Living in Divine Love: The Call to Holiness

Devotional

Day 1: Union with the Trinity: A Transformative Invitation

In our spiritual journey, we are invited into a profound union with the Trinitarian God, a union that transforms our lives into a reflection of divine love and holiness. This union is not merely a theological concept but a lived reality where our actions are intertwined with God's actions. When we love God and keep His word, He makes His home with us, inviting us into the divine community of love that exists within the Trinity. This is the essence of holiness—a life lived in loving unity with God and others. [39:03]

John 14:23-24 (ESV): "Jesus answered him, 'If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.'"

Reflection: How can you actively invite God's presence into your daily routine, allowing His love to transform your actions and relationships today?

Day 2: Holiness as Love: Beyond Legalism

Holiness is not about legalistic perfection but about being perfected in love. This love governs our actions, seeking the good of others, even our enemies, and is the true measure of our discipleship. It is a love that mirrors the perfect unity and equality within the Trinity, a love that is selfless, sacrificial, and seeks the good of others. This transformative force shapes our character and our relationships, moving us beyond mere feelings to a deeper commitment to love as Jesus loved. [41:34]

1 John 4:12 (ESV): "No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."

Reflection: Identify someone you find difficult to love. What practical steps can you take today to extend love to them, reflecting the selfless love of Christ?

Day 3: Transformative Community: The Church as a Witness

The church is called to be a community of love, where we support and challenge one another to grow in holiness. This community is a witness to the world of the transformative power of God's love. It is a call to be a community that embodies the love of Christ in its relationships and actions, supporting each other in the journey of faith and challenging one another to live out the teachings of Jesus. This is the true witness of the church—a community that reflects the love and unity of the Trinity. [46:41]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: How can you contribute to building a more loving and supportive community within your church this week?

Day 4: Practical Discipleship: Living in the Spirit

Discipleship involves living out the teachings of Jesus in our daily lives, empowered by the Spirit. It is about routine, easy obedience to God's commands, resulting in peace, joy, and love. This call to discipleship is a call to live as Jesus lived, in the power of the Spirit, manifesting the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. It is a journey of growing in holiness, where love becomes the governing principle of our actions. [57:26]

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV): "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Reflection: What is one specific area of your life where you can practice routine obedience to God's commands today, allowing the Spirit to produce His fruit in you?

Day 5: Love in Action: Confronting Injustice with Love

True love is not passive but active, seeking to do good for others. It involves confronting evil and injustice with the power of love, trusting in God's guidance and provision. This love is not limited to those who are easy to love but extends even to our enemies, seeking their good and the good of all affected by our actions. It is a love that is willing to confront evil and injustice, not with violence, but with the power of transformative love. [51:13]

Romans 12:20-21 (ESV): "To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Reflection: Think of a situation where you are faced with injustice. How can you respond with active love, seeking the good of all involved, and trusting in God's guidance?

Sermon Summary

In our journey of faith, we are invited into a profound union with the Trinitarian God, a union that transforms our lives into a reflection of divine love and holiness. This union is not just a theological concept but a lived reality where our actions are intertwined with God's actions. When we love God and keep His word, He makes His home with us, inviting us into the divine community of love that exists within the Trinity. This is the essence of holiness—a life lived in loving unity with God and others.

The disciples, like many of us, struggled to understand how Jesus would reveal Himself to them and not to the world. Jesus' response was simple yet profound: love and obedience to His word bring about this revelation. This love is not just a feeling but a transformative force that shapes our character and our relationships. It is a love that mirrors the perfect unity and equality within the Trinity, a love that is selfless, sacrificial, and seeks the good of others.

Holiness, therefore, is not about legalistic righteousness or perfectionism. It is about being perfected in love, where love becomes the governing principle of our actions. This love is not limited to those who are easy to love but extends even to our enemies, seeking their good and the good of all affected by our actions. It is a love that is willing to confront evil and injustice, not with violence, but with the power of transformative love.

