Rooted in Christ

1 Peter 2:1–8 “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God—you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame. So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected— this one has become the cornerstone, and A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this.”

Main Point: A life rooted in Christ is continually nourished by His Word, built upon His foundation, and shaped to look like Him.

CRAVE God’s Word → BUILD on Jesus → BECOME like Jesus.

Opening Illustration: Use the picture of a newly planted tree. What you see above ground may look healthy for a while, but its ability to survive heat, wind, drought, and storms depends on what is happening beneath the surface. A tree doesn't become strong by trying harder to produce leaves; it becomes strong by developing roots that continually receive what it needs.

As we begin building Verdant Church together, our greatest concern cannot simply be how big Verdant grows. We should care deeply about how deeply rooted its people become.

1. Rooted People CRAVE the Word (2:1-3)

1 Peter 2:1–3 CSB

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Sub-Point 1: Uproot What Hinders

Peter begins with “therefore.” This refers back to what he just said in verse 23 of Chapter 1. “Since you have been born again … through the living and enduring word of God.” Then verse 25 says, “And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you.”

What does this mean? If you are not saved by the gospel of Jesus Christ, you will not CRAVE His word or desire to live a life worthy of that gospel. This brings us to continue after the “therefore…”

He begins to unpack removal: malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. Growth in Christ requires us to recognize what doesn't belong anymore.

Malice: an all-inclusive word (kakia) for sin referring to general wickedness Deceit: literally referring to “bait” or a “fishhook” - represents dishonesty, falsehood, and treachery. Hypocrisy: to be fake, describes behavior that is opposite of what one believes or says they believe Envy: attitude - resenting others for having more than you (results in grudges, bitterness and conflict) Slander: gossip; defamation of character

Peter uses the word “all” three time to emphasize totality. As those who have been saved by grace through faith in the gospel of Jesus, we are to TOTALLY rid ourselves of these things. That’s the starting point of spiritual growth and becoming rooted wholly in Christ.

Sub-Point 2: Crave What Nourishes

Peter doesn't say merely to read Scripture. He says to desire it like a newborn desires milk. Someone rooted in Christ increasingly recognizes, I need God's Word.

Peter choice to use the word desire. The same word that elsewhere describes destructive longings becomes the vehicle for spiritual nourishment. Humanity’s natural condition involves living “in fleshly desires,” (Eph 2:3) but the redeemed are called to redirect that capacity toward God’s Word. This isn’t suppressing desire—it’s realigning the word “desire” to a holy and righteous calling.

You cannot simply eliminate desire; you can only replace it. Escape from “corruption that is in the world because of evil desire” (2 Pet 1:4) doesn’t happen through willpower alone, but through cultivating an appetite for what sustains divine life. Peter recognizes that spiritual maturity requires the same intensity of longing that once drove you toward destructive ends—redirected toward the Word that produces growth into salvation

Spiritual Growth begins with God’s Word. That’s why we have cultural christians who have claimed a belief but are chasing the desires of this world. The have not desired God’s word and experienced the spiritual growth it produces. Why not?

No discipleship. No intentionality. Too much fluff in churches. Too much “social clubbing.”

As we think about being rooted, ourselves, in the Word of God, it’s great imagery to imagine yourself as a tree planted with deep healthy roots.

Psalm 1:1–3 — The person who delights in God's instruction is “like a tree planted beside flowing streams” that produces fruit.

We are called to love, desire, and delight in the Word of God and when we do, we are rooted in what matters most.

Application: What are you feeding your soul? Where are your deepest roots?

We cannot expect to become mature disciples of Jesus while being spiritually nourished primarily by everything except Jesus. Establish a rhythm of Scripture intake. Don’t simply set out to finish a reading plan to check a box. Don’t pursue discipleship relationships to have friends. Rather, put yourself in positions to grow in God’s word because you believe God uses His Word to make you more like Christ.

2. Rooted People BUILD Their Lives on Jesus (2:4-6)

1 Peter 2:4–6 CSB

As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God—you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.

Sub-Point 1: Come to the Cornerstone

Peter shifts from nourishment to construction. Jesus was rejected by people but “chosen and honored by God.” Our faith isn't ultimately built upon a church building, a good-looking pastor, our previous experiences, tradition, or season of life. It's built on a singular Person. His name is Jesus.

So as we are rooted in God word, remember what John 1:1–5 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.”

The Gospel of Jesus, who was always present since the beginning with God the Father, is at the center of our faith. It’s a personal relationship we are building. The cornerstone of our church and individual faith is found in Jesus Christ.

Peter reminds us of the severity of the Gospel of Jesus by reminding us that he was rejected by people. Why is this reminder important? We will be rejected by people.

We are not to “fit” in the world but to be seen as different. When we’re different and hold to a holy and righteous belief system, the world will oppose us just as the world opposes Jesus still today.

Sub-Point 2: Build on the Foundation

Peter calls believers “living stones” who are being built into a spiritual house with the foundation of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 10:4 “and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.”

Jesus isn't simply something we add to the life we're already building. He determines the shape and direction of everything else.

Matthew 7:24–25 ““Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock.”

Jesus describes the wise person as someone who hears His words and acts on them, building their house upon the rock. He is telling us this because it is what protects us but it is also what keeps us spiritually alive.

Think about it, lets go back to the spiritual infant. What happens if an infant doesn’t drink the milk? They perish. Their life is limited and they will never grow. Jesus is telling us in Matthew that we need to live an accordance to His word to be protected from the storms. Christ desires us to have a strong foundation.

Too often, people look at the word of God as a rule book. I personally look at it as a love letter from the God of the universe to His creation, but second to that, I might say its a letter of survival against a broken and dark world.

Application:

Where do you find security?

Career, marriage, children, finances, relationships, even church when viewed unbiblically, can become foundations they were never designed to be. Those things can change. Jesus doesn't.

So again, how does that apply to us planting Verdant Church? We aren't asking you to root your life in Verdant Church. We want Verdant Church to help you root your life more deeply in Jesus. We do this through our community groups, discipleship processes, and preaching and teaching from myself or anyone else given those leadership opportunities.

3. Rooted People BECOME More Like Jesus (2:5–8)

1 Peter 2:5–8 CSB

you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame. So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected— this one has become the cornerstone, and A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this.

Sub-Point 1: Reflect the One You Follow

Jesus is the Living Stone, and then Peter says “you yourselves, as living stones…” Our identity begins to reflect the One we're connected to. Christianity isn't simply believing something about Jesus; it's being transformed by Jesus.

Sub-Point 2: Treasure the One Who Changed You

Verse 7 says, “So honor will come to you who believe…” Other translations capture the idea as “to you who believe, He is precious.” As we grow in Christ, Jesus becomes more—not less—valuable to us.

2 Corinthians 3:18 “We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

“Am I becoming more like Jesus? Do I love what He loves? Do I respond like He responds? Am I becoming more gracious, holy, generous, patient, courageous, and obedient?”

Because being rooted isn't measured primarily by how long you've been planted. It's revealed by what you're becoming.

CRAVE His Word → BUILD on Jesus → BECOME like Jesus.

The more we're rooted in Christ individually, the more God begins building us together corporately, which we will discuss next week as we unpack what it looks like to Grow with Others.