Jan. 4, 2020

1st Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people

After escaping through the Red Sea, the Hebrews traveled through the wilderness and arrived at Sinai, God’s Holy Mountain. There they received the Ten Commandments, as well as instructions for building a Tabernacle as a center of worship. Through Israel’s experiences at Mount Sinai, we learn about the importance of obedience in our relationship with God. His laws help expose sin, and they give standards for our righteous living.

The opening statement about this month’s message is Biblical truth, not opinion. In our country, we are Christians supposedly holding up the Blood Stained banner to win souls who are lost, pointing them toward Jesus and The Bible’s standard of Holiness in our lifestyle. Instead we are odds because of politics (which is nothing new) and I will say now, all political parties regardless of what they are called are guilty of not following God’s law. If we continue to rally around the political fight against each other, we too are guilty of sin. Yet we seem to not let it concern us.

Exodus 19:3-6…And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4…Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles wings, and brought you unto myself. 5…Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6…and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

God had a reason for rescuing the children of Israel from slavery. He was ready to tell them what it was: Israel was to become a holy nation, a kingdom of priests in which anyone could approach God freely. It did not take long, however, for the people to mess up His plan.

This sounds painfully familiar doesn’t it? And yes, we collectively are guilty. God repeatedly gets us out of problem after problem; we run to Church and do as He asks for 5 minutes, before you know it we are back to business as usual. The fact that God has chosen us for His plan goes out the window because His plan just does not fit where we are now. Really?

God has promised us victory because He loves and provides for us but we are supposed to do our part for His kingdom. Not the political one we fight over or anything we allow to prohibit us from following His plan. Isaiah 43:15…I am the Lord, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. 16…Thus saith the Lord, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters. 18…Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 19…Behold I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. 20…The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls; because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. 21…This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

I can hear someone saying, all of that stuff was Old Testament. Well just for you, here is what Jesus said…Jesus said in John 15:16 - Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

The 12 chosen men called Disciples learned from Jesus, walked and talked with Him for 3 and a half years but did not become the great dynamic men of God He knew they would become until they received the Holy Ghost in the Book of Acts. They were so focused on their purpose that they fought against political powers believing instead what they had been taught by Jesus. Combined with the boldness of the Holy Spirit, when political powers threatened them, they stood for Jesus and changed the world.

Peter wrote the epistle (letter) that contains the featured passage for this message 1st Peter 2:9 and 10..But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous 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.    

That my friends is our purpose, not arguing over political talking points or listening to views that make no mention of The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Political issues are meant to divide us, to make us of no effect to those needing truth. We have been chosen for God’s purpose which by the world’s standard makes us peculiar. I will take that any day, all day. My prayer is that you will also.

Thank You Lord for your Word.