Sermon Tone Analysis

*TITLE:           *

*TEXT: 1 Peter 2:4-8 *

*    To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, [5] Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

[6] Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

[7] Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, [8] And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

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*THEME:*

*PROP.:*

*INTER.:*

\\ \\ READING THE TEXT \\ \\ As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men 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.

For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.

But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected \\ has become the capstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall."

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

*INTRODUCTION \\ * \\ This is a picture of the great house that God is building, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This passage identifies for us *TWO * separate builders – they are God and they are man.

Notice that there are two separate plans for building, and there are two separate  methods of building.

The first plan is given in much detail, and the second is presented as merely a rejection of the first because those builders had there own plan and method in mind.

In describing the church as God’s spiritual house, Peter drew on several Old Testament texts familiar to his Jewish Christian readers: Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 8:14; Isaiah 28:16.

Peter’s readers would have understood the living stones to be Israel; then Peter applied the image of “stone” to Christ.

Once again Peter showed that the church does not cancel the Jewish heritage, but fulfills it.

Peter portrays the church as a living, spiritual house, with Christ as the foundation and cornerstone and each believer as a stone.

The pictures emphasize /community./

*One stone is not a temple or even a wall.*

In our individualistic society, it is easy to forget our interdependence with other Christians.

When God calls you to a task, remember that he is also calling others to work with you.

Together your individual efforts will be multiplied.

Look for those people and join with them to build a beautiful house for God.

 

*Remember that this is one passage from verse 1 through verse 10.

Though the images are a little difficult to put together, the point of this passage is addressing the things that these persecuted believers need to live the life that Peter has called them to live – namely, a life of hope, a life of holiness, and a life of humbled awe.

Last week we saw there need to crave the Word as their only source of nourishment.

Today, we are going to see their need to realize that they are connected as the building of God.*

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*I           God, the Master builder*

*“To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,”*

*            A         The Contractor*

Notice who chose the cornerstone – God.

Notice in verse 5 that there is someone that is doing the building – these believers were being built together as a spiritual house.

*This is an incredibly important picture, important and significant to us, but much more poignant to the man who was writing this.

He had heard this illusion to cornerstones, stones and building before.

In Matthew 16 while Christ was still alive, Christ asked His disciples who they thought He was.

Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Christ commended him for having divine knowledge and then said to Him, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.”*

Here now is that Peter giving divine commentary on what Christ said.

He identifies who the rock is, and who it is that doing the building, and what it is that God is building.

If there was ever any question as to whether or not Peter was confused as to whether or not he was the rock upon which the Church would be built, this passage written by him clearly answers that.

– Christ is the rock, the chief cornerstone!!

*Folks, this is God’s plan for this age.

This is the design of God.

This is what God is doing.

This is what God is building.

God isn’t building a country, He isn’t forming a nation – it is bigger than that.

God isn’t reforming society or restoring a culture, it is more eternal than that.

God has always desired a people who would bear His name; a people among which he could dwell corporately, fellowshipping with them as they fellowship with each other.*

*Peter tells us here that that people is the Church.*

*Who is this whom?   1 Peter 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

*

Jesus Christ is the Living Stone.

*How can a stone be living?*

It cannot.

This is simply a picture of how God looks at Christ and His followers: they are like a building that is being built by God Himself.

*B         The Cornerstone*

The foundation of God’s building is His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

If a person wants to be a part of God’s building, he has to place his life upon the foundation Stone, Christ Himself.

But note what this verse says: the living stone was rejected by men.

When men looked at the Stone (Christ)...

\\ · it was not wanted.

\\ · it did not fit in with their plans.

\\ · it was useless and unsuitable for what they were building.

\\ · it was not worth the price.

\\ \\ Men rejected Christ because they wanted to build their lives like they wanted.

They wanted to do their own thing.

Therefore, they cast the Stone of God aside.

*But note: the stone has been chosen of God.

It is the very stone that God has chosen to be the foundation stone for life.

*

*It is the only stone that can support and bear the weight of life.*

And note: the stone chosen by God is a living stone.

What does this mean?

God is eternal; hence, the building of God will last forever and ever.

Therefore, the cornerstone laid by God is bound to be eternal; *it shall never deteriorate or waste away*.

The cornerstone is living and shall exist forever and ever.

\\ \\ The symbolism of the living cornerstone says three significant things.

*1                    **It is the Priority stone*

The living cornerstone is the first stone laid.

All other stones are placed after it.

It is the preeminent stone in time.

So it is with Christ; He is the first.

\\ \\ *= Christ is the captain of salvation.*

All others are crew members who follow Him.

\\ \\ "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings" (Hebrews 2:10).

\\ \\ *= Christ is the author of eternal salvation*, of our faith.

All others are the readers of the story.

\\ \\ "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" (Hebrews 5:9).

\\ "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).

\\ \\ *= Christ is the beginning and the ending*.

All others come after Him and are under Him.

\\ \\ "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty" (Rev.

1:8; cp.

Rev. 21:6; Rev. 22:13).

\\ \\ *= Christ is the forerunner into the very presence of God.*

All others enter God’s presence after Him.

\\ \\ "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec" (Hebrews 6:19-20).

\\ \\ The cornerstone is the supportive stone.

All other stones are placed upon it and held up by it.