July 4, 2019 -- I Peter 2:9-10 -- Who do you think you are?
/But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
I Peter 2:9-10 English Standard Version
Edward T. Welch writes:
The church changes our identity. Notice the difference between “I’m Jim. I’m an alcoholic” and “I’m Jim. I am part of the body of Christ. I am part of ‘a royal priesthood, a holy nation. a people belonging to God’ (I Peter 2:9).” For those who have put their faith in Christ, it is Christ himself who unites us and defines us—not race, financial status, hobbies, interests, or particular problems. Our family—those closest to us—are those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. When our core identity is “alcoholic,” “drug addict,” or “sex addict,” we are saying that our problem defines us, and our church consists of the people who share that particular problem.” ADDICTIONS: A Banquet in the Grave—Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel Edward T. Welch, page 250
Notice that in Christ we are utterly remade, completely new. We are His chosen people. Washed by the blood of Jesus Christ, His perfections are credited to our account. Therefore we put away sin and malice and evil and foul-talk and whatever is unholy so that as His redeemed community we may declare the praises of Him Who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light.
Perhaps you are like me in this: I have tried to change ten times, thirty times, a hundred times, times without number. And I shake my head and think: “You can’t teach this old dog new tricks.” This is why the Sovereign LORD has placed us in community. Together we encourage one another. Together we bend our knees at the throne of grace where Jesus Christ is seated, the very King Who laid down His life for us. He will hear our cries. He will encourage His people and use the community of faith so that no man or woman is left behind to battle in sorrow alone. Though we may fall one hundred times, God will, in Christ, raise up a Spirit-led brother or sister who will take our hand, help us up for the hundredth time plus one and point us to the cross, where mercy and love flow mingled down.
Why are things only changed by prayer? Michael Green has written on this: “If we do things for God without praying, he cannot afford the risk of allowing us to succeed. For we would get proud and would be hardened in our conviction that activism, not dependence on God, is the way for Christians to serve the Lord” (Michael Green, I Believe in the Holy Spirit, page 22). As a child I remember when a new ice cream shop was set up just a few blocks from our house. I wheedled and pleaded. I asked and begged. The coup de grâce was the argument made to my dad (himself a fan of ice cream treats) “Dad, if we walk to the ice cream place and walk back, then we are getting a treat AND getting exercise.” I still remember the wonderful taste of that delicious ice cream. I smile whenever I drive past that particular ice cream place! What is my point? We are persistent in asking for the things we want. God invites us to pray. He will teach us holy persistence. To learn to think His thoughts after Him. To realize who we are in Christ and to learn to ask persistently and urgently so that our desires are honed to be more in line with Christ and our attention is focused on the Giver of every good and perfect gift.
Finally, in our passage, notice the exalted place of community. “Royal priesthood, holy nation, chosen people”—all of these expressions show a rich and varied community committed to Jesus Christ and warmly encouraging one another. We need each other. We need brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage us, leading us to the Word of God, praying with us when our words fail us amid circumstances that are overwhelming…and, well, we need people who love us enough to kick us out of our slothfulness and self-pity when such seem to rule the day. We need people whose struggles are so different from our own so that they with a blessedly strong, naïve, child-like faith, they take our hand and lead us to Jesus. “Look” they cry with wonder and conviction “Jesus will help you!”
Remember this, we have been lifted from death to life by Christ. We are a forgiven people. As such we declare His praises and in the declaration of such praises our hearts soar and rejoice in God our Mighty King and Father. If you are having trouble sounding the trumpets of praise and having your heart delight in such glories, call a friend, or go to a fellow Christian and say: “I need your help. Pray with me, until the glories of who I am in Christ revive my soul.”
Whether or not I feel Your excellencies, You are Great and Wondrous beyond imagining, God Who lives in unapproachable light.
Spirit of the Living God, take hold of my heart and prompt me to prayer that is courageous and persistent. I dare ask this because Jesus Himself promised You would be given to believers. I believe. Help me overcome my unbelief. Help me withstand the onslaught of depression or sorrows that threaten to flood my heart and mind, white waters splashing and washing through my thoughts and drowning out my aspirations. Spirit of God, lead me to the Rock that is Higher than I, stronger than the flood waters and raging, frothing currents and set me where He is. Spirit of Mercy, bring to mind prayer-warrior friends and fellow Christians who I can call, who, prepared by Your grace will pray with me and for me until I know who I am in You, O Jesus: part of a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, called out of darkness into Your wonderful light so that I may proclaim the excellencies of Your mercy, love and grace. Amen.
