God Has Called Us To An Active Ministry

God Has Called Us to an Active Ministry

Associate Pastor Art Mathis

19 October 2003

1 Peter 2:9-10 (Message Bible)—“But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do His work and speak out for Him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference He made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.”

(Note: All Scripture quotes from the Message Bible, unless otherwise noted.)

Have you ever wondered what your purpose is? Why you exist and where you are going in life? When we consider this we usually place the emphasis on ourselves, the focus is on us. But what if we view this question from another angle or perspective?

Rick Warren in his book “The Purpose Driven Life,” states, “The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your widest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by His purpose and for His purpose.”

Later, the author writes, “You must begin with God, your Creator. You exist only because God wills that you exist. You were made by God and for God—and until you understand that, life will never make sense. You were made for God, not vice versa, and life is about letting God use you for His purposes, not your using Him for your own purpose.”

We now come back to the thematic Scripture—1Peter 2:9-10—“But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do His work and speak out for Him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference He made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.”

In this Scripture, we see several things that we will look at briefly today:

1. we are chosen—by God

2. chosen for a purpose—to be priests and a holy people

3. instruments of God—to do His work and to speak out for Him—His witnesses

4. to proclaim the Good News—to give our testimony of the changes He has done in our lives

In Revelation, we read that it is with the blood of Jesus Christ that we have been purchased by God, redeemed and made into a kingdom of priests— Rev. 5:8-10 (Message Bible)—“The moment he (the Lamb) took the scroll, the Four Animals (Living Creatures) and Twenty-four Elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb. Each had a harp and each had a bowl, a gold bowl filled with incense, the prayers of God’s holy people. And they sang a new song:

Worthy! Take the scroll, open its seals.

Slain! Paying in blood, you bought men and women,

Bought them back from all over the earth,

Bought them back for God.

Then you made them a Kingdom, Priests for our God,

Priest-kings to rule over the earth.”

We are chosen by God:

A. Chosen means selected by God for a special purpose, we are not an accident nor did we choose Him.

1. Romans 11:5-7—“It’s the same today. There’s a fiercely loyal minority still—not many, perhaps, but probably more than you think. They’re holding on, not because of what they think they’re going to get out of it, but because they’re convinced of God’s grace and purpose in choosing them. If they were only thinking of their own immediate self-interest, they would have left long ago. And then what happened? Well, when Israel tried to be right with God on her own, pursuing her own self-interest, she didn’t succeed. The chosen ones of God were those who let God pursue his interest in them, and as a result received his stamp of legitimacy. The "self-interest Israel" became thick-skinned toward God.”

2. Romans 12:5—“The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body,”

3. Galatians 6:14-16—“For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them!”