A Daily Walk

Guest (Male): Pastor John Randall reminds us of God's great love for us that changes everything, including our perspective on life and adversity.

John Randall: Just to know that God loves me, to think that God loves me, to think this morning, folks, that God loves you. If you only knew how much God loves you, that changes the perspective. Whatever comes into your life has to pass through the loving hands of God. I don't know every purpose of God. I don't know why God does some of the things that he does.

I have some questions that I'm sure will one day be answered when I'm in his presence. But I do know this: I know that he loves me. And therefore, if I know that he loves me, there must be a purpose in this. And so I don't doubt him; I must trust him.

Guest (Male): From Calvary South OC, this is A Daily Walk where you'll never have to walk alone. Locate us online at adailywalk.org and stay tuned after the message for a special offer from us.

As we continue to make our way through the New Testament, we make a stop at 1 Peter chapter 2, verses 9 through 12. You'll hear momentarily who we are called to be and then what we are called to do. Here is Pastor John Randall with his message: Living in the Light.

John Randall: Writing to the scattered church that was suffering tremendous persecution and hardship. To those who were weary from the spiritual battle, tired in the midst of their trials, some who were rejected by families and communities for their commitment to follow Jesus Christ, the Apostle Peter presented a timely and powerful reminder of the church's true identity—who they were called to be and what they were called to do.

And it begins, if you notice, with a rather sharp contrast. If you look back at verse 8, at the end of the verse, it says, "They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed, but you are a chosen generation." There is a contrast. There's a contrast between those who stumble and the reason why they stumble. It says it here: Why did they stumble? Because they were disobedient to the word of God.

The sin that we stumble into, we have been warned in advance to stay away from it. But if we don't walk in obedience to the word of God, it should come as no surprise that we stumble into sin. They were disobedient to God's word, and thus what followed is sin. And that is always the case.

But in contrast to those who were stumbling, being disobedient to the word, Peter declared, "But you, on the other hand, you, first of all, are a chosen generation." When Peter refers to the believers as a chosen generation, he's reaching back to Old Testament scripture found in Deuteronomy chapter 7.

In Deuteronomy chapter 7, Moses presented God's calling upon the nation of Israel. And he said to them, "The Lord did not set his love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples. But because the Lord loves you, and because he would keep the oath which he swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt."

God always had a plan for the nation of Israel, and he still does. That will ultimately be prophetically fulfilled in the future. But when he originally called the nation of Israel, they were supposed to be a light to all the other nations. Other nations were to see Israel and God's relationship to them and desire that for themselves.

Unfortunately, Israel did not walk in obedience to the commands of the Lord. But the Lord tells them that the reason that he chose them initially, it wasn't because they were more in number. The reason why God selected them for a specific purpose was simply because he loved them. That is the reason why he chose them.

And much in the same way, the Lord has a redemptive plan for Gentiles, for the church. He called us. He chose us. Again, not because we were superior, but because he is gracious and he loves us and he has always had a plan for us. Just as God called the people of Israel to be a unique nation with a special purpose among the pagan kingdoms, he has called the church to be a unique witness of Jesus Christ in the midst of a wicked world.

Jesus said it this way in John chapter 15 and verse 16. He declared, "You did not choose me, but I chose you and I appointed you to go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain." In Ephesians chapter 1, the Apostle Paul put it this way. He said, "Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love."

Consider the gracious gift that God chose us to be a part of his family. Peter is reminding the church precisely how valuable every member of the body of Christ is to God. When Peter says you're a chosen generation, he is emphasizing God's loving initiative in salvation.

Matthew Henry said it this way: "All true Christians are a chosen generation. They all make one family, a sort and species of people, distinct from the common world, of another spirit, principle, and practice, which they could never be if they were not chosen in Christ to be such and sanctified by his Spirit."

But not only is the church referred to here as a chosen generation, but Peter adds to this: a royal priesthood. When Peter mentions a royal priesthood, again, folks, this takes us back to Old Testament scripture. This time Exodus chapter 19 in verse 5 when it says, "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to me above all people; for all the earth is mine. And you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."

Again, these words were initially spoken to the nation of Israel. However, as believers in the New Testament in Jesus Christ, we collectively get to share in the privilege of being a part of this royal priesthood. We have not replaced Israel. There is nothing biblically speaking concerning replacement theology, as some people teach. We just have an opportunity to participate in something where we were formerly excluded.

We are part of, grafted into, this royal priesthood. In fact, in Revelation chapter 1, verse 6, the Bible declares, "He has made us kings and priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." In Revelation chapter 5, verse 10, it says, "And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." And then in Revelation chapter 20 in verse 6, it says, "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."

So, folks, when Peter writes, "You are a royal priesthood," we discover that all believers will one day participate in God's kingdom that includes ruling, reigning, and worshiping him. A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, set apart for the purposes of God. Peter adds, "His own special people." That phrase translated means a purchased people, a treasured possession. It's a word that means that which is acquired by purchase with the corresponding idea of preservation of that which is purchased.

