Called out of Darkness | A Sermon on 1 Peter 2:9-10

Introduction
I’m starting a new series as we lead up to Homecoming on All-Saints Sunday.  What does it mean to live as saints in a troubled world.  And our first sermon is “Called Out of Darkness”. 

We are the Church, God’s chosen and holy people, called from darkness into light.  And today, I want to encourage you to embrace your unique identity as God’s people and to live differently from the world.

1 Peter 2:9-10
⁹ But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,^[a] a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

¹⁰ “Once you had no identity as a people;
    now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
    now you have received God’s mercy.”^[b]

“But You are Not Like That…”
I want to dive right into the meat of this Scripture, but I must first address this initial clause.  Peter says, “But you are not like that…”  Originally, Peter was talking directly to Christians scattered across Asia Minor who were facing social marginalization and suffering for their faith.  But today, he’s talking directly to us.  And he says, “But you are not like that…” 

Not like what?

If you look back a few verses you find the answer.  You are not like the people of Israel who rejected Jesus. Israel was called to be a Holy Nation of Priests.  They had the honor of hosting the Holy Temple in Jerusalem where people from all over the world could come and worship God.  But they never lived up to their calling.  And when God’s own Son came to them, they rejected Him.  And verse 8 says:  “So they meet the fate that was planned for them.”  And verse 9, speaking to everyone who accepts Jesus as their Lord, says: “But you are not like that…”  So what are we like?

Who Are We in Christ?
“…you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession.”  These were the words originally used for Israel in the Old Testament.  But now they apply to the followers of Christ.  Christians don’t replace Israel.  We are the fulfillment of what Israel was always meant to be.  We are chosen by God.  We are royal priests.  We are a holy nation.  We are God’s people.  Let that sink in…

What an honor!  What a privilege!  What a blessing!
But don’t forget that as God’s Chosen People, we have a great responsibility.

Set Apart for Holiness
“You are royal priests, a holy nation…”
Priests are set apart for the special purpose of representing God to the people.  In ancient times, priests stood out as holy.  Special clothes that mark them as different from ordinary people.  Special rituals sanctified them.  And they were known to have special access to God.  People would come to them when they needed healing or forgiveness or a word from God.  They came to the priest for help because they believed the priest were closer to God and had a special connection with Him.  The priest could go to God on behalf of the person in need and interceded for them and God was more likely to listen.

Today, people will often joke that I (as a pastor), have a direct line to God in a similar way.  But according to what the New Testament says, we all do!  I'm no closer to God than you.  You can go boldly before Him and present your prayers and He will listen.  The Holy Spirit lives inside you and intercedes for you in groanings too deep for words.  God hears you and listens!

We are all set apart to serve as God’s royal priests!  We who follow Christ are holier than the Jewish High Priest of the Old Testament!  It's incredible!    

And you are supposed to stand out as different, not b/c you wear fancy clothes or do certain rituals like in the Old Testament.  You stand out because:

• Christ lives in you
• You’re leaving behind the darkness of ignorance, sin, and despair
• You’re walking in the light of salvation, truth, joy, hope.
• You proclaim God’s goodness, mercy, and salvation in word and deed.

Christ Lives in You
When you repent of your sin and decide to follow Jesus, Christ comes to live inside you as the Holy Spirit.  In the Old Testament, the Temple represented God’s dwelling place on earth.  But now, because of Christ, the New Testament  says we are His Temple.  
1 Peter 2:5 – “you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.”
2 Corinthians 6:16 – “ For we are the temple of the living God.”

Have you ever heard of the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem? It’s a very special place. The Temple in Jerusalem isn’t there anymore—it was torn down in 70 AD. The only part that remains is the western wall of the Temple.

For centuries, people—both Jewish and Christian—have made pilgrimages to the Western Wall. They write out their prayers on little slips of paper, roll them up, and tuck them into the cracks of the stones. It’s a sacred act in a sacred place, because this is where the Temple once stood—the very Temple we read about in the Bible. I’ve been there myself. I wrote a prayer and placed it in the wall. If you’re standing at the Western Wall, that’s what you do.

