What is the church?
- a building? therefore success is enlarging the building
- a fortress? therefore success is being able to hide in the fortress
- a museum? therefore success is being able to showcase the past
- a theater? therefore success is entertainment
- a social center? there success is community

Rightly defining what the church is, will give you the answer to what the mission of the church is, and why you should be part of that mission

verse 9a - The Spiritual Identity
- four metaphors
- chosen race - Amos 3:2; Isaiah 43:21; Deut 7:6
- royal priesthood - we have direct access to God & are completely given to the work of God 1 Peter 4:10-11
- holy nation - consecrated to God. Set apart TO God. Supposed to be different. Exodus 19:6; Leviticus 11:44
- owned people - singular"people". Literally being owned by God. Deut 4:20; 1 Peter 1:18

verse 9b - The Supreme Mission
- "so that you may declare the praises of Him" (NIV) - "declare" = publish; to make widely known by proclaiming; "praises" = excellence. He has not called us to whisper or mumble.
- "into [his marvelous light]" - the word "into" is not about locality but is a result. It is literally to "participate in"