Gracious Heavenly Father, we
thank Thee again for Your goodness and mercy and grace to us. Thank
You for allowing us to gather together. What a privilege it
is to come together and be in the house of the Lord and hear
the Gospel preached and proclaimed. And it just comforts our souls,
we who believe. It just comforts our souls, lifts
us up, takes us out of the weariness of this world and the things
that go on in this world. For this time we're together
lifts our eyes up to Thee, O Lord. May we glean truth from your
scriptures today that will help us through the week that we might
look to Thee. And we love you and praise you
in Jesus' name. Amen. Open your Bibles again,
if you would, to 1 Peter, Chapter 2. We'll continue our study in
1 Peter. 1 Peter, Chapter 2. It's been a wonderful study as
we go through this little book of Christians who are suffering. 1 Peter 2. The name of the message
is lively stones. Lively stones. 1 Peter 2. Verses 4-10 we'll read in context,
but our verse will be found in verse 5. to whom coming is unto
a lively stone disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and
precious. Ye also, as lively stones, are
built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood, to offer up
spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore
also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief
cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him
shall not be confounded. Unto you, therefore, which believe,
he is precious, and of course this is speaking of Christ Jesus
our Lord. But unto them which be disobedient,
the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made
the head of the corner. And the stone of stumbling, and
the rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word,
being disobedient, were unto also they were appointed. But
ye are a chosen generation. a royal priesthood, and holy
nation, peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises
of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous
light, which in times past were not a people, but are now the
people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have
obtained mercy. So our text will be found in
verse five today. But last week we looked at verse
four where we saw that Christ is the living stone. He's the
living stone. Now, most stones are dead, inanimate
objects. All stones are that way, but
they're lifeless. But Peter is here using a metaphor,
a metaphor before us that Christ, who is the living stone, is disallowed
of man. And we looked at how that means
he's rejected of man. He's rejected men and we know
that that in our state before the Holy Spirit regenerated us,
we rejected them. I know I did. We rejected them
in our natural state. But here it's speaking of of
him being rejected of those who who who hate him, who in that
that was where we were at one time. So the metaphor of Jesus
as a stone is found also in Psalm 118, 22, where the scripture
proclaims this, the stone which the builders refused is become
the head stone of the corner. The metaphor of Jesus found Jesus
as a stone is also found in Isaiah 28. Turn there, if you would.
Verse 16. as a building stone, a foundation stone, Isaiah 28,
16. So this is something that is
often used in scripture. And also we'll look at Daniel
chapter two, but Isaiah 28, 16, it says there, therefore, thus
saith the Lord God, behold, I lay in Zion a foundation stone. That's Christ. He's the head. He's the foundation of the church,
right? He's the head, we're the body. But when you're talking
about building a temple, He's the foundation stone. He's the
foundation stone. He's the starting of all things.
He's the foundation stone. A tried stone. Oh, was He not
tried? Well, He was here upon this earth.
He was tried by Satan, and He was tried by men. Yet He's sinless,
perfect. And then it says, a precious
cornerstone. And to His people, He's absolutely precious, beloved.
He's absolutely precious. A sure foundation. He's the only
true sure foundation. All other foundations are like
sink and sand. He's the one sure foundation. And He's the foundation stone
of God. And look at this. He that believeth shall not make
haste. He that believes on Him runs
to Him, flees to Him. So the metaphor of Jesus' stone
is also found. Go back a few chapters in Isaiah
8. Isaiah 8, verse 14. Isaiah 8, verse 14. And he shall be for a sanctuary,
but for a stone of stumbling, and a rock of a fence to both
the house of Israel for a djinn and for a snare to the inhabitants
of Jerusalem." So we see in Isaiah 28.16 He's a foundation stone.
But here we see He's a stumbling stone and a rock of a fence. So to one He's a foundation and
to the other He's a stumbling stone. He's a stumbling. He's a rock of a fence. And then
look over at Daniel chapter 2 verse 45. It's Daniel chapter 2 verse
45. The metaphor of Jesus as a stone
is found here too. Where he's pictures his overcoming
and conquering stone. And beloved his kingdom shall
prevail. There will be none to stop his kingdom. None. None. Look at Daniel chapter 2 verse
45. For as much as thou sawest that
the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that
it break in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver,
and the gold, the great God hath made known to the king what shall
come to pass hereafter, and the dream is certain, and the interpretation
thereof sure. So this is a stone cut out of
the mountain without hands, and it breaks in pieces the iron,
the brass, the clay, the silver, and gold. It breaks and it crushes
all its opposition. It destroys all its opposition. And then look in Luke chapter
20. The Master Himself brought forth this very same metaphor
and it speaks of Him. Luke chapter 20. Luke chapter
20. Verses 17 and 18. And he beheld them and said,
what is this then that is written? The stone which the builders
rejected, the same has become the head of the corner, the foundation
stone. Who's the stone that the builders
rejected? That's Christ. That's Christ. Look, it says here, whosoever
shall fall upon that stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever
it shall fall, it'll grind them to powder. This stone breaks
his people. God's people are broken people.
