The Call to Offer Up Spiritual Sacrifices
1 Peter 2:4-10
Review
The passage to be considered this morning falls, contextually, in what we are terming as the section addressing the sanctification of believers (1:13-2:12). In 1 Peter 1:13, after having explained the greatness of our salvation in 1 Peter 1:1-12 (i.e., what God has done in salvation), Peter says: “therefore.” That is, in light of this great salvation we are to live in manner that is consistent with this great salvation. In previous sessions we have learned that we are called to live in hope (1:13), called to live in holiness (1:14-16), called to live in fear (1:17-21), called to love one another fervently (1:22-25), and called to desire the pure milk of the Word (2:1-3). This week we will consider our call to offer up “spiritual sacrifices” (2:4-10).
Text
“And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: "Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed." This precious value, then is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, "The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very corner stone," and , "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed. 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; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:4-10)
Textual Comment
Embedded within this passage is an important but subtle shift. Beginning in 1 Peter 1:13, Peter has been talking about sanctification. With no fanfare, Peter moves from the individual dimensions to the corporate dimensions of our spiritual walk. That is, he continues with his focus on sanctification but does so now from a corporate perspective.[1]
Why is this worth noting? It is worth noting because it is our tendency in the Western church to think of sanctification in very individualistic terms. We live in a democratic tradition that places all the emphasis on the individual.
What is the impact of this “individualistic” perspective on the biblical concept of the priesthood of the believers? At best, we think of the “priesthood” in terms of our own individual access to God -- our own obligation to pray, to serve, to worship. We think of our own relationship to Jesus Christ -- direct, immediate, and intimate. At worst, we think of the priesthood of all believers in terms of each of us being able to decide for himself what he thinks the Bible teaches and what duties it does or does not impose upon him or her. We think of every man being his own minister, his own theologian. This last idea is something the Bible never teaches! Even the first idea is not really the Bible's primary idea of the priesthood of all believers and certainly not the emphasis that falls on this idea here in 1 Pet. 2, as we shall see.[2]
What is the impact of this “individualistic” perspective on one’s view of the biblical institution of the church?[3] To the extent that the typical evangelical thinks about the church, he thinks of it as an institution that exists to help him in his own, individual walk with God. He does not see the church as his home, his mother, his people, his place of life and work, his family, his calling, or his very body -- which is the way the church is viewed in the Bible over and over again! He does not think of himself as a stone in the wall of a spiritual house (1 Peter 2). You see this is in so many ways. Private worship is emphasized over corporate worship. The works of the Christian life are seen largely in individual terms. A greater emphasis falls on the life of the nuclear family than upon the life of the family of God. The church exists for the individual not the individual for the church. This is the importance of the term "priesthood" as opposed to an emphasis instead on many individual priests. It is not a denial of our individual roles as Christians, but it is an interest in the work we perform, we accomplish together. The Lord is not as interested in you as a priest, as he is in you being part of a priesthood. And, as a priesthood, he looks upon the church as the great agent of his work, his cause, his kingdom in the world. He sees what the church may do together, how in her unity, how in her common effort, she may do so much that Christians could never do in and of themselves.
As we study this passage this morning, we must recapture that vision, that commitment, that sense of our place and purpose in the world. We must recapture the vision of the union of believers into a single spiritual house, forming a priesthood in that house for the service of God. It is not as though we will forget the course of our individual walks with God, or that we will not care about the spiritual condition of our own families at home. Of course we shall. But all of that interest will be taken up into the sense we have that God's great purpose in our lives individually and in that of our families, is the part we play, the role we fulfill in the one, great house and priesthood of God. It is in that house, it is by that priesthood that the Lord's great work will be done in this world. The fruitfulness of our lives will be measured by the fruitfulness of her life. It is that church that is the body of Jesus Christ and the apple of God's eye, not each of us in isolation. It is us together not apart -- in fellowship, in mutual love and caring, in worship, in witness, in teaching, in works of kindness and service -- it is us together, a spiritual house, that declares the praises of God to the world. That is what we are taught to believe in the Bible and here in 1 Peter 2.
