Called to Transformation: Embracing God's Marvelous Light
Summary
In the passage from 1 Peter 2:9, we are reminded of the profound transformation that occurs when we are called out of darkness into God's marvelous light. This transformation is not merely a change in behavior or belief but a fundamental rebirth, a new creation brought about by the power of God. As we navigate the complexities and uncertainties of our world, the assurance of being built upon the sure foundation of Jesus Christ offers us security and peace. This foundation is unshakeable, and those who believe in Him will never be confounded, regardless of life's challenges.
To become one of God's people, we must be born again, a process that involves a divine call that awakens us from spiritual death. This call is not just a general invitation but an effectual call that brings about a real change in our lives. It disturbs our complacency, convicts us of our sin, and leads us to a place of helplessness where we recognize our need for a Savior. This call is deeply personal, speaking directly to our hearts and drawing us to Christ.
As we respond to this call, we come to believe in the truth of the Gospel and the person of Jesus Christ. This belief is not merely intellectual assent but a heartfelt trust and commitment to Him. We come to Him, not just to thank Him for His sacrifice but to surrender our lives to Him, to follow Him, and to grow in our relationship with Him. This journey is marked by a desire for the sincere milk of the Word, a longing to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord.
Key Takeaways:
- The call of God is a profound and personal invitation that awakens us from spiritual death and draws us into His marvelous light. It is not just a general call but an effectual one that brings about real change in our lives. [12:31]
- Being born again is essential to becoming one of God's people. It is a divine act of creation, comparable to the creation of the universe, where God brings life out of nothing. This new birth is a miracle that cannot be fully understood but must be experienced. [07:19]
- The call of God disturbs our complacency and convicts us of our sin. It leads us to a place of helplessness where we recognize our need for a Savior and are ready to listen and respond to the Gospel. [28:56]
- Believing in Jesus Christ is more than intellectual assent; it is a heartfelt trust and commitment to Him. It involves coming to Him, surrendering our lives to Him, and following Him as our Lord and Savior. [41:06]
- The journey of faith is marked by a desire for the sincere milk of the Word, a longing to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord. This growth is a sign of our new life in Christ and our ongoing relationship with Him. [48:00]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - Introduction to 1 Peter 2:9
[01:04] - The Foundation of Jesus Christ
[02:29] - Becoming God's People
[03:35] - The Security in Christ
[05:15] - The Urgency of Being Born Again
[06:33] - The Miracle of New Birth
[09:12] - Knowing You Are God's People
[12:31] - Called Out of Darkness
[14:23] - The General and Effectual Call
[19:54] - The Disturbance of the Call
[23:38] - Personal Conviction and Response
[28:56] - Conviction of Sin
[35:29] - Believing in Jesus Christ
[41:06] - Coming to Christ
[48:00] - Growing in Grace and Knowledge
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1 Peter 2:9
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Observation Questions:
1. What does 1 Peter 2:9 say about the identity and purpose of believers? How does this relate to being called out of darkness into God's marvelous light? [00:11]
2. According to the sermon, what is the significance of being built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ? How does this foundation provide security and peace? [03:35]
3. How does the sermon describe the process of being "born again"? What are the key elements involved in this transformation? [06:33]
4. What role does the "call of God" play in awakening individuals from spiritual death, according to the sermon? [12:31]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of being "called out of darkness" challenge the way believers view their past and present lives? What implications does this have for their daily walk with Christ? [12:31]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the call of God disturbs our complacency and convicts us of sin? How might this process be both unsettling and necessary for spiritual growth? [19:54]
3. The sermon emphasizes heartfelt trust and commitment to Jesus Christ. How does this differ from merely intellectual belief, and why is this distinction important for a believer's faith journey? [41:06]
4. What does it mean to "desire the sincere milk of the Word," and how does this desire reflect a believer's growth in grace and knowledge of the Lord? [48:00]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt called out of darkness into God's light. How did this experience change your perspective on life and your relationship with God? [12:31]
2. The sermon mentions that being born again is a divine act comparable to the creation of the universe. How does this perspective influence your understanding of your own spiritual rebirth? [07:19]
3. Consider areas in your life where you may be complacent or resistant to change. How can you invite God's call to disturb your complacency and lead you to deeper conviction and transformation? [19:54]
4. How can you cultivate a heartfelt trust and commitment to Jesus in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to surrender more fully to Him and follow His lead? [41:06]
5. Identify specific ways you can grow in your desire for the Word of God. What changes can you make in your routine to prioritize time for reading and meditating on Scripture? [48:00]
6. The sermon highlights the importance of recognizing our need for a Savior. How can acknowledging your helplessness lead to a deeper reliance on God's grace and strength in your life? [28:56]
7. Think of someone in your life who may be experiencing spiritual darkness. How can you be a light to them, sharing the hope and transformation found in Christ? What steps can you take to reach out to them this week? [50:33]
Devotional
Day 1: The Divine Call to Light
The call of God is a profound and personal invitation that awakens us from spiritual death and draws us into His marvelous light. It is not just a general call but an effectual one that brings about real change in our lives. This call is deeply personal, speaking directly to our hearts and drawing us to Christ. It disturbs our complacency, convicts us of our sin, and leads us to a place of helplessness where we recognize our need for a Savior. As we respond to this call, we come to believe in the truth of the Gospel and the person of Jesus Christ. This belief is not merely intellectual assent but a heartfelt trust and commitment to Him. [12:31]
1 Thessalonians 5:5-6 (ESV): "For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober."
Reflection: Think of a moment when you felt spiritually complacent. How can you invite God's light into that area of your life today?
