(1 Peter 2:5, 9-10) The Little Stones of the NT Temple
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· 572 viewsPeter describes believers in light of Christ, the cornerstone. He describes us as living stones being set next to the cornerstone, forming a Spiritual house, as well as a priesthood of believers. These truths speak to how each believer should be singularly (Christ-Centered) and dependently (Christ-Dependent) serving God. The context that service for God is principally is being transformed into his holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5) and declaring the riches and mercies that are found in Christ (1 Peter 2:9). The building up that is found in God working through the scriptures to establish us as His Holy, Royal Priesthood, a temple set apart for him. (1 Peter 2:2)
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2) The little stones of the temple.
2) The little stones of the temple.
If you were here last week, we looked at Christ the cornerstone in and how that cornerstone was the living, precious, chosen, saving cornerstone.
a. Who are the little stones.
a. Who are the little stones.
I briefly mentioned that this cornerstone was in fact a reference to the cornerstone of the temple, but I did not take a whole lot of time demonstrate that.
Today, I will demonstrate that the cornerstone and the little stones in are descriptions of the temple.
b. What are the little stones for?
b. What are the little stones for?
Singular sacrificial service to a noble cause is a rare character quality among people.
We recently had high-school graduations, and as I look at those who I graduated with in my own graduating class,
How many of those are truly sacrificially serving a noble cause?
Not many.
In fact, most are just getting by and enjoying life.
Certainly, there is nothing wrong with enjoying the blessings God has shed upon, so long as it is enjoyed in pure and good ways.
But it highlights how rare it is to have a person dedicated to sacrificial service to a noble cause.
Today is memorial day,
the day we celebrate and honor the fallen military and civilian first responders in our country.
Many of our military first responders paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
In many ways their death was noble,
fighting for the freedoms that we all enjoy today.
Protecting the rights and safety of every American.
In fact,
The freedom to Worship our God as he has called us to in Scripture.
the freedom to Worship our God as he has called us to in Scripture was a founding principle in the bill of rights.
in which they nobly supported.
Those are all great sacrifices that ought to be celebrated
But, Let me ask you another question though,
How many people have commited to singular sacrificial service to the worship and proclamation of Jesus Christ?
I am not necessarily talking about being Pastors and missionaries. I know for many generations that has been the principle challenge to believers.
And certainly, we ought to consider whether God is leading to that kind of ministry.
But, may I say the church was never meant to be all shepherds and no sheep.
Peter’s principle call to service in this mornings passage is for every believer.
Their is a call to singular sacrificial service for every believer found in our text this morning.
We are going to read from , but our focus will be on .
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
8 and
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
9 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. 10 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.
1 Peter 2:
May I suggest, that as a whole is a challenge to singular sacrificial service to Christ.
May I suggest, that as a whole is a challenge to singular sacrificial service to Christ.
According to our passage,
Proposition: We ought to singularly and Dependently serve God
Proposition: We ought to singularly and Dependently serve God
Transition: and this text gives us 3 descriptions of believers that tell us why.
Transition: and this text gives us 3 descriptions of believers that tell us why.
Now before we begin, I would like us consider the driving point of .
Peter describes us with 6 different adjectives to declare we are God’s people.
Peter describes us with 6 different adjectives to declare we are God’s people.
If you were here last week, we looked at Christ the cornerstone in and how that cornerstone was the living, precious, chosen, saving cornerstone.
introduced us to Christ as the stone that is the cornerstone described in . The quotation and reference is found in .
As I work through this text, I want you to also note that Peter is describing believers in the NT temple in terms of the temple.
introduced us to Christ as the stone that is the cornerstone described in . The quotation and reference is found in .
6 For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
So recall Peter’s point in about Christ, the cornerstone of our faith.
He drives us to a decision regarding Christ.
He makes the point that if you accept the cornerstone, then Christ brings the blessing of salvation.
