Abide In Christ 1 Peter 2:4-10

Have you ever wondered what life was all about? Why God put you where you are and what your purpose is? God told the children of Israel his plans for them in Jeremiah 29:11-12—“I know the plans that I have for you…plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then, you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you”. So great, God has plans for us. According to this passage, we see God had plans for Jesus and has plans for us.

How could we describe the plans?

Nature of Christ

vs4

Living Stone

- Peter refers to Christ as the “living hope”, “living Word” and here he is the “living stone”. He has life in Himself from the beginning and is raised from death unto life to live for ever more according to Rev 1:18. He is the ultimate cornerstone, the living stone for each of us.

There are 3 OT stone prophecies Peter uses and applies them to Christ

Isaiah 28:16 KJV 1900

Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, A tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: He that believeth shall not make haste.

(V6)

Isaiah 8:14 KJV 1900

And he shall be for a sanctuary; But for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, For a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

(Vs8)

Psalm 118:22 KJV 1900

The stone which the builders refused Is become the head stone of the corner.

(vs7)

The fact that Christ is the Living Stone shows at once His superiority to an OT temple made of dead stones.

NOTE— “rejected (disallowed); chosen and precious.

The point for us is to realize this—“While coming to Christ is to side with God—it will mean being opposed by men”.

b)

Rejected Stone

-vs 7-according to Psalm 118:22. He causes offense and stumbling. The religious experts in Israel did not even recognize their own Messiah and ended up rejecting the most important stone in God’s building. They disobeyed the Word and stumbled over it.

c)—

Chief Corner Stone

—V6

He is God’s elect and honored cornerstone!

The entire building, the church, takes it shape from Him.

The Cornerstone is the significant stone of the entire structure—-it governs all the angles and all the lines of both the foundation and the building.

d)

Chosen Stone

-( vs 6)Christ is the stone of salvation chosen by God, choice, select, excellent. He is unique!!

e)

Precious Stone

vs6) -held in honor, prized, valuable- “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”(Mt 3:17)

the moment a person believes in Jesus Christ, his sins are forgiven

f)

Stone of stumbling and rock of offence

-(vs8)-

Isa 8:14— stone of stumbling and rock of entrapment

-“petra”- a rocky mass or cliff. Both terms reveal the destructive effect of Christ.

“stumbling”—indicates the result—the smash or crash accomplished.

The “Stone of Christ”—not a stone with the disbelievers merely strikes a foot and a thrown down and rise up not hurt! NO, rather a stone which they strike against with the entire body in a dreadful crash which destroys. The stone is deadly!

-today, He is more precious to you than then-you know your needs more fully

-today, His blood is the only thing which keeps you from being a condemned sinner

-today, the only righteousness you have is still his perfect righteousness

II.

Nature of the Christian

a)

Living Stones

Vs5--many names that are assigned to Christ are as well, assigned to Christians in the plural. Living stones is that which the holy temple is built. Christ is the cornerstone and we are the living stones making up His building.

When a person is born again, a new stone is added to the building. Today, God has a major construction project under way—the Church.

As living stones, we have a relationship to one another as well as to Jesus Christ. As living stones, we have influence on one another. Paul says that we should edify, build one another up.

Ephesians 2:19–22 KJV 1900

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Hebrews 3:2–6 KJV 1900

Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

b)

Spiritual House

- (vs5) Christians’ are both the spiritual temple and priests of the temple. The word here is oikos, which means that we are a place of habitation, a dwelling place. We would do well to recognize that we should not be a dwelling place for anything, but for the Holy Spirit- we are the place where the Holy Spirit has fixed His residence.

1 Cor 3:16, Paul wrote, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

“Spiritual”—influenced or dominated by the Holy Spirit; sharing the Characteristics of the Holy Spirit. Christians are a new temple of God under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit.

c) Vs9

Chosen Generation

-Race- elect of God. This immediately speaks of the grace of God. Why did God choose Israel? They were a great people?NO

According to Dt7:8, “because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath which he swore to your fathers”. John 15:16, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you”.

d) vs9

Royal Priesthood

—we are a priesthood that is consecrated to God. We are a kingly people. We have been set apart to belong exclusively to God. Phil 3:20 says that “our citizenship is in heaven”.

Read

Exodus 19:5–6 KJV 1900

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

As priest, we need no mediator other than Jesus Christ to approach God directly. Such priestly service requries that we live holy.

Only a priesthood can approach God’s altar and be acceptable to serve God. In the OT , if they were not properly dressed, didn’t wash properly or tried to serve unclean, they were in danger of death.

-We offer our bodies to God for His service—

Romans 12:1 KJV 1900

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

-the giving of gifts to enable the spread of the gospel—

Philippians 4:18 KJV 1900

But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

-singing of praise -

(Heb 13:15

Hebrews 13:15 KJV 1900

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Through faith in Christ, we have been washed (1Cor 6:9-11); clothed in His righteousness(2 Cor 5:21); anointed by the Spirit (1John 2:20,27) and given access into His presence (Heb 10:19-20).

e) Possession of God/God’s people- before salvation, we belonged to Satan. As a Christian, we are God’s possession. We have been purchased by His blood.

Function of the Church

-vs5,9

a)vs5

Offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God

- we are not called to offer calves or sheep unto the Lord. Rather, Paul wrote in Roman 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service”

What God wants from you and me is the love of our hearts and the service of our lives. Everything is done for God—so, even the smallest task should be for His glory.

“acceptable”- pleasant

b)

Declare the wonderful deeds of Jesus

- to tell of the excellencies of our God—we are to witness to men concerning the mighty acts of God. By our life, more than by our words, are we able to witness of what God in Christ has done for us.

He has called us out of insignificance into significance!!! If there be any greatness in the Christian, it is due to the fact that God has chosen us to do His work in the world. No Christian can be ordinary, for we are children of God.

Vs 10—we were not a people but are now the people of God!!

We had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy!