A Peculiar People -II : Pastor Rajiv's Message

BIBLE PASSAGE – 1 PETER 2:9

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light".

As we saw yesterday, the key phrases are –

A. A chosen people

B. A Holy Nation

C. Gods special possession.

All gearing us towards our purpose which we are called for.

All these four descriptive phrases are similar to the titles used for Israel in Exodus 19:5 & 6 5 “Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

These verses talk about a moment of sacred bonding for the people of Israel, Peter uses the same words as being inclusive of the Church, of you and me. Both these verses talk about our responsibility as “priests” – that of our servant hood and a bridge builder between God and man. Charged with such a huge responsibility, how could Israel do this? How can we do this? By “being a Holy nation” in Israel’s case and being “Holy” in our case. And why? So that we let our light, which is a reflection of the light of Jesus Christ, so shine before this dark world that the world will see that light, and recognise where it came from through our praises, and see the way. We have been set apart. And being that, we definitely are a peculiar people, but, only if we recognize our responsibility and purpose, according to scripture and act on it.

Are we actively pursuing that responsibility and purpose is a question we all need to ask ourselves.

Note By the Editor:

On a concluding note, we would just like to quote Olin Williams on this Bible passage –

“The modern church is slowly beginning to lose this. Instead of maintaining God’s holiness and values, the church is becoming to be another social place. Believers are losing their distinctiveness as God’s chosen and not continue in His marvelous light but are regressing into the darkness of the world”.

A Peculiar People: Pastor Rajiv’s Message for the Week

Based on 1 Peter, Chapter2, Verse 9

What if someone came up to you and told you, “You are a peculiar person”, how would you react? surprise? anger? irritation? stunned silence? Well different people would react differently with different emotions.

The truth is that if someone did say that to you it would be taken as a negative comment a derogatory statement and maybe you would not want to associate with that person in the future.

This week we will focus on the fact that we, as followers of Christ ARE a “peculiar people”, as stated in the first half of 1 peter 2:9 in the KJV which says 

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;”

So why does the Bible, again and again, set God’s followers apart to the extent of calling them peculiar? Because we have been charged to exhibit properties which are strange and peculiar to the commonly accepted traits of man.

In 1 Peter 2:9, He says “ But 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;”

This shows a very special relationship with God our creator as we were chosen by Him, to proclaim Him through our acts and behaviour. This relationship is a sacred bonding.

This kind of a relationship and bonding is not a new thing Peter wrote about. Back in the days of Exodus, it was written:

EXODUS 19: 5 & 6 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Therefore when God chooses us and we choose to follow Him, we become His treasure, different from all others, becoming a bridge between God and man and keeping ourselves Holy so that we can become His showcase on Earth.

A.W. Tozer sums this up wonderfully when he writes 

“A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to Someone he cannot see, expects to go to heaven on the virtue of Another, empties himself in order to be full, admits he is wrong so he can be declared right, goes down in order to get up, is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest and happiest when he feels worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible and knows that which passeth knowledge.”

Now that we have established our peculiarity, tomorrow on wards we shall delve into each part of the how to the who.

Are we wasting God given Resources?

Hard Fact: One-third or 33 percent of the food in the world is wasted.

When food is lost or wasted, all the resources that were used to produce this food - including water, land, energy, labor and capital - go to waste. In addition, the disposal of food loss and waste in landfills, leads to greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.

What a tragedy that while 10% of world goes hungry, the world wastes 33% of food. This essentially means that 90% of the world has 123% of what they need, to be nourished. This to my mind is one of the most inhuman and most unchristian like behavior, fueled by greed and covetousness. and contradicting the 10th commandment.

Everyone knows the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. Yet I will urge you to read it again. Matthew Verse 20 says -

"They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over".

What was left over was not wasted.

What we learn is that God provides bountifully, and we cannot and should not waste what He has provided. 

Gods' blessings and provisions should be honored and shared.

The Touch: Our Daily Reflection

What is divine strength? we believe it is a God given power to overcome personal and professional challenges.

Gen 49:24 says "But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)"

Every character, from Adam to the apostles received divine strength. As did then, even now, challenges are a part of everyday life we all face, no matter who we are.
How do we get divine strength to overcome our challenges. Reading the quoted passage closely, you will see that award of divine strength is a very personal act. It is Gods power passing to man through a personal touch. 

Being that it is such a personal touch, it follows that we need a personal relationship, one that is strong and open enough to enable us to "ask". Ask and it shall be given is a familiar passage, but to be able to ask one needs to know Him personally, and to do that we need to overcome pride and relinquish our will to His. We need to get to know Him better through His word and we need to get rid of anything that hinders that relationship.

