The Promise Of Perfect Righteousness: The Mosaic Covenant

Please take your Bibles and open them up to the book of Exodus, chapter 19.

Exodus 19 · chapter mention

The book of Exodus.

We're moving just one book over from Genesis.

! Flip a few pages to the right.

I guess you're flipping to the left.

You're moving to the right.

And you'll find Exodus there, chapter 19.

Our verses this morning are verses 1 through 9.

And then when you find that, put your finger there and flip to the New Testament in the

book of Romans.

Romans 3:19–26

Chapter 3, verses 19 through 26.

We're continuing our Advent series this morning covering the promises of God.

And today we're looking specifically at what we call the Mosaic Covenant.

It's this covenant of law.

And I'll be honest with you, this sermon title is a little bit misleading this morning.

It's the promise of perfect righteousness.

You know, the problem is the law does not promise perfect righteousness.

The law presents perfect righteousness.

But it cannot promise perfect righteousness.

The gospel is the only thing that both presents and promises and even produces perfect righteousness

in those who believe.

So, we'll see that unfold this morning.

When you founded Exodus chapter 19, verses 1 through 9.

Exodus 19:1–9

Let's stand in honor of the reading of God's word this morning.

Let's stand in honor of the reading of Exodus chapter 19.

Exodus 19 · chapter mention

Let's stand in honor of the reading of Exodus chapter 19.

Exodus 19 · chapter mention

Let's stand in honor of the reading of Exodus chapter 19.

Exodus 19 · chapter mention

On the third new moon, after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt,

on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.

They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai,

and they encamped in the wilderness.

There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God.

The Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying,

Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel,

You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians,

and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant,

you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples.

For all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.

So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them

all these words that the Lord had commanded him.

All the people answered together and said,

All that the Lord has spoken, we will do.

And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord.

And the Lord said to Moses,

Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud,

that the people may hear when I speak with you,

and may also believe you forever.

Flipping to Romans chapter 3, 19 through 26.

Romans 3 · chapter mention

Now we know that whatever the law says,

it speaks to those who are under the law,

so that every mouth may be stopped,

and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

For by works of the law,

no human being will be justified in his sight,

since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law,

although the law and the prophets bear witness to it.

The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

For there is no distinction.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

and are justified by his grace as a gift

through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood

to be received by faith.

This was to show God's righteousness,

because in his divine forbearance,

he had passed over former sins.

It was to show his righteousness at the present time

so that he might be just

and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The grass withers and the flower fades,

but the word of the Lord endures forever.

Father, we praise you for your word,

Old Testament and New Testament,

and the ways that every word, every line,

every page, every chapter draws us to Christ Jesus,

who is the fulfillment of all your promises.

We pray, Lord, fix our eyes on him this morning.

Put our trust in him this morning,

away from us and our efforts

and entirely on him and his completed work on the cross.

We pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

You may be seated.

Amen.

Amen.

Christmas season is here,

which means it is also the season of holiday giveaways.

I don't know if it's true for you,

but I love a good giveaway.

I entered one this week.

One company is giving away, quote,

an unforgettable five-day, four-night trip to Sweden

featuring round-trip flights,

one night in a legendary ice suite.

Don't know what that means.

Winter activities.

Who knows what that holds?

$500 in spending money.

I can get on board with that.

Tomorrow, a well-known worldwide global coffee company

will start their annual sweepstakes

where you can win burnt-tasting coffee for life.

A $1,000 Delta gift card,

$500 in Marriott points, amongst other things.

Everybody loves to dream about winning the grand prize,

but the more you enter these things,

the more you learn to pay attention

to four key words down at the bottom of the page.

Terms and conditions apply.

Those four words are important, aren't they?

You can dream all you want about the grand prize,

but if you don't meet those terms and conditions,

guess what?

You will not be receiving the grand prize.

Those terms and conditions are essential.

And as we look at our passage this morning,

here in the book of Exodus,

what we see is that those four words

are also deeply important for the people of Israel.

