Who We Are Part 3

Good evening, everybody. Lovely to be here with you.

Oh, thank you, thank you.

My identity is very secure, I want you to know.

So, no, it is wonderful to give you the last of these series on identity.

So let me first of all tell you a story.

While walking through the forest one day,

a man found a young eagle that had fallen out of its nest.

He took this eagle home and he put it in his barnyard

where it soon learned to eat and to behave like the chickens.

One day a naturalist passed by the farm and asked,

why is the king of the birds behaving and living in a barnyard with the chickens?

The farmer replied that since he had given it chicken feed

and trained it to be a chicken, it had never learned to fly.

So, since it now behaved as a chicken, it was no longer an eagle.

Still it has the heart of an eagle, said the naturalist,

and can surely be taught to fly.

He lifted the eagle toward the sky and he said,

you belong to the sky and not to the earth.

Stretch forth your wings and fly.

The eagle, however, was confused.

He did not know who he was.

And seeing the chickens eating their food,

he jumped down to be with them again.

The naturalist took the eagle out of the barnyard

and took him to a high mountain.

There he held the king of the birds high above him

and he encouraged him, saying,

you are an eagle, you belong to the sky.

Stretch forth your wings and fly.

The eagle looked around and he looked backwards

towards the barnyard and then he looked up to the sky.

Then the naturalist lifted him straight towards the sun

and it happened that the eagle began to tremble.

Slowly he stretched out his wings

and then with a triumphant cry,

he soared away into the heavens.

It may be that the eagle still remembers the chickens in the barnyard

with nostalgia.

It may even be that he occasionally visits the chickens in the barnyard.

But as far as anyone knows,

he has never returned to the life of a chicken.

So I share this story.

Just like the eagle needed to learn to live as an eagle,

we as God's people need to learn to live as God's people

and to fly and soar with great freedom that God has given us.

We can do that if we truly understand our identity

and by living in that identity that has been given to us in Christ.

We saw last week that we as believers,

those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ,

then we are in Christ.

We have a new identity.

That Christ has given us where we have everything we need in abundance.

But it's not that unusual that we might have trouble adjusting to our new identity.

Just like the eagle had trouble adjusting to the fact that he was an eagle.

We often go back to what we know best,

what we find easiest.

And sometimes that is the behaviour of our old selves

rather than who we are in Christ.

In today's passage, Peter is writing this letter

to a group of new believers who have been scattered.

They have been given new birth into a living hope in Jesus Christ,

just like many of us here.

But they still need this encouragement

about who they are

and we still need that same encouragement.

Peter gives some powerful imagery in chapter 2.

He explains that this new identity that we've been given,

we have been given a spiritual house,

a royal priesthood.

We are a royal priesthood.

We are a spiritual house, I'm sorry.

We are a chosen people

and we are God's possession.

Verses 3 and 4 say,

How do you feel about being described as a stone?

Pretty odd for us today to be described as stones

and to get all warm and fuzzy about that.

But for the people in Peter's day,

it was a significant term.

This living stone picture would have been so real in their minds

because of what they knew from the Old Testament.

Daniel in Daniel 2,

when he was interpreting a dream of Nebuchadnezzar,

he spoke of God's kingdom being a stone.

Isaiah in a vision,

he said,

Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious.

In Psalm 118,

In Psalm 118,

the psalmist also spoke of a cornerstone

that would bring salvation to all who believed

as well as a stone that would be a stumbling block

for those who reject it.

And in Luke's gospel,

when we see Jesus' authority is questioned,

Jesus answers with the parable of the tenants,

quoting that same verse from Psalms

about being a rejected stone.

And he was speaking about himself.

You see,

to the hearers of this letter,

they knew full well what the terminology of a stone was.

And Peter is saying that we are living stones

being built into a spiritual house

and Jesus is the cornerstone,

the important rock

that every other stone is aligned with

so that this building that is being built

will be straight,

it will be secure,

it will be strong

because it's built with this cornerstone

and everything is lined up with that one stone.

