1 Peter: Holy Representatives; Ch2

Intro

Good morning and welcome again everyone. Today we are continuing in 1 Peter and will be in ch.2. Last week we recieved a double portion of intro as we are trying something new in supporting the series by deep diving on Wednesday nights for our bible study series. We learned who Peter was historically and who this letter was for, pilgrim and exiled believer. Nohan did a brilliant job of breaking down our Living hope and how to live from that place. That even if we relate with the saints in Asia Minor and how they felt “discouraged, displaced and depressed,” Our joy as believers is independent of our circumstances and rooted in our Living hope, Jesus Christ. This week we will continue to look at what it looks like to live as Holy Representatives.

What comes to mind when you think of the Empire State Building? The white house? Dodger Stadium? For some, these buildings make us think of a city, a team, a nation even. Buildings become representatives of whoever owns them and where they’re at. Buildings in a sense are like statues, purpose built objects that reflect where they’re from and what purpose they were built for. If you notice I didn’t mention any “sky scrapers” here in LA, our buildings represent that there might be an earthquake hitting at any moment and we shouldn’t be scraping any bit of sky.

Likewise, church buildings are meant to remind us of God, Not because of its structure, but those who indwell its walls. We as, believers are representatives of God.

Cornerstone

1 Peter 2:4–8 ESV

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

In the early church the gatherings happened in homes. When this letter was written, they were gathering in homes, attics, basements Where ever they could find to do so, relatively in secret due to the persecution, similar to churches you would find, or not find, in China or certain parts of Africa and so on.

It wasn’t until Constantine the Great’s rule in AD306 that very public meeting places were constructed in the name of God and his people. They grew and grew from that point on.

Every building needs to have a foundation set and in peter’s time and for a long time before and after foundations were started with a cornerstone. Cornerstones would determine where the rest of stones would be laid and how straight they would be laid. It had to be as true as possible. As believers, our cornerstone is christ, the truest of stones and we his church are built up on him.

The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) Chapter 2

The background of the symbolism is the OT temple as the house or dwelling place of God. The church, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, is the true temple of God (2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:19–22; Heb. 3:6). This verse makes it clear that Christ as the resurrected “living stone” is the foundation of the new temple, which is the point of the application to Christ of Ps. 118:22 in Matt. 21:42. This may be an anticipation of the fuller quotation of Ps. 118:22 in v. 7. Believers are identified with Christ as the true temple when they come into union with Him.

One of the interesting things about masonry is that stones aren’t perfect. Before a stone was set in to the foundation or any portion of wall It would be chiseled and worked in order to fit in place. Likewise we as living stones are constantly being worked on to fit into place. So if you’re not perfect yet, don’t feel too bad. We are perfectly accepted even in the midst of our imperfection because of Jesus Life, death and resurrection.

Stonecutting

Continuing in this imagery, In masonry, working stone so that it fits in a structure is called stonecutting. We’re going to look at what it means that “faith turns sound doctrine into sound practice.”To do so we’re going to go back a little and look at the first verses in the chapter.

1 Peter 2:1–3 ESV

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

In different translations the word Therefore is used instead of so. Can anyone tell me what type of sins these are or who they are against? These are all sins against brotherly love as indicated in ch.1:22-23.

How many of us struggle with Pride? everyone has some sense of pride still governing them. This pride is Lead to maliciousness, which then leaads to deceit and hypocricy, envy and slander. this is what one commentator calls a geneaolgy of sin, or a family tree. for some of us change is immediate, but for people like me, the holy Spirit’s work is ling and arduous. Though the change comes from the Spirit’s sanctifying work, we have the responsibility to build healthy habits. putting away these things helps us love one another better as brothers and sisters in christ. As I often quote:

John 13:34–35 ESV

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

And guess who was there to hear this in person? That’s right Peter. So it only makes sense that he reminds us of the new commandment. Therefore put away these sins that separate us from eachother.

Royal Priesthood

This is the beauty of the God we have. He, by his spirit, works this imagery of a building and masonry and points at the fact, that like the Jewish temple where god dwelt with Israel in the Holy of Holies, we are now that temple, individually as believers, but more importantly, collectively as a church of believers. Just like we as living stones are marked by the cornerstone, so we as believers are marked by our high priest. Jesus, our high priest, is the reason we are called priests, not because we are from the tribe of Levi, but because our high priest goes beyond the veil and mediates on our behalf. What does that mean? It means that through the sacrifice of Jesus, he speaks on our behalf. That jesus represents us before the Father and we in return tell the world of His great love in how we treat each other as believers and how we deal with the things of this world.

Submission and Defense

Speaking of the things of this world.

1 Peter 2:13–17 ESV

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Some people make Jesus out to be this radical anti-governement christ. Believe it or not, Jesus was a prime example of this.

Mark 12:14–17 ESV

And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.

Ecclesiastes 8:2 NASB95

I say, “Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.

1 Timothy 2:1–2 ESV

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

We are to be known by our loving peacefulness, submission and compassionate prayers for our governments, the people we work for and anyone else we are in submission to. Our willingness to do so is a witness to the unbelievers.

But does that mean we are to pacifists? Or laydown before any law or regulation or situation regardless if it is against God’s word? No! We submit in so long as it does not contradict God’s word. A perfect example is Daniel and even the early martyrs of the NT church. The governement said to worship the emperor, and they wouldn’t.

Another instance of instruction is in James 1:27 where we are told that pure religion is to visit widows and orphans in their distress and to keep oneselg unstained by the world. Brothers and sisters, we are allowed to rise up against injustices against the marginalized. If anything we are instructed to protect those who cannot protect themselves. The unborn, the widow, the orphan, the marginalzed, the voiceless.

Psalm 68:5 ESV

Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.

Isaiah 1:17 ESV

learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.

What I though was beautiful was that in God’s ceremonial law for israel he built in an offering that was meant to be given to those in need.

Deuteronomy 14:28–29 ESV

“At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.

Some people ask where is God and how is helping those in need. There are these buildings with people and how does that help the poor and needy.

70% of all american Philanthropy in 2022, 300billion total, came from Christian organizations. Christians also out-gave the US Government in addressing global poverty.

God does not abandon those in need, because he sends us as agents of change, prayer, love and submission to take care of those in need. We are living stones, all parts of His temple. We are part of a royal priesthood, purchased and redeemed by Jesus That we may proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light.

Holiness is expressed in two distinct terms, Moral perfection and otherness. Though we are not morally perfect, because jesus died in our place God sees us this way, he counts us righteous. We also share in God’s otherness because we are to set ourselves apart, not by being monks who lock themsleves away, but by answering the call to be in this world and not of it. To get dirty in trenches and remaining unstained by the world, james 1.

To try and love as christ loves.

If you take anything away from this I pray it’s this. royal priesthood, living stones, put away etc...

1 Peter 2:21–25 ESV

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

We are Holy Representatives not because we are perfect, but because he is and we have been set apart to Love and serve, submit and defend, four our good and the glory of God.