This Ash Wednesday we get another chance to do exactly that, kicking off the 40 days of lent when we can examine our lives and get rid of any hindrances in our relationship with our God.

The Long Forgotten Concept of "Respect"

There are so many points of conflict in the world today. Between people, nations, continents, races, gender, age and so on. You name it and it is there. 

Is it conflict what God created us for? 

We have to learn that people of other faiths, color, gender etc., are not only created by, but also sustained by, God the Creator. The Biblical understanding of God as creator should lead to understand that all people, their cultures and spiritualities are within the sphere of God's love.

Respect for people includes respecting who they are and acting out that respect. It is part of the commandment to love your neighbor.

Why Is Respect so Important in the Christian Community?

In the Bible we learn that it is firstly God who respects man: 

"Since you are precious and honored (respected) in my sight, and because I love you" (Isiaah 43:4) 

If man thus opens to God, he always receives his reverence, because respect is the permanent state of God.

In return, Reverence for God. Honor for others is what we learn from Him and are taught to practice. Respect for all life as created by and belonging to God. These are not only marks of a believer, but they set a goal for Christians to demonstrate faith and love of God. 

Paul says in Romans 12:10 - "Outdo yourselves in honoring (respecting) one another".

Respecting others demonstrates the value God places on life. Respecting others demonstrates the character of God in His humility, sacrificial love, and redemptive plan. Respecting others creates a community that is marked by harmony, service, and care for even the most vulnerable.

At the end of the day, we respect others out of our reverence for our God and this contributes powerfully to the testimony and legacy we create. 

Who will Cry When I Die? : The importance of Sacrificial Giving

I cannot forget a Book by Robin Sharma called "Who will cry when you die". The title inspired me to think, and often I ask myself the same question: who will cry when I die? Maybe not literally, but who will genuinely grieve? 

Apart from my family and a couple of friends, I really can't count any. We are so involved with self and careers and God knows what else, we forget to carve out a legacy which we can leave behind. And why should we ? 

Because "Life" is not a career; life is not about just us. There is nothing wrong about doing things for us but that is not the ends. Life is the means to the end. Life is living in harmony with the world around us. Taking care of the world and people around us. Using our talents wisely for the benefit of others. 

Everything we have comes from above. Do we even stop to give thanks? here is how Hen Smith defined it nearly 50 years ago and presented by Rosemary Seimens in a musical format https://youtu.be/qCm8isaSoiI

But seriously. Do we share our blessings, our talents as Rosemary has done? I know of at least 5 individuals, and a couple of great musicians and song writers, who perform the Lord's songs on demand. But never on their own. 

Hebrews 13:16 says-

16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Note the word "sacrifices" and "sharing". 

Pastor Rajiv has already talked about sacrificial giving or sharing in the last two posts and clearly defined what it means to give and more so, what is sacrificial giving. 

Careers and material things will end one day as will life itself. What will last will be the legacy we leave. Can we start creating it? 

Think about it. Who will cry when you die. 

The 5 Principles of Sacrificial Giving: Pastor Rajiv's Message

Excel in Giving

1Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4imploring us with much urgency [a]that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. 6So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. 7But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also.

2 Corinthians 8 Verses 1 to 7

Continuing our study from yesterday, PAUL’S PASSAGE TEACHES US FIVE PRINCIPLES OF SACRIFICIAL GIVING.

THESE ARE –

1. SACRIFICIAL GIVING GOES BEYOND THE SPECIFIC GIVING

The word sacrifice comes from the latin word “sacra” which means sacred and ficeo meaning ‘to make. So sacrifice means to make sacred or to make Holy. In other words to devote to god.

2. THE OLD TESTAMENT DEFINE “GIVING” BY LAW. THE NEW TESTAMENT ON THE OTHER HAND, DEFINES IT AS GIVING IS OUT OF LOVE.

Giving is through grace, through love, and, from the generosity of the heart as Paul points out in verse 3.

3. OT GIVING IS OBLIGATION SPECIFIC  NT GIVING IS OTHERS SPECIFIC.

4. OT GIVING WAS BY PERCENTAGE (TITHE)  NT GIVING IS BY PROPORTION

In verses 2 & 3 2 Paul says, “that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing”

5. SACRIFICIAL GIVING IS SPONTANEOUS.

It is not done out of obligation or because it had to be done. THE SPONTANEITY COMES FROM THE NATURAL OUTPOURING OF GOD’S LOVE IN ONE’S HEART.

Finally, Paul clearly states that GIVING WAS A RESPONSIBILTY in the Old Testament. But it is a “response” as per the New Testament. We are not bound to give, but because we received grace freely, our hearts respond to need by giving, and giving whole heartedly.

