The Person In The Mirror Part 4
Scriptures: Deuteronomy 28:1-14; 1 Peter 2:1-10
Introduction
This message is part 5 in my series “The Person In The Mirror.” In part 4 last week I talked about the bumper sticker “God Is My Co-Pilot” that my father had purchased for his car. The bumper sticker places God in the Co-Pilot’s seat. As I explained last week, the pilot is the one who is in charge. They are the ones making the decisions. The co-pilot by definition is a “qualified pilot who assists or relieves the pilot but is not in command.” The co-pilot is the number two person; they assist the pilot. They play a supporting/helping role while providing an extra set of eyes, ears and hands when required. They are capable of piloting the craft, but they are not the ones in charge of it. When we place God in the co-pilot’s position, we tend to “fired” Him when He does not do or perform up to our expectations. This happens when people turn their backs on God when they go through difficult situations because they believed God has turned His back on them. This turning away or rejection God is in fact “firing” Him from His position in their life. I asked you if you had God as your co-pilot to change seats with Him and let Him be your pilot. If God is the pilot, then we take orders from Him and we see what He tells us to see. The first thing I shared last week was that our true Pilot has told us that we are the head and not the tail.
Deuteronomy 28:13 says “The Lord shall make you the head and not the tail; and you only shall be above, and you shall not be underneath, if you will listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully.” We have an identity crisis – we do not recognize who we are in Christ because we have allowed the world to define what a Christian is – one that is judgmental, weak, and goes through the motion of some religious activities. Last week I gave you some examples of “head” thinking and “tail” thinking. The head is leads, the tail follows. When we accepted Christ in our lives, He began a work within us to make us the head and not the tail. We have to start identifying with being the head! He wants us to lead in this world verses following it. In order for this to happen we actually have to start believing and accepting what God has said about us. When we believe it, we will walk in it. This morning I want to start with what I referenced to you last week from First Peter chapter two. I did not spend a lot of time on those verses, but I want to continue this morning building on a foundation of what God has said about us and what He has empowered us to do through His Son Jesus Christ. So imagine yourself setting next to the pilot in the co-pilot’s seat taking orders from him. If you are truly the co-pilot, then you will do what your pilot tells you because that is your job. Well, if God is the pilot in our lives, then it’s time we started acting like the co-pilot and following the commands of the pilot. You already know that you are the head and not the tail, now let me share with you more fully about your priestly role and how you were adopted into God’s family.
I. A Chosen Race; A Royal Priesthood
This morning I want to review with you what Peter said so that as we leave here this morning, we will not only understand that we are the head and not the tail, but we will understand why. 1 Peter 2:9-10 says the following about each of us: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
Peter gives us a description of Jesus Christ as a living stone. Stones are used as the support structure for a foundation. In ancient times, the cornerstone was the principle stone placed at the corner of the building. It was one of the largest, most solid and the most carefully constructed of all the stones. Jesus is called a stone to denote His invincible strength and everlasting duration and to teach His servants that He is their protection, security, the foundation on which they are built, and a rock of offence to all of their enemies. He is the living stone, having eternal life in Himself, and being the prince of life to all His people. Having described Christ as the foundation, the apostle goes on to speak of the superstructure, the materials built upon him: In verse five he writes that “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” When we accepted Christ, we became stones which would be added to build His Church. I am not talking about a physical building, but a spiritual one. Christ, the foundation, is a living stone and Christians are lively stones, making a spiritual house. We are a holy priesthood; and, though we have no bloody sacrifices of beasts to offer, we have much better and more acceptable, spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. This is who we became through Jesus Christ. But let’s examine verses nine and ten more closely. Remember, this is what the Pilot has said to us, His co-pilots.
“But you are a chosen race.” The Jews were exceedingly tender of their ancient privileges, of being the only people of God, taken into a special covenant with Him, and separated from the rest of the world. When Peter made this statement about all those who accept Christ, the people hearing this (both Jews and Gentile) understood its meaning. Through Christ a door was now opened that allowed all who chose Him to be part of a chosen race call God’s people. When we choose Christ, God chooses us. We become His people! All true Christians are a chosen generation; we all make one family, a sort and species of people distinct from the common world; of another spirit, principle, and practice, which we could never be if we were not chosen in Christ to be such, and sanctified by His Spirit.