But if you reject the cornerstone, than that same stone is a judgement upon you because you have rejected God’s salvation.
Today, I will demonstrate that Peter is communicating that the true place of worship is found in Christ.
Today, I will demonstrate that the cornerstone and the little stones in are descriptions of the temple.
We saw that Christ is the cornerstone in .
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
But in , Peter describes a set of different stones.
But in , Peter describes a set of different stones.
1 Peter 2:5
the cornerstone and the little stones in are descriptions of the temple.
We Peter communicates this imagery through the verb translated “built up”.
5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
We also see that in the series of adjectives that follow.
Now notice that these three descriptions are terms that are regularly used of the Temple. Peter use terms that would make the Jew automatically think about the temple.
What is the first description of believers. We are
1. Little Living Stones.
1. Little Living Stones.
We are described as living stones.
Notice the clear parallel between v. 4 and 5.
Christ is the living stone, and we are like living stones.
Why does Peter call us living stones?
Contrasting Illustration:
Some of you ladies might think us men are block heads.
Certainly the classic stereotype for an athlete is someone who is is a blockhead.
In other words, they are all muscle and no brain;
but I don’t think that is what is meant here.
In the broader context, Christ is also called the cornerstone in v. 6.
Peter is making the parallel that Christ is the cornerstone, which makes us the little stones resting on the cornerstone.
>>>>>>>>>>>>Show PPT of Cornerstone.
What does this image mean for us?
Notice the 2-fold logic in this passage.
Christ is the cornerstone and The little stones are designed to rest upon and be oriented the cornerstone.
ILLUSTRATION/EXPLANATION:
When someone lays the foundation of a stone building,
they lay the cornerstone first,
and then all the other smaller rocks are fit into the building based on that cornerstone.
The small stones are mortared one piece at a time, but all resting on the cornerstone.
May I suggest,
Christ ought to be the foundation we lay our lives upon.
To be more specific, He ought to be that which we serve.
Because Christ is the corner and we are the little rocks in between we ought to:
Because Christ is the corner and we are the little rocks in between we ought to:
- Be Christ-centered.
- Be Christ-centered.
Believers are to be singularly focused on Christ.
What matters to a small stone of a building?
How high is the building?
Is it on a clift?
Is it on a valley?
Is it in a wet land or a dry desert?
How big the stone is or how small the stone is.
None of those questions matter for the stone.
What matters is who is the cornerstone.
In the same way, we are like stones being - pointed - and oriented - and centered upon Christ.
- Christ Dependent.
- Christ Dependent.
Believers ought to be dependent upon Christ.
Why do those other question’s not matter to the stone?
Because it makes no difference to what the stone is meant to do.
The stone, rain or shine, is meant to rest on the cornerstone. That is what it does.
In the same way, we not only should be Christ-Centered, but we should Christ-Dependent.
ILLUSTRATION:
describes how we can live purified lives.
What is the first point Peter makes after this section.
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
1 Peter
When it comes to living lives that glorify God, it is essential that we be Christ-Centered and Christ-Dependent.
We rest on the Cornerstone for being able to live sanctified Holy lives.
This means, what truth is more important to a Christians transformed life, then the Gospel that set the believer free.
ILLUSTRATION:
How often are we less like a stone and more like the cornerstones?
That is instead of resting on Christ, we rest on our 2-feet.
I have a friend who is moving to help out in a church plant.
In his perfect world, there house would neatly sell when they needed it to; and they would be able to find an apartment that precisely coincides.
So they planned it that way; that is until the plan fell through and God had another plan.
He is now looking at a house that has sold, but the house he was going to rent has unexpectedly been condemned by the state.
They move in less than a week, and they have no where to move to.
Can anybody say anxiety attack?
And here is a person who loves the Lord, prayed with me as we packed up my own house in MN a year ago, and yet struggles with a question.
A question I have struggled with to.
