Grafted In!
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
First came Israel… a chosen race – a royal priesthood – a holy nation… a people for God’s own possession!
And then came the rest of us… Roman 11:17… you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree,
FYI!!!!! Israel has NOT been replaced by us as some would have us imagine! God… does not change His plan (no variation or shifting shadow – James 1:17).
Do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, REMEMBER that it is NOT YOU who supports the root, but THE ROOT SUPPORTS YOU! (Romans 11:18)
The Root – GOD – supports BOTH! So… when God speaks to Israel… He is speaking to the WHOLE tree. As a branch (wild, no less) grafted in, we do not become the “boss” of the tree nor can we decide which nutrients we “want/don’t want” from the root.
Rather, being the one late to the party, we should look to and learn from all that Israel has been given, taught, trained up in, as God’s First Choice… our brothers/sisters… from another mother, yes… but from our same Father in heaven! Our Daddy is not bigger than Israel’s Daddy – He IS the Daddy of BOTH OF US! I would venture to guess this is exactly why His Word is filled with the truth about sibling rivalry… He knows us so well!
1 Peter 2:1-3 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
The pure milk… grafted in to a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession. For you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:10). God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… has caused us to be born again to a living hope… to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away (1 Peter 1:3-4)
1 John 3:1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world (those NOT grafted in) does not know us, because it did not know Him. Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. (1 John 3:13)
Yeah, I don’t understand the hatred either, but I’m not surprised by it, nor willing to grovel or chase their approval/popularity. I am a Jesus Freak and chase Him (if He wanted groveling I would do that too)
With no groveling required…
2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Now for this very reason, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)
For this very reason… because we ARE grafted in… because “WE ARE FAMILY”!
It makes me sing! It makes me dance! It makes me proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light!
Are you grafted in? Our family not only has the biggest olive garden, we specialize in all the finest fruit (you will know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:16) through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives (the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; Galatians 5:22-23)
***Knowing them by their fruit is not permission to judge nor a ruler by which to measure… it is the call to love, encourage, and pray for our orchard mates and those we’d like to be orchard mates with! ***
Are you in our orchard? If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; Romans 10:9
You will be a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession… You will immediately be… GRAFTED IN!
Welcome to God’s Kingdom… and all the brothers and sisters say… “AMEN”
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.