February 26, 2022
1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
CONSIDER THIS
God loves all people, but he especially loves his own people. He calls us (the Church Jesus is building) his “special possession.” It’s the same for us isn’t it? We love all people (or we want to) but we especially love our own people. We love other peoples’ children, but somehow we love our own children more. They are our “special possession.” This is where God takes it to the next level. The Living God loves all people so much that he wants all of them to become his own children, his special possession. How do we know this? Because he sent his Son, Jesus Messiah, to reveal the depths of his love for us, to rescue us, to redeem us, and to make us his own very special possession. Read this text in that light.
11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:11-13)
The amazing thing about our God is the way his love and bearing toward us is all at once so extravagant as to be an exclusive kind of love and at the same time it has a radically inclusive kind of reach. In other words, the grace of God in Jesus Christ is only available to those who will receive it and yet everyone is a qualified candidate to receive it. Everyone is pre-approved, but you have to accept the offer if you would be born of God and become his special possession.
People balk at the notion that the only way to know this God is through Jesus Christ—as though that were somehow unfair or unjust. Imagine if you wanted to give me a million dollars. You had the check made out to me. You only ask that I come to your house so you could get to know me and I could get to know you. The money could not be mailed or transferred in any other any way. Would that be unfair or unjust? There would only be one way to get it. Or take it out of the financial realm and put it in the medical field. You had the one cure for the disease I suffered with and without the cure I would die. All I needed to do was come to you to receive it. Upon receiving the cure you would become part of one of the most extraordinary groups of people in the world. Wouldn’t you want this?
Isn’t that what Peter is trying to say to us when he says what all of this is for?
that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
The Church Jesus is building is God’s special possession. And there is room for the whole world. No-one is excluded unless they exclude themselves; unless they choose not to receive the offer and opportunity.
Who wouldn’t want to become the “special possession” of the God of Heaven and Earth? Who wouldn’t want to be part of a people who have walked out of darkness and into marvelous light? Who wouldn’t want to be part of a people who had received the extraordinary mercy of Jesus Messiah?
This is the Church Jesus is building. I’m looking for this church, and something tells me you are too, even as we are a part of it, we are looking for it.
THE PRAYER
Jesus, you are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. What a fellowship, to be part of a people who are your chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s special possession. This is so extraordinary. Forgive me for the hundred times I have just read right past all of this exceedingly extravagant truth. Would you lead me deeper into the experience of these realities? Would you grant me the humility to enter into such a people? I confess, I can find so much wrong with so many churches and so many people, and yet you are at work in them. Holy Spirit, open my eyes. Lead me by faith. Let the miracle begin with me. Praying in Jesus’ name, Amen.
THE QUESTION
God’s special possession? Does it hit you different this time? Or not so much? You are such a person. Does this make you want to share it with others in new and fresh ways? It does me.
For the Awakening,
J.D. Walt
Sower-in-Chief
seedbed.com
P.S. Join Us For An Ash Wednesday Gathering Online
I want to invite you to join us for our upcoming gathering, A Night With New Room: Ash Wednesday. It will be online on Wednesday, March 2, 6:30pm CST and will run just over an hour. It will be available to see on demand following. We will be led by Steve Cordle (author of our Lent Resource The Jesus Shaped Life), Jessica Lagrone, Lo Alaman, Mark Swayze, and I will be there too. It is a free event but you will need to register to participate. Do that here.
3 Responses
Human nature doesn’t want to be anyone’s “possession” (not even God’s) because “possession” means control and we humans don’t want to give up control. That’s why it takes great self-denial to surrender to the Lordship of the living Jesus. Many are called to “deny themselves” but few follow that call.
You are absolutely right. It is why so many want a Christianity that does not acknowledge the virgin birth of Jesus; once you acknowledge that, you lose control.
JD, your analogies about the monetary windfall and sure cure are spot on, but in opinion they lack one important nuance, the receiver of those gifts must be willing to exchange their old life to receive them. When the universal priesthood seems no different than the unbelieving world it’s a tough sell.