I was married on September 9th 1989 – 35 years ago. Ever since this day I have 100% married. I can not be more married than I am today. I am totally married.

In life we are either married or not married. We can’t be both at the same time. It’s either or. Black or white. One or the other.

However, being married is also something that changes over time. That’s why we ask people, “How’s things? How’s your marriage going?” We all know that marriage can be good or not so good.

This is a good illustration of what it means to be holy. Something is either holy or it is not holy. It can’t be both at the same time. Something that is holy is something that has sanctified, or set apart. The Hebrew word for holy is ‘qadash’ and the Greek word for holy is ‘hagios’. They means the same – set apart, sacred, sanctified, consecrated.

• In Genesis 1 we see that God created a special day, a holy day, a sacred day – the Sabbath

• Exodus, when we see God choosing a people and calling them out of slavery, and he tells Moses to tell the people that ‘they will be a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation’, and we see God creating a Holy place – the tabernacle – where he can dwell in the midst of his holy, consecrated people.

• Leviticus is the book of the bible with the most references to holy things – over 50 times – Leviticus is all about how a holy people can remain a holy people and live with a holy God.

• Alongside Leviticus, for sheer number of references to holiness is Isaiah. Isaiah 1.4 says this, “Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption! They have forsaken the Lord; they have spurned the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on him.” Isaiah is a series of conversations between a holy God and his holy people. Except that the holy people are not doing so well at being holy. They have become desecrated – or deconsecrated.

• Then comes the new testament, and we see that John the Baptist in Mark 1:8 announcing that Jesus has come to ‘baptise people with the Holy Spirit’ – a fulfilment of the promise given to Ezekiel that God would send his Spirit in order to reconsecrate his people once again.

• This is the story of the New Testament, and the message of the gospel. God wants to make his people holy again, to make them into a holy people, and to dwell in their midst once again. And this happens through the baptism of the Spirit as people are washed and immersed through water baptism into Jesus and reconsecrated to God.

• Anyone who has put their faith and trust in Jesus and immersed themselves into his death and resurrection, has become a new creation, Paul says. They have been made holy. And that’s why he calls them ‘Hagion’ – Saints – Holy Ones.

o To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

o To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:

o Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus – Whom He chose in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

• The trouble is, however, even us Holy ones – born of the Spirit – can become desecrated again. We can fall away from the holiness we have been consecrated into. Which is why Peter reminds the holy ones to get their act together. (2 Peter 3:10-12)

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.[a]

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.

• Notice that Peter wants God’s holy people to remain holy.

You are here because you believe and trust in Jesus. You are 100% holy – consecrated. You have been washed, you were sanctified and you have been justified. 100%

However, you are also here, because, like me you are not as holy as you would like to be, and you know that the day of the Lord will certainly come.

Which is why Jude finishes his letter with these words

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Lent is about helping a holy people remain holy. Lent is about reminding ourselves that a day will surely come when we will all be judged according to what we have done and whether we have remained faithful to the one who saved us.

Lent is a reminder that our lives are mortal and will surely end. Lent is a gift to us to help us prepare, to repent, to realign our lives and desires, to renew our relationship with God and with others. Lent is a time of penitence, and mourning for anything that is in the way of us living holy lives.

And that’s why we do Lent. Not for the show. Not for the congratulations or the bonus points. Not for the reward on earth – but to make sure we will gain the reward from heaven that will be ours if we remain faithful.

SO that’s why Jesus taught his disciples not to make a show of fasting, prayer, or alms giving, or living simple lives – even though he fully expected to live this way. Because he wanted them to be more focused on the reward to come than the present rewards in this life.

• So fast this lent

• Pray this lent

• Give money away this lent

• Let go of your security in material things this lent.

• And build a reward in heaven, not on earth.

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Repent and believe the gospel.”