okay turn with me then please
to uh... first peter and chapter two and
i want to look at the first ten verses and i've called this message
called out of darkness called out of darkness we read the verses
earlier the message of the scriptures from start to finish start to
finish is one of sovereign choice did you hear when we read exodus
nineteen Who was it that God told Moses to speak to? He told
him to speak to the children of Jacob. That's who He told
him to speak to. And so it is. God makes a sovereign
choice. He makes a sovereign choice in
this world of sin and in this world of sinners and in this
world of deserving the condemnation of the God of the universe because
it is His universe. He makes a choice to save some
out of that universe, out of that creation. and he makes a
choice to leave others and it's his sovereign choice. Now that's
not a popular message is it? I think we can all agree it's
not a popular message. You know I often mention that
on the radio program Desert Island Discs they get to choose their
eight records that they will take with them to the desert
island and they get to talk about their choice of records and then
at the end they get some books and some luxuries to take with
them. And they're always given, by default, they're given a copy
of the Bible and the works of Shakespeare, as if every single
one of them would want a copy of the Bible. And nobody I ever
hear, because I often listen to the program, I like to hear
them talking about their favorite records, but none of them ever
mention the Bible. That, oh, they're so glad that
they've got the Bible. It's assumed that all men will love the message
of the Bible. It's assumed that all men think
that the Bible speaks a Sermon on the Mount type of Christianity
as is colloquially known. But it isn't. It's a gospel of
sovereign grace and of particular redemption and of specific choice. And so it isn't a popular message
if you read it carefully. If you read it carefully, it
just simply is not a popular message except you've been given
the ability to see and to hear. If you've been given the ability
as the sons of Jacob, as those whom God has implanted new life
into, then you hear something that the rest of the world just
does not hear. Look at verse 3. It says, If
so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Have you tasted?
Oh, if you have tasted. Bless and praise God that you've
tasted that the Lord is gracious. What a glorious thing it is to
be amongst those who have given been given that sense of taste
to taste and see that the Lord is good. That's what Psalm 34
verse 8 says. Taste and see that the Lord is
good. This one same gospel message
has two effects. On many people, 2 Corinthians
chapter 2 verse 16, to the one we are the saver of death. These
words of gracious gospel news are to the one a saver of death,
unto death. And to the other, to those He
has chosen, to those he has enlightened the savor of life unto life it's
a message of sovereign choice many many years ago I was speaking
to a Jehovah's Witness on the doorstep many many years ago
thirty years or more ago and I was quoting to him in trying
to witness the gospel to him I was quoting some verses from
one of Paul's epistles and you know what he said to me as a
false prophet make no doubt I'm saying he's a false prophet nevertheless
What he said, I believe, is true. He said, oh, you shouldn't be
reading those messages. They're nothing to do with you.
Those messages are only for the 144,000. You shouldn't be reading
the epistles. Do you know something? He's right. He's right. What
do I mean? Do you know who the 144,000 are?
God's perfect number. All of His people in every generation
12 times 12, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles, 12 times 12 times
10 times 10 times 10, completeness cubed. Completeness times completeness
times... It's God's perfect number. His
people in every... The epistles, these messages
are for God's people. And these 10 verses of 1 Peter
chapter 2 are for the people of God. They're for the people
of God. If you're not amongst the people
of God, you can listen. Please listen. But these Verses are
for the people of God. You must listen, whoever you
are, because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
And how shall they hear without a preacher? So if you're listening
to this, by whatever means, please listen on. But these verses are
for God's people. And this passage shows four things. The blessings that God has for
His people. The blessings. If you're amongst
them, these are the blessings that are yours this morning,
compared with others. whom God has passed by. First
of all, He shows them that they're as newborn babes. Look at verse
2. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that
you may grow thereby. God gives to His people this
blessing of new life in the new birth. He comes upon a person
and the Holy Spirit comes and makes them alive and makes them
a new creature. If any man be in Christ Jesus,
he is a new creation. All things are passed away. All
things have become new. He makes a new person. He gives
a new nature. He implants the Spirit in that
person. A Spirit that is alive to the
things of the living God. As Jesus said to Nicodemus, when
Nicodemus came telling Jesus about his opinion of him as a
great teacher, he must be a great teacher, and Jesus effectively
said, what do you know about it? except a man be born again. Unless a man is born again, he
cannot see the Kingdom of God. It's absolutely fundamental.
But to every one of his elect people, chosen in Christ before
the foundation of the world, God gives them that new birth,
makes them a new creature in the Lord Jesus Christ. You must
be born again. Once, I believe the story goes
that Spurgeon was preaching again and again, you must be born again.