Israel.

Those four words, they're not hidden at the bottom of the page.

They're not printed in small text.

They're not read at super speed at the end of a commercial.

They are literally shouted out loud from the mountaintop.

Here in the book of Exodus,

what we see is that God makes these incredible promises to his people Israel,

but terms and conditions apply.

So let's take a look together at what's being held out here.

What's the offer that's on the table?

First, what we see,

God graciously promises to bless his people.

It's our first point this morning.

First, we see God graciously promises to bless his people.

And if that sounds familiar to you, that's good.

That means you were paying attention last week.

And what we're really doing is we're picking right up where we left off last time

with this promise of great blessing.

Do you remember what God promised to Abraham?

Abraham, this threefold promise of great prosperity,

of a place where he could dwell with God,

this promise of posterity.

Well, this same general promise is now regulated by law in the book of Exodus.

We zoom ahead some 430 years later,

and what we see is that God has indeed multiplied Abraham.

His descendants have multiplied.

But as we come to Exodus, we find them enslaved in Egypt.

They aren't really prosperous.

They're at the bottom of the social totem pole.

They don't have their own place.

They're there in somebody else's kingdom.

They're suffering under a harsh taskmaster, Pharaoh.

They are oppressed.

But we know from going through Genesis that even this is part of the plan, isn't it?

Do you remember what God promised Abraham in chapter 15, verse 13?

Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs,

and will be servants there.

They will be afflicted for 400 years.

That sounds specific.

But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve,

and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.

And so what we see now in the first half of Exodus,

it shows us 10 plagues and 430 years later,

God has fulfilled His promise.

God has judged Egypt.

God has delivered Israel.

And so now here in Exodus 19,

they have come to the foot of Mount Sinai,

where God will deliver them the law.

But notice what He does before that.

Look there starting in verse 4.

Before He tells them anything to do,

any steps to take,

He reminds them of everything that just happened.

I mean, how quickly do we forget, right?

He reminds them of His grace.

He says, I just delivered you miraculously.

You were slaves.

Don't forget it.

You were hungry.

Don't forget it.

You were mistreated.

Don't forget it.

But I rescued you.

I bore you up on eagle's wings,

it says.

I brought you to Myself.

So everything that follows,

all of this law that follows,

even though it is law,

all of it is rooted in grace.

All of it is rooted in God's eternal plan of redemption,

of His people.

God says,

whatever obedience I'm going to require of you

is a response to my work of redemption.

The law was never meant to be a ladder

to climb our way up to God.

But even so,

even so,

obedience is the path to blessing.

So He says,

if you indeed will obey My voice,

and if you will keep My covenant,

here's what I'm going to do.

I'm going to bless you in five distinct ways.

Look at what He promises here.

First,

He says,

you will be My treasured possession.

I mean,

wow.

Wow.

Already,

that is mind-blowing grace,

isn't it?

When you think about,

what is your most treasured possession?

If you just picture it in your mind right now,

I bet you can imagine it.

You know exactly what it looks like.

Maybe it's your Bible.

Maybe it's a family heirloom.

It's something that you treasure.

Nobody else in the world may think about it that way,

but you treasure that.

You know exactly where it is at all times.

You keep it safe.

You keep it tucked away.

You watch over it.

You care for it.

You love this treasured possession.

God says,

you will be My treasured possession.

I will treasure you.

Second,

notice He gives them this place of distinction.

He elevates them.

He makes a distinction between them and everybody else.

He says,

they will be His distinct people.

My treasured possession among all peoples.

This is not equality.

They are elevated,

lifted up by God's own choosing,

by His grace,

to this distinct place of honor and blessing.

Most of you love children in general.

I like children.

I'll be honest.

I love my children more.

I have a special affection,

a special love,

a special inclination

towards my children.

That's right.

That's good.

It's because they're mine.

They have this special place of distinction.

And here God says,

you, Israel,

you will be My people

amongst all the peoples of the earth.

There's this distinction.

