Embrace The Discomfort

Text: 1 Peter 2:4-12

INTRODUCTION

Proposition: Do you see discomfort as a sign that something is wrong?

Illustration: Growing up, my dad would take me camping. Now, when you think of camping, I'm sure you envision a nice, manicured site where you can pull up your vehicle, set up your tent and lawn chairs, and get a fire going, and all the people at the site are smiling as they pull ice cold drinks out of the cooler while someone grills burgers. This is not the type of camping we did. There was no manicured site, no vehicles, no lawn chairs, no coolers, no ice cold drinks, no grills, and definitely no smiles! We did wilderness camping. This is the type of camping where you carry all your gear on your own back to your destination. It was hard. Every step makes you aware of how uncomfortable you are. Your lower back starts hurting, so you adjust, then your shoulder hurts cause the strap is pressing into your skin, then your feet start to develop a blister, then you discover a new mosquito bite, but at least it wasn’t another tick. You scratch the mosquito bite and that makes you aware that you’re now sunburned. When it’s time for camp and you finally get to lay down, the ground is still the ground and its very uncomfortable. You’re in a sleeping bag that makes your feet sweltering hot but you're getting a soar throat from the cold air outside. Literally, everything makes you uncomfortable. So why did we do it? Because every step led to the top of a mountain peak that was 12,000 feet in the air that wasn’t accessible by any other way than by foot - truly a shockingly beautiful sight. I don’t appreciate discomfort; however, it just might be the only pathway to something beautiful.

We all arrange our life to arrive somewhere. For many, that somewhere is comfort.  When the goal is comfort, then discomfort feels like a signal that we are on the wrong path. So, we don’t continue.

But… Scripture provides a better way - a better goal. Believers are instructed to visualize Jesus as the goal of life.  Those who adopt this view will find themselves saying, “Thank God I’m uncomfortable because He’s using the discomfort to shape my image into His image.”

We must embrace the discomfort especially when it comes to the growth that God can give us through the Church.

What is your view of the church? Are you always disappointed in it because it doesn’t meet your standard? Be careful! You’re talking about the Bride of Christ!

Adam McHugh said, “We must put away our convenient notions of God. The One Who always agrees with us. The One who always favor our nation or political agenda. The One Who always feeds us candy and never vegetables.”

One of the vegetables that God provides is the church. It, by design, is uncomfortable so you may grow into a new human being of love. We must erase this idea of finding the perfect church because it would be a perfect disaster for our spiritual formation.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than they love the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their personal intentions may be ever so honest, earnest and sacrificial.”

We are going to receive the invitation from the Foundation of the Church to embrace it and the discomfort and thereby grow.

Declaration: When we embrace an imperfect church, the future glory of God in the New Creation is manifested now.

Transition: Let’s look at 2 purposes that will help us embrace the discomfort.

NUMBER 1: We are redeemed to love others

1 Peter 2:1-3

1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Explanation: You are saved by faith in the truth so that we may be people of love.

The “Therefore” is a continuation of Verse 1 that is tied to 1 Peter 1:22 which says,

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

The purpose of salvation is that we would become the new humans in the image of Jesus Christ to love.

Application: So in order to love, there are 2 things we must do - love by avoidance and read Scripture to experience Jesus.

The first action we must take to love is we must love by avoidance. We must take off the old clothes from our old way of living. They are:

Malice (which is evil). Our words and actions originate in our intentions. If our intentions are evil, then our words and actions will be too. Love by avoiding malice. Do you wish evil on people?

Hypocrisy. Do you claim Christ and live another way? Perhaps, one of the most damaging things we can do is live a double life - to say you love your spouse while cheating emotionally, virtually, or even physically is damaging and unloving. To teach your kids of the love of God but not demonstrate His love is damaging and unloving. By aligning our life with our speech, we love. Are your speech and your lifestyle telling the same story?

