I will not, I will not desert
to his foes That's all though all hell should endeavor to shake
I'll never, no never, no never forsake I don't think I'll ever grow
tired of singing that hymn. I hope not. I don't want to sound
presumptuous. I hope not. It's such a scriptural hymn and
such a blessing, honoring to God and a blessing to me in my
heart and soul. Like the gospel which it declares,
like the word of God, which has been of old, the same things,
yet are new, good news every morning. So, I hope not. I hope I never grow tired of
that. All right, 1 Peter chapter 2 is our text. 1 Peter. Chapter 2, 1 Peter. Let's read
verses 9 and 10. Scripture says, ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people,
that you should show forth the praises of him who have called
you. out of darkness into his marvelous
life. Which in time past were not a
people, but are now the people of God, which had not obtained
mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Amen. Let's go home. That'd be
good enough. Now. For those of you who were here
Wednesday night and heard the message on separated people this
will sound somewhat familiar. The subject. The text is a peculiar
people. Peculiar people that one line
struck me when I read it again. Well, they don't think time struck
me. Peculiar people, God's true people. God's people are sometimes called
saints. That's a blessed name, believers,
disciples, Christians. But here they're called a peculiar
people, and they are indeed a peculiar people, meaning an oddity. in this world, an oddity. Now,
before we look at what makes them or us a peculiar people,
let's look at the rest of these things. He says in verse 9, you
are a chosen generation. Now, once again, let me remind
you who this is speaking to. God's people. His elect. Look at chapter 1. Go back to
Chapter one, a chosen generation is peculiar. People have been
chosen. We want to see this is the first
thing that makes them peculiar. Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ
to the strangers. Not strangers to God, but strangers
to. The world. Pilgrim sojourner strangers. In verse two it says, elect according
to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification,
that is set apart of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, unto obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace unto you
and peace be multiplied. Grace of God to you, peace to
you who have been chosen or elect, elected by God from before the
foundation of the world. According to the foreknowledge
of God, that is, God knew them, loved them before the world began. That's what Scripture says over
and over again. Ephesians 1, 4, 2 Thessalonians
2, 13, and other places. Their names, these loved of God,
these chosen, these elect of God, their names were written
in the Lamb's Book of Life again. from the foundation of the world,
Revelation 17, verse 8. And they have been set apart,
sanctified by the Spirit of God, called, regenerated by God's
Word, by God's truth, by the gospel unto obedience, obedience
of the faith. They believe God's obedience
of conduct in life, like obedient children, but especially the
obedience of Christ himself. and the sprinkling of blood applied. Christ's blood applied to them. Everyone whom God chose, Christ
died for and shed his precious blood to redeem their soul. That's
who this is talking to. Back in chapter 2 now, back in
chapter 2, it says, so you're a chosen generation. Generation means regeneration,
a new creature, new people. New people, regeneration, a new
life, new people, a chosen generation. All of Christ's people are his
generation from Abel on. They're his generation, his seed,
his family, he said. A chosen generation. So that's
the first thing he says, that you're chosen. And he says, and
you're a royal priesthood. Verse 9, a royal priesthood. Look at Revelation 5 with me
real quickly, Revelation 5, just a couple dozen pages over. Revelation 5, verses 9 and 10. Amazingly, same verse. Verse
9, they sung a new song. This is the people of God in
glory right now. This is what they're doing right
now. They're doing what we're doing. But they're doing it perfectly. They're saying what we're saying,
but they're saying it from the heart with no sin, no weariness,
no flesh. Right now, that's what they're
doing. Verse 9, they sung a new song saying, Thou art worthy
to take the book and open the seals thereof, for thou wast
slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every
kindred and tongue and people and nation. and hath made us
unto our God kings and priests. And we shall reign on the earth. Kings and priests. A royal priesthood. You see that? Kings and priests. A royal priesthood. Christ is the King. Capital K. King of Kings, isn't it? Born
King. crowned king, declared king,
set king on God's holy hill of Zion. Who made him king? God
did. God declared him to be king of
kings and lord of lords. That is sovereign lord. The king's
heart is in the hands of our king. And all his people that
come from him, all those were come from his royal seed. See, we're born, you remember
the story of The new birth we looked at was
the last Sunday. And you know the seed and so
forth remember that. Well Christ when he hung on that
cross it says they and when he died the soldier took a spear
and pierced his side and what came out blood and water just
like a woman giving birth to a child. That's what comes out.
