Special people for special purpose

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9-10

Key verse: v.9, 

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light”. (ESV)

Preaching idea: Believers are special people called to Glorify God.

 Our passage today, will surely help us understand who we are in relation to God and what are called to do in light of this relationship that we have with Him. Please turn with me to 1 Peter chapter 2 and we will read from verse 9 through verse 10. 

Background: It is by God’s grace that we have this letter with us. As we can relate to it a lot. This letter was written to the believers in Asia minor who were suffering for their faith. This was a comforting reminder for them of the firm hope of salvation they had because of Christ’s death and resurrection. This was also a reminder for them to maintain a holy life as being a witness to the non-believers-who persecuted them (Carson & Moo, 2005, 636).

The message of the whole letter can be summarized in three aspects which are: 1) Salvation, 2) church and the Christian life. This letter is a call to believers to live with faithfulness, holiness and love. He understands that this steadfastness in faith may lead to suffering and persecution but the grounds of a believer’s faithfulness according to Peter is their understanding of their Salvation (McKnight, 1996, 29). 

Amidst persecution and suffering we may tend to compromise to be safe and this dulls our witness. But the passage we are learning from today reminds us of who we are and what God Has done in our lives. Peter alludes to various Old Testament titles. We will look at that these allusions individually. But first I want you to reminded of one truth that I would like you to remember all of your life. 

Please repeat with me… “Believers are special people called to Glorify God.”

God has chosen the believers to be His own people.

Peter begins this chapter by explaining the fate of those who do not believe in Christ and then makes a contrast between them and the believers. The word “but” explains that there is a difference between the people mentioned in v.1-8 of this chapter and the believers. This difference is explained by Peter in four distinct terms. Peter without any hesitation uses terms for the believers that were used to describe God’s chosen people nation Israel (Jobes, 2005, 158). It is interesting to note that no passage in the New Testament as extensively connects Old Testament Israel with the church as the passage under study. It must be noted that Peter here is not talking about individual believers but church as a whole when he used different descriptions from Old Testament (McKnight, 1996, 110). The use of these terms suggests that the believers today share in the blessing of God that was once bestowed on God’s chosen people.

We should take courage in the fact that God Himself chose us to be His people. Peter makes it clear to the believers that God has specially blessed them. He makes several references to old testament. The language he uses here is taken directly from Isaiah 43:20-21 and Exodus 19:6 (Jobes, 2005, 158). The first reference he makes to prove his point is that believers are a chosen race.

Believer are a Chosen Race

Peter directly refers to Isaiah 43, when he explains that believers are a chosen race. God miraculously provided water for His people in the wilderness and provided means for them to survive. This is the message that Peter wants to communicate here, God who was faithful to chosen people Israel is faithful to the believers. In Isaiah’s case the chosen people were the descendants of Abraham (Jobes, 2005, 158) but Peter makes it clear that all those who believe in Jesus Christ form a new race (a chosen race) comprised of believers from different ethnicities (Jobes, 005, 159). This new identity is not on the basis of ethnicity but on the basis of belief in Christ’s death and resurrection. 

Illustration: When I went to the seminary I came across people from different countries who spoke different languages, had different cultures and customs. Yet I felt connected with them even though I did not know them before. I could relate with them because we all shared the same hope because of Christ’s finished work on the cross. Though we belong to different countries but we all use to gather as one people.

Brethren, remember that believers are special people called to Glorify God. 

The second description Peter uses is:

Believers are a Royal Priesthood 

In order for us to understand what it means to be a royal priest hood, we need to understand how it all started. When Peter mentions of Royal Priest he is making a reference to Ex. 19:6 where God specially chose males from the tribe of Levi for a special purpose. 

The Levites and priest were special tribe who served God and in doing so were serving the covenant that God made with man. Their service was two folds; 1) they served God by representing God’s purpose for his chosen people Israel which was to the well-being of the nation and I was realized by maintaining a relationship with God, 2) they also served the people by having specific roles and responsibilities, the very center of their responsibilities was to maintain a worshipful relationship with God. These priests and Levites had a role and that was to mediate between God and Israel. The need for people would serve as mediators was based upon understanding of God’s nature. God is Loving Father and at the same time He is majestic and Holy. God’s holiness as we see in several places is such that to approach Him in appropriately by ordinary people was dangerous. Thus one of the role that the priests had was to approach God on people’s behalf. We may understand the role of a priest as the one who bridge the gap between the human and the Divine. This was a special task and God chose a particular people for that. However, it must be noted that this selection of people was not based on their talents and gifts but God chose these people in His mercy (Elwell, 1998, 1763).