We were once proud, self-righteous, and we still struggle with things
like that, don't we? But we were self-righteous and proud and
the Lord has broken us, hasn't He? Showing us who He is. Showing
us who He is and showing us what we are. But look what it says
to those who are against Him. But on whomsoever it shall fall,
it will grind him to powder. Now, powder there is like dust
in the Greek. Like dust. The word is used of
whittling grain. when they take grain and thrash
or sieve it, separating the good from the bad. The grain thrashed
and the winnowed or sieved to remove the husk, and all three
methods were used during biblical times. Thrashing is the process
of removing the grain, wheat or barley from the stalk and
husk. Winnowing was the process that separated the mixed up pile
of grain, stalk and husk, so that the edible grain could be
sifted and eaten. To winnow the grain, The farmer
scooped up the pieces of the crop he had just thrashed and
threw it up into the air and threw it up into the air. The
wind blew the light pieces of stock aside while the grain,
which was both heavier and roundish, fell straight back down. And
just before the grain was ground into flour, it was sieved. And
this was necessary for a number of reasons. For one thing, it
was common in the harvesting that weeds, seeds got mixed in
with the wheat. And thrashing and winnowing did
not separate the different seeds. A good reference for that is
the parable of the sower. And furthermore, the winnowing
process did not get all the chaff from the grain. Also, in picking
off the grain from off the thrashing sower floor, dust and pebbles
were mixed in with the grain. And when they do this, the husks
are scattered to the wind like powder or dust. Beneath this stone spoken of
in Luke 20, 18, God's enemies are scattered like
dust, like dust. But to the believer, to the chosen
of God, We who are chosen in him. Christ is precious, isn't
he? He's precious. Oh, he's so precious. Now, corporate metaphors, meaning
all the elect, all the chosen in Christ are often used in the
New Testament to describe the church and the security that
we have in Christ. Turn, if you would, to John,
chapter 15. John chapter 15. Here's a corporate metaphor here,
meaning all the elect in Christ. We'll look at a few of these
metaphors, these corporate metaphors, which means all the elect. Just
to set up for our study here. John 15, verse five, I am the
vine and ye are the branches. This is speaking of all the elect.
He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth
much fruit. Look at this marvelous statement. For without me you
can do nothing. So Christ is saying to the whole
body, all the elect of all the ages, that I'm the vine and you're
the branches, and without me you can do nothing. Nothing. It's wonderful. It's humbling,
but it's wonderful. It's wonderful for the believer,
because we know we can't do anything, right? We can't save ourselves.
We can't keep ourselves, can we? But He can keep us, and He's
saved us. Then go over to John chapter
10. We have Christ as the shepherd, and we as the sheep in John chapter
10, another corporate metaphor. John chapter 10, verses 14 to
16. Sometimes we just read over these
things and miss these great blessings that are right here before us,
He's talking about the whole body. John chapter 10 verse 14
to 16. I am the good shepherd and know
my sheep. He knows his sheep. And I am
known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even
so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. Note
there, there's particular redemption. Christ didn't die for everybody.
But who did he die for? He died for the sheep, speaking
of all the elect, the corporate metaphor, of all the elect, of
all the ages. That's who he died for. And other
sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring,
and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be, here it is
again, the corporate metaphor, and there shall be one fold and
one shepherd. One fold and one shepherd. Turn,
if you would, to Revelation, chapter 21. We have Christ as
the husband. And we as the bride in Revelation
21.9. Revelation 21.9. Again, speaking of all the elect,
of all the ages. I was involved with a group who
thought they were the bride and everyone else was just friends.
