The hymn we just sung was written in 1721. It would have been interesting if we could have met in a worship service with the saints to whom the Apostle Peter is writing, gathered with them in a place of worship, entered into singing of hymns and spiritual songs. And while this hymn was not written until 1771, it would not be hard to imagine that the dear saints to whom Peter writes might have sung something similar. Jesus, lead thou on, till our rest is won. And although the way be cheerless, we will follow calm and fearless. guide us by thy hand to our Fatherland. Let us not forget that the people to whom Peter is writing are being persecuted. They've been driven from their homes. Perhaps they would have sung something like this second stanza, If the way be drear, if the foe be near, let not faithless fears o'ertake us, let not faith and hope forsake us. for through many a woe to our home we go." Well, Peter writes to these who are being troubled and persecuted and in verse 9 of chapter 2 he tells them, 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 has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. And one of the ways that the Apostle encourages these people is to remind them of who they are and what they are. It's easy to forget, especially in the circumstances they were in. Trouble on every hand, despair, no way out. Back in verses 4 and 5, Peter does something similar. He says, and coming to Him as a living stone rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God. You also as living stones are built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Those are encouraging words to these dear people. Peter is reminding them of who they are and what they are, even in the midst of trials. Again, in our text, he instructs them that they are a priesthood, and that extends the analogy of the temple that he just made reference to. And it seems that the reference is taken right out of Exodus 19, 5 through 6. Listen as I read it, now then if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant then you shall be my own possession among the peoples for all the earth is mine and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel. And what we have even in these verses is what we would call the dignity of the priesthood, it is combined with other titles that are ascribed to the chosen people of God. It is true that this promise was made to the nation of Jews, but under the condition of obedience it is applicable to believing Jews to whom he is writing. The external priesthood of the law is abolished by the coming of the great high priest, Jesus Christ. Let me just make a comment here that our brother taught us in the Sunday school hour from 1 John on the high priestly prayer and Christ being the high priest and made reference to the old covenant and the old priesthood. And let me say, I just want to make it very clear, it is reassuring on occasions when the reading of scripture or the Sunday school lesson and the preaching of the word dovetail and when there's a direct corollary of what's being said in the mouth of two or three witnesses, let every word be established. The external priesthood of the law was abolished by the coming of the great High Priest, Jesus Christ. But the promised dignity of a spiritual priesthood is not annulled by Christ. In fact, it is dependent upon Him as the High Priest. The condition of the priesthood of which Peter is speaking is not now based upon their being Jews, but upon them being believing Jews in Christ. There is a significant point that we ought to further clarify. The legal priesthood was done away with by Christ fulfilling what was prefigured. And those who occupied the office of the legal priesthood rejected Christ. They did so because they realized that if they recognized Christ as the Messiah, it would do away with their priesthood. continuing any longer. They saw Christ as a threat to their religious position and they would have none of it. They were ungodly men, they had a hostility against Christ and while they pretended to be builders of the church They rejected the very cornerstone of the church. And by rejecting Christ, here's something very sobering, they evidenced that they themselves had been rejected by God. So Peter, writing to these believers, says, you're built upon Christ. The conclusion is this. Their choosing of Christ was evident that they had been chosen by God to be His peculiar people and to be so dignified as to be a royal priesthood. I want us to consider our text under these headings, the state or position of the believers, the contrast between the believer and the unbeliever, and the purpose of their calling. Again, I call your attention to the words of our text, 1 Peter 2.9, the first phrase, but you are a chosen race. We find something similar in Deuteronomy chapter 10, 14 to 15. Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. Yet on your fathers did the Lord set his affection to love them, and he chose their descendants after them, even you, above all peoples, as it is this day. Exodus 19, 5. Now then if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine. Men in their material possessions have usually something that they set a special value upon. My granddad gave me a watch, a beautiful watch, a pocket watch, and I admired that watch. It was a very special thing to me. When we were living in Mexico as missionaries, somebody broke into our house. They stole the watch. They stole a collection of silver dollars my father had given me. They stole a guitar that we had. I didn't know that they had stolen the guitar until The case was sitting behind the couch and one day I picked up the case and it felt very light. And they had taken it out of the case. I regretted the loss of that watch in particular because I delighted in it. Something that had special meaning to me. Dear people, the Lord of the Earth chooses out for himself a people, a number of souls that are here referred to as a chosen generation. The choosing is the work of that effectual call, and that effectual call is conformable to his eternal decree. Listen to our confession of faith on this matter. those whom God hath predestined unto life, he is pleased in his appointed and accepted time effectually to call, by his word in spirit, out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to grace and salvation by Jesus Christ, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto them a heart of flesh, renewing their wills and by his almighty power determining them to that which is good and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ yet so as they come most freely being made willing by his grace. What a precious truth having to do with the way God saves his people. This word generation speaks of them as being