Unleashing the Church II

After part I of this series exposing God’s INITIATIVE to release ‘the city’ from bondage through the person of Christ, I guess people could quite sarcastically say, “Well where’s your Jesus now? Who’s God going to use now to sort out all the cr*p?”
They would not be the first to wonder about that (see Acts 1:6-9), but the answer is simple: The CHURCH!

Sadly, the church today is suffering a massive identity crisis!
If we the church do not know who we are then there is no way we will know what we are to do.

For us to flourish, for us to fulfill our call ‘to release the city so to speak’ we must reaffirm our identity. And I don’t think there is a more identity exposing passage in all of scripture than then I Peter 2:9-10… this is mind-altering, heart changing, passion-inspiring stuff.
This passage answers three questions:

WHO ARE WE?
1) Chosen People”- This is the first of four metaphors used of Israel that now describe who we are as the church.
We are a new race defined not primarily by colour, wealth, social status or place of birth, we are defined primarily by our being chosen by God to be new creations in Christ.
Read Jn. 1:12, 13.

“CHOSEN”See Eph. 1:4; Rom 8: 28; Jn. 15:16; II Tim. 1:9; I Pet. 1:3
2) “Royal Priesthood”- To understand this second metaphor more fully we must delve into the OT. Look at Ex. 19:6
WE ARE ROYALTY (The ‘glory’ of royalty is: 1) Honour of a Kingdom, 2) The possessions of a King, 3) The authority of a king)
We are co heirs with Christ! Gal. 4:6-7
PRIESTS- There is now no longer just one person once a year that is allowed access into God’s presence, WE CAN EACH ENJOY IT AT EVERY MOMENT! Heb 4:16.
What do we offer, what is our sacrifice? Rom 12:2 Lives dominated by the Holy Spirit, that bring joy and pleasure to God.
3) “Holy Nation”- We have a new citizenship Ph. 3:20.
The single greatest factor that distinguishes us is Holiness, we are a HOLY nation. This word means set apart. John McArthur explains:
“Holiness means that we have been set apart unto God. While that includes being set apart for service, the primary emphasis is our relationship with God…We are set apart not just from sin and hell, but to an intimate relationship with God.”

HOW DID WE GET THIS IDENTITY?
The fourth and final metaphor not only confirms our identity but gives us the answer to the 2nd question of how we get the identity we have.
4) “People belonging to God”- Here is where we must realize the beauty, the wonder the greatness of our identity. We are God’s possession, purchased for a price.
What Price? What price was paid? The blood of Christ; each drop of blood of the Son of God is of inestimable worth. It was shed for you!
Acts. 20:28; I Cor. 6:20; Tit. 2:14; I Pet. 1:18,19
“Received Mercy”-
“Called out of darkness into His wonderful light”-
Lazarus being called out of the tomb!
Eph. 2:1-7; Col 1:13, 14; 21, 22.

WHY THIS IDENTITY?
“Declare the praises of Him”- Note that we have 4 designations of who we are but just one purpose!
‘Declare:’ Only time in NT; advertise, publish, make widely known.
‘arete’- ‘Praises, Excellencies’: Heroic deeds, perfections, unparalleled love etc. of God.

“He has given us our identity in order that His identity might be proclaimed through us. God made us who we are so we could make known who He is… Therefore being a Christian and making the greatness of God known are almost identical”

–Piper

OUR LIVES MUST BE A DECLARATION OF PRAISE!

Simon