The call to holiness is a call to discipleship, to live as Jesus lived, in the power of the Spirit, manifesting the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. It is a call to be a community of love, where we support and challenge one another to grow in holiness. This is the true witness of the church—a community that embodies the love of Christ in its relationships and actions.

Key Takeaways

1. Union with the Trinity: Our relationship with God invites us into the divine community of love within the Trinity. This union transforms our lives, enabling us to live in holiness by reflecting God's love in our actions and relationships. [39:03]
2. Holiness as Love: Holiness is not about legalistic perfection but about being perfected in love. This love governs our actions, seeking the good of others, even our enemies, and is the true measure of our discipleship. [41:34]
3. Transformative Community: The church is called to be a community of love, where we support and challenge one another to grow in holiness. This community is a witness to the world of the transformative power of God's love. [46:41]
4. Practical Discipleship: Discipleship involves living out the teachings of Jesus in our daily lives, empowered by the Spirit. It is about routine, easy obedience to God's commands, resulting in peace, joy, and love. [57:26]
5. Love in Action: True love is not passive but active, seeking to do good for others. It involves confronting evil and injustice with the power of love, trusting in God's guidance and provision. [51:13]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[37:48] - Union with God
[38:33] - Love and Obedience
[39:03] - Trinitarian Community
[41:15] - Love as Witness
[42:15] - Holiness Defined
[43:08] - Loving Neighbors
[44:22] - Transformation and Faith
[45:31] - Wesley's Insights
[47:38] - Openness in Community
[49:20] - Perfect in Love
[50:20] - Trust and Discipleship
[51:05] - Good Works and Grace
[52:12] - Salvation and Holiness
[54:52] - Preaching an Adequate Gospel
[57:26] - Routine Obedience
[58:05] - Questions and Reflections

Sermon Clips

When we love God and keep His word, He makes His home with us, inviting us into the divine community of love that exists within the Trinity. This is the essence of holiness—a life lived in loving unity with God and others. [00:38:33]

Holiness is not about legalistic righteousness or perfectionism. It is about being perfected in love, where love becomes the governing principle of our actions. This love is not limited to those who are easy to love but extends even to our enemies, seeking their good and the good of all affected by our actions. [00:41:15]

The call to holiness is a call to discipleship, to live as Jesus lived, in the power of the Spirit, manifesting the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. It is a call to be a community of love, where we support and challenge one another to grow in holiness. [00:46:41]

Discipleship involves living out the teachings of Jesus in our daily lives, empowered by the Spirit. It is about routine, easy obedience to God's commands, resulting in peace, joy, and love. [00:57:26]

True love is not passive but active, seeking to do good for others. It involves confronting evil and injustice with the power of love, trusting in God's guidance and provision. [00:51:05]

The unity, the equality is an equality and a Unity of a life lived together, and then we are given the invitation of stepping into that by having the same kind of life together in love with one another. [00:40:44]

Love is the whole thing, but you have to understand the depth of that and how it refers to our relationships with one another, and when we do that then we begin to experience the life of God in our souls and Holiness becomes manifest in how we learn to act under God. [00:49:20]

Good works are the natural products of Grace received into the mind. Grace is God acting in your life to accomplish what you can't accomplish on your own. Grace is not opposed to effort as opposed to earning. Effort is action earning his attitude. [01:05:14]

The most important form of mission for the church is going to be the members of the church going about their daily business, and if that isn't working, then the other forms of missional Outreach are problematic. [01:19:41]

The world is dying for the lack of Christian discipleship. The greatest issue facing the world today is whether or not the people who profess Christ will become his disciples. [01:23:03]

The primary system was loving one another. So, I am in favor of missions of being Evangelical of Outreach and all of that. Now trouble is that the main form of Outreach is the lives of Christians about their ordinary business. [01:22:05]

The church is for discipleship. Discipleship is for the world. The world is dying for the lack of Christian discipleship. The greatest issue facing the world today is whether or not the people who profess Christ will become his disciples. [01:23:03]

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