THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 7-23-17

<br> <br>

LESSON TITLE: “HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

      TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY. AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST RAY SULLINS.<br> <br>



      GOOD MORNING, IT’S GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US IN THIS TIME OF OFFERING AND SACRIFICE TO GOD. IT IS ALWAYS AN HONOR FOR US TO HAVE YOU WITH US EACH LORD’S DAY MORNING.  <br> <br>

      AS ALWAYS, IT WILL BE OUR PRIVILEGE TODAY TO STUDY GOD’S PRECIOUS WORD AND TO SING PRAISES TO HIS GLORIOUS NAME. PLEASE DO YOUR PART IN MAKING THIS WORSHIP ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT. NOW, WILL YOU BOW WITH ME IN PRAYER. <br> <br> 

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND THE MANY GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE, THE PLEASURE THAT WE HAVE TO BE YOUR CHILDREN, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO BE YOUR LOVED AND CARED FOR. FATHER, YOU DO SO MUCH FOR US AND WE KNOW THAT EVERY PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL BLESSING COMES FROM YOU, FATHER. AND WE ALSO, FATHER, KNOW THAT YOU GIVE US EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE NEED OF. FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU'LL HELP US THIS DAY AS WE STUDY TOGETHER THAT WE MIGHT GROW IN YOUR WORD, THAT WE MIGHT PRAISE YOU AND LIFT UP YOUR NAME IN SONG, THAT WE MIGHT ALWAYS DO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE FOUND PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT, THAT WE MIGHT BE ACCEPTABLE AND AS OUR OFFERINGS ARE ACCEPTED, THAT WE MIGHT BE BLESSED NOW AND ETERNALLY. FATHER, WE KNOW THAT THESE THINGS ARE ONLY POSSIBLE TO THE GREATEST GIFT GIVEN; THAT IS THE SACRIFICE OF YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST AS WELL AS HIS RESURRECTION. WE THANK YOU FOR THAT THIS DAY FATHER AND IT'S IN HIS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. <br> <br>

      THE MOST SPECIAL DAY IN ALL OF OUR LIVES IS THE DAY WE BECOME CHRISTIANS. HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO BE BAPTIZED AND WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO KNOW HOW PURE WE ARE IN CHRIST, AFTER FULFILLING HIS WILL IN RELATIONSHIP TO BEING ADDED TO HIS CHURCH.  <br> <br>

      BETTER YET, HOW GLORIOUS IT IS TO KNOW THAT AS CHRISTIANS, THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST CONTINUES TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, JUST AS JOHN SAID IN 1 JOHN 1:9. ISN’T IT GREAT TO ALWAYS HAVE JESUS BY OUR SIDE!<br> <br>

      THIS MORNING, OUR FIRST SONG DEALS WITH THE PRECIOUS FACT THAT WE ARE NEVER ALONE AS LONG AS WE HAVE GOD WITH US. SO, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING THE HYMN, “WILL YOUR ANCHOR HOLD.” <br> <br>



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      HOW MANY TIMES IN YOUR LIFE HAVE YOU SAID TO YOURSELF, “I’LL DO IT TOMORROW,” OR MAYBE, “I’LL CHANGE TOMORROW.” I THINK WE ARE ALL GUILTY OF THIS FROM TIME TO TIME. IN FACT, FROM A SECULAR STANDPOINT, SOME OF THE GREATEST CHARACTERS AND LINES IN MOVIES OVER THE PAST MANY YEARS HAVE ALWAYS DEALT WITH WHAT SOMEONE HAS PUT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW. IN THE BIBLE, WE ALSO FIND EXAMPLES OF THOSE WHO PUT OFF THINGS, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER ACCOMPLISHED OR ASKED FOR IMMEDIATELY. I REMEMBER AN ARTICLE A FRIEND OF MINE WROTE ONE TIME THAT WAS ENTITLED, “ONE MORE NIGHT WITH THE FROGS.” I REALLY WONDERED WHERE HE WAS GOING WITH THAT ONE, BUT AFTER READING THE ARTICLE IT MADE PERFECT SENSE.  <br> <br>