But let me tell you something amazing: that wall is not where God dwells. God is everywhere, of course, but that place is no more sacred than any other. The true dwelling place of God is not in the stones of Jerusalem—it’s in you.  There is no holier ground than the presence of the Holy Spirit living inside you right now. Christ lives in us—that’s what makes us different. That’s what sets us apart.

Turn on the Light
Secondly, we need to we need to live in the light.  We need to come out of the darkness.  We stand out when we come out of the darkness.  

This morning I woke up early. I wake up early almost every day, but especially on Sundays. Today I was up a little before 4:00. Now, I don’t mind getting up early—but my wife does. She values her rest, and I want her to have it. So when I get up, I move quietly and I don’t turn on the lights.

Our bathroom is on the opposite side of the bed, so I have to carefully make my way around in the dark. After living in our house for 15 years, I know the layout, but still—you never know what might be on the floor. So I walk slowly, carefully, feeling my way until I close the bathroom door. Then I turn on the light so I don’t disturb her—because I love her, and because, frankly, she’s a lot nicer when she’s slept well!

But it’s hard to walk in the dark, isn’t it? Even when you know where you’re going, you have to move cautiously. And sometimes, as Christians, we try to live our lives like that—as if we’re walking in the dark. Yet Scripture says: “God has called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”

When Kelly is away visiting her mom, I don’t have to tiptoe around in the dark. I can flip on the light and move quickly, freely. I can see where I’m going. Life is so much easier in the light.

That’s what God wants for us. Life is better, freer, and safer when we walk in the light of Christ. So let me challenge you: where in your life are you still walking in darkness? Where do you need to turn on the light—stop conforming to the world, and instead live in God’s light as His holy people?

As Christians, we need to turn on the light!  We are called out of darkness into God’s wonderful light.  I challenge you to examine areas where you are conforming to the world instead of living in the Light as God’s holy people.

Darkness can represent many things in our lives.  First, darkness can represent ignorance.
As people of the light, we are called to be informed. That means studying God’s Word, seeking to understand it, and asking Him to make us aware of what we don’t yet see. Often we simply “don’t know what we don’t know.” So our prayer becomes: “Lord, show me what I need to know. Make me conscious. Help me be intentional as I follow You.”

Second, darkness can represent sin.
As God’s people of light, we must leave behind sinful behavior—the things we already know are wrong. That means repenting and turning away from them. But it also means asking God to shine His light on the areas we can’t yet see. “Lord, show me the hidden sins, the blind spots, the places I need to change. Bring me out of the darkness and into Your light.”

Finally, darkness can represent despair.
The world constantly tells us reasons to be fearful, anxious, angry, or hopeless. But as people of the light, we are called to lay down despair and embrace hope. No matter how bad things look, we know that Christ has already overcome the brokenness of this world. In Him we have eternal hope. We don’t have to live in despair anymore—we can step out of the darkness and walk in the light.

Living As Royal Priests
Our identity is not just about what God has done for us, but what we are to do for Him.  We are His royal priests who represent God to the world.  Let me ask you some questions:

When was the last time you reminded someone that they are loved and valued by the Lord?

When was the last time you stood in the gap for someone who was far from God?

When was the last time you brought someone else’s needs before God in prayer as a priest would?

When was the last time you prayed with someone?

When was the last time you carried God’s presence into a place of darkness or despair?

When was the last time you served someone in a way that revealed God’s love?

When was the last time you lived in such a way that someone asked about your faith?

When was the last time you told your story of how God changed your life?

Closing
Our closing song today isn’t just a fun song.  It’s a closing reminder to all of us.  Listen to the words of the chorus:
The same power that rose Jesus from the grave
The same power that commands the dead to wake
Lives in us, lives in us
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks
The same power that can calm a raging sea
Lives in us, lives in us
He lives in us, lives in us

We are God’s royal priests, a holy nation.  We are the Temple of the Living God. He lives in us.
This is an incredible honor and privilege.  But it’s also a responsibility.  We are called to serve,
to represent God to the world.  To be His powerful agents of grace—calling the world repent, inviting more and more people in God’s Kingdom and ushering His Kingdom into our world.