Day 2: The Miracle of New Birth
Being born again is essential to becoming one of God's people. It is a divine act of creation, comparable to the creation of the universe, where God brings life out of nothing. This new birth is a miracle that cannot be fully understood but must be experienced. It signifies a profound transformation, not merely a change in behavior or belief but a fundamental rebirth, a new creation brought about by the power of God. This transformation assures us of being built upon the sure foundation of Jesus Christ, offering us security and peace. [07:19]
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."
Reflection: Reflect on the areas of your life where you feel stagnant. How can you open yourself to the transformative power of being born again?
Day 3: Conviction and Helplessness
The call of God disturbs our complacency and convicts us of our sin. It leads us to a place of helplessness where we recognize our need for a Savior and are ready to listen and respond to the Gospel. This conviction is not meant to condemn but to awaken us to the reality of our spiritual condition and our need for redemption. It is in this place of helplessness that we are most open to the transformative power of God's grace and love. [28:56]
Psalm 51:10-12 (ESV): "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit."
Reflection: Identify a sin or struggle that you have been ignoring. How can you bring this before God and seek His help today?
Day 4: Heartfelt Trust in Christ
Believing in Jesus Christ is more than intellectual assent; it is a heartfelt trust and commitment to Him. It involves coming to Him, surrendering our lives to Him, and following Him as our Lord and Savior. This journey is marked by a desire for the sincere milk of the Word, a longing to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord. As we grow in our relationship with Him, we find security and peace in the unshakeable foundation of Jesus Christ. [41:06]
Jeremiah 17:7-8 (ESV): "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Day 5: Growing in Grace and Knowledge
The journey of faith is marked by a desire for the sincere milk of the Word, a longing to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord. This growth is a sign of our new life in Christ and our ongoing relationship with Him. As we immerse ourselves in the Word and seek to know Him more, we are transformed and strengthened in our faith. This growth is not just for our benefit but also for the glory of God and the building up of His kingdom. [48:00]
Colossians 1:9-10 (ESV): "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."
Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to deepen your understanding of God's Word and grow in your relationship with Him?
Quotes
The fundamental need at this hour surely of all thinking men and women is this: is there some word, something that can give me security and rest and peace and safety in this world as it is at this hour? That's the Great desire, that's the Great quest of the human race. [00:03:09]
The great thing is to become one of these people. This statement is true only of those who are the people of God. They are in this peculiar privileged position; they are the people of whom we can say that they'll never be confounded. [00:05:08]
One of the first things we all have to realize is this: that as we are by Nature, we are dead, spiritually dead in a spiritual sense, non-existent. Oh, we live in this world, we have our existence, we have our intellectual interests, and we are busyed about many things, yes, but spiritually as we are born into this world, we are dead. [00:05:49]
What happens when a man becomes a Christian is comparable to what happened when God created the whole universe at the beginning. There was nothing; he said, let there be light, and there was light, and he proceeded to make everything out of nothing. That's it, a new birth, a new life comes into being. [00:07:17]
The Apostle Paul in writing to the Ephesians in the fifth chapter, he puts it like this: he says, you know, this is what happens. He says that a call comes, awake thou that sleepest and rise from the dead in Christ will give thee light. Same thing, same idea exactly. [00:12:45]
The preaching of this gospel has divided men and women into two groups. There are those who have heard this call who become Christians, people of God. There are others who have heard it and have not become the people of God and have not become Christians. [00:16:40]
The first thing it does always is to disturb us. You see, there we are, all of us by Nature, living that natural sinful life of darkness and of ignorance and of sin, and you just go on. There are minor variations from day to day, but there's no real variation. It's always the same life. [00:19:01]
Suddenly there comes a disturbance, something upsets the Rhythm, there's an arresting. Now, this again may come in a thousand and one ways, almost. I'm trying to put this as simply and as plainly as I can. I say I do so because I'm speaking with a sense of responsibility. [00:19:54]
The man who is truly called of God is a man who stops protecting himself. Conviction of sin means that you agree it's true, that all your defenses collapse. You accept the diagnosis, you accept the conviction, you stop defending yourself, and you are ready to admit that it's nothing but the simple truth concerning you. [00:29:46]
The man who's in the position I'm describing is a man who's ready to listen. He is a man who's not only ready to be taught, he is anxious to be taught. He is a man who wants to know about this way of Salvation. Look at that poor Philippian Jailer; suddenly he realizes this is the one thing that matters. [00:32:48]
The man who had this call of God, he always comes. Another way of putting it is this: you notice the contrast unto you therefore which believe he is precious, but unto them which be disobedient. Very well, the man who believes is obedient, he's obedient, and he comes. [00:41:06]
The man who's heard this call of God, the man who's had the effectual call, he comes to Christ to thank him, to thank him for ever having left the courts of heaven and to abase himself and to come in the likeness of sinful flesh and to be made a sin offering and to bear all the ignominy and the shame and the agony of the punishment of sin. [00:46:00]
Chatbot
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