This spiritual house is the church.

It's a collective.

We are not individuals working at our own identities,

although we do need to do that,

but we are put together

as part of something grand.

It is in the light of all of this rich

and contested history

regarding Israel's religious identity

that Peter says,

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.

These are stunning words

and elevating beyond all measure.

In one sentence,

Peter grasps the entire wealth of Israel's identity

and he applies it not only to Jesus alone,

but he applies it to every man and woman and child

who comes to faith in Christ.

When we come to Jesus,

we come to the living stone.

When we come to Jesus,

we come into God's kingdom.

When we come to Jesus,

we become God's spiritual house

and holy priesthood.

These phrases applied metaphorically

here to Peter's early readers

represent the most exalted ideas

within all Judaism.

After all,

the spiritual house was the temple.

If God was going to dwell anywhere,

it's going to be in the temple.

In addition,

the royal priesthood

consisted of those honoured ones

who had the privilege of standing

in the very presence of God.

Yet now,

following Jesus' example

in usurping these ideas,

Peter claims that in Christ,

these truths

are likewise transferred

to each and every believer.

Every person who is a follower of Jesus,

we have those same truths

applied to us.

In essence,

the church has become

God's people

and God's place

in the world.

Truly with these phrases,

a spiritual house

and a royal priesthood,

Peter is raising the identity

of his early readers

to unimaginable heights.

By way of a single metaphor,

Peter proclaims

that they are

at the very heart

and centre

of God's activity

in the world.

They are God's building

and in Christ,

they are being built up

into a residence

intended

for God's

very presence.

They must have been thrilled

to learn that their identity

was secure.

They were God's special

building project.

We are God's

special

building project.

How inspiring

to be reminded

by Peter

that if you come

to Jesus

as God's

living stone,

you are at the centre

of what God

is doing

in this world.

We are God's

spiritual house.

The second new

identification

that Peter gives

to the readers

is the priesthood.

Now Peter mentions

it in verse 5

and also in verse 9.

The priesthood,

of course,

began with Aaron

and it was Aaron

who stood before

a holy God

and on behalf

of the sinful people.

In some respects

he functioned

as an intermediary

between God

and the world.

As such,

the priests

were the ones

most intimately

acquainted

with God.

Now consider

the impact

of this verse

in the light

of Israel's

priestly history.

Peter calls

all believers

holy,

royal,

priesthood.

This means

that every Christian

is the ultimate

insider.

We're not merely

representatives

of God

in this world.

We serve

as God's

priests

before the world.

No wonder

Peter closes

verse 10

by saying

once you were

not a people

but now

you are God's

people.

Once

you had

not received

mercy

but now

you have

received

mercy.

What an

encouraging word

for those

who were

identified

as those

exiles

in chapter 1

verse 1.

The ones

who struggled

with a sense

of being

outsiders.

They now

see in a fresh

way that they

are really

very special

to God

indeed.

I hope

that these

awesome truths

that are put

forward by

Peter

encourage you

in your

faith.

Your identity

in Christ

is an

exalted

one.

How did

we get

to be in

that position?

Well,

verses 6

and 7

or parts

of them,

whoever

believes in

him will

not be put

to shame

and in

verse 7,

so the

honour is

for you

who believe.

Remember

one of the

consequences

that I spoke

about two

weeks ago?

One of the

consequences

of the fall

was that

we inherited

shame

on our

lives?

Here,

we have

clearly

written out

for us

that we

will not

be put

to shame.

This new

and exalted

identity

is held

out for

all who

believe that

Jesus is

God's

ruler.

Conversely,

anyone who

rejects Jesus

as God's

cornerstone

shall stumble

and fall.

That's also

made very

clear.

Put simply,

what you

and I

do with

Jesus

will mean

everything

to our

standing

and our

identity

before God.

Jesus

alone

is the

full expression

of God

in the

world.

And by

this,

his

sacrifice,

he has

brought us

close to

God.