And not just blood and water came out of that ribbon side,
but a people. The seed, the holy seed, the
royal seed. Sons of God, sons of the Most
High God. Who's made us that? Christ did. No longer servants, but sons. Sons. So Christ is king and all
his people that come from his side, from his loins, the second
Adam, Our sons of the king princes made us Christ is the great high
priest is. He's a great happy priest forever
after the order of Melchizedek. My love itical. The tribe of
Judah. King of Salem. Here's another
footnote. Jenny, you said that was a blessing
to you about Melchizedek. Melchizedek was also a king.
When just a high priest, he was king, king of Salem. What's that
mean? Salem. Peace. King of peace. King, priest. That's Christ. He's the great high priest, he's
the king, and all of God's people are princes born of him, born
little kings. And priests unto God. He's made us priests unto God.
What did priests do? High Priest, one great high priest,
who alone can go into the Holy of Holies and do that work and
be accepted by God, right? Who's that? Christ. But the priests,
the common priests, who again were born that way, made that
way by God, they ministered about the sanctuary, about the tabernacle,
bread, cutting wood, It's all under God, but it was common,
ordinary things. It was all under God's service
to the high priest. And we're made priests under
God, common priests. But it goes a little further
than the tithe, because he rent the veil. Our great high priest,
unlike the old one, rent the veil in two, and we, common though
we be, priests, can come right into the Holy of Holies. Not
to offer a sacrifice. No, no, no. That's already been
made. It's already been made. But the sacrifice of our lives. So, he says there, you're a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. He turned to Isaiah
1 that says, ah, sinful nation. God says of Israel, there at
the very beginning, at the outset, John, he called them a bunch
of From a crown of their head to the sole of their feet, he
said, there's no soundness in them. Ah, sinful nation. And Moses kept reminding them
that all their journey through the world, didn't he? He kept
reminding them, he said, God didn't put his love upon you
because you're better than anyone else, because you're more than
anyone else, because of your righteousness. He said, you're
a sinful people, a stiff-necked people. But, God, this is why
you're God's people. This is what makes you to differ.
This is why, because God has chosen you. It pleased the Lord
to make you His people. He gave Ethiopia for thy ranch,
Egypt and Sabaphine. And you're a holy nation. Ah,
sinful nation. Oh, holy nation. Holy nation. Was Israel holy? More holy than... What made him holy? God did. He declared him to do so. Oh, holy nation. Well, now look at this. He says in verse 9, and this
is our text here, a peculiar people. A peculiar people. The word peculiar
means unusual. The word peculiar means special.
The word peculiar means purchased acquisition. Peculiar. Peculiar people. Would you turn
quickly with me to Exodus 19? You know, the Lord says this
several times throughout his word. Exodus 19. Peculiar. Peculiar people. Peculiar people,
unusual, special, purchased, acquisition. Now, here's the
thing that makes God's people peculiar. Unusual. Special. It's not them. It's not in and of them. Like I said, Israel, God reminded
them, I didn't choose you because You were better or worse. But
what made them peculiar was God chose them. Look at this, Exodus 19, verses
3 through 6. Moses went up unto God, and the
Lord called unto him out of the mount, saying, Thus shalt thou
say to the house of Jacob. Now he's saying this to you,
you're looking at. And tell the children of Israel, tell them
this. This is what God's saying to you, Brother Stan. Tell them
all this. Tell the sons of Jacob this.
