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May 6, 2020 9:00 am
Janie Greer talks about our purpose in my life I wouldn't even take care of myself. I generally had a bleak outlook on life. It was just regular brought me out of it. I can remember the evening. The guy just can't open is not what I am the son of name make for a pretty cool bumper sticker catchphrase, but what actually mean what look like practically to live as a citizen of heaven and not of earth pastor Jeannie Greer answers that question today with the message he titled who we are, where we come from and what we do and make sure you listen until the end today for a special conversation with Janie and his mom. Now here's pastor JD. I recently read a copy of the book that my BFF Tim Keller is releasing in the book just for different attitudes that Christians have when it comes toward culture and in politics to the art number one is approachable. We got what we call pietistic space like you know what brought us to be enraptured anyway and everything is going be burned up. In the end.
So our main focus really ought to be unjust, converting as many people as we can as fast as we did check in group EE comments on what he calls the conservative activist group.
This group believe that the problem with our culture may problem the world is that our culture is lost its moral absolutes experience. The third group that he he he highlights is what he calls the evangelical relevance. These are guys usually have a lot of piercings a lot of tattoos they were sort of drug schemes in my safe reckon a lot okay that's for this business personality on the problem is that the church is to remove the culture your fourth rupee, he highlights, it's what we call the countercultural list group Dodger is not the world, God arenas the church. That's what we ought to be focusing his counterculture sort of thing in the church. My question for Bruce which one is the right one careful trick. The answer is this truth really all and all of them can find some biblical support, and there's a sense in which in which none of them really capture the will of God's people were supposed to have in the world. First Peter chapter 2 verse nine Peter discusses the identity of the people of God and what their to be doing in the world.
As a result of their identity and he does so by giving you several different word pictures several different word pictures were to look at those and what they mean for you.
Vice versa nine. Here's the first one but you are a first one shows certain rights you're not step in a Bible underlined that write it down chosen race, every race has certain characteristics that define rattle me just in: assorted things but cultural things. We tend to take pride in those things that's desirable among us to rethink that. But know therefore that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land with that because of the righteousness because you are a stubborn people you say in the you like, hey, what was it about me that made me chosen will what what caused me to be chosen is nothing about you that you were chosen because you're special you're special because your chosen to hold together different Baltic that's not just a play on words that the essence of the gospel. In fact infected but he says is this verse nine.
God shows us to proclaim the excellencies of who I would chosen because I was more moral and more intelligent part of the upper-class God said his grace on me when I was spiritually a prostitute.
I'm not a natural saint. I'm a spiritual prostitute made a saint by the gift righteousness of Christ.
And so the gospel has produced the most radically diverse and inclusive community. But the world has ever known. Every group is exclusive. Every group has defining characteristics, but whether you're in or you're out. So yes, Christianity is exclusive, but it is the most radically inclusive exclusivity. There has ever been, because it has nothing to do with accomplishments or characteristics that has to do with grace that is given to all people in all kind without measure. Right. So there a chosen race, here's the second thing, a royal priesthood, you're a royal priesthood, are we reflective of God to people now priest not only represented God a people priest represented people to God right. They would go before God, and they would take the cases of people and they were presented to God. God puts me in situations because I am the one who knows him he puts me between his infinite compassion and somebody's great need and bridges the gap between those things. I want one more thing on Priester because I thought we are looking for this all the time priest primary responsibility was not anything in relation to people there primary responsibility was something relation to God.
When God called these priest out one of things he did as offered sacrifices continually to God. Therefore focus was loving and adoring.this was all about the Exodus Americans have such a this this view of worship is so self-centered how I feel that I feel like raising my hand. The point is not how you feel. The point is what is worthy of it so we give a sacrifice of praise that is befitting the king of all the universe who died for us. It's a sacrifice if it's first God focus even the people we went to Jesus. Romans 1560 Paul says that the people we went to Jesus. Romans 1516, or a sacrifice of praise to God what is the motivation for what you do with the motivation want to give her money at Christmas time so the people can get the poor can be empowered and the loss can be safe. Why yes, it's compassion.