He gives them.

Third blessing.

He says,

you will be a kingdom.

I mean,

can you imagine

the reversal

that they're experiencing here?

They were just slaves

in somebody else's kingdom.

They were the lowest

on the totem pole.

They were bossed around

and tossed around

and discarded.

But now,

He says,

you're not going to be

at the bottom

of somebody else's totem pole

and somebody else's kingdom anymore.

You're no longer slaves.

I've brought you out.

You are going to be a kingdom.

I will establish you

as a kingdom.

Because even better than that,

fourth blessing,

you're not just a kingdom.

Fourth,

you'll be a kingdom of priests.

You,

from the greatest to the least,

will be rulers.

From the greatest to the least,

you will be worshipers.

You will all,

from the greatest to the least,

you will all commune with me

in worship.

You'll be a people of prayer

and a people of worship

and a people of sacrifice.

Your attention won't be

on your work

or on your labor

or on building bricks

out of straw.

Your focus,

from the greatest to the least,

will be on me.

You'll lead one another

in worship.

You'll be a kingdom

of priests.

And fifth blessing,

he promises,

you will be a holy nation.

Not just a nation.

Not just a kingdom.

You will not be like

any of the other kingdoms

of the earth.

You know what's going to

set you apart?

You will be with me,

God says,

and you will be like me.

You will be holy

as I am holy.

See,

God's people

are not like everybody else,

are they?

We are distinct.

That's the nice way to say it.

You know what the honest way is?

We're weird.

We stand out

in the midst of the world.

Why?

What's this defining quality

of holiness?

You want to stick out

in the midst of darkness?

We're called lights

in the midst of darkness, right?

Holiness

causes God's people

to be distinct,

set out.

We're this chosen,

holy,

redeemed,

distinct people

treasuring God

above all else

and treasured

by God

above all others.

This is

incredible blessing

that God holds out

for them there,

isn't it?

A special offer.

Come and get it.

You can have this blessing too.

All this can be yours,

he says.

It's all rooted in grace.

I've brought you out.

I will fulfill my promises.

It is guaranteed,

but

for you to enjoy

these blessings,

terms and conditions

apply.

Second point

this morning.

Second,

we see

enjoyment

of God's blessings

is conditional.

Enjoyment

of God's blessings

is

conditional.

Look there again

to verse 5.

There's a key word there

that we need to notice

in verse 5.

You see what it is?

It's that

two-letter word

if.

That if

is important,

isn't it?

If

you will indeed

obey my voice

and

if

you will keep

my commandments,

all of this

will come to you.

God is going to

fulfill his promises

with or without

you specifically.

It's all rooted

in grace again,

but for you

individual

personally to enjoy it,

there's this big

fat

if.

Enjoyment

of God's blessings

is

conditional.

Look there to verse 7.

Now,

Moses sets

before the people

all the words

that the Lord

had commanded him

and so

in response,

verse 8,

what do they say?

They said,

we'll do it,

God.

We will

obey.

All you've said,

we're going to do it.

We'll do everything

you ask.

And so,

look what happens next.

I didn't read

the next 15 chapters

of Exodus,

but I'm going to

summarize it here

in about five seconds

for you.

Okay?

Moses

takes that

yes back

up the mountain,

up to God.

God says,

okay,

here's ten commandments.

He speaks those ten

in the hearing

of all the people.

They all hear

his voice,

but as he speaks

those ten words,

the people hear it,

they are absolutely

mortified

at the voice

of the Lord.

They are undone.

And they say

to Moses,

you've got to be

the in-between for us.

We can't stand

to be in his presence.

It's like they recognize

the main point already,

don't they?

They understand

at this powerful

voice of the Lord

that they are sinners

in the presence

of a holy God.

And sin

and holiness

simply do not mix.

It's like oil and water.

Except in this case,

this holy God

is full of

righteous wrath,

righteous anger

towards sin

and sinners.

sinners.

Their sin

and our sin

it puts us

in danger.