What will

you do

with Jesus?

May you

come to

Jesus as

God's

living stone

and may

you experience

in fresh

ways your

new and

treasured

identity in

Christ.

But there

is more.

You are a

chosen people,

people, some

Bible versions

might say that

you're a

chosen race.

This is a

corporate identity.

He's talking

about the

church, the

true Israel.

But the

implication is

also individual

because the

race is not

racial.

The chosen

race is not

black or

white or red

or brown.

the chosen

race is the

new people

from all

peoples

everywhere.

All

colours,

all cultures

who are now

aliens and

strangers in

the world.

You and

me.

What gives

us our

identity is

not colour

but chosenness.

Out from

all the

races we

have been

chosen,

one at a

time,

not on

the basis

of belonging

to any

group at

all.

That's why

this amazing

phrase is

individually

very crucial

for you

and for

me.

You are

part of

the chosen

race.

So your

identity is

that you

are chosen.

God chose

you.

Not because

of your

race or

for any

of your

qualifications.

Who I am

and who

you are,

we are

chosen.

We did

not earn

it or

merit it

or meet

any conditions

to get

it.

It happened

before we

were born.

We stand

in awe

of it.

We should

tremble with

joy for

it.

We should

bow and

accept it

and we

definitely

should be

living to

be faithful

to its

purpose.

We are

chosen.

So we

are a

spiritual

house.

We are

a royal

priesthood

and we

are chosen.

But wait,

there is

more still?

Just like

the ads

on TV.

This is

expressed

in verse

9 that

we are

God's

possession.

You are

a chosen

people,

a people

belonging to

God and

now you

are the

people of

God.

God takes

you to

be his

possession.

You are

God's

inheritance.

You are

the ones

he will

spend

eternity

with and

we with

him.

When God

says in

2 Corinthians

6,

16,

he says,

I will

be their

God and

they will

be my

people,

my

possession.

What it

means is

I will

dwell in

them and

walk among

them.

When a

person comes

to faith in

Christ, his

or her

identity is

not the

only thing

that changes.

Our text

says that

one's calling

to life

does too.

The latter

half of

verse 9

says,

all this

occurs so

that you

may proclaim

the praises

of him who

called you

out of

darkness

into his

marvellous

light.

Wow,

what an

exalted

calling that

is.

What an

exalted

purpose.

We now

exist to

proclaim the

praises of

God.

Could

anything be

better than

that?

Are you

doing that

each and

every day?

Are you

proclaiming the

praises of

God?

I don't

mean are

you preaching

to every

person that's

in your

eyesight,

but are you

living your

life with a

grateful heart

knowing that

in everything

God has

blessed you

with great

abundance?

is your

heart thankful?

Are you

aware that

you are the

Lord's

ambassador each

and every

day?

Do you

show humility

and grace

in all you

do?

Does your

life point

to Jesus?

I know

that I

fail very

frequently,

but I

am learning

as I

mature as a

Christian that

my identity

is not

shaken when

I fail.

I know

that I'm a

work in

progress.

I know

that perfection

will only

arrive when

Jesus returns

and makes me

new and fit

for God's

presence.

In the

meantime, I

am very

aware of

what my

weak spots

are, and

I would

really encourage

each of you

to examine

what are

your weak

spots,

because I

can guarantee

you,

wherever your

weak spot

is, that

is where

you're going

to be

tempted by

Satan.

So what

do we do

when we

fail?

Because we

all will,

this side

of heaven,

or what do

we do when

we realise

that we

have believed

the lie

that the

world has

told us

about who

we are,

that we

have succumbed

to believing

that our

identity lies

in things,

in achievements

and the

like.

How do we

make things

right when

we know

that Christ

has given

us everything

in abundance

for us to

be secure,

significant

and accepted?

If you

catch yourself

returning to

the world's

view of who

you are,

then I

would encourage

you, you

repent

immediately.

Keep very

short accounts

with the

Lord.

Repent and

believe the

truth of

who God

has made

you.

Just like

the eagle in

the story at

the beginning

who looked

back towards

the barnyard,

we too

look back

sometimes.

But looking

back will

actually confuse

you.

Our eyes

are to be

fixed on

Jesus and

we are to

grow and

to be

Christ-like

in our

growth.

Verse 2

says,

like newborn

babies,

crave spiritual

milk so

that by it

you may grow

up in your

salvation.

This refers

to the very

things that

nourish the

Christian community

in its growth.

Knowledge of

God,

prayer,

instruction

in the

gospel,

faithful

obedience,

hearing God's

word preached.

The desire for

spiritual nourishment

needs to be the

desire of the

church that

wants to know

the Lord and

to grow and

to live by

his will.

This desire

is accompanied

by learning to

rid yourselves

thoughts of

all malice

or deceit,

hypocrisy and

envy and

slander of

every kind.

All of

these things

are very

common

problems that

arise in

Christian

communities or

churches when

spiritual things

are not the

desired priority

in individuals'

lives.

things.

We have been

given so much

in Christ and

as one of my

community members

said this week

in our group,

we need to

exercise our

muscles.

We need to

have spiritual

muscles and

get strong.

By this, we

need to not

only be in the

word, but we

need to be

encouraging each

other to be

in the word.

We need to

be encouraging

each other to

grow spiritually,

challenging each

other when we

sense that we

have taken on a

worldly view of

our own identity

and to grow

together to be

the spiritual

house of the

Lord.

We are in a

highly privileged

position that

each of us are

individual bricks

or individual

stones.

of the temple

of God.

And yet, one

brick or one

stone cannot

sit out on the

grass in the

sun and build

something all by

itself.

All of the

bricks, all the

stones need to be

brought together

with Christ as the

cornerstone to

build something

strong, to build

God's temple.

people.

When we look at

our 2020

booklet, which

Tashi has, the

red book, that

each of you should

have, and if you

don't have one, I

have plenty spare.

But when we look at

that 2020 booklet

that has our core

values in it, it is

by no accident that

our core values are

directly related to

this community of

believers being

built up in

Christ.

Why are we so

passionate about

every one of us

having a secure

identity in

Christ?

Well, I think it's

twofold.

Having a secure

identity in

Christ will

confirm in

yourself, but

also to others

that you belong

to the King of

Kings, the Lord

of Lords.

And the way

that you respond

to what the

world throws at

you, all those

difficult scenarios

that come in

life, because

that's what life

is about, the

way you respond

will also tell

people, and it

will be dependent

upon what your

identity is.

problems won't

go away, but

you can be very,

very confident

and secure in

knowing that

Christ is with

you.

The second

reason why we

would be very

passionate about

us understanding

our identity in

Christ is that

collectively we

reflect the

temple of God.

I've already

said this.

But we can't

be God's

people on our

own.

So it's

extremely important

that we encourage

each other in our

faith.

We can do that by

meeting together,

by being on

time when we

come for corporate

worship.

It's important that

we challenge each

other when we

think that there

is ungodly

behaviour.

it means giving

each other

permission to

speak into

each other's

lives life

words.

Not negative

words, but

life words.

If you have a

brother or sister

in Christ in

this congregation

that needs life

words, you are

the one.

If you know

that, you're the

one to actually

speak those words

into their life.

in so

doing, as

scripture actually

tells us, they

will know us,

they being the

community outside

this fellowship of

God's people,

they will know us

by the way we

love each other.

This is an

awesome

responsibility,

but a necessary

one for God's

church to grow.

identity in

Christ.

Our identity

is in

Christ.

We are being

built up into

a spiritual

house, a

royal priesthood.

We are chosen

people and we

are God's very

precious possession.

All of this has

been given in

abundance so

that we can be

very secure,

significant and

accepted.

As a church

here in

Chatswood, just

part of God's

kingdom worldwide,

may we live to

glorify God in

who we are, in

what we say and

in what we do.