1 Peter 2.4-10 part 1
Stones That Live Part 1 (1 Peter 2:4-10)
11/8/98
Sunday a.m.
Introduction:
Read article entitled “Flight through heavens awes Glenn” (USA Today, Monday, Nov. 2, 1998)
Point of comparison: Glenn is overwhelmed by the creative power of God in the physical creation. This morning the book of 1 Peter discusses a different aspect of God’s creative power. It is in regards to God’s work with His people.
Main thought: Christians are the people of God who accomplish the purpose of God
Read 1 Peter 2:4-10
I. God is presently engaged in a building project of spiritual proportions. (vs. 4,5) {Part One- the contents of this sermon}
II. Jesus is the starting point of God’s building. (vs. 6-8)
III. God has a purpose for His building. (vs. 9-10)
I. God is presently engaged in a building project of spiritual proportions. (vs. 4-6)
The entire wording in verses 4-10 centers around building. It is almost as if the hammers can be heard, rocks are seen being fitted into place, a structure being fashioned.
A. Notice that the project begins by “coming” to Christ. (vs. 4)
1. The idea here was used in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) to refer to coming to God to hear what He had to say, to offer an offering. The idea was one of drawing near to God in an effort to maintain an unsevered relationship with Him, and to hear what God had to say. At times it did involve the offering of a sacrifice.
a. The idea in the grammar of 1 Peter is of coming on an ongoing basis. It doesn’t refer to salvation alone, but to the subsequent effort of being with God.
b. It speaks of worship. The Old Testament worship consisted of giving sacrifices.
2. Peter says a few things about the One to Whom a believer comes in worship
a. Christ to whom the believer comes is “The Living Stone”- By speaking of Christ as The Living Stone, he is speaking in terms of building materials (later on in verse 6, 7, Peter will address this in greater detail. He rose from the dead. He did not stay in the grave.
b. This Living Stone is “disallowed” or rejected by men
c. But God on the other hand has chosen this Stone. Not only is this Stone chosen (or the exact One that God wanted), He is precious. (held in high regard, have a reputation)
Illustration: In man’s search for something greater than himself, he is walking along a rocky seashore, with many loose stones. As he walks along he suspects that there just might be some sort of treasure within those rocks.
So he begins to pick up and examine the stones one by one. He finds one rock that is particularly fascinating. He examines its unique features, but after a while, skips it out into the ocean, and continues his search.
But what he does not realize is that the “worthless” rock in his hand, was in fact, a golden nugget.
Pause: Man’s opinion of Jesus is that He is really not worth one’s time. Mankind sees Christ as being nothing special. They don’t see that Jesus is that different than any other person. He was a well-known man in history, but that is as far as it goes. Christ is rejected among men. In his quest for something to make life worthwhile man has overlooked Christ for something that might be a little more “flashy” or attractive.
But man’s opinion and God’s opinion of “The Living Stone” are quite different. “The Living Stone” has been chosen by God. Jesus Christ is God’s choice.
Jesus Christ----- Small reputation with men, great reputation with God the Father.
The believer has a different value system than other people on this earth.
Believers agree with God the Father on the preciousness of Christ.
There is no other “Stone” like Him. He is resurrected from the dead, He is the only One designated by God to receive worship.
While society might venerate such men as Bill Gates, a sports star, a politician (perish the thought), believers venerate Jesus Christ. A different system of value.
B. Please note also, that it is a spiritual house (vs. 5)
1. Like Christ, Christians are called “living stones.”
a. They are “living stones.” Small l; small s; plural- more than one
b. Christ is “The Living Stone.” Capitol L capitol S, singular- the only One
2. It’s a different type of a building.
a. It’s a spiritual structure.
b. Notice it is a different structure than the temple in the Old Testament.
Peter is playing off of the existence of the temple. His readers were familiar with the temple and now he is showing that this new building is different.
Solomon had built this temple. Solomon says in 2 Chronicles 2:4, 5
“ ‘Behold I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, dedicating it to Him, to burn fragrant incense before Him, and to set out the showbread continually, and to offer burnt offerings morning and evening, in Sabbaths and on new moons and on the appointed feasts of the Lord our God, this being required forever in Israel. And the house which I am about to build will be great; for greater is our God than all the gods.’ ”
c. Instead of being built by Solomon, this new building is derived from the Holy Spirit (“spiritual”) That is it cannot be seen in its entirety with the eyes.
d. Solomon appointed 70, 000 men to carry loads of building materials and 80, 000 men to cut stones in the mountains (2 Chron. 2:18)
e. While Solomon used stones from a quarry, God is using “living stones” to make this new structure. He is using people.
Illustration-
The walls of this building are made of cinder blocks. They are fitted together being placed one upon the other until they get to a certain height (maybe eight feet). Each one was cemented to the others by the men who built the building.
But now imagine if someone were to take a marker and write the names of every person in this church on those blocks. One name per block.
That would be a physical illustration of a spiritual truth.
Over the many centuries that have passed there have been many “living stones” who have read Peter’s letter, but there is only one building. It is a building of spiritual proportions.
And it is known as the church. It’s made up of Jews, Gentiles, people from every race. It’s made up of men and women, it’s made up of adults and children. Lots of different people, but every one of them a living stone.
Ephesians 2:19-22 (read it)
When man builds, he uses wood from a dead tree, rocks that have been cut from the ground. But when God builds, He does so with people. With His children.
Sometimes Christians aren’t even aware of the fact that they are truly one of the building blocks of this great building. They are an integral part and don’t even know it.
Notice that Peter does not say, “only those who are in some sort of leadership capacity are the building blocks of the church. Only those who are somehow gifted in an extraordinary way. No, the only qualification of being a “living stone” within the church of God, is faith in Christ.
Warren Wiersbe-
“Each time someone trusts Christ, another stone is quarried out of the pit of sin and cemented by grace into the building. It may look to us that the church on earth is a pile of rubble and ruins, but God sees the total structure as it grows.” (Bible Exposition Commentary, p. 400)
John Glenn was certainly right in giving the glory to God for physical creation. But what about God’s ecclesiastical creation? That is, His creation of the church.
C. The spiritual building houses a holy priesthood
1. Not only are Christians part of the structure of this building, they are also members of the priesthood which worships within the building.
2. In the Old Testament, the priests were from the family of Aaron. Only certain ones were to approach God within the temple.
3. Not so with this “spiritual house”
Illustration: Today the temple which Solomon built does not stand. But mankind always looking for something visible to enshrine, as made the Dome of the Rock, a mosque which sits in the place of Solomon’s temple was. It was from here that Mohammed supposedly went up into heaven. Imagine walking on the very place where God met with man in that temple. Imagine standing on the very spot where the priests stood as God met with man.
And yet, the truth of the matter is Christians have something far better than Solomon’s temple ever was. Something far superior, even though it cannot really be seen.
Each person is a priest in this new house. No longer can only a certain family or class approach God. Now any believer has equal access to God.
4. The function of the priest
a. offer up sacrifices
b. offer up spiritual sacrifices
c. Summary- carry on the worship
d. “Come” (vs. 4) on a regular basis to “The Living Stone” Jesus Christ.
e. By the way, verse 5 teaches that acceptable sacrifices (or worship) comes only through Christ.
It is possible to bring a sacrifice in an unworthy manner. Think of Cain. He offered an unworthy sacrifice. It was unacceptable to God because it was not a blood sacrifice.
Anyone seeking to know God, wanting a passion for God, must bring his worship based upon the life and blood of Christ. It’s the only acceptable way.
Much of worship today is focused upon self. How do I feel? What can I get out of it? The focus here is Christ. Bringing something acceptable to God because of Christ.
f. The sacrifices of this “holy priesthood” (believers do not bring a goat to God, what do they bring?)
aa. Romans 12:1, 2- One’s physical body for service
bb. Hebrews 13:15- thanksgiving
cc. Hebrews 13:16- doing good and sharing
dd. Ephesians 5:2- Living a life for others
Conclusion:
Main thought: Christians are the people of God who accomplish the purpose of God
I. God is presently engaged in a building project of spiritual proportions. (vs. 4,5)