Irvin Wasswa- Tylertown Campus Pastor LHBC
1 Peter 2:1-10
1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 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. 6 For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
8 and “A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.9 But 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. 10 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. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
In the movie The Princess Diaries, the main character Mia Thermopolis, played by actress Anne Hathaway, was just a shy teenager from San Francisco who was trying to navigate her way through high school. One day her life is thrown upside down when she finds out the news that she is actually a part of royalty, as she discovers that she is the heir apparent to the throne of the small European town Genovia. The premise of the movie is Mia learning how to live and act as a princess as she is given lessons by her grandmother, Queen Clairsse. She eventually accepts who she is and takes her rightful place as the princess of Genovia, loving the community and her friends well.
See, Mia was just a shy teenager before she came to the realization that she was a princess of a principality. Once she understood that reality and learned how to walk in that, everything changed. Oh church, don’t miss the picture. The bible speaks pretty plainly about who we are now that we have a relationship with God. Peter says that in Christ we are God’s children, His people by mentioning that we are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation”. Psalm 100:3 tells us that we are God’s people, the sheep of His pasture. In Christ, no matter what our past looked like, no matter how broken we were, or how much we hated God, we belong to the Lord. Praise His name!
We must understand our new identity now that we know Jesus. We went from dead to sin to alive in Christ (Ephesians 2). We went from being slaves to sin to being free in Christ (Romans 6). We went from being orphans to in Christ being adopted to be sons and daughters of God (Galatians 4). We are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and the call for us as His children is to walk in that new identity.
Perhaps some of the greatest news we can cling to as children of God is knowing that our new identity is permanent, and gives us purpose. Though there will be days when you do not “feel God” or times when the enemy comes in to speak lies to you, remember in Christ you are changed, you are His and will be forever. This life in Jesus is eternal life. Romans 8:38-39 tells us that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. Hallelujah! In Christ we have a purpose. We do not have to wander aimlessly through life, trying to figure out the meaning of life. Our purpose is to love God, love people and make disciples. Wherever the Lord has you, the call is the same. For the short time we have here on earth, we have the privilege of being a part of the Lord’s work in seeing people who are lost come to faith in Him!
Maybe you are struggling today with your identity. Let me encourage you to combat the lies from the enemy with the truth of God’s word today. Listen, you are who God says you are. Ephesians 2:10 says that you are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). So choose to walk in that reality today.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for saving me. Thank you for new life in Your name. Help me today and everyday to remember who I am in You, knowing that those truths are permanent. Help me to walk out my faith and join in on my purpose to love God, love others and make disciples. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
SONG OF WORSHIP FOR THE WEEK: Who He Says I Am– The Porch Worship
MEMORY VERSES OF THE WEEK:
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”