And again, thank you for the kind shower that you gave Alex Wessel and Janet Barnes on Wednesday night. That was a beautiful time of fellowship and just thank you for your kindness and pray for them as the Lord continues to lead them in their life together as husband and wife. That wedding will be in a couple of weeks and you are certainly invited. That is on the 18th Saturday at the Hugh Chapman Center, 2 o'clock. And you're welcome to come and join us. The girls have done mighty work. And so you pray that it will all come together and that it will work out well. Thank you again for your kindness. They asked me to express that to you. We want to return back to 1 Peter chapter 2. And continuing in the sermon from last week, 1 Peter chapter 2. And then I want to begin with actually verse 9 through 12 here. And let us then hear the Word of God in 1 Peter. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. For you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God. You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers, who are we? Behold, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lust, which wage war against the soul. What is the exhortation to us? Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. And may God then add His blessing to this reading of His holy and precious Word from 1 Peter chapter 2. We have been talking about God's work in Peter's life. We, in a fundamental way, began to show the spiritual journey of Peter and how God worked in his life. And we saw it even from the time he was a fisherman to the time the Lord called him to the time that he walked with the Lord, then he denies the Lord. But notice how even in that denial, he is brought along. We said that spiritually, if you're going to fail, fail forward. Fail into the arms of Jesus. And that's exactly where Peter ended up, didn't he? Peter, do you love me? Yes, Lord, I love you. Peter, do you love me more than these?" Oh, my! Yes, Lord, you know I love you. Tend my lambs. Peter, do you really love me? Ah, where does Peter come? Yes, Lord, you know all things about me. He falls into the arms of Jesus and collapses upon His grace. Do you think that Peter grows from that negative experience? God does not allow that failure. He does not allow that failure to yield the fruit in the life of His child that He wills. And Peter grows. And where does Peter end up? He ends up shepherding the sheep, indeed. And 1 and 2 Peter are representation of that service to the Lord and His encouragement to Christians who are suffering deeply. And, of course, when He begins to talk to them, He realizes that the things that they're suffering and their persecution, and they're being scattered throughout the known world at this time, Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, encourages them in a fallen world of which they are suffering many things and the loss of many things. Today, many Christians are facing the challenge of living their testimony out within a culture that is becoming more hostile spiritually to their walk and their testimony for Jesus Christ. You as Christians face the challenge on many fronts with regard to your Christianity and your holding the faith in this day and time. I heard one person speak about a certain sin. And they called that sin good, and they're calling Christians who rejected that sin, they called them what? They called them evil. Isn't that interesting, the words of the prophet? There shall come the day when the world shall call that which is evil good, and they shall call good in the eyes of God evil. And it was a shock. I've read the prophet, but it was a shock to actually hear it from somebody's mouth in this culture. And it kind of brought me to the point of realizing that Christians today do need encouragement. And we know our presupposition in this whole series, what? That God has given Christians all that is necessary for life and godliness to live the Christian life in this world, even under all of its challenges. Has He not? Has not all the means of grace been given to us and all that is sufficient for us to live in this world for the Lord been given to us? Yes, it has, and that's where we have begun in this series. So Christians who ask the question, Pastor, Lord, what are we going to do in this day and time and all of the spiritual challenges? Well, you're going to live under the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ as you've always lived under the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. And you're going to live in the light of all those things He's given you in His Son. And you're going to continue to walk with him because in the true knowledge of that is blessing. To know what the Lord has given you. And that's what Peter does to try to encourage these Christians. He just reminds them of what they already have in Christ. He simply encourages them by the foundation that has already been laid in Christ by His resurrection. And he shows them that the magnitude, what, of who they are as a Christian He builds, Peter builds upon that foundation. And he shows them layer after layer of blessing of the Lord's presence in their life as over against what? the suffering of this world. And I'll give you a verse of Scripture that Paul gives us to express what he's trying to express to these Christians who are being persecuted and suffering great loss. And Paul writes under the inspiration of the Spirit and he says, For I am persuaded that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us in Christ Jesus. You see the comparison? Paul says what? The sufferings of this present age, dear Christians in Peter, the sufferings of this present age are only temporary. They are not worthy to be compared with the glory, the glory of Christ and all that He has given us for the past and the present and the future. And that's a nutshell of what Peter is attempting to do. And this morning, I would want to concentrate on just these several verses as Peter seeks to encourage these hurting Christians, these suffering Christians who truly have suffered much. And he encourages them by reminding them who they