Envy. Psychologist say you know someone is your friend if they are genuinely happy for your success. How interesting! Envy is the fruit of ego. We deem ourselves more important and more worthy than others, so we are eaten up by envy and begin to despise those who have something we think we should have. Love by esteeming others better than yourself. Do you think with the mind of Jesus?

Slander. Like envy, there is only a need for slander if we are insecure about ourselves. We must put others down because our worth is not in the love of Jesus, rather, it’s in our competition with others. Men assassinate the character of other men who are more successful because success is their worth. Women will engage in slander because another woman is outperforming in family, work, or appearance. Love by speaking life, not slander. Are you able to speak love because being loved is your identity?

Second, we must read Scripture with a specific aim. We read the Scripture for an experience - not knowledge.

Knowledge will not change us to love. Only experiencing the goodness of God through His Word will change us to love. In the previous point, it may have crossed your mind, “how can I just stop my malice, hypocrisy, envy, and slander?” You cannot will your way into change, but you can worship your way into transformation.

“The Bible was not given for our information but for our transformation.” - D.L. Moody

Illustration: Karl Barth a theologian, who lived from 1886-1968.

Karl Barth was fielding questions from the audience after a lecture in Rockefeller Chapel on the campus of the University Chicago in 1962. A student stood and asked him if he could summarize his life’s work in theology in one sentence. According to the story a gasp went up from the audience–responding to the student’s perceived audaciousness. Also, according to the story, Barth didn’t skip a beat. He said (paraphrasing) “Yes. In the words of a song I learned at my mother’s knee: ‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so’.”

The second part of this application is obvious but often neglected. We must read the Scripture.

Illustration: In 2024, I decided to lose weight because I saw a picture of myself, and it was horrendous. Even AI couldn’t fix this picture! This was my experience. I knew factually that eating less calories than I consumed would result in weight loss, but it wasn’t until I started counting that I lost weight. I knew that going to the gym would help me burn more calories, but it wasn’t until I went to the gym that I actually burned them.

Do you place your gaze on the words of Scripture? Do you let it’s thoughts and teachings enter your mind? Do you see Jesus and worship? Do you read for an experience in Jesus?

Only when we behold Scripture with our physical eyes, can we behold Jesus and worship with our spiritual eyes.

Questions:

Overall, we are called to love. We know this, but it is helpful to ask ourselves questions to see if we are pursuing and practicing it in our daily lives.

A good question to ask yourself at the end of every day is, “Did I experience the love of Jesus, so that I may let it flow through me to others?” If you didn’t, what’s so important that you miss the very reason of life?

Do you love the actual church or do you love the idea of your dream church?

Do you attend church or do you love the people within church? Regular attendance comes from a habit. Regular love comes for a heart in Jesus.

Do you not see the goodness, beauty, and wonder of Jesus in this calling to love? He has the best intentions toward us even when we’re evil. His life always aligned with His Word even when it meant self-sacrifice. He genuinely rejoices over you - He’s rejoicing over your salvation more than you! He’s the one person that truly knows the depth of your sin, and He does not slander you! Rather, He protects you from all accusation and condemnation.

He is love. His is the image into which we are being conformed. By Him, we are saved to be loved and give love.

NUMBER 2: We are saved for works and worship

1 Peter 2:4-9

4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” 7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Explanation: Here, Peter switches his analogy from calling us babies to living stones. Here’s the idea - we are living stones that God places on the foundation of Jesus Christ because He is building us into a house for His presence - both now and for eternity!

2 MINUTES FOR ELECTION

God’s story is long, and you are at a very interesting point in His story! God living with humans has always been God’s plan. This is the story of the Bible! You are at the point in the story where the church provides a growing picture of the New Creation that is coming soon. Let’s go through the Bible narrative to see the point Peter is making.