In verses 8 and 9 he says, “I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich”.

Today as we travel through life as stewards of this earth and our fellow men, we are faced with needs all around us. What is our response going to be? Share what we have got out of grace or share what is left over from our own wants. Let us not forget God's desire from us stewards - 

Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it".

Giving that Hurts: Pastor Rajiv's Series on Sacrificial Giving

* Photo Credit: The Kindness Blog 

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Stewardship can be viewed from the biblical sense as the use of God-given gifts and resources for the accomplishment of God-given goals and objectives.

As stewards on this earth, it is our responsibility to use what He has given abundantly, for His purpose. Sharing and giving are all part of it, specially sacrificial giving.

The text book definition of sacrificial giving is “Giving beyond your means (Giving money that you really should be putting somewhere else, not giving money that you don't have) Giving that hurts. Going without something that we want/need in order to supply for the needs of another”. 

The most glaring example of Sacrificial is in Mark Chapter 12:44 - "For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

Are there justifiable opportunities to do this? Sure! Look at Turkey and Syria where the death toll has crossed 40,000 and more than 9 Million people have been affected. Food shortages in many parts of the world leave millions hungry everyday. You don’t have to look, they come in the news every single day.

In the Biblical context, “giving’ can take many connotations like tithing, sharing, sacrificial giving etc. The difference between the old and New Testament on this subject is the difference between legal compulsion to give (Old Testament) and the giving through grace (New Testament). The concept of giving and sharing is so important that it is critical we understand it in the deepest sense to be able to fulfil our purpose as stewards, that God laid out for us.

In the next few days we will delve deeper into this subject and understand the cause and the depth of Sacrificial giving and why it is so important.

Next: The Five Principles of Sacrificial Giving

Watch Your Step: A Saturday reflection

Ephesians 5 15- 17 - So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants. (5:15–17 MSG)

Watch your step! This statement is so familiar isn't it? . Parents say that to children, people use that as a warning to others and so on. This is a life warning.

But read further, it is also guideline for every Christian.

As we travel a path carefully chosen according to His will, word and purpose, God presents us with so many opportunities. Opportunities to flourish and prosper, and also opportunities to say NO. Opportunities to lead an exemplary life. Opportunities to use our gifts for others.

We cannot pass our time mindlessly, but realize every second we live is an investment we make into life, a life after our physical death. 

Just to be clear, our first death, or our physical death, is the separation of  our body from our spirit. The second death, is the separation of our spirit from God and God's plan. 

Generally, people don't think much about their second death too seriously, specially young people. We are all pre- occupied with our physical death and how to prolong our physical life. But think this - if physical death is so fearsome to us, how much more horrible and painful the second death will be?

The question is can we save ourselves from this second death? The answer is YES! If we invest our life here in believing in,  and following, Jesus Christ, truly and earnestly, we can save ourselves. 

Why should we believe this? Because it is a promise from Christ - 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” Revelation 2:11.

Our Greatest Failure

When the earth in all its splendor was created, as was man, his one bounden duty was to manage the earth and its resources, animals, plants et all.

Every part of nature creates and supports another part. Except man.

Nature is still providing human beings at this point in time, but it's anyone's guess for how long. Man takes away from nature and gives nothing in return.

Nature is one of God's beautiful creations. Through nature, God is able to teach us, speak to us, and provide for us. For this reason, we can find in scripture that we humans are called to protect all of which He has created.

And this is our greatest failure, that we have not protected and renewed Gods gifts to us, exploiting His gifts. Our greed, materialism and our selfishness reign supreme.

God said in Ezekiel Chapter  34:3

"You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock".

So what do we do about it? How can we replenish what God has created? Lets learn to practice three things - 

A. Use as much as one needs, not desires, not wants and not in envy. No greed. No lust. 

B. Reduce and Reuse what we already have, eg paper bags (it is estimated that a standard pine tree, with 45ft of the usable trunk and a diameter of eight inches, will produce around 10,000 sheets of paper. To consider this in another way, one ream of paper (which is 500 sheets) will use 5% of a tree. Think of how much paper we waste in our offices. 

Or take toilet paper in our homes.  Each roll requires 37 gallons (140 liters) of water, 1.3 kilowatt/hours (KWh) of electricity and some 1.5 pounds of wood. We should definitely reduce. 

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C. Share the extras. All our homes have clutter - old or unused stuff which we have hoarded. But one man's clutter can be another man's need.  SHARE!

Let us start following these simple steps in a small way with everyone and everything around us. If 8 Billion people live a life as God intended, imagine how much resources we can save! 

Otherwise think: What are we leaving behind for our children?