A Chosen People 1 Peter 2:1-10 SS Lesson for 11/08/2009

Transcription

1 A Chosen People 1 Peter 2:1-10 SS Lesson for 11/08/2009 Devotional Scripture: Eph 1:3-14 OUTLINE INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW AND APPROACH TO LESSON LESSON INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary From the Bible Expositor and Illuminator MAJOR THEME ANALYSIS CHOSEN PEOPLE WHO ARE PURIFIED THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WORD (1 PETER 2:1-3) Obedient to God's Word by the removal of sin (vs 1) The removal of sin by putting aside deeds of darkness (Rom 13:12) The removal of sin by putting off the old self (Eph 4:22-24) The removal of sin by putting to death the earthly nature (Col 3:5-6) The removal of sin by throwing off everything that hinders (Heb 12:1) The removal of sin by getting rid of all moral filth (James 1:21) Obedient to God's Word by the ingestion of Word (vs 2-3) The ingestion of Word by being good soil for it to grow in (Matt 13:23) The ingestion of Word by accepting and obeying it (John 17:6-8) The ingestion of Word by examining it daily (Acts 17:11) The ingestion of Word by accepting it as the actual Word of God (1 Thess 2:13) The ingestion of Word by eating of the bread of life (John 6:48-51) Milk (from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary) CHOSEN PEOPLE ARE A SPIRITUAL HOUSE BEING BUILT (1 PETER 2:4-6) Built with a foundation of Jesus (vs 4-5) A foundation of Jesus that no one can better (1 Cor 3:11) A foundation of Jesus that is a cornerstone (Isa 28:16) A foundation of Jesus in whose name everyone can be saved (Acts 4:11-12) A foundation of Jesus in a building and household of believers (Eph 2:19-22) A foundation of Jesus that is like a solid rock (Matt 7:24) Built with a spiritual priest offering spiritual sacrifices (vs 5-6) Spiritual priest who services God and makes atonement for His people (Heb 2:17) Spiritual priest who sympathizes with His people's weaknesses (Heb 4:14-15) Spiritual priest who serves in the sanctuary built and set up by God (Heb 8:1-2) Spiritual priest who once for all provided the ultimate sacrifice for sin (Heb 9:24-28) Spiritual priest who must be worshipped in spirit and in truth (John 4:24) CHOSEN PEOPLE ACCEPT NOT REJECT THE CORNERSTONE - JESUS (1 PETER 2:7-8) Confirmation of the Cornerstone (vs 7) Confirmation through God making Jesus the capstone (Ps 118:22-23) Confirmation from the apostles recognizing Jesus as having the words of eternal life (John 6:67-69) Confirmation by the Gentiles who found righteousness through the stone of Zion (Rom 9:30-33) Confirmation by Jesus having all the fullness of the Deity and being the head stone over every power and authority (Col 2:9-10) Power of the Cornerstone (vs 8) Power that was given by God to Jesus (John 13:3) Power as the Son of God (Rom 1:2-4) Power that spans not only this age but also the next (Eph 1:19-21) Power of an indestructible life (Heb 7:15-16) CHOSEN PEOPLE ARE A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD (1 PETER 2:9-10) A Chosen People Page 1 of 11 SS Lesson for 11/08/09

2 A Royal Priesthood who are holy because of belonging to God (vs 9) Belonging to God through a calling (Rom 1:6) Belonging to God because we have been bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20) Belonging to God because we have been redeemed as God's possessions (Eph 1:13-14) Belonging to God because God has chosen us (John 15:18-19) A Royal Priesthood who are being changed from alienated and guilty to a family and forgiven (vs 10) Family and forgiven because of finding mercy and grace (Heb 4:16) Family and forgiven because of the blood of the covenant (Matt 26:28) Family and forgiven through the prophet of the Most High (Luke 1:76-77) Family and forgiven because of belief in Jesus (Acts 10:43) Family and forgiven through the redemption by Jesus (Eph 1:7) CONCLUSION AND OTHER THOUGHTS CONCLUDING THOUGHTS FROM THE NIV STANDARD LESSON COMMENTARY CONCLUDING THOUGHTS FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR PRACTICAL POINTS FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR HEART OF THE LESSON FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR Chosen to grow to maturity as believers (1 Pet. 2:1-3) Chosen to offer spiritual sacrifice to God (1 Pet. 2:4-8) Chosen to be a special people (1 Pet. 2:9-10) A Chosen People Page 2 of 11 SS Lesson for 11/08/09