Transition
With that perspective in mind, now back to the passage itself. There is a lot going on in this passage. We have “living stones”, we are introduced to the concept of the “priesthood of the believers”, and we learn we must offer “spiritual sacrifices.” Least we get bogged down in explaining each of these things, I want to approach this passage by choosing to answer only three simple questions:
· Who are we?
· How did we get this identity?
· What are we here for?
Who are we?
Who are we? Peter uses five expressions in verses 9 and 10 that answer this question. Before we look at each of these expressions, notice two things:[4] First, each expression – “a chosen race,” “a royal priesthood,” “a holy nation,” “a people for God’s own possession,” and “the people of God” -- is a corporate concept. When an individual comes to salvation by a personal trust in Jesus Christ, he or she becomes a part of a people, a body of believers. As a part of this body, he or she has both a privileged position and a task to which they are called.
Second, the expressions used to describe the New Testament church in verses 9 and 10 are descriptions of the nation Israel (see Exodus 19:5-7; Isaiah 43:19-21; Hosea 1:9-11; Hosea 2:21-23). The nation Israel was chosen and set apart by God, not because of their goodness or merit but simply as the recipients of divine mercy (see Deuteronomy 7:6-8; 8:11-20). Likewise, Peter applies this same principle to the Gentiles. If those who are “not God’s people” (namely disobedient Israelites) can become “God’s people,” then surely disobedient Gentiles (also “not God’s people”) can also become God’s people.
Having made these two comments, let’s look at the five ways Peter describes our identity. That is, “who are we?”[5]
1. We are a Chosen Race
First, we are a chosen race. Obviously, the “race” here is not racial. The chosen “race” is not black or white or red or yellow or brown. The chosen “race” is a new people chosen from all the peoples — all the colors and cultures — who are now aliens and strangers among in the world. What gives us our identity is not color or culture but “chosenness.” Christians are not the white race; they are the chosen race. Christians are not the black race; they are the chosen race. Rather, out from all the races we have been chosen — one at a time, not on the basis of belonging to any group. So our first identity is that we are chosen. God chose us. Not because of our race—or for any other qualification—God chose us. Who are we? We are chosen. We do not know why. It was nothing in us of value above other humans. We did not earn it or merit it, or meet any conditions to get it. It happened before we were born. We should stand in awe of it. We should tremble with joy at it. We should bow and accept it. We should be faithful to its purpose. We are chosen.
2. We are a People to be Pitied
Not only are we chosen, we are a people to be pitied. Notice in verse 10b: ". . . you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." I chose to use the word "pitied" because the word for mercy in Greek here is a verb and the closest word we have in English for "mercied" is "pitied." When God chose us, He then saw us in our sin and guilt and condemnation and He pitied us. We are not just chosen. We are pitied. We are the not just the objects of His choice, we are also the objects of His mercy. So our second identity is that we are a people to be pitied.
3. We are a People for God’s Own Possession
Third we are God's possession. This is expressed twice. In verse 9 we read: "You are . . . a people for God's own possession." In verse 10a we read: "You once were not a people, but now you are the people of God." We are chosen by God, we are pitied by God, and the effect of that pity is that God takes us to be His own possession. In one sense, everyone is God's possession. So this must mean something special. And, of course, it does. We are the ones He aims to spend eternity with. This is clearly stated in 2 Cor. 6:16: "I will be their God and they will be my people (my possession)." So our third identity is that we are a people for God’s own possession.
4. We are a Holy Nation
Fourth, we read in verse 9: "You are a . . . holy nation." We have been chosen, pitied, and possessed by God. Therefore, we are not merely part of the world any more. We are set apart for God. We exist for God. And since God is holy, we are holy. We share His character because He chose us, pitied us, and possessed us. If we do not act in a holy way, we act out of character. We contradict our essence as a Christian. For our fourth identity is that we (as believers) are a holy nation.
5. We are a Royal Priesthood
Finally, we read in verse 9 that: "You are a ... royal priesthood." As a priest, we have immediate access to God. We don't need another human priest as a mediator. God Himself provided the one Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ. We have direct access to God, through God. And, second, we have an exalted, active role in God's presence. We are not chosen, pitied, possessed, and holy just to fritter away our time doing nothing. We are called now to minister in the presence of God. All of our life is priestly service. We are never out of God's presence. We are never in a neutral zone. We are always in the court of the temple. And our identity is that of spiritual service of worship (Rom. 12:1-2) or we are acting out of character.
How did we get this identity?
Our identity – that is, the question: “Who are we?” – begs the question: “How did we get this identity? The answer is almost too obvious. We get our identity from God. As we just discussed, Peter tells us that:
· We are chosen by God,
· We are pitied by God,
· We are possessed by God,
· We are set apart as holy by God, and
· We are made to be royal priests by God[6]
So the answer to the question of “how did we get this identity?” is that God gave it to us. He gave it to us by virtue of:
· His foreknowledge (1:2)
· The sanctifying work of the Spirit (1:2)
· His great mercy (1:3)
· Etc.
Do you get the idea? Isn’t this really the “greatest story ever told?” Yes! The story of how God takes a people who are “not a people” and makes them into (what Hosea once called and Peter now recalls) “the people of God” is truly the “greatest story ever told.” It’s what Peter is talking about in these verses and, in a sense, it’s the story of the whole Bible. The Bible teaches us that God is building up a people to love, worship, and enjoy Him.[7]
What are we here for?
Our identity (“Who are we?”) and how we got our identity (“How did we get this identity?”) naturally leads to our destiny. We are chosen, pitied, possessed, and holy — all for a purpose. What is that purpose? Or stated differently: What are we here for?
Peter actually answers this question twice in this passage. Using what rhetoricians refer to as an “inclusio” (an identical statement at the beginning and end of a book or passage), Peter proclaims that we are: “a royal priesthood who offer up spiritual sacrifices[8] acceptable to God through Jesus Christ and a people who proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” While the statements are not precisely identical, they are close enough clearly to bracket the paragraph and to serve to identify Peter's emphasis here. In the one case it is offering sacrifices to God (the language of the OT) and in the other it is declaring the praises of God (the language of the NT). But in both cases the idea is that of worship. We were saved by Christ to worship God![9]
There is a lot of discussion in our day of self-concept or self- identity. How do we view ourselves? It is an important question. But what I hope you hear this morning is that a biblical perspective on this question should not be defined in terms of who we are in and of ourselves. Rather, it should be defined in terms of what God does to us and the relationship He creates with us and the destiny He appoints for us. In other words as a Christian you cannot talk about your identity without talking about the action of God on you, the relationship of God with you, and the purpose of God for you. A biblical perspective on human self-identity is radically God-centered.[10]
Least you be confused, let me explain this biblical perspective in a slightly different manner. Our identity is not an end in itself. Rather, our identity is for the sake of priestly service (which Peter defines as proclaiming the excellencies of the One who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light). In other words, He has given us our identity in order that His identity might be proclaimed through us. God made us who we are so we could make known who He is. Our identity is for the sake of making known His identity. Therefore being a Christian and making the greatness of God known are almost identical. We can do it in church services with preaching and singing and praying and reading. We can do it in our small groups as we tell each other what God has been for us, or what we need him to be for us. We can do it at work as we tell people what we love about God and why we think he is great. And we can do it in a thousand different ways of love that suit our situation and personality.[11]
It’s important for us not to individualize (too much) what Peter is saying. Peter seems to be describing what we do when we gather together as living stones to form the temple of the Lord. In our worship we are all like priests carrying the sacrifices of praise and thankfulness into the presence of the majesty on high. We want Him to have everything. We want Him to have all our souls, strength, and energy. We want to bring to Him as we come together into His presence the praise that is His due. We are a great assembly of priests, bringing all our hearts and energies to Him and saying: "Lord, receive our praises because you are worthy of them."[12]
Conclusion
In conclusion, I want to answer an objection, I want to state a reminder, and I want to issue a challenge. First -- the objection.[13] In a famous passage in his Reflections on the Psalms, C.S. Lewis confessed to having real trouble over this concept that we were created to “worship” God. Was God vain? Did He save us because He wanted to have some people around Him always singing his praises? That seemed to Lewis unworthy of God. We despise people who are always seeking praise and we despise the people who know what such people want and give it to them nevertheless.
How did Lewis overcome his objection? He eventually came to see that it was right for men to praise God for He is truly praiseworthy, admirable, and deserving. And he came to understand that God certainly did not "need" our praise or crave it in any selfish or vain way. But, in particular, his objection dissolved when he noticed that the world rings with praise, that praise and worship is really the overflow of enjoyment and appreciation. People praise their lovers, their sports heroes, their favorite authors, actors, movies, plays, books, food, weather, even politicians. Why, he thought, should he deny to God's people, in regard to what is supremely wonderful and valuable, what they and all other men delight to do about everything else that they value and prize? Lewis concluded, "I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation."
Second, I want to state a reminder -- spiritual sacrifices are offered by a holy priesthood. That's not the pastoral staff, that's not the elders, that's not the choir; it’s you -- the people. This means that you all have access to God through Jesus Christ. You do not take your sacrifice to the priest and watch while he takes it to the altar or to the tent of meeting with God. You all are called by God to approach the altar and the throne and to make your own personal sacrifice in personal life and in corporate worship. You are a priest to God. You are a part of worship team called: "the holy priesthood."[14]
Finally, I want to issue a challenge – all spiritual sacrifices, if they are to be acceptable to God, must be offered through Jesus Christ. God's aim is that we offer Him spiritual sacrifices and we can only do that "through Jesus Christ." Jesus is the Living Stone. Everything hangs on our coming to the Living Stone. If we don't come to Jesus, the Living Stone, then we don't have life and we are not built into a spiritual house. If we don’t come to Jesus, we do not become a holy priesthood and we will not offer spiritual sacrifices. It all hangs on coming to and connecting with Jesus. That's why Peter ends verse 5 with the words "to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." This should cause us to love Jesus with all our hearts. He is the only way to God. He is the only way to be alive for ever. He is the only way we can do anything acceptable to God. This is why verse 7 says that He is precious, costly to us who believe. There is no greater value in the universe than Jesus. He means more to us than anything or anybody. Just think of all the people around the world who know there is a God. Nature declares His glory and their own consciences tell them it must be so. But they don't know how to do anything fully acceptable to this God — because they don't know Jesus. They try rituals and disciplines and sacrifices and vows and relics and virtues — but all in vain. Because God says (at the end of verse 5) the sacrifices that are acceptable to Him are acceptable "through Jesus Christ." Not through human effort or human merit or human achievement. Only through Jesus Christ."[15]
Quest for Joy[16]
1. God Created Us for His Glory
"Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth,... whom I created for my glory" (Isaiah 43:6-7)
God made us to magnify His greatness - the way telescopes magnify stars. He created us to put His goodness and truth and beauty and wisdom and justice on display. The greatest display of God's glory comes from deep delight in all that He is. This means that God gets the praise and we get the pleasure. God created us so that He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.
2. Every Human Should Live for God’s Glory
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
If God made us for His glory, it is clear that we should live for His glory. Our duty comes from His design. So our first obligation is to show God's value by being satisfied with all that He is for us. This is the essence of loving God (Matthew 22:37) and trusting Him (1 John 5:3-4) and being thankful to Him (Psalm 100:2-4). It is the root of all true obedience, especially loving others (Colossians 1:4-5).
3. All of Us Have Failed to Glorify God as We Should
"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
What does it mean to "fall short of the glory of God?" It means that none of us has trusted and treasured God the way we should. We have not been satisfied with His greatness and walked in His ways. We have sought our satisfaction in other things, and treated them as more valuable than God, which is the essence of idolatry (Romans 1:21-23). Since sin came into the world we have all been deeply resistant to having God as our all-satisfying treasure (Ephesians 2:3). This is an appalling offense to the greatness of God (Jeremiah 2:12-13).
4. All of Us are Subject to God’s Just Condemnation
"The wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23).
We have all belittled the glory of God. How? By preferring other things above Him. By our ingratitude, distrust and disobedience. So God is just in shutting us out from the enjoyment of His glory forever. "They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might" (2 Thessalonians 1:9). The word "hell" is used in the New Testament twelve times - eleven times by Jesus Himself. It is not a myth created by dismal and angry preachers. It is a solemn warning from the Son of God who died to deliver sinners from its curse. We ignore it at great risk. If the Bible stopped here in its analysis of the human condition, we would be doomed to a hopeless future. However, this is not where it stops...
5. God Sent His Only Son Jesus to Provide Eternal Life and Joy
"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners..." (1 Timothy 1:15)
The good news is that Christ died for sinners like us. And He rose physically from the dead to validate the saving power of His death and to open the gates of eternal life and joy (1 Corinthians 15:20). This means God can acquit guilty sinners and still be just (Romans 3:25-26). "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). Coming home to God is where all deep and lasting satisfaction is found.
6. The Benefits Purchased by the Death of Christ Belong to Those Who Repent and Trust Him
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out" (Acts 3:19). "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).
"Repent" means to turn from all the deceitful promises of sin. "Faith" means being satisfied with all that God promises to be for us in Jesus. "He who believes in me," Jesus says, "shall never thirst" (John 6:35). We do not earn our salvation. We cannot merit it (Romans 4:4-5). It is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a free gift (Romans 3:24). We will have it if we cherish it above all things (Matthew 13:44). When we do that, God's aim in creation is accomplished: He is glorified in us and we are satisfied in him - forever.
Does this make sense to you? Do you desire the kind of gladness that comes from being satisfied with all that God is for you in Jesus? If so, then God is at work in your life.
What should you do? Turn from the deceitful promises of sin. Call upon Jesus to save you from the guilt and punishment and bondage. "All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13). Start banking your hope on all that God is for you in Jesus. Break the power of sin's promises by faith in the superior satisfaction of God's promises. Begin reading the Bible to find His precious and very great promises, which can set you free (2 Peter 1:3-4). Find a Bible-believing church and begin to worship and grow together with other people who treasure Christ above all things (Philippians 3:7).
The best news in the world is that there is no necessary conflict between our happiness and God's holiness. Being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus magnifies him as a great Treasure.
"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:11)
[1] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[2] Robert Rayburn, “First Peter”
[3] The answer is adapted from Robert Rayburn, “First Peter”
[4] Robert Deffinbaugh, “The Glory of Suffering: A Study of 1 Peter”
[5] Adapted from John Piper, “Christian Identity and Christian Destiny”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[6] Adapted from John Piper, “Christian Identity and Christian Destiny”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[7] Derek W. H. Thomas, “Help for the Painful Trial: Sermons on 1 Peter”
[8] What are these spiritual sacrifices? In Romans 12:1 Paul says that we are to present our bodies as living sacrifices holy and acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. That means I think that everything you do with your body is to be done as an act of worship to God. Whether you eat or drink or hammer nails or drive a car or make a meal or program a computer or read a book or shoot a basketball or mend a shirt—whatever you do with your body do to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). Then it is your spiritual service of worship. It might include singing or speaking words of praise as in Hebrews 13:15: "Continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to his name." So the spiritual sacrifices are the praises and thanks of God's people alone and in group worship. Or it might include acts of love like giving and sharing. For example, in Philippians 4:18 Paul receives gifts of support from the Philippian church and says, "I received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God." And in Hebrews 13:16 it says, "Do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." What then are spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ? They are the deeds you do, the words you speak, the songs you sing—when you do them spiritually. That is, when you do them in reliance on the power of the Spirit, according to the will of the Spirit, and for a manifestation of the Spirit—which is a manifestation of Christ. Adapted from John Piper, “Christian Identity and Christian Destiny”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[9] The answer is adapted from Robert Rayburn, “First Peter”
[10] Adapted from John Piper, “Christian Identity and Christian Destiny”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[11] Adapted from John Piper, “Christian Identity and Christian Destiny”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[12] Derek W. H. Thomas, “Help for the Painful Trial: Sermons on 1 Peter”
[13] Adapted from Robert Rayburn, “First Peter”
[14] Adapted from John Piper, “Christian Identity and Christian Destiny”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[15] Adapted from John Piper, “Christian Identity and Christian Destiny”, By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.
[16] John Piper, Quest for Joy, www.desiringgod.org
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