Chosen To Excel In Proclaiming His Excellencies (Pt 2)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” 1 Peter 2:9 (NAS)

Last week we began our inquiry into our chosen text (no pun intended!) from the pen of Peter looking specifically into the inspired citations of Old Testament passages that are packed into this one verse. As we mentioned last week, these attributes are designed to equip and motivate us to excel in proclaiming His excellencies to a world lost in darkness. This purpose, the Lord determined, is done best by communicating who He has made us, the church, to be in Christ.

Chosen To Excel In Proclaiming His Excellencies (Pt 1)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” 1 Peter 2:9 (NAS)

Peter, in his first inspired letter, demonstrates a pattern he utilizes as he is preparing to make an allusion or reference to an Old Testament passage. He inserts one of two words prior to his reference, using either ‘but’, or ‘for’ in the immediate context. Take a look and see for yourself. Check out 1 Peter 1:15-16; 1:24-25, 2:6-8, 2:9-10, 2:21-22, 3:10-12, 3;14, 4:17-18, and 5:5.

He Is The God Of The Living

“But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living. ” Matthew 22:31-32

Last week we looked at the  law of Levirate marriage (Deut. 25:5-11) and the customs associated with it.  The issue was raised in the context of  a question posed by the Sadducees designed to trap Jesus.  (Matt. 22:24-28)

Raise Up An Offspring

On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Him and questioned Him, saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘IF A MAN DIES, HAVING NO CHILDREN, HIS BROTHER AS NEXT OF KIN SHALL MARRY HIS WIFE, AND RAISE UP AN OFFSPRING TO HIS BROTHER.’ ” Matthew 22:23-24 (NAS)

As one reads through the Gospel accounts, an attentive eye will note that Satan wasn’t the only one who attempted to trap Jesus with quoted Scripture. The Sadducees, Pharisees and Herodians had all taken their shots at it with the Master.

Thrown Down By Pride, Lifted Up In Humility

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” James 4:6 (NAS)

Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, told the assembled multitude “You are to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt 5:48) No amount of massaging that passage is going to get you around the thrust of Jesus’ statement.

You Have Heard What The Ancients Were Told

“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’ ” Matthew 5:33 (NAS)

In the fifth chapter of the gospel of Matthew, the Spirit moves the apostle to note the six times Jesus uses the phrase  “you have heard that the ancients were told”, or “you have heard that it was said” as He delivered the sermon on the mount. The topics involved were murder, adultery, divorce, vows, retaliation, and love of not only your neighbor, but your enemies.

Know What This Means

“But if you had known what this means, ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.” Matthew 12:7 (NAS)

Superficial service to God in outward formalism seeking to justify oneself, and conversely, seek to judge another, has been the bane of man since   the earliest of times. It’s been around and it will continue to be around. It was no different in Jesus’ day. The record of a righteous, just God includes the demonstrated attribute of a compassionate and merciful God. This is part of what Jesus’ “coming in the world” (in the flesh) was designed to illustrate and illumine in all men.

For Thy Sake

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, ‘For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ ” Rom. 8:35-36

The apostle Paul is moved to quote the psalmist while iterating to the church the great confidence those in Christ carry in the face of  tribulation and persecution. The passage Paul references is found in Psalm 44: 22. Here we offer some of the preceding as well as the verse Paul quoted. “If we had forgotten the name of our God, or extended our hands to a strange god; would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. But for Thy sake we are killed all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Ps. 44:20-22 NAS)

Stumbling Into Hell

“And if your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. “

Mark 9:50

The Lord Jesus Christ, in a discourse concerning service, sanctification and things that cause His disciples to stumble, quotes from the prophet Isaiah. The original inspired utterance is found in Isaiah 66:24. “Then they shall go forth and look on the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched; and they shall be an abhorrence to all mankind.”

Out of Egypt

And he arose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed for Egypt; and was there until the death of Herod, that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “Out of Egypt did I call My Son.”  Matt. 2:14-15 (NAS)

Matthew, through the Holy Spirit, quotes the prophet Hosea and in the process clarifies for us God’s intended purpose in giving Hosea utterance-for our understanding and our benefit in relation to Jesus Christ. The original inspired statement is found in Hosea 11:1, “When Israel was a youth I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.”