Gospel Identity
1 Peter • Sermon • Submitted
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Transcript
So far Peter has reminded us that we need the Gospel for all of life. And to live out the gospel is to set our hope in Christ, Grow in Holiness, grow in love for one another, really he was showing that the gospel not only positionally saves us, that is justifies us, but it also sanctifies us. I pray that these short studies have been a blessing to you as they have for me.
As we continue to read through 1 Peter, we come to a passage that is about identity. Identity is important because it answers the question who am I really. There are so many voices out there that want to tell us who we are. But Peter shows us that who we are as the redeemed is directly rooted in who Jesus is. This passage is giving us our gospel identity. And it is structured by first telling us Who Jesus is, and then who we are. Let’s look at who Jesus is.
Jesus’ Identity
Jesus’ Identity
One of the things that I like to look at when I study the Bible is what does this passage tell me about God. In this passage we see several things about Jesus that are important for us as we look to what Peter is saying about our identity.
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 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. 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.”
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,”
and
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
1. A living Stone. A Corner Stone
Jesus is already said in that he was the temple.
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
Why is this important? You see, the temple is where God met with his people. Isaiah prophesied that a new and better temple would be rebuilt, and Peter is saying, by quoting Isaiah in this passage, that Jesus is that temple. Jesus is where we now go to meet God. We cannot come to God without Jesus. He is the only way, the only truth, and the only life. By saying that he is the living stone, he is saying that the new and better temple that was prophesied was not a physical temple, but a person, it is Jesus.
But Peter is also saying that Jesus is the cornerstone. So Not only is Jesus the better temple, but Jesus is also the foundation of that temple.
Peter’s teaching also has roots in the Gospels, In Peter’s confession to Jesus.
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
). Jesus replies,
Jesus replies,
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Here Jesus is using a play on words. The name Peter means “rock” or “rocky” in Greek. Jesus appears to be using a little play on words here because he uses a similar but slightly different word when he says, “On this rock I will build my church.” The Greek (transliterated) reads, “You are Peter [petros], and on this rock [petra] I will build my church” (petros and petra have nearly the same sense, roughly like rock and stone).
One commentator said:
We wonder what Jesus means by this small shift. In a sense, Peter is the rock of the church, and yet not quite. Observe that Jesus did not tell Peter, “On you I will build my church,” but “on this rock I will build.…” If Jesus had wanted to refer to Peter, who is standing right there, there would have been a less convoluted way to do it. We conclude, therefore, that Peter is not, in himself, the rock of the church. Instead, Scripture says that Jesus is the church’s cornerstone and foundation. Thus, when Peter confesses Jesus, he continues to build a foundation that has Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone (; ; cf. ). Peter himself is not the rock, because he is too unstable. Indeed, a few minutes later, Peter rebuked Jesus and told him that he must never go to the cross. Later, he denied Jesus three times. Later still, his bout of legalism, mixed with fear, caused a crisis in the Galatian church (). A church built on Peter would be shaky indeed. [1]
2. Chosen and honored
Jesus is God's chosen instrument for whom the restoration of God's people and the rebuilding of the temple made of living stones Jesus is to be honored by all for us who are believers he is our cornerstone and we are being built upon him and we won't be put to shame .
3. A Stumbling Block
But Jesus is something else. He is also a stumbling block. Those who don't come to God through Jesus stumble. They stumble and fall and are unable to come to God because they have disobeyed God's word. Minnie and Jesus day did this. Today many both religious and godless do this. They may do this because they see him as too harsh (you mean I can’t love the things of this world like money and power, you mean its not loving to embrace and celebrate someone else’s sin), or two demanding (What so you mean I have to deny myself) or to supernatural (But science doesn’t allow for the supernatural). He becomes a stumbling block when we decide that we would rather disobey His Word than believe Him.
While this passage is nowhere near exhaustive in telling us who Jesus is, Peter does give us some very important truths about him. He is our foundation! He is the only way to God. He is the living stone, being both the temple and the cornerstone of that temple. And Peter tells us that He is chosen by God and to be honored, but some do not do that. To them he is a stumbling block.
Our Identity in Him
Our Identity in Him
Once we come in taste God's goodness that is once we have experienced God's grace and believe in Him, we are given a new identity. This identity is key for us who live in a society that defines our identity based upon our success or failure, or our preferred lifestyle (Disney’s be true to yourself, our society’s rejoicing when someone comes out as gay or as transgender…) or our national or political life. None of that defines us to God. Jesus defines us to God and when we come to him in faith and repentance, we gain his identity for us and we become several things which Peter lists some for us.
1. Living Stones
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.
When our identity is in Christ we also become living stones being built upon Christ as our foundation this means that we no longer need to go to the temple for God to meet with us we are the temple so the church is not a building or a time it is a people united in Christ and committed to each other spiritual well-being and growth and holiness and relationship with Christ we represent God's place in this world.
When our identity is in Christ we also become living stones being built upon Christ as our foundation this means that we no longer need to go to the temple for God to meet with us we are the temple so the church is not a building or a time it is a people united in Christ and committed to each other spiritual well-being and growth and holiness and relationship with Christ we represent God's place in this world.
2. A Chosen Race
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.
Instead of being an earthly race with common ancestry and distinct physical characteristics, Christians are a heavenly people with a divine parentage and spiritual resemblances.
We are not united because we all are the same now God has chosen both Jew and gentile rich and poor young and old and has made us his people we are the new covenant people of God.
