Sabbath: A Royal Priesthood
Image © Lars Justinen Goodsalt.com
Read for This Week’s Study: 1 Pet. 2:1-3; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 2:4-8; Isa. 28:16; Exod. 19:3-6; 1 Pet. 2:5,1 Peter 2:9-10.
Memory Text: “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9, NKJV).
Immersed as he is in Jewish culture, religion, and history, Peter refers to the Christians he is writing to as a “holy nation, God’s own people.” By so doing, he is taking covenant language that the Old Testament uses to refer to ancient Israel, applying it here to the New Testament church.
And no wonder: Gentile believers in Jesus have been grafted into God’s covenant people. They are now partakers of the covenant promises, as well. “If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you” (Rom. 11:17-18, NIV).
In the passages for this week, Peter points his readers to the sacred responsibility and high calling that they have as God’s covenant people, those who (using Paul’s language) have been grafted in to the olive tree. And among those responsibilities is the same as what ancient Israel had-proclaiming the great truth of the salvation offered in the Lord.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 15.
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Several years ago a testimony I shall never forget was witnessed 1st hand right in Sabbath School. "My wife and I visited many churches, when we were searching, we found the true church amoung you Seventh day Adventist, by the grace of God we will remain stead fast till the end with you." That testimony had no compliant of those hippocrates being the same as all the others, they looked to our principles, rather than considering themselves superior to other branches in the church, they now shared the nourishing sap from the Root.
Amen, May God continue to bless you richly. God always hears his children's prayer
As in the days of the apostles, how marvelous the fact that God would take feeble, ignorant, and sometimes un educated people and make them his major players in the plan of salvation. Even to the point of confounding the educated. Even the demoniac was chosen to be his first missionary. (KISS),keep,it,simple, saints.
The most powerful gift God has giving human being is the power of choice.
God had arranged this beautiful plan for us before He placed this universe. The Lord knows everything that was going to happen in this planet. He is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscience. He knew the Devil was going to entertain us into sin, and for this reason, His Crucifixion Death was planed from Heaven to come down on earth to save the humanity.
The controversy between God and Satan from heaven, even Jesus gave the Morning Star(Lucifer, Satan) numerous chance to change his mind. the Idiot did not accept God's proposals, he choose to be rebel. With his pride he wanted to rule Heaven and Earth. Satan lots all the battles. Satan has lost both positionsthat He wanted to dominate which are Heaven and Earth. Our Savior Jesus Christ did not let him that power, Jesus death included as well in this wonderful plan.
Choice is Power: God loves us so much with His infinite Eternal love He gives us to choose. Therefore Choice is also is love
Love Nancy, your sister in Christ.
Dear Pierre, I'm wondering about that expression you used "idiot" Jude 1:9 says :
"Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee!"
Be blessed, you have a wonderful name !
Why royal?
I loved the words used in by Peter to analyse hw special pipo were...Royal priesthood, superior, we were called with high calling as well united with heavenly family to walk in light from above... we are coworkers of Jesus Christ Who called us to assist Him the work to evangelize and bring back those who were lost .....share them the love we received from Him so that thy may contain privilege of saved.... God help us to walk as He walked
We serve an awesome God who first sees everyone equal and not the way men do; and because of that agape love it doesn't matter which way we turned once we are are willing he extends the olive branch to us.
Thanks every one,Amen.