You've seen what I did to the Egyptians, and someday we're
going to see what God's going to do to this world. We're going
to watch it and behold it. You've seen that. The Israelites saw
what God did to the Egyptians, and they knew, should have remembered,
it should have happened to them. And how? Tell them, remind them
how I buried you on the eagle's wing. and brought you to myself. Now, therefore, if you will obey
my voice indeed, keep my covenant." Christ said, Who is it that loveth
me? He that keepeth my word, my commandment. Then shall ye
be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people. All the earth
is mine. peculiar people. What makes God's
people peculiar? Because they are God's peculiar
choice. This is the first thing that
makes them very peculiar. They are God's peculiar treasure. Stay with me. I know you've heard
this before. I have, too, because I said it. But let me give you
this illustration. It's still a good one. A treasure
is something you keep. as, oh, I'm going to treasure
that. You ever said that? Someone gives you something,
you say, oh, I'll treasure that. Someone, whatever, paints you
a picture or whatever. You say, oh, I'll treasure that
because you did it for me. I'll treasure this forever. Peculiar treasure, God says. You're mine.
Now, they are peculiar because not many wise men, not many mighty,
not many noble are called. This is what 1 Corinthians 1
says. You see your calling, brethren, don't you? Peculiar. God didn't choose the
mighty, the high, the mighty, the noble, and so forth. God
chose things that were not. God chose nobodies. God chose
not the noble, but the ignoble. Not the good, in one place in
Romans he says, now some would die, for a good man some might
die, for a righteous man some would die, but God commanded
his love toward us and while we were yet sinners. Not the high, not the mighty,
not the noble, but the chief of sinners, the ungodly, the
sinful. Would you turn to Romans 9 with
me? How many times have you read Romans 9? Romans 9, turn over
there. What if, now here's the illustration,
what if a man entered a deep, dark coal mine, went down in
a deep, dark coal mine full of dirty, filthy, black coal? Anybody in here ever been in
a coal mine? Huh? It's a filthy place, isn't
it? You yourself will come out dirty.
And what if this man went down in this deep, dark coal mine
full of black coal, which is what? Dirt. It's just dust. That's all it is. And he comes out of that deep,
dark mine into the light, bearing a lump of coal. And he says with delight, look
what I've found. I'm going to keep this one for
myself. I'm going to take this one home
with me and treasure it forever. But look at it, it's a lump of
coal, yep, but it's mine. But it's the same lump. It's
of the same lump, but I chose it. Don't you call unclean what
I chose. And this is exactly what the
Lord writes in Romans 9. Look at verse 21. He says, Hath
not the potter power over the clay of the same love to make
one vessel unto honor? Look what I've found. It didn't find me. I went down
into a deep, dark cesspool called sin and iniquity, a dark world. And I found it, lifted it up,
brought it to myself. I'm going to make this lump of
clay my peculiar treasure, a vessel of honor. Now, that's the first
thing that makes us peculiar, God's peculiar choice. And we're going to say this throughout
eternity. Why me? Because it pleased God. That's
the first thing. And what if what if God willing
to show his wrath verse twenty two to make his power known endured
with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted and made
up to destruction. What's that saying. It's saying
what you read. It's saying exactly what you
read. The potter read the clay. You
see here's the problem that men and women don't that men and
women have. It's the same lump, it's all
the same lump. None of them, all of them are sinners. We talk
about God choosing the people. God is no respecter of persons. None of them are respectable. God doesn't accept or pleased
with any of this lump, this mass of humanity. The sinful flesh,
God doesn't, that which is flesh is flesh to God. And the amazing
thing, now here's what's amazing, you know what diamond, they tell
me, that, you know what diamond's made of? This is what I hear. Coal. Compressed coal. That's a good illustration, isn't
it? A peculiar choice, and you see,
this is going to redound to the glory of the one who chose it
and his ability to transform them and conform them into a
jewel in his crown. An old lump, a mass of sinful
flesh, and turn it into a son of God, make a worm, a glorious It's going to take a metamorphosis
in it, which only God can do. You see, the chief thing that
makes God's people peculiar is that he chose them. And we'll
never get away from that. He purchased them. Look what
I found. I've paid. I'm going to lay down
my life for this. I'm going to shed my precious
blood for this. worthless creature. That's our God. That's peculiar,
isn't it? Behold, what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God. Therefore, listen to the rest
of this verse. Therefore, the world knoweth
us not. You just look like a lump of coal to me. You don't look
indifferent to me. Well, it does not yet appear
what we shall be, but we know. And when he shall appear, we'll
be like him. We shall see him as he is. But behold, now are we the sons
of God. How you don't look indifferent
to me? No, I look in the mirror, I don't see any difference either,
but God does. He sees that new creature in
Christ, that diamond in the rough. Peculiar, see? They're peculiar
and oddity. The world knows us not as it
knew him not. He looks just like a man. He
looks just like a man. Why, it's Jesus. Who is it? It's
Jesus. Oh, look at that tent down there.
