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The People of God
Series Introduction
Illustration: American Express commercial: “Membership has its privileges.”
One of things that we as Christians take for granted is the special calling that we have as the Church.
There are at least three ways that the Church reflects God’s nature:
As the People of God
As the Body of Christ
As the Temple of the Holy Spirit
The Church is a living witness to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
It testifies to the world about the character and ways of God so that they might find Him and enter into His kingdom.
These metaphors used by the authors of Scripture about the church not only point to our testimony in the world, but to the unique blessings that come with being a part of the church.
Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to look at these things and see how “membership” has its privileges.
Called Out and Chosen
There was a point in time where humanity had fallen from Eden and eventually began to walk away from God.
When Abram turned to God in faith, God made a covenant with Him.
Through this covenant and his seed the nations would be blessed.
Later, his descendants would find themselves in Egypt as slaves and burden-bearers.
This moment in Israel’s history is where things changed.
The descendants of the promise given to Abraham had found themselves in Egypt and in bondage.
And God heard their groaning and remembered them.
He remembered His promise and sent a deliverer with a message : “I will rescue you and take you as My people.
I will be your God and I will give you the promises that I have made with your fathers.”
This began a special relationship between God and Israel.
They were taken out of Egypt and eventually brought into the Promised Land.
The Scripture refers to Egypt as a symbol of the world system, sin, and its bondage.
God calls His people out of the world, sin, and their bondage and brings them into a special relationship with Himself and into inheritance and blessing.
In the same way that Israel was called out of their circumstances and chosen and selected as the people of God, we find the same story in the New Testament with other groups who respond to God in faith.
The church, above all other things, is God’s people.
What Does It Mean to Be God’s People?
Remember when Ruth was with her mother-in-law and was at a crossroads after her husband died?
Naomi was returning home to Israel and told her to go back to her people the Moabites.
And Ruth responds by saying, “Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God” (Ruth 1:16).
What did she mean by saying, “My people?”
God is chose us to be “My people.”
What does it mean to be one of God’s people?
God’s People Are Chosen and Distinct
Illustration: Cliques in schools - recognized by the subculture they are a part of.
They have their own language, dress, activities, etc.
Being God’s people makes us identifiable to others because we walk in His ways.
This makes us distinct.
We stand out even.
Our customs, behaviors, and speech are clearly different from other groups.
Being God’s people means that we are holy people, a holy nation.
The Greek terms for holy speak of objects of awe, of things being clean, of “shrinking from” something.
Later uses of the word would be reserved for sanctuaries and even of gods and religious practices (TDNTA).
In the Old Testament it also carried a personal dimension because God associated it with His name (cf.
Amos 4:2, Leviticus 10:3).
Being holy meant to be something sanctified, separated out for special use, off limits to common things.
It means to be reserved for divine purpose.
God called you out of darkness and into the glorious kingdom of light, just like He brought Israel out of Egypt to bring them into the Promised Land (1 Peter 2:9, Deuteronomy 6:23).
You are meant to represent Him and show the world His ways.
And when you do, it will be well with you.
God’s People are His Representatives
As His people, we are called a Royal Priesthood.
The priests were God’s intermediaries who interceded for the people and spoke to them on behalf of God.
They made sure that proper worship was practiced and they helped maintain the spiritual health of God’s people.
They administered God’s blessings to the people.
When God called Abram, He made him a powerful promise.
He blessed Abram to be a blessing.
Through God’s blessing on his life would pour out blessing upon others, ultimately touching the world.
Anyone who blessed Abram, who honored and respected and connected with him were blessed because of their association.
Because Abram had the blessing of God, he was in position to bless others.
Later, Aaron, who was the chief priest would pronounce God’s blessing.
As God’s people you are blessed.
In Christ, you are blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3).
And because you are God’s people you are sent to bring that blessing into the world.
You are blessed to be a blessing.
Even when things don’t seem like they are working in your favor, remember that you are blessed.
Because you are in Christ, things are going to work for your good and God’s glory (cf.
Romans 8:28).
God’s People are His Special Treasure
The people of God are his cherished personal treasure, part of His personal fortune.
The same word also refers to a reserve fund that a person has set aside or saved.
God’s people are His own among all the nations.
Think of the worth that God places on the church.
As His people, the church is cherished and treasured.
God paid a great price so that He could save from out of the nations a special people.
Conclusion
Being part of the church is so much more than a meeting.
To God, the Father, it means that you were chosen and selected and saved to be His special treasure.
To be a part of the church means that you have a relationship with God your Heavenly Father.
It means that you are blessed beyond measure.
It means that He has chosen you to represent Him to the world.
You demonstrate His ways before the world.
You pray for the nations and bless them with God’s blessing.
This is the church, the people of God, His special treasure and something wonderful to be a part of.
Altar: Christ gave Himself for us, so that we could be redeemed, made holy, and reserved as His special treasure.
Because He loves you.
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