      WE ALL REMEMBER THE STORY OF THE MANY PLAGUES WHICH GOD INFLICTED ON EGYPT, THROUGH THE HAND OF MOSES. IN FACT, THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN BIBLE STORIES OF ALL TIME. IF YOU RECALL, ONE OF THE PLAGUES WHICH GOD SENT WAS FROGS. IN EXODUS 8:8, WE SEE PHARAOH BEGGING MOSES TO TAKE AWAY THE FROGS FROM EGYPT AND THEN HE WOULD ALLOW THE ISRAELITES TO GO AND WORSHIP THEIR GOD. IN VERSE 9, WE SEE THAT MOSES ASKS PHARAOH A QUESTIONS, AS TO WHEN SHOULD HE ASK THE LORD TO REMOVE THEM, TO WHICH PHARAOH RESPONDED, TOMORROW. MY RESPONSE TO THAT IS, TOMORROW!!! IF I HAD FROGS ALL AROUND ME TAKING OVER MY LAND, I WOULD SAY, “ASK YOUR GOD RIGHT NOW, IMMEDIATELY, TODAY!  <br> <br>

      SO WE SEE AGAIN, ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING BEING PUT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE TODAY. SO, WHAT DOES GOD’S WORD SAY ABOUT ALL OF THIS?	<br> <br>IN THE BIBLE, WE FIND THAT GOD’S MESSAGE IS QUITE THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED SO FAR THIS MORNING. HE WANTS US TO DO WHAT WE CAN TODAY AND TO FORGET TOMORROW. IN FACT, JESUS SAID, “THEREFORE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, FOR TOMORROW WILL WORRY ABOUT ITS OWN THINGS. SUFFICIENT FOR THE DAY IS ITS OWN TROUBLE.” WHAT DOES JESUS MEAN HERE? IS HE SAYING WE SHOULDN’T PLAN OR NEVER THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE? CERTAINLY NOT! HE IS SAYING WE NEED TO DO ALL WE CAN TODAY, WHILE IT IS STILL TODAY, BECAUSE WE REALLY DON’T KNOW IF TOMORROW WILL EVER COME. NOTICE THE VERSE PRIOR TO THIS ONE, VERSE 33. THERE JESUS SAID, “SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED TO YOU.”  <br> <br>

      SO GOD WANTS US TO SEEK HIM FIRST OR PUT HIM FIRST IN ALL THINGS.  AGAIN, YOU MIGHT ASK WHEN? GOD SAYS, TODAY, WHILE IT IS STILL TODAY - HEBREWS 3:13. FINALLY, IN 1 CORINTHIANS 15:32, PAUL ADDS - DO IT TODAY, BECAUSE TOMORROW WE MAY DIE. SO LET’S ALL DO WHAT WE CAN FOR GOD TODAY, KNOWING THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF TOMORROW, BUT THAT ULTIMATELY WE HAVE TO BE READY TO ANSWER BEFORE OUR GOD AT ANY MOMENT. <br> <br> 

      TODAY, WE WILL BEGIN A NEW SERIES OF STUDY ENTITLED, “HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE.” OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC BEARS THE SAME TITLE! SO, AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER I WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD.  NOW LET’S AGAIN JOIN IN SONG. THE NAME OF THE NEXT SELECTION IS, “WHEN WE ALL GET TO HEAVEN.”

