By Mark Grace, CCCNZ Ambassador
Ko koutou ia he iwi whiriwhiri, he tohungatanga kingi, he iwi tapu, he iwi kua riro pu mai ma te Atua; hei whakapuaki i nga pai o te kaikaranga i a koutou i roto i te pouri ki tona marama whakamiharo:
A o ‘outou o le nu‘u ‘ua filifilia, o tupu ma ositaulaga, o le nu‘u pa‘ia, o tagata lava o le Atua, ‘ina ‘ia ‘outou fa‘aali atu galuega ofoofogia e lē na vala‘auina ‘outou mai le pouliuli i lona lava malamalama ofoofogia.
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.
1 Peter 2:9
Peter writes to small groups of Christians gathering in homes throughout what is now modern-day Turkey. Each church was likely made up of Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, men and women, free and slave.
Peter wanted these people to know that because of what Jesus has done, they each have direct and personal access to God. They are now a chosen people, a holy priesthood who are to declare his praises in their lives, work, and worship.
Peter wants us to know, that whoever we are and wherever we are, we don’t need a special church leader to mediate between us and God.
He wants us to delight in the reality that God himself called us personally out of darkness and into light.
Peter wants us to know that whether we are middle class or working class, whether we are Pākehā, Māori, Asian or Pasifika, whether we are young or old or male or female, we each have direct and personal access to the living God through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Peter wants you to know that you—yes, ordinary you—are a fair dinkum, fully-fledged priest.
John Hitchen writes, “We have the honour and dignity of coming into the presence of God to offer prayer, praise, worship, adoration, thanksgiving and intercession on behalf of other believers. We also represent God to our fellows by announcing and sharing his word with one another. Entering freely into the presence of God. Representing each other to God and God to each other.”
God, through Jesus, has given each of us direct and personal access to himself. He does this for glory, so that we would praise him who has called us out of darkness into light. He has also done this for our benefit, so that we might represent God to one another.
This Sunday, take a moment to look around your church family and to see the priesthood… standing right beside you, not wearing special robes but individually clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
