1 Peter 2:12 – Who Are We? – Bible study

1 Peter 2:12 Who Are We? We each wear many different hats. Often, what we do is the name we go by. In my life, I have done a wide variety of tasks. Because I did those tasks, I was called by certain titles or given certain positions. At one time, I helped electricians in the wiring of houses. I dont know that I was ever an electrician, but I was at least an electricians flunky. At another time, several times in fact, I worked at hamburger joints. Sometimes, most of the time, I cooked the burgers, so I was the cook. For a few years, I closed the store and counted the inventory at night. That made me the third manager. Of all the things I have been called, the one I have liked the best has been "pastor" and preacher." However, I have been called all of these things because I do. That is not the way it works in Gods kingdom. In Gods kingdom, God gives us the title first, and He then expects us to live up to it. That may sound strange, but it is Gods way. God has given to Christians a lot of titles. At this point, you may not be living up to the titles that God has given to us, but He expects us to do so. There are a lot of these titles. Lets look at a few. I. \#11\ In the world, we are pilgrim and a stranger. 1Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; A. We are not necessarily called pilgrims and strangers because of what we have done. God gave us these titles because of what He wants us to be. B. God wants us to be pilgrims and strangers in this world. 1. Pilgrims are those on a continuous journey. a. We dont have them in our country, not exactly like they are in Israel. b. In Israel and the Arabic world, they are called Nomads. (1) They are not bums. (2) Indeed, they might be very wealthy, but they chose to live the life of a wanderer. c. I suppose the closest thing to a pilgrim in our land might have been the Gypsies. 2. Strangers are those with no friendships. a. A stranger is someone no one knows, not because they are unfriendly but because they have not been here before. b. In one way of thinking, as soon as you meet a stranger, he isnt a stranger anymore. 3. Now, God is not telling us that we cannot own property, have family, work a job, and live our lives; but He is telling us with these titles that He does not want us to get attached to this world or to the people of this world. 4. We are to remain mobile and emotionally free from the places and people of this world. C. God gives us this title and imagery for our benefit. Why? 1. Because a love for this world will compromise our love and devotion to Jesus. 1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. a. The two loves are extreme! b. The more Gods people get involved in the things of this world, the less you tend to serve Jesus. Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. 2. Because if our allegiance is to Jesus, the world is going to hate us. John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. D. In this world, our worth is determined by our separation from it. 1. I know the world will mock you, laugh at you, curse and fire you. 2. But if you are the same as they are, they will never listen to you. 3. You have to be different to be effective. 4. Not just different for the sake of different, but different in holiness, in righteousness, and godliness. II. \#2\ In the Word, we are a babes. 1Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: A. Again, we are not babies for what we do. We are babies because that is what God wants us to be. 1. There is a characteristic of a baby that God wants us to copy. 2. Now, babies do two things really well. a. They eat. b. They mess up. c. God is wanting us to shoot for that first picture. B. It is interesting that both Peter and Paul use this image, but to different ends. 1. Listen to how the Lord lead Paul to uses the image. a. He is describing the believers at Corinth. 1Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. b. He is speaking of how some spiritual people view themselves. Romans 2:20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. c. The writer is describing some believers among the Hebrews. Hebrews 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. d. In all of these passages, the notion of being a babe is temporary and represents immaturity. (1) In Corinth and Hebrews, the writer was saying babyhood is a state you should have already out grown. (2) In Romans, he was speaking that the purpose of instruction is to grow us on through that stage. (3) And in Hebrews the writer is telling us that babies are unskilled. 2. Peters use of the term is completely different. a. Peter is presenting babyhood as a forever thing. b. Peter is advocating being hungry for the things of God like a baby is hungry for the food. c. That is not something to outgrow. It is not to be a temporary condition. And it is certainly not a sign of immaturity. C. So by calling us babes, God is telling us what He wants us to be HUNGRY for Bible, HUNGRY to learn truth 1. It is almost always good for a Christian to feed on the Word. 2. The only time when it is not good, is when he is not getting enough exercise to work off the nutrients that he is taking in. 3. In other words, God doesnt want any FAT babies. 4. He wants us to work up an appetite and come back to His Word hungry again. Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. D. When it comes to the Word, our worth is determined by our hunger and devotion to it. III. \#5\ In the church, you are a lively stone. 1Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. A. Again, this is not necessarily what we are. This is what we should become. B. A living stone is something you build with. 1. In the church, your worth is not determined by what Christ has done for you but by what you do for Him. 2. Gods desire is that we are to be built into a spiritual house. 3. Get this. God does not want you to be the ornament that gets hung on the wall. a. He wants you to be the wall that the ornaments are hung upon. b. The kind of stones that Peter is talking about are not light. They are heavy and dense. c. So God is wanting us to be the part of the house that holds everything else. d. If an ornament goes missing, I probably wont notice it. a. Its small and pretty but non-essential. b. So it likely fly beneath my radar. e. However, if a wall goes missing, I am apt to notice that. f. Too many Christians are the pretty ornaments when they are supposed to be the essential wall. C. That which makes a stone valuable is determined by: 1. Its composition. What are you made of? 2. Its density or strength. How strong are you? 3. Its durability. How long are you going to last? 4. Its beauty. D. Your worth as a stone, something God can build with, is your stability and strength to stay where God put you. 1. Huey Stone traveled to Ireland. 2. Wall was built 1600 years ago, the days of Jesus, the days of the Turks. IV. \#9\ In the eyes of Jesus, you are chosen, royal, holy, and peculiar people. 1Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: A. One more time. This may not be what we are, but it is what we are supposed to be. B. Peter has described us from different perspectives. I believe this is what Jesus sees us as. 1. Chosen – elect – handpicked by God a. Election scares some so much that they have not thought about what it really means. (1) Some people are afraid they or someone they love may not be chosen for heaven by God. (2) If you want to be chosen, get saved. (3) Anyone who calls on Jesus in faith and repentance is the chosen! b. But then put away you fear and realize, God wanted us. c. All of those who will accept Jesus, God chose to be His! 2. Royal Priesthood a. To be a priest is to be a servant of God. b. To be royal is to be His highest servant. It is beyond the office of High Priest! c. God wants you to be the highest of all of His servants. 3. Holy nation a. Notice that God does not see us as individuals here but as a part of the whole. b. He desires us to be holy, the holiest people that God has ever had. 4. Peculiar people a. Peculiar – Different, odd, strange b. That comes by not being of this world as the image of pilgrim and stranger illustrates. C. But notice that in this image, we are told why God wants us to be these things. 9. ..that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: