Experiencing Divine Intimacy: The Holiness of God

Devotional

Day 1: The Unique Holiness of the Holy Father

The term "Holy Father" is a profound expression that highlights the ineffable holiness and purity of God, inviting believers to explore the deep, eternal relationship between the Father and the Son. This relationship is characterized by divine intensity and love, offering a glimpse into the heart of God. The holiness of the Father is not about separation but about the infinite intensity of His attributes. Jesus, in His earthly ministry, reveals this holiness through His perfect obedience and sacrificial love. As believers, we are invited into this divine relationship, to experience the holiness of God through the lens of Jesus Christ. [06:32]

Isaiah 57:15 (ESV): "For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.'"

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of God's holiness in your daily life, and what practical steps can you take to reflect His holiness in your interactions with others today?

Day 2: Experiencing God's Holiness Through Jesus

The holiness of God is not about separation but about the infinite intensity of His attributes. Jesus reveals this holiness through His perfect obedience and sacrificial love, inviting believers to experience God's holiness through Him. This invitation is not just to observe but to participate in the divine nature, allowing the transformative power of God's holiness to shape our lives. As we draw closer to Jesus, we begin to reflect His holiness in our thoughts, actions, and relationships, becoming a living testimony of His love and grace. [17:05]

1 Peter 1:15-16 (ESV): "But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"

Reflection: In what ways can you actively pursue holiness in your life today, and how can you rely on Jesus to guide you in this pursuit?

Day 3: The Church as a Holy Family

As believers, we are called to be part of the holy family, reflecting the holiness of the Father in our communal life and worship. This involves a deep sense of awe and reverence, drawing others to the transformative power of God's holiness. The church is not just a gathering of individuals but a community united by the love and holiness of God. As we live out this calling, we become a beacon of hope and light in the world, inviting others to experience the beauty and majesty of God's holiness. [36:18]

Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV): "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord."

Reflection: How can you contribute to the holiness of your church community, and what specific actions can you take to foster a sense of unity and reverence among fellow believers?

Day 4: Assurance of Our Identity as God's Children

The Holy Spirit assures believers of their identity as God's children, enabling them to cry out "Abba, Father" in moments of need. This assurance is a gift to all believers, especially in times of distress, reminding them of their place in God's family. The Holy Spirit's role is to comfort, guide, and empower believers, helping them to live out their identity as children of God. This assurance is not based on personal merit but on the unchanging love and faithfulness of the Father, who desires to conform us to the image of His Holy Son. [38:19]

Romans 8:15-16 (ESV): "For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to embrace your identity as a child of God, and how can you invite the Holy Spirit to strengthen your assurance and confidence in His love?

Day 5: The Cost of Our Divine Relationship

The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross demonstrates the cost of our divine relationship with the Holy Father. Through His atoning work, believers are assured of their place in God's eternal family, where they will one day behold His glory and experience the fullness of His holiness. This act of divine love and justice is a powerful reminder of the depth of God's love for humanity and the lengths He went to restore the broken relationship between Himself and His creation. As we reflect on the cost of this relationship, we are called to live lives of gratitude, surrender, and devotion to the One who gave everything for us. [39:47]

Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV): "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."

Reflection: How does the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross impact your understanding of your relationship with God, and what changes can you make in your life to live more fully in response to His love and sacrifice?

Sermon Summary

In the sacred space of John 17, we are invited to witness the profound intimacy between Jesus and the Holy Father. This chapter, often referred to as the "High Priestly Prayer," reveals the heart of Jesus as He prepares to fulfill His mission on earth. Jesus prays for His glorification, the sanctification of His disciples, and the unity of all believers. He addresses God as "Holy Father," a unique expression found only once in Scripture, highlighting the ineffable holiness and purity of God. This singular moment underscores the deep, eternal relationship between the Father and the Son, a relationship characterized by love, purity, and divine intensity.

The holiness of the Father is not merely about separation but about the infinite intensity of God's attributes. Jesus, in His earthly ministry, reveals this holiness through His perfect obedience and sacrificial love. As believers, we are invited into this divine relationship, to experience the holiness of God through the lens of Jesus Christ. The church, therefore, is called to be a holy family, reflecting the holiness of the Father in our communal life and worship.

