Strangers in the Night

1 Peter 2:9-12

Rev. Min J. Chung

(Friday Night Large Group, June 13, 2008)

 

9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

 

Introduction

         As we look into this passage, we see that we are aliens in a foreign land. This world is strange to us. We are to be strangers in the night and different because we live in a dark world. We are called to shine. Let me ask you € what is your plan or goal for this summer? What to do you hope to accomplish?

         I love this quote from Alice and Wonderland. They were in a junction in a road going in two different directions. She asked a cat, Would you tell me please which way I ought to go from here? Its a question we ask many times in our own lives. Many are at a junction in their life. They may be asking God, Which way ought I go from here? The cat told Alice, That depends a good deal on where you want to go to. She said, Well, I dont much care where. So, the cat said, Then it doesnt matter which way you go.

         Its simple, yet profound. If you dont have a clear direction, it doesnt matter what choices you make or what your heart decides. But if you have a direction, it does matter. Whether its in your daily life in the next couple hours or even for this summer, its always good to have a goal or purpose so that you can make the right choices € or so that the choices we make will matter according to that purpose.

         At CFC, this is the end of the 18^th year since it started. In the first seven or eight years, we were purposeless during the summer. In the beginning years of CFC, there were fewer students. In September, so many student would come in that we would be busy taking care of them. So, by the end of the year, after we had integrated people, everyone would be drained. Thats why in the summer, people just wanted to have fun. People would intentionally take summer school to have fun. They had a goal€ to have fun, and we did have a lot of fun. It was so much fun that everyone decided to stay. It got to the point where parents would complain that kids wouldnt go home.

         The churchs goal should never be just to have fun. Because we had a couple hundred people coming in during the year, we would incubate them and integrate them into church and make them feel comfortable. I realized that with no new people coming in during the summer, we ought to reach out as the church of Jesus Christ. In the last few years, weve been growing and it seems like just about everybodys in tune. In the summer, its time to do different kinds of ministry for the purpose outreach. We must go out to the community and reach out with the love of Christ. I pray that every single one of you will be in tune with this through this message and that every one of you would participate in some kind of outreach throughout the summer. Lets have that as our purpose and goal.

         Think about your heart. Whats your goal?

 

I.          What Is My Goal?

A.       In your mind or your heart, you might be thinking you need a break from studying, ministry, people, dating, or whatever you were doing in your life. You may be in an escape mode. Some of you might be thinking that summer is there for having a good time and having fun. Theres nothing wrong with those things if you redeem those desires. You can have a good redeemed break. Think about your heart. We have two natures. If my desire is met, I want the same thing again. Usually what happens is that if you live a certain lifestyle through the year, its because you are getting fed. I f you are no longer getting fed, you get tired of that lifestyle or whatever it is. When you dont get enough of what you want, you want to do something different.

B.       You might be motivated to study for a while but you might stop because its not efficient or effective. If youre eating something and you get tired of it, you might want to eat something different. If you want a break, youre not getting the maximum feeding for your desires.

C.       When you get into this mode of wanting something different, you can utilize that, but you need to redeem it and use it for Gods glory.

D.       Ephesians 5:15-17 says, 15 Be very careful, then, how you live€not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lords will is.

E.        Making the most of every opportunity means to redeem time. This means we are to make the most of every moment of our lives and live a wise life. The heart is always active and seeking to get what it wants. When we do those things that we want, we are never the same again.

F.        Someone said, We never step into the same river because a river flows. Its the same thing with our hearts, we are always different. Because of the choice you make, you become a different person. Be wise and make the most of every opportunity. How should we also use our time?

G.       1 Timothy 4:15-16 says, 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

H.       Paul is talking to a younger Christian named Timothy. We need to redeem time. When you want to do something different, you need to have a redeemed goal € not just to have fun or to take a break, but to evaluate and examine yourself and have a time of growth. You may even need to do some kind of ministry thats different. Evaluate yourself during this time.

