DRAWING NEAR
July 17
Possessed by God
"You are . . . a people for God's own possession" (1 Pet. 2:9).
Since God paid the price to redeem you, you belong to Him.
When Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My
own know Me" (John 10:14), He stated a truth that has been especially
dear to me since the early years of my theological education. One of
the pleasant memories from my seminary days is sitting in chapel and
singing the hymn by the nineteenth-century lyricist Wade Robinson "I
Am His and He Is Mine." I may never fully comprehend the depths of
what it means to belong to Christ, but I will forever glory in it.
The Greek word translated "possession" in 1 Peter 2:9 means "to
purchase" or "acquire for a price." Paul used it in Ephesians 1:14 to
speak of "the redemption of God's own possession." Everyone is His by
creation, but we as Christians are uniquely His because He paid the
price to redeem us from the bondage of sin and death.
God's ownership of believers is emphasized throughout Scripture. Paul
admonished elders to "shepherd the church of God which He purchased
with His own blood" (Acts 20:28). He said to the Corinthians, "Do you
not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,
whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have
been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Cor.
6:19-20). Titus 2:14 says that Christ "gave Himself for us, that He
might redeem [or purchase] us from every lawless deed and purify for
Himself a people for His own possession."
Isaiah 43:21 says, "The people whom I formed for Myself, will declare
My praise." That was to be Israel's purpose, and it is yours as well.
God chose you as His own possession and gave His Son to purchase your
salvation. You are His eternally, so live accordingly and rejoice in
such a glorious privilege!
Suggestions for Prayer:
Make it your practice to praise God abundantly for the privilege of
belonging to Him.
For Further Study:
Read John 10:1-33.
What characterizes the Good Shepherd? What did Jesus claim about His
relationship with God the Father? How did the Jewish leaders react to
His teaching?
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Ephesians 1:14
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of
the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
John 10:1-33
10:1 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the
sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a
thief and a robber.
2 "But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he
calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and
the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
5 "Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from
him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the
things which He spoke to them.
7 Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am
the door of the sheep.
8 "All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the
sheep did not hear them.
9 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will
go in and out and find pasture.
10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have
it more abundantly.
11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the
sheep.
12 "But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own
the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and
the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13 "The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care
about the sheep.
14 "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My
own.
15 "As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay
down My life for the sheep.
16 "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I
must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock
and one shepherd.
17 "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I
may take it again.
18 "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have
power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command
I have received from My Father."
19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of
these sayings.
20 And many of them said, "He has a demon and is mad. Why do you
listen to Him?"
21 Others said, "These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can
a demon open the eyes of the blind?"
22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was
winter.
23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch.
24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, "How long do You
keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."
25 Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The
works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.
26 "But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I
said to you.
27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;
neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no
one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.
30 "I and My Father are one."
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.
32 Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My
Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?"
33 The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone
You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself
God."
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@gty.org
NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase@wowway.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
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There is a living God. He has spoken in His word. He means just what he says, and will do all that He has promised. - Hudson Taylor
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