<br> <br>

LESSON<br> <br>

RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      WE ARE SO GLAD YOU'VE CONTINUED WITH US TODAY AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD. WE'RE EXCITED TO START A NEW SERIES OF STUDY TODAY WHERE WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN TO FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE OF GOD DRAWING FROM, REALLY, HERE IN THE BEGINNING FROM FIRST PETER CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE NINE. AND YOU MIGHT RECALL WITH ME THERE THAT CERTAINLY GOD'S PEOPLE IDENTIFIED AND REALLY DESCRIBED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS WITHIN THAT PASSAGE. AND WE READ THERE, “BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE.” AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT TODAY: HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE. BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY THINGS ABOUT THE CHILD OF GOD THAT MAKE US SPECIAL, IN THE FACT NOT ONLY WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US, BUT IN THE FACT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO BY GOD. AND WHEN WE SHOW OUR OBEDIENCE TO THOSE THINGS THEN CERTAINLY GOD IS GLORIFIED. <br> <br>

      LET'S BEGIN THEN THIS DAY LOOKING SPECIFICALLY THEN AT THIS TEXT AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT IS THAT THE WRITER HERE, PETER BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, REVEALS CONCERNING THE PEOPLE OF GOD. IF YOU LOOK WITHIN THE CONTEXT, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN CHAPTER 2. THE FIRST THING THAT WE SEE THAT IS HAPPENING IS REALLY A CHALLENGE OF GROWTH. EARLY ON IN THE CHAPTER IT TALKS ABOUT THE FACT THAT NEWBORN BABIES NEED MILK BUT REALLY WE AS CHRISTIANS, AS CHILDREN OF GOD, NEED TO MATURE AND NEED TO GO ON TO PERFECTION. AND THEN HE BEGINS TO TALK ABOUT THE FOUNDATION THAT THAT CHILD NEEDS; A GOOD FOUNDATION TO BE ABLE TO GROW AND TO GET INTO THE MEAT OF THE WORD AND TO THE MEATIER MATTERS, THE WEIGHTIER MATTERS OF LIFE AND SPIRITUAL THINGS. AND HE MENTIONS THEN THAT JESUS IS THAT CORNERSTONE, THAT STONE THAT REALLY ALL OTHER THINGS ARE SET BY. BUT WE ARE THE STONES OF GOD AND WE MIGHT COME BACK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER IF WE HAVE TIME. BUT THEN, AS HE CONTINUES ON, HE BEGINS TO WARN THEM AS THOSE STONES, THOSE LIVING STONES OF GOD, WHO ARE STRIVING TO GROW UP IN ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO JESUS CHRIST, WATCH OUT, BECAUSE HE SAYS THOSE OF OLD HAVE WHAT? HAVE STUMBLED. THOSE OF OLD HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES TO NOT DO THE THINGS OF GOD. AND BECAUSE OF THAT HAVE BEEN PUNISHED BY GOD. SO WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION THAT WE ARE GIVEN? THAT IF WE CAN (VERSE SEVEN) NOT BE DISOBEDIENT. IF WE CAN (VERSE EIGHT) NOT STUMBLE AS THEY STUMBLED, WE WILL BE GOD'S SPECIFIC PEOPLE, CHOSEN PEOPLE. AND WITHIN THE CONTEXT WHAT HE HAS DONE, IF YOU'LL NOTICE, THERE HE'S QUOTED SOMETHING FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT. SO WE THINK ABOUT GOD'S SPECIAL PEOPLE, HIS PECULIAR PEOPLE BACK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. WHO WERE THEY? WELL, ISRAEL, THE NATION OF GOD'S PEOPLE THAT BEGAN THERE WITH THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM AND ULTIMATELY TO THE 12 TRIBES OF JACOB WHO LATER WAS CALLED ISRAEL. AND SO THEY WERE GOD'S CHOSEN OR SPECIAL PEOPLE. SO WHAT ARE WE THEN REFERRED TO TODAY? AS THEY WERE: GOD'S SPECIAL OR CHOSEN PEOPLE. WE ARE GOD'S CHOSEN OR SPECIAL PEOPLE. THEY THROUGH THE PROMISES OF GOD AND THE LAW GIVEN TO MOSES. WE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. AND THAT'S WHY JESUS IS IDENTIFIED IN THIS CONTEXT, AS AGAIN, THAT STONE, THAT CORNERSTONE THAT ALL OTHER THINGS ARE HINGING UPON AND WE ARE THOSE STONES, THE OTHER PARTS OF THE FOUNDATION, THAT MAKE UP THE HOUSE THAT DO THE WORK THAT GOD NEEDS US TO DO SO THAT WE ARE THAT NATION, THAT PEOPLE OF GOD. SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND THEN WHEN WE GET TO VERSE NINE AND IT SAYS BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN PEOPLE OR YOU ARE A THIS OR A THAT. HE IS SAYING YOU ARE, YOU READERS, YOU CHRISTIANS.<br> <br> 