I.          Dont go into an I need a break mode and watch movies for an entire day. Perhaps do ministry with non-Christians. Whatever youre called to this summer, have some redeemed goals.

II.       Who Were We?
1 Peter 2:9-10 says, 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

A.       In darkness

1.         We were in darkness, and we couldnt see God, His direction, or His purpose in our lives. We couldnt see who we were. We also, couldnt see others or that we are all spiritual beings made in the image of God. We couldnt see any of them without the light of God through His Word. You were in darkness. We were in darkness without God. You are in the night without the light of God.

2.         Without God, everything is dark. Thats the reality of life.

B.       Not a people

1.         This means we were not a group of people. We were individuals. There was no unity. Whats the big deal about a group people? Once upon a time, belonging to a group was everything. It gave you protection.

2.         1 Peter 2:10 (THE MESSAGE) says, from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted From nothing to something means now you belong to a group of people. From rejected to accepted means that you are now a people of God. You dont just belong to something random, but you belong to God.

C.       Had not received mercy

1.         This assumes that people need mercy. There are two words for mercy in the Bible. One word just talks about sympathy in the heart. However, this particular word or usage of mercy talks about not only mercy in the heart, but also action. Its mercy that leads to action. God not only had mercy, but he sent his Son to die on our behalf, so we could be saved. Hes in the process of transforming us and changing us. He not only loves us and cares for us, but he shows his love through his actions. We are people that receive mercy.

2.         If we did not remember who we were, we would not have this kind of mercy. If you really understand that you received mercy, you would feel mercy and be merciful to people who are lost.

3.         I have five children. Two go well together, two well go together, and the last one is always by herself. Shes always an outcast, and I always have mercy for her because I was the youngest, too. Whenever shes casted out, I remember who I was.

4.         I can barely jump over a quarter of my height now. In college, I was almost able to dunk the basketball. At one time, I went up high and was about to dunk and I came down and sprained my ankle. It was so painful I was rolling on the ground. At IMPE, almost everyone came to watch me roll on the floor. I was in pain. After that incident, for the next seven to ten years, anyone who remotely came close to spraining their ankle, I would run to them and I would feel this pain in my belly.

5.         I had sympathy for them. Now, its hard for me to sprain my ankle because I cant jump. Ten years after that incident, I couldnt feel it as much. Why? Because I had forgotten the pain. But whenever I remembered the pain, I was able to have that mercy. I was able to have that sympathy. Always be thankful for salvation in Jesus Christ. Look at the cross. Thats where you were supposed to be. Jesus Christ was there in place of you on that cross.

6.         Lilly Tomlin said, Ive always wanted to be somebody, but I see now, I should have been more specific. Not only should we know who we were, but we should know who we are and who we are becoming.

III.    Who Are We?
1 Peter 2:9-11 says, 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

A.       A chosen people

1.         A chosen people means the best of its kind € excellence. Through Jesus Christ, we are the chosen people. Remember, God chose the Israelites. He had to choose a certain group of people to save in order to spread the gospel. Now, we are those spiritual Israelites € the ones who are in Jesus Christ. Put your faith in Jesus Christ, and you become a spiritual Israelite. We are Gods chosen generation so that we can spread the gospel all over the world so everyone can come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

B.       A royal priesthood

1.         A royal priesthood means a kingly priesthood. It means you can stand before man and God and you become the bridge. The priest would sacrifice on behalf of man. He would lift up prayers to God and proclaim to the people. Its not just any kind of priesthood, but a royal priesthood. In the Old Testament, there was no one person who could be a king and a priest. It did happen but rarely, and it was only a couple people who represented Jesus Christ. Saul tried to be like that. He was a king but he also was a priest until Samuel came. Thats why he was rejected by God. Jesus Christ was not only a king, but also a priest. When we are in Jesus Christ, we stand before God as kings and priests. We are priests praying to God and proclaiming to the people.

