WHY AM I HERE?
1 Peter 2:4-12
9But 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.
INTRODUCTION: God made us who we are to show the world who He is.
How do you view yourself?
Mary was having a tough day and had stretched herself out on the couch to do a bit of what she thought to be well-deserved complaining and self- pitying. She moaned to her mom and brother, "Nobody loves me ... the whole world hates me!"
Her brother, busily occupied playing a game, hardly looked up at her and passed on this encouraging word: "That’s not true, Mary. Some people don’t even know you."
Did you ever feel like nobody loved you or cared about you? Nobody loves me. Everybody hates me. I think I’ll go eat worms.
It’s an important question. How do you view yourself? And if you don’t answer this question biblically, you will be an unhappy person. You’ll drink too much or eat too much or eat too little or work too much or shop too much or please people too much because you aren’t happy with who you are.
How do you view yourself today? The Bible says that we have The Bible is filled with reminders of how much God cares for us, and what He has planned for us. Take for example this familiar verse which expresses God’s plan and purpose for His people,
Jeremiah 29:11-12
Common English Bible (CEB)
11 I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the LORD; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope. 12 When you call me and come and pray to me, I will listen to you.
God says, “I have plans for you, and furthermore they are GREAT PLANS. Plans for your welfare, for your future, and for hope.
But even as I read this familiar passage, some of you are thinking, ‘That’s for somebody else, not for me.’
Some of you have been waiting on the Lord for months, even years for an answer, direction, and purpose. You have given up, because you feel that maybe you are not deserving of God’s best plans.
Listen, if that is what you are thinking, then you are believing a lie that is straight from the halls of Hell itself.
If you are trusting God today for direction and hope, then your hope is not misplaced.
The Bible says He is good to those who wait for Him. As Chuck Swindoll writes, ‘there is no need to be living each day crushed by fear and guilt or shame.
If you want to know what God thinks of you, then read His appraisal in romans 8:31-32.
Romans 8:31-32
New Living Translation (NLT)
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?
God is for us. WOW. Say those words slowly
GOD>>>>IS>>>>FOR>>>US
God is for us. Make it personal GOD IS FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In Peters letter, we catch a glimse of the delight God takes in us as the Apostle paints a vivid portrait of what it means to be God’s child.
1 Peter 2:9-10
English Standard Version (ESV)
9But you are(A) a chosen race,(B) a royal(C) priesthood,(D) a holy nation,(E) a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you(F) out of darkness into(G) his marvelous light. 10(H) Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
I see in this one verse five descriptions of who we are that can make a huge difference in our lives if we can just get it. And this will really impact how we go about expressing our faith to others.
First of all, this verse declares that…
1. Jesus picked me out.
Has anyone had the unfortunate experience of ever being picked last for a sporting team.
When my kids were younger, they were always the first to be picked for soccer, or basketball, or any other sport.
Not me.
When it came to picking teams for the neighborhood baseball teams, I would usually be left alone after the person with the broken leg and pop bottom glasses was chosen.
But this is not the way God chooses. Peter declares,
But you are a chosen race…
He picked me and He picked you. Why? No reason. He just did. Theologians call this unconditional election.
To understand what this means, lets consider how and why God chose Isreal as His special people. In Deuteronomy Moses addresses the nation of Isreal as they prepare to enter the promised land. Listen to what he says,
Deuteronomy 7:6-8
English Standard Version (ESV)
6"For(A) you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8but(B) it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping(C) the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Why did God choose ISreal? Because of their strength? No! Because of their numbers? No! Because of their mental or moral superiority? No!
He chose them not because they deserved it, but simply because of His grace. Simply because ‘ the Lord loved you.’
God chose you. Not because of your race or religion or creed or upbringing or skill or morality or color or education or for any other qualification. God just chose you. I don’t know why.
For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted…
Ephesians 1:4-5a (NIV)
There was nothing that made me more valuable than others. I didn’t earn it or deserve it or meet any conditions to get it. God’s choice of me happened before I was born. So, I stand in awe of that fact.
