Unshaken Exiles

1 Peter  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  52:18
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Scripture Intro:

Scripture Reading (“Please stand…”)
1 Peter 2:4 ESV
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
1 Peter 2:5 ESV
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.
1 Peter 2:6 ESV
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.”
1 Peter 2:7 ESV
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,”
1 Peter 2:8 ESV
and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
1 Peter 2:9 ESV
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:10 ESV
Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Pray...

Intro:

Resilience
Western North Carolina
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ mental health division...
encouraged residents struggling with the mental and emotional toll from the hurricane
to use the state’s 24/7 disaster helpline and suicide hotline.
She added that the state is making mental health counselors available
to first responders and caregivers.
FCF: Think that all is lost in the midst of exile.
Lack perspective when things go horribly badly.
No imperatives in the passage, except for "Behold" in the quote.
This is a didactic passage to help frame our thinking and perspective.
You can't rely on anyone else in this world.
Look our for number one.
You make your own breaks.
What is your foundation?
App. Yet, in election season,
our culture switches.
It goes from you are your only hope...
to the thoughts that government is your hope.

Certainty of Our Foundation

(v. 5) “you [all] like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house”
But what are we built upon?
(v. 6) “cornerstone”
(v. 7) “cornerstone”
What is this cornerstone?
1 Peter 2:6 (ESV)
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.”
The cornerstone is actually a person.
In fairness, the 3rd person masculine pronoun can be translated as “him” or “it”.
Context determines what it should be translated as.
And, I think the English translations are correct to translate it as “him”.
So “WHO is this cornerstone?”
1 Peter 2:4 ESV
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
“cornerstone”
two different ways of using the same root
(v. 6)

The “final stone” in a building, probably over the gate; used with reference to Christ in 1 Pet. 2:6 and Eph. 2:20. The idea is that the church is a temple, the prophets and apostles are the foundation, and Christ completes the building.

Ephesians 2:20 ESV
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
(v. 7) “head corner’
Acts 4:11 ESV
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
(v. 4) “chosen and precious”
Yet, “rejected by men”
(v. 6) “chosen and precious”
“chosen” - Same word at (1:1) “elect exiles”
“elect” - chosen, selected
Precious - Valuable, honored, Highly regarded
(v. 4) “living stones”
Purposeful joining something inanimate - “stones”
with “living”

Stability of Our Identity

1 Peter 2:5 ESV
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.
“being built”
“living stones”
On the “cornerstone”
This connects Jesus (the chosen stone) with us (the chosen community).
1 Peter 2:9 ESV
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
“chosen”
“royal priesthood” - king and priests
(v. 5) Built up… “to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices”
“acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”
“acceptable” - welcomed, pleasing
“holy nation”
Exodus 19:6 ESV
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.”
“people for his own possession”
We Belong, even though we are Exiles
1 Peter 2:10 ESV
Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
From “not a people” to “God’s people”
From “no mercy” to “received mercy”
Hosea 2:23 ESV
and I will sow her for myself in the land. And I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’; and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’ ”
Unshaken Exiles
On the certainty of Jesus, our foundation
Knowing who we are in him
Unshaken
OT imagery
This story is not new.
It has endured from the beginning when God made a covenant with his people.
Priesthood of All Believers
(v. 9, 5)
Romans 12:1 ESV
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Philippians 4:18 ESV
I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
Hebrews 13:15 ESV
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Necessity of Dealing with Jesus

As much as this passage is about the identity of God’s people as exiles,
it also must be addressed that there is a description of two very different ways to respond to Jesus.
Believe or Reject Jesus.
1 Peter 2:7 ESV
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,”
1 Peter 2:8 ESV
and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
"stone of stumbling" - stone which causes a misstep or slip.
"rock of offense" - Boulder (petra) which sets a trap
Isaiah 8:14 ESV
And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
This picks up the "trap" and "snare" part of the offense
Reject - stumble (disobey), offense
Those who seek self-righteousness stumble on the stone, but those who believe will be saved.
Jesus uses the “cornerstone” understanding to explain why the people of Israel would reject him.
Matthew 21:42 ESV
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
Matthew 21:43–44 ESV
Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

Close in Prayer

Closing Song:

“No Longer Slaves”
A song of rejoicing over the freedom that we have in the Gospel.
We have a foundation in Jesus that endures,
regardless of our circumstances.

Benediction:

Revelation 1:5–6 (ESV)
To him who loves us
and has freed us from our sins by his blood
and made us a kingdom,
priests to his God and Father,
to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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