Pastor Matt concludes our second week MissionsFest with a message on the displaced and vulnerable ones in Scripture and in our society and what the church’s response can be.
SERMON OUTLINE
“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:33-34)
What is Holiness, Really?
- Holiness, Cleanness, and Uncleanness
- Holiness is more than morality
A Holy God
- “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Leviticus 19:2)
Becoming Wholly Holy with Leviticus
- Made holy (Leviticus 20:26; Deuteronomy 7:6; 1 Peter 2:9)
- Becoming holy (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15-16)
- Maintaining personal holiness (Leviticus 19:2,4)
- Cultivating relational holiness (Leviticus 19:18)
Living Wholly Holy with Displaced People
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- When have you experienced God’s presence in an isolating or difficult time in your life? What happened and how did you learn from God in that season?
- This weekend we conclude our Missions Fest and series “God in Blank Spaces” by giving specific attention to Leviticus 19:33-34 and the surrounding themes of the entire book. Begin your study in prayer, asking God to speak to you, and then continuing with the study.
- Read the entire chapter of Leviticus 19 aloud. How do you think the instructions in this chapter relate to the starting point in verse 2 about being holy?
- The Apostle Peter carries forward many of the themes of the book of Leviticus, specifically referencing Leviticus 19:2 in 1 Peter 1:14-16. Read those verses aloud. What is Peter telling disciples of Jesus about what it means to be holy?
- Now read 1 Peter 2:9-10 aloud. What does it mean to be ‘holy’ here in these verses?
- On the one hand Peter says we are holy (2:9) while on the other hand he says we are to become holy (1:15). What do you think this means for us?
- Return to Leviticus 19. We often emphasize the personal holiness of the believer in a corrupted world. However, much of Leviticus 19 speaks about the way we are holy in our relationships with others. Which verses about relational holiness in this chapter this passage speak most powerfully to you right now?
- Take a moment to read Isaiah 58 aloud twice. Use that passage as a guide for prayer with God, interceding for the needs of the world, confessing sin, and drawing near to God.
- What is one thing that God is speaking to you through this study? If you are on your own, write it down and pray about it. If you are in a small group, take time to discuss this with one another before praying together.