Cornerstone

We continuing our series this morning Trust and Obey. A study through the book of 1 Peter.

As we seek to trust and obey Christ, we will discover that obedience often means suffering and even persecution. Following Peter’s counsel to early believers, this series fuels the journey of sanctification by offering biblical, applicable advice on how to put our faith into action.

Last week we look at how we can be holy and what that means for you and I. We can be holy because of what Christ did on the cross. You see he died and rose again so we can be holy in eyes of God. This is re redeeming true of the bible. We are redeemed for all our sin because the unblemished and spotless lamb Jesus was sacrificed in our place. Only to conquer dead so we can be redeemed.

This week we are going to how we are the living stones building blocks of the living church.

If you have your bible go head and turn to 1 Peter 2 or you can follow along in a few minutes.

Before we look at todays passage. I have a question for you. So think for a moment.

What is a cornerstone? Why is it important?

Have you ever laid a cornerstone? What is is so important to make sure that the stone is level and in the right place.

Wait a few seconds..

A cornerstone is the first stone laid when building with stones or rock. This stone is so important because all the other stone for the build run off this one stone.

If the cornerstone was off by just a little bit. By the end of the building the wall it would not be level and could fall. That way it so important to make sure the cornerstone is level and in right place.

SO what do cornerstone have to do with us? What does it have to do with God and Christ? Why should we think about it?

Lets see what Peter had to say. Join me as I read.

1 Peter 2:1–12 CSB

1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation, 3 if you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God— 5 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. 6 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. 7 So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected— this one has become the cornerstone, 8 and A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.

We can learn some thing for this passage. the first being from verse 1

1 Peter 2:1 CSB

1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.

You must rid yourselves of evil

When we believe i the power and in the what Jesus did for us. We have to give up all the things that can bring sin into our life.

malice- the intention or desire to do evil

deceit- misrepresenting the truth

hypocrisy- behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe

Envy- resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck.

slander- the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation.

All theses cant be and should not be about about who you are as a Christ follower. I fit into this too. The five thing are thing of the world and should come into the way we live. That doesn’t mean that they will never show their ugly head. You see we are all sinner and something one of the five comes up in our life. When that happen we have to ask for forgiveness.

The next thing we see is in verse 2

1 Peter 2:2 CSB

2 Like newborn infants, desire the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow up into your salvation,

You have to crave spiritual milk

Peter is not say that we are all infants or baby here. What he is say is that we should crave the word of God. Go after God so our salvation will grow. We all have to start somewhere. We all can grow in Christ but it will take some work on your end. This life of living for Christ will not be an easy life. In fact, there will be time that you face you will feel like giving up. During those time you have to really on the spirtitual milk the living word of God. The living stone who is Christ himself.

1 Peter 2:4–5 CSB

4 As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God— 5 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.

We are living stones

Has we come to Christ we all are the living stones of the church. The church is not just a build we meet in very Sunday or on different days. The Church is you and I as believers and church can be done anywhere.

Has part of this living build we are to share with everyone around us about what Christ has done for us. We are to show them what it means to be a Christ follower.

This living church would be anything with out the cornerstone.

1 Peter 2:6–9 CSB

6 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. 7 So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected— this one has become the cornerstone, 8 and A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Jesus is the living cornerstone

Earlier I ask about what a cornerstone was. It the first stone laid in a building.

Jesus is that cornerstone the living church. If he would not have done what he did the there would be no point to having a living church. Some rejected him and did not believe him when he was here on the earth. They cased him to the side and said He was not worth to be the cornerstone. But God had a different plan. Jesus was the cornerstone of the church. He is the only way we can talk and see God.

1 Peter 2:9 CSB

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

We are God chosen

We are the chosen people of God. Each any everyone of us. We all have the opportunity to become part of chosen group. Its all up to you if you want to be apart or not.

Has the chosen people we are to worship and sing praises to God no mater what life through at us .

1 Peter 2:10–12 CSB

10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. 12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.

We have to live a life different form others

Our suffering is a connection with Jesus, but it is also a sign to the world around us of the message of Jesus. As we suffer, the world watches and our testimony of Jesus is on display. How nonbelievers respond to our testimony—with acceptance or rejection—is the hearer’s decision.

We are simply called to trust and obey.