5-7-23 Sermon "Living Stones"

1 Peter 2:2-10

This morning I'll be reading 1 Peter chapter 2 verses 2 through 10. And I'll be reading from the Holman Christian Standard Bible. 1 Peter 2:2-10 We are back in 1 Peter again this week and as I've told you the last two times,,, this was written to new Christians so that they would be encouraged and hold on to their faith even in the face of persecution. The verses that we will read this morning are talking about what it means to be a Christian believer. 1 Peter 2:2–10 (HCSB) — 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure spiritual milk, so that you may grow by it for your salvation, 3 since you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it is contained in Scripture: Look! I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame! 7 So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected— this One has become the cornerstone, 8 and A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the message; they were destined for this. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. The word of God for the people of God,,, thanks be to God! God bless the reading and the hearing of your word this morning. Let us pray: Dear Lord,,, as we begin this morning,,, with everyone here today and all that are listening and watching by video,,, we ask that you open our ears to hear and our hearts and minds to receive the message that you have for us today,,, In Jesus' name I pray,,, Amen. ___________________________________ Last Sunday we looked at 1 Peter 2:18-25 and learned from Peter,,, that if we pay attention,,, and react favorably,,, we will be blessed when we respond correctly to suffering!

We need to remember,,, that God is in control,,, and even while we can’t see anything,,, God is working,,, to make things even better than they were before!

God is always watching out for us,,, and guiding us,,, we just need to trust Him better!

And that’s true even when we are required to “Submit During Suffering”,,, even when we feel like it is unjustified,,, because we must use Christ as our guide and live a life that models the way He lived as closely as we can.

And we know that He lived a life in obedience and submission to the Father’s will,,, and we should not be expecting anything less.

So even though we must endure suffering,,, and sometimes,,, we receive it unjustly,,, we should “Submit During Suffering”,,, and by doing so,,, that brings favor with God!

This morning we will look at these verses in 1 Peter 2:2-10 and see how they will help us in our walk with God this week.

___________________________________ Verses 2-3 said: 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure spiritual milk, so that you may grow by it for your salvation, 3 since you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Peter wanted his readers to be as eager for the nourishment of the Word as babies are for milk.

After you have accepted Christ as your Savior and began your new way of life,,, you need to feed on wholesome spiritual food that produces growth.

Reading the Bible and spending time in prayer are essential things to do to build a relationship with God.

My Bible Knowledge Commentary says,,, the words "for your salvation",,, recall the ultimate fulfillment of salvation that is spoken of in 1:5, 7, 9, 13.

Then in verse 3 quoting Psalm 34:8 which says: 8 Taste and see that the LORD is good. How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!,,, Peter compared their present knowledge of Christ to tasting.

You see,,, they had taken a sample,,, having experienced God’s grace in their new birth,,, and had found that indeed the Lord is good,,, and that’s something that we should realize as well. ___________________________________ Verses 4-5 said: 4 Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

If you remember from chapter 1,,, the reference to the Lord in 1 Pet 1:3 prompts Peter to discuss the relationship between Christ and the people of God.

In 1:3 he referred to a “living hope” and in 1:23 to the “living … Word”; then here in 2:4 he referred to Christ as “the living Stone.”

Peter developed and explained the metaphor of the stone in the following verses.

Here he said this Stone is living.

It has life in itself and gives life to others.

People may enter into personal,,, vital relationships,,, with this “living Stone.”

And by doing so,,, we become “living stones”,,, and its through us today,,, that the church is continuously built up and expanded,,, by the example we show others in our daily life,,, if we live like God has commanded us to do!

___________________________________ Verses 6-8 said: 6 For it is contained in Scripture: Look! I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame! 7 So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected— this One has become the cornerstone, 8 and A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the message; they were destined for this.

In verse 6,,, Peter uses Isaiah 28:16 as a reference,,, to emphasize the precious nature of Christ as the cornerstone of the spiritual temple.

The reference to Isaiah also serves as a reminder that believers will not ultimately experience shame,,, despite their present sufferings for honoring Christ.

Peter quotes Psalm 118:22 in verse 7.

And then in verse 8 Peter quotes Isaiah 8:14–15 to offer an explanation for the world’s rejection of Christ.

This reveals that Peter’s point is not that some people are preordained to destruction, but that some will stumble over the “cornerstone”,,, which is Jesus.

The cornerstone is set firmly in place,,, so for those who do not acknowledge it,,, it is a stumbling block and thus offensive,,,—,,,it is viewed as being in the way of their perceived path.

___________________________________ Verses 9-10 said: 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Verse 9 describes the people of God - those who place their trust in Christ,,, and Peter does this by using language formerly used of Israel.

He reminded them that,,, in contrast with the disobedient who are destined for destruction,,, they were a chosen people.

“Chosen race,” which used to apply only to Israel,,, was now applied to both Jewish and Gentile believers.

The responsibility once solely trusted to the nation of Israel has now,,, during this Age of Grace,,, been given to the church.

At Sinai,,, God told Moses to tell the people,,, in Exodus 19:6 “and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”

Now believers in the Church Age are called a royal priesthood,,, a holy nation,,, a people belonging to God.

Peter called Christians “a holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5) and “a royal priesthood” (2:9).

Christians are a special people because God has preserved them for Himself.

While these descriptions of the church are similar to those used of Israel in the Old Testament,,, this doesn't mean that the church replaces Israel and assumes the national blessings promised to Israel and those blessings to be fulfilled in the Millennium.

Peter just used similar terms to point up similar truths.

As Israel was “a chosen people,,, a royal priesthood,,, a holy nation,,, a people belonging to God,,,” so too Christians today,,, are chosen,,, are priests,,, are holy,,, and,,, belong to God.

Similarity does not mean identity.

God’s purpose in choosing believers for Himself is so that they may declare the praises of Him before others.

Christians should live so that their heavenly Father’s qualities are evident in their lives.

They are to serve as witnesses of the glory and grace of God,,, who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light.

“Darkness” refers to the time when his readers were pagans,,, ignorant of God’s provision of salvation (cf. Colossians 1:13),,, when they were not a people,,, when they had not received mercy.

His “marvelous light” now illumines the people of God because they have received mercy.

Peter explained verse 10 with a quotation from Hosea 2:23 where it says: 23 I will sow her in the land for Myself, and I will have compassion on No Compassion; I will say to Not My People: You are My people, and he will say, “You are My God.”

The practice of holiness,,, in which “we”,,, as Christians today,,, serving as a holy and royal priesthood,,, is the proper response to the mercy we have received.

___________________________________ Peter explained to Christians then,,, and us today,,, that we are chosen by God.

Through Jesus Christ,,, a "Living Stone",,, we are chosen.

Our relationship with Him is far more important than our jobs,,, successes,,, wealth,,, or knowledge.

We have been chosen by God as His very own,,, and we have been called to represent Him to others.

Remember that your value comes from being one of God's children,,, not from what you can achieve.

You have worth because of what God does,,, not because of what you do.

___________________________________ So we must remember to live a life that models Jesus’ example since we are the “Living Stones” of the church today!

We are responsible for bringing others to Jesus so that the church will continue to grow until Jesus returns.

It’s up to each one of us to obey the words of Jesus,,, as we continue,,, making disciples of Jesus Christ,,, for the transformation of the world!

And we do that best,,, by truly understanding,,, that we are,,, the “Living Stones”,,, chosen by God,,, to do His will,,, and build up,,, His church!

___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Hymn: 337 - Oakdale Hymn: 337 - Seminary Benediction -----------------------------------------------------------