Discovering You - Part 2

Discovering You - Part 2

Text: Exodus 19:5-9

Introduction

We have just witnessed God expressing to the Israelites who He was; THE GOD of their salvation and the fact that He saved them for himself.

We are now entering into the conversation where God is telling them who they are. This is how the covenant works. Remember, it was mutual. God has expressed exactly the kind of God He was and now He is informing them the kind of people they are now supposed to be.

As we will learn tonight, they were a people with a very special purpose.

Each and every believer tonight has entered into a covenant of grace; a life that belongs to the Lord. We are also told within the scriptures the kind of people we should be as a result of being gifted with God grace covenant.

1) They Were A Special Treasure

VERSE 5

God begins by telling them they are His “peculiar treasure”; His treasured possession.

LISTEN - God has given then one of the most highest titles anyone could ever be given!!!

HEBREW WORD = royal property; the most prized possession in a king’s personal treasury.

King David uses this very same word: 1Chron. 29:3 “3 Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house,”

We must ask the question, “What was it about these people that made them so precious?”

Quote: “How odd of God to choose the Jews” (Ogden Nash)

Let’s be honest, it is very odd to us also.

Illustration: When I went to buy Andie’s wedding ring, I was looking for (within my budget) the diamonds with the least amount of flaws in them.

Deut. 7:6-8 “6 For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. 7 The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8 But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

Quote: What made God’s people so precious was not their own intrinsic value; it was only the value placed on them by God’s love. They were not precious because of who they were but because of who God was. [Ryken, P. G., & Hughes, R. K. (2005). Exodus: saved for God’s glory (p. 497). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.]

We understand Exodus 19:5 “5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:”

God no doubt has showered the entire earth with numerous blessings.

However, His love for Israel was a UNIQUE love.

Here is the question we need to ask ourselves: “WHO ARE WE?”

Among a culture today who has plenty of names for Christians, we need to understand who God says we are!

There are also times when we don’t feel like a treasured possession.

Struggling from day to day.

Stress of the job weighing us down.

The stressful time at home with all the kids.

When conflicts arise at home.

When sickness and loneliness set in.

LISTEN....our feelings often hide the honest truth of our identity from us due to them being influenced by circumstances.

YOU ARE GOD’S SPECIAL TREASURE!

1 Peter 2:9 “9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

Rev. 1:5-6 “5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Rev. 20:6 “6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”

Let me sum up God value for every believer…your value is equivocal to the blood of His dear Son!

2) They Had A Special Purpose

VERSE 6

Let us first understand what God is saying in context to the children of Israel.

This title of “kingdom of priests” comes with a two-fold meaning.

First — Every person of Isreal is called to serve and worship God. God would later set aside the Levitical tribe to serve as official priests.

They were to be set apart as an entire nation to worship and serve God in all of life.

Second — Global context. They would become God’s priests to the world.

Gen. 12:3 “3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

John 4:22 “22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.”

The Jews were to be God’s mediators of His divine grace to ever corner of the world.

Isa. 49:6 “6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, That thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”

You too are called to this service of priesthood!

1Peter 2:9-12 “9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 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. 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

You have heard this term used before, “the priesthood of the believers”

You have been brought from being a slave of sin, to being a precious child of the King and set apart for a special service.

Through the ministry of Jesus Christ, the Father has brought all believers into the covenant of grace!

Let us go forward in a response of love by leading others to Christ in our service to Him.