Proclaim His Excellency, Show His Excellency!

007_build_sermonIMGGood Day Metro,

1 Peter 2:9-12 is a very awe-inspiring passage of Scripture! In those few verses Peter rehearses the astonishing realities of our salvation. We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for God's own possession. Each one of those descriptions is worthy of its own blog post! But those realities of who we are in Jesus Christ lay the foundation not only for who we are, but what we are to do. God has done all that He has for us in Jesus Christ, so that we may proclaim Jesus! Each of us gets to tell our conversion story. The first time we meet someone? With a total stranger? Possibly, but that isn't really what Peter seems to be saying. As 1 Peter 2 develops it becomes apparent that he is envisioning the church for seizing the everyday opportunities that come along in the regular patterns of our lives. In fact, that leads him to urge us as sojourners and exiles to live in such a way that it is apparent to others that we do indeed belong to God. We are to keep our conduct among an unbelieving world honorable, so that the world not only hears us declare the excellency of Jesus; they see it in how we live our lives. By grace, we can live a holy and set apart life, so that our demonstration is consistent with our proclamation. We need both. Pray for both! Pray for opportunities and seize the moments to tell the world (which simply means your co-workers, the person who takes your order at Starbucks a few times per week, your neighbor…you get the point!) the reason for the hope that is in you, and pray for the grace to live in such a way that the light of Jesus Christ shines forth from you, causing many to wonder, "why are you joyful, hopeful, helpful, etc?"

Aron