There is nothing about us that impresses him. There are no achievements we can make to get His attention. It isn’t the size of our faith or the goodness of our heart, or the greatness of our intellect. It was ENTIRLEY OF GRACE. Grace prompted by LOVE.
The Lord chooses us because He chooses us, PERIOD. He sets His love on us because out of HIS goodness and grace he declares, ‘YOU ARE MINE!”
Jesus picked me out. But there’s more…
2. Jesus lets me in.
But you are… a royal priesthood…
First, He lets me in the kingdom. My Father in heaven is the King. I’m His child. I have royal blood flowing in my veins. Jesus lets me into the Kingdom and then He lets me into the priesthood.
You mean I’m a priest? Yes!
Peter refers to us both as a royal priesthood and a holy priesthood. It is true that not all of us are preachers, or evangelists, or missionaries, or singers, or gifted teachers. But we ARE all priests, set apart by and for God.
He has made us his Kingdom and his priests who serve before God his Father. Give to him everlasting glory! He rules forever and ever! Amen! Revelation 1:6 (NLT)
I now have immediate access to God. I don’t need another human priest as a mediator. God himself provided the one Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ. I have direct access to God, through God. And now I have an active role in God’s presence. I don’t just fritter away my time doing nothing. I now can minister in the presence of God. All my life is priestly service. I am never out of God’s presence. I am never in a neutral zone. I am always in the court of the temple.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. Revelation 5:10 (NIV)
Jesus picked me out. Jesus lets me in.
BUT THERE’S MORE…
3. Jesus sets me apart.
But you are… a holy nation…
I am not just a “run-of-the-mill” person in the world any more. I have been set apart for God. I exist for God. And since God is holy, I am holy. I share His character.
Deuteronomy 7:6 English Standard Version (ESV)
6"For(A) you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
This word holy means “to cut.” I’m a “cut above the crowd.” We still use the word that way today when we describe a “cut” of fabric that is very special. “He’s cut out of a different cloth.”
When I do not act in a holy way, I act out of character. When I live in an unholy way, I contradict the fundamental nature of who I am in God’s sight.
Chuck Swindoll states, ‘If we seem out of step with the rest of the world, it is because we mrch to the beat of a different drummer.
Jesus picked me out. Jesus lets me in. Jesus sets me apart.
But there’s more….
4. Jesus shows me off.
But you are… a people for his own possession…
Possessions of the powerful, wealthy, or famous, no matter how common can become extremely valuable, even priceless.
Napoleons toothbrush sold for $21,000.00. Who would pay that much for a 200 year old used tooth brush?
Adolf Hitler’s car sold for $150,000.00 and Jackie Onassis’ fake pearls sold for $210,000.00. John F Kennedys wood golf clubs sold for 772,550.00.
Why would anyone pay these exorbitant prices for seemingly common items? Not because the items were worthy BUT BECAUSE THEY ONCE BELONGED TO SOMEONE SIGNIFICANT.
ILLUSTRATION:
IT DEPENDS WHOSE HANDS IT’S IN
A basketball in my hands is worth about $19
A basketball in Michael Jordan’s hands is
worth about $33 million
It depends whose hands it’s in
A baseball in my hands is worth about $6
A baseball in Mark McGuire’s hands is worth $19 million
It depends whose hands it’s in
A tennis racket is useless in my hands
A tennis racket in Pete Sampras’ hands
is a Wimbledon Championship
It depends whose hands it’s in
A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal
A rod in Moses’ hands will part the mighty sea
It depends whose hands it’s in
A sling shot in my hands is a kid’s toy
A sling shot in David’s hand is a mighty weapon.
It depends whose hands it’s in
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands
is a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in God’s
hands will feed thousands It depends whose hands it’s in
Nails in my hands might produce a birdhouse
Nails in Jesus Christ’s hands will produce
salvation for the entire world.
It depends whose hands it’s in
As you see now it depends whose hands it’s in.
So put your concerns, your worries, your fears,
your hopes, your dreams, your families and
your relationships in God’s hands because
It depends whose hands it’s in.(Author Unknown)
And you know what? WE FIT THAT BILL TOO. Think of the value of something owned by God.