“I feel like I am failing my family because I don’t have a place for them to live”
Now we all can relate to his situation,
but we also must admit what this desire us.
A desire for self-independence from God rather than than relying on the cornerstone
We ought to rest our lives on the cornerstone.
Now that idea can be expanded in many different ways, but I may I suggest that our context is about Sanctification.
describes how we can live purified lives.
What is the first point Peter makes after this section.
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
When it comes to living lives that glorify God,
it is essential that we be Christ-Centered and Christ-Dependent.
We rest on the Cornerstone for being able to live sanctified Holy lives.
This means, what truth is more important to a Christians transformed life, then the Gospel that set the believer free.
Because Christ is the cornerstone,
Temple picture/imagery, we are the little stones, speaks to our orientation to the cornerstone in 1 Peter 2:4
and we are the little stones,
and we ought to be singularly (Christ-Centered) and Dependently (Christ-Dependent) servants of Christ
But that imagery of the temple doesn’t end by this simple parallel.
Peter also describes us as being stones built up into a:
2. Spiritual house.
2. Spiritual house.
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
We as believers are like the little stones because we are being built into a Spiritual house.
IMAGERY ELLABORATION:
What image do you get?
1
God is making something, and what he is making is a Spiritual house built out of stones. But the stones he uses are not the rock we find in quarry, they are are you and me.
For the Jew, what other stone building would come to mind when Peter says believers are being built into a Spiritual house?
CAVEAT: Admittedly, this is not a direct term for the temple, but as we work through this passage, we will again and again be reminded of temple service.
IMAGERY ELABORATION: We are told by we are like little stones being built into a house.
God is making something, and what he is making is a Spiritual house built out of stones.
IMAGERY ELABORATION: We are told by we are like little stones being built into a house.
What image do you get?
Construction workers all around building a house.
This imagery of the Church
God is making something, and what he is making is a Spiritual house built out of stones.
But the stones he uses are not the rock we find in quarry, they are are you and me.
Theological Explanation:
Peter is making the point that the true temple of God is no longer found in Jerusalem,
because the church is in fact now the house of God.
This means true worship of God is not found in a physical place, but in the heart and mind of the believer.
This means worship of God is not found in a physical place, but in the heart and mind of the believer.
This is one of the truths Jesus told the Samaritan women in .
The Samaritan women asked in asked a question regarding the proper place of worship.
(ESV)
19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”
But Jesus answered in a way she never expected.
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
THEOLOGICAL CLARIFICATION: Now to clarify, I am not proposing the church has replaced Israel or that God will not build a new Temple for Israel in the future.
I am simply saying that in the Church age, the believers of the church now function as the Temple of God.
Why should we singular and dependently serve Christ?
Because Yahweh is no longer worshipped in the Temple,
but in the heart, mind, choices and the Praises of a believers in Christ.
ILLUSTRATION:
This is why a church does not consist of a church building. The church consists of where ever the believers are gathered.
But what is a Temple without it’s priest?
It is lot like a church building without church people. It is useless.
Peter calls believers a:
3. Holy and Kingly Priesthood
3. Holy and Kingly Priesthood
I have combined 2 different references to this idea and we are going to partially look at to understand.
We find in that believers are as holy priesthood.
5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Holy is the idea of being sanctified and set apart;
so this is to be a Priesthood that is sanctified and set apart for God.
What is the greatest insult to God?
To have his temple defiled.
describes one of the reason’s God sent the Exile to Israel; That is the mass enslavement of Jews by Babylon in 586 BC.
Why did they go into Exile? one part the answer is because God’s temple was defiled.
11 Therefore, as I live, declares the Lord God, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will withdraw. My eye will not spare, and I will have no pity.
The fact is, corruption of the priesthood dishonors God.
Understand what this means for us.
Part of living in service to God, is living a life which is sanctified by Christ.
This does not mean we are perfect.