      IF YOU GO BACK TO THE FIRST CHAPTER, YOU SEE THAT PETER HERE IS ADDRESSING PILGRIMS. IT ALSO SAYS VERSE 2, THE ELECT OF GOD. HE IS ADDRESSING THE FAITHFUL, THOSE WHO IN VERSE FOUR HAVE SOMETHING RESERVED FOR THEM IN HEAVEN BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITHFULNESS. WELL, YOU SEE HE'S TALKING TO THE FAITHFUL, TO CHRISTIANS, AND HE SAYS YOU ALL ARE SOMETHING, NOT JUST THE STONES OF GOD, NOT JUST A PART OF THE FOUNDATION IN THE HOUSE THAT MAKE UP ALL THAT GOD DESIRES, BUT YOU ARE A, AND THE FIRST ONE IS, CHOSEN GENERATION. THE WORD HERE GONAS IS THE CONCEPT OF THIS GENERATION. AND IT REALLY TAKES ROOT OR FORM IN SOME OF THE OTHER WORDS OF THE BIBLE, LIKE GENESIS OR GENEALOGIES OR BEGINNINGS AND THINGS SUCH AS THAT, THAT REALLY FOCUSES MORE HERE SPECIFICALLY ON THE IDEA OF A RACE OR A NATION. BUT REALLY IN THE CONCEPT OR WITH AN EMPHASIS OF THE OFFSPRING. SO WHEN HE SAYS HERE YOU ARE A CHOSEN AND AN ELECT GENERATION, THE OFFSPRING, HE'S SAYING YOUR ARE GOD'S. YOU ARE GOD'S WHAT? ELECT. YOU ARE GOD'S PILGRIMS. YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY GOD HIMSELF. BOY, THAT'S A POWERFUL VERSE AND IT'S A POWERFUL PHRASE BECAUSE IT SAYS HERE THAT I'VE NOT JUST BEEN CHOSEN BY ANYONE, I'M NOT JUST BEEN CREATED BY ANYONE, OR I'M JUST NOT IN SOME WAY INSIGNIFICANT OR JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. I, YOU ALL, EACH OF YOU ARE CHOSEN. THE VERY ELECT BY GOD HIMSELF, THE OFFSPRING OF GOD PLACED INTO HIS NATION. PLACED AMONGST HIS PEOPLE. <br> <br>

      HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS YOU TO SEE A LOT MORE SPECIFICALLY HERE WHAT IT IS THAT PETER SAYS BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. THESE PEOPLE WERE NOT JUST ANYONE. THEY WERE GOD'S PEOPLE. THEY WERE GOD'S OFFSPRING. THEY WERE GOD'S ELECT. THEY WERE HANDPICKED. HOW? NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE PREDESTINED OR THAT GOD CHOOSES SOME OVER OTHERS OR HE IS A RESPECTOR OF PERSONS. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE AGAINST WHAT GOD TEACHES AND SHOWS US IN THE SCRIPTURES. BUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE WHAT? RESPONDED. THEY HAVE BECOME STONES. THEY HAVE BECOME PILGRIMS. DOESN'T A PILGRIM HAVE TO TAKE ACTION AT SOME POINT IN SOME FORM? ISN'T AN ACTION INVOLVED IN BEING THE ELECT OR OF THE ELECTION? CERTAINLY! SO THOSE WHO HAVE WHAT? RESPONDED TO THE GIFT OF JESUS. THOSE WHO HAVE NOT TAKEN THE MILK BUT NOW ARE THRYING TO DO WHAT? GROW IN THE THINGS OF GOD. <br> <br>