3 Introduction Overview and Approach to Lesson The major outline of the lesson came from a previous SS Lesson dated 01/11/2003. The lesson teaches about being a Chosen People. The study's aim is to demonstrate that all those who put their faith in Jesus Christ are God's chosen people. The study's application is to show that when we trust Jesus as our Lord, we become His chosen people, with all the privileges that come with that. Lesson Introduction and Background From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary Building Projects Measure twice, cut once. Fresh paint covers a multitude of mistakes. A job worth doing is worth doing right. These and many other axioms form the folk wisdom of remodelers and their construction projects. One engaged in such work soon learns, however, that slogans must be backed up by the right tools, quality materials, a good plan, and practiced skills. Unfortunately, many church buildings look as if they have been thrown together over the years by amateurs with little advance planning. To achieve quality results in building projects requires the patience, diligence, and planning abilities of a skilled builder. The true craftsman will not use cull lumber or sloppy workers. The master will not proceed with half-baked plans. The true artisan will not hurry the project to conclusion by cutting corners or compromising the design. The New Testament sometimes pictures the church as a spiritual house, an edifice constructed by God for his glory. Paul uses this construction metaphor to picture the church as a temple built on the foundation of the apostles with Jesus as the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20, 21; compare 1 Corinthians 3:9 11). God is the master craftsman with the perfect plan. We are his building material, and he has refined us and sanctified us through his Spirit to be just as he desires. We are built by God to be his chosen household, his holy habitation, or dwelling (Ephesians 2:22). Lesson Background In the ancient world, building construction was much more difficult than it is today. There were no big-box construction supply stores in Jerusalem or Rome. There was no precut lumber or pre-hung doors. Abandoned structures provided the most readily available construction material, particularly in terms of their stone blocks. If one was building a structure out of stone, it was much easier to take a block from an older building, clean and dress it a bit, and use it immediately. The burdensome alternative was to find a nearby source of suitable stone, set up a quarry operation, and transport blocks to the construction site. There were cheaper alternatives to stone buildings, of course. Tents could be lavish and spacious, but these lacked a sense of permanence and grandeur. Bricks could be made on site if the right type of soil was present, but bricks might be limited in size and function. Wood was adaptable for many purposes, of course. But most of the forested areas surrounding cities had long been harvested. So large amounts of timber usually had to be imported from considerable distances (compare 1 Kings 5). Wood was susceptible to rot, and therefore it lacked the durability of stone. All things considered, then, there was no substitute for stone when erecting grand public buildings such as temples. An example that Peter was familiar with was the Jerusalem temple as reconstructed by Herod the Great. Herod s builders reconstructed the foundation of the temple mount using massive ashlars or foundation stones. The largest of these that survives has dimensions of 12' x 12' x 48' and weighs an estimated 400 tons. Even the most ambitious of the temple destroyers since Herod has been unable to budge or crack this monolith. While Peter does not mention the Jerusalem temple specifically in today s lesson text, he does seem to have it in mind. We know that he was a frequent visitor to the temple courts when in the holy city (see Acts 3:1; 5:42). If he were in Rome at the time he penned 1 Peter, he also would have witnessed the massive stone structures of that imperial city. These included the colossal structures of the Temple of Jupiter and the original Pantheon of Agrippa. We should remember the general context and purpose of Peter s letters: advice on how to live as Christians in the midst of hostile nonbelievers. Peter draws on his deep knowledge of the Old Testament and his rich A Chosen People Page 3 of 11 SS Lesson for 11/08/09

