One of the great questions that we face as Christians is one that Christian philosopher, Francis Schaeffer, has asked, “How then shall we live?” If we, as Christians, are in a special relationship with God through Jesus then what impact does that have in our day-to-day lives? Should it make any difference? If so, then what does that difference look like? In what ways are we like everyone else and in what ways are we not the same?

Our Scripture reading is one of my favorites. Every time I read it I get excited as it reminds me of whose I am and who I am in Jesus. It is this 1st letter of Peter to the early Christians that he sets forth the contrasting lifestyles of those who follow Jesus and those who do not. It is verse 9 that is our focal point this morning as Peter describes who we are as Christians: “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God”. This verse for us is both one that engenders both pride and humility.

In these verses Peter sets forth that as Christians we have a special purpose, a mission possible, and that is to live out the gospel each and every day, to represent Jesus Christ everywhere we are and everywhere we go. It is not to be a place of honor and prestige but rather one of humble service as we take up the basin and towel, even as Jesus did. Unfortunately we often underestimate the role God has called us to for influencing our culture and changing our world.

Peter describes us as “royal priests, God’s own people.” A major portion of that call is to function as priests. In the Old Testament, the role of priest was to conduct worship and make the sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. Conversely the priest was also to speak to the people on behalf of God. So the priest was the mediator between God and man. Jesus changed all that and now as Peter writes in these verses, every believer is a priest. Martin Luther called it “the priesthood of all believers.”

Do then the question arises, “If I as a Christian am a priest, how do I function as a priest and how then shall I live my life day to day?” We go to Jesus on behalf of people. Each and every one of us has a direct line to God. We call it prayer. As ‘priests’ we pray for one another—family, friends, government leaders, missionaries, the sick, the needy, and even our enemies. It is amazing the number of times that people, who normally have little thought of the things of God, call us during times of tragedy to pray because they know that we are Christians and we are a praying people.

We also do the opposite and go to people on behalf of Jesus. For some strange reason, God has decided that He is going to use us, His people, to reach this lost world. Yes, the Holy Spirit is active to prepare the way but we are His people, God’s ambassadors, and His witnesses to those who don’t know Jesus. God has no other mind than the renewed mind of Christians to carry out His plan of salvation. God has no hands but our hands as believers. He has no other body but the redeemed bodies of His people that He has called to be living and holy sacrifices, acceptable to God.

Now, there are two concurrent avenues by which we live out our relationship of Jesus. One avenue is through the corporate body of Jesus, what we call the church. There are some things we do for Jesus that we can only do together and hence being a part of a local church is extremely important to our spiritual vitality and effectiveness. The other avenue is how we live and what we do, day to day, in our daily lives apart from the organized church ministries. This is what we do for Jesus on a one-to-one, individual basis in our contacts with and relationship to people. Let me give one example of how important this avenue is. In the area of church growth and outreach we know that some 5% of people who come to Jesus and His Church do so because of the church’s programming. Some 7% come to Jesus and the Church because of the pastor. Door to door, cold calls bring about 1% of people to Jesus and the church. Evangelistic crusades and revivals result in about ½%. The remaining 75% to 80% come to Jesus and the church at the invitation of a family member, a friend, or a neighbor.

Based on these numbers who do you think as more influence and more impact on people—the organized church or individuals who are living out their relationship to Jesus on a day-to-day basis?

Who are you? You are a chosen people, an holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people belonging to God! In the first part of vs 9 Peter tells us who we are. That is our identity or as I mentioned last week, “Who we be.”

The first part of verse 9 tells us who we are as followers of Jesus. The second part tells us what we are to do as Christians. When we get the ‘who we are’ right, then the ‘what we do’ follows naturally. Listen to this second part of vs 9, “That you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” As God’s creation we were made to enjoy the presence of God Himself. As God’s redeemed people we are recreated to glorify God in Christ Jesus. As Christians our primary task is not to become famous, nor to get rich, nor to gain security through the things of this world. Our primary task is to “declare the praises of Jesus Christ.” How do we do that? One way, as John tells us, is to “walk in the light as He [Jesus] is in the light.” How this works out practically in our daily lives is that everything we are and do is centered in God’s will for us. Jesus, who is the source of our life and eternal life, is the hub around which our lives are focused and centered. Paul wrote to the Christians of Colossae (3:17), “And whatever you do, whether in word or in deed, do it all in the name of Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

The context of Peter’s letter is that God is glorified when we lead lives of holiness. In vs 11 Peter gives a little insight into what a life is holiness looks like, “I urge you to abstain from all sinful desires which war against your soul.” The idea here is that the way we live will so ‘wow’ others that they will come to us and say, “What do you have that I don’t have? I want what you got!”

Unfortunately many people have the wrong idea that being a Christian is what you do for the Church. But the whole message of the Bible teaches us that living as a Christian encompasses every aspect of our lives—not just the church part! Our ‘holy priesthood’ tasks are primarily lived out in our homes and at our jobs. We live out the gospel at home by being faithful husbands and wives and parents to our kids. Let me ask: would your kids follow Jesus because of you or in spite of you? Are you a help to your kids’ relationship to Jesus or a hindrance as they see in you a double standard? I am not talking about being perfect but what I am talking about is being Christian—acting and living as Jesus would. It is in the home that we first function as servants to one another.

In the work world we function as God’s chosen people. Our work, our jobs matter to God and done in God’s way will bring God’s results. Your work is the mission field into which God has called you to serve Him and to be His witness and maybe the only ‘light’ in the whole place. Most of us don’t see it this way and often see a dichotomy between work and our relationship with Jesus. It may be that God put you in that job because someone at that job needs to see what a Christian looks like and how a Christian acts, lives, and works.

God calls us to be His man, woman, teen, child wherever He puts us. Daily I live for the Lord and God’s Spirit permeates every aspect of my life. At home we have our greatest influence keeping in mind that our kids are the only things we can take to heaven with us. At work we spend the greatest amount of time and can have a tremendous influence on many people because God’s work done in God’s way will bring God’s results. And we live for Jesus in and through our church, the body of Christ, where we have greater accountability to one another in our Christian witness knowing that we are to encourage one another and build each other up to a place of maturity in Christ.

And everywhere we go whether that is to our kids’ soccer games, to PTO, to ‘the Linc,’ to the mall, to Rotary, to ceramics or aerobics class—daily we as Christians live lives that become the gospel of Jesus Christ to people. Paul reminds us, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God!”

Thank You for Taking The Time to Read This Message.
May God Use These Words to Help You and Strengthen You.