Yes, we are hard to break. When we see people without Jesus and in the there's a higher motivation that is just a sacrifice of praise to Jesus of love. We are a priesthood now look at the vertical or direct verse royal was interesting about that word in front of priesthood in the Old Testament you never find his words together because teams could never be priests going to Kings. It's right okay one was your desire moment he went and offer a sacrifice. He was a king got leprosy from his head was to I was a bad day then you have Saul who offered a sacrifice and God rejected him from being king for that things were never allowed to be priests in Christ you have the first thing bricks and now us in him we are really pleased because we have the access to God, of a priest what the status of the king that me that you and I walk around ordering everybody around making them serve us because were attending like Jesus who came not to be served but to serve right but it ought to change what it ought to change her mind about your position and your status and your privilege before God.
You are a king radically. Paul uses this when he saw the Corinthians about how idiotic their acting like you can't get along. You're always fighting about stuff. Don't you understand your people judge angels like children, you are a king and you are a you are a quaint people at all, not just a word before God. Yes, there is a part about that is true you are forgot that's only half the gospel, you're warm that God has given the status of the king and queen in him to start carrying yourself that way. This truth really came home and tells his rapper graduated college.
It was a season after college.
Robert is very insecure about where I was going about what my gifts were about whether not I have any real future and I just was kind again went into a funk that lasted for several months was a clinical depression but it was just as sure of things going on much will my life is. I wouldn't even take care of myself. I generally had a bleak outlook on life. It was this truth right here to brought me out of. Cannot remember the evening. The guy just can't open this up to me how that would, I am the son of the key other people would have if they want to sign up for the president would have confidence that they would have courage and purpose. I am on assignment from the king of tea. I am blessed, favored, forgiven, and love and yes I am a war before God. But God has set his love and his purpose on me and other people would feel privilege because they had appointed from the governor's house and I with an appointment from God Almighty. That's true should affect how we pray to God, it should get this it should astonish people how bold you are in your prayers. It ought to get it on a single most of them blasphemous. I see this with Muslims when I live my muscles. Having the kind of intimacy and familiarity with God that a Christian is supposed to have is blasphemous to them because there is an intimacy that you have that you have just because of what you know that he's major he's made you probably my children live with what I'm doing whatever my kids need if you like is the most important thing on my agenda. At that moment, your identity and if you turn the TV down as you turn on the TV night you need to do. I was a semi-miles to the day have a conversation that I bought was kind important and I hear my three-year-old from the bathroom just whole all-around daddy come like me, you know that is the kind of confidence as you approach God with because you are a royal son or daughter.
You are a real priest to some of you need to quit playing the humble game which is really the unbelief game and believe that God has made you his chosen royal son or daughter and you want to come to the throne of God. I am your child, and God. I know questions about your willingness have no questions about my prerogative asked and I'm asking you to do this because you promised you would do it.
It should astonish world bold you are in your prayers.
But when there are some traditions that have a set class of priests menu for me with those you came out of the sea maybe so far this with you.
Our church does not there to reasons. One, I don't need a human being is a priest to tell me what Jesus has already told me in his word. So when a priest comes to me in and says I forgive your sins. Unlike no Jesus, forgive my sins when I repent and believe the gospel. Acts 1044 at 1631 Romans 10 9010.
Romans 1013 and about 500. Why do I need you tell me what Jesus is Lord told me that you company if they are declared to be Greer also knew my decking 30 years ago, but I appreciate it.
You know I don't need a human being to tell me what God's word is Lord told me that's number one number two, you're all priests. That's why it's not a special class of others that went to seminary or guts and got a degree I'm watching same blood you are your licensing blood as I am not my seminary degree to give me access to God. It's not my calling. It is the blood of Jesus, and you have the same blood of Jesus that I do. Therefore, we don't set a separate class of priest as if they had special privilege to God because you have access by the same precious blood that I have access to which is why there is no distinction when a priest in a non-priest were all priests your royal priesthood right is an action holy nation Polish nation within a nation and nation within a part of the new nation but a legal notice. This is why you have an American flag here is not that I'm not patriotic. I am very patriotic.
It's just that in here, there's a unity around Jesus and nothing else is not a unity around the American flag unity around politics and unity around Jesus when people come in here they ought to enter an entirely new nation. Think of it, almost like an embassy and embassy represents one country but it's actually the territory. The other country within this country right you going to let embassy you talk to the representatives of that country. If the embassy is bad it's all disheveled and dirty.
You get a bad impression of that country. Same way with people coming here. They should have an impression of what heaven is like because this is not an American outpost. This is in heaven. Outpost like Peter is so concerned about what their living like this is verse 12. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds instead to glorify God that were conduct by the wage is 13 times in the New Testament.
Eight of those times are right here the book of Peter because peters is very concerned about this. I want your conduct to reflect heaven and what the next with your choppers or look at the next few weeks if he is going to show you what that's like. But for right now he just summarizes it in one word go back holy holy holy nation not remember acts when you will holy or two things to know when it comes the word holy member. This will bring our right first will holy the first image I get comes from the Hebrew word for word, Welsh, Sagan Welsh bike week if the person in front of you not wiping stuff on the back of their hear you say it right and it literally means separate. So when you think holiness the person you think is separation separated from all that is impure to holiness the separation but I told you there's another dimension of holiness in the Old Testament and we see that in the English version of the word holy. It's not in the Hebrew word, but it's a Hebrew concept that is wholeness of beauty and love to you. Got separation from all the computer work and in perfection of love, so that watch the holiest person ever lived Jesus was not separate from the problems of the world, but actually entered into their pain, touch, lepers fueled sinners for gave them mixed with them and I told you that holy Christians only about holiness in terms of the first separation is like when you get saved you could get the miss Holy Ghost sanitation Weisel oil and get put in the church and the contamination of the world right now. Holiness, like Jesus, which means that if you were not what this soiled with the pain of the world. You are not holy because holy is not just separation.
Its eyes on me, ask you to find this over to them. Our separation is not isolation is contact without contamination holiness is demonstrated by living among the pain of the world and keep yourself free from the corruption of the world. What city start when my favorite missionaries used to say, some people want to live in the Santa Chapel bells. I want to run a mission, a yard from the gates of hell because to follow Jesus, who was ultimately holy means that you are a mom pain. Jesus taught about this in the right way.
In the sermon on the mount when he humbled this whole new nation concept in the ED to images that are awesome but you gotta put together yet one that the other is ready get messed up right first image he gave was your salt will be light now salt works best when it is scattered what you want soul altogether. I will also write way too much salt puts all and everything, but even I don't like this double salt I got back but when you sprinkle it out. It adds flavor and adds beauty to food Jesus said there's a dimension to the church that is not to be gathered is to be scatter because you were to be bringing healing your to be bringing beauty and justice and mercy and all arenas culture of the movies, music, art, politics: your scatter there's another dimension like light afterwards better when it's gathered together all the like to get in one place and it creates a light that is able to help other people might suit you had a bunch of tables you put them together and then you can send a signal out to your ship is coming here when light is concentrated to there's a dimension to God's people that when you come together you radiate the light of his glory by your love for one another by your fellowship. That's what we do in here as we come together as light and we are Jesus words that you 516. A city set on a hill glory which cannot be in sync to serve.
There's a gathering and there is a scatter there is Jesus that you can really good picture. Both of these in the sermon on the Mount right before he gives some amount for 23 says he's down among the people touching and it says all kinds of diseases for all kinds of people salt everywhere even everywhere, but then he comes up to do the sermon on the mount onto a mountain so we pulls up and pulls the people up and teaches them the beauty of the commandments of God, light in my opinion the church is a lot better at the gathering.
We are the scatter and I would say were not being a church until every single broken, hurting part of Raleigh-Durham has a representative of the summit church in it being the soul of Jesus Christ, to preserve and beautify staff to come together like this. We put Jesus on display. When we worship, but it's both of them together were a holy nation, right last one here is one and 1/2 more, but the heavens real short occasion want to do this next one but you promise to be done even okay.
Here's a people of his own possession. A people frizzled is my favorite one, because some of your translations. I coveted your people for God. People forgot this is going to become a wellspring of everything they're going to be able to go through because, listen, God cares about that verse in Hosea God cherishes you, God cares about you.
