Royal Priests

Introduction

Mankind has needs. We have certain physical needs that must be met for us to exist and to live and to thrive. But we have more than just physical needs, don’t we? Mankind, human beings have emotional needs. Intrinsic emotional needs that if they’re not met, we suffer. We certainly don’t thrive. Thankfully, the majority, if not the entirety of those emotional needs can be met spiritually, and God supplies those needs to us. Among those very basic emotional needs that we share in common is that we have this desire to know who we are. Just at the very basic core of humanity, who am I? And what is my purpose? What am I to do with myself and with my life and the talents and the resources that I have?

How can I use them? What am I supposed to be doing with them? And then we have the desire to be appreciated, to be loved, to be cared for. Those basic emotional needs are met in Christ.

And when we don’t feel those needs, we suffer. It just hurts. When we don’t know who we are and what our purpose is, and when we feel like we’re not appreciated. Let me illustrate that. In our Bible class this morning in the book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 10, we saw that nine and 10, we saw that Paul used a sports metaphor, running and fighting. And so since it’s the fall football season, I thought I would use a sports metaphor, a football metaphor. When I played high school football, my position most of the time was I was a tight end on the offense. Now, if you watch modern day college and pro football, mostly and even much of high school football, you know that the tight end is somewhat of another receiver.

The quarterback throws the ball to him and he catches that ball and makes a first down, or if he’s fortunate, makes a touchdown and to the accolades and praise of his teammates and those in the stands. Well, I played tight end under a different era.

We just ran.

Him and he got the hurrahs and the cheers. And so one day at practice I asked my coach, Coach, do we have a play in the playbook where we throw it to the tight end? He saw through my transparency. And he said, Chapman, he always called us all by our last name. He says, Chapman, what are you saying? Do you want us to throw the ball to you? And I kind of sheepishly said, Well, yeah, coach. And in that moment, my coach let me know who I was, what my job was, and whether or not I was appreciated. Because after me asking to be able to have the ball thrown to me and me to catch it effectively and tuck that ball in and run for a touchdown, my coach said, Chapman, let me tell you this.

If we fumble the ball, you point at it, and somebody else will pick it up. He didn’t have much confidence in my ball handling skills. You point at it, and somebody else will pick it up.

And that we have a purpose and we want to be appreciated. Those emotional needs that I believe are intrinsic and basic to every human being, are supplied to us spiritually in Christ Jesus. Turn with me, if you will, in your New Testaments to the book of 1 Peter, chapter 2. I want to continue right where Ron left off in our Bible reading. In 1 Peter chapter 2, verses 9 and 10. In Ron’s reading, he talked about Jesus Christ, who was chosen and precious in the sight of God, although he was rejected by men, though they cast that stone aside, God made him the chief cornerstone in the foundation of everything he was building for mankind. And after stating that glorious statement about the fulfillment of the Messianic Christ, he says this about us in relation to him.

In 1 Peter chapter 2 and in verse 9, after talking about those who are disobedient, by contrast, he says, 1 Peter 2 verse 9, but you, 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, who were once not a people, and are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Do you see in those two glorious verses, the inspired writer has encapsulated, I believe, the sense in which Christ, in our relationship to him and the Father through him, has met the most basic needs of mankind.

1. We Occupy an Honored Position

If I’m a child of God, based upon those two verses, I know who I am, and I know what my purpose in life is. And I know that I’m appreciated. Because I am a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and his own special people. Let’s talk about this morning what it means to be that. To know who we are and what we are to be about and to be appreciated in that. Let’s think and talk about what it means for you and I as Christians to be these royal priests. First of all, we recognize that every one of these descriptions in 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 9, is an honored position. There was no insult. There was no denigration in the description of the people of God.

Every one of these descriptions elevates us in the eyes of God and in the eyes of everyone who loves God. I want us to walk away this morning with our heads held high, not holier than thou, not arrogantly, but heads held high in recognizing that we as children of God occupy an honored position. Because Peter says we’re a chosen race. The word translated race there really has the idea of a genus of a family. That we are a chosen family. Now what we recognize in all of these descriptions, that they hearken back to Old Testament language, don’t they? They make us think of Israel and of God’s special relationship with Old Testament Israel, which is now God’s special, even more special relationship with New Testament Israel, the church.