      LET'S LOOK AT THE SECOND THOUGHT THAT HE GIVES HERE IN THE SAME TEXT. YOU ARE OR YOU ALL ARE A CHOSEN OR AN ELECT GENERATION, NATION, A RACE. HE THEN SAYS YOU ARE A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD. NOW, THIS WORD HERE, THE CONCEPT OF ROYAL, COMES FROM THAT WORD KINGDOM. WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL WEEKS AGO THE KINGDOM OF GOD OR A KINGDOM WITH A KING. AND SO THE IDEA OF ROYALTY OR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WHAT? WHO HAD BEEN GIVEN AUTHORITY OVER OTHERS. AND SO YOU ARE ROYALTY. YOU ALL ARE NOT ONLY THE ELECT, THE NATION OF GOD CHOSEN BY GOD HIMSELF. YOU ARE A WHAT? YOU ARE A PEOPLE WHO ARE ROYAL. WHY? WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD! WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE KING! IF YOU LOOK AT A KINGDOM AND YOU FIND A KING, WHAT IS THE SON OF A KING CALLED? A PRINCE. WHAT DOES HE BECOME USUALLY? HE ULTIMATELY, THE ELDEST, WILL USUALLY BECOME KING OVER THE LAND. WHAT ABOUT A WOMAN OR A YOUNG LADY BORN TO A KING? SHE IS A PRINCESS. YOU SEE THEY'RE ROYALTY. WHEN THEY GO OUT INTO THE NATION, WHEN THEY GO AMONGST THE KINGDOM, ARE THEY NOT HONORED BECAUSE OF THEIR NAME? BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE? NOT BECAUSE THEY INDIVIDUALLY ARE A PRINCE OR A PRINCESS BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE KING. YOU SEE WE ARE ROYAL. WE ARE ROYAL! IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION CHAPTER 1 WE ARE DESCRIBED AS A KINGDOM AND A PRIESTHOOD. WE'RE A PART OF A KINGDOM, THAT CHOSEN NATION, THE OFFSPRING OF GOD. THEREFORE, I AM ROYALTY. BUT ROYAL IN WHAT SENSE? SPIRITUALLY. NOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S SPIRITUALLY ESPECIALLY BECAUSE HE SAYS THE PRIESTHOOD ITSELF. THE WORD PRIESTHOOD HERE IS THE SAME WORD THAT WOULD APPLY TO THE CONCEPT OF A PRIEST OF OLD, ONE THAT WE READ ABOUT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, THAT ONE WHO OF THE SPECIFIC TRIBE WAS ABLE TO BE OF THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD AND SERVE THE PEOPLE. THEREFORE, IN THE SAKE OF OR THE NAME OF GOD. YOU SEE WHO COULD DO IT? ONLY THE CHOSEN ONES. ONLY THE ELECT, ONLY OF THE TRIBE OF LEVI. WHO TODAY IS THAT PRIESTHOOD? WELL, IT SAYS YOU ALL ARE THE ELECT OF THAT NATION AND THE PEOPLE OF GOD. YOU ARE ALL ROYALTY SPIRITUALLY AND A PRIESTHOOD. IN FACT, THE WORD HERE ACTUALLY PERTAINS SPECIFICALLY TO THE OFFICE OF THE PRIEST. AND SO THEREFORE, THE ONLY THING THAT THIS PART OF THE VERSE COULD MEAN IS THAT YOU ARE LITERALLY ROYALTY OR A ROYAL PRIEST. WHO? YOU ALL. NOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT I'M NOT JUST A PRIEST OR YOU'RE NOT JUST A PRIEST OR MAYBE A SPECIFIC MAN WHO MIGHT CALL HIMSELF IS NOT JUST A PRIEST. WHO IS A PRIEST THEN? ANYONE ELECT AND CHOSEN OF GOD, ANY OF THE STONES OF GOD, ANYONE WHO ARE PILGRIMS, WHO ARE FOLLOWERS OF GOD. HE'S TALKING TO CHRISTIANS IN GENERAL. WE ALL ARE PRIESTS. WHY? BECAUSE GOD HAS GIVEN US THROUGH JESUS CHRIST THE OPPORTUNITY AND THEREFORE WE NO LONGER HAVE TO DO WHAT? GO THROUGH ANY MAN, WE ONLY GO THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. YOU'RE ABLE TO PRAY TO GOD DIRECTLY THROUGH JESUS. YOU'RE ABLE TO WORSHIP GOD DIRECTLY THROUGH JESUS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME OR ANOTHER MAN. YOU HAVE THAT ABILITY YOURSELF FOR YOU ARE THE ROYAL PRIEST OF GOD. BOY, DOESN'T THAT SOUND BEAUTIFUL? YOU SEE AGAIN, NOT ONLY THE ELECT, THAT RACE, THAT NATION, THE VERY OFFSPRING OF GOD BUT A ROYAL PRIEST OF GOD! YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN. ISN'T THAT A WONDERFUL THING! <br> <br>