The parallel between the nation Israel’s need for priests and the present world is that the people of the world also require someone (priests) to represent them. This role is once and for all fulfilled by Jesus Christ. This is the very message of the gospel that we proclaim. God Himself Has provided a mediator for us-His Son Jesus Christ. The tasks that the priest had to undertake on continuing basis is now fulling accomplished on a permanent basis in the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul makes it very in his letter to Hebrews that Christ in the ultimate High priest who is there forever.

Peter builds on this concept of Priesthood in this passage. He says that all the believers (not just a specific tribe) belong to royal priesthood. This does not mean that there is no longer a need for mediators as in the Old testament, we do have a High Priest our Lord Jesus Christ. The implication of this then is that believers are priest to the whole world. Just as in the old covenant, God called upon a particular nation to serve as priest on behalf of other nations in the same way today believers who are in the new covenant are called by God to be priests and be representatives of all the people in front of God (Elwell, 1998, 1764). To put it simply, believers are chosen by God as royal priests to “mediate God in Christ to the nations” (Jobes, 2005, 160).

Application: This should be a great comfort for us. No matter what the majority thinks about us, we know from the Word of God that He in His mercy has bestowed blessings on us and given us a special. My dear brothers and sisters, let us all do our best to be diligent in performing our role by being good witness of God to the world.

Believers are a Holy Nation

The very reality that God has chosen a people for Himself, should cause us to follow what is the central requirement for God’s people as seen in the Old testament, to “be holy” (Carson & Moo, 2005, 636). This is the very purpose God has chosen us. To be different, to be His representatives (Carson & Moo, 2005, 636), to be set apart. The word “Holy” literary means to be “consecrated or to be dedicated for the service of God” (BDAG, 10) This simply means that God Has not only chosen us but also consecrated us for His service. This is evident from the fact that in the Old Testament God chose a nation for Himself to be a blessing for others, to be a people who would serve God only. A people who were to be different, who were kept apart for God.

We have learnt that God chose a nation to represent Him to other nations. This also called for a different way of life. This nation was to be sanctified and live a holy life (Ex. 24). Peter reinforces the concept of sanctified living in obedience to God by calling the believers a holy nation. I must make clear to you that this word “holy” does to refer to a moral status of believers but to their calling which is to be a people set apart for God (Jobes, 2005,161). Thus is the emphasis being not on a moral status but on a way of life that honors God. For this particular reason God set apart a nation for Himself, the nation that would be a witness and blessing to other nations. Today this is true for all God’s people-the church. God has chosen the Church to be His representative, to be a witness and to be a blessing to others (Schreiner, 2003, 115). In modern terms it can be said that Christians are people who hold dual citizenship, 1) the country they live in, and 2) that they are a holy nation (Jobes, 2005, 162). We live in this world yet we are set apart from this world for God’s Glory. Our very identity as a holy nation calls for a lifestyle that brings Glory to God and allows us to be a witness to others. 

Believers are People of God’s own possession

What a wonderful privilege we have, our identity is not in our association with any organization or government but with our relationship with God. The words that Peter has used to describe the believers collectively shed light on the relationship believers have God the Father of Jesus Chris (Jobes, 2005, 162). We know that the whole earth and universe is of God, but God shows his love and affection to us by calling us people of His own possession. The explains the special nature of relationship we have with God the Father. If I would dare go beyond the text and make an effort to simplify the meaning of this term for you. It is like God expressing His love for His people, calling paying them special attention than the rest. It is like saying above everything God is especially interested in the believers.  

Believers are Recipient of Mercy

This is the final description that Peter used to describe the believers. This is an allusion to a prophecy in Hosea 2:23. The nation Israel who were the chosen people did not always live faithfully in obedience to God. There came a time where they became just like the rest of nations surrounding them. They forgot that they were set apart, they did not function the way they were supposed to. As a result of that they were sent into exile. But God promised through His servant Hosea that there will be a time when God’s mercy will lead the people to restoration, when God would again have a people for His own possession who would then proclaim His praise and mighty works among the nations. Peter implies that the believers who are in Christ are the fulfillment of this prophecy (Jobes, 2005,164). God’s love and mercy are not limited now to a people from one nation but to people from every nation, to people who have surrender their lives to God through Jesus Christ. We are the recipients of God’s unmerited grace and mercy. Our very lives, our identity as believers speaks about God. Our reception of God’s mercy through the death and resurrection of God is a testimony about God’s Character. I like he way Karen Jobes put it, and I quote:

“The Christian community declares by its existence, by its liturgy and by its worship, by the daily lives of its members the mighty deed of Christ’s resurrection, which reveals the praise worthy character of God” (Jobes, 2005, 164).

