Holiness in an unholy world (3)

Rejected by Humans but Chosen by God

In a little while, we are going to share in the Lord’s Supper. Here we recognize the body and the blood of the Lord Jesus.

1 Peter 2:4–5 NIV

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

As you come to Him, the Living Stone...

As Jesus was ending the Sermon on the Mount, He talked about two builders, and this is what He said,

Matthew 7:24–29 NIV

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

When the storms of life come, your life cannot crumble, it can’t be destroyed because even in death we have the victory.

1 Corinthians 15:55–58 NKJV

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

The stone that the builders rejected...

Psalm 118:22 NIV

The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;

According to Christianity.com,

The image comes from the ancient quarries where highly-trained stonemasons carefully chose the stones used in construction. No stone was more important than the cornerstone because the integrity of the whole structure depended on the cornerstone containing exactly the right lines. If the cornerstone was not exactly right, the entire building would be out of line. For that reason, builders inspected many stones, rejecting each one until they found the one they wanted. Rejected stones might be used in other parts of the building, but they would never become the cornerstone or the capstone (the first and last stones put in place). (Ray Pritchard)

After the lame man was healed, Peter stood before the Sanhedrin and spoke about this rejected Stone,

Acts 4:8–12 NIV

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Isaiah prophesied about Jesus’ suffering hundreds of years before Jesus came to die on the cross, but this was God’s plan all along that He would become one of us and suffer and die for our sins.

Isaiah 53:1–6 NIV

Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

It pleased God to bruise Him, because His suffering provided payment for our sins. His bruising provided healing for each one of us, in our bodies, in our souls, and in our spirits.

1 Peter 2:4 NIV

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—

He was chosen by God and precious to Him

Because God’s great love for all humanity, there was no price that was too much, even His only begotten Son.

1 John 4:7–16 NIV

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

You are valuable to God

You are valuable to God.

I can state that without fear of exaggeration.

His Word makes it clear that He willing bought and paid for you.

As I said before, a thing is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it.

God was willing to give His Son and Jesus was willing to give His blood – that is what you are worth.

So What?

So don’t think of yourself as worthless.

Think of yourself as worth the blood of Jesus.

Think of yourself for what you are really worth.

You are worth more than a paycheck at then end of the pay period,

You are worth more than the stuff piled in your house or garage.

You are worth more than what society says you are worth; more than your education or abilities.

You are worth the blood of the Son – if you are not, then you were a bad investment and I don’t believe God makes those.

Now What?

Since you are worth the blood of the Son to the Father, what are you worth to me? The blood of the Son

And what am I worth to you? The blood of the Son

Then how should we treat one another?

Just as we would treat Jesus himself.

God chose Jesus and He is precious in His sight, because He loves you so much.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This morning, we are going to share together in the Lord’s Supper. Usually I don’t read these verses of Scripture, but I feel that I want to today.

1 Corinthians 11:27–34 NIV

So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world. So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.

In the church at Corinth, Paul had heard about problems concerning how the Lord’s Supper was being observed. He taught to protect the people.

Personally, I haven’t seen anybody disregard the body and the blood of Jesus, but we have been told to examine ourselves. This is where we ask the Holy Spirit to show us if there is anything in us that isn’t pleasing to Him and we repent of it.

Psalm 139:23–24 NIV

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Let’s just take a few moments and ask the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and to help us to recognize what Jesus accomplished for us when He was beaten for us and when He shed His blood.

1 Corinthians 11:23–25 NKJV

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

1 Corinthians 11:26 NKJV

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.