are. And when we begin to feel discouraged in this world, you need to remember who you are. Your parents would want you to remember that. When life becomes a challenge, they would want you to remember who you are, where you came from, what you have at home, and just remember that we're always there for you. And so give thanks to God for the foundation of who you are. And Peter reminds these Christians in the light of this overwhelming glory that is being revealed in Christ to them, He reminds them that there are people, but notice the contrast. The stone that the builders rejected, which was Christ, we know that he's referring to Christ, has become the chief cornerstone of the church. And he says in verse 9, speaking of the nature of that church, Jesus' own, his children, the people that he has called to himself, to receive the gospel, but you are a chosen race." Notice the variety of things that he calls them, the beauty of it. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellences of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. For once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God. Next expression. You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Now think about all the things He calls them as He speaks to them as the people of the Lord. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. You are a people that proclaim the excellences of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. You were not a people, but now you are the people of God. And you had not received mercy, but now how are you described as a people, as the church? You have received mercy from God. And notice the impact of each one of those areas. Each one of them carry a particular weight of describing a characteristic of the church of Jesus Christ. I suppose that my point to you this morning would be this, is that one of the chief means of grace that God has given you in this world by which to face the challenges spiritually of the world is the body of Christ, is the church itself. The church of Jesus Christ is the ordinary means by which God calls people to himself and by which Christians grow and they receive benefit and fellowship one with another and with the Lord. I hope just simply this morning that you would appreciate the church. Remember that the church is the only institution that will survive the end. Have you ever thought about that? The church of Jesus Christ will be the only institution that will survive when the Lord comes. For what? The dead in Christ will rise, and then we who remain? and are left at that time shall be caught up together with them in the clouds." And what? And thus we shall ever be with the Lord. Have you ever thought of the value and the beauty and the wonder of Christ's church? Christ instituted the church and the church is called many things in Scripture. It is called the body of Christ. How do you like that image? The very body of Christ. spiritually. It is called the Ekklesia. And the Ekklesia is the gathering of those who have been called out. And the Ekklesia, its primary characteristic is fellowship, is union with Christ. That is, once what? You were not a people, but what? Now you are the people of God. once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. And so, remember this, that what the Apostle Peter is trying to describe to these Christians who are really suffering, he's encouraging them by reminding them who they are as the church of Jesus Christ. He is reminding them that their identity as the people of God in Christ is greater than the circumstances of suffering in this world. He is encouraging them by the very root of who God has called them to be in Himself. And so it is always good to be reminded when you are being challenged of who you are. One person said when another person was testing them, we're going to find out what you're made out of. We're really going to find out who you are in this challenge. I thought it was interesting as they got in the ring with each other to box. We're really going to find out really what you're made out of and who you really are." I thought, how interesting. Maybe God is working in this day and time through His church to find out who we really are. Maybe that the testing of our faith will produce what? It will not only produce perseverance and patience in us and all those things that are described in Scripture that when trials and tribulations come upon believers, that even those things of the challenges of the world, think about that. As Peter is building this case of who they are, the children of God, called people, holy priesthood or royal group as up against the suffering of this world. And almost as if the Lord is saying, I'm going to even take that suffering that you put on my children and I'm going to use it to make them better. That which the world intends evil. You intended evil against me, but what? God meant it for good. God is even going to use those things and we're facing in this day and time spiritually and the challenges of our faith in the church and in our Christian faith. And I'm convinced He's going to use them to improve and temper you. I like what James Kennedy said when Christians were going through suffering and difficulty and facing spiritual challenge in this world. He said, remember Christian that you're just simply the piece of iron on God's anvil. How do you like that description? Have you ever went to... They have a show down in Spruce Pine of the blacksmiths that come and they have that big old anvil. Gloria Houston used to... You know the store down the way? I went in there and there's a big old anvil in there. It was huge. And Gloria one day said, I'll sell you this anvil for $100. And I said, well, Gloria, I don't think I can pick it up. I said, I would like to, but I don't know where I would put it. I don't think Sheryl would want it in the living room. And I don't know where to do with this anvil. But she said, listen, I've watched many a horseshoe being pounded on this anvil. And I thought to myself, if you've seen that work, when the fellow that is working, the blacksmith, and he hammers and he hammers, and