Isn't that beautiful? We were purchased by Christ at the cross. We are preserved by Christ, redeemed through sacrifice. All that once exclusively belonged to Israel, now the church gets to be a part of. Not the land, not God's prophetic future and covenant with them, but as it relates to serving the Lord, being a kingdom of priests.

A chosen generation. "The description of the church," someone said, "is systematic and exhaustive. It is a race and this suggests its life principle. It's a priesthood and so it has right and access to God. It is a nation so it is under his government. It is a possession and so is actually indwelt by him."

This is who we are. This is what Peter wanted the church who was suffering to understand. You need to know who you are. You need to know what your calling is because when you are in the midst of adverse circumstances, you can easily forget what you're called to be. Is this part of my calling? Yes, this is part of your calling, but don't forget who you are.

But listen, all of these blessings that we just had listed, they didn't always belong to us. Did you know that? We didn't always have access to these things to which Peter just mentioned. Because in the very next verse, he tells us in verse 9, "That you," this is who you are, "that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." Verse 10, "Who were once not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now presently we have obtained mercy."

We didn't always have access to these blessings. We weren't always the people of God. We weren't always a chosen generation. Well then, how did this happen? Having mentioned who we are called to be, Peter adds, "This is what you're called to do." What are we called to do? He says you are called, notice this, to proclaim the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

When the Bible refers to darkness in this context, it is spiritual darkness. It means to have no fellowship in relationship to God. There is no fellowship; thus, I am in darkness, not in light. Living in rebellion to God and his will is the equivalent of living in spiritual darkness.

Jesus said in John chapter 3 in verse 19, "This is the judgment, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." Jesus is the light that came into the world. We were in darkness. And why were we in darkness? Here's one fact: we loved it. We loved it. That's why we were in it. Sin is pleasurable for a season, or no one would do it. No one would be involved in it. No one would chase after it. There is an allure to the flesh. There's a desire that tries to bait you in, "Oh, this is going to be so great. You're going to love this. This is so awesome. You're going to have such a great time. Do it. Do it. Do it now."

And then afterwards comes the consequences, comes the fallout, comes the collateral damage of pursuing that. We were in darkness. In 2 Corinthians chapter 4, Paul said it this way. He said, "Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who don't believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them." So we loved darkness, we didn't believe that Jesus was the savior initially, and therefore we were blinded by darkness.

And then in Ephesians chapter 4, because we love darkness and our minds were blinded by darkness, this is what Paul said: "Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart." This is the state of the person who loves darkness, who lives in darkness, who pursues darkness. They are blind in their own willful ignorance because their heart is blinded.

However, when a person comes to Christ, when the glorious gospel shines upon them and they respond to it by faith, what happens to that person? Colossians chapter 1, verse 13 tells us what happens. "He has delivered us," the word is rescued, "rescued us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his love."

We were in absolute darkness with no hope of light, and Jesus came into this world to rescue us out of darkness and bring us into his light. And now what is my response to coming out of darkness and into light? You know my response is? Proclaim to this world the praises of the one who saved me. That's what I'm called to do, to proclaim his praises. I was once blind, now I see. That is my testimony. I was once in darkness, now I'm in the light. I was once dead, now I am very much alive because of the work of Christ in me.

But let me pause this morning and just say this to you: Are you still in darkness? Are you here this morning, somebody invited you, or you've come on a regular basis, or you heard about this church, and for some reason you showed up today, but the fact remains you are in darkness? You say, "Well, how do I know if I'm in darkness? How would I know that I'm in darkness?"

1 John chapter 1, verse 5 tells us. John declared, "This is the message that we have heard and declared to you: God is light, in him there's no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie. We don't practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanses us from all sin."

How do you know if you're still in darkness? I'll tell you how you know. If you're living like you've always lived. If you live in the same places, you run with the same crew, you do the same old things you've always been doing, and there's no conviction and there's no repentance and there's nothing that stirs you to come out of that. If you're living in a sexually immoral relationship, if you're out there drinking with all your friends and getting wasted, and you're out there doing this, you've got plans after church to do whatever, you checked the box, you came to church, and you're in light, but there's really no good fellowship, and then you leave and go back into darkness.

That's how you know. And here is what the Bible says. This is what the Bible says, we just read it: You lie. You're deceived in the sense. And listen, I can speak about this with authority, not just from the scriptural standpoint, which is the most authority, but from personal experience. I was this guy very much a long time ago. I know what it's like to think you're in light and actually be in darkness. To have enough light to not feel totally comfortable in darkness, and to have enough darkness to show up amidst the people of light and think, "When is this over? I've got to get out of here so I can go back to darkness." I mean, that is kind of where you live. It's a terrible place to be. Friend, listen, come out of darkness. Come into the light today.

When you come out of darkness and into light, do you know what you're going to experience? Peter tells us. He tells us here: the mercy of God. Formerly we didn't have that, but now we have mercy. Mercy—not getting what we deserve. We deserve judgment. We deserve wrath. We deserve all of that. But God says, "I want to show you mercy. I want to show you mercy. Just come out of darkness. Let me be merciful to you." The fact that the door is open to come out of darkness into light is a clear demonstration of the mercy of God. Respond to his mercy.

