No media available

Reference

1 Peter 1:13-2:12

We are called to live a particular kind of way. We are called to be holy. 

What does it mean to be holy?

  • by being set apart and by living according to God’s ways, and not of the world, which evidently makes us strangers in society.

Why are we called to holiness?

  • Because we are journeying towards salvation, to where we truly belong, our eternal home. 

To be called to holiness is an honourable and special call.

  • Peter describes us, as chosen people called to holiness:
    • Living stones: The living stone was used in the Old Testament to describe the messiah which will be equivalent to telling us we are a king, queen, president or prime minister.
    • A spiritual house: This means a temple. The temple was God’s earthly dwelling place, a holy place.
      • Our equivalent to the temple Peter is referring to would be Buckingham palace, where entry into the palace is restricted also.
    • A holy priesthood: In ancient Israel, the Levities were given the honour of serving as priests.
      • Priests are mediators between God and the rest of the nation.
      • Only priests can offer sacrifices.  
  • Peter is telling us that we are as special as and even more than all these things!

We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for his own possession.

  • God chose and called you out of the darkness of a meaningless life, an eternity apart from Him, into His wonderful light, to be His people. 

We are special, precious, and honourable because of God’s gracious call.  But, being special also requires us to live our lives differently.

  • We are to live like sojourners and exiles.
  • Life of sojourners and exiles will be tough and challenging.
  • But sojourners and exiles know where they are is only temporary, as they are on their way journey to their home. The place where they fully belong. 

Ultimately, we are living in great tension:

  • Called to be holy (set apart), and 2) to live differently because of the call. 

This is your call. The call to be set apart. So accept the honour, and accept the challenges that come with the call. Be patient, and hopeful. Persevere.

We expect life to be tough because we are special, we are different. 

But we are not alone as sojourners, we have the church, our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are also journeying with us. All of us are sojourners, called to be a holy nation, a people of God. And as sojourners, we are special and precious because of the honour of being called by God to be Holy.