Scripture

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s very own possession As a result, you can show others the goodness of God for He called you out of the darkness and into his wonderful light

Observation.

We are God’s chosen people royal priests, a holy nation. So we can show others the goodness of God.

We were once nobody, but now we are God’s. Once we received no mercy, but God’s mercy is our treasured gift.

We are temporary residents in this world, and so we must keep away from worldly desires. We must live properly amongst unbelievers because they will see the difference God makes in our lives.

Application

We the church, the people of God, have a unique identity as we stand between God and the world.

We are God’s chosen people. That designation has shifted from Israel to the church. God has chosen us as His very own.

We are God’s possession. Once we transfer our allegiance to God in Christ then he will fight to keep us as his possession .Nothing, except for our own rebellion, will separate us from the love of God.

We are a royal priesthood. We are royal in the sense that we are dedicated to the king. As a priesthood, we have a duty to intercede for our friends and neighbours.

A holy nation is one that is set apart for God’s purposes, In the way that Israel was. We must live holy lives that speak of our calling, and witness to the world that we belong to the Lord.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for this high calling that you have placed on all your people. Amen.

Scripture

You are living stones that God is building into his spiritual Temple. What is more, you are his holy priests Through the mediation of Jesus Christ. You offer spiritual sacrifices that please God

Observation

Christ is the living cornerstone of God’s temple and we are coming to Him. We are living stones in this temple that God is building. We are priests who can intercede with Christ, offering a kind of spiritual sacrifice. This was all foretold in the Old Testament. The prophet Isaiah said that the Lord will place a cornerstone in Jerusalem, and anyone who trusts in Him will not be disgraced.

This cornerstone that brings honour to those who trust in Him is also a stumbling stone that destroys those who refuse to obey the Lord.

Application

In our Western culture, we are overly concerned with individuals and rarely see the big picture of where we fit in with others.

Here Peter tells us that we are living stones being built together with other believers into a spiritual temple. It is not that I am a temple for God but rather the church, the Body of Christ is a temple for God.

There is a saying that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This is true of the church. About 2.5 billion people, or one-third of the world’s population, is Christian. That is impressive, but God is building all of these people, together with all of the saints of the past and those yet to be born, into something greater – a spiritual building, a vessel for His presence.

That is something far greater than reconstructing a stone temple in Jerusalem. This temple spans the world and shows forth the grace of God to all people.

Prayer

Lord, you are awesome in your might and in your mercy. Please help me to find my place in your temple of grace. Amen.