Genesis – The Garden of Eden

Genesis 3:8 – And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:23–24 – Therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

In God’s story, it started with Him living with humans to rule over creation. We lose that presence through disobedience but throughout the story, God provides ways through which His presence can dwell with man again. Each of these new ways, points back to the garden and simultaneously points forward to the New Creation.

Exodus – God’s Presence in the Tabernacle

Exodus 29:45–46 – I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.

The Tabernacle was constructed in such a way to evoke images of the Garden.

Entrance from the east – Adam and Eve were expelled eastward, and cherubim guarded the way (Genesis 3:24). The Tabernacle entrance also faced east.

Cherubim imagery – The curtain before the Most Holy Place was embroidered with cherubim (Exodus 26:31), echoing the cherubim guarding Eden.

Tree-like designs – The lampstand (menorah) in the Holy Place was designed to look like a blossoming almond tree (Exodus 25:31–36), reminiscent of the Tree of Life.

Gold and precious stones – The Garden is described with gold and onyx (Genesis 2:12), and the priestly garments and Tabernacle furnishings were decorated with gold and precious stones (Exodus 28:9–20).

Life-giving water imagery – Eden had a river flowing from it (Genesis 2:10); later, Ezekiel envisioned a river flowing from God’s sanctuary (Ezekiel 47).

Numbers – God Dwelling in the Midst

Numbers 9:15–16 – On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night.

1 Kings – God’s Presence in the Temple

1 Kings 8:27–29 – But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant…that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, “My name shall be there.”

Cherubim → Guardian imagery

1 Kings 6:29 – Around all the walls of the house he carved engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms.

Palm trees, flowers, tree designs → Lush garden imagery

1 Kings 6:32 – He covered the two doors of olivewood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers.

1 Kings 6:35 – He carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers on them, and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the carved work.

Gold & precious stones → Precious materials

1 Kings 6:20–22 – The inner sanctuary… he overlaid it with pure gold. … He overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished.

Water imagery → Life-giving abundance

1 Kings 7:23–25 – Then he made the sea of cast metal. … Under its brim were gourds… It stood on twelve oxen…

Eastward entrance → Temple orientation

Ezekiel 8:16 – …at the entrance of the temple of the LORD… with their backs to the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east…

All of these details points back to the garden and points forward to the New Creation. God ruling and reigning and living with humans has always been the plan and it always will be! That’s why when Jesus showed up, John wrote this about Him.

John – God’s Presence in Christ

John 1:14 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (“Dwelt” here literally means “tabernacled.”)

Jesus is the point. He is the Chief Cornerstone that the builders rejected but is Chosen and Precious to the Father. As God Himself, Jesus brought God’s presence down to Earth. As the True Human Being, He is building man up into a temple for God’s Presence. He’s the Foundation of uniting God and man together until it all culminates again as prophesied in Revelation.

Revelation – The Ultimate Tabernacle

Revelation 21:3 – And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”

We are the memorial of the Garden. We are the billboard for the New Creation. The church is to have glimpses and manifestations of the future, right now.

Paul says it this way in Ephesians.

Ephesians 1:20-21

20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

The idea is that Jesus is the exalted Ruler of the New Creation, and He’s reigning currently in both ages - at the same time!

He says it even more clearly in 1 Corinthians 10. He’s recounting the Exodus story and ends with this curious phrase.

1 Corinthians 10:11

11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

He’s saying the end of the old age is being overlapped by the New Creation. Jesus is risen, exalted, and reigning over both ages. The future New Creation is happening in and through the church right now!

Application: So, what does that mean we are to do? We are to spend our days reigning with Jesus and bringing in the New Creation.

What does this mean practically? Verses 5 & 9 reveal who we are and what we do.

First, verse 5 says we are a holy priesthood. In the Old Testament, Priests were responsible to be the representatives from God to man, and man to God. They led worship, taught God’s Word, offered sacrifices, and prayed for humans.