What's in there? What's so special about it? It
looks like a brown tent to me. Yeah, it does. In a manner, it's
common. I always have it. You go on inside. See, that's where you'll see
the great difference. On the inside. So peculiar. And I'm having a hard time getting
away from this. Peculiar because God chose us. It's not, you see, it's not our
dress that makes us so peculiar, although the worse this world
becomes. The more people like women are
shamefaced and sober and people that are basically conservative
and modest that will appear to be very peculiar. You know. But yet, that's not what because
there's some people who dress very, very, very, very conservatively,
thinking that they look real, they look peculiar. They do look
peculiar, thinking they look holy to God. No. He said, God doesn't see as man
sees. People are real impressed with that holy garb, but God
didn't tell us to dress like that, did he? And when our Lord
came down here, he didn't dress like the high priest. Did he? But he was. He didn't wear dark clothing
like. He didn't look any different
than anybody, he really didn't. Like a common man. But he wasn't. You're talking about a peculiarity. A holy man. You see, that tells
us that holiness is not what we see or what we think. It's
much deeper than skin. True beauty is more than skin
deep. All right, the peculiar beliefs
of God people, what makes them peculiar is their peculiar beliefs. We read it, Isaiah 43, and he
said over there, and I was going to turn and look at each verse,
but we can't stand it. In a world
where most human beings believe the exact same way. That's true. especially this nation. Most
religious people believe the exact same way about God, exact
same way about man, exact same way about Jesus, exact same way
about life after death, exact same way about so-called salvation. God's people have a very peculiar
belief. What makes them peculiar in this
day is their peculiar beliefs compared to the world. God's
people Strange as it may sound to the world, God's people actually
believe that God is God. I always say that all the time,
don't I? And you nod your head every time, most of the time.
And you love to hear it all the time, don't you? Because you're
not hearing it out there. Because they're bringing God
down to the place of a man. This is what I think is real
peculiar. This is what I think is strange. They call what we
believe strange. They call what we believe peculiar.
I think their doctrine is strange. You remember when Paul came to
Mars Hill and they said to him, say, we're going to hear of this
strange God that you're preaching about. Why should it be thought
a strange thing that God is God? Huh? Why should it be thought
strange? Maybe I can wake somebody up.
