This sermon explores the concept of being chosen by God, emphasizing the responsibility of spreading His goodness to others, supported by personal anecdotes and biblical references.
Tell a story of a time that you were playing sports growing up and you were picked for the team. Or picked for a group of some kind. The reason you were picked is because you had something valuable to bring to the group...You were of value to the team that picked you. The reality today is, God chooses people to use for His Kingdom’s causes. Oftentimes, the people He chooses are outcasts, forgotten about, not wanted, leftover, etc... Which means, no matter where you find yourself, or how you view yourself, God wants you!
Today, we are in week 2 of our series, “Chameleon,” all about standing out rather than fitting in. Last week, we discussed the difference between conforming to the world around us and being transformed as God defines it. Once we choose to be transformed by God, we then allow God to use us for His purposes, which we will talk about today. So if you have a Bible please turn with me to 1 Peter 2:9-10. This is where we will be camping out for most of our time together.
God chooses people to use for His Kingdom’s causes.
Now, in order to understand the significance of what Peter just said, we have to understand the context in which he is writing. When Peter writes this letter, he does so to a group of Christians who are scattered throughout the northern part of Asia Minor. These Christians are “aliens” or “foreigners” in the land they find themselves in, and many of them are facing suffering because of that. Therefore, Peter is seeking to encourage them in their faith. Within the passage we just read, I believe there are three things in particular that Peter is trying to do: 1) Remind 2) Challenge 3) Strengthen.
If we can receive each of these things for ourselves today, we will understand the significance of God choosing to use us. We will be spurred on to achieve greater things in our walk with Christ than ever before.
As I said, the first thing we see Peter do when he is writing to his audience, is simply trying to remind them of the past. He says, “You are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, and God’s very own possession.” The key phrase to sum up all that Peter is trying to remind these Christians of is the final thing he says: that they are “God’s very own possession.” I want to pause right here. I want us to sit in silence for a few moments, thinking about this phrase: God’s very own possession.
You see, this is a promise God makes to His people all the way back in the Old Testament, before Jesus arrives on the scene. A promise that still stands in 1 Peter because of the pathway Jesus made for all people to have access to their Heavenly Father. You see, when God chose us, it did not just mean that we are His people, but it also means that He is our God.
If you look closely enough all throughout the Bible, there seems to be a trend: frequently, for God to take you where He wants you to be, He often has to remind you of His faithfulness in the past ... View this full sermon with PRO Premium
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