Sermon Tone Analysis

*Who Do You Think You Are?*

New Hope Baptist Church

January 8, 2006

9:30 a.m.

Text:  1 Peter 2:9-10

 

Points:

1.          *Privileged *People

2.          *Private* Possession, with a

3.          *Public *Proclamation, about a

4.          *Powerful *Savior

 

Introduction:

 

    Everybody has a “once upon a time” in their memories, in their past life, in their history.

We have been conditioned to expect that most “once upon a times” end positively, and most do.

The problem is when people fail to realize that those experiences, those times in life, those instances that make up what we call “Once Upon a Time” should come to an end, positively or not.

Now, I admit that there are some things from my past that I just enjoy more than what is offered in the present.

I like mellow, wind instruments jazz.

I like R&B and many of the dances from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

I like soul food.

I like old T.V. shows like Matlock, Columbo, and Mayberry.

I like old friends that have remained loyal.

I like interesting old people.

I like world and Biblical history.

I like enjoyable strolls down old memory lanes.

None of these old things have impeded my growth into a mature woman.

But there are other old things from my past that, if I stay around them too long, could cause me psychological or emotional unrest.

There are some old memories that could upset my spiritual equilibrium.

There are some old habits that could draw me back into a lifestyle that might prove unhealthy.

There are some old friends that could entice me into sin.

There are some old places that I used to frequent that have nothing good to offer me now.

Those are the types of old things that we *all *need to leave in our “Once Upon a Time” experiences.

Such is the situation in our text today.

The writer of the text is intent on helping a people to come to terms with their past experiences by engaging their minds on their present circumstances.

You do know that as a man thinketh, so is he?

You do know that if you continue to think a though, you will eventually conceive an idea, that will lead you to take an action, that will form into a habit?

Thus, I ask the question:  “*Who Do You Think You Are?*” Well, let me try and help you out.

Background:

    The books of 1st and 2nd Peter hold the name of their author.

This is the same Peter that seemed so intent to rearrange the shape of his mouth in the Gospels.

He always seemed to have his foot stuck in it.

The same Peter who was usually the first to speak out for the Apostles; The same Peter who dared to walk on the water with Jesus; The same Peter who was quick on the draw and cut a man’s ear off; The same Peter who had been requested by name, of the Devil, to be sifted like wheat; -*Can anybody identify with the man?*-

The same Peter who vowed to go unto death with the Lord; The same Peter who denied Jesus three times in one evening.

-*That Peter*-  A man whose “Once Upon a Time” had served to strengthen his testimony and to be an example to us all of the power of prayer, the Lord’s mercy, and diligence in the work and faith of the Lord.

Based upon several accounts, the book of 1st Peter was written somewhere between A.D. 62 and A.D. 64, probably from Rome.

This is important to note because some very interesting things had taken place and Peter is addressing those things to the Christians who had experienced the atrocities.

You see, a generation after the death of Christ, Christianity had reached Rome as an obscure offshoot of Judaism that was popular among the city’s poor and destitute.

The views held by this religious sect of a coming new kingdom and a new king provoked the Jewish authorities and caused fear among the Roman authorities who perceived these beliefs as a threat to the Empire.

In the summer of 64 A.D. Rome suffered a terrible fire that burned for six days.

It consumed almost ¾ of the city.

The people accused Emperor Nero, claiming that he set the fire for his own amusement.

In order to deflect their accusations, Nero laid blame on the Christians.

He ordered the arrest of a few members who, under torture, accused others until the entire Christian populace was implicated and became fair game for retribution.

All of them that could be found were rounded up and put to death in horrific manners for the amusement of the citizens of Rome.

They were covered with hides of wild beasts, and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and in the evening, burned to serve for the evening lights.

Nero himself used the human torches to light his famous garden parties and he made sport of them.

Of the Christians that survived and remained, feelings of dooms and wonderment prevailed.

Most wondered if they had made a mistake in coming to Christianity at all.

Others existed in sheer dread and withdrawal.

So, Peter was writing to these Christians to uplift them, to encourage them, to inform them of their inheritance by supposing the question, “Who Do You Think You Are?”

  So, after reminding them of all that God had done for them in causing them to receive a new birth, to obtain an inheritance, and giving them the protection of his power; he admonishes them to prepare their minds for action, to be alert in their spirits, and to set their hopes upon Jesus.

They could do this because they could call upon their heavenly Father for help; because they had been redeemed and purchased with the precious blood of Christ; because their faith and hope were centered in God who raised Christ from the dead.

I think he’s talking about the same God that we serve.

The same God did the same thing for you and for me.

The same God caused you to have a new birth when you believed in Jesus Christ as Savior; the same God purchased you from your old way of life and gave you an inheritance; the same God purchased you with the precious blood of Christ; the same God raised Him from the dead; that same God that you can center your hope and faith in because of his mighty power and protection.

The same God.

Peter didn’t stop there.

He went on to offer them several adjectives that described their new person in Christ; adjectives that now describes who you are if you are in Christ today.

Body:

First, Peter says we are a *Privileged People*.

It’s right there in the beginning of v.9.

A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.

We belong to a select group of people.

We enjoy certain advantages that are not available to everyone.

We have a Father who really does have His eye on us.

We have an advocate who intercedes on our behalf at all times.

We have a love by our Father that is impenetrable and unstoppable.

We belong to a group who membership is restricted.

You see, anybody can get in, but not just anybody *is* in.

Oh, there are some imposters who frequent our meetings; imposters who act like we do and call on the name of our Father and our Lord, but they are just visiting.

They are not really in.  to really be in you have to be born again; you have to trust Jesus as Lord and Savior.

We are a privileged people in a restricted group, but we are not stuck up.

We love a big family and we are seeking newborns all the time.

But it’s important that you know that you are privileged, and because of that you have certain advantages like prayer that goes directly to the Father.

Jesus gave us this privilege before he left, and he said just so you will know that God will hear your prayers, when you pray tell Him that I sent you.

Pray in my name and you will have His full attention.

We have confidence in that whatever you tell him stays with him.

He has said that if we pray in secret he will bless us openly.

We have the work of Jesus as our model to live by as we journey in this barren land.

We are a privileged people with many advantages to carry us along in this world.

Second, we are a *Private Possession*.

We are God’s own possession.

God has exclusive rights to us as His own.

We have an elite standing in that we are His sons and daughters, not foster kids, but His own.

We are the true fashionable people because we will never die.

We have eternity to look forward to.

God has called us his workmanship, His works of art.

We hold value in His eyes.

When He looks at us covered in the blood of Jesus, He sees masterpieces.

I don’t know about you, but that’s good news to me.

You see, I know what I was, and to know that God sees me as His work of art is uplifting.

God has custody of our souls.