      THEREFORE, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? LIVE UP TO THAT CHOOSING. HONOR THAT CHOOSING. THE NEXT THING THAT HE IDENTIFIES HERE IS NOT ONLY THE CONCEPT OF THE CHOSEN GENERATION, ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, BUT HE ALSO SAYS HERE THE CONCEPT OF A ROYAL NATION. AT FIRST IT SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT SIMILAR TO WHAT WE LOOKED AT A MOMENT AGO BUT THE DISTINCTIONS ARE TWOFOLD. FIRST OF ALL, HOLY - HOLINESS IS THE CONCEPT OF GODLINESS OR PURITY WHERE ONE DOES NOT ENGAGE IN THE THINGS OF REALLY THE WORLD OR LIFE BUT IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON THE THINGS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS OR GODLINESS. BUT THE OTHER WORD FOUND HERE IS AGAIN FROM A SIMILAR FORM OF WHAT WE LOOKED AT EARLIER, THE NATION OR THE OFFSPRING OF, BUT WHAT IT ACTUALLY REFERS TO HERE IS THE CONCEPT OF THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD INCLUSIVE OF THE GENTILES. YOU SEE AS CHRISTIANS, WHETHER WE'RE JEW OR GENTILE, WE ARE GOD'S ELECT PEOPLE. WE ARE ROYAL PRIESTS OF GOD. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR BACKGROUND, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR COLOR, YOUR LANGUAGE, IT DOESN'T MATTER YOUR RACE: YOU ARE THE OFFSPRING OF GOD WHEN YOU RESPONDED TO THE CALL OF GOD. AND AS A ROYAL PRIEST YOU ARE THEN HIS HOLY NATION, HIS HOLY PEOPLE, HIS HOLY KINGDOM AND THEREFORE SERVANTS IN ACCORDANCE TO WHAT IT IS THAT GOD HAS SAID. AGAIN, A BEAUTIFUL THOUGHT THAT ENCOURAGES US, THAT HELPS US, THAT CHALLENGES US TO KNOW HOW SPECIAL WE ARE. THERE ARE NO AGAIN FAVORS IN RELATIONSHIP TO SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS. THERE IS NO TYPE OF PARTIALITY SHOWN WITH GOD. WE, EACH AND EVERYONE OF US, HAS THE ROYAL PRIEST OF GOD OR THAT HOLY NATION, THAT HOLY PEOPLE, THAT OFFSPRING, THAT RACE OF GOD. AND THEN HE FINALLY ADDS THIS AS THE NEXT DESCRIPTIVE TURN. THE GENERATION, THE PRIESTHOOD, THE NATION THEN HE SAYS HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, THE CONCEPT OF A PEOPLE HERE IS THE IDEA OF REALLY GOD'S CREATION ITSELF, THE IDEA OF REALLY THE CHARACTER, AS THE JEWS WERE GOD'S PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, HE WAS THEIR GOD, THEY WERE HIS PEOPLE. WE ALSO TODAY ARE WHAT? HIS PEOPLE AND NOT JUST A PEOPLE, HIS PEOPLE. AND SO WHEN IT SAYS HERE A SPECIAL PEOPLE IT MEANS THAT WE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WHAT? SET APART, WHO ARE UNIQUE AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD. A POSSESSION THAT IS WONDROUS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. NOT JUST ANY POSSESSION, NOT