C.       A holy nation

1.         Therefore, we are a holy nation. We have a specific morality separated by God.

D.       A people belonging to God

1.         We are absolutely His.

E.       Dear friends (agapetos)

1.         The NIV translates it as friends. The Greek word is agapetos. Many of you know the word agape € true love. Agapetos means ones who are truly loved by God.

2.         We are Gods people standing in between God and the people. To people, we proclaim. To God, we pray for them. So that many people may see Jesus Christ in us and through us. Thats who we are.

3.         While walking through the forest one day, a man found a young eagle that had fallen out of its nest. He took it home and put it in his barnyard where it soon learned to eat and behave like the chickens. One day, a naturalist passed by the farm and asked why it was that the king of all birds should be confined to live in the barnyard with the chickens. The farmer replied that since he had given it chicken feed and trained it to be a chicken, it had never learned to fly. Since it now behaved like a chicken, it was no longer an eagle.

4.         Still it has the heart of an eagle, replied the naturalist, and can surely be taught to fly. He lifted the eagle toward the sky and said, You belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth your wings and fly.

5.         The eagle, however, was confused. He did not know who he was, and seeing the chickens eating their food, he jumped down to be with them again.

6.         The naturalist took the bird to the roof of the house and urged him again, saying, You are an eagle. Stretch forth your wings and fly.

7.         But the eagle was afraid of his unknown self and world and jumped down once more for the chicken food. Finally, the naturalist took the eagle out of the barnyard and to a high mountain. There he held the king of the birds high above him and encouraged him again, saying, You are an eagle. You belong to the sky. Stretch forth your wings and fly.

8.         The eagle looked around, back towards the barnyard and up to the sky. Then the naturalist lifted him straight towards the sun and it happened that the eagle began to tremble. Slowly he stretched his wings, and with a triumphant cry, soared away into the heavens.

9.         It may be that the eagle still remembers the chickens with nostalgia. It may even be that he occasionally revisits the barnyard. But as far as anyone knows, he has never returned to lead the life of a chicken.

10.     Stretch forth your wings and fly. Live like you were made to be. We must shine in darkness as we are strangers in the night. We are strangers on the chicken farm. We have to learn to shine and fly.

IV.    What Are We Made For?

A.       To declare the praises of God

1.         1 Peter 2:9 says, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

2.         Declare means to tell forth, to publicize it, celebrate it, or proclaim it. Praise means to proclaim the excellence of, or another way to put it is to glorify Him.

B.       To glorify God (doxazo)

1.         1 Peter 2:12 says, Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

2.         This means that there is glory in us as we grow in Him. We are already made to be like Him in Jesus Christ. We are to become who He is recreating us to be and declare His glory. The word is doxazo which is the New Testament word for glory or literally, opinion. In the Old Testament, it was more of His value. In the New Testament, its more of a word for opinion. We cant help but to give our highest opinion of God. As we become and show His worth to others, people will praise Him who is in us. We glorify Him. That is who we are made to be. As we represent Him, people see us and see God. Be amazed by God. Thats what we are made for.

3.         General George Patton would often ask soldiers this simple question, What is your mission? Being able to articulate clearly the current mission was the most important piece of information that the soldier would carry in combat. What is your mission? We are to declare praises of God.

4.         How are we to show His excellence so that people will glorify God?

V.       How Are We to Declare the Praises of God and Glorify Him?
1 Peter 2:9-12 says, 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. It talks about how were different than the ones who are at home. We are pilgrims or strangers. Thats why were to be different from the world. Verse 12 relates the word alien. As strangers, we need to learn to dwell or live among others. Verse 11 is saying that as Christians, we are strangers and we have to abstain from sin. There has to be a war in our soul. Many of you fight and battle. That battle means you are a stranger in this world. When theres no battle, youre a little bit too comfortable.