It was the most horrendous thing. And the Lord, thankfully, the
Lord took me out of all that stuff. a landmark baptist, and
so dangerous they think that they're the true church and everyone
else is just friends of the bride. My goodness gracious, now this
is speaking of all the elect, all the blood-bought saints,
all the elect of all the ages. Look at this, Revelation 21,
9, And there came unto me one of the seven angels, which had
the seven vows of the seven last plagues, and talked with me,
saying, Come hither, and I will show thee the bride. The Lamb's
wife. Again, speaking of the whole
corporate body. All the elect of all the ages. Turn again, if you would, to
Ephesians chapter 1 and then we'll go back to our text in
1 Peter. Ephesians chapter 1. We have
Christ as the head and we as the body. Again, speaking another
corporate metaphor used for all the elect of all the ages. Ephesians
1 verse 22 and 23. And hath put all things under
his feet. That means he's absolutely sovereign.
Absolutely. Whether people believe it or
not. And give him to be the head over all things to the church,
which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. So he's the head and we're the
body. Now let's go back to our text. And here in our text we
see Christ is the foundation. We know that he is the headstone
of the church. And here he's pictured in the
metaphors of a spiritual temple, the whole body of Christ, with
Christ as the foundation stone. Look at verse 4. To whom coming
as unto a living stone, that's Christ, disallowed indeed of
men, but chosen of God and precious. he also is lively stones are
built up a spiritual house in holy priesthood to offer up spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ so he's speaking
here corporately again of the whole body of Christ a spiritual
house, a holy priesthood. Why? To offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Now remember too, this letter
is written to saints who are suffering severely, right? They're
going through severe trials. So what a comfort this would
be for them to know that there are spiritual stones being built
up as they see brothers and sisters martyred and persecuted for their
faith. and to receive this letter and
to know where spiritual stones being built up, what strength
that would give the believers, what comfort that would bring
the believers as they're going through these various trials
and tribulations. and their holy priesthood to
offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained
in the scripture, behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone. Now there's the foundation of
the temple. There's the foundation of the spiritual temple right
there, Christ and Christ alone. To offer up spiritual, sorry,
chief cornerstone, elect precious and he that believeth on him
shall not be confounded. So with that in our minds, let
us look at verse five where we see proclaim, ye also as lively
stones are built up a spiritual house in holy priesthood to offer
up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Now we who believe are living
stones. Now in our natural state, before
we're saved, we're like dead stones. We're like dead stones. We're inanimate. We're alive,
but yet we're dead. We know that from Ephesians 2,
don't we? We're just like stones. We can't do anything on our own.
We're dead and lifeless spiritually. Now I'm talking spiritually.
And this is the state of natural man. We're born into this world
dead in trespasses and sins. But in our text here, Peter proclaims
that those to those who he's writing to, the saints scattered
throughout Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
the ones who are the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience
and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. These are the ones
he's speaking to, who he's calling lively stones. Now we who believe,
look at this, and we see this, we are lively stones. And we're
being built up. a spiritual house and holy priest. Why? To offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God. Notice who it's through. We'll
look at that later by Jesus Christ. So those who were once dead and
trespasses and sins, those who were like dead stones are now
lively stones, lively stones being built up a spiritual house,
holy priesthood. lively there in the Greek means
to live, to breathe, to be among the living. I like this, not
lifeless or dead. It's the complete opposite of
our spiritual state before the Lord saves us. Before the Lord
saves us, we're dead in trespasses and sins. But after the Lord
saves us, when we're regenerated by the Holy Spirit of God, my,
we're alive. We're alive spiritually. We're
among the living. We're not lifeless and dead.
Now we're alive. And the scriptures here, so this
is what the scriptures here, and the Greek word means to have
life, existence as opposed to death. as opposed to death or
being dead. Metaphorically, it means living,
active, enduring, as opposed to what is dead and inactive. The same Greek word is used over
in chapter 1 when speaking of the living hope that we have
as believers in Christ. Turn over one chapter and look
at verse 3. The same Greek word here is used
as lively hope. 1 Peter chapter 1. We have a living hope, beloved.
Let us remember that we have a living hope. And our living
hope is Christ Christ, Jesus, our Lord. Look at. First, Peter,
one, three, blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten
us. We're born again, right? We were once dead. Now we're
alive unto a lively hope. We have a living hope by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. So what a picture
we have of regeneration right there in verse 3. And what a
picture of regeneration we have over in our text in verse 5 of
chapter 2. We were once dead, but now we're
made alive. We're regenerated by the Holy
Spirit of God. So Peter's using the metaphor
here before us, and it ties right into our verse from last week.