Peter then warns these believers who have been called out of darkness into light not to go back to darkness. For he declares in verse 11, "Beloved, I beg you as sojourners, as pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul." Keep in mind, those who were receiving this letter, I reiterate it again, were in the midst of very painful circumstances.

And when you go through difficult circumstances or your faith is tested or trials come, there is the temptation from your own flesh, from the devil, to think, "What's the use? Why not just give in? Why not just do what everybody else is doing? You know, it's hard to be a Christian. You know, I mean, this is difficult. Back in the day, it didn't seem like it really had any friction." That's because you were in prison. But there's nothing, you were conquered already; there's no battle.

So the thought is, when things get difficult, "You know, I'm going to turn back to this which at one time I thought gave me comfort. So I'm going to go back to this, and I deserve it. Hey, I just lost my..." You fill in the blank. "And therefore, I think I should..." No, that's the time when you definitely don't want that. But there's that justification. There's that insidious thought and deception of the flesh that wants to justify things that are destructive, especially when you are struggling.

"What's the use? Why not just give in to it? It's a whole lot more fun." So we deceive ourselves. "And besides, I wasn't really that bad anyway when I was back there. And I know plenty of people that are way worse than me."

Peter said, "Listen, you are a sojourner, you are a pilgrim. Therefore, abstain from these things." When he says you're a sojourner and a pilgrim, even before he gets to that, he calls them beloved. Did you know in two epistles Peter writes, 1 Peter and 2 Peter, two letters, eight times he tells the believers they're loved? Because you doubt it. You doubt it when you're going through difficult times. And the devil will say, "If God really loved you, this wouldn't happen to you. So therefore, live it up, man. Do what you want. It's cool. God's gracious. You know God forgives. Hey, when it's all said and done, just confess, he'll forgive you. Just take some of this cheap grace and just lather yourself up in it and do whatever you want."

Paul said, "Shall we sin that grace might abound? No, absolutely not. Don't do that." That's the danger, though. Peter reminds them that they're loved. Guys, the word that is used for "loved" here is so powerful. It says the word itself means love that is called out of one's heart by the preciousness of the object being loved. The beloved are those to whom Christ has shown his love. Love is a powerful motivation to do the right thing.

This is so important to remember. You know, recently on Wednesday nights, we finished the book of Daniel. And those of you who traveled with us through that book, you know that when we got to chapters 9 and 10, Daniel was interceding and agonizing over his nation, asking God for answers that he did not receive right away. But finally, when the angel of the Lord came to Daniel, three times in two chapters, he told him, "Daniel, you are greatly loved."

Oh, he needed to hear that. Just to know that God loves me, to think that God loves me, to think this morning, folks, that God loves you. If you only knew how much God loves you, that changes the perspective. Whatever comes into your life has to pass through the loving hands of God. I don't know every purpose of God. I don't know why God does some of the things that he does. I have some questions that I'm sure will one day be answered when I'm in his presence. But I do know this: I know that he loves me. And therefore, if I know that he loves me, there must be a purpose in this. And so I don't doubt him; I must trust him. So you need to know you're greatly beloved. And I love the fact that he's about to say something pretty heavy, pretty difficult. He's going to give an exhortation to abstain from things that war against the soul. But you know what he starts out with? "I love you. I love you."

Guest (Male): Pastor John Randall is leading us through the Bible right now on A Daily Walk. And I'd imagine some of you would like to hear this message from 1 Peter again. Maybe you joined us late. Go online to adailywalk.org and have a listen when it's most convenient. We're also on oneplace.com. Another way to listen to Pastor John's teachings is through our mobile app. It's free. Do a search for Calvary South OC.

We are super excited about this month's offer. It's a book from our friend in the ministry, Bill Stonebreaker, titled Spiritual Warfare in Marriage. Having a good and godly marriage doesn't come easy, and we have an enemy that seeks to kill and destroy it. In this helpful book, Pastor Bill shows us how to win the battle for a good marriage. We're making it available to our A Daily Walk listeners for the cost of $5. You can order online at adailywalk.org or call us at 877-242-0828. And anything given above that amount will be put to good use to help people all over the world grow in their daily walk as they listen to these daily studies, in some cases actually enter into a relationship with Christ.

Again, you can donate online safely and securely at adailywalk.org or call us at 877-242-0828. We say it often around here at A Daily Walk because it's true: we want to hear from you. It lets us know where the ministry is having an impact, and we also love praying for our listeners. Write to Pastor John by email today at adailywalk@gmail.com. That's adailywalk@gmail.com.

Well, our time together sure goes by quickly, doesn't it? We'll pick up where we left off in our through-the-Bible study next time. This has been A Daily Walk with Pastor John Randall, where you'll never have to walk alone.

This program is made possible through your generosity and brought to you by Calvary South OC.