Y'all

Peter sets up a significant contrast here in 1 Peter 2. The contrast is between unbelievers and believers.

Unbelievers are those face God’s judgment, those who stumble over Jesus and fall headlong into destruction, those destined to disobey, the picture we see in 1 Peter 2:8.

1 Peter 2:8 NIV

and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

Believers, on the other hand, are God’s chosen ones, His royal priests, His special possession. They are those who are called upon to declare His praises.

“God has appointed the disobedient to destruction, but on the contrary, believers are a “chosen race” (eklekton genos). They belong to God as His people because they have been elected, chosen by Him.” - Dr. Tom Schreiner

There is no passage in the NT that more explicitly associates the OT terms for Israel with the NT church than this one.

Words used to identify Israel, key designations for Israel, are the words Peter uses here to identify Christians who make up the church.

What Peter offers here in 1 Peter 2:9-10 are clearly OT descriptions of Israel:

Exodus 19:6 NIV

6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

Isaiah 43:20–21 NIV

The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.

Peter takes these OT ideas, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and now applies these images to the church. The church is the people (the genos, ethnos, and laos) of God.

What Peter says here does not describe individual Christians as individuals only; rather, this describes the church as a whole. It’s not “you” invidividually; it’s “y’all” corporately.

In Bible college, we had to translate large portions of the Bible from Greek into English. Most of our translations turned out pretty close to any good English translation of the Bible.

But my best friend, Richard Coughlan, just had to be a little different (because he was a little bit different). He was the smartest of us by a mile. As he wrestled with the Greek language, he came to hold an interesting conviction. He believed we should translate the word “you” differently based on its singular and plural usage.

You see, in English, I can say, “You should come to youth group,” and that can mean either one person or 20 people. There can be some confusion there.

So Richard translated the “yous” differently as he translated passages in the NT. When he came upon a “you” that was referring to a group of people, he translated it as “y’all” instead. We told him the professors wouldn’t care for that. We were wrong; they absolutely loved it.

There really should be a Bible translation that differentiates between the singular you and the plural you.

So, for today at least, we’re going to use the New International Richard Coughlan Version (NIRCV). When we read these verses together, we’re going to say “y’all” instead of just “you.”

If you have your Bible (and I hope you do), please turn with me to 1 Peter 2. If you are able and willing, please stand with me as we read these two verses together:

1 Peter 2:9–10

But Y’ALL are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that Y’ALL may declare the praises of Him who called Y’ALL out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once Y’ALL were not a people, but now Y’ALL are the people of God; once Y’ALL had not received mercy, but now Y’ALL have received mercy.

May God add His blessing to the reading of His Holy Word!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Most of us aren’t quite southern enough to feel comfortable saying “y’all”, but here we are. By the end of this sermon, we’re all going to be talking like we’re from middle Tennessee.

Y’all Are A Chosen People

In the very first verse of this letter, Peter introduces the theme of election, God’s choosing a people for Himself. Here, Peter picks up that theme again.

Peter seems to be pulling from Isaiah 43, part of which we read this morning at the beginning of worship. In Isaiah, the LORD is seeking to strengthen His people by promising He’s going to bring them out of slavery in Babylon.

The word Peter uses here for people or race or generation is “genos”, referring to a people descended from a common lineage. This word refers to a recognizable ethnic group sharing both ancestry and custom. In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT), genos denotes the Jewish people.

But Peter now applies it to Christ’s church.

According to Peter, God’s elect are not Israel, but rather those who trust in Jesus Christ. God’s elect are a new people composed of both Jews and Gentiles who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ.

Christians are a new people, a new race; a chosen people.

If you are a Christian, one who has placed your faith in Jesus for salvation, you belong to a chosen people. Y’all are a chosen people.

Y’all Are A Royal Priesthood

Peter is joyfully stealing terms and phrases from the OT to describe the people of God, the church. He references Exodus 19:6 “you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”—and uses the words found there to identify the church as a royal priesthood.

In Exodus, the title applies to Israel, with whom God enters into a covenant at Mt. Sinai.

Israel’s priesthood was such that they were to mirror to the nations the glory of the the LORD so that all nations would see that no god rivals the LORD.