JUST ANY NATION, NOT JUST ANY PEOPLE, BUT WHAT? THE MOST SPECIAL OF PEOPLE. AND YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN ELECTED AS GOD'S OFFSPRING BY GOD HIMSELF. THEREFORE, MADE ROYAL PRIESTS IN HIS KINGDOM THAT WE MIGHT BE WHAT? HOLY AS THE NATION OR KINGDOM OF GOD, AS THAT SPECIAL OFFSPRING OF PEOPLE THAT GOD HAS ELECTED. YOU SEE AGAIN, THESE THINGS HAVE GIVEN US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PRAISE GOD. THAT HE IS WORTHY OF PRAISE, IN FACT THE WRITER ADDS HERE, THAT YOU MAY BE WHAT? ABLE TO PROCLAIM THE PRAISES OF HIM. YOU SEE, THE VERY FACT OF WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US AND WHAT HE HAS MADE US AS THE ELECT, THE SPECIAL WONDERFUL HOLY RIGHTEOUS ROYAL PEOPLE OF GOD, WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US CHALLENGES US TO WANT TO PRAISE HIM, TO LIFT HIM UP, TO SAY HOW WORTHY HE IS. FOR WHAT HAS HE DONE? ULTIMATELY THE VERSE ADDS HE HAS BROUGHT US OUT OF DARKNESS AND PLACED US INTO THE LIGHT. THE LIGHT OF GOD! GOD IS LIGHT AND WE BECOME WHAT? LIGHT. LEAVING THE DARK THE WORLD AND THE THINGS; THE SINS OF IT THAT WE MIGHT BE GOD'S PEOPLE. YOU SEE, THERE'S ACTION IN THAT AS WELL THOUGH. IF WE WANT TO MEET THESE STANDARDS, THESE QUALIFICATIONS THAT WE'VE ALREADY READ ABOUT AND DISCUSSED THIS MORNING, WHAT DO WE GOT TO DO? WE'VE GOT TO STAY AWAY FROM THE WORLD. WE'VE GOT TO KEEP OURSELVES CLEAN AND PURE THAT WE MIGHT AGAIN BE A CHOSEN GENERATION, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, AND HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE TO GIVE HIM THE PRAISE THAT HE IS WORTHY. FOR HE HAS SAVED THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST, TAKING US OUT OF THE DARK AND ENDLESS WORLD AND PLACED IN US INTO THE OPPORTUNITY OF LIGHT TODAY AND LIGHT ETERNALLY. ARE YOU A CHILD OF GOD? IF NOT, MAKE SURE YOU WILL BE TODAY! <br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      AGAIN, LET ME THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US THIS MORNING. I HOPE WE ALL HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY OUR TIME TOGETHER.  PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS SERVICE OF GOD.<br> <br>

      NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A FREE CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  <br> <br>

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      AREN’T WE BLESSED TO BE GOD’S SPECIAL AND PRECIOUS PEOPLE! HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO HAVE SUCH A LOVING A CARING GOD. THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS WONDROUS GIFT THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD! <br> <br>