It puts us

in danger

of the wrath

of God.

They seem

to understand this.

So they say,

Moses,

you're the man.

You go up.

We're not going up.

We can't be here.

We can't hear

this voice of the Lord.

And so,

God,

Moses goes up.

He sees,

he meets

with the Lord.

God delivers

the rest of the law

to Moses

who then,

again,

as they go between,

he brings it

to the people

and the people

of God,

again,

they give their yes.

They say,

we will do this law.

We want the blessing.

We'll keep your word.

We promise.

Chapter 24,

they seal it

in a covenant.

You remember

chapter 15 of Genesis?

And this covenant ceremony

as God passes through

the aisle

with the severed animals

on either side

as if to say,

may I be

like these animals,

Abraham,

if I don't fulfill

my covenant with you.

If I don't fulfill

my word to you,

may I be

slaughtered

like these animals.

Well,

here,

chapter 24,

in the same way,

the people of God

enter into

an oath,

this promise

of obedience

to the Lord.

Moses builds

an altar,

he makes sacrifices,

and as he reads

aloud the law,

he slaughters

the animals,

he throws

the blood

all over the altar,

and all over

the people.

What does that mean?

Again,

it's the people

saying,

may we be like

these oxen,

slaughtered,

and destroyed.

May we be

mutilated

if we fail

to keep covenant

with you, God.

May we be

completely destroyed

if we disobey.

They recognize,

don't they,

obedience is

essential

for enjoying

the blessings

of the covenant.

They put their

own blood

on the line

here.

Yet again,

they profess

with their lips.

They say,

we're going to

do it.

We will obey

every word

of the law.

We promise.

And it seems

like they mean it,

doesn't it?

You know what

happens next?

Moses goes

back up.

He receives

the law

written on

tablets of stone

by the very

fingers of God.

He comes back

down the mountain

and what does

he find

the people doing?

Exodus 32.

They are

worshiping

an idol.

They have

fashioned

for themselves

a golden

calf to worship.

Moses can't

believe it.

He's like,

what are you

guys doing?

He gets

so angry.

He smashes

the tablets.

He grinds

them up

into a powder.

He makes

the people

drink it.

I don't

blame them.

He's like,

what is wrong

with you people?

How could

you be so

foolish?

All this

blessing was

held out

to you

and you

promised

you would

obey.

You did

the thing

with the

blood.

You put

it all

over yourself.

You swore

your allegiance

to the Lord.

What

happened

to you?

Why can't

you obey

like you

said you

would?

You see

this sometimes

with children,

don't you?

Not my kids.

My kids

are perfect.

This never

happens in my

house, right?

Sometimes in

other people's

houses, they

talk to their

kids, you tell

them one thing,

they look you

right in the

eye, they say,

okay, dad, I

got it.

Dad turns his

back, goes to

the other room,

and it's like

that conversation

never happened.

What is

that?

Church, haven't

we done the

same thing?

we say

with our

lips, okay

God, this

is it, I

promise I'll

obey.

This time is

different, I'm

done lying, I

am done cheating,

I am done

drinking myself

drunk, no

more, I'm

done, I'll be

nicer to my

brother.

And then

some time goes

by, it's like

you get amnesia,

and you're just,

you're right back

in it again.

What is that?

Why can't we

obey?

I'll tell you

why.

The reason

is our sin.

Our sin.

Here's our

problem.

Everyone who

is born of

Adam is

born into

this world

with a sin

nature.

And what

that is, is

a nature that

is both

hostile to

God, we

are against

God, anti

God, and

we are unable,

despite our

hardest efforts,

unable to

please God.

We literally

cannot

obey.

That's our

problem.

That's what Paul

says in Romans

8.

He says, the

mind that is

set on the

flesh is

hostile to

God, for it

does not

submit to

God's law.

Indeed, it

cannot.

Those who are

in the flesh

cannot please

God.

God, it's

not just

you, it's

not just

me, this

is a

universal,

worldwide,

global problem.