he hammers upon the hardness of that anvil, doesn't he? It pins upon the hardness of that anvil. And all of a sudden, that shoe begins to take shape. And have you ever been amazed at a metalworker, how they get it? It takes through much fire, doesn't it? Much fire. And it takes through much pounding to mold and shape us into what God wants us to be. Yes, even God will use those things to make us what He would have us to be. O Christian, remember who you are, who you have been called by in this world. The very names given here or a reflection of who they are. And I began to notice something, that each one of those descriptions are a description of God's people in the Old Testament. Did you realize that in Peter? Peter is using language to describe Christians in the life of the church of Jesus Christ, using the very names that were given to the people of God in the book of Moses, in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Especially out of Deuteronomy, the people of God were called, They were called a chosen race. They were a chosen race, weren't they? And remember, the question was asked, God, why did you choose us? I like the answer that God gave to the children of Israel. I chose you not because you were greater than any other peoples in the world or because you were more in number, but I chose you because of my great love. which I set upon you by grace." And boy, that's the answer that God gives them. It wasn't anything particular about them in and of themselves, but God chose them because of His great love, not because of something great in them. Is that not true in the gospel? Is that not true of the gospel when the Lord calls us? Anything great in us? No, I find only wickedness and sinfulness in myself and wonder at times why God would call such a sinner. But I love that little verse. It came to be very precious to me. Even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly. Don't you love that verse? Even while we were yet sinners. Because what does that verse do? It takes away any boasting or pride on the part of the one who calls that person. It just takes everything away from you. Even while I was a sinner, Christ loved me and gave Himself for me. Isn't that an interesting proposition about the Gospel? Nothing in us, no room for pride or arrogance, but we are called in Christ. And these children are called in the Lord. He calls them a chosen race, a royal priesthood. a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellences of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. But once you were not a people, and now you are the people of God, and you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." All those descriptions are descriptions that were in the Old Testament. By the way, you're not only a chosen race, God chose you, And remember Jesus said, it is not you who have chosen me, but it is I who have chosen you. We are a chosen race. Notice the application is to the church now. The second one, a royal priesthood. Did the people of God receive word from God about how they were to be worshipped through the tribe of Levi? Did He not give them every particular design for the tabernacle? Isn't that true? Have you ever noticed that in the Old Testament, that every detail about the tabernacle and every detail about the temple was what? Was given by God. And they were not to deter anything, anything of their own, of their own innovation, but they were to receive it from God. And the Levitical priesthood were to minister the things of God in His presence of worship. But now what does Jesus say and Peter say here about the nature of the church? that it's not just a Levitical tribe, but what? You as the church of Jesus Christ are what? You are God's royal priesthood. And what is the primary character of a priesthood? Well, they are to worship. They are to be a people of worship. They are to lead and guide and direct the world in worship. And dear friends, I want you to know that because of who you are as the church, the ones who have been called out, the ecclesia, the holy priesthood, dear friends, no matter how evil the world becomes, no matter how bad the culture morally turns, Guess what? The church should always be that place where we return to, by which we lift our hands to God, and we first and foremost worship Him in the name of His Son. And we should always, as long as we have opportunity to meet together, we ought to worship God publicly and openly. What? To declare to the world what? To declare to the world who you are, and to declare to the world who He is, and because He is worthy of worship. My dear friends, that will make the world mad as far as when you come together and you as a people give glory to God, and you honor His Son, Jesus Christ, and His salvation, and you honor the work of the Holy Spirit and His Word. My dear friends, when you give glory to God, that is what you've been called to do. Remember the description? You're these people. You're a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a people for God's own possession. that you might, what? Proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Isn't that a beautiful expression of who we are? Why God has called you to be His people in this age? All those descriptions of the Old Testament church and all those images and shadows that were used in the Old Testament concerning the people of God are now manifest in the church of Jesus Christ. You are called now the true Israel of God. Did you know that? Because, I'll tell you, Paul declares in the New Testament in Romans, he said, I say to you, he who is a member of Israel is not one outwardly, but he who is a member of Israel and of the people of God is what? Is one inwardly. Boy, that's an interesting, powerful expression that Paul gives about the description of the new Israel. Another description for the church of Jesus Christ. And so our task given to us is to worship as a royal priesthood, but we are to proclaim the excellencies of Him. It almost speaks of the primary ministry of the church to declare the Word of God. to speak the truth of the Bible. Paul says to Timothy