The World Watches Us Series

Series: 1 Peter

Sermon: “The World Watches Us”

1 Peter 2:9-12

Pastor John Bright

1 Peter 3 “9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

“11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

There is an old story about the two wolves in each person that battle for control in each person. The one that is fed the most wins. For every Believer, the two wolves are the flesh and the Spirit. There is a battle every day that determines if you will walk in the Spirit or walk in the flesh. God is aware of the battle – He has to know – so you never fight alone!

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What is the usual description of church folks out in the world? (wait for answers) Most of the time, I hear us being called hypocrites. In other words, we act one way in church on Sunday and a different way on Monday. One of the hallmarks of holiness of heart and life is consistent behavior. If I wouldn’t tell an off-color joke in church, should I tell it at work? Should I even listen to it? What about gossip at work or in the neighborhood? Should our TV and movie watching be wholesome and clean? I once saw a video of a pastor who had figures, covered with sheets, up in the front of the church. As he started to preach, they were uncovered and you could see monsters and scary characters related to Halloween. The preacher kept asking, “Should these be in the House of God?” The congregation got louder and louder as they yelled “NO!” Then the pastor asked, “So why do you have them in your front yards?” and there was silence in the sanctuary. You can already figure out the rest of that pastor’s sermon.

Who We Really Are v. 9

“9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people,”

Peter continues looking at the Church – all the people who are Believers in that place – and now he uses more descriptions from the Old Testament. These have been applied to Isreal and now are applied to the Church. These are the words of God to Moses: Exodus 19:5-6 “5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

And God spoke to the Prophet Isaiah:

Isa. 43:21 “This people I have formed for Myself;

They shall declare My praise.”

Since we are using these words that God first used for Israel, I want to correct a false teaching in the Church that you might hear. Here’s some information from GotQuestions.org: “Replacement theology teaches that the church is the replacement for Israel and that the many promises made to Israel in the Bible are fulfilled in the Christian church, not in Israel. The prophecies in Scripture concerning the blessing and restoration of Israel to the Promised Land are spiritualized or allegorized into promises of God’s blessing for the church. Major problems exist with this view, such as the continuing existence of the Jewish people throughout the centuries and especially with the revival of the modern state of Israel. If Israel has been condemned by God and there is no future for the Jewish nation, how do we explain the supernatural survival of the Jewish people over the past 2,000 years despite the many attempts to destroy them? How do we explain why and how Israel reappeared as a nation in the 20th century after not existing for 1,900 years?”

https://www.gotquestions.org/replacement-theology.html

So what is the Biblical truth? In Romans 11, Paul describes how God has grafted Believers into the tree where you find the people of Israel, the Jews. Rom. 11:16-21 “16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either.”