What does it mean to live out our calling as God’s people?

Calling #1 – We are called to live out our identity as God’s people.

1 Peter 2:1-3
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

1. We have to put away evil desires.
- Malice
- Deceit
- Hypocrisy
- Envy
- Slander

2. We have to pursue spiritual growth.

1 Peter 2:4-8
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

Isaiah 28:16
Therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am the one who has laidas a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’”

What does it mean to be God’s house?

We are part of an ongoing construction project.

1 Peter 2:5
You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house…

Matthew 16:16-18
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rockI will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

We have house privileges.

We have house responsibilities.

Calling #3 – We are called to be a unique witness of Jesus Christ to a dark world.

1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

What is so unique about us?
- A chosen race
- A royal priesthood
- A holy nation
- A people for God’s own possession
- Benefactors of God’s mercy

Deuteronomy 7:6-8
For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

“Think about how much the value of something ordinary increases if it has been owned by someone extraordinary.” – Chuck Swindoll

1 Peter 2:9
…that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.