And a woman asked him, why do you keep preaching that you must
be born again? And he said, because you must
be born again. You must be born again. You cannot
see the kingdom of God. You cannot see the things of
God unless you're born again. But he gives his people this
new birth. Oh, the blessings of knowing
that you have that new life within you as newborn babes. We all
love it when there's a new baby. I tend to like children when
they get to sort of Timothy's age and older because I just
find them so interesting. But I know you ladies particularly
love the sweet little tiny little baby and yes they're nice but
I find I can't communicate with them very well. But you can tell
when a baby's healthy can't you? It's starving. It's hungry all
the time. The baby is hungry for milk.
Wants milk that it might grow thereby. That it might grow strong. And so it is. This newborn babe
that's inside, as newborn babes desires the sincere milk of the
Word of God. For this Word of God, it's pictured
as manna from heaven, as bread from heaven, but it's the sincere
milk of the Word, which the new birth inside desires to take
in, that it might grow thereby. This is what Peter says, the
last verse that he wrote in the Scriptures, 2 Peter 3, verse
18. Grow in grace and in the knowledge
of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. How do you grow? by feeding
on this Word because feeding on this Word you're feeding on
Christ He, He is that bread of life He is that milk that as
a new babe you desire to have that you might grow thereby but
God must first give that new life in the new birth and life
that not only does He give but He promises in His Word that
He will preserve to the very end and if that new life is in
you look at verse 1, wherefore laying aside all malice and all
guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings. Those
things are the marks of the flesh. Those things are the characteristic
of the fallen man. Those things are laid aside,
are laid aside when there's a new birth. They're shunned, they're
put to one side. There's a desire for the Word
of God, for the things of Christ, for that milk of the Word that
we might grow thereby. Oh, bless God for this, if you're
His child this morning, that He's given you this new birth.
You couldn't, just as you were born of your mother, of your
parents, just as you were born and you had no choice in it,
it wasn't that you decided to be born, you were born, you were
given life in the same way. God the Spirit comes and gives
life to His people. What a blessing it is to find
yourself in Christ, having been born again of His Holy Spirit.
then secondly I want you to look at verses four and five verses
four and five because here the picture changes to whom coming
the Lord that is who is gracious to whom coming as unto a living
stone disallowed rejected indeed of men but chosen of God and
precious you also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house
and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable
to God by Jesus Christ. Living stones. Again, the emphasis
is on living, on life, on spiritual life. But this time, the picture
is of stones coming together to build a spiritual house, to
make a spiritual dwelling. And look where it's founded.
It's founded upon the Lord Jesus Christ. It's founded upon that
cornerstone, that chief cornerstone, verse 6, it's contained in the
scripture behold I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone a chief cornerstone
it's clear that the foundation what do many people teach is
the foundation you know they take the words of Peter and of
Jesus in Matthew 16 who do men say that I am some say that you're
Elijah and one of the prophets but who do you say that I am
and Peter says you are the Christ the son of the living God blessed
are you Simon for flesh and blood has not revealed these things
to you but my Father which is in heaven and then he goes on
to say and upon this rock will I build my church and of course
the Catholic Church misinterprets that completely and builds its
totally fallacious doctrine of popes and priests and all the
rest of it built on top of it that Peter was that rock absolutely
not it's an invention of fleshly religion it's an invention of
fallen man the rock on which the church is built is the Lord
Jesus Christ this is written by Peter don't you think he would
have made it plain if he was saying that it's upon him and
all who would follow him that his church was built but he doesn't
he says coming unto Christ the living stone disallowed indeed
of men rejected by the builders but chosen of God and precious
that's quoting Isaiah Isaiah 28, I think it is, somewhere
around there. Isaiah 28, verse 16. Behold, I lay in Zion for
a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, hundreds of years before
he came, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. He that believeth
shall not make haste. What a promise of the Lord Jesus
Christ to come. Christ is that cornerstone rejected
by works-based religion. but the only foundation, the
only foundation of the true building of God, of the true church of
God, built out of living stones in whom He's planted the new
birth, the new life. Just turn over to Ephesians chapter
2, because it's always good when you look for correlation in the
Scriptures, when you look for confirmation of the message.
The best commentary on the Scriptures is the Scriptures themselves.