And so he says we are a chosen race, or a chosen family. Two words both speak of an honored position in the eyes of God and of the people of God. We are chosen. Now that carries to mind a lot of biblical aspects and connotations of the idea of being God’s chosen people. But maybe in this context, more than anything, it carries with it the idea of being unique and special, and in being in a unique and special relationship. You have been chosen. We won’t take the time this morning to talk about how we’ve been chosen, is by the gospel, by the way, and by our response to the gospel, but suffice it to say that this speaks of a special, unique relationship that we have.

Back up, are you still in 1 Peter? Back up to chapter 1 and in verse 2, he says, elect, speaking to those Christians, elect are that’s our word, chosen, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father in sanctification of the Spirit for obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. We were chosen for the obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ. Do you see the specialness of that relationship? Look over in chapter 2, verse 6. Therefore, it is also contained in Scripture, 1 Peter 2, verse 6. Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone. Speaking of Christ, a chief cornerstone, elected, precious. And he who believes on him will by no man by no means be put to shame. He had said earlier in chapter 4 that this Jesus, this Christ, was chosen by God and precious.

And not coincidentally, now the inspired writer uses that same language to speak of God’s people. We are chosen. Just like Christ was chosen. And I believe the connection by implication is we are precious, just as he is precious. We are his chosen family. That’s the idea of race. We are his chosen people, his chosen family. Go back to chapter 1 again and look this time at verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Our Father, by means of our heavenly, spiritual Father, we’ve been born again, our begotten again. We are his children. Skip down, stay in chapter one, but look now at verse 23.

Having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible through the word of God which lives and abides forever. We are his chosen family. We’re a chosen race. And Peter goes on to say in 1 Peter 2, verse 9, a royal priesthood. Hold your fingers there in the New Testament. Go with me back to the Old Testament, the book of Exodus, chapter 19. Much of this language finds its origins in Exodus chapter 19. Speaking of Old Testament Israel and their special family relationship and the duties and the obligations that sprung out of that. Exodus chapter 19 and verse 6 says this, and you, God speaking to Israel, you shall be to me a kingdom of priest and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.

A kingdom of priest and a holy nation. And now Peter says by inspiration to us today that we are a royal priesthood. We’re a kingdom of nation of priest. A kingdom of people who have been chosen to reign with Christ and to serve Christ and to serve with Christ. A royal priesthood, and we’re a holy nation.

We’ve been separated from the world. We are a nation of people, separated from every other nation of people. That’s what the word holy means. It carries with it this idea of being chosen as that chosen family and set apart or separated for God’s purposes and to God’s glory. We are that separated and set apart nation of a royal priesthood and a chosen family of God. And though we be few, and though we are scattered, and though we, like Christ before us are despised by the world, and though we’re sojourners and strangers in a world not our own, we are honored by God.

A royal priesthood, a holy nation, and his own special people.

He said back up in verse 5 of Exodus 19. 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 the earth is mine. You can be my special treasure, God said. God says, the earth is mine. Everybody belongs to me. Everybody is my child in a sense. That I created everybody, made them in my image. But if you will sustain this special, unique relationship as my chosen family and race of people, as that royal priesthood, as that holy nation, you’ll be my special treasured people among all people. My parents had three children, three boys, Gary, Ricky, and me. I was the baby. And I was their favorite. Oh, they had three children.

But I was their special treasure. They liked me more than they like the other two. Now, if you ask my brother, he’ll tell you different. But God says, all the earth is mine. But if you’ll obey my voice, you’ll be my special people. Who are Christians? Are we not people who’ve been called out of darkness into his marvelous light? Are we not those who strive with every fiber of our being to, as he says, obey his voice and keep his covenant? And God is saying to us through his servant Peter, you are my treasured people. You’re my special people. Everybody’s mine. But you’re my special people. As royal priests, we possess and occupy an honored position. That’s who we are. And we’re appreciated by that. And for that.

