February 19, 2017
All Scripture from NIV unless otherwise documented
As you come to him, the living Stone–rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him–you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame. “Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone, and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. “They stumble because they disobey the message–which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” 1 Peter 2: 4 – 10
Today we get back to 1 Peter and the focus of the message today is in the last two verses, verses 9 & 10 where Peter declares that you are the people of God. I read somewhere that verse nine most likely recalls God’s words to His people Israel after He had redeemed them from Egypt. The people were gathered at Mount Sinai and Moses was called up to the mountain. God spoke these words to Moses: “Although the whole earth is mine, you (Israel) will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Exodus 19: 5 – 6 The Israelites had been called out of the world to be a holy people unto God. Now we find that Peter in essence said that since Israel as a nation had rejected Jesus as Messiah, that they had also rejected God. Having rejected His Son, God was calling out a new group of people comprised of believing Gentiles, to be a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to God.” vs 9 These were almost the exact same words that God had spoken through Moses to Israel some 12 to 15 hundred years earlier.
That’s not to say that God had or has completely abandoned the Jewish people. There are Jewish Christians and we will be having an evangelist from Jews for Jesus sharing with us about the Passover meal on the Wednesday evening before Easter. The Bible also predicts that in the end times that there will be a great awakening, if you will, and God will once again deal with Israel as a chosen nation and that many Jews will turn to God through faith in Jesus as the Messiah. That time will fulfill what is called the 70th week of Daniel prophecy from the Old Testament. I won’t go into all of the eschatological aspects of that, except to say that now, the church is called the people of God and this period is called the church age.
What does it mean to be the people of God? Well first, it means that we are a work in progress. Verse 5 says that we are like living stones that are being built into a spiritual house. If you remember a couple weeks ago I talked to you about the word holy and that it means set apart unto God. The same Greek word is translated sanctify or sanctified elsewhere in the New Testament and if you will remember I said that sanctification is a process. When you accept Jesus as Savior you are sanctified or made holy in the eyes of God. (positional sanctification) You are holy because of what Jesus did on the cross. As you live your life in obedience and love and service to God and you become more like Christ in your nature, you experience what is called progressive sanctification. You are being made holy and this process will take the rest of your life. This is what I think Peter was saying here when he said that you are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood.
Ultimately, we will be like Jesus. 1 John 3: 2 says; “But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” And 1 Corinthians 13: 12 says “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,” and that is called ultimate sanctification. You, and the church as God’s chosen people, are a work in progress. And it is a work. You have been called to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. What exactly does that mean for you as a believer?
Hebrews 13: 15 – 16 gives us some insight into the kinds of things that you are to do in fulfilling this priestly service to God. “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
What is a sacrifice of praise and lips that confess His name? I think this is a direct reference to worship of God. As a holy priesthood, you have been called to worship God. If you will read in Exodus you will get the understanding that those who were called to be priests unto God were obligated to come before Him to serve Him with a right attitude, having first consecrated themselves by offering sacrifices and ceremonial washings. As a holy priesthood, you too have been called to come before God and offer sacrifices, not of bulls and goats, but of praise to God for who He is and what He is doing through your life in the name of Christ. Worship is a part of your priestly service to God.
Another thing mentioned here is confessing His name. What I get from that is that we are to share our testimony with both believers and non-believers. I have to tell you that in today’s anti-Christian environment it is becoming more difficult for some believers to confess the name of Jesus and to share with non-believers what God is doing in their lives. They fear judgement, ridicule and maybe even persecution from those who do not believe. And yet, the author of Hebrews mentions confession of His (Jesus) name as a sacrifice to God. As believers we need to be bold in our faith and our confession of Jesus, we need to have our testimony on our lips and be willing to share it with anyone the Spirit of God gives us the opportunity to share with.
A third sacrifice that we find in Hebrews 13 is to do good. When I first read this I wanted to interpret this as doing good to others. I suppose that would also be implied but simply put, it says “do not forget to do good.”
The Scriptures are replete with references to doing good. Jesus told His listeners: “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5: 16 The Apostle Paul wrote: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 and again in Ephesians 2: 10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
And then a fourth thing that is mentioned in the passage from Hebrews is sharing with others. As a minister my first thought here was sharing the good news with others for that is the very best thing that you can give to someone else. But as I contemplated the author’s intent I began to realize that his intent probably extended beyond sharing the good news to serving others by sharing from the abundance that God has given to you. Jesus stated that He did not come to be served, but to serve others. Matthew 20: 28
James wrote concerning works “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2: 14 – 17
Writing to the Corinthians concerning the offering that he expected to receive for the Saints in Jerusalem, Paul said: “For the administration of this service not only supplies the need of the saints, but is abundant also through many thanksgivings to God. 13 Meanwhile, through the performance of this ministry, they glorify God for the profession of your faith in the gospel of Christ and for your liberal sharing with them and with all others.” 2 Corinthians 9: 12 – 13
As you can see from these few verses, sharing with others is a sacrifice that is pleasing to God.
You, yes you, are the people of God. As such you are a royal priesthood and you have been called to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus. These sacrifices include, in part, your worship, the sharing of your testimony, doing good and sharing with others.
Next week we will be looking more specifically at the subject of how to live as the people of God.