Treasured
“You will be my treasured possession” Ex. 19:5.

In the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG), a pastor named Nathaniel was preaching the most important sermon of his life before 500 grim-faced worshipers.

“On Friday,” Nathaniel said, “six more men of our village were killed in inter-tribal fighting. I know some of you are planning to even the score. But has God called us to war?”

“Consider the story of the Israelites, who were slaves in Egypt. In mercy, God liberated them through the 10 plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. Then, the Lord brought them to Mount Sinai to seal their relationship in a covenant. With beautiful words, the Lord expressed His intentions toward them.
‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,
and how I carried you on eagle’s wings
and brought you to Myself.
Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant,
then out of all nations
you will be my treasured possession.
Although the whole earth is mine,
you will be for me a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation’ (Ex. 19:4-6a).

“Before we knew God’s Good News,” Pastor Nathaniel said, “we were enslaved to warfare and cannibalism, sorcery and fear. In mercy, God has brought us to Himself by granting us faith in our Savior Jesus Christ.

“As God called the Israelites to be His treasured possession who obey Him fully and keep His covenant, so He has called us here in Papua New Guinea. We are the most splintered nation on earth, divided by 800 languages and countless mountain ridges. But during the last century we became the most Christianized country on earth, with 96 percent claiming allegiance to the Triune God. Therefore, the world is watching us to see if we are truly God’s treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation, as God called us to be.

“My friends, the only blood that ever needed to be shed was the blood of Jesus Christ. All other bloodshed is the work of Satan. So, let us not deceive ourselves, thinking we can remain God’s treasured possession while killing our neighbors.”

“Better to kill them before they kill us!” interrupted Leopold, a warrior whose brother had died in the latest battle.

“I know your pain, Leopold,” Pastor Nathaniel calmly replied. “Twenty years ago, my brother was killed in battle too. But God helped me to forgive my brother’s slayer. You know him, Leopold. He is Pastor Benjamin, who serves in the neighboring village. Yesterday, Pastor Benjamin and I met secretly. We prayed and studied Scripture together. We agreed to preach the same sermon today, calling our villages to war.”

“Don’t you mean ‘peace?’” Leopold corrected.

“No,” Pastor Nathaniel shouted. “I call you to war, Leopold, you and all the other warriors! I call you to fight your TRUE enemy--not your Christian neighbors--but Satan who poisons your hearts with vengeance. I call you to be who God made you--His treasured possession!”

1. How does friction between Christians short-circuit the church’s witness? Does it ever occur where you live?
2. Study 1 Peter 2:9-12, 2 Cor. 4:4-7, and John 17:20-23 to discover the mission applications of Ex. 19:5-6.
3. What do these texts and this fictional story from PNG say to your mission setting?