Look for reinforcement. and in Ephesians chapter 2 and
verse 20 well verse 19 now therefore you are no more strangers and
foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household
of God you see it's only for you the people of God and are
built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets Jesus
Christ himself being the chief cornerstone 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." Do you see? It's the same thing. The temple
of God. The temple of God was a picture
of where God dwelt with His people. Every one of the stones that
made that temple was hewn out of the same quarry as many other
stones, but they were cut perfectly to size. And everyone was brought
to Jerusalem and fitted together perfectly. to make a complete
temple with nothing left over and no waste, every single one
in its place. And so the picture is that Christ
builds His church. There was a chief cornerstone
and the temple fitted together upon that. And so it is. Christ
is the chief cornerstone. The apostles and the prophets,
the Word of God is the foundation. With Christ the chief cornerstone,
Christ at the root of it, and the whole building is fitted
and framed together based on Him. is that cornerstone. Oh, he's rejected by the world's
religion, by works-based religion. I can get to God on my own. I'm
good enough as I am. I've got all of these things
in my favor. I've got all of my traditions in my favor. No.
No. Only the Lord Jesus Christ. Only
the Lord Jesus Christ. All and only those living stones
built upon Christ are prepared for judgment. You know, just
as it says in the chorus that we sing, the wise man built his
house upon the rock. Why is in the Lord Jesus Christ?
The wisdom of God that's in the Lord Jesus Christ. The wisdom
that He gives to His people and causes them to build on the Lord
Jesus Christ. The wise man built his house
upon the rock. And this cornerstone upon which
we build, which is Christ, in verse 6, Wherefore also it is
contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone
He's a foundation of His kingdom, elect, precious. He that believeth
on Him shall not be confounded. What does that mean? It means
not ashamed. What does that mean? It means
not guilty in the judgment of God. He that believeth on Him,
He that is built on that solid rock which is the Lord Jesus
Christ, shall be safe in the judgment. It is appointed to
man to die once and then the judgment, but if you're in Christ,
you're safe you shall not be confounded you shall not be ashamed
you shall not be found wanting unto you therefore which believe
because of that you believe in him you trust in him what are
you going to think of him oh how precious he is to you how
precious is the Lord Jesus Christ oh that we might love him with
a sincere heart love for the Lord Jesus Christ for what He's
done for us, that we might not be confounded in the judgment,
that He's taken our sins and borne them in His own body on
the tree, and borne the guilt of them, and paid the price of
them, that we might be brought to God, that we might be accepted
by Him, that He's made us righteous because He Himself was born of
a woman, born under the law to redeem those that are under the
law, and He walked under that law and He perfectly obeyed it,
and all of His people obeyed it in Him. And therefore, to
you who believe, He is precious. How precious! Think of the most
precious thing you've got. You regard something as precious
when it's the sort of thing that you think, well, in the ultimate
end, if the whole world economy collapses, at least I've got
that left and I can cling to that. That's the way people think.
At least I've got such and such a thing left to cling on to,
if everything else goes. But to the believer, oh, this
is treasure for eternity. To you who believe, he is precious
the Lord Jesus Christ and resting on him we're not condemned we're
not confounded we're not ashamed there is as Romans 8 verse 1
says therefore now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus
what a glorious promise no condemnation as Psalm 4 says I will both lay
me down and sleep and rest in peace because God gives us that
peace His peace, of knowing that we're right with God. So we're
born again of the Spirit of God, we're made living stones by that
new birth, and built together into the household of God, into
a nation, into a people, and then we're a holy priesthood. Look at verse 5. He also, as
lively stones, built up a spiritual house, and holy priesthood to
offer up spiritual sacrifices That's what priests do, or did,
offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. And verse 9, you are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people. The people of God, He makes a
holy, royal priesthood. What are priests? What do they
do? Priests are mediators. They mediate
between God in heaven and man. on earth. They mediate that enormous
chasm that there is between the Holy God and man as he is by
nature, fallen. But what do we read in the Scriptures?
