This assurance of pardon originally appeared in the worship service "Good News!—Lent 1."
Words of Assurance
Listen to these words from 1 Peter 2:9–10 NIV
For 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.
As we hear these words from God, we can’t help but find ourselves both assured and challenged: assured that we are indeed God’s people who are forgiven, loved, and cherished, but also challenged to live as people of light who have been called out of darkness. For it is God’s will that we who believe and who have been shown mercy would live lives that glorify him and give praise and honor to Jesus Christ.
Revised Common Lectionary
Year A: Easter—Fifth Sunday of Easter