This is the

point that Paul

makes in

Romans 3.

So go ahead

and flip

there with

me, Romans

Romans 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3.

Hopefully you

had your

thumb right

there in that

passage.

And I want

you to back

it up a

little bit,

because right

before our

text, God

through Paul,

he's quoting

from the

Psalms here,

starting in

verse 10,

to make this

point.

He says,

none is

righteous.

No, not

one.

You say, well,

what about

me?

None.

No one

understands.

No one

seeks for

God.

All have

turned aside.

Together they

have become

worthless.

No one

does good.

Not even

one.

Verse 18

sums it up

like this.

There's no

fear of God

before their

eyes.

Israel's

problem

our

problem

is that

we, by

nature,

are in

Adam.

And if

we are

in

Adam,

then we

are in

sin.

And if

we are

in

sin,

then we

are in

trouble

with God.

And the

law,

as good

as it

is,

the law

can't

help us

because

verse 20,

chapter 3,

verse 20,

it says,

by works

of the

law,

no human

being will

be justified

in his

sight.

Do you

see the

problem?

It is a

big one.

God's

people must

be perfect

to enjoy

these blessings

and yet

none of us

qualify.

And the

law,

as good

as it

is,

it can't

get us

there

either.

And so

then I

got a

question,

and maybe

you do

too,

as you

think about

this.

You might

ask,

well,

if the

law can't

produce this

righteousness

in us,

and the

law can't

change our

sin nature,

and the

law can't

justify us

before God

if we

obey and

obey and

obey.

What good

is the

law?

What good

is it?

Why is it

even here?

It's worthless,

right?

Let me stop you

right there

because first

of all,

the law is

not the

problem.

God's

word is

not the

problem.

The Psalms

make this

abundantly

clear.

The law

is good.

The law

of the

Lord is

perfect,

David says

in Psalm

19,

reviving

the soul.

The law

is good.

We are

the problem.

We are

unable.

The law

itself is

useful,

and it's

useful in

three main

ways.

The reformers

would present

these three

main ways.

John Calvin,

I think,

was the first

to present

this in his

institutes.

Three uses

of the law

for one.

The law

serves as

a mirror.

It serves

as a mirror.

When we

look into

it,

what it

does is

it reflects

back on

us and

our sinfulness.

When we

look into

the law,

we see

our own

inability.

We see

our wickedness

on display.

You know,

when you have

a big zit

right in the

middle of your

forehead,

okay,

think back to

your teenage

years,

guys.

You got

this big

zit right in

the middle

of your

forehead.

The last

place you

want to

look,

where is

it?

You avoid

that mirror

at all

costs,

don't you?

It's not

the mirror's

fault that

you have

is it.

It's not

the mirror's

fault.

The law

itself is

good and

holy and

pure,

but we

are not.

As we

look into

it,

we see

our own

imperfections

highlighted.

It serves

as a mirror.

Another use

is as a

restrainer of

evil.

The law

serves as

a restrainer

of evil.

Now,

again,

the law,

it doesn't

regenerate the

heart.

It cannot

justify.

It cannot

change our

sin nature,

but it

does in

some ways

restrain

wickedness.

Wherever the

law exists,

whether externally

in a written

code or

internally on

our conscience,

the law

itself,

it restrains

wickedness.

It's like

when you're

driving up

and down

17.

You're

running late.

When there

are no

police,

you feel

the freedom

to go a

little bit

faster and

speed and

get to your

destination

sooner,

but if you

see that

little hood

of the car

sticking out

from a

driveway,

you know

the lights

are there,

what are

you going

to do?

It slows

you down.

It restrains

your wickedness.

And then if

you know

that police

car is there

day after

day after

day after

day in

that same

spot right

there on

Highway 17,

it restrains

your urge to

break the

law,

at least until

you get past

it and you

do what you

want.

The law

functions in

this way.

It restrains

evil,

but again,

again,

restraint does

not mean

regeneration.

