Copyright © S P Townsend
Reading: Luke 6:27-36
Get them to tell us the story of the princess and the pea. What really shows whether you are a prince or a princess? Tell them about Princess Anne's visit to Craiginches prison - "I am doing this because I want to help my mother."
Remind of children's story.
What is it like to live like children of the King? Luke's passage records Jesus' teaching.
"Son's of the Most High" (v 35). "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (v36). Also, "Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt 5:48); "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven" (Matt 5:45).
1. As believers in Jesus we are made children of God. John 1:12,13; 1 John 3:1,2.
2. We are called to reveal our royal birth by our behaviour. John 9:4 "doing the work of Him who sent Me."
3. Those outside the royal family have to survive through their own devices: defending themselves (27-29); protecting their posessions (29,30); seizing advantage (31); building advantageous relationships (32-34); giving people what they deserve (35,36).
4. Children of the King don't have to do this. They have total security. This frees them to behave like their Father.
Reading: 1 Peter 1:1-21
Last time we looked at what Jesus had to say about how we should live as children of the King. We have total security in our royal position. Therefore we are free to behave like our heavenly Father, unlike the world around us.
Today we will look at what Peter taught about our royal position, and what it means for us. 1 Pet 2:9 "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people but now you are the people of God."
1. We have been born into God's family (v 3-5). This means
(i) We are greatly loved (v3)
(ii) We look forward to a wonderful, secure inheritance (v4)
(iii) We will be made completely and fully whole - Salvation (v5,9)
(iv) We have total protection (v5)
(v) God uses grief and trials to train us for the future (v6,7)
(vI) We receive His inexpressible and glorious joy (v6,8)
2. We are special - holy (v13-21). This means
(i) We do not conform to our previous way of living, but to God's - Holy (14-16)
(ii) We behave as non-residents, ambassadors in a foreign country (17, 2:11,12)
(iii) We live in the light of the cross (v 18,19)
(iv) We live by faith, hope and love (v21,22)
Copyright © S P Townsend