Again, let's read verses 4 to 7 again. to whom coming as unto
a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and
precious. Ye also as lively stones, as opposed to dead lifeless stones,
as opposed to our natural state when we were dead in trespasses
and sins. As lively stones are built up
the spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore, also
it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief
cornerstone, elect, precious, and he that believeth on him
shall not be confounded. Unto you, therefore, which believe,
he is precious. Isn't he precious to us? Oh,
he's so precious. He's so precious. But unto them
which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed,
the same is made the head of the corner. So Peter is here
bringing forth before us, now think again, of what these saints
are going through, right? They're suffering various trials
and tribulations, some unto death probably, some unto death. Because
we know what happened when you refused to partake, we looked
at it a little bit on Wednesday night, when you refused to partake
in the feasts and things, you could lose your livelihood, you
could lose your home, you could lose everything. And for a Jew,
for a Jew, to turn to Christianity, it often
meant complete rejection by the family, complete disinheritance. So you can imagine what these
folks are going through, what they're going through. And so
he's bringing forth, Peter here is bringing forth the union that
the believers have with Christ, that they're living stones. He's
the foundation where we're connected to the one who is the living
stone, which he brought out in verse four, the living stone. And then he brings out in verse
six. He's the foundation stone. And so we're we have a union
with Christ. He's the head, we're the body.
That's why we were looking at those corporate metaphors earlier
that showed us that showed us that very fact. So Peter's bringing
forth to the believers here who are suffering for their faith.
Let us always remember that. This is a book written to suffering
saints. They're suffering for their faith,
and he's penning to them by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God. We
must remember that, too, that they have a secure relationship
with Christ no matter what comes their way, no matter what comes
their way. He is the living stone and we
are lively stones in him, in him. Again, it says he also is
as lively stones are built up a spiritual house in holy priesthood
to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Again, we're born again by the
Holy Spirit of God, all by his power and by his might. And now
we are lively stones and we're we are built up a spiritual house. Notice notice says here built
up a spiritual house. Who does the building? God does the building. God does
the building. We're just stones being put in
place, aren't we? He does the building. He does
the saving. Do you see how it ties into salvation
is of the Lord? It just ties right in. It just
ties right in. Is it, you know, people often
ask us, you know, all about man's free will. And I, I like to ask
them this. Well, then the salvation part
man and part God. Because if your salvation is
part man and part God, you're not saved. Salvation's all the
Lord. It's all His doing. Do we come
to Christ? Absolutely. Because we're made
willing. It's all Him. It's all by His
mighty power, beloved. Oh, it's wonderful. It's absolutely
wonderful. We are built up a spiritual house
in Christ when we are born again by the Holy Spirit of God. And
this is a work of God and God alone. Regeneration is a work
of God and God alone. Salvation is a work of God and
God alone. And glorification is a work of
God and God alone. It's all Him. It's all Him. Oh,
my. He is the living stone, and it
is God who is building this spiritual house. This temple is His temple,
is God's temple. This spiritual temple is God's
temple. God is constructing this temple,
building this temple. What building there means in
the Greek is, when it says built up there,
it means building in the Greek. He's building A spiritual house. And there's only one foundation.
And there's only one capstone too. There's only one foundation
and there's only one capstone. Oh my. Turn if you would to Zechariah
4.17. I'll read Isaiah 28.16. Now what this represents, there's
only one foundation, right? And there's only one capstone. So what does that mean? That
means He's Alpha and He's Omega. He's the beginning and He's the
ending. He's the all in all. He's the all in all. Salvation
is of the Lord. From first to last, and everything
in between, it's all of Christ. I'll read Isaiah 28, 16 again.
It says, Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in
Zion for a foundation stone, a tried stone, a precious stone,
a sure foundation. He that believeth shall not make
haste. Look at Zechariah 4, 7. Who art thou, O great mountain,
before Zerubbabel? Thou shalt become a plain, and
he shall bring forth the headstone, the capstone, beloved. The capstone. Thereof with shoutings crying
grace, grace, unto it. Christ is that capstone, beloved.
Christ is the foundation of the spiritual temple, and Christ
is the capstone of the spiritual temple, which means he is first,
And He is last. He is Alpha and He is Omega.
Salvation is of the Lord. It's all Him. It's all His doing. And He is everything in between,
too, isn't He? Because He's the one building
this whole spiritual temple. It's wonderful, beloved. The
headstone being the last, the uppermost stone in the building,
which is last laid and completes the whole building, is Christ.
