Who Do You Think You Are?

The Role of Parents

We have choices. We have far more choices about life, how to live, our sexual expression, what we will do with out lives, goals.

The Role of Parents

Today as we go through this passage from 1 Peter, it’s important, because of this day - Mother’s Day - that we also apply it to parents and family. The home is to be the primary teaching place for children. It is the responsibility and the privilege of parents to be the primary teachers and guides of their children in the Christian faith - Scripture makes it clear that this is our primary task with our children.

Deuteronomy 6:1 NASB95

“Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it,

Deut 6:1

Deuteronomy 6:4 NASB95

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!

Deuteronomy 6:5 NASB95

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Deuteronomy 6:7 The Message

and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night.

As parents, this is to take precedence over everything else we do - outside of our relationship with Jesus and our spouse. A study done in 2011 underlines the importance of the parental role when one of its conclusions said,

It is even to take precedence over everything else we do - outside of our relationship with Jesus and our spouse. A study done in 2011 underlines the importance of the parental role when one of its conclusions said,

“We believe that the human fetus is an active participant in its own development and is collecting information for life after birth,” Sandman says. “It’s preparing for life based on messages the mom is providing.” (from a study by Curt A. Sandman, Elysia P. Davis, and Laura M. Glynn of the University of California-Irvine study how the mother’s psychological state affects a developing fetus. 2011)

Even in the womb the baby is experiencing the emotions of the mother which will influence it’s later life.

I have no scientific study to prove it, but I believe that a Spirit filled mom helps the fetus to experience Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 4:16 NASB95

So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Galatians 5:22–23 NASB95

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22–23 NASB95

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

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Gal

One of the largest groups of people in society today who are committing suicide are teens. One of the greatest reasons for this is that there is a growing sense of hopelessness among them. It has been said that of this generation of youth that they should not expect to achieve the same standard of life that their parents had and that their employment opportunities will not be at the same level as their parents. It is said that their sense of self worth is low and they have poor sense of who they are in the overall scheme of life.

Teens

God intends that within the Christian family our children will learn hope, gain a sense of self worth and the knowledge of who they are in Christ. Our passage today helps us to know who we are in Christ and what our central purpose in life is.

So let’s take a look at today’s passage

1 Peter 2:4–5 NASB95

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:

1 Peter 2:9 NASB95

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

1 Peter 2:

I like the way the message paraphrases that last verse.

1 Peter 2:9 The Message

But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—

1Peter 2:9

You are living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood

When I was younger, I hated it when a group of us got together to play some pick up baseball or hockey or basketball. This is where you would have two people pick their teams. One by one the teams would be picked. I remember one day that we were picking teams and it came down to the last two people and one of the people who where choosing teams said, “I’ll take George and with a little laugh in his voice said, you can have Bill.” My heart sank for Bill. There was no sense of, “Hey great, then Bill is on my team”. It was like Bill was the left over. Bill wasn’t chosen, he was given away. I am sure at one time or another each of us have experienced a similar situation in our lives. It’s like we are part of the group, but not in the group. We are there with everyone, but not really included. This is the impression I get when I hear about a teen suicide. They felt left over.

But listen to this, Our passage today tells us two things about who we are.

“...you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood.. ( Nasb95 )and you are a chosen race ().

Chosen

Oh, no one else to choose from, then give me what’s left.” This is not what God says. He has said to you, to me, to every human being who will accept his love, “I choose you!”

God has not said to you, “O no one else to choose from then give me what’s left.” He has said to you, to me, to every human being who will accept his love, “I choose you!”

At work when the boss comes out of his corner office and walks up to you and says, “Les, we have chosen you for the promotion!” How does that make you feel. Over everyone else you were chosen.

At your service club when you are voted in as the president, people are saying, “We have chosen you!”

At school when you are chosen to be on the student council or class president, people are saying, “We have chosen you!” How does that make you feel - special, significant?

There is something that puts a bounce in your step, a smile on your face, a joy in your heart when some one or some group says to you - you’ve been chosen.

Now listen carefully - the creator of the universe, he who set the stars in the sky and gave form to our world says to you - I choose you! I choose you to be part of my family. I adopt you into my family.

I remember someone telling me that when he and his brother argued, his brother would always end the argument with, “Yeah, well you were adopted. And he said that it really hurt when he said it because it made him feel like I didn’t really belong. For the longest time he brooded over this idea that he was adopted. One day his mom heard his brother say, “Yeah well your adopted”. She took him to one side and gave me a big hug and said to him, “Look at it this way, if you were adopted, with you we had a choice.’

You are living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house

God chose you to be part of his family. Not only did he choose you to be part of his family, but he included you in his family. In the context of Scripture Peter is tell us we are integral parts of God’s family in which Jesus is the cornerstone. You often hear me say, “If no where else, you are welcome here. You are welcome here because we all know that God welcomes each and everyone of us and offers them his love, his way and new life. He invites all into his family. Bill Gaither wrote a song in 1970 that goes like this.

You will notice we say “brother” and “sister” ’round here; It’s because we’re a family and these folks are so near. When one has a heartache we all share the tears, And rejoice in each vict’ry in this fam’ly so dear.

I’m so glad I’m a part of the fam’ly of God!     I’ve been washed in the fountain,     Cleansed by His blood.     Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,     For I’m part of the fam’ly,     The fam’ly of God.

From the door of an orph’nage to the house of the King, No longer an outcast; a new song I sing. From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong, I’m not worthy to be here, but praise God, I belong!

From the door of an orph’nage to the house of the King, No longer an outcast; a new song I sing. From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong, I’m not worthy to be here, but praise God, I belong!

I’m so glad I’m a part of the fam’ly of God!     I’ve been washed in the fountain,     Cleansed by His blood.     Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,     For I’m part of the fam’ly,     The fam’ly of God.

When you ask God for forgiveness,

When you say God I want to be part of you family

When you say God I want to live your way, grow in understanding your truth and living how you intended

The doors to God’s kingdom are flung open and you are welcomed in his family regardless of your past, regardless of how you have lived, regardless of what you have done. God says, I choose you. I adopt you into my family. Welcome home.

Next week I will be continuing to preach on this passage, but I want to end here this week because I want to say to parents and grandparents - you love your children and you grandchildren, then share with them the greatest gift one human being can give another - the knowledge that God wants them to be part of his family and as part of his family they have worth as a human being,

not because they are a great athlete.

not because they are a great scholar.

not because they are a great musician or actor.

not because of anything they do.

They are of great value simply because they are part of the family of God. Simply because they are loved by God. Simply because God has said, I choose you.

My prayer for you in this coming week is this - that someone will come up to you and in one way or another say to you, “Who do you think you are?” And that you will say to them, “I am a chosen child of God, part of his amazing family and of great value to him and to this world. And I invite you to come with me next Sunday so you can discover how you too can be part of God’s amazing family and realize as part of that family your great value too.