that the church is what? It is the pillar and the foundation of the truth. And so, my dear friends, no matter where the world is, the church is called to be what? It is called to be what God has called us to be, a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. We are to be called the people of God, a people who have received mercy. We are to remain whom God has called us to be in Himself. I hope that you begin to see the weight of the life of the church of Jesus Christ, that it is more than simply our external circumstances. The identity of a people will take them a long way in facing temporary challenges. And that's exactly what he calls them to do. He gives them a practical statement, and I want to give those to you in verse 11 and 12. Think about all those descriptions of who they are in verse 9 and 10. And then verse 11 and 12 is the application. Peter says to them, therefore, on the basis of who they are as the church of Jesus Christ, a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of God's own possession, people who proclaim the marvelous excellencies of Him, who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. They are the people of God. They are people who have received mercy. He says, Beloved, therefore, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. So as Christians, on the basis of who we are in Christ, all those Old Testament expressions and types and shadows, the church, We are called to be who God called us to be, and we are to be set apart. Is that not the primary word of the ecclesia? You're a called-out people. You're a set-apart people. Act like a set-apart people, and don't let the world change that. Listen, the church, the world will say all manners of things. You're going to hear anything and everything spiritually from the world. And if you don't know by that, just turn on the news channels. You're going to hear anything and everything that the world has to dish out. But my dear friends, should that be the foundation on which we judge how we are to live? No. Because for the most part, you don't have any control of all that out there and what people believe. But if you know yourself to be a child of God, and one who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ and a member of His church, you can be faithful to your church and to the Lord, can't you? Can you be faithful to your calling and to the end? Can you walk with Jesus Christ in this difficult world, as difficult as it is spiritually, holding to the precious things of the Lord? Reminding, Peter says, he reminds them what? He says, I urge you, brethren, that as strangers and aliens in this world to abstain from fleshly lust. My dear friends, why should we avoid the temptation that's being forced upon us these days? How should we avoid the immorality that is even being attempted to be implied on us in our culture to change the definition of family and of marriage and all these things? I'm fascinated that it all begins with the state of morality. and that we are encouraged by the world to move toward immorality and the acceptance of things that God has said are forbidden and ought not to be named among the people of God. How are we going to respond to that? Well, I'll tell you how we respond to it. We respond to it by just simply being the people of God seeking to be obedient to Christ in the light of His Word. I urge you as strangers and aliens in this foreign land to abstain from fleshly lusts, which essentially destroys your perspective. You see, the danger for us as the church today is to follow the pattern that the world is trying to force upon us morally these days and to just simply acquiesce to it. And once we acquiesce to it, dear friends, we have just simply lost our identity as the people of God. The world desires for you to give in. I like what one person said with regard to a couple of those movements up in New England. He said, now that we've over... overtaking the government with our agenda, he said, the last big stronghold in America is the church to overcome. Yikes! Now that we've won within the political realm of this nation, the last stronghold that we have to take is the church. I pray that you will listen. You will listen carefully. and be who God has called you to be. Hear the Word of God and hold it closely to your heart. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. And verse 12, keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds as they observe them, glorify God in the day of salvation. It's the reminder of the coming of the day of salvation. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles. That's what we are to do. And second of all, we are to take these things seriously. And as strangers and aliens in this land, we are to abstain from those things of which the world regards as so much fun and so wonderful to people. My dear friends, listen carefully to Peter. Peter's laying a foundation for Christians today, isn't he? He's laying a foundation of support and encouragement to them in the direction that they should go when the days turn dark, when the days spiritually turn against the Christian testimony and the Christian church. Oh Lord, God has promised that He will build His church and the gates In this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. That's the promise of the Lord. In His name I declare it. Let's receive the prayer. Father, we pray that you will lead in God and direct us and take these books of 1 and 2 Peter and learn from them about how we are to live as Christians in this day and time to be fruitful for the Lord, to not be overtaken by discouragement and despair depression and those things that all the world would have upon us. But Father, we pray that You would evermore help us to turn our eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, the songwriter says, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory. and grace. And so it is, the Word is true. And Jesus declares to us through His servant Paul, for I am persuaded that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed in us in Christ. And it is in His name and in that promise we pray.