Good evening, everyone.There is a special day coming up this week- All Saints Day.
But before we get into today's discussion, I want to talk for a moment about what the word "saint" means.
The Catholic church has a strict set of rules for what they deem a saint to be. You have to perform at least three miracles, I think, and have had a vision at some time or other. I don't know exactly what they are. And frankly, I really don't care.
That definition of "saint" doesn't fit what the bible says. A saint is one who has been sanctified. That means set apart. In Jude 1, Jude calls his entire audience "them that are sanctified".
Jude 1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:This means that they are all saints. And if there's any doubt about that, Paul addresses the book of Ephesians to "the saints which are at Ephesus".
Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:He wasn't speaking to someone who had performed miracles and had visions and been canonized by the yet-to-be-formed Catholic Church. He was talking to the assembly of Christians.
What's more, anything that is sanctified with a purpose is holy. That's the definition of the word "holy". Set apart for a purpose. You and I have been set apart by the grace of God to be His family and more.
1 Peter 2:9Each one of you who has accepted Jesus as your savior are a holy saint.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
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Pastor Oren Otter
October 28, 2006
Today's reading: Hebrews 11:32-12:2
11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.