But it does mean we ought progressively being transformed by the Gospel into greater and and greater conformity of Christ.
We are to reach for greater and greater degrees of being set apart to God.
ILLUSTRATION:
You know, we look at the defilement of the priesthood in Ezekiel and go wow! How can they have done that.
But may I suggest, every time we sin we do the same thing. Understand the implications here.
If we are the temple, what happens when I use that temple for sin?
What does God call that? An abomination of His temple.
In regard to sin, Paul made this point in what is probably a familiar passage to us.
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
APPLICATION:
Understand - every time we sin; we defile the temple of God.
Whether that be:
an adulterous thought,
a prideful anger,
or even a selfish failure to have compassion on those in need.
We ought to be a holy priesthood, separated unto God.
This idea of sanctified is restated in the idea of us being Holy Priesthood.
We are also described as a Kingly Priesthood.
CAVEAT: I understand my point is borrowing from v. 9, but also think that Peter is purposely tying the two passages together just as living stone tied v. 4 and 5 together.
Curruption of the priesthood is a dishonor to God.
It is Peter’s way to show the logical connection between the two points.
9 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.
Our ESV translates this “royal”, but I think for the English reader it stands out better if we call it a “Kingly” priesthood.
Kingly Priesthood. - we are oreinted to Christ the King, to the Kingdom of God.
What does it mean that we are kingly or royal?
Kingly clarifies we we are from a bloodline or authority of a King.
In this case our bloodline goes back to Christ the King.
The kingly priesthood of Christ means
a. We are identified with the Christ; the Prophet, Priest, and King. He is the one we confess and worship.
b. We anticipate with hope the wonders of the future Kingdom. Why can we endure the present trials, because we know they will pass and one day we will enjoy riches found in Christ.
anticipate the future Kingdom that Christ will one day establish.
b. We recognize we are citizens of a Kingdom not of this World. This means what we value is that which is not of this world, but is eternal. One person put it this way, “If it doesn’t matter in eternity then it doesn’t matter here.
We recognize we are ambassadors for a King not of this World.
c. and with Our Praises and lives we point people to the saving stone, Christ our King.
That is what it means to be kingly or royal priesthood.
ILLUSTRATION:
I always thought the security briefings for when our ship pulled into a foreign port hilarious.
They would look at us, a diverse ship of many cultures and backgrounds, and tell us we need to be careful to blend in with the surrounding culture.
Exactly how do you want a diverse group of Navy sailors to blend into a crowded subway in Toyko, Japan.
The reality is that we stood out like a sore thumb.
We could have worn a full American flag jumpsuit, and have been no more obvious that we were a group of American Sailors.
We just naturally were so distinct from the culture around us that everyone with one look that we were American Sailors
This ought to be what is like to be a Christian.
What we say, what we value, what we believe, how we act - ought so distinct from the created world around us that there is no blending in.
I also want to draw your attention to the idea of believers being a priesthood.
Probably the closest comparison is the idea of an ambassador.
This is a common illustration of our present role in the future Kingdom.
An ambassador:
Lives in a foreign land.
Is a citizen and agent of a King different then the one he lives.
and They reflect the honor, prestige, and interests of the country and King they represent.
4. This is to say nothing about the cultural differences.
In these ways, ambassador's simply do not fit into the people where they live.
There is no missing the ambassador because they are distinctly from another Kingdom.
We also are a kingly priesthood pointing whose purpose in this foreign land is to point to our King, that is Christ.
We are aslo a priesthood.
I also want to draw your attention to the idea of believers being a priesthood.
What did the Priests do?
They Worked in the temple.
This included
- performing the sacrifices,
but also
- Praise of God through Song,
- keeping the temple clean and pure,
- and keeping the temple supplied.
They also,
- taught the people God's Law.
It is important to note that the NT never views a Pastor as Priest or a priestly order. Instead, we are all a holy and royal priesthood before God.
