A Chosen People

I have a friend, Charles Cosby, who writes and emails an Internet Sunday School Lesson each month. His latest lesson, A Chosen People, I have posted with his permission.


1 Peter 2:1-10
To be a Christian you must be "born again". What it took to bring us to being "born again" required the life and blood of the Son of God to be shed on the cross. Through His death on the cross the new birth was made available to you and I. God will not force us to receive the new birth but He has sent His holy Spirit to woo, draw, encourage, beg, us to come to Jesus (the Son of God) so He can give us new birth. The only way we can come to Jesus is in humility, confessing that we are a sinner and ask Jesus to save us. We will not be saved if we don’t ask Jesus to save us! We must believe by faith that He is who He said He is, the Son of God. That He died for us on the cross in our place, and that He can and will save us when we ask, Hebrews 11:1. This is called faith! Have you called upon Jesus Christ to save you, if not, why not do it right now? The "New birth" is God, through the Holy Spirit, making our soul new and alive that was dead in sin.

1 Peter 1:18-21, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God". You are included in the precious plan God set forth before the world began. God planned that you and I would have the opportunity to have the "new birth", shedding our burden of sin that was carrying us to death and hell. To live righteous lives before Him as we journey through our days on this earth. To enjoy this righteous life there are things we must do ourselves, (with the help of the Holy Spirit).

1 Peter 2:1-2, "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby". We are responsible to lay aside malice, guile, hypocrisies, envying, and all evil speaking by completely removing them from our lives. Paul in Ephesians likened it to taking off a coat, Ephesians 4:22, 24, "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,… And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness". Malice is having a willfully formed desire to hurt someone, to have an unforgiving spirit. That bitterness you are carrying in your heart, that chip you are carrying on your shoulder daring anyone to knock it off. The Christian cannot have the fellowship God wants for him when malice controls his life.

"And all guile", using cleverness to get even with someone, to deceive someone into thinking you are something you are not by making a good impression for deceptive reasons. Ananias and Sapphire used this to impress the church into thinking they were big givers. God punished them by taking their lives as they spoke the lie to Peter.

"Hypocrisies, envying, and all evil speaking", hypocrisy is attempting to impress someone you are something you are not. Envying is having a bitter, restless spirit that longs for the success or the nice things of others to the point of begrudging them what they worked for and received because of that work. Not satisfied with what God has given them, angry because of their lack of money, looks, fame, and or successes.

"All evil speaking", slander of another, backbiting, someone working behind the scenes to damage the reputation of those they dislike. This is portrayed in nearly every daytime soap opera and many movies. So many watching these portrayals get caught up in them and incorporate this attitude into their lives. Which should give us a warning that we must be careful as to what we watch called entertainment.

Christians who do not read and study God’s Word are open vessels to Satan and his lies. 1 Peter 2:2, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby". Do you desire to know what God’s Word says? Peter said that new as well as old Christians should desire to know the Word of God. If you do not desire to know God’s Word or to know God better, your salvation is suspect and you must do some serious soul searching as to if you really are saved! Just as a newborn baby will die if they are not fed fresh milk, the Christian if he does not feed on the Word of God will die to the things of God. He will not grow spiritually, grow in grace, and will fall into dire sin. I did not say he will lose his Salvation, but his relationship with God will deteriorate to the point that he is totally taken over by the things of this world.

The study of God’s Word reveals who we are in Christ and how we fit into His plan for us and His Church. 1 Peter 2:4-7, "To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner".

Peter speaks of Christ as a living stone rejected by men. Christ came to build His Temple (the Church) by using us as new living stones. Until Christ made us alive through Salvation we were dead in our sins. He rejuvenated our soul to new life (the new birth). Once we are made alive to God, we became a priest (believer) working in a spiritual house (Christ’s church) offering sacrifices to God made acceptable through Christ. That stone that was rejected by men is now the head cornerstone of Christ’s church. That stone is Jesus Christ Himself. Have you experienced the "new birth"?

Those that rejected Christ have much to fear. 1 Peter 2:8, "a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed". To the Christian, Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith but to the disobedient, He is the rock of offence, the rock that one day will fall upon them in destruction. That same cornerstone will be the judge and jury of their life spent in rejecting Jesus Christ. Their appointment is Hell.

1 Peter 2:9-10, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy". We were once sinners, lost, on the road to hell. Because of Christ, our cornerstone, we are part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a set apart people. Who should show our gratitude to God for this wonderful thing He has done for us. Christ has taken us out of total darkness, brought us into His marvelous light, and has filled us with His love and mercy to overflowing.

How do you treat your fellow believer? Do you treat him with respect? They are princes and princesses just like you and I. They are part of God’s master plan. Jesus told us to love our brother, John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another"? Jesus said if you love me, keep my commandments! Do you love Jesus ________?

In Hosea 14:4 God declared his boundless love to Israel.

When our will is weak and our conscience is burdened with a load of guilt, we can remind ourselves that God offers forgiveness and boundless love. When friends and family desert us or don't understand us, God's love knows no bounds. When our shortcomings or an awareness of our messed-up lives overwhelms us, God's love knows no bounds. Regardless of how things seem or even how you feel, you can rely on this truth: God's love knows no bounds.

Thanking God in times of trials for His boundless love.

Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . What do you see?

What are you thinking . . . . . when you're looking at me?

A crabby old man, . . . . . not very wise,

Uncertain of habit . . . . . . . . . with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food . . .. . . . . and makes no reply.

When you say in a loud voice . . . . . . . 'I do wish you'd try!

Who seems not to notice . . . the things that you do

And forever is losing . . . . . . . . . . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not . . . . . . . . lets you do as you will,

With bathing and feeding, The long day to fill?

Is that what you're thinking?

Is that what you see?

Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am .

As I sit here so still,

As I do at your bidding, . . . . . . as I eat at your will.

I'm a small child of Ten . . . . . . . . with a father and mother,

Brothers and sisters . . . . . . . . . . . who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen . . with wings on his feet

Dreaming that soon now . . . . . . . . . . a lover he'll meet..

A groom soon at Twenty ... my heart gives a leap.

Remembering, the vows . . . . . . that I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . . . I have young of my own.

Who need me to guide . . . . And a secure happy home.

A man of Thirty . . . . . . . . . . . My young now grown fast,

Bound to each other . . . . . . . With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. . have grown and are gone,

But my woman's beside me . . . . . . . to see I don't mourn.

At Fifty, once more, babies play 'round my knee,

Again, we know children . . . . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . my wife is now dead.

I look at the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . shudder with dread.

For my young are all rearing . . . . . . . . young of their own.

And I think of the years . . . and the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man . . . . . . . . . . . and nature is cruel.

Tis jest to make old age . . . . look like a fool.

The body, it crumbles . . . . . . . grace and vigor, depart.

There is now a stone . . . . . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . . a young guy still dwells,

And now and again . . . .. . . . my battered heart swells.

I remember the joys . . . . . . . . . I remember the pain.

And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . . . . . . . life over again.

I think of the years, all too few . . . . . . . gone too fast.

And accept the stark fact . . . . . . . that nothing can last.

So open your eyes, people . . . . . . . . . open and see.

Not a crabby old man. Look closer . . . . . see ME ! !

Anonymous

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within . . . . we will all, one day, be there, too!

Lessons from a Dragonfly

Sunday morning I went to the kitchen to make the coffee and as I turned on the light I noticed a dragonfly buzzing toward the light fixture. I continued setting up the coffee pot and once I started it brewing I got a ladder so I could get closer to the dragonfly.

I tried catching it with my fingers...I thought if only I could gently hold on to it I could set it free. That didn't work ...probably would have pinched off a wing had I succeeded...they are so delicate. It flew toward the light then rested then flew again. I was concerned that it was going to fry if it continued to fly into the light bulb. Finally, I decided to hold out my hand close to the light in order to give it another resting place...it lit on my hand and I was able to carry it outside to safety.

The dragonfly just needed to trust that my hand was better than constantly knocking against the light fixture and getting nowhere. That's how it is with our Heavenly Father...it's much better to rest in His hands.

Matthew 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowely in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.