the Spirit works in you, draw others into the presence of the Holy God with you, so that God might also work in them. 00:24:51.440 --> 00:24:57.680 So don't discourage people, however unclean they may appear on the outside. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:05.440 Whether they're unclean like lepers, unclean like tax collectors, unclean like the woman with an issue of blood. 00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:08.240 Don't discourage them. 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:18.400 Rather, encourage them, lead them, guide them, allow God to work in them that they too might be made holy. 00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:27.680 God never commands holiness apart from his grace at work in us. 00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:36.799 As I draw to a close, let me read for you again Isaiah chapter six, verse eight. 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:43.119 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? 00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:45.519 And who will go for us? 00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:51.440 And I said, Here am I, send me. 00:25:52.799 --> 00:26:02.000 Originally I had planned to stop at verse seven, but the more I prepared, the more I realized the story isn't finished there. 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:09.519 The same God who revealed himself, the same God who cleansed Isaiah, now calls him. 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:12.960 Notice something beautiful about this. 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:16.079 Grace produces willingness. 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:20.720 Isaiah hears God speak. 00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:27.039 He doesn't bargain with him, he doesn't make excuses, he doesn't ask for time to think about it. 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:34.000 He simply says, with all his being, here am I, send me. 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:41.119 That is where every encounter with the holy God is meant to lead. 00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:52.000 Not merely admiration of God, not merely conviction of our own guilt and sin, but participation in what God is doing. 00:26:52.720 --> 00:27:03.680 What was true for Isaiah and Moses before him, and was true for Peter and those he wrote to in his letter is still true today. 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:09.200 The God who revealed himself to Isaiah still reveals himself today. 00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:14.880 The God who cleansed Isaiah still cleanses through Jesus today. 00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:20.559 The God who called Isaiah still calls his people today. 00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:29.759 And that is why ordinary people like us can still say, Here am I, send me. 00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:46.799 Now, for the children and young people present with us this morning, or those of you watching online, and for anyone who may have struggled to follow all that I've said this morning, here is just a nutshell summary for you to hold on to. 00:27:47.119 --> 00:27:50.960 God is completely different from us. 00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:53.599 He is holy. 00:27:54.400 --> 00:28:02.160 But through Jesus, he makes it possible for us to belong to him and become holy like him. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:04.960 I'll read that for you again. 00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:08.400 God is completely different from us. 00:28:08.640 --> 00:28:09.680 He is holy. 00:28:09.839 --> 00:28:18.559 But through Jesus, he makes it possible for us to belong to him and to become like holy like him. 00:28:19.599 --> 00:28:24.799 Now then, your handout, uh, if you didn't already anticipate it. 00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:32.079 Uh, in the diamond here, this facet of the character of God that we're looking at today, will you write? 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:34.640 God is holy. 00:28:35.680 --> 00:28:42.319 Then if you took one of these last week, add this to that one, and over the course of the weeks, you'd be able to build it up. 00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:47.279 If you find you're missing one week, they're on the website with the sermon series. 00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:51.759 You can download it from there, watch it on YouTube, and do your homework. 00:28:51.920 --> 00:28:59.039 Uh so at the beginning of the sermon, I asked you uh to leave that center diamond empty so you could fill it in. 00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:00.720 Uh, do that now. 00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:13.920 So, everything we've discovered today, Isaiah's vision, the burning bush, the cross, our calling flows from these three words. 00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:16.799 God is holy. 00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:24.720 Let me pray as I draw our thoughts to a close this morning. 00:29:33.039 --> 00:29:38.160 Lord, help us to see you as you truly are. 00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:46.000 Thank you that through Jesus you have made unholy people your own. 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:48.960 By your Holy Spirit. 00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:55.359 Make us into holy people who gladly say, Here am I. 00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:57.279 Send me. 00:29:58.960 --> 00:29:59.440 Amen. 00:30:02.240 --> 00:30:05.279 Carry this thought with you into the week. 00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:09.440 We're called to be holy because God is holy. 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:15.839 And that is only possible because God always takes the initiative. 00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:18.319 It's not first you, it's him. 00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:19.920 Follow his lead. 00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:26.319 And as we talked recently about being yoked to Jesus, wear his yoke, and you can't get away from him. 00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:32.240 You'll be neither behind him nor in front of him, but just where he wants you to be at just the right time. 00:30:32.559 --> 00:30:33.119 Thank you.