Why should it be thought strange that the Creator has power over
His creature? I think it's utterly strange
that the Creator is in the hands of the creature, don't you? But God says, Jennifer Williams,
I've chosen you that you'll know that I am He. Who? God. And there are not many people
in the world that believe that. Why? God didn't reveal it to
them. Flesh and blood didn't reveal
it to them. False prophets won't tell them that because they don't
know God. But God says, I've got my witnesses, my minister,
my preacher, and they're going to say it, and that's why I'm
doing it now. Lift up your voice, declaring all flesh, the God
reigneth. Telling all flesh that grass
is going to be burned up like burned hay, like burned leaves. But you're my people whom I have
chosen that you might know me, that I am God. Beside me there
is none else. Satan is not God. Man is not
God. I am God and I am your God. I've chosen you. Now, it's peculiar
to me that people don't know this. And the only way I can
understand this and explain it is God sent it. I've hid it from
them. The wise and the prudent revealed
it unto babes. Unto us and our children. Even
our children know, Sherry, that God is God. They're going to be raised that
way. From the moment they can hear the Word, they're going
to hear, God is God. Aren't they? A peculiar belief
in a world full of people that believe the same way. God's not
God. He's a bystander in the affairs
of men. He's standing on a sideline. He has nothing to do with anything
or anybody. He doesn't choose anybody. He
can't. They have to do it. He doesn't kill anybody. Things
do. He's no God at all. I don't understand why people
pray unto and so-called worship of God that can not save. Do you? Well, we would be but
God. Who make of us to differ? The
Israelites were the same way, but God has chosen you from the
beginning to know that He's God. I have got peculiar beliefs of
God's people. They actually believe God is
God. They believe that God actually works all things, that He is
God and He works all things according to His will. They actually believe
that God's will is being done, not man. They actually believe. We, I confess, after the way
they call heresy, that's what I'm going to profess. That's
what I'm going to believe. I believe all things written in the Believing
all things written in the Scripture that God's will is being done,
not man, that God had. Work, who's going to stop me?
That's our God, Brother Kelly, isn't it? That's salvation to know that
the whole world. This is their God and they don't
know him. Only a fool says no God. A fool, an utter fool, who's
in the hands of the God whose breath there's in and sitting
there. They're all in his hands. They're
all saying I don't believe there's a God. Isn't that foolish? Be going
out in my yard and picking up a grasshopper. That's what he
said, doesn't he? Isaiah 4, all flesh is grasshoppers. Doesn't he, John? John, you've
read that. Most of the world hasn't read that by the John
Sheets of it. They haven't read that. If they do, it's been twisted
and perverted and changed with all these perversions that they
call Scripture. It's been changed. Grasshoppers. What if I go out
in my yard and pick up a grasshopper? In my hand. His life is in my
hand. I can do with it as I please, can't I? That's not fair. Oh,
come on now, it's a grasshopper! What do I need with grasshoppers?
Destroy the trees, destroy everything, huh? His life is in my hands. And that grasshopper begins to
say, I don't believe you, I don't believe you. That's our God. Young people,
that's our God. Your life is in his hands. Oh,
that they were wise. Remember their creator in the
days of their youth. It's good that a young man, young
woman, bear the yoke in their youth. What's the yoke? Oppression? Being called peculiar? Go on to him bearing his reproach?
If God, by His infinite mercy and grace, saves your young hearts
and makes you one of His chosen people, you're going to be an
oddity, a peculiarity to your people, to your so-called friends
and cronies. But I'm here to tell you there's
a whole bunch more waiting in glory. You're not alone. We were at Virginia Tech in the
midst of that mess. And I told my wife, I said, I'd
hate for my daughter or son to be in the midst of this. You
know, it's nothing but one big party. I mean, really. And one of our young girls is
in the midst of another play. I believe I hope, I pray, I think
she gives good testimony that she's one of God's own. And she's
a peculiarity. An oddity. Has to keep calling home for a little bit of reassurance. Has to keep going where the gospel
is to be shored up. Shored up in a hostile world. Kill you. Kill your blood. You
know, I actually believe, we, God's people actually believe
that Jesus Christ, when He came to this earth, that He actually
saved His people. You know, we actually believe
His name means Jesus, that He saved His people from their sin.
We actually believe that the blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, actually put away every sin of every person for whom
He died. Now, that's a peculiarity in
this day. You know that? They call it particular redemption.
