Sanctify Yourselves Notes

Matthew 24:37 NIV But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, ^f but only the Father. 37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.43But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matthew 24 ESV

Matthew 25 1“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps^a and went to meet the bridegroom.^b 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

·       He talks about a wedding and a Bridegroom. 2My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14

·       He talks about Virgins Why does he call them virgins because 

A woman and a man are expected to refrain from sexual relations prior to marriage. The Bible teaches us that sex outside of marriage is sin.

·       He talks about wisdom “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” — Proverbs 9:10 NIV

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

— Proverbs 1:7 NIV

·       He talks about oil. In the Bible oil represents the Holy Spirit. Zecheriah 4

5Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. 9But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by 

the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.  Romans 8:5-9 NLT

·       Finally He talks about being ready and watching. 

11Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matthew 25 

21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7

1Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” 2So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. 3Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.” 4So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. 5Then they set out, and the terror of God fell on the towns all around them so that no one pursued them. Genesis 35:1-5 NIV

“And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” Miracles, marvelous things, amazing things Joshua 3:5 (KJV)

1. Maintain a Daily Relationship with Christ

• Like the wise virgins who had oil for their lamps, we must fan the flame of  the Holy Spirit  in our lives.
• John 15:5 – “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”
• This includes being in the word daily, prayer, worship, fellowship and abiding in His presence every day.

Great men of the Bible like great athletes PREPARED prayed daily.

2. Stay Filled with the Holy Spirit

• The oil represents the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. We must be continually filled.
• Ephesians 5:18 – “Be filled with the Spirit.”
• In Acts 2:4 They were all filled with the Holy and began to speak in other tongues.
• Acts 4:31 after they prayed the place where they were meeting was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
• Exodus your presence goes with us Exodus 33:16 “What else will distinguish me and your people from all the people on the face of the earth?” 

3. Keep Your Heart Pure 

10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right^b spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from your presence,and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12Restore to me the joy of your salvation, Psalm 51:10-12 ESV

• Matthew 5:8 – “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”\

4. Live with Eternal Perspective

17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Ephesians 4:17-18

• Put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV
• Keep your eyes on the coming Kingdom, not temporary distractions.

5. Obey the Word of God

·       But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,  I Samuel 15:22

• James 1:22 – “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.”

6. Be Active in Your Calling

• Don’t be idle; be about the Father’s business, using your gifts for His glory.
• Luke 12:43 – “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.”
• Readiness is tied to faithful service. 5 were ready and 5 were not.

7. Fellowship with Other Believers

• Stay connected to a community that encourages watchfulness.
• Hebrews 10:25 – “Not giving up meeting together… but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
• Proverbs 27:17 ESV Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
  
  

8. Be Aware of the Signs of the Times

• Jesus told us to be spiritually alert.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:6 – “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.”