of one race or stock. As the Israelites who were by outward calling the children of God and were the seed of Abraham according to the flesh, so likewise those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are the children of promise. And Paul makes that point when he writes to the Galatians and says, and you brethren like Isaac are children of promise. All believers are, by the new birth, one people, one generation. Years ago, I had the opportunity to speak with a dear brother by the name of Paul Clark, who now resides in Long Island, New York. He gave me as a gift an interpretation of prophecy by Patrick Fairbairn. When I was discussing the issue of end times and prophecy, he called me aside and he said, Brother, let me just mention something to you that will help you in the understanding of prophecy. And that is this, God has had only one people. Just one people. His people. His elect. I've thought about that many, many, many times. Believers by their birth are one people, one generation. Next, let's look at the words, royal priesthood. Not just a priesthood, a royal, a royal priesthood. And that describes the dignity of the believer. Peter is writing to those who may have lost all sense of dignity. And he says, you're a royal priesthood. The priesthood of the law has been replaced by the ministry of the gospel, which God has placed in His church. And I want us now to think a moment about how the priesthood of the believer does in many ways resemble the Levitical priesthood. And this certainly sounds like our brother's Sunday school lesson. There are three areas of resemblance that I want to call your attention to. The consecration, their service, and the laws by which they lived. First of all, then, the consecration. The Levitical priesthood were washed, and so it is said of the believers. in Revelation 1.5, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. It is the blood of the Lamb that takes away sin. But not only were the Levitical priests washed, they were consecrated by sacrifice. And we read in Hebrews 9.12, And not through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood he entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. And then the Levitical priests were anointed. And believers are anointed by the Holy Spirit. In John 1.16, for of His fullness we have received in grace upon grace, and particularly in 2 Corinthians 1.21-22. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. Do we begin to see the similarity between the Levitical priesthood and the priesthood of the believer? The garments of the Levitical priests were inaugurate and were to be worn in their performance when they were doing their priestly duties. Those Levitical priestly garments are outshined today by that purity and holiness with which every believer is clothed, but more especially by the righteousness of Christ which is imputed to the believer. But the Levitical priests were to have offerings in their hands to offer up. Likewise, Christ gives to the believer priest by His Spirit the offerings which they are to present to God. He furnishes them with prayers and praises. He gives them that which they are to offer as sacrifices. Then next we look at their service. The Levitical priests were in charge of the sanctuary and of the vessels. They were to keep the lamps burning. And so the heart of every believer is made a temple of the Holy Spirit. And he is himself, as a priest, consecrated to God to keep the temple holy, furnished with grace, to have the increasing light of spiritual knowledge. As part of the service, the Levitical priests were to bless the people. The spiritual priesthood of the elect procure blessing in the world, particularly in the realm where they live, work, and worship. They are to pray and labor for the extending of God's kingdom. And when that happens, it brings blessing. the laws by which they lived. Stricter rules and laws were given to the Levitical priests than to the others, such as avoiding legal pollutions. Ah, but the believer priest must also pursue holiness and avoid the pollutions of the world. And it is indicated in our text, look at 1 Peter 2.9, but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. And Paul, writing to Titus, said, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works. God did not spare his Son, nor did the Son spare himself. And believers in Christ are not to spare, giving themselves and serving the true and living God. The Levitical priests didn't have any assigned inheritance, for the Lord was their portion. What about our possessions? What about our possessions? Paul writing to the Corinthians, Those who weep as though they did not weep. And those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice. And those who buy as though they did not possess. You see, the believer is to keep an open hand when it comes to his possessions. not a tight-fisted hand, an open hand, as though I didn't possess it. Everything we have, dear people, has been given to us by God. It belongs to Him. It is His. It is not yours. He can take it away in a moment's time. Our second major heading, the contrast between the believer and the unbeliever. And by making comparisons, we are able in life pretty much to determine what is good and evil. But not always. Because many times our comparisons are not based on all of the facts. For example, many complain of their outward condition. but they would not complain if they would just take time to consider the condition of the less fortunate. And we can always and should always keep in mind, except by the grace of God, there go I. However, we see that the contrast that is expressed here does not have to do with their outward condition. The contrast is distinctly between the believer and the unbeliever. It has to do with joy and dignity of those who have been chosen and called as opposed to the rejection and misery of those who continue as unbelievers and rejecters of Christ. Go back with me to 1 Peter 2 and look at verses 7 through 9. This precious value then is for you who believe But for those who disbelieve, here's the contrast. The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very cornerstone, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. For they stumble because they are disobedient to the Word, and to this doom they were also appointed. But, here's the contrast, 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 has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." What a contrast we have between the believer and the non-believer. You see, it is true that even believers can lose their focus. and become discouraged. Discouraged by various trials. And what discourages them even more is many times they look at unbelievers who seem to be doing pretty well. Listen to the psalmist But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling. My steps had almost slipped, for I was envious of the arrogant, as I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death, and their body is fat. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like mankind." But then things come back into focus. And listen to what he says. When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight until I came into the sanctuary of God. Then I perceived their end. Surely thou dost set them in slippery places. Thou dost cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors." David allowed himself to get things out of focus. And I think Peter writing to these persecuted believers realizes they could have the danger of getting things out of focus. And he brings things back into proper focus, not by some positive guru thinking, but by reminding them of who they are and what they are. A believer can say with David, The Lord is the portion of my inheritance in my cup. Thou dost support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. You see, earlier Peter had reminded them of their inheritance, which is and perisher, and undefiled, will not fade away, reserved in heaven. And when we think of that, it causes the believer to accept suffering, disgrace, and to give praise, rather than to complain. We come now to our third major heading, the purpose of their calling. I call your attention again to our text, 1 Peter 2.9, and the phrase which says, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you. This is the purpose of their calling. They have been effectually called. They have been drawn to Christ and saved by His grace. For what reason? that they might proclaim the excellencies of him who hath called them." The King James renders it that they should show forth the praises of him who hath called you. The believer is to magnify the grace of God. He has been transferred out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, and it was the calling of God that brought it about. It is a calling from darkness to light. Dear people, the state of the unbeliever is nothing but darkness. It is destitute of all spiritual truth. That is true because sin separates the soul from God and God is light. The soul being made capable of spiritual light can never really be happy without that light. Give it whatever, quote, light you might like. It still remains in darkness until God calls out of that darkness into light. Paul writing to the Ephesians says, describing the unbeliever being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart, and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. If that isn't darkness, I don't know what it is. As the state from which they are called is termed darkness, so the state of which they are called is termed light. Christ, who came to deliver his people from darkness, is often referred to as light. In him was life, and the light was the light of men. There was the true light, coming into the world, enlightens every man. Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. It was said, God said, light shall shine out of darkness. And in Colossians 1.13, for he delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son. And all of this happened because God called him. There's no other way out. I want us now to close with these applications. There are many times that the child of God needs comfort. And the source of comfort is based on spiritual reality. reality. Peter reminds them of their spiritual privileges. He reminds them that they were chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by the sanctifying work of the Spirit. Does that not encourage you? If the reality of that grips your heart, it will. He reminds them that they have an inheritance imperishable and defiled that will not fade away. He reminds them that as obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your soul, He reminds them that they will be redeemed, not with perishable things such as silver and gold from their futile way of life, but with the precious blood of Christ. And now He reminds them, you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. Dear people, those are spiritual realities. and they encourage us in the times of darkest trial. Peter refers to them as a holy nation, a holy people, which implies obligations, obligations to keep themselves unspotted from the world, and to fully consecrate themselves to serve the true and living God, Paul wrote to the Romans, present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Believers have been called out of darkness into light to proclaim the excellencies of him What does that mean? It means to make known His perfections or His virtues to others. What virtues and excellencies? His wisdom, His power, His sweetness, His faithfulness. All of these things manifested in Christ and in the works of Christ. And the believer is to make manifest those very things. In Psalms we read, one generation shall praise thy works to another. and shall declare by mighty acts. How is this principally done? It is done by your conduct. In the home, on the job, in church, Paul writing to the Philippians, that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Brother, if it was crooked and perverse then, it is much more so now, I think. Among whom you appear as light in the world, called out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. and we are to be light in a crooked and perverse generation. Holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory, because I did not run in vain, nor toil in vain. Among us, still in darkness, we set before you this day the one who has power to deliver, and that is Christ, Christ alone. Jesus spoke to them saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. We all know the feeling, do we not, of trying to find our way around in the dark. It's not a happy thing. That darkness, when the lights suddenly go out, cannot even come close to comparing to the spiritual darkness that exists in those who are yet outside of Christ. May God call His people to the light, that glorious light. May he be pleased this day to cause light to shine out of darkness. Let's pray. Our Father we thank you that you have blessed us with your word and as we lift these requests up to you in prayer this day Father, we plead with you that in mercy and in grace you would effectually call souls to yourself this day out of darkness into the kingdom of light. Manifest your saving grace and your mercy. And for those of us who have reason to believe that you have called us out of darkness into light, grant, O God, that we shall walk in the light as you are in the light. Help us as your people to proclaim the excellencies of the One who called us. In His name we pray, Amen.