The Holiness Of God
Have you ever thought about how the disciples reacted to the news that their Master would be put to death? In this post, Steph Nickel focuses on two truths: the reality of hell, and the holiness of God.
Jesus Tells The Disciples
Matthew 20:17-19 says,
“And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.’”
Matthew 20:17-19
Have you ever gone for a walk with a friend—or a group of friends? What did you chat about?
Is this the context someone typically uses to share news about divorce proceedings, a heartache concerning one’s children, or a poor prognosis from the doctor?
This is, however, when Jesus chose to again tell His disciples what lay ahead. This time He went into detail. He would be handed over to the spiritual leaders and condemned to death. Further, He would be delivered over to the Gentiles and would be mocked, flocked, and crucified. It was unthinkable.
The Reality Of Hell And The Holiness Of God
I can empathize with these followers of the Lord. Even now, there are realities I can’t focus on too intently. But I do have to acknowledge them and force myself to contemplate how these realities must impact my life. I’m thinking of two right now: the reality of hell and the holiness of God.
The disciples didn’t even want to consider the possibility that their Master was going to be put to death—never mind in such a humiliating and horrific manner.
If they allowed themselves to really focus on what He was saying and what it meant for their plans, they may very well have been immobilized. And they would have missed the end of verse 19.
Death Would Not Bring An End To His Kingdom
Did you catch it? As Jesus was telling them of the horrors that lay ahead, He also made a promise, one of the most important promises of all time. He said He would be raised on the third day.
His torture and crucifixion weren’t the end. Death would not bring an end to His kingdom. It would pave the way for God’s kingdom come. Joy was on the other side of heartache. And it’s often the same for us.
The Two Truths
Remember those two truths I find immobilizing: the reality of hell and the awesome holiness of the Great God of the Universe?
If I consider these truths, I am forced to come to several conclusions:
While there are billions of individuals on the planet who need to hear the gospel, I can’t reach billions. But I can look for ways to share the truths of Jesus with my neighbour, my unsaved family member, my social network contact. I am only responsible to plant and water the seeds of truth, as it says in 1 Corinthians 3:6. Only God Himself can bring someone to saving faith. There is such peace in that reality.
If I focus on missed opportunities from days gone by, I will miss those God brings across my path this day. If I focus on the immensity of the call to make Him known while I still have so much to learn, I will fail to share the truths I’ve already embraced. If I allow certain biblical truths to weigh me down, I will forget that I can reach out and lift others up.
A Reminder Of The Holiness Of God
This week a member of our church leadership mentioned concern that we teach the children in our midweek program that they should respect the church building, especially the main auditorium—or sanctuary, as some people call it.
While the Holy Spirit resides within the children of God, making us His dwelling place, the building has been built for the purpose of gathering to worship Him, and thereby, should be respected.
This gentleman mentioned Jesus’ reaction to the moneychangers in the Temple. The Lord felt strongly that His Father’s house be a house of prayer and not a place to cheat others out of their resources, so strongly that He overturned the tables and drove the moneychangers out with a whip—a whip!
While we live in a different time, God’s character is unchanging. My chat with this man made me think of Proverbs 1:7, which says,
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 1:7
God used this discussion to remind me of His holiness. This is something I intend to focus on for the month of March. Talk about a weighty reality!
The Holiness Of God Should Not Be Taken For Granted
The love of God and the reality of the resurrection encourage my heart and give me something wonderful to share with others.
The reality that God is holy and our sin made it necessary for Jesus to face the humiliation of torture and crucifixion remind me that I must revere Him and never take His grace and mercy for granted. No wonder we must be still and know that He is God, as it says in Psalm 46:10.
Today I encourage you to take a look at the hard truths of Scripture and allow their weight to remind you how intense Reality is. But beyond that, I encourage you to look through the darkness and see the Light that shines brightly. Remember, after the crucifixion came the resurrection. Thank You, Lord!
What does the phrase “holiness of God” mean to you? We would love to hear from you! Contact us at HopeStreamRadio
Steph Nickel
Steph is a freelance writer and editor. She is the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’ award-winning memoir, Living Beyond My Circumstances, published by Castle Quay Books. Deb and Steph are working on a follow-up book.
Steph Beth Nickel is eclectically interested and eclectically involved. In all she does, Steph seeks to nurture and inspire. She is currently working on the first book in a nonfiction series. Nurture and Inspire LOVE is a compilation of the first devotionals she wrote for HopeStreamRadio.
You can visit her website, stephbethnickel.com, to learn more about her.
Visit Steph’s contributor’s page or at Steph Nickel’s Eclectic Interests.
More Podcasts to Enjoy:
More Blogs
This Unusual Summer: Sheltering In Place TBR Pile
Images Courtesy of:
Cross- Samuriah
Walk- OpaEinstein
Jesus-hbieser
Church- LostMind
Leave a Reply