Living Stones

Intro

Begin with referencing Garry’s story of picking up rocks -> the “colossal” rock… until the Rockies

Peter uses analogies of rock and stone to continue to teach the dispersed and persecuted church about how they are in Christ, and the role they need to play in the world around them

Guess what? It all applies to us today, too.

Read 1 Peter 2:4-10 and pray.

Living Stones

Spiritual house = Temple

Began as the Tabernacle -> Solomon’s Temple -> Herod’s Temple

Beautiful and hugely important building for the Judaism

Outline different parts and functions of the Temple

Focal point = the Holy of Holies; God’s throne room (levels of holiness)

The Temple was the place of God’s manifest presence on earth

We are living stones

What a weird metaphor!

How can stones be alive? How would that work? Don’t get caught up in the details

More to the point, we are being built up into the spiritual Temple

Remember, we have a living hope in Jesus Christ. And now we are living stones that together make up the Temple where the presence of God resides

It is true that we have the abiding of God’s Spirit (presence) as inidividual believers

But Peter points out the way in which each of us is just one (living) stone in a greater construct: There is something powerful about the presence of God residing in the Temple of His church together

Emphasize this happening on Sundays at SBF, other churches in town, country, world

This is an ongoing process

We are “being built up;” we are “living” (dynamic) stones

God is constantly at work in our midst so that our community can be holy just as God (and His throne room) is Holy *remind of last week*

Jesus is the cornerstone

We are all living stones, but the Temple of God needs a firm foundation (cornerstone)

Show picture of a cornerstone and explain significance

Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the church and the spiritual Temple; everything is founded on Him

Peter uses 3 OT quotes about stones to teach about the unique role of Christ:

Re-read verse 6

God the Father always planned to send the Son as the chosen, precious cornerstone

One of many OT prophecies that Jesus fulfilled

Re-read verse 7

Not only was Jesus chosen by the Father to be the cornerstone, but He was rejected by those he came to save

Builders = his own people

Recap parable of the tenants; Cf. Matthew 21:42-44.

Shows the grafting of the Gentiles into the promises made to Israel, and the reality that the church now takes on this role

Something Peter goes to great lengths to explain in his letter

Re-read verse 8

Lastly, Jesus is the cornerstone for those who believe, but a stumbling stone for those who do not, or as Peter describes it, those who “disobey the word”

Everyone needs to make a decision about Jesus; there is no middle ground

What do you believe about Jesus? Do you desire to come to Him and be a living stone, founded on the cornerstone and being built up into a spiritual Temple?

Or do you find Jesus to be a stumbling stone, offensive and close-minded? The choice is yours, and it is critical

Holy Priesthood

Priesthood = worship

Priests were chosen to mediate between God and His chosen people

So many boundaries existed between a holy God and unholy people; needed a “go between”

The sacrificial system was the temporary solution to this problem, and the priests would administer all the sacrifices

The people would bring thier offerings and priests would administer them (people observe)

Also looked after the altar of incense (Zechariah) and all other Temple needs

Congregants would gather in the courtyards for prayer, singing hymns, give offerings and tithes, and hear priestly benedictions

Doesn’t sound all that different, does it?

7 major festivals/feasts

Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), Feast of the Firstfruits, Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Feast of Tabernacles (Booths)

Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles were all pilgrimage festivals where everyone came to the Temple

Passover = Large crowd gathered at the crucifixion of Christ

Pentecost = Large crowd gathered at the coming of the HS

Worship was meant to cultivate the relationship between God and His people by making atonement through sacrifices and constant reminders of dependance (festivals and daily worship), all done through the intermediation of the priests

We are a holy priesthood

Peter says that not only are we living stones that make up the spiritual temple, but we are ALSO holy priests

We lead others in worship of God

Not sacrifices, but through prayer, singing, offerings, learning from the Word

We are intemediaries between God and others

Peter quotes from Exodus 19:6 “and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.””

The whole NATION of Israel was designed to be a kingdom of priests to the rest of the world!

The church now carries on that mantle; we can clear the way for others to know God (why we are called to be “holy”)

Jesus is the great High Priest

We are now holy priests in the new spiritual Temple, but Jesus is the High Priest

Cf. Hebrews 8:1-7.

Jesus mediates a new covenant between God and His people

This new covenant is better! The promises are better! It is eternal, everlasting and Jesus oversees it all

Spiritual Sacrifices

Sacrificial system = atonement

Carried this out in the Priestly Courtyard of the Temple (people watching from other courtyards)

5 major sacrifices: burnt offering, grain offering, peace offering, sin offering, guilt offering (including extra 1/5 of money owed)

Day of Atonement - High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle blood on the mercy of God to make atonement for all the people

Jesus is the perfect sacrifice

Cf. Hebrews 9:11-14; Hebrews 10:11-14.

Wow! How much more will the blood of Christ atone for our sins? Once and for all

It doesn’t matter how sinful, shameful, or guilty you are. Jesus’ sacrifice is enough

We are spiritual sacrifices (living sacrifices)

Yes, we are living stones that make up the Temple, while also being priests who mediate worship, but we are also sacrifices, too

Cf. Romans 12:1.

When we realize the perfect sacrifice of Jesus for us, we lay down our lives in response

I never said this would be easy! The gospel requires nothing yet asks for everything

Share about Curtis and Carlanna and Andreas and Bianca

Are you willing to offer your life as a sacrifice to God, for His glory?

Conclusion: Proclaim Excellencies

Reiterate the church inheriting the fulfilled promises of God’s chosen people

Re-read 1 Peter 2:9a.

All this to say that in Christ we have inherited the promises of Israel

Purpose = light to the nations / proclaim excellencies of God

Re-read 1 Peter 2:9b-10.

But the church has also inherited the role and responsibility of Israel: To show God to the world

Let us ensure that we proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light

Pray