Sermon # 4 - Chosen To Be Royalty Series

We read in 1 Peter 2:9, However, you are chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people who belong to God. You were chosen to tell about the excellent qualities of God, who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (GW)

In the verses preceding the above mentioned verse, Peter details the difference between those who did not believe the word of God, and those who do. To drive home this big difference between those who are God’s children, and those who are not, he uses these titles to specify the uniqueness of those who are called to be the Lord’s own. Peter elaborates the fact that the ones who are obedient to the word of God are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a people who exclusively belong to God. They are the ones who have been called out of darkness into the marvelous light, so that they can proclaim to others the excellent qualities of God.

Anyone who is obedient to the word of God is assured of God’s blessings in their lives. Jesus used the parable of the wise and foolish builders to explain this in detail. Irrespective of what our background is, the language we speak or the community we belong to, the one who listens to the word of God and obeys it, is likened to a wise man who builds his house on a rock that will not be shaken or moved. While listening to the word of God is crucial, obeying it is of far greater importance. Sadly, there are many believers who are simply content to hear the word of God, but continue to live a life of disobedience. It is only when we live in obedience to the word of God will we be able to experience transformation in our lives.

A royal priesthood

The one term that we will highlight and study from the above mentioned verse in 1 Peter 2:9, is that we are a royal priesthood. The word royal generally refers to something that is magnificent or grand. God has chosen us to be a part of His kingdom, where He is the King, and we his children are therefore part of his royal family.

God’s call to Abraham

Before God called Abraham, he was part of a people who did not know God, and served other gods. The God who created the heavens and earth was the one who called Abraham, and promised him that He would bless him, make his name great, and grant him numerous descendants, so that he can be a blessing to many.

All of us too are called by God like Abraham, from being those who did not know God, to becoming those who are His children. God has not called us to be an ordinary people, but has chosen us to be those who will perform extraordinary acts for the glory of God. Those of us who have been called by God, have experienced His gift of salvation, our soul has been saved, and have confirmed our faith by going through the waters of baptism. However, for many of us there has been no renewal of our minds, which has resulted in no change in our behavior. In Romans 12:2 we are exhorted to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Our old mind may have been filled with fear, doubt, and negativity, but when our mind is renewed there will be a dramatic change in who we are.

Abraham held on to his old mindset

Though Abraham had a supreme call from God, he too was struggling with a worldly way of thinking. At a time when there was a famine in the land where he was, Abraham decided to move to the land of Egypt. However, before he went into Egypt he advised his wife Sarah, who was very beautiful to not disclose the fact that she was his wife, but pretend that she was his sister, lest the Egyptians sought to kill Abraham, to take Sarah away from him. Abraham did not have the faith to believe that the God who called him, would protect him and his wife from the hands of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. He therefore resorted to lying about his own wife. Though we refer to Abraham, as the father of faith, the Bible still record his faults, so we too can be aware that inside each one of us is the capacity to falter, and fail at times.

Sarah is taken to Pharaoh’s Palace

We read in Genesis 12:14-15, When he crossed the border into Egypt, the Egyptians did see that his wife was beautiful. Some of the court officials saw her and told the king how beautiful she was; so she was taken to his palace. (GNB)