Life in the Eyes of Christ

1 Peter 2

When I was growing up, I loved playing sports, more specifically, basketball. I was always the first to get picked because I was pretty good at it, but when it came to being picked for playing soccer, that was a whole different story. No one wanted me to play on their team for soccer because I couldn’t kick a ball, even if they paid me. I wanted to be chosen because I liked sports, but I was usually one of the last ones picked because I wasn’t good.

Now, what exactly does any of this have to do with 1 Peter 2? Everything!

1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” WOW!! What a bold statement to be made by Peter. Originally, God had chosen Israel as the holy nation of God. They were the “misfits” of the world, if you will.

Yet the region of Israel was chosen by God as His people, as His children. Of all the people in the world, the Lord chose to bless the nation of Israel, regardless of their position or status. So too, does that become the truth for us.

Regardless of our social status as “popular” or “uncool”, God has chosen you, as His children, and is still calling others to become children of God. John 1:12 tells us, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,”.

What a blessing that is, that we have the opportunity to become children of God, the creator of the heavens and of the earth. And the fact that even despite my sin, even in spite of your sin, He still makes available to us, sinners, the chance to become His children and to share in the inheritance that cannot be broken and that cannot rot, and that is, eternal life with Him!

There is the call being sent out, by God, and then there is the responsibility and duty of the person who receives the call, to act upon it. We need to answer the call. Those who God calls to give the privilege to become children, He makes available to us, not to just enjoy this gift for ourselves, but to also extend the gift to others, to share in this possession.

The verse says, “…a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you…,”.

We are to enjoy the gift of God, but we are also called to share this gift of God.

Question: When was the last time you shared this gift? When was the last time you told somebody about the grace, mercy and love of God?

God sent His own Son as a gift for us, why would we not share this gift, knowing that He sacrificed so much by giving of His Son, let us now, sacrifice our own pride, lay it down at His feet and proclaim the gospel!!!

Verse 24 of 1 Peter 2 tells us that, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

Yes indeed He bore our sins and yes indeed He did suffer and die on our behalf. If this does not bring joy into your life and if this does not grieve it at the same time because of the immense suffering of our Savior, then your view of Christ and who He is ought to changed today.

It was such a huge calling and burden on the life and body of Christ that He prayed with great drops of blood, “Lord if this cup can pass from me let it be done, nevertheless, not my will but Yours be done,”. It was such a burden but yet at the same time was such a blessing because He knew of what He was accomplishing.

Hebrews 12:2 says, “…who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” That’s it! It was the joy He had when He endured because He knew what He was doing, and why he was doing it. He did it to accomplish the will of God, to take upon His wrath and to forgive mankind of their sins.

That was the joy that was set before Him. Is the joy set before you today, to proclaim the message of Christ knowing the message of promise and truth that you are sharing? Let their be joy in your heart to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, knowing what He accomplished for you, let us now go accomplish the work of the Kingdom, to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.”