I call it truth! I call it gospel. I say everything
else is a lie. I say everyone that says Jesus
Christ shed his blood for them to go to hell anyway, I say that's
a lie. I say that's peculiar. I say
that's strange that God would require payment for their sins
of him and later on they had to pay it again. That's unjust. That's unfair. That's not the
truth. That's not the gospel. Our gospel,
though peculiar it may sound, is the gospel. The blood of Jesus
Christ, God's Son, actually put away sin. Once and for all. He actually, Brother John, obtained
eternal redemption for us. Didn't try, didn't attempt it.
He did it. He finished it. When he said
finished, peculiarly, strangely, I believe that when Christ said
it's finished, I believe he meant it. Don't you? That's peculiar in our day, because
they say God's done all he can do now. It's up to you. We have peculiar beliefs, all
right. But it's the truth. We believe the truth. We've received
the love of the truth. We haven't turned away our ears
from it under fables. The rest of this is fables. Those
people. It's fables. We made it up. This is the truth. as it is in Jesus Christ. I believe the Holy Spirit of
God, when God Almighty sets him on a human being whom he chose
and whom Christ died for, you're not going to stop him.
He's invincible. I believe the Holy Spirit is
sovereign, going where he listens, where he determines, where God
sends him. And once God Almighty sends him
upon a human being, they're coming. Aren't you glad? Aren't you glad? I'm so glad. I'm a preacher.
I don't have to keep anybody safe. I don't have to keep anybody
safe. You can't save a flea. I'm so glad. Whoever you save,
you've got to keep them safe. Oh, I'm so glad that it's he
who saves, he who keeps. And I just stand back and marvel.
Stand back and marvel. Feed them. That's all I'm doing
is feeding. Oh, I believe all whom God elected,
all whom Christ died for, all whom the Holy Spirit sanctified.
Here's what I believe. And it's a peculiarity in this
day. It's an oddity in this day. But I believe every one of them
are saved for all eternity. It's God's God's peculiar choice, that peculiar doctrine or beliefs, that peculiar speech. I could
go on and on with this. That peculiar speech. You know,
God's people, when He makes a new person, they begin to talk a
different language. It's not half in the speech of
the You know the Egyptians have a lot of. They begin to say things
that you know I and me and mine so forth man it begins to get
out of their vocabulary. They begin to talk he he him
he has. Goes from if you will to. He
has done. He has he has he shall he will
since he has You shall. Changes that I quit saying things
like all up chance if I'm lucky there's a chance I might. I said
oh I had accident to say God sovereignly will God purpose
God's divine providence God if God willing it's the Lord change their speech their walk
Changes that kill your walk, kill your life, that is, kill
your walk. They actually walk by faith. They actually believe God, take
Him at His word. And so these things make them
a kill your people, and more, and many more. But is that your calling, brethren?
Is that you enter into and you say amen to everything that's
been said? Oh, my. Peculiar people, aren't
they? A chosen generation, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people. And he concludes it by
saying that we should show forth his praises. That's that's what
this is all about. You know, a lot of people say
that. A lot of people are drawing near today with that on their
lips. That we should show forth his praise. But now God's not
getting all the praise. God's not getting all the glory.
Man's getting some of it. There's a fella standing up there
who's got his name everywhere. Got his name everywhere. And
he's saying to God be the glory. But he's got his name everywhere.
Now you see right through that, can't you? Oh, but this peculiar people.
We say there's none other name. There's no name worthy but one. that we should show for his price
who have. Chosen. To kill you. Glory be to God. The singer. Of him what number. Four seventy two. Four hundred
seventy to stand. For. We'll sing the first and
second verse, 472. Walking in sunlight all of my
journey Over the mountains, through the deep vale Jesus has said
I'll never forsake The promise divine that never can fail Heavenly
sunlight, heavenly sunlight flooding my soul with glory divine. Hallelujah.