Chosen by God for a Purpose
1 Peter 2:9
To Christians scattered throughout the Roman Empire, Peter says that “You are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9).
This concept of being chosen, by God, is something I want to pick up on this morning. It’s not like the
experience of primary school when 2 captains are chosen and then they choose their teams for the lunch
time cricket or soccer match- I’ll take you, you, you, not you Dano you’re terrible, you’re just not good
enough to be on the team.
- Even worse… last person is the booby prize/liability and is like an unwanted gift to the other team! “No
you take him, not we don’t want him, you take him!"
Do you remember the time when not being selected for a team, or that relationship, or that job? That
feeling of rejection is so real and it’s like you can walk around with this heavy belief on top of you for years,
decades, that you’re just not worth anything, just not good enough.
We’ve all had this. And then we read about, and hear about, and encounter a Living Being who’s more
powerful and holy and majestic than anyone or anything that humanity can ever encounter, and we read
this passage in 1 Peter 2:9 that we are chosen by God to be a people for God’s possession… and we read in
Ephesians 1:4 how, Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What
pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the
hand of his beloved Son” and we read what Jesus says in John 15:16 “you did not choose me. I chose you”
and this light begins surfacing from the deep dark places of our hurtful experiences that MAYBE, JUST
MAYBE, we’re worth something after all. That this heavenly Father has CHOSEN me. He’s CHOSEN me.
Despite how I feel He’s CHOSEN ME. Turn to the person next to you give them a high give because God has
CHOSEN you.
Do you believe it?
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Never be too embarrassed to celebrate that you’ve been chosen by God. Through-out the Gospel of John
there are 5 references to a disciple who Jesus loved.
• "One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table close to Jesus…” John 13:23
• "When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his
mother, "Woman, behold, your son!” John 19:26
• "So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said
to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid
him.” John 20:2
• "That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, "It is the Lord!” John 21:7
• "Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been
reclining at table close to him and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” John 21:20
Now all the times that the Bible writes about this mysterious person that Jesus loved are found only in the
Gospel of John… and it’s widely believed that John was writing this about himself! John wasn’t too
embarrassed to boast that he was one whom Jesus loved! Imagine being the other disciples around Jesus at
the time- how arrogant would it be that someone would dare to raise themselves up above the rest and say
that he was loved by God. We don’t know much about John’s background- whether or not he was last
chosen in the discipleship ranks or last chosen by the popular Peter and James as mates. We don’t
know. But here’s what we do know- that John knew Jesus and he boasted and he celebrated the fact that
he was loved and chosen by Him. In fact, according to God’s track record of choosing people, I doubt that
John had anything extraordinary about him at all!
In Deuteronomy 7, God chooses the people of Israel to be His treasured passion.
"The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the
peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any
other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all
peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers."
Deut 7:6-8
This reveals that God chose us not because He needed us! It’s not like the Holy Trinity are there and
forming a basketball team and there’s the Spirit, the Father and Son and they need an extra player
who is as good as them and can dunk and contribute to the team! No Paul reiterates that God
chooses us not because of how good we are, but the exact opposite.
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"Consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not
many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to
shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low
and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no
human being might boast in the presence of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Like you, John wasn’t more special, or talented, or wise or powerful- John simply just revelled in the
life-changing truth that HE WAS LOVED AND CHOSEN BY GOD and he boasted in that love.
Do you believe this?
Why am I telling you this?
Well I’m trying to build a case here, to convince you, or inspire you- to realise this Biblical truth of being
chosen, that brings deep healing, and inner transformation… and this deep conviction serves as a
foundation that brings purpose to your life. This is actually the vision of this church! This is what we’re all
about here at Bracko.
- At the start of this year we began using a simple phrase- Ordinary people being transformed by Jesus to
boldly live His purposes in the world.
This concept of being ordinary people who are being transformed by Christ for a purpose… has really struck
me.
There are a couple of things you should know:
• Ordinary people are chosen people. God has chosen us as a people to be on His team. God
chooses us because we’re ordinary people!
• Transformation comes when we accept the love of Jesus Christ and allow the shift from our
heads to our hearts that we’re chosen by Him.
• Which leads us towards a purpose.
JESUS AND PETER
This is true for the relationship between Jesus and Peter. When Jesus met Peter, Peter wasn’t Peter. He was
Simon. And then Jesus, in seemingly complete disregard for Simon’s parents who named him Simon,
decided to call him Peter. Jesus chooses Simon, and gives him a new identity and a new name- Peter- that
extends to the purpose of Simon Peter’s life: to be the rock.
So at Bracko we’re chosen and loved, and being transformed… but for what purpose?
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"
You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then
my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. So I command you to love each other.” John
15:16-17
OUR PURPOSE
There are many varied purposes for our lives that come out of being CHOSEN by God.
• Purpose to be part of the Body of Christ: "Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will
grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head 16 of the body. Christ holds it together and
makes all of its parts work perfectly, as it grows and becomes strong because of love.” Eph 4:15-16
• Purpose is to be ministers as well- we’re chosen to be priests- called to great works prepared in
advance for us to do.
For our church family that drills down into a pretty clear plan. We have a purpose here in this season to
focus in on some pretty clear areas:
• Centering on God: Which means we build our lives on His Word, worshiping Him and revelling in
the truth that we are loved and chosen.
• Welcome everybody: We want all cultures, from all different walks of life, to find belonging and
connection here.
• Grow disciples: To see more and more people be transformed and walk in their call.
• Live the gospel: People find the same hope we have.
Run through where we’re at with realising our purpose.
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