3. A Holy Priesthood/A Royal Priesthood
The second new identity that we have is the priesthood. Peter mentions it in verse 5 as well as in verse 9.
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.
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.
David Helm wrote:
The priesthood, of course, began with Aaron. And it was Aaron who stood before a holy God on behalf of a sinful people. In some respects, he functioned as an intermediary between God and the world. As such the priests were the ones most intimately acquainted with God.
Now consider the impact of this verse in light of Israel’s priestly history. Peter calls all believers a “holy” (v. 5) and “royal” (v. 9) “priesthood.” This means that every Christian is the ultimate insider. We are not merely representative of God’s place in the world; we serve as God’s priests before the world. No wonder Peter closes verse 10 with the words,
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.
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.
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.
What an encouraging word for those who were identified in 1:1 as “exiles.” The ones who struggled with the sense of being outsiders now see in a fresh way that they are very dear to God indeed.[2]
What an encouraging word for those who were identified in 1:1 as “exiles.” The ones who struggled with the sense of being outsiders now see in a fresh way that they are very dear to God indeed.[2]
4. A Holy Nation
We are not a nation of this world we represent God and his Kingdom we are to be in this world but not of it we are all ambassadors of this Kingdom and when we gather together we are an embassy of the Kingdom of which we are a part of.
To sum up we belong to Christ we represent Christ both individually and corporately.
Take Home (Application)
Take Home (Application)
So what. What does this mean for me? How should I respond? These are the questions that we must ask, but only after we have studied the passage. As I think through this passage and its implications for us today, a few thoughts come to mind.
1. Proclaim
Look at the last half of verse 9:
Peter ends this passage with the second half of verse 9 and verse 10
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.
Because of whom he is and who we are in Him we are to proclaim the Gospel. We proclaim to others what Jesus has done for us. I want to ask an honest question now, “What are you proclaiming during this time?” If we are honest I think that there is a tendency to not focus on who Jesus is, and instead focus on the things going on around us. Perhaps we are proclaiming fear, or we are proclaiming anger, or maybe it is politics, or proclaiming loneliness, or maybe we are proclaiming misinformation by quickly responding to every article that gets posted on social media, even when those articles don’t agree.
Because of whom he is and who we are in Him we are to proclaim the Gospel. We proclaim to others what Jesus has done for us. I want to ask an honest question now, “What are you proclaiming during this time?” If we are honest I think that there is a tendency to not focus on who Jesus is, and instead focus on the things going on around us. Perhaps we are proclaiming fear, or we are proclaiming anger, or maybe it is politics, or proclaiming loneliness, or maybe we are proclaiming misinformation by quickly responding to every article that gets posted on social media, even when they don’t agree. But with who Christ is, he is our Cornerstone, our only way to salvation and relationship with God, with this world not being our home, as well as with Who we are now in Christ, We are living stones being built into the church, we are a chosen nation, a holy and royal priesthood, a holy nation, We belong to God. We are to be proclaiming Him. Let’s proclaim him to our families, to our neighbors, to our coworkers.
But with who Christ is, he is our Cornerstone, our only way to salvation and relationship with God, with this world not being our home, as well as with Who we are now in Christ, We are living stones being built into the church, we are a chosen nation, a holy and royal priesthood, a holy nation, We belong to God. We are to be proclaiming Him. Let’s proclaim him to our families, to our neighbors, to our coworkers.
2. Praise
Its not just proclaiming Him but Proclaiming his praises. Let’s be praising Him, Let’s praise him to one another. Spend time today and each day praising him through prayer, through song, put on a favorite hymn or worship song and praise him. Take time each day for private and family worship.
3. Be the church
The church is not a building, it isn't the sermon or the service, though there is biblical reason we utilized these, it is each of us united in Christ, committed to one another’s discipleship and growth, and committed to displaying, proclaiming, praising God's glory and goodness yes it is important that we meet together I long and pray for that day, but for now God has called us to a season of not gathering. This does not mean that there is no church, you and I are the church as long as we are committed to each other spiritual well-being, to each other's growth and glorifying God to the world around us there is still church
Yes, tells us to not neglect gathering together and so we pray an long for when we can, but the context of that passage is looking back at verse 24:
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
so for now let's be the church through social media telephone text letter writing even visits outside with social distancing in place but let's provoke each other to love good works and encouragement.
so for now let's be the church through social media telephone text letter writing even visits outside with social distancing in place but let's provoke each other to love good works and encouragement.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Thank you for Jesus. Thank you for calling us out of darkness and into your marvelous light.
Father these times are difficult as we cannot gather as a body. Father there is fear, there is anger, there are many things and emotions that we are faced with right now. Father help us to keep our eyes fixed on the glorious truths of who you are, and through the gospel, who we are in you.
Father while we are apart, I pray that your Spirit would give us power and boldness to continue to be the church. Give us the wisdom to know how to encourage and stir one another up. Give us opportunity to Proclaim you and your salvation to a world that is facing the same fear, and anger, and uncertainty, but without a future hope, without you in their lives. Father we pray for the salvation of our friends and families and neighbors. May your spirit be doing a work through this Health Crisis.
Father be our all. Father may we gather again soon.
Amen
Bibliography
[1] Daniel M. Doriani, 1 Peter, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2014), 68.
[2] David R. Helm, 1 & 2 Peter and Jude: Sharing Christ’s Sufferings, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2008), 76.