You are Royalty

When we think about royalty we think of kings and queens, carriages and castles, ballrooms and gowns, and tiaras and crowns.

In our mind we have a picture of what royalty looks like and we are spectators looking in from the outside out. But never do we think of ourselves as royalty.

But what if I told you that you are royalty? What if you are a daughter and son of a King? Would you believe me?

Most of us don’t think of ourselves that way but that is who we are. 1 Peter 2: 9-10 says the following:

“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. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV)

In Jesus Christ we have a new status. There’s an exchange that happens when we become a child of God. The word says we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s possession.

We can get lost in the language but let’s keep it simple.

God says I am royal. This means I get the benefits and privileges of a king or queen. Think about it this way. Today a modern king or queen drives in a certain car, has security, eats at a fancy table, and is invited to certain social events. That’s what happens to us when we become a child of Christ Jesus. Everything that belongs to Christ belongs to us now. Wow!

Also, the Bible takes it one step further and says we are a priesthood. In the Old Testament the priest would go into the temple and do the sacrifices required for forgiveness of sins. They were the only ones who could go into the temple. They acted as mediators between the people and God. Today, we no longer need a priest to do that for us. When Jesus came and died on the cross the veil in the temple was torn giving us full access to God. Now God calls us a priesthood. This means we are called to be set apart to do God’s work.

But sometimes we forget that we are royal and we are a priesthood.

We forget that once we were in the dark and now, we are in the light.

We forget that we can declare his praises.

We forget that we are God’s people.

We forget that we have received his mercy.

When we default back to who we think we are we will continue to sin. We will fall for temptations. We will live a defeated lifestyle. We tell ourselves a different story. We will call ourselves defeated, fearful, anxious, worried, addicted, no self-control, angry, abuse, etc. Whatever label you want to give yourselves. We will be what we think we are.

But once we remember who we are in Christ, it will unlock so many opportunities for us.

Because I am in Christ I can then walk in the power and grace that God calls me to. I believe God has so much in store for me. I am his and he is mine. God sees me as the apple of his eye. He calls me the light and salt of the earth (Matthew 5). He calls me redeemed, chosen, forgiven, adopted, showing grace, holy (Ephesians 2). Why do I keep telling myself a different story when God has saved me to think, live, and be different?

The implication of knowing who we are Christ is tremendous.

We can save our money and get out of debt.

We can be a good mother and father.

We can be a loving spouse.

We can start a business and see it be fruitful.

We can have a good career.

We can forgive and let hurt and bitterness leave us.

We can be free from an addiction.

We can be all that God calls us to be.

I am a royal priesthood. No one can take that away from me. No one.

This is who God says I am. Isn’t it time for me to believe who God calls me to be?

To watch the full sermon on this topic click below.