Israel mainly stinks at this. They fail and fail hard, and find themselves exiled a couple of times because of their disobedience.

Now, God’s kingdom of priests is made up of Christ’s church. It’s the church who is now summoned to express God’s blessings in Christ to the world as it proclaims the gospel.

Matthew 28:19–20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Priesthood is corporate. This is part of the church’s identity, as it was for OT Israel. But our identity as a royal priesthood is in Christ and because of Christ.

John writes this in Revelation 1:

Revelation 1:5–6 “Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”

In Christ, y’all are a royal priesthood.

Y’all Are A Holy Nation

Still using Exodus 19:6—“you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”—Peter identifies the church as ethnos hagion: a holy nation .

A holy nation, that is, a people set apart for the LORD, enjoying His presence and favor the way no one else does.

This holy nation has no ethnic identity. It has no geographical boundaries. There are Christians of all ethnicities and locations; there is no border the gospel can’t cross.

This holy nation is based on allegiance to the King of kings and LORD of Lords, Jesus Christ. And that’s all. Y’all are set apart to be a holy nation belonging to Him.

Y’all Are God’s Special Possession

There’s no direct OT text that Peter takes this idea from. There’s a phrase in Malachi 3:17 that uses a similar term. There the LORD speaks of His people as His treasured possession.

There also might be an allusion to Isaiah 43:21 where the LORD refers to a people He formed for Himself.

The point being: God cares for His people and has formed them for Himself. God is Himself taking the initiative in claiming His people as His own. God, the Creator of the Universe, the Sovereign and Mighty LORD has a people for Himself—His special possession.

Those who go by His name are His special possession. Y’all are His. He formed you for Himself and all the privileges belonging to Israel now belong to His church.

Peter is telling his audience (both his original readers and us here today) who we are.

This is an important question: Who are you?

The world frames life for us in terms of categories. There’s an identity attached to every action, every decision, everything we participate in.

It’s a subtle ploy of Satan to get us questioning our identity. “Am I who the popular kids say I am?” “Maybe I’m what that group of people tells me I am and nothing more.” “I’m nothing more than my failures and shortcomings.”

It’s a temptation to believe voices other than God’s.

But here, the Holy Spirit is reminding us who we are in Jesus. He says to all believers, all Christians, “Y’all are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.”

Who God says you are is who you actually are. Nothing supersedes that, absolutely nothing tops that, brothers and sisters.

Beyond identity, we’re given a purpose, right there at the end of verse 9: “that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Y’all Are Called To Declare His Praises

This is the purpose of the people of God. He has given us a new identity in Christ, so that we would proclaim His praises, His excellencies, His mighty acts.

God formed Israel for Himself so that they would proclaim His praise (Is. 43:21). This was Israel’s entire purpose.

Now the church has been established to do the same: to declare His praises, to proclaim His excellencies.

God’s ultimate purpose in everything He does is designed to bring Him praise.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks:

Q: What is the chief end of man? A: Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.

Someone took this question and answer and shifted it a little, asking, “What is the chief end of God?”

I’m guessing you’re thinking of something. God’s main purpose is what? To make your life better? To save you? To bless His people? To hold the whole world in His hands? What is it? What is the chief end of God?

There seems to be a “me” problem, even in the church. Too many of us think God exists for us.

Here’s the true answer to the question:

Q: What is the chief end of God? A: The chief end of God is to glorify Himself and enjoy Himself forever.

The Bible repeatedly makes clear that what God does He does for the good of His people, sure. But what He does, He does primarily for His glory, for His namesake, so that He would be praised.

Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

Psalm 23:1–3 “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”

We declare God’s praises, we proclaim His excellencies because He is worthy. We are who we are—a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession—so that we would glorify Him.

This happens through worship and evangelism. Worship: our lives lived for God, in praise of Him. Evangelism: sharing what God has done in Christ Jesus, spreading the good news of God’s saving wonders to all people.

Christians, if you’ve never thought about your calling in life, it’s right here.

It doesn’t matter what you do for a living: banker, lineman, farmer, housewife, teacher, mechanic, contractor, secretary, student, nurse, grocer, businessman, hairdresser, etc.