Does this not add infinite worth to everything you do? Does this not add infinite worth to everyone you interact with every day? Spiritual sacrifices begin in the spirit. If you do the most menial task in sacrifice and praise to God, He is well pleased. If He is pleased, does that not please you too?

Second, verse 5 & 9 tell us what we are to do. We are to offer spiritual sacrifices & sing His praises.

The Bible mentions many specific sacrifices we can make to God.

Presenting Our Bodies as a Living Sacrifice Romans 12:1

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

There have been many times in your life that you dedicated yourself to serve God. With such sacrifices, God is well pleased

Sacrifice of Praise Hebrews 13:15

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

I’m sure you have sang His song through the valley and on the mountain. With such worship, God is well pleased.

Sacrifices of Doing Good and Sharing Hebrews 13:16

But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

God sees the gift you gave. He sees what you did for your ungrateful kids. He heard the kind words.

Prayers as Incense Before God Revelation 8:3

Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

Paul tells us we should pray for all men.

1 Timothy 2:1-4

2 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

The whole purpose of prayer is inviting God to have Heaven invade Earth, so that God’s will and kingdom can be manifested - just as Jesus instructed us in the model prayer (Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4).

Beckwith said the following about spiritual sacrifices.

“… they never have a prescribed ritual. It appears, in fact, that every act of the Spirit-filled man can be reckoned as a spiritual sacrifice, and the sense in which it is a sacrifice is that it is devoted to God and is acceptable to God.” Beckwith, R. T. (1996). In the. In New Bible dictionary (3rd ed., p. 1043). InterVarsity Press.

The only 2 qualifications of a spiritual sacrifice are that it is offered in spirit and truth to God and that it cost you something. Are you worshipping as a priest? Are you connecting the creation back to the Creator so that it may be made new?

Questions:

Take a moment to evaluate your heart and practices. Ask yourself,

Does my relationship with God cost me something?

Do I serve, worship, and pray at church or am I a spectator?

Do I see everyday moments—at home, at work, in the community—as opportunities to represent God to others?

Am I intentionally using my words to offer the “sacrifice of praise” even in difficulty?

Do my prayers reflect God’s heart for all people, or only my own concerns?

If the church is a billboard for the New Creation, does my life add clarity to that picture or does it obscure that picture?

Conclusion: God will be glorified on the day of visitation

1 Peter 2:9-12

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Living Before the World 11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

We are to conduct ourselves as priests, who reject worldly desires, so that the lost see this beautiful way of life. Though they may speak evil against us, the works that they observe will lead to glorifying God in the day of visitation. There are 2 beautiful truths we must conclude on.

The first is that God will be glorified for our works - this means that being a priest is not working for God. It’s working with God. Whatever you do, whatever you sacrifice to bring God glory is actually you working with God to bring the Creation back to Him through Jesus. How could we ever give in to the nihilism of this day? Everyone we know and everything we do matters - intensely!

The second truth is this idea of the day of visitation. This has 2 meanings in Scripture.

How it’s used in Scripture

Positive / salvation sense:

Luke 19:44 — Jesus laments over Jerusalem because they “did not know the time of your visitation” (God coming in mercy through Christ).

This matches an idea of God “coming near” to bless and save.

Negative / judgment sense:

Isaiah 10:3 LXX — “What will you do in the day of visitation, and in the calamity that will come from afar?”

Here it refers to a day when God visits to judge.

The context of the passage determines the meaning, and I believe the context in 1 Peter 2:12 is a positive, evangelistic, and merciful day.

We see in the book of Acts and throughout church history that there are special days that God’s presence and glory are manifested through His church. He is glorified, the church is thrilled at His presence, and the lost find salvation.

Church, we are the building of God built on the Chosen and Precious Cornerstone Jesus Christ. Through His blood, we are redeemed to be a new kind of human in the image of Jesus Christ. May we serve Him, sacrifice for Him, and worship. May we faithfully work with God that He may be glorified by His church and the world in the day of visitation!