Text:
1 Peter 2:9 [KJV]
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;
I Peter 2:9-12 [The Message]
9-10But 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 has made for you—you have come from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.
11-12Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.
Intro:
This first Epistle of the Apostle Peter is written to the Hebrew church and to all believers in the body of Christ. He addresses his subject to the matter of revealing to the reader, you and I the Nature and the Identity of the born again believer in Christ Jesus, those who have their lives devoted to His call and His purposes. In this unique discourse Peter focuses his gaze to the believer’s position in Christ. We are presented with a clear view of what God considers his people to be.
Considering this fact in scripture we must realize who we are today and what we have to do. The Church finds itself in a time of great power, potential and possibility. This is a day that is filled with great opportunity for those who are hungry for an authentic move of God. This is a day for those whom Daniel the prophet wrote of when he wrote, “The people that do know their God shall be strong and do great exploits!” This is the day for those men and women who have committed themselves wholly to God!
We are speaking of a life that is devoted to God. The devoted man, the devoted women is like an Esther to a captive Israel, a Deborah in a time of Battle, a Moses in a time of bondage! We are Gods Church! Men and women of vision and power to a hurting world!
We are devoted, we are holy, and we are peculiar!
Eph 1:4
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
I. What does it mean to be holy & peculiar?
a. What is Holiness?
• Holy & Peculiar; Sacred, Gods own purchased, possession.
• It means to be separated or withdrawn from that which common or unclean, and consecrated or committed to what is pure. It is based on the condition of the heart and has as its central object or desire to have a deeper relationship with God and to please him!
b. people who were separated
• Enoch
II. What does holy living do?
a. It transforms our lives
• We Love others with a supernatural love and shows that we Love God!
• Destroys the attempts to hinder God’s work through disunity!
b. It protects the Glory of God in our lives
• The enemy wants to steal the beauty of this principle! Only because he realizes the power that is revealed through a devote life! The devil knows that the scripture says,
• “…God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not truth: But if we walk in the light (of his revealed word) as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another (Jesus and Me), and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.”
• The Devil was the angel that covered
c. It declares His Name (Jesus)
III. There is power in a life of Holiness
a. With the devoted life the Glory of God will be revealed upon this generation!
Heb 12:14
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”
• The writer of Hebrews says, it’s a matter of the heart!
b. Everything must be able to mature
• Every living Organism goes through 3 progressive stages:
1. Birth
2. Growth
3. Maturing
• Each stage has its own contribution, and character, and limits as to what it can supply to the overall purpose of the organism or life!
• Who or what a person will be is already established at birth and supplied to them from the creator. From that stage on, no creature can be anything other than what the creator has made it to be.
• You and I are children of God created to overcome the world and rule and reign with Christ forever!
c. Holiness protects you from being less!
• A devoted life will allow God to work his complete work in you!
Closing:
Butterfly, Plates, Finger pulls them off.. cannot fly. Do not let the world impress you. It will rob you from a life that soars!
The more we come to know God the more he expects of us! We are rising to a new level of consecration with God!