A.       Fight
1 Peter 2:2-3 says, 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

1.         Like newborn babies

a)         In order for you to grow, you need to be like newborn babies. You should always have your first love. You should always be hungry. Dont have old hearts. Let me ask you, is this the day that youre most hungry in your life? Are you hungry for the Lord?

b)        Ive been asking myself if Im hungry. I am! Do I have a desire in my heart to grow? Am I still Christian? Yes. Im a Christian. I have a desire in my heart today. Before you and before the Lord, I am hungry for the Lord and I want to grow. My hunger is great enough that today might be the moment where I might be the hungriest. At least, its pretty close to that.

2.         Crave

a)         In the nature of your desires, you know how to crave. What do you crave more than spiritual milk? That guy or girl? That sin? That game or grade? That school, job? That position or possession? Do you crave God more than these things?

b)        That newborn doesnt know how to crave anything else because all it knows is what milk is. A lot of you need an undivided heart to crave spiritual milk.

3.         Pure spiritual milk

a)         Your sinful nature gets addicted to bad things. Your good nature can get addicted to good things. Get addicted to praying and worshipping God just a little bit more. Does anything that has to do with the Lord taste good to you?

4.         Grow

a)         Then, you can grow. Your wings will come out and you can fly. You have to learn how to fight.

5.         G.H. Morrison said, When we are foolish, we want to conquer the world. When we are wise, we want to conquer ourselves. Learn to fight.

B.       Live
1 Peter 2:12 says, Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

1.         We need to live a good life, meaning that you need to be different through fighting. You still live and rub shoulders with people that dont know Christ, but there is still a spiritual difference. Live good lives among people who dont know Christ. You have to be different and yet, the same. While remaining as God, Jesus Christ still lived among the people. We might be doing many things similar, but our motive is different. We have to be spiritually different in our motive and in our thinking. Of course, there are some things that we shouldnt do, because its obvious by doing those things that our motive is bad. Theres some commonality but also a definite distinction. Theres a delicate balance.

2.         If we just want to grow and be in the church, then we are like hermits. If we are disconnected from the church and were into the world, then we can become hypocrites. A good balance has to be there. We need to be connected to the body of Christ and always growing. With that connected involvement, we must live amongst the people. How are we to live such good lives among the people?

3.         1 Peter 2:13-14 says, 13Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

4.         It says to submit to human governments. Apart from disobeying God, submit to the human laws. Think about this. During that time, King Nero was in power. He was responsible for killing many Christians. Still, you need to be good human beings in their eyes with a good motive. You need to be good citizens and a good student. No matter what kind of Christian you are, if youre not a good student, that doesnt earn credibility amongst them. You need to be a good family member, a good roommate, a good neighbor, and a good worker. You need to be quiet and cordial. In their eyes, earn credibility. Live a good life.

5.         After you earn their credibility, theyll see the power. In time, as you do good deeds with good motives, the Spirit will use those things to show what Jesus is like. God uses them. Fight means you need to become valuable. Live means show His value through your life. Just by being with them, it will overflow. Thats why ministry is an overflow. If you learn to fight in your heart, ministry is easy in the sense that it just overflows.

6.         If you dont fight when youre alone, ministry becomes hard. If you learn to fight with God and depend on Him and you change in your heart, it becomes easy. Thats why its always hard to battle your own heart.

C.       Practical suggestions

1.         Vision

a)         You need to see with spiritual eyes € eyes of eternity. People, in the midst of sunshine are in darkness. Dont see them with the eyes of judgment but with the eyes of mercy. Do you see other people with the eyes of potential? A shouting baby can be a good preacher.

2.         Intercession

a)         Intercession means you pray for people in the church that are reaching out. It means you pray for people. How many people do you pass by who dont know Jesus Christ? Learn to pray for others.

3.         Association

a)         Relate and spend time with others. It doesnt have to be extra time. In classrooms, workplaces and in restaurants, we meet so many people. Be nice to them. I didnt even say present the gospel to them.

4.         Invitation

a)         Look at the entire summer schedule. Think about all the other things we do as a church. Through Praise night, summer league, and the picnic, think about what you can invite people to just to associate with them. Think about appropriate things and strategize about your friends and what you can invite them to.

5.         Distinction

a)         In the midst of your conversations, there might be some content in their life that they can relate to the gospel. Maybe after movies or praise night, you can talk about some analogy to talk about the gospel.

6.         Be honest. We have nothing to hide. The methodology of the Bible is never programmed by people. Its never about evangelism, but its about the evangelist. Its not even about church planting, its about church planters. For CFC, we had a choice to plant many churches. We prayed and said no. Were just going to produce people so that they would go out and serve.

7.         Its not about missions, its about the missionary. If we dont have the right people, its not going to work. If I learned anything about ministry in the last thirty years, thats what I learned. Its about you being ready. If youre ready, it doesnt matter what you do, it will work.

8.         Its not about seeker-friendly services, but seeker-friendly people. Its about seeker-friendly lives so that people can see the supernatural power of Jesus that flows through you. The Bible is not a seeker-friendly book. Theres nothing more offensive than the cross. We must be a modern or post-modern translation of the Bible. People should be able to read the Bible through you. When they see you, they should see the old rugged cross. Anything that the cross represents, they should see in you. Youre flawed and make mistakes, but youre so repentant that they see the mercy of the cross. They see that youre forgiven, changing and rejoicing. So, they see the personification of the old rugged cross.

9.         Live a life of sacrifice so that they see sacrifice through yourself. There are many translations of the Bible like ESV and NLT. You need to be a true living translation of the Bible. When they read and exegete your lives, may they see Jesus. May they scrutinize your life and examine your life, and when they see your mistakes, may they see the forgiveness of Jesus. When they see your victories, may they see the resurrecting power of Jesus.

10.     Its not about hiding your mistakes but show the forgiving love of Jesus Christ. Verse 9 says that its about the praise of Him not the praise of you. Through our weakness and mistakes, we show His forgiveness in us.

D.       1 Timothy 4:15-16 says, 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. You just have to show youre growing. I can honestly say that I want to grow. Theres a good probability that I have been over the past 25 years. I am not perfect but I am growing.

 

Conclusion

         Charles Noble said, You must have long-range goals to keep you from being frustrated from short-term failures. Its not about perfection, but about progression. Make sure your life goal is to grow and to declare the praises of Him. Make sure others see Him in you and through you.

         Alexander McClaren said, Every moment of life is granted to us for one purpose € becoming like our dear Lord. That ultimate and all-embracing end is reached through a multitude of nearer and intermediate ones. We are changing in the core of our being to be like Jesus. What we say and what we do can show Jesus.

         J.S. Bach said, All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the souls refreshment. Where this is not remembered, there is no real music, but only a devilish hubbub. He headed his compositions J.J. €Jesus Jova which means Jesus, help me. He ended them with SDG which means sol e de gratia which means solely to God alone be the glory. We start with Jesus, help me and end with glory be to God.

         There is an infinite possibility in us. We can change to become like Jesus. Whenever I think about that, I feel like weeping because I dont have to remain the same. You are changing. I am really happy. Theres actually a possibility that I can grow. I dont want cheap things. I want my heart to change. I want to be like Jesus. People in the world need Jesus and need the most beautiful, the most glory to be shown. When our hearts change, whatever we do, they will see Jesus. Dont desire cheap substitutes. Desire something that will last forever. If you grow, you will overflow with Jesus. Thats how you do evangelism.

         Ive been praying for half a year for the summer session, summer school, summer league, and summer missions almost every day. My desire is that you get the best. Just spend a couple hours here. I just want you to do something eternal so that your life will never be the same because of this night. I cannot do it. I cannot shove it down your throat or into your heart unless you want it. I hope your heart is ready and that youre in a condition of faith. Ask and pray. Dont underestimate your heart.

         He has unlimited resources and blessings. He has all the riches in Jesus Christ. They can be yours.

 

Suggested Closing Song Types

Second Chance

Hosanna