“What It Means To Be Who We Are”

1/29/17 AM

Call to Worship: Psalm 19:7-11

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 2:9-10

Introduction: Having been REDEEMED by Christ we are to live HOLY lives that HONOR God’s Word. (1 Peter 1)

Or as we said last week, “Christian Lives Matter”—how we live as Christians matters. The remainder of 1 Peter will tell us what that looks like. But the life we live as Christians grows out of who we are as Christians; how we live our lives is an outgrowth of our identity in Christ.

Our identity as Christians must be based on something that endures forever. Something more objective than the way I feel about things, or the current thinking in the contemporary culture or even the contemporary church. That something is God’s Word.

So what does that mean? And what kind of life is a demonstration of the redemption of Christ and the obedience of God’s Word? 1 Peter 2 continues where chapter 1 left off: considering our identity—who we are—and our lives—what that identity in Christ means.

A. We are to GROW UP in our faith and our salvation.

1 Peter 2:1-3

Slide: “God Breathed”

Psalms 19; 119; Romans 10:17; 2 Tim. 3:14-17; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Rev. 22:18-19

Eph. 4:1-16; Heb. 5:11-6:3; 2 Peter 3:17-18

Not growing in your faith? Are you reading studying the God-breathed, inspired Word?

B. We are being built into a SPIRITUAL house offering up SPIRITUAL sacrifices.

1 Peter 2:4-5

Dynamic—“living stones”

Growth—“being built”

We are to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Rom. 12:1-2; Heb. 13:15-16; 9:1-10:18; John 4:19-26

C. There will always be some who REJECT the cornerstone and DISOBEY the message.

1 Peter 2:6-8 (Isaiah 28:16; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 8:14)

Slide: “Cornerstone” (1 Peter 2:6; Isaiah 28:16)

Matt. 10; 25; John 5:24-29; 12:47-50; 15:18-25; 16:33; 17; Heb. 4:12-13; 5:11-6:8; 2 Cor. 5:10

And it could also be that those who reject the Savior who has become the cornerstone will cause trouble for those who have made Him our Lord. It may very well be that we will have to pay a price, that we will have to sacrifice, that we will have to suffer in fulfilling this mission.

Conclusion: The theme text in 1 Peter 2:9-12 states both our IDENTITY and our MISSION.

  • Our identity is clear: we are the people of God, the body of Christ.
  • And our mission is clear: to declare His praises. With and without words.

More about this next week.

“What It Means To Be Who We Are”

Introduction: Having been ______by Christ we are to live ______lives that ______God’s Word. (1 Peter 1)

A. We are to ______in our faith and our salvation.

1 Peter 2:1-3

Psalms 19; 119; Romans 10:17; 2 Tim. 3:14-17; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Rev. 22:18-19

Eph. 4:1-16; Heb. 5:11-6:3; 2 Peter 3:17-18

B. We are being built into a ______house offering up ______sacrifices.

1 Peter 2:4-5

Rom. 12:1-2; Heb. 13:15-16; 9:1-10:18; John 4:19-26

C. There will always be some who ______the cornerstone and ______the message.

1 Peter 2:6-8

Matt. 10; 25; John 5:24-29; 12:47-50; 15:18-25; 16:33; 17; Heb. 4:12-13; 5:11-6:8; 2 Cor. 5:10

Conclusion: The theme text in 1 Peter 2:9-12 states both our ______and our ______.