A CHOSEN GENERATION
1 Peter 2:6-10
Here is a thought for tonight; you can’t land a helicopter in a forest of trees.
Here are some words to remember, Chosen, Royal, Holy Nation, Peculiar People, Darkness Light and Praise.
I mentioned that you can’t land a helicopter in a forest, what does that have to do with who we are in Jesus Christ?
During the Vietnam conflict, in order to get the large cargo planes in they used what was called the Daisy Cutter bombs. The Daisy Cutter bomb was extremely lethal, was originally used to clear the landing sites. It earned the nickname “Daisy Cutter” because of the circular pattern of destruction that it left after detonation.
So Jesus Christ came as the Lamb of God, to level the playing field. Born of a virgin in Bethlehem, which was the house of bread and Judah the land of plenty.
He died on a cross and was placed in a tomb, went into the heart of the earth to destroy the works of Satan, stripping him of his power and taking the keys of death hell and the grave.
He came as our Daisy Cutter to bring deliverance to a world that was held captive in the forest of darkness for many years. But the light shined in darkness and we beheld His glory as the only begotten Son of God.
Paul tells us in Romans chapter eight, that we have received the Spirit of adoption; the Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. We are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.
Our scriptural text says, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious, and he that believes on Him shall not be confounded.”
The term confounded is an adj. meaning perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements.
This stone that was laid became a stumbling block and a rock of offence to many, but to those who received Him it was a sure foundation. “He came to His own, but His own received Him not. But to as many as received Him to them He gave the power to become the sons of God.”
Verse nine says, “Ye are a CHOSEN GENERATION.” God chose us, we didn’t choose Him. God knew us before we were formed in our mother’s womb, and His purpose for us was a great and wonderful thing.
Having been chosen as are the elect of God, we can enjoy God’s divine provision and protection, and if God is for us, who can be against us.
Provision, all things that pertain to life and health was provided in the atonement. And if we seek first the kingdom of God the things we need He will provide.
His hand of protection is always there, shielding us from the arrows that fly by night. Those arrows could be any number of things that the enemy might throw our way.
Peter said we are a ROYAL PRIEST HOOD. Peter is implying the unity of spiritual origin and kindred of believers as a class distinct from the world.
God has made all of us priests; consider the significance of this position. In the Old Testament to serve in the temple you had to be a Levite or a priest. Both offices were given to a select few Levites who were sons of Levi and the priests were Aaron’s sons.
The High Priest was the only one who could go into the Holy of Holies which was partitioned of by a huge sixty foot veil. (Show the chart)
Jesus placed himself on the cross becoming the perfect sacrifice for atonement. It wasn’t a coincidence that Jesus was crucified during the time of Passover; He became the Lamb of God.
The moment Jesus died on the cross the veil was torn apart from top to bottom thus created a way for man to have direct access to God.
As a HOLY NATION, we have been set apart by God, our sins are gone, and they are underneath the blood. So we can boldly go into the presence of God. As believers, like Christ the antitypical Melchisedec, we are at once kings and priests.
We are a PECULIAR PEOPLE, or a purchased people. We are literally, a people for an acquisition. That is, who God chose to be His people. In the book of Act 20:28 states that he purchased us, He acquired us making us God’s peculiar treasure above all others.
With this thought in mind, we have a job to do. People are looking to the church to find the real joy for living. How much of God do they see in our lives?
We are to show forth, publish abroad, not our own praises but His praises. His virtues, His glory, His mercy and goodness, and we do this because He has called us out of darkness, into His marvelous light.
For more than four hundred years the world was in darkness waiting for revelation. And on that star lit night a baby was born in Bethlehem, which would change the landscape of humanity.
It takes revelation to reveal the light, and men were groping in darkness until the light of the gospel was revealed, and we received the light that darkness cannot apprehend.
This was the same light that shined on Paul as he made his way to persecute the early believers’.
Only revelation can reveal things that are hidden in the darkness. Revelation brings to light the hidden things of the heart. The scriptures teach us that the heart is deceitfully wicked, and only the spirit can bring revelation.
It takes a commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ to change the heart. May I suggest to you that we should by the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us become a Daisy Cutter to this lost world?
We were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. Before we were formed in our mother’s womb He knew us. We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and a purchased people. We are Sons and daughters of the one true God.
We should show fourth praises of Him that called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
