Introduction

Good morning, my dear friends. As we gather here today, we are united in our desire to seek God's wisdom and to understand His will for our lives. We find ourselves on the threshold of another day, another opportunity to grow in our faith and to walk in the footsteps of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today, we are going to embrace the richness of God's Word as we turn our hearts and minds to two powerful passages of scripture. The first is 1 Peter 2:9, which reads, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." The second is Matthew 25:14-30, the Parable of the Talents, which speaks of a master who entrusts his servants with his wealth, each according to their ability, and expects them to be fruitful with what they have been given.

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In the words of the great preacher Charles Spurgeon, "Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter." This is a stark reminder that we are called to be active in our faith, not passive. We are to be engaged in the work of the Kingdom, not spectators. We are to be fruitful, not barren.

Our sermon today revolves around three main points: Purposeful Pursuit, Power to Overcome, and Potential in Participation. These points will guide us as we seek to understand our role as God's chosen people, our ability to overcome through Christ, and our potential when we actively participate in God's work.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we come before You today with open hearts and open minds. We ask that You guide us as we seek to understand Your Word and Your will for our lives. Help us to be purposeful in our pursuit of You, to tap into the power You provide to overcome our challenges, and to realize our potential when we actively participate in Your work. We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who is our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

Transition. So, let's begin, dear friends. As we engage with these passages, let us remember that we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. We are God's special possession. And with this identity comes responsibility. And with this responsibility comes the opportunity for growth, for transformation, and for a life lived in the fullness of God's love and grace.

Purposeful Pursuit

In the heart of the first scripture, we find a call to action. We are chosen, yes, but chosen for a reason. We are selected to declare the praises of the One who brought us from darkness into light. This is not a passive calling. It's not something that happens to us while we sit back and watch. It's an active, intentional, purposeful pursuit.

This pursuit is a pursuit with a clear goal in mind - to glorify God. And it's a pursuit that requires effort, commitment, and dedication. It's not for the faint of heart. It's for those who are willing to roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty, and put in the work.

The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 underscores this idea. The master didn't just give his servants his wealth and then leave them to their own devices. He gave them his wealth and then expected them to do something with it. He expected them to be fruitful. He expected them to multiply what they had been given. And when he returned, he held them accountable for what they had done with what they had been given.

God has given us so much. He has given us life, love, grace, mercy, and the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. And He expects us to do something with these gifts. He expects us to be fruitful. He expects us to multiply what we have been given. And one day, He will hold us accountable for what we have done with what we have been given.

Our salvation is a gift, freely given by God through faith in Jesus Christ. But it is a call to live out our faith in a way that glorifies God and advances His Kingdom. It's a call to be active, not passive. It's a call to be intentional, not accidental. This purposeful pursuit is something we do in the strength that God provides. It's something we do with the help of the Holy Spirit, who guides us, empowers us, and equips us for the work of the Kingdom.

This purposeful pursuit is also a communal effort. It's something we do together, as the body of Christ. We encourage and support one another. We hold one another accountable. We rejoice with those who rejoice, and we mourn with those who mourn. We bear one another's burdens, and in this way, we fulfill the law of Christ.

This purposeful pursuit is not without its challenges. There will be obstacles. There will be setbacks. There will be times of doubt and discouragement. But in these times, we remember the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:14, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." We press on. We keep going. We don't give up. We don't lose heart. We keep our eyes on the prize, and we keep moving forward.

Transition. In all of this, we remember that our purposeful pursuit is not about us. It's about God. It's about His glory. It's about His Kingdom. It's about His will being done on earth as it is in heaven. And so, we pursue with purpose, with passion, and with perseverance, knowing that in the end, it's not about what we do, but about what God does in us and through us for His glory.

Power to Overcome

As we continue to reflect on our identity as God's chosen people, we are drawn to the realization of the power that we possess to overcome ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO