A Chosen Generation
Think of the first generation of Christians. How exciting that must have been? How challenging it must have been.
Everyone was against them - the religious leaders - the Roman rulers.
Everyone was threatened by their message and their power.
But God was for them. They had a new faith - a new hope - a new life. They were the fulfillment of what the prophets had talked about for centuries. Many of them had met Messiah. They experienced firsthand his love, his grace, his power. Many had received miracles. Many had seen him heal the sick, multiply the bread, raise the dead, challenge the dead religious crowd.
These folks had been there. They were the chosen generation to see Messiah.
But we are part of that chosen generation. We also, have met Messiah - Savior - Lord. We know Him. The prophets knew of Him. But we know Him. He has revealed Himself to us in the Spirit.
We may be the last generation to inhabit the earth. He could come back in our lifetime. We are a chosen generation.
What a day to be alive. The challenges are fantastic. The opportunities abound. Never have we seen such a hopeless and hungry generation. Suicide rates are up because people have not hope. Drug use is up because people see no future. What a ripe generation for evangelizing.
Folks, if all we see is the problems, how short-sighted we are. These are opportunities. This generation is hungry for Jesus - for the reality only He can give.
You are a chosen generation!
A Royal Priesthood
We are a royal priesthood. Revelation declares:
Re 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Re 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Re 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Re 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Think about it! We are a royal priesthood. Not just a priesthood, but a royal priest - kings and priests.
We are kings, or rulers, because we are related to the King - King Jesus. In fact, we are related to the Creator - the Ruler of Everything. That gives us a special power from which to rule. We sit in the seat of Supreme Authority over all the universe.
Ephesians 1
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
15. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Ephesians 2
1. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
We share the throne with Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
Now, we are a priesthood. Do you know what a priest does?
A priest:
� declares God's Word - represents God to man
� intercedes for the people - represents man to God
� serves in God's Temple - keeps the fire burning in the Temple
We, the saved, are a Kingdom of Priests. My, how this generation needs faithful priests.
We are a Royal Priesthood.
A Holy Nation
Israel, of course, was a nation called and set apart for God. It began when God called Abraham out. The nation of Israel descended from Abe, Isaac, and Jacob. He called them out to be separate ...
Ge 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: Ge 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Ge 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
In Exodus and Leviticus, we see the conditions and expectations God has put upon man - the laws by which man is to live. God's chosen people should live Godly. We are to be a Holy Nation. We, the church, are Israel today.
Eph 2:11-13 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Ro 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
We are to live in holiness, not after the flesh, that is, not in the power of our flesh (our self control, our strong wills), but in the power of the Spirit.
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
A Peculiar People
We are a peculiar people. To the world, of course, our religious views and commitments make us seem peculiar, or odd, to them. But peculiar does not mean odd or strange. It means "purchased possession". Literally, we belong to God.
1 Co 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Yes, we are peculiar to the world, because we don't belong to the world.
Ye Should Show Forth His Praises
"Show forth His praises".
Eph 1:4-6 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Php 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Our lives should be a praise to God. Our very existence should bring Him glory. When people see us, they should see the glory of God in us. They should praise God for what they see in us.
Are you living to the praise of God?
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