Sermon Tone Analysis

*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.