2. A Change of Status That Demands a Change of Heart

But, as is implied by that language in Exodus chapter 19, when he spoke of his old covenant special people, that holy nation, that kingdom of priests, that also comes with certain obligations and duties. And we do not look at that as a negative. Well, the positive is we have an honored position, but the negative side of that is that means we’ve got work to do. Absolutely not. There are two sides to this coin, but they’re both heads. They’re both good. We have an honored position, and now we have a purpose in this life. That’s not a negative. That’s a positive.

This honored position is a changed position. You are holy, chosen, royal, special. That’s not just to elevate you in status. It’s to elevate you in purpose and in work. So this new position is a changed position, and it’s a change of status that demands a change of heart. Look with me in the New Testament to the book of Colossians. Let’s start in chapter 2 of the book of Colossians. Paul would remind, and isn’t it interesting that the New Testament writers by inspirations oftentimes remind these Christians that they’ve been baptized? That speaks of the importance of baptism, but it also speaks of the implication of baptism. That baptism changed you. It made you a holy nation, a royal priesthood. God’s own special people.

Circumcision was that physical right that marked God’s old covenant people as being his.

Circumcised. You have a physical act, a mark that transitions you. But he says it’s not that which was done by hands. Continue reading verse 12. What is our circumcision? Colossians 2, verse 12, buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead. Baptism is that mark, that right that put us in that covenant relationship with God, that gave us that honored position and put us in a place to glorify and serve God. You were buried with him and you were raised with him. Remember that language as we turn over to Colossians chapter 3 and begin reading in verse 1. In the if then you were raised with Christ. That’s not a statement of possibility.

If were you? No. It’s a statement of fact. If you were, then this should follow. If you were then raised with Christ, and you were, I just told you you were in chapter 2, verse 12, when you were buried with him in baptism and raised again. If you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things of this earth. See, that change of status into this honored position makes and translates to a change of mind, a change of heart. If you’ve been raised, if you’re in that honored position, then seek those raised things, those elevated, resurrected things. Seek those things which are above, where Christ is.

3. Think as God’s People, Act Like Separated People

Set your mind on things above, not on things of this earth. And so that honored position comes with a responsibility that we think as God’s people. And that we act like separated people. If we’re a royal priesthood, a chosen race, a holy, separated people, God’s own special people. Then we must follow our heart and act like we’re separated people. We don’t think like we used to think, or as others think. And we don’t live and act like we used to live and act. Or as others live and act. You know the verse that speaks to this, don’t you? Look in Romans chapter 12. You could probably quote Romans 12, 1 and 2 by heart, but let’s read it instead. Romans chapter 12. You remember these words?

I beseech you, therefore, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. We’re priests. What do priests do? They offer sacrifices. You present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, there’s our word, separated, set apart, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service, and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Be renewed by the mind. We think as God’s people, and now we act as a separated people, and we do that by not being conformed to this world. That’s what we’ve been called to do. That’s who we’ve been called to be. And so many times we put our energy and our focus into trying to get this world to conform to us.

And being surprised and upset when it doesn’t. When what God has called upon us to do is to not be conform to them.

We do.

4. Do What Priests Do: Offer Sacrifices

In other words, to think like God’s people and act like separated people. And then if we’re royal priest in this honored position, then we need to do what priests do. And priests offer sacrifices. Go back to our text in 1 Peter chapter 2. We’re a royal priesthood. Now, if we were just priest of God, that’s honored position enough. We’re not just priests, we’re royal priesthood. We’re not just a nation. We’re a holy nation. We’re not just a family. We’re a chosen family. We’re not just God’s people. We’re God’s special people. But that carries with it certain obligations. Priest, we haven’t been changed. We haven’t been set apart to just sit apart. We’ve been set apart for a purpose, for a work, for a mission. First Peter chapter 2.

Look in verse 5. You also, just like Jesus, who is the living stone, rejected indeed by man, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ Jesus. I know who I am. I know my purpose. And in the eyes of God, and that’s all that matters. I’m honored and appreciated as his special people and as his royal priest, qualified, and designated to offer up spiritual sacrifices. I’ll offer up the sacrifice of praise. I’ll offer up the sacrifice of worship. And as we read in chapter 12 of the book of Romans, I’ll offer up the sacrifice of my very life and be.