God set his love on you and around you hate you. Who cares if everything falls apart.
God cares about you since my neighbor to the other night.
It will be the most amazing story about 15 years ago I was a lot of international travel and I was in London and I got an airplane to fly home was in business class or first class and there. Nobody is in the seat next to me and I felt kind of excited about that until right at the last minute before they shut the door. The plane, this girl runs on the plane sits down beside me cut out a breath and I said I'm kind of bummed out because you and I will have an open seat next to him anymore and I was flying first class.
Get over yourself so city is a sister she sitting there and since I struck up a conversation with him like you are you doing in London. She said well actually I'm part of this a movie shoot that they're doing out here for movies is about the remake of an old movie Peter Pan is that all was like anybody famous in it that I would recognize Robin Williams is in the movie and you name a couple other actors and he looked her he said that's great that's so good at this bit for you is this is like a what a privilege and responsibility have gets up goes to the bathroom his friend on back to him and says you're sitting next to Julia Roberts and he's like Julia Roberts for knowing so he goes back to her and now she's gonna you know famous but totally clueless to see. Yes, you know, here's a question, do you what was amazing was she was just so nonplussed about all this is no whatever you know she was already established. Okay, pretty woman know she's already established the fact that somebody who was who was culturally out of it did know she was didn't bother her because her identity is what he firmly established the website you is God cares about you. God cherishes you. You are coveted by God cares what a bunch of no account going to say about you, your people for his own possession appears this is your identity church. This is who you are. This is who you are. You are a people that are a chosen race.
You are a royal priesthood, you are a holy nation, you are a covert, the people of God's own possession and you got a chance to build your life in a way like Jesus like that is permanent and that brings life and blessing to the world Jesus like my life gets to be.
I get to be used here on earth as insignificant as anybody.
My thing I like is I get to be a part of a building last forever and brings resurrection healing to the earth something to get me out of bed you found your purpose here listening to Pastor Jamie, Mary and join us late.
You can listen again free of charge. Jamie Greer.com. Well it's Mother's Day this upcoming weekend, so we thought would be fun to have Pastor JD's mother Carol join us for some programs this week. You know to get all details. So let's jump right back into our conversation from yesterday with JD and his mom listen I want to brag my mom here for minute sitting right here with me having the older I get, the more I realize what a blessing it is to have a mom and daddy not only introduced me to Christ, but also have been the biggest support. Like any parent you know they had dreams for their child to be an economically comfortable in doing things but when I fell I got a call me to be a missionary which is not the most lucrative profession on the planet. It was my mom first told me your dad not given you God in whatever he wants to do with you, whether that means that you live 10,000 miles away and raise her grandkids and places we won't see them if that's what God wants you belong to him, not to us, and that support that freedom that open handedness is something that is not only impacted my own life. It seemed shake our raise my own children and so it's a real joy to be able to have my mom, who serves as a volunteer every week here at our Summit life ministries and she is taking on whether to request or phone calls or filling orders. Here she does, that they are in the back office and so to this day here I am.
Many years later going on my wet late 20s now not getting my mid 40s and she still of the biggest supports and Summit life thrives because of people like her so mom was once a thank you to you for what you do and all the volunteers you represent a making some ally for Bill opportunity for me so I was just a real quick told by which what you do when you come in now is basically voted. Karen explained that because what we do is have a lot of people that that nation's needs and they will write what we do is we package absent gifts that we can sit back to the big said that people realize that we have received what they cannot family appreciated that we dispatch as that's getting ready to mail it says about. Well, I don't often speak for listening audience but for myself, and I think I represent. Many of them. This was a thank you to you sir because because of the generosity of the people were listening and because of the generosity of people like you and other volunteers were able to provide this ministry really free to anybody who needs to hear. And that's because a lot of generosity got to thank you for our volunteers are in credible it takes for me to bring you this broadcast every day or so thankful for Mrs. Carol and those who come into your get for you. It goes without saying you there cheering for you every day your partnership and guess are essential get today by calling 8665 copy devotional title short.
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