You are God's special possession

The summertime often has people hoping for significant "before and after" experiences. Perhaps the hope to return from holiday rested rather than exhausted, or tanned rather than pale.

The greatest "before and after" is the one that Jesus gives to His people: “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” (1 Peter 2v10).

Peter writes to these Christians, a small somewhat-beleaguered group, and tells them that God has called them out of darkness into His wonderful light. He tells them “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession."

What a before and after! The world may reject them, but God has chosen them. They may have left behind Roman cults or been shut out of Jerusalem’s temple system, but they are a royal priesthood to the Lord. They may be dispersed among the mighty Roman empire and be comprised of all sorts of different ethnicities and people groups, but in God’s sight they are a holy nation. They may be viewed with suspicion by their neighbours, but they are God’s special possession.

This is true of you.

This extraordinary before and after means these Christians are plugged into the great plan of salvation. Do you hear echoes of the Old Testament in these words? The church is the true royal priesthood and holy nation of Exodus 19, rescued from slavery by the blood of the Lamb and brought from darkness to light, death to life, through the Red Sea waters of baptism. These Gentiles are the lost tribes of Israel brought back to God by His love (Hosea 1-2).

This spiritual before and after is the result of Jesus Christ being the stone that divides. Some come to Jesus Christ with faith and become a house built on rock. Others reject Him, and will stumble and fall. In the words of Richard Bewes’ marvellous reworking of the hymn "Once to every man and nation":

Once to every generation
comes the moment to decide;
in the clash of truth with falsehood,
all must choose and all must side.
On the rock of Christ's salvation
stands or falls each mortal soul;
and the choice goes by forever,
sealed in God's eternal scroll.
His the truth and his the kingdom,
at his cross our paths divide;
once to every generation
comes the moment to decide!

Diet plans and exercise regimes try to win an audience with photographs showing before and after. But our Lord Jesus Christ gives a before and after that eclipses every dramatic transformation in this passing age. Our first response must be this – declaring the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.