What do we read in 1 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 9? There
is now therefore one mediator, one mediator between God and
man. There is only one mediator now
between God and man, the man, Christ Jesus. For God became
a man in Christ and walked this earth and he became our great
high He's our prophet. He speaks the Word of God to
us. He's our priest. He mediates to God for us. And
He's our King. But He's our priest. And He is
our one mediator between God and man. And all the false religion
all around us has its false priests. All of them do. I remember when
the Church of England was talking about ordaining women priests
and should they ordain women priests or not. And I remember
saying at the time, the issue is not whether there should be
women priests but whether there should be any priests in that
sense of the word there are no priests in that sense of the
word anymore for Christ has fulfilled all of that priesthood all of
it it's Christ who is our High Priest there is one mediator
between God and man there's no such priests as all of the worldly
religions all around us have they all have priests they have
this separate class of people who stand with special powers
and intercede between man and God. They give themselves the
power of absolution of sins. They can absolve sins. So you
go to confession and you sit before a priest and you tell
him your sins and he gives you things to do, penances to do,
things that you must do without and things that you must do in
order to be cleansed and then he absolves you. And he thinks
he has the power, the power it's wicked it really is it's absolutely
wicked and it holds men and women in thrall absolutely you see
it right down the main street into Nedworth on a Sunday morning
and you'll see the numbers who are in that superstitious thrall
to that system which puts men as priests between them and God
and it's completely wrong now there was a priesthood before
Christ there was a priesthood which pictured Christ it was
the sons of Aaron Moses and Aaron were of the family of Levi And
Aaron's sons were chosen to be priests. And we haven't time
now, but if you were to read in Leviticus 8, you will see
the specification of the priests. Read it at your leisure. Leviticus
8. But here are some of the things that were to characterize the
priests. They were chosen by God. Not anybody could be a priest. You read of the accounts of those
who took that upon themselves, and the fatal consequences of
taking that office to themselves. God chose his priests. God and
God alone. And so we read of Christ that
he was elect and precious. Elect and precious. Him and him
alone. And so the priests of God were
chosen by him. And you had to be born into a
particular family to be a priest. You had to be Aaron's sons. And
then later it was broadened out to more of the tribe of Levi. But you had to be chosen and
born You couldn't be a priest if you were of the tribe of Benjamin,
for example. You just couldn't be a priest.
You were disqualified. And then you had to be cleansed.
Oh, there's so much. You read about the washing, the
washing of water. You had to be cleansed. You had
to be cleansed. And you had to be clothed, properly
clothed for the purpose. And the specification of the
clothing is very precise. It's a clean covering of a clean
body. And this is what God had as his
priests. And then they were anointed with oil and they were set aside
and they were consecrated for his service and his praise. If
you're thinking about it carefully, you'll say this. That's the description
of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Chosen of God before
the beginning of time. Born by the Holy Spirit. Cleansed
by the blood of Christ. clothed in the righteousness
of Christ, anointed and set apart for the service of God, a people
of praise, a people of praise. This is what His people are,
His believing people. They're a people of praise and
all true believers are priests. You are a kingdom of priests.
Why? Because you individually have
direct access into the Holy of Holies. Look at Hebrews chapter
10. See if I'm making this up. Hebrews chapter 10. How dare
I approach the living God who is a consuming fire into whose
hands it is a fearful thing to fall? How dare I approach Him? I can approach Him in the Lord
Jesus Christ because in verse 19 of Hebrews chapter 10 Hebrews
chapter 10 verse 19 having therefore brethren boldness to enter into
the holiest by the blood of Jesus who could go into the holy of
holies in the temple? only the High Priest. How often?
Only once a year. He was a sinner like all the
rest of them but once a year on the Day of Atonement he could
go into the Holy of Holies with a proper sacrifice and the blood
of that sacrifice and only on the basis of that sprinkling
on the Ark of the Covenant on the mercy seat could he there
speak with God and be accepted on that Day of Atonement. But
now because Christ is risen because Christ has accomplished all things
for his people you are a kingdom of priests and therefore we have
access each and every one individually and directly into the into the
presence of the living God into the holy of holies by the blood
of Jesus by that blood that lifeblood that pouring out that precious
precious price of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ as the
sacrifice for the sins of his people just turn back to Exodus
chapter 19 exodus chapter 19 you'll see it's promised here
as we read verse 5 now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed
and keep my covenant then you shall be a peculiar treasure
unto me above all people for all the earth is mine and you
shall be unto me a kingdom of priests a kingdom of priests,
he's promising this to his people he specifies very clearly that
the only priests would be the sons of Aaron would be Levites
but here he says that all of you shall be a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation it's there promised right back at the beginning
of the scriptures so he makes his people priests
anointed and consecrated for his service born again living
stones making a living building Royal priests with direct access
into the holy of holies. And then fourthly, God's special
people. Look at verses 9 and 10. This
again is quoting what we've just read from Exodus. But you are
a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
peculiar people, that you should show forth the praises of him
who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. which
in time past were not a people but are now the people of God
which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy God's