God called out of darkness to be “a chosen race”, “a royal priesthood”, “a holy nation”, “a people of God’s own possession” and “a people who received mercy”, this should cause us to take comfort in God despite of the suffering we go through, and also remember that this special blessing calls for a life that brings Glory to God.

Application: My dear brothers and sisters we live in a place where discrimination and persecution will always be a threat to us. More so, because we profess faith in Jesus Christ. There are times and will be times when people will call you names and talk ill about you. There will be times when you will be denied opportunities. There will be times when you will receive threats from people. But whatever may come always remember that God has bestowed his mercies upon you and chose you to be His own people. So no matter what other think about, what they say about you or how they treat you. Take courage, be steadfast in your walk with the Lord, realizing that it is favor of God that should be important to us rather than the favor of men. 

Every time someone looks down upon you, take heart and reflect on the promises of God. Cherish this wonderful relationship we have with God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ.

Remember that, Believers are special people called to Glorify God.

God has chosen the believers to proclaim His excellences.

I remember the famous line from the movie Spider Man. Peter Parkar’s (who is the main Character-Spider man in the movie) uncle while talking to him said, “With great power comes greater responsibility” (Raimi, 2002). This line is true for believers as well. We are not talking about military might or political power. We have learnt that God has bestowed special privilege on us by choosing us for Himself. Now this special identity calls for a greater responsibility. That is to worship Him Who Has called us and to proclaim His excellences to the nations. We have learnt that the special identities mentioned before had special responsibility. We as believers are to live out those responsibilities. 

Peter makes it clear that God called believer out of darkness to proclaim his praise. There echoes of Isaiah 43:21 in this verse. God declared that he chose a people so that they would proclaim His praise. Peter directly applies this to the believers who were scattered in Asia minor. His applies to us today as well. We are called to praise God. This praise should not be a mere uttering of words but living a life righteously (Jobes, 2005, 159).

Illustration: Imagine a classroom setting, there are several children in the class but only one from among those children is selected to be the class representative. This is a special honor bestowed upon that particular child. This designation might be because of obedience or abilities. But this designation calls for an attitude and behavior which ought to be different from the rest of the students. He has to be on time, do his assignments on time and as much as possible never be absent from the class. In short, a special title requires a special way of life which is not as the rest. Moreover, he has to represent the whole class and also serve as a mouth piece of the teacher if there need be.

Just like the child who is selected as a class representative for certain purpose, believers are called out to serve a purpose. The only difference is that the child is selected on his own merits but we are elected according to the rich mercy of God without any merits of our own.

We as believers do not only praise God with our mouth but also with our lives. Because we are representative of God to the world, our lives should be example for others to follow. 

My mother used to teach at home and most of her students were non-believers. I remember one day one of her student who was in grade 12 said to her, “Ma’m, I have seen many people but your family is different, the way you live your life is different than others, the way you have raised your children is different, I feel like I want to be like you”. My mother’s life was a testimony to her student and it open a window for my mother to expose her to the gospel. I believe that is one way we can proclaim God to the world. 

Application: In light of the blessings God has bestowed upon us, let us peruse holiness, let us live our lives in a way that the people will notice there is something different. Let us live our lives that would bring glory to God. Let us live our lives in a way that people would want to imitate us. Let us be salt and light to the world and let us live a life that would allow us to open door of the gospel for the people.

God has blessed us abundantly. And we are special people called to Glorify God.  

Bibliography

Carson, D A., and Douglas J. Moo. An Introduction to the New Testament. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2005.

Danker, Frederick W. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian 

Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.

Elwell, Walter A., and Barry J. Beitzel. Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible. 2 vols. Grand Rapids, 

Mich.: Baker Book House, 1988.

Jobes, Karen H. 1 Peter. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2005.

McKnight, Scot. 1 Peter: The NIV Application Commentary from Biblical Text...to Contemporary Life. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Pub. House, 1996.

Schreiner, Thomas R. 1, 2 Peter, Jude. Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman & Holman, 2003.

Raimi, Sam. Spider Man, Columbia Pictures & Marvel Enterprises, 2002. DVD.