It doesn’t matter who you are: mom, dad, husband, wife, grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle, sister, crazy little brother.

Y’all are called to declare His praises.

Why should you? What do you have to share? You can start with what you once were.

Ya’ll Once Were in Darkness

Ya’ll are called to declare His praises because the LORD has called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.

This is a description of conversion, using the language and imagery of Genesis 1, where God utters a word and light springs into being, pushing back the darkness.

Paul uses the same picture in 2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

Conversion is often seen in the NT as a transfer from darkness to light. God’s word creates light; God’s call creates faith.

Christians—God’s people—declare His praise because of what they once were. Stuck in darkness. Trapped in despair. Hopeless and helpless, sinking in sin and shame. We were dead, and He called us forth, like Lazarus from the tomb.

What Christians once were, they are not now.

Darkness has given way to light. This is why we declare His praises; He has done what we could not.

We are God’s instruments, called to speak out for Him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference He made for us.

Y’all once were in darkness.

Ya’ll Once Were Not a People and Had Not Received Mercy

In verse 10, Peter’s still thinking about the Christ’s church and the great privilege of being God’s people. And to illustrate these marvelous truth, Peter chooses Hosea of all things.

I’d encourage you to read the book of Hosea; it’s not a book many people are familiar with, but it’s profitable for us.

In the book, God tells the prophet Hosea to go marry a prostitute named Gomer.

And Hosea loved his wife, even if her name was Gomer. He loved his wife, but she was unfaithful to him. This was God’s plan, because God wanted Hosea to speak to Israel on His behalf. In order to do this effectively, Hosea had to understand to some degree how God felt. God was the husband married to an unfaithful bride.

Hosea and Gomer had a son named Jezreel. Then Gomer conceived again and had a daughter. The LORD told Hosea, Hosea 1:6 “Call her Lo-Ruhamah (which means “not loved”), for I will no longer show love to Israel, that I should at all forgive them.”

And again, after Gomer had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she had another son. Hosea 1:9 “Then the Lord said, “Call him Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”), for you are not my people, and I am not your God.”

The LORD was rightfully fed-up with His unfaithful people. They were spiritual whores and prostitutes.

But that’s not the end of the story.

In Hosea 2, God promises

Hosea 2:23 (NIV)

I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’

I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’;

and they will say, ‘You are my God.’ ”

To understand the privilege of our new identity in Christ, Peter begs us to think about what we once were. We were once not a people.

Pay attention to what Peter says. Peter does not say we weren’t God’s people. He says we were no people at all. We were nothing. But now we are God’s people. 

How did this great change take place? Peter says, “Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Ours is the story of Hosea and Gomer, the story of an unfaithful people and an undeserved love and mercy.

This story, says Peter, is played out in the life of every single Christian.

Y’all are wondrously, incredibly, mind-boggling-ly God’s people.

Y’all did not deserve to be included in God’s people, but in Jesus, y’all have received His mercy. Rejoice at your inclusion.

“There is no other reason why the Lord counts us His people, except that He, having mercy on us, graciously adopts us. It is then God’s gratuitous goodness, which makes of no people a people to God, and reconciles the alienated.” - John Calvin

God’s great mercy is given to us in the person of Jesus Christ!

Y’all need to think about what you were. You were in darkness. You were not a people at all. You had not received an ounce of mercy.

But Jesus stepped onto the scene of history, lived a sinless life, and gave His life for sinners like me and you. He exchanged our record with His. He redeemed us, reconciling us to the Father. He is the only reason we are anything at all.

What a difference Jesus makes!

Y’all think about what was once true in your life. Whether you have any conception of it or not, you were dead in your sins and trespasses. You were as far off from God as you could possibly be, alienated from Him.

And so, because you could not, God took all the initiative and came after you. He called you, Christian. He saved you, He transformed you, and He is conforming you to His image—all of this in and through the person and work of Jesus.

What a difference Jesus makes!

There are likely some of you here today who are not Christians and are not part of His people.

O, that you would come to know Him! If you hear Him calling to you today, come unto Jesus.

Come to Jesus and find rest and mercy and peace and a living hope.

Friends, I want for you to be a part of this “y’all”—this people belonging to God called “the church.”