special people this is what he's made us in Christ God's special
people all of us by nature start the same exactly the same all
of us just like the stones hewn from the quarry were just like
all of the other stones but some were prepared for the temple
to fit together into the temple of the living God. All start
the same, but there's a divine transformation. A divine transformation. The work of the living God makes
a difference. A divine transformation. Look
at verse 10. You were not a people. In time
past, you were not a people. You were children of wrath, even
as the others, as Paul says to the Ephesians. dead in trespasses
and sins, children of wrath, even as the others. In time past
you were not a people. You were a disparate, ragged
bunch, as we might say, but are now, are now the people of God. He has made you His people, the
people of God. He's made you special, a people
who were not a people. And you had not obtained mercy,
children of wrath, even as the others, but now have obtained
mercy. You're a wholly separate nation. A chosen generation. A royal
priesthood. Why royal? Because he says in
Exodus, you will be a kingdom of priests. A kingdom speaks
of royalty. A royal priesthood is a kingdom
of priests. A holy nation. A peculiar people. A separate people. Members of
God's kingdom. Separated for His service. Separated
for His praise. And peculiar, here in the King
James Version, this word which seems to have changed its use
down the generations, a peculiar people. I know in the eyes of
the world, all of God's people are regarded as peculiar people,
you know, odd, strange, funny habits, funny ideas, funny, odd
ways of thinking, a peculiar people. But the way this was
originally intended, it means purchased. In my marginal reference,
that word peculiar is purchased. purchased, a purchased people,
purchased by God and objects of His peculiar blessings, of
His special blessings as we've seen. This is what we are, a
peculiar people set apart for the peculiar special blessings
of God with different affections to those of the world. That's
why we're a peculiar people in the eyes of the world because
we have different affections to the people of the world, the
things of the world. There's a love a growing love
for the things of light. There's a growing rejection and
turning away from the things of darkness. Oh, be in no doubt,
if ever we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the
truth is not in us. But as we grow in grace and the
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, there's an increasing shunning
of the things of darkness. There's an increasing loving
of the things of light. Look, He's called us out of darkness
into His marvelous light. He doesn't call everybody but
He calls His people. He's called them out of darkness
into His marvelous light. That's a wonderful thing. A wonderful
thing. You shall be a peculiar treasure
unto me, says God, above all people for all the earth is mine
and you shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are tremendous blessings.
Tremendous blessings of the Spirit of God For his people, he gives
them new birth and new life. That for his people, he builds
us up purposely into a temple of the living God. Temple, the
dwelling place of God on earth is the hearts and minds of his
people, who he brings together as living stones, hewn out of
the quarry of all humanity, but he brings them together and makes
them into a building. And he gives them direct access
by his son, by the blood of his son, into His presence, into
the Holy of Holies, that all of them are priests of God and
He makes them a special people who were not a people. He calls
them out of darkness into His marvelous light. He makes them
separate from the things of the world. What a blessed state that
is to be in. A blessed state. Think for a
few moments as we close about the many who are left in disobedience. in the sovereign purposes of
God look at verse 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
and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense even to them
which stumble at the word being disobedient whereunto also they
were appointed these are serious words serious words People left
in disobedience, whereunto also they were appointed. They stumble
at the things of Christ. They stumble at the Word of Christ.
Why do they stumble? They trip over it. In religious
terms, how shall I be right with God? Ah, it's on the basis of
the doing and the dying of another, a perfect substitute. I will
not have this man to rule over me. I will not have this man
to stand in my place. Isn't this what the human heart
says by nature? I will not have this one in my
place. I will not get to heaven on the
basis of what somebody else... I'm good enough as I am." This
is what the human heart says. And so they stumble and they're
disobedient. Disobedient to what? Disobedient
to the Word of God. Disobedient to the gospel of
His grace. The scriptures speak about obeying
the gospel of His grace. They're disobedient to the gospel
of His grace. And it's that stone of Christ,
that foundation stone, which the builders, the religious builders,
reject the same is made the head of the corner a stone of stumbling
and a rock of offense even to them which stumble at the word
and reject this gospel of sovereign grace and reject this gospel
of absolute sovereignty by the living God is that you right
now or anybody listening to this you see we all start here by
nature we all start there by nature rejecting that Is it you
right now as you are? If it is, does it alarm you? Does it alarm you that that may
be the state to which you were appointed? That's what it says,
whereunto also they were appointed. Does it alarm you? There's a
hymn that I can't find in the hymn book, but I'm sure we used
to sing it years ago. It has these lines in it. Praise
the grace whose fears alarmed me, roused me from my slothful
ease. I tell you, if you're alarmed
at the prospect, that you might be appointed unto that state
of stumbling and disbelief. If you're alarmed, praise the
grace whose fears alarmed me. Rouse me from my slothful ease.
Because if so, maybe God is calling you. Can you hear his call? And
if you can, why do you not come to him? Why do you not come?
He says, come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Ah, he might not accept me. Jesus
said this. No man can come unless the Father
who sent me draws him. But whoever comes to me, whoever
comes, I will in no wise cast out. Amen. Well, we'll sing our closing
hymn, which is number 816. 816. Fill thou my life, O Lord my
God.