Those first

two uses

are for

believer and

non-believer

alike,

but for the

believer,

there's this

third use

of the law

and it's

this.

The law

reveals for

us what

holiness

looks like.

The law

reveals God's

will for

us.

See,

the believer

doesn't use

the law

as a ladder

to climb

their way

up to

heaven,

but we

do absolutely

use it as

a map

and a

guide to

show us

the pathway

of holiness.

Having been

made new,

having been

reborn,

now we

can look at

the law

and say,

well,

what does it

look like

practically to

love my

neighbor?

What does it

look like

practically for

me to reflect

the holiness

of God?

What does it

look like for

me practically

to resemble

the image of

God as we

were made

to do?

What is

God by

His Spirit

empowering me

to be and

to do?

Well,

the law,

it shows

us.

But do you

know ultimately

the main

purpose of

the law?

Above all

of these,

the main

purpose of

the law

is that it

might drive

sinners to

Christ,

who is the

fulfillment

of the

law.

God offers

incredible

blessing here

to His

people.

Enjoyment

of these

blessings is

conditional,

and we

could add,

none of

us have

met the

conditions,

but here's

the good

news of

the gospel.

Third,

Christ,

Jesus,

meets all

the conditions.

Look again

to Romans

3,

starting in

verse 21.

Paul just

said,

no one will

be justified

by works

of the law.

it cannot

be done.

You cannot

use it as

a ladder to

climb your

way to

God.

It is

impossible

for you,

and he

made it

pretty clear,

all of us

are in this

condition of

sin.

This sin

problem is

all of our

problem.

The law

can't make

us right

with God,

but,

verse 21,

but now

the righteousness

of God

has been

manifested

apart from

the law.

Apart

from the

law.

Although the

law and the

prophets bear

witness to

it, what is

it?

Verse 22,

the righteousness

of God

through faith

in Jesus

Christ for

all who

simply

believe.

The

righteousness

that the

law demands,

but cannot

produce,

the true

perfect

righteousness

now is

manifested

apart from

the law.

How?

Galatians

4 tells

us.

It's the

story of

Christmas.

He says,

we were

enslaved like

Israel.

We were

enslaved to

the elementary

principles of

the world,

but when the

fullness of

time had

come,

God sent

forth his

son,

born of

a woman,

born under

the law,

to redeem

those who

were under

the law,

so that we

might receive

adoption as

sons.

See,

true righteousness

has come in

Christ,

and it is

received simply

by faith in

him.

Do you know

why we make

such a big

deal about

the virgin

birth?

It's a

central part of

the Christmas

story,

right?

The virgin

birth,

Matthew 1,

23,

behold,

the virgin

shall conceive

and bear a

son.

They shall

call his

name Emmanuel.

He's quoting

Isaiah.

He prophesied

that some

700 years

before it

happened,

but why is

it so

important?

Outside of

just being a

miracle of

God's power,

it's important

because it

shows us

this child,

this baby,

is not born

like you

and I.

He is not

born of

Adam.

He's not

born in

Adam.

He does not

inherit Adam's

sin nature

as we do.

He does not

inherit Adam's

curse as we

do.

He does not

inherit Adam's

guilt as we

do.

He's not

born with

this big

banner hanging

over his

life of

unable to

please God.

He is not

born as a

slave to sin.

No,

he's born with

the potential

to be the

second Adam,

the one who

will perfectly

obey in our

place where

all of us

have failed.

In fact,

he is born

as the true

and better

Israel.

He is the

one who will

keep covenant

where they and

where we all

have broken

covenant with

the Lord.

Christ Jesus

is born not

to do away

with the law

but to

fulfill it

and in

doing so

to earn by

right all

the blessings

of the

covenant.

Here's what

makes the

gospel so

shocking.

Church,

what Jesus

has earned

by right,

he gives

to us

by grace

and we

receive it

all not

by obeying,

not by

working,

not by

laboring,

not by

earning,

we receive

all of his

righteousness,

all of the

blessings of

God simply

by coming to

him in

faith.