4 Jewish heritage to present his case for the church as a holy, exemplary people who are dedicated to the service of God. From the Bible Expositor and Illuminator All of us want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. People seek satisfaction in the country they live in, the company they work for, or the sports teams they root on to victory. Another thing all of us want is to be part of something that will have lasting value. People want to be remembered, to contribute something important. The problem with all of man's efforts apart from God is that sin isolates him from true unity with others. Further, the wages of sin death prevents any of his efforts from having permanent effect. In this week's Scripture text, Peter presented his readers with a picture of a life of eternal value and purpose. How different this is from the life of unbelievers! Our lesson picks up where we left off last week. Peter's quotation from Isaiah had emphasized the insubstantiality of life apart from God. Instead of hating their persecutors, God's people should pity them. Peter undertook to show his readers just how glorious their standing in Christ Is. In this light, the lure of the world grows dim. In this week's lesson Peter teaches us a very important concept through the image of a building. Together, we are God's house. Each one of us is a single stone in that building. We are living stones in God's house. We all know what it means to be privileged. In one setting or another, we all have experienced being given preferential treatment over others because of our particular standing in that setting. Jesus offers us the same special standing when we make a choice to follow Him and enter into a relationship with Him as our Lord. We become His very own chosen people. As a result of that, we enjoy the privileges that come with that position. Major Theme Analysis (Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV) Chosen People who are Purified through Obedience to God's Word (1 Peter 2:1-3) 1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Obedient to God's Word by the removal of sin (vs 1) The removal of sin by putting aside deeds of darkness (Rom 13:12) 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. The removal of sin by putting off the old self (Eph 4:22-24) 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. The removal of sin by putting to death the earthly nature (Col 3:5-6) 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. The removal of sin by throwing off everything that hinders (Heb 12:1) 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. A Chosen People Page 4 of 11 SS Lesson for 11/08/09

5 The removal of sin by getting rid of all moral filth (James 1:21) 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Obedient to God's Word by the ingestion of Word (vs 2-3) The ingestion of Word by being good soil for it to grow in (Matt 13:23) 23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." The ingestion of Word by accepting and obeying it (John 17:6-8) 6 "I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. The ingestion of Word by examining it daily (Acts 17:11) 11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. The ingestion of Word by accepting it as the actual Word of God (1 Thess 2:13) 13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. The ingestion of Word by eating of the bread of life (John 6:48-51) 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Milk (from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary) Milk is an essential ingredient of life, particularly for newborns. For virtually all mammals, milk is produced for the newborn by the mother. In fact milk production is tied directly to the birth of the infant; without pregnancy and birth, there is no milk production. As a city-bred boy, I did not initially understand this. It wasn t until I was in graduate school that I realized the connection. I thought cows produced milk as automatically as sheep produce wool, not realizing the gestation of a baby is required to initiate milk production. Those who promote the consumption of milk point out that it provides essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Chief among these is Vitamin D and calcium, but milk (and other dairy products) also provide healthy amounts of protein. Evidence exists that milk also provides some anticarcinogens. A key benefit for nursing infants is that mother s milk provides antibodies to get the baby off to a healthy start. These have both antibacterial and antiviral properties. In fact, mother s milk seems to have exactly the right amount of protein, calories, and antibodies to keep a baby healthy. Peter and others of the first century certainly were not aware of all these scientific facts. Even so, Peter presumed the healthy practice of babies being fed milk. Peter knew what he was talking about. Just as a physical milk is crucial to the health and vitality of the baby, so is spiritual milk essential to the health and vitality of the infant Christian. The Bible tells us that eventually we are to move from milk to the meat of the Word of God (1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:11 14). But milk comes first. A Chosen People Page 5 of 11 SS Lesson for 11/08/09

6 Chosen People are a Spiritual House being Built (1 Peter 2:4-6) 4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." Built with a foundation of Jesus (vs 4-5) A foundation of Jesus that no one can better (1 Cor 3:11) 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. A foundation of Jesus that is a cornerstone (Isa 28:16) 16 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. A foundation of Jesus in whose name everyone can be saved (Acts 4:11-12) 11 He is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." A foundation of Jesus in a building and household of believers (Eph 2:19-22) 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. A foundation of Jesus that is like a solid rock (Matt 7:24) 24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Built with a spiritual priest offering spiritual sacrifices (vs 5-6) Spiritual priest who services God and makes atonement for His people (Heb 2:17) 17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Spiritual priest who sympathizes with His people's weaknesses (Heb 4:14-15) 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are yet was without sin Spiritual priest who serves in the sanctuary built and set up by God (Heb 8:1-2) The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. A Chosen People Page 6 of 11 SS Lesson for 11/08/09

7 Spiritual priest who once for all provided the ultimate sacrifice for sin (Heb 9:24-28) 24 For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Spiritual priest who must be worshipped in spirit and in truth (John 4:24) 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." Chosen People Accept not Reject the Cornerstone - Jesus (1 Peter 2:7-8) 7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone," 8 and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. Confirmation of the Cornerstone (vs 7) Confirmation through God making Jesus the capstone (Ps 118:22-23) 22 The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; 23 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Confirmation from the apostles recognizing Jesus as having the words of eternal life (John 6:67-69) 67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." Confirmation by the Gentiles who found righteousness through the stone of Zion (Rom 9:30-33) 30 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. 32 Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." 33 As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Confirmation by Jesus having all the fullness of the Deity and being the head stone over every power and authority (Col 2:9-10) 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority Power of the Cornerstone (vs 8) Power that was given by God to Jesus (John 13:3) 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; A Chosen People Page 7 of 11 SS Lesson for 11/08/09

8 Power as the Son of God (Rom 1:2-4) 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Power that spans not only this age but also the next (Eph 1:19-21) 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come Power of an indestructible life (Heb 7:15-16) 15 And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. Chosen People are a Royal Priesthood (1 Peter 2:9-10) 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. A Royal Priesthood who are holy because of belonging to God (vs 9) Belonging to God through a calling (Rom 1:6) 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. Belonging to God because we have been bought with a price (1 Cor 6:19-20) Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. Belonging to God because we have been redeemed as God's possessions (Eph 1:13-14) 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession to the praise of his glory. Belonging to God because God has chosen us (John 15:18-19) 18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. A Royal Priesthood who are being changed from alienated and guilty to a family and forgiven (vs 10) Family and forgiven because of finding mercy and grace (Heb 4:16) 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. A Chosen People Page 8 of 11 SS Lesson for 11/08/09

9 Family and forgiven because of the blood of the covenant (Matt 26:28) 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Family and forgiven through the prophet of the Most High (Luke 1:76-77) 6 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, Family and forgiven because of belief in Jesus (Acts 10:43) 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." Family and forgiven through the redemption by Jesus (Eph 1:7) 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace Conclusion and Other Thoughts Concluding Thoughts from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary How would you react if you learned that the Queen of England were coming to visit your home? Would you clean, paint, and prepare carefully? Or would you let the trash accumulate until the house smelled like a landfill? Even if we are not British, most of us would feel honored to have a visit from royalty, and we would want to be seen at our best. Within the church, there is (or should be) a real sense that all are royals. Do we act like royalty in the best sense of the word? Do we treat fellow Christians as if they are princes and princesses? Most of all, do we honor King Jesus in all we do? Are we his obedient servants? One of the things that distinguished the Jews from other nations in the ancient world was their awareness of being a chosen people, a holy nation set apart by God for his purposes. This role of being the holy people of God was continued in the church by its early leaders leaders such as Peter. May we honor this role in the year 2010 and beyond as we work toward the unity of believers as a holy, royal nation for Jesus. Concluding Thoughts from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator Last week we learned about holiness and the fact that God expects us to be holy. This week we learn why. Why does God want us to be holy? It is because we are a "chosen generation." We are a "royal priesthood, an holy nation." When you were a child, you may have been involved in games on the playground. Team captains began choosing sides. Of course, everyone always wanted the biggest, strongest, and fastest boy or girl on his or her team. No one wanted to be chosen last. If you are a Christian, God has chosen you. He did not choose you because you were smarter, kinder, or more giving. He chose you because He is God. There is also no "last" with God. His choice has nothing to do with who we are. We need to keep in mind the truth of Romans 5:8: "God commendeth (demonstrates) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." We did nothing to merit salvation because we were completely without merit when God chose us. We are also a "royal priesthood." This combines two ideas: royalty and intercession. We are priests on our own because God has given us access at any time (Heb. 4:16). It is royal because we are serving the King of kings. We are a "holy nation." As was mentioned last week, "holy" has the idea of separation. It is interesting that separation is something that goes all the way back to the Creation. God separated the light from the darkness (Gen. 1:4) and the "waters from the waters" (vs. 6). God has separated His people from the world. He expects us to stay that way. But it is important that we are not separated just for the sake of being separated. We are separated to God. He is the one we are to stay close to. Peter went on to say that we are a "peculiar people." That is often joked about, but the joke is usually based on a misunderstanding of what this means. "Peculiar" means that we are a possession. We are God's very own. That is amazing in itself. God owns us because He created us, but He also owns us because He has A Chosen People Page 9 of 11 SS Lesson for 11/08/09

10 redeemed us by the sacrifice of Christ. We are doubly His. Now we see what the point of all this is. It is to "shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." God has blessed us with all these wonderful blessings for one specific purpose: to bring Him praise. Sometimes people (even Christians) wonder what the deal is with God always wanting praise. Some even think He is on an ego trip. That would be true of a human but not of God. There is no one greater. He does deserve praise and glory. Satan tries to convince people that God is full of Himself, but that is not true. He is full of glory, holiness, and goodness. There is nothing vain about Him. He deserves our praise. He has brought us out of darkness into His wonderful light! Praise be to His name! Practical Points from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator 1. Spiritual growth comes when we embrace God's Word and leave sin behind (1 Pet. 2:1-3) 2. We must never allow the world's opinions to keep us from following Christ (vs. 4) 3. Spiritual growth occurs as we participate in the community of believers (vs. 5) 4. We should be prepared for rejection, tor we represent the One the world rejects (vs. 6-8) 5. Our high position carries a high responsibility telling others about our Lord (vs. 9) 6. We should serve God humbly, always recalling His mercy (vs. 10) Heart of the Lesson from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator By His grace, God has chosen believers to be His own special people. We are a corporate entity. Though chosen, we have the need to grow in our relationship with the Lord. As we mature, we are engaged in offering spiritual sacrifices to the Lord. At all stages in our spiritual maturing we have the privilege to witness to others about God's glory. Chosen to grow to maturity as believers (1 Pet. 2:1-3) There are five things from which we must divest ourselves in order to be the holy people God intends us to be. These sins of thought and speech place barriers between believers. Ill will, intentional dishonesty, pretentious spirituality, resentfulness, and evil speaking about others have no place in a believer's life. These negative qualities hinder spiritual growth. At the same time, we should be like newborn babies, who have a ravenous hunger for nourishment. Babies crave milk because of hunger pains. Our hunger pains should be for God's Word. Hunger is instinctive for a newborn, and it should be instinctive for us to feed on God's Word. The nourishment of God's Word promotes spiritual maturing toward the ultimate fulfillment of our salvation. We crave spiritual nourishment because we have experienced the Lord's salvation and found Him to be gracious. Chosen to offer spiritual sacrifice to God (1 Pet. 2:4-8) Jesus Christ is the rock of our salvation. He provides stability. As the living rock, He is our source of life. His rejection by men does not alter the fact that God has chosen Christ to be the rock of salvation. He is precious to God and to us as well. Believers are living stones fitted together into a spiritual house. Our special function is that of a spiritual priesthood. The Lord has set us aside to offer spiritual sacrifices of worship, praise, and dedication to Him as priests. Though we are imperfect, we have the assurance from Him that He accepts our offerings through Christ. Christ is the chief cornerstone of this building made up of believers. We will never have reason to be ashamed that we belong to Him. Regardless of what men say about Christ, the truthfulness and reality of our salvation will endure. He is precious to those who believe in Him. The rejection of men does not change the Father's purpose to make Him the cornerstone of our salvation. God always has the last word. In sharp contrast to believers are those who reject and disobey God's Word. They stumble over Christ because they are offended by the message of the gospel. God's Word tells them that they are sinners in need of the Saviour. This is contrary to their own perception of salvation by good deeds. Their stumbling over Christ means they face eternal condemnation. It is either trust in Christ or stumble over Him in unbelief into eternal doom. A Chosen People Page 10 of 11 SS Lesson for 11/08/09

11 Chosen to be a special people (1 Pet. 2:9-10) Believers are a chosen generation of God's people. We were selected by Him for the purpose of serving as priests and belonging to God as His special possession. We witness to the excellencies of God. God invited us to leave the darkness of sin for the light of His truth. The only appropriate response to His mercy is our praise and spiritual sacrifices. Prior to His special call, we were not the people of God. Now that God has called us, we have received His mercy as His special people. A Chosen People Page 11 of 11 SS Lesson for 11/08/09