drshaneljohnson@gmail.com New Life Church 6/25/17 1 Peter 2.9 drshaneljohnson@gmail.com New Life Church 6/25/17

Intro… This week, I met with two mentees and two colleagues Both of these mentees are associated with large, well recognized churches in their areas As we talked, I was struck by how some of the verbiage used by my mentees, in talking about the Church, sounded much like the business world- branding, market share, buy-outs, marketing One of my mentees made me aware of a large church in the area, which is now a “franchise” of a megachurch elsewhere in the US- at level x you get x services from the franchiser; at 2x, you get 2x services, and so forth People are now hired out of the business/entertainment world, with little biblical training, who now serve as- executive pastor, chief of staff, personnel director, worship “pastor” (who at times dictates to the lead pastor what worship will look like) One of my colleagues told me of a church, in another area of the state, that was literally taken over by a larger church, who wanted the building- the former pastor’s salary was “bought out” for the last 3 yrs of his ministry My question- where is the Body of Christ in all this? The US Evangelical Church is growing larger in some respects, and certainly becoming institutionalized We are not healthier- go to christianpost.com, or christianitytoday.com and read some of the headlines about what is going on the US Church- some are embarrassing

Kinnaman, in his book Unchristian 6 themes regarding how outsiders see Christians Hypocritical Too focused on getting converts Antihomosexual Sheltered Too political Judgmental

warning Danger enters when the US Church situates herself so that she is seen as culturally mainstream, so she can gain acceptance by the larger society around her If you are a biblical Christian, you will not, should not, fully “fit” in this world The Early Church won their world for Christ because they were in their world but not like their world As a believer, your mission is to penetrate your immediate world by going to the marketplace- your work, school, etc. Live Christ biblically, and openly Use your life, and verbiage to expose people to the Christ-life Encourage them to become a follower of Him, based on what they see in you If you are doing anything less, you are less than a biblical Christian

Background of the text Peter is writing to the church scattered through “provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia…” Part of Peter’s writing addresses the persecution that the Early Church is suffering- 1.6 “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”  The persecution was not state related so much as is was persecution from the culture

What peter says we are, in 2.9 Who we are A chosen race- eklektos genos, a people of various background picked out or selected by God A royal priesthood- basileios hierateuma – a kingly or regal order of priests; these are people set apart for the service of God; notice that Peter is not referring to me as your pastor- he is referring to YOU A holy nation, hagios ethnos- a holy and set apart people group of the same nature A people for His own possession- laos peripoieisis, a people group of God’s own preserving What we do We proclaim the excellencies, Exaggello arete- declare everywhere you go the virtues of God “this is what Jesus has done for me” Who has called you out of the blindness of sin and ignorance into this wonderful, brilliant light

Do you understand that… He has selected you To be set apart for His service And has and will preserve you To tell people what He has done for you Bringing you from blindness to light?