Conclusion

You’ll be my people, God said. Would you make that choice this morning? Can we help you in that choice this morning? As together we stand, and as we sing.

And my throne voice is my remaining. He calls me sills out my day.

May work very well on me.

It’s been good to be here and to be with fellow Christians to worship our God and to hear from his word. A few announcements about our uh members here. Brother Ken Puckett wants to thank everyone for the prayers and support on his behalf. Also, um, as a reminder, Geraldine needs volunteers for transportation. And the Karkovski’s uh meal list is posted in the back, and we still need people to sign up uh to assist with taking meals to them. Uh, brother Steve Barker gave me a note that uh James Needham’s wife Maria. Uh so James passed away, but uh Maria Needham’s daughter, Krista passed away this past Wednesday. So many of you know Krista. Um the Needham’s daughter. Please be praying for that family. If you want any more details about her or about her funeral, uh please see Steve or Beverly and they can uh get you those details.

Also, if you’ll notice in the bulletin, uh Mindy Morris saw a new neurologist uh to get a second opinion, and she was told that she has a mild form of pseudotumor and a diagnosis of occipital neurologia. I think I got that right. Um be praying for Mindy. She struggles with a lot of symptoms, and many of them are unknown what the cause is. So uh be praying for her comfort and uh that she’ll be able to find the cause of those symptoms and uh be able to resolve them. Also, uh remember Wayne Blow, we had announced that he had uh a surgery on his thyroid. They did determine there’s no cancer, so that’s good, and he’s at home recuperating. Also, in a different tone or different light, um Chris Bunch made it known to the elders last week that uh he would like to work under the oversight of the elders and um be counted as one of our members.

Uh we’re gonna ask Chris if he’ll stand up, please, just so everybody knows who we’re talking about. Uh Chris Sponge and um his son Isaiah sitting with him. Please get to know Chris uh and Isaiah. Isaiah’s a pleasure to uh to work with in the high school class. So um I know they would appreciate your hospitality. Just a few other announcements. Um if you did not have an opportunity to partake of the Lord’s Supper at the 9 30 hour with us, we will provide that opportunity immediately following the closing prayer, about five minutes later. Go into the classroom building outside, and there’ll be uh somebody out there to assist you with partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Also, Mary and Whitman is in need of uh the teachers to turn in their lists of students today so she can order workbooks for next quarter.

And uh also there’s a sign-up sheet in the foyer for next quarter for the adult Bible class if you will sign up. Uh the class is gonna be 2 Corinthians, and it’s one of Bob Harkwriter’s books that we’ve studied in the past. And many of you may have that book at home and you don’t need another book, so you can indicate that on the sign-up sheet and uh save a little money that way. Did I overlook anything? Yes, Ralph.

Okay, watch your um email. Uh there’ll be an elders’ message coming out this evening that comes out once a month. Please make sure you read that and participate in the work here. At this time, Brother John Stow is gonna come and lead us, but before so, Mike.

Okay, that’s another person. Uh we had announced Brandon Faulkner went home not feeling well, and Jim Duke also left uh early not feeling well. Is there anyone else that’s not feeling well? Okay, please be standing for the closing prayer. Let us pray. Our great God in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Father, we’re ever so thankful for your love and your blessings. We’re thankful for the privilege of being your children. We’re tremendously thankful, Father, for the word, your word that we’ve heard and studied from this day. Help us to be good stewards of it, to continue to study it, to understand it, to share it with others, and apply it in our daily lives. May we never take it for granted. May we live out our lives as a people who seek out and do good works and glorify your name in all that we do.

And Father, we know we’re not perfect. We lack perfection, and we pray that you will forgive us when we fall short. Father, we know that we have vestors among us today. We’re thankful for their presence. And ask that you bless them and guide them to their destination safely.

And we’re mindful, Father, of those of our number who are struggling with illnesses and infirmities.

And help us to do all we can to assist them. Bless us all now, Father, as we depart. Keep us safe through this day and throughout each tomorrow we have left. May we live each day to your glory. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.