That’s the way God is with us – with His children.
For you are) a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Deuteronomy 14:2 (NAS)
I know that God owns everything. So, in one sense, everyone is God’s possession. But this means something special. We are God’s inheritance. We are the ones He aims to spend eternity with.
And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. Deuteronomy 26:18 (NIV)
Jesus picked me out. Jesus lets me in. Jesus sets me apart. Jesus shows me off.
BUT THERE’S MORE…
5. Jesus lights me up.
[He] called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. I Peter 2:9 (ESV)
Jesus picked me out. Jesus lets me in. Jesus sets me apart. Jesus shows me off. Jesus lights me up.
You are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14 (NIV)
If you aren’t enjoying these facts about who you are, it’s not because they are beyond your reach, but because you are living below your privileges.
These things are true for every follower of Christ. When I’m feeling like I don’t measure up, I have to remind myself of truths like these. Thinking about who I am to God will cut out my griping. It will give me a greater joy and contentment. I don’t have to prove to you that I’m worth something because I know that I’m worth something to the God of the universe!
I’m God’s number 1 draft pick!
This is not self-esteem. This is Savior-esteem! It’s all about what He did for me to make me who I am. I don’t have to be all about me because the God of the Universe is already wild about me.
“Who am I?” leads directly to another question, “Why am I here?” Your identity leads to your destiny. This is where the connect to expressing your faith comes in.
Rick Warren, the author of the Purpose Driven Life says, “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.”
Why am I here?
To proclaim the excellencies of Christ!
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…
We can’t really talk about who we are without talking about who He is. The Biblical understanding of human self-identity is radically God-centered. One of the reasons some of us aren’t getting the kind of results we would like to get with family members and friends is that they instinctively know that our sharing is more about us than it is about God. There’s too much pressure. There’s too much self.
I don’t have to be all about me because the God of the Universe is already wild about me. Why? So I can be all about Him!
The people whom I made for Myself will make known My praise.
Isaiah 43:21 (MSG)
• God is wild about you so that you might proclaim how excellent He is because He chose you.
• God is wild about you so that you might proclaim how excellent He is because He made you royalty.
• God is wild about you so that you might proclaim how excellent He is because He made you His priest.
• God is wild about you so that you might proclaim how excellent He is because He made you holy.
• God is wild about you so that you might proclaim how excellent He is because He brought you into the light.
Our identity is for the sake of making known His identity. God made us who we are to show the world who He is.
A point to ponder: Jesus made me a somebody to tell about a Somebody!
A verse to remember: Just think! Though I did nothing to deserve it, and though I am the least deserving Christian there is, I was chosen for this special joy of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.
Ephesians 3:8 (NLT)
A question to consider: Who needs to hear about the excellencies of Christ from me
RESOURCES
Charles Swindoll, HOPE AGAIN
W.Weirsbe, The Expositional Bible Commentary. 1 Peter
Full Life Bible Commentary, 1 Peter
The Expositors Bible Commentary, 1 Peter
Rick Duncan, Sermoncentral.com/ It’s Not About Me
WHY AM I HERE?
1 Peter 2:4-12
9But you are(Q) a chosen race,(R) a royal(S) priesthood,(T) a holy nation,(U) a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you(V) out of darkness into(W)his marvelous light.
INTRODUCTION: How do you view yourself?
God made us _______________________ to show the world _______________________.
1. Jesus _____________________________________. Deuteronomy 7:6-8; Ephesians 1:4-5a
2. Jesus __________________________________________ Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10
3. Jesus ______________________________________________________. Deuteronomy 7:6
4. Jesus ____________________________________________________ Deuteronomy 26:18
5. Jesus ____________________________________ Matthew 5:14 ; Isaiah 43:21; Ephesians 3:8
A point to ponder: Jesus made me a somebody to tell about a Somebody!
A verse to remember: Just think! Though I did nothing to deserve it, and though I am the least deserving Christian there is, I was chosen for this special joy of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.
Ephesians 3:8 (NLT)
A question to consider: Who needs to hear about the excellencies of Christ from me
