anglican devotional

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 4 May 2022 – A Royal Priesthood

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TOPIC: A Royal Priesthood

READ: 1 Peter 2:1-10 (NKJV)

  1. Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,
  2. as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
  3. if indeed you have tasted that the Lord [is] gracious.
  4. Coming to Him [as to] a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God [and] precious,
  5. you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
  6. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
  7. Therefore, to you who believe, [He is] precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,”
  8. and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
  9. But you [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
  10. who once [were] not a people but [are] now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

THE MESSAGE:

As Christians, we have been called out of darkness into God’s marvellous light (verse 9). Those who are still in darkness live in malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and evil-speaking among others (verse 1). Other works of darkness are mentioned in Galatians 5:19-21. Please make sure that you are not associated with any of these today.

In contrast, those who are in God’s light are “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people” (verse 9). They desire the word of God just as new born babies desire milk, and this helps them to grow (verse 2). In this way, they are built up as a spiritual house and their prayers are spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God (verse 5). They are pilgrims on earth, and their fleshly lusts have been crucified with Christ (verses 11 – 12; Galatians 2:20).

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for enabling me to be a part of this royal priesthood. Please help me never to go back in Jesus’ name, Amen.