The NT never views a Pastor as Priest or a priestly order. Instead, we are all a holy and royal priesthood before God.
This means that every Christian:
This means that every Christian:
Included:
- Has direct access to God ()
- Has direct access to God ()
2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
- ought to be offering the Spiritual sacrifice of obedience. ()
- ought to be offering the Spiritual sacrifice of obedience. ()
18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
- Ought to be declaring the truth of the Gospel. ()
- Ought to be declaring the truth of the Gospel. ()
Participating on Worship music (singing, instrumental)
Ought to be declaring the truth of the Gospel. ()
9 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.
They Read and taught the scriptures.
- Worshiping God as a body of believers ()
- Worshiping God as a body of believers ()
1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
These are not principally the Pastor’s job, but the calling for every single believer.
This not the Pastor’s job, but the calling for every single believer.
They prepared and conducted the offerings to God.
What does the normal New Testament believer look like?
They were suppose to embody purity to not dishonor GOd.
A member of a Holy and Royal Priesthood regularly serving God.
Again, where would they serve, the temple.
May I suggest, that because we are a Priesthood before God,
Chosen carries the idea of being picked.
Basketball on the playground, and you wanted to be picked.
Sports, you wanted to be piced.
God picked you. Allusion to the unworthiness of Israel, likewise we are unworthy.
We are a chosen race, but what kidn of race are we?
We are not a race made of people from a certain place.
We literally circle the globe. People in every land, from the visible churches across America to the underground churches in China, we make up the race of God.
We are not a race of certain ethnic background, the church started out as primarily a Jewish community of believers. But persecution caused many to flee Jerusalem and literally sent the Gospel all around the World.
Today, not only are we a people made of believers in every nation, but we are people coming from all kinds of ethnic cultures and languages.
So what constitutes this people, we are all believers in the saving cornerstone of Jesus Christ.
What makes Christians a chosen race is not our background of ethnic race, but principally we are believers in Jesus Christ.
Every race has certain understood customs and beliefs.
The Race of Christianity is cimposed by belief in the Gospel, knowledge of Scripture, Love for God, reflecting of Glory to God, and the transformation of the heart to reflect the love and compassion of God, as demonstrated chiefly in the cross.
You know someone is a certain race by how the look, and likewise we know if you are a Christian by these kind of distinctions found in the heart.
ILLUSTRATION:
American Pastor goes to Russia and talks to a Russian pastor, only using his Bible.
This is what churches have in common.
5. Holy Nation
5. Holy Nation
This has the idea again of being constituted as a people, a nation.
a nation is seperate and divided by political allegiance. What makes the nation of China diffirent from the nation of Japan. Partially ethnic/cultural diffirences. But especially political allegiances.
Likewise, what makes believers a Holy nation.
We do not have a parliment somewhere. We do not even vote on a leader.
Instead, you become a part of this nation when you believe in the Gospel. You transfer your allegiance from the demonic forces of darkness in this World to the glorious Kingdom of God.
You transfer your loyalty from self-allegiance and Demonic allegiance to Jesus Christ, the Creator and Savior of the world.
You are purified Holy nation because your true political allegiance does not rest with the things of this world, but with Christ.
Were ambassadors today, spread across the nations of this world. But remember, there will be a day when God will create a new heaven, a new earth, and a new Jerusalem composed entirly of believers. When that day happens, we will be able to look around and behold the Holy nation that God established in a very concrete and literal way.
Illustration:
Dirt, Ground means somthing deplyment, came back to US>
6. Purchased Possession of God.
6. Purchased Possession of God.
Peter also describes us as the possession of God.
There is saying, 9/10ths of the Law is about possesion. In other words, If I have it, I own it.
I briefly mentioned that this cornerstone was in fact a reference to the cornerstone of the temple, but I did not take a whole lot of time demonstrate that.
The believer is owned by God.
How so?
Christ is both creator and redeemer.