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in assuring us of our identity as God's children, enabling us to cry out "Abba, Father" in our moments of need. This assurance is not reserved for the most sanctified but is a gift to all believers, especially in times of distress. The ultimate goal of the Holy Father is to conform us to the image of His Holy Son, a process that He will see through to completion.

The cost of this divine relationship is vividly portrayed in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Bearing our sins, Jesus appeals to the Holy Father, who, in His intense holiness and love, smites the Shepherd to gather the sheep. This act of divine love and justice assures us of our place in God's eternal family, where we will one day behold His glory and experience the fullness of His holiness.

Key Takeaways

1. The term "Holy Father" is a unique expression that highlights the profound holiness and purity of God, inviting us to explore the deep, eternal relationship between the Father and the Son. This relationship is characterized by divine intensity and love, offering us a glimpse into the heart of God. [06:32]
2. The holiness of God is not about separation but about the infinite intensity of His attributes. Jesus reveals this holiness through His perfect obedience and sacrificial love, inviting us to experience God's holiness through Him. [17:05]
3. As believers, we are called to be part of the holy family, reflecting the holiness of the Father in our communal life and worship. This involves a deep sense of awe and reverence, drawing others to the transformative power of God's holiness. [36:18]
4. The Holy Spirit assures us of our identity as God's children, enabling us to cry out "Abba, Father" in our moments of need. This assurance is a gift to all believers, especially in times of distress, reminding us of our place in God's family. [38:19]
5. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross demonstrates the cost of our divine relationship with the Holy Father. Through His atoning work, we are assured of our place in God's eternal family, where we will one day behold His glory and experience the fullness of His holiness. [39:47]
** [39:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:31] - Introduction to John 17
[01:01] - Jesus' Prayer for Glorification
[01:37] - Unity and Sanctification
[02:09] - Inclusion of Future Believers
[03:08] - The Challenge of Holiness
[04:38] - The Singular "Holy Father"
[05:16] - Jesus' Intimate Prayer
[06:32] - Understanding "Holy Father"
[07:11] - The Ineffable Holiness
[09:08] - The Practicality of the Trinity
[10:18] - The Sacred Heart of Christ
[11:36] - Jesus' Desire for Glory
[12:47] - Our Relationship with the Father
[13:20] - The Eternal Son's Address
[14:46] - Attributes of God in Eternity
[17:05] - Holiness Beyond Separation
[20:10] - Intimacy with the Father
[22:20] - The Father in the Son
[23:23] - Witnessing Divine Intimacy
[24:07] - Intense Love and Holiness
[25:32] - Exploring Divine Intimacy
[26:32] - Being Over Doing
[28:05] - Overhearing Jesus' Words
[29:13] - Our Relationship with the Father
[31:10] - Jesus' Growth in Favor
[33:09] - Our Privilege in Christ
[34:26] - The Church as Holy Family
[36:18] - The Awe of Holiness
[38:19] - Assurance by the Holy Spirit
[39:47] - The Cost of Divine Relationship
[41:24] - Longing for Glory
[42:13] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 17:1-5, 10-11, 17, 20-24

Observation Questions:

What does Jesus ask the Father to do in John 17:1-5, and how does this relate to His mission on earth? [01:01]
In John 17:10-11, Jesus refers to His disciples. What does He request from the "Holy Father" concerning them? [01:37]
How does Jesus describe the relationship between Himself and the Father in John 17:20-24, and what does He desire for His followers? [02:38]
What unique expression does Jesus use to address God in John 17:11, and why is this significant? [04:38]

Interpretation Questions:

What does the term "Holy Father" reveal about the nature of God and His relationship with Jesus? How does this understanding impact our view of God? [06:32]
How does Jesus' prayer for unity among believers in John 17:20-21 challenge the modern church's approach to community and fellowship? [02:09]
In what ways does the holiness of God, as described in the sermon, differ from the common understanding of holiness as mere separation? [17:05]
How does the role of the Holy Spirit in assuring us of our identity as God's children influence our daily lives and spiritual practices? [38:19]

Application Questions:

Reflect on the unique expression "Holy Father" used by Jesus. How can this understanding of God's holiness and intimacy influence your personal prayer life? [07:11]
Jesus prays for the unity of all believers. What practical steps can you take to promote unity within your church community, especially when disagreements arise? [02:09]
The sermon emphasizes the holiness of God as an intense expression of His attributes. How can you cultivate a deeper sense of awe and reverence for God's holiness in your daily worship and interactions? [36:18]
The Holy Spirit assures us of our identity as God's children. In moments of distress, how can you remind yourself of this assurance and find comfort in it? [38:19]
Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is described as the cost of our divine relationship with the Holy Father. How does this understanding of sacrifice and love motivate you to live a life that reflects God's holiness? [39:47]
Consider the idea of being part of a "holy family" within the church. What specific actions can you take to contribute to a community that reflects the holiness and love of the Father? [36:18]
The sermon highlights the importance of being over doing in our relationship with God. How can you prioritize being in God's presence over merely doing tasks for Him in your spiritual journey? [26:32]

Sermon Clips

"Let us turn to the business of the morning. I want to ask you to turn in your Bibles to the seventeenth chapter of John's gospel. I'm going to read from John's gospel here a few verses that will punctuate this passage and hopefully begin to bring us into the holy place where Christ introduces us to the Holy Father." [00:00:02]

"The ineffable character of the holiness of the Father as Father is, I think, underlined by the fact that here in John chapter seventeen, and in verse eleven, we have, unless something has escaped me this morning, the only reference in the whole of scripture to the Holy Father. And it comes at, in some ways, the high theological and emotional and affectional point of the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ." [00:04:21]

"As Jesus' soul is poured out before his heavenly Father, desiring his glory in his Father's presence, desiring the blessing and salvation of these, his beloved disciples, desiring the presence of the whole church which he will purchase with his blood to see his glory, as he prays here in John 17:24." [00:05:27]

"And because of the singularity of this, this is what the grammarians call a 'hapax-legomenon.' A statement that is made once in a world of literature and does not appear again. It is challenging to us mentally, but then also profoundly challenging to us spiritually too, to enter into what does Jesus our blessed redeemer means when he addresses God as 'Holy Father.'" [00:06:17]

"And he comes with his little disciple band and he begins to unfold to them mysteries that have been hidden from their eyes that they struggle to grapple with. He says, as actually every teacher of the gospel who knows the Bible is bound to think, 'I have many things to say to you yet, but you are not able to bear them.'" [00:09:02]

"Here is the ultimate evidence in the New Testament that the Trinity is not the most speculative doctrine and the most impractical doctrine in the Bible. But, if this is what Jesus teaches his disciples when they are under greater stress then this must first of all be the least speculative doctrine in the Bible. And at the end of the day it must be the most practical." [00:09:39]

"If you want to know Jesus Christ, then you must have, as a Christian believer, at least a basic working knowledge of what it is he teaches his disciples in this farewell discourse. Fascinatingly, it begins with a physical decent. A kind of acted parable of the incarnation as he rises from supper knowing that he has come from the Father and is going to the Father, and he gives to his disciples an acted parable of his gracious work of atonement." [00:10:43]

"Although his words are sometimes interpreted as though Jesus were building a chasm between our relationship with the Father and his relationship with the Father, probably the very reverse is the truth. That in his resurrection, he is as it were, beginning to gather from all the ends of the earth, children into the world-wide, eternity long, family of God." [00:12:40]

"That in his resurrection, he is as it were, beginning to gather from all the ends of the earth, children into the world-wide, eternity long, family of God. Inviting us similarly as we shall see, I hope, by the end of our study, to come to God and say far more frequently than we are want to do, 'O Holy Father.'" [00:12:54]

"And so when we come, we come and we say 'Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name.' Not only so, but it's also true that since he is the Holy Father, as Paul says in Romans eight 'He gives his children the Holy Spirit in order to assure them that they really are his children.'" [00:38:04]

"And the language, as you know, Paul uses there in Romans chapter eight, 'The Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are the children of God when we cry out "Abba, Father."' That's not an expression reserved for the greatest and the most sanctified, but given to the most hurt." [00:38:56]

"And the third thing is this: that since he is the Holy Father, he has set his heart on making all of his children like his Holy Son. And since he has given his Son to death that that might take place, he will stop at nothing until all the ransomed church of God is saved to sin no more." [00:39:47]

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