The child

that we

celebrate at

Christmas

came to

die,

to take

away our

curse that

we've earned

for our

disobedience,

but church,

we need to

also know

he came to

live perfectly

in our

place.

We need

both for

our salvation.

We need

his death

in our

place,

we need

his resurrection

but we

also need

his sinless

life.

We need

him to

take our

curse but

we also

need him

to provide

our blessing.

That's

exactly what

he came

to do,

that's what

we celebrate

with his

arrival here

at Christmas

in Jesus

Christ.

God has

given to

us freely

what he

demands of

us,

namely the

perfect

holiness,

perfect

righteousness,

what the

law demands,

the gospel

supplies.

Friend,

apart from

him,

you know

what we

are?

We,

like Israel,

are slaves

in a

truer and

a greater

way.

we are

slaves to

sin,

but in

him,

in him

by faith,

we are

redeemed,

we are

brought out,

we are

plucked out

and rescued

from slavery,

we're brought

out of

darkness.

Apart from

him,

we are

enemies of

God,

destined for

wrath,

but in

him,

we are

his treasured

possession.

The very

bride of

Christ.

He loves

us and

gave himself

up for

us,

he cherishes

us and

watches over

us and

cares for

us and

will do

so for

the rest

of

eternity.

Apart from

him,

we are

just like

every other

sinner born

in Adam,

but in

him,

we are

his distinct

people,

chosen by

grace.

out of

all the

peoples of

the earth,

we are

uniquely and

distinctly

his.

We are

his own

children and

he loves

us with a

special

fatherly

love.

Apart from

him,

we belong to

the kingdom

of darkness,

but in

him,

we are

a kingdom.

We are

citizens and

saints of

the kingdom

of God.

We are

ambassadors of

the king,

the one to

whom all

authority in

heaven and

on earth

has been

given,

has given

that authority

to us.

The church

is an

embassy of

the kingdom

of heaven

here on

earth.

We here

as we

gather is

a foretaste

of glory

of the

kingdom to

come.

Apart from

him,

we cannot

know God,

but in

him,

we are a

kingdom of

priests.

We offer

ourselves up

as living

sacrifices,

holy and

pleasing to

him,

our spiritual

act of

worship.

We offer

up the

sacrifice of

our lives.

We offer

up a

sacrifice of

thanksgiving.

We offer

up the

sacrifice of

our very

own hearts.

We live

in communion

with the

Lord.

We are

the temple

of the

living God,

his own

spirit dwelling

within us.

Apart from

him,

we are

ruined by

the curse

of sin,

unable to

please him,

but in

him,

despite all

our faults,

church,

we are a

holy nation,

shining like

lights in

the midst of

a crooked

and twisted

generation,

reflecting the

holiness of

the glory of

God in the

world.

We are being

remade into

the image of

Christ who

is the image

of God.

And as we

look to him

who obeyed

for us in

our place,

we then look

to his

word and

the law

to guide

us and

direct us

on the

way.

So 1 Peter

tells us,

as you

come to

him,

a living

stone rejected

by men,

but in the

sight of God

chosen and

precious,

you yourselves

like living

stones are

being built

up as a

spiritual

house to

be a holy

priesthood,

to offer

spiritual

sacrifices,

acceptable to

God through

Jesus Christ.

Listen to

what he says

to believers.

You are a

chosen race,

a royal

priesthood,

a holy

nation,

a people

for his

own possession

that you

may proclaim

the excellencies

of him who

called you out

of darkness

into his

marvelous light.

Once you

were not a

people,

now you are

God's people.

Once you

had not

received mercy,

now you

have received

mercy.

Every promise

made is

fulfilled in

this baby

in the

manger and

given to

us by

grace,

simply through

faith in

him,

all because

this child

was born

to live,

to die,

to rise

for sinners

like us.

and there's

a poem

that I

think about

often,

I know

I've quoted

it here

before by

John Bunyan.

Run,

John,

run,

the law

demands,

but gives