The idea of creator is that it was by God that each one of us came to be. The person who put life into us, who planned our entrance into the created world, was God.
In This way, Christ owns us because he made us.
Yet, if that wasn’t enough, Christ redeemed us.
Redemption should be a word that brings great joy to the world.
ILLUSTRATION:
The origins of the idea of redemption go back to days of slavery in the Ancient Near East.
If a person was fall poverty, they could sale themselves into slavery.
If a person commited a crime, the punishment could be forced slavery.
If a person failed to pay their debts, they could be forced into slavery.
If a person was unfortunate to have their land conquered by a foreign nation, they could be forced into slavery. The time of exile much of Israel was forced into slavery because Babylonians conquered their land.
Yet, at the same time, there was one way to get out of slavery.
You could be redeemed. That is, someone could pay the price of slave and set you free.
Christ purchased with his very blood, dieing on the cross for our sin.
Which means - he paid the debt against us for Sin.
And he set us free, redeemed us, from slavery to that sin.
In that way, no Christian is his own master. We are each the purchased possession of God.
14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Today, I will demonstrate that the cornerstone and the little stones in are descriptions of the temple.
Conclusion:
Summary Statement
God has shown Exceeding Kindness to us.
God has shown Exceeding Kindness to us.
Then likewise we ought to singularly and dependently serve God.
Peter tells us 2 ways that God has shown kindness to us.
Peter tells us 2 ways that God has shown kindness to us.
CONCLUSION:
So recall, that Peter has given us 3 descriptions of the believer.
He has called us the:
Little living stones.
A Spiritual House
and a Holy and Royal Priesthood.
These 3 descriptions of the believer tell us why we ought to singularly and dependently serve God.
Notice, all three these descriptions demand us to prioritize or Singularly serve God.
All three of these descriptions at some level speak of an expected dependence upon God in service.
Christ should be the center and focus or our lives.
CAVEAT: It is not to say that there are not other noble causes in this world.
Certainly our military and first responders serve a noble cause.
but our text does make it clear there is nothing more important than the cause of Christ.
Perhaps the nagging question for us today, how do I serve Christ singularly and dependently.
Often was Christians know what we ought to do, but how do we actually do it.
Our text tells us to respond in two ways to the fact that we are little living stones, a Spiritual house, and a Priesthood of believers.
We see this demand at the end of and .
5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
9 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.
For Peter, there are two ways we ought to respond in service to this text.
We ought to serve God singularly and dependently by:
1) Living Lives that are sacrificially Obedient to him.
2) and Declare the riches that are found in the Gospel.
These are the two chief ways that Peter is calling us to serve him.
a. Chosen people of God.
a. Chosen people of God.
Many times we think we have to do something really big to serve God, but may I suggest that true priestly service for God is found in everyday faithful living.
Does your life reflect the purity that the house of God and God’s Priesthood ought to have?
Does your life reflect the purity that the house of God and God’s Priesthood ought to have?
b. Mercy from the hopeless power of Sin.
b. Mercy from the hopeless power of Sin.
It is not good enough to say I am generally a good person. V. 5 calls us to continually offer sacrifices of obedience to him.
This means, we daily are presenting ourselves before our God in submission to His holiness.
Proper response
Remember, the standard for priestly purity is God.
Sacrificial Obedient living
Also, Does your life reflect the constant praise of the riches and blessings we have obtained through Jesus Christ?
Also, Does your life reflect the constant praise of the riches and blessings we have obtained through Jesus Christ?
Proclamation of his excellencies.
May I suggest that this is more than once in a while giving out a tract. It is the overflowing praise of God when we behold what so great a salvation we have received through Jesus Christ.
God has called us to service as His priesthood giving him the glory
Our lives should be filled with singular dependent service to Christ our God.
that mans glorify God as an employee
mother/Father
grandparent
How do we do that, we obey his commands with our life, and we praise the excellencies of his mercy to others.