What Did God Gain from Calvary (1Peter2:5-11)

It is clear what Calvary cost God (1Pet1:18-19)

What did God gain from Calvary:

1. He gains a people (2:9,10) – For what purpose?

2. He gained a Place (2:5) – For what service? Did the Lord not already have a place?

3. He gained a priesthood (2:5,9) – For what sacrifice? Has not Christ completed the offering up of sacrifices? “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb10:12)

The question is answered in verse 5; the purpose of the people, the place and the priesthood “lively stones… spiritual house… holy priesthood,” is to “offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

What are these “spiritual sacrifices”? Bear in mind that in chapter 2 we have a two fold priesthood:

1. Holy Priesthood (v5)

2. Royal Priesthood (v9)

A priesthood needs a sacrifice, that after all is the purpose of a priesthood, “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:” (Heb10:11).

The sacrifice has already been offered and that sufficient forever “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb10:10), “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;” (Heb10:12).

The sacrifices offered by this priesthood then can only be but a memorial of that sacrifice already offered to God by Christ.

“Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? ¹⁴Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:” (Ps50:13-14)

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Heb13:15)

“¹⁵O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. ¹⁶For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. ¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” (Psalm51:15)

Our sphere of service as priests is 2 fold:

1. Holy Priesthood (v5) – Serving in the temple to God: “to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

2. Royal Priesthood (v9) – Serving amongst men to God: “that ye should shew forth the praises of him” – ie. Showing forth His praises to others – 3^rd parties.

Our sphere of service as priests is 2 fold:

1. Holy Priesthood (v5) – Heb 13:15 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

2. Royal Priesthood (v9) – Heb13:16 “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

Our sphere of service as priests is 2 fold:

1. Holy Priesthood (v5) – Ps50:23 “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.”

2. Royal Priesthood (v9) – Ps50:23 “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.”

We have seen from 1Peter1:4 that this purpose of offering up sacrifices of praise and worship to God and of bringing glory to God is a purpose which begins in time and which continues into eternity.

www.newcumnock.org