We have the power to do it, because the same power that rose Jesus from the grave lives in us.
But are we willing to live as God’s royal priests?

The Mosaic Covenant, Passover, and Communion | A Sermon on Exodus 19:5-6

Introduction
In the Bible, God made 5 covenants with humanity.  I challenge you to memorize them because it will help you remember a simple outline of the Bible and God's plan to rescue humanity.  The 5 covenants are the covenants of:  1) Noah, 2) Abraham, 3) Moses, 4) David, and 5) Jesus.

Today we will explore God’s covenant with Israel through Moses, but first let's do a pop quiz as an overview of the biblical story leading up to the Mosaic covenant  You'll find the answers in the pictures at the end of this blog.
Abraham’s son was:  A. Tom  B. David  C. Isaac  D.  Israel

Isaac’s Son Was:  A. Jack  B. Harold  C. Jacob  D. Israel

How Many Sons Did Jacob (aka Israel) have?  A. Three B. Seven  C. Ten  D. Twelve

What was the name of Jacob’s Son Who Was Sold Into Slavery?  
A. Joseph  B. Judah  C. Benjamin  D. Joshua

How Long Were the Israelites in Slavery in Egypt?

A. 40 Years  B. 400 Years  C. 100 Years  D. 1000 Years

Who Did God Use to Deliver the Israelites from Slavery?

A. Jesus  B. Joseph  C. Moses  D. Jacob

How Many Plagues Did God Send on the Egyptians?

A. Three  B. Seven  C. Ten  D. Twelve

What Special Meal Did God Give the Israelites to Remember His Deliverance?

A. Thanksgiving  B. Hannukah  C. Yom Kippor  D. Passover

Now, let's read about the day God instructed the Israelites to remember His covenant with them by celebrating the Passover.

Exodus 12:17, 24-27
¹⁷ “Celebrate this Festival of Unleavened Bread, for it will remind you that I brought your forces out of the land of Egypt on this very day. This festival will be a permanent law for you; celebrate this day from generation to generation.

²⁴ “Remember, these instructions are a permanent law that you and your descendants must observe forever. ²⁵ When you enter the land the Lord has promised to give you, you will continue to observe this ceremony. ²⁶ Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’ ²⁷ And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’” When Moses had finished speaking, all the people bowed down to the ground and worshiped.

God’s Covenant with Moses
As we remember the 5 covenants God made with people as part of His grand rescue plan to save the world from sin, we come to the covenant God made with Israel through Moses.  This should be a familiar story.  God saved Israel through a series of 10 plagues, culminating in the death of every first-born son in Egypt that was not sheltered in a house whose doorpost was painted with the blood of a sacrificial lamb. 

Afterward, God commanded Israel to observe the Passover feast every year to remember their deliverance from Egypt establishing them as His chosen people.  The Passover was both a celebration of freedom and a reminder of Israel’s covenant relationship with God—a commitment that would require obedience, holiness, and faithfulness.

The Passover is rich with covenant elements that point to God’s commitment and Israel’s role as His chosen people.  There are promises and obligations: God promised to delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt (and He did) and His promised to bless them, protect them, and provide for them.  If Israel was faithful, God would take care of them in every way.  Israel’s obligation was to obey God, live righteously, and worship Him alone.  The people of Israel were to be God’s holy priests—representing God to the whole world.

The celebration of Passover every year was one of the signs of God’s covenant.  The blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts was a sign that distinguished Israel from Egypt, marking them as God’s protected people.  And every year Israel celebrated the Passover meal, it reminded them of their covenant with God as well witnessing to their non-Israelites neighbors.

Additionally, the many unique and (to us) odd ritual laws God gave Israel testified to non-Israelites that Israel was different.  No pork (in a world of subsistence farming…) Circumcision…

Israel’s covenant included blessings and curses.  If Israel was obedient, God would bless them.  If they neglected their call, they would be cut off from God’s favor and protection.

A summary of the covenant between God and Israel was written down on two stone tablets (the ten Commandments).  The tablets were kept in the Ark of the Covenant—which represented God’s throne on earth. The Ark, with the tablets inside, were kept in the most holy place—first in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple in Jerusalem.  The full covenant was written down in the Torah scrolls (the Law of Moses).  The full covenant was read publicly at least every seven years during the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). This practice reminded the people of God’s laws and renewed their commitment to the covenant.

Israel’s Role as God’s Royal Priests
God said of Israel, “...you will be my treasured possession...a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Exodus 19:5-6).  God didn’t just save Israel for Israel’s sake—He called them to be a light to the nations, a witness to His power, faithfulness, and love.  Their covenant relationship came with a mission: they were chosen, not to be exclusive, but to represent God’s holiness, justice, and mercy to the world. 

Some Foreigners God Included as His Chosen People
And we find again and again, God welcomed foreign people into the Kingdom of Israel as long as they were willing to give up their false God’s and worship the God of Israel alone.  Among these were Ruth (a Moabite), Rahab (a Canaanite prostitute), Uriah (a Hittite), Caleb (a Kenezzite), and Naaman (an Aramean).  There was even Egyptians who left Egypt with the Israeltes, adopting the practices of Israel and living among them as God’s chosen people (Exodus 12:38). 

The Church – The New Kingdom of God
God’s plan has always been for the whole world, but He started with one people—the Israelites.  As Christians, we recognize that the ancient covenant with Israel points toward the church’s mission today. While modern Israel is a nation with its own history and politics, it is not the same as biblical Israel. The Church now serves as God’s chosen people in a spiritual sense, called to be a “royal priesthood” and a “holy nation”.Listen to 1 Peter 2:9 – Speaking to Christians, Peter said, “You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”

Christians are not confined to just one country.  We are spread throughout the whole world.  There are Christians in America and in Pakistan, Africa, Guatemala, North & South Korea, China, Russia and Ukraine.  And like yeast in a loaf of dough, Christians are sometimes hidden or seem insignificant, but we make all the difference when we are faithful to our covenant to follow Christ and live as salt and light in a dark and unsavory world.

Just as ancient Israel was set apart, the Church is called to live in a way that honors God and draws others to Him, embodying the love, forgiveness, and justice that Christ demonstrated.

Choosing to Remember and Live in Covenant
The Passover was a reminder that Israel’s identity was grounded in God’s deliverance, not in their own efforts or accomplishments. Each year, they remembered the cost of their freedom and God’s ongoing commitment.

When Jesus gathered His disciples for the Last Supper, He celebrated Passover, but He gave it new meaning. He presented Himself as the Passover lamb, whose blood would bring deliverance—not just from physical slavery but from sin and death.  This New Covenant, sealed by Jesus’ sacrifice, fulfills and surpasses the covenant through Moses.  For Christians, Communion becomes the sign of this covenant, replacing Passover as our way of remembering God’s deliverance.

For Christians, remembering our identity in Christ helps us stay grounded. We are called to live in a way that reflects the reality of our deliverance from sin and death, continually reminding us that we belong to God.

Holy Communion
As we come to the Lord’s table today, we remember that we are part of a covenant sealed by Christ’s blood. Communion isn’t just a ritual; it’s a reminder that Christians have been delivered, chosen, and called to live as God’s people in this world.

In Communion, we remember Christ’s sacrifice and the deliverance He brings, committing ourselves once again to live as His covenant people—a people who love, serve, and witness to His goodness.

Just as God called Israel to remember their deliverance from Egypt, He calls us to remember our deliverance in Christ. As we celebrate Communion, we declare that we belong to God, saved by His grace, called to live in holiness and love.  And we also remember our commitment to follow Jesus—to be His royal ambassadors, to share His love with the world, to call people to repent of their sin, and to offer the Good News of Christ’s forgiveness and salvation to all who do.

So, let us come with grateful hearts today, remembering that God has brought us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Through the New Covenant in Christ, we are His holy, chosen people.