“A royal priesthood.” The word royal means “of a king or queen.” It speaks of heritage and bloodline. All the true servants of Christ are a royal priesthood. We are royal in our relation to God and Christ; in our power with God; and over ourselves and all of our spiritual enemies. We are princely in the improvements and the excellency of our own spirits, and in our hopes and expectations. We are a royal priesthood, separated from sin and sinners, consecrated to God, and offering to God spiritual services, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. If we see ourselves as being adopted into a royal family which comes with certain responsibilities we will begin to live up to those responsibilities. We are not perfect and we do not always get it right, but when we have the desire, God can work with that. Notice that in verse five the apostle had referred to us as “holy priesthood” and here as a “royal priesthood.” This is to show that we were made not only spiritual priests, but spiritual kings. This is a privilege that the Jews did not have as God’s original chosen people. As believers, we are both priests in respect of God, to whom we are consecrated, and to whom we offer up spiritual sacrifices; and also kings in respect both of our enemies, over whom we are victorious, and of the kingdom we are hereafter to inherit. I know that this may seem foreign to some of us, but our enemy has done a very good job of blinding us to our true heritage. It is time for us to wake up!!! One point, although you may not be called to preach the gospel from a pulpit in a Church, you walk in a priestly office as a child of God because you are to be spreading the gospel of Christ to the world.
“A Holy Nation.” We are a holy nation. Moses called the Children of Israel a holy people, Deuteronomy 7:6, in respect of their separation from the impurities of the Gentiles, their dedication to God, and the many laws God gave them, obliging them to external and ceremonial purity, whereby they were admonished of internal and real holiness. But we are a holy nation in respect of that true and inward holiness itself, whereof that ceremonial holiness was but a signification. All Christians, wherever they be compose one holy nation, collected under one head, agreeing in the same manners and customs, and governed by the same laws. We are a holy nation, consecrated and devoted to God, renewed and sanctified by His Holy Spirit. This is who we are, but again, we must choose to walk in this knowledge.
“A people for God’s own possession.” Some translation say “a peculiar people.” We are God’s own possession! It is the honor of the servants of Christ that we are God's peculiar people, His possession. We are the people of His acquisition, choice, care, and delight. These four dignities of all genuine Christians are not natural to us; for our first state is a state of horrid darkness. But we are effectually called out of darkness into a state of marvelous light, joy, pleasure, and prosperity. Now, with this intent and view, we should show forth, by words and actions, the virtues and praises of Him who has called us.
“So that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” Because of what God has done for us, in choosing us; calling us out of darkness into His marvelous light, we should publish and declare, both in words and deeds, what God has done for us so that others may be excited to glorify God also in like manner. The praises of Him; His virtues, wisdom, power, goodness, righteousness, truth, which God hath manifested in His care of us. He called us out of darkness!!! Do you understand what this means? It means that we had no light within us in this world and when we leave this world we would have been cast out into utter darkness forever. This is the gift that God has given us! He brought out of the darkness of ignorance, unbelief, sin, and misery and into his marvelous light - the light of knowledge, faith, holiness, comfort. It is called marvelous because men see what they never saw before, wonderful things out of God's law, and because it is a marvelous thing that we who sat in gross darkness should be translated into so glorious a light. Are you accepting this? Do you believe? Verse ten really brings this home for me.
“For you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God.” To make us content, and thankful for the great mercies and dignities brought unto us by the gospel, Peter advises us to compare our former life with our present state. There was a time when we were not a people, nor had we obtained mercy, but we were solemnly disclaimed and divorced. But now we are taken in again to be the people of God, and have obtained mercy. Some of you may not remember what your life was like without Christ. I grew up in a Christian home so I really do not have any memories of not being involved in a Church from the time that I was a child. This can be a blessing for some but also a means of conflict. You see, if you have had something for all of your life you can take it for granted. We can think less about what we have and what it means to us. However, if you accepted Christ at a later time in your life, you might remember what your life was like before Him. Regardless, all of us should take frequent look back of where we have come since we have truly known our Savior. The people of God are the most valuable people in the world; so to be brought into the number of the people of God is a very great mercy, and it may be obtained. We are now the people of God; really God's people, by believing in Christ.
Finally he writes “You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” The mercy of being God's people allows us to enjoy our privileges, being justified and at peace with God. To ensure that we do not in any way abuse what Peter had said in the former verse concerning our great dignity and privileges by ascribing anything to ourselves, the apostle intimates here that all we enjoy is merely out of God's mercy
Who are you? Are you the pilot or the co-pilot, head or tail, priest or sinner? Who are you? What do you believe about yourself? When you look at the person in the mirror, who do you see staring back at you?
Until next time, “The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