He is the foundation and He is the capstone. Oh my, the headstone. And think of this too. He's both
the architect. He planned it all. And he's the
builder. And he's the builder. Oh my,
the foundation, the chief cornerstone, the headstone. Alpha and Omega. Alpha and Omega in all things,
including his spiritual temple. Again it says, ye also as lively
stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to
offer up spiritual sacrifices as acceptable to God by Jesus
Christ. Believers are stones found in
the same quarry as all men. We're found in the same quarry
as all men, aren't we? But we're dug out by God's grace,
beloved. We're dug out by God's grace.
We're all found in the same quarry. No difference between us and
someone who's not saved except for the grace of God in Christ. Let us remember that. That's
why Isaiah says, never forget the rock you were hewn from.
Don't ever forget where you came from. Dug out by God's grace,
separated by God's Holy Spirit and given life by Christ. All
by the grace of God. And we see here in our text that
we're made a spiritual building. Over in Hebrews chapter three,
verse six, it says this, but Christ is a son over his own
house, over his own spiritual temple,
whose house are we? If we hold fast the confidence
and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end, we're made
a spiritual building and become the house of God. all through
Christ and Christ alone. Turn, if you would, to John chapter
2. John chapter 2. With this metaphor of the spiritual
temple before us, let us consider the words of our Master over
in John chapter 2. Verses 13 to 22. When our Lord drove the money
changers out of the temple. And we'll note the latter verses,
verses 18 to 22, but I want us to read the context, so we'll
read from verse 13 to 22. And the Jews' Passover was at
hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and found in the temple those
that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money
sitting. And when he had made a scourge
of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the
sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money, and
overthrew the tables. Verse 16, And said unto them
that sold doves, Take these things hence, make not my father's house
a house of merchandise. So the very one that they're
supposed to be worshiping is right there amongst them. And
they do not even know him. They do not even know him. And
his disciples remembered that it was written, the zeal of thine
house hath eaten me up. Then answered the Jews unto him,
what signs showest thou unto us, seeing thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto
them, destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it
up. Now he's speaking spiritual things
to them, isn't he? He's speaking of the temple of
his body. He's speaking of his death and his resurrection. His death, burial, and resurrection.
Then said the Jews, forty and six years was this temple unbuilt,
and won't thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the
temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from
the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them,
and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had
said. Now back in our text, it says
we're built up a spiritual house, a temple in Christ and Christ alone. And
this is the distinction from the material tabernacle of old
in which the presence of God dwelt in type, The temple in
the Old Testament is called God's house. To the first of the first
fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord
thy God. Thou shalt not see the kid in
his mother's mouth. The temple was made with and
built with dead stones. It was a type and shadow of the
spiritual house here in our text, which is made up of lively stones,
living stones. and built upon Christ, the living
stone. We're priests only in Christ,
only in Him. And note in our text it says,
offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. We are only accepted in and through
the Lord Jesus Christ. And anything that we offer to
our Lord is only acceptable in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Only through Him. Only through
Him. We're lively stones built up
upon Christ, the living stone. And Peter brings this forth to
these suffering saints, as the truth is always more excellent
than the type. And it brings great joy to these people, to
these saints of God as they're suffering. to see this precious
truth, to see their union with Christ. We are the tabernacle
of God, and our text continues again with the fact that we are
a holy priesthood, like the priests of old. who offer up sacrifices
of faith, love, praise acceptable to God in and through Christ
Jesus our Lord. Ye also as lively stones are
built up the spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer
up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, how? By Jesus Christ. That's the key right there. By
Jesus Christ. All our spiritual sacrifices,
all our prayers, our praises, our alms, and even ourselves
are only acceptable to God by and through the Lord Jesus Christ. And these spiritual sacrifices
are offered up through Him whom the saints have access to God,
the Lord Jesus Christ, our mediator, our King, our Redeemer. and we
present ourselves to God and we are only accepted by God in
Christ and for His sake and by the virtue of His sacrifice for
us on Calvary's cross. And remember this, that sacrifice
of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross is always a sweet smelling
savor to our great God and King. So what a What comfort this would bring
these suffering saints to know this, to know this unbreakable
bond that they have in and through Christ Jesus. Gracious Heavenly
Father, we thank thee for this time that we've had together.
We thank thee for these wonderful pictures that we who were once
dead. are now made alive by the power of the Holy Spirit of God,
regenerated, born again in the Spirit, and now we who believe
are living stones, lively stones, being built up a spiritual temple,
being built up by Thee, O Lord. O Lord, we just put our lives
in Thy hands. We pray You give us grace and
strength to meet what will come this week for us, and we love
You and praise You. In Jesus' name, amen.