Choosing The Right Path

Choosing the Right Path

1 Peter 2:4-10

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

t seems like all our lives we are trying to build something. Some fueled by their longing to connect, love, and receive love from others, are motivated to actively build meaningful relationships with those in their midst. Others are constantly driven by the never-ending desire to amass wealth and build the nicest home possible. And there are still those who find motivation to build a sound mind and fit body through a regimen of proper nutrition and regular physical activity. As we witness wars on the television, witness the devastating impact of diseases like Covid-19 across the world, and as we mourn the loss of loved ones at funerals; we cannot help but wonder whether King Solomon was right when he said there is truly nothing new under the sun, and that all things are ultimately without lasting significance, as the deeds of previous generations gradually fade from memory (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Once this generation passes away, for instance, who will remember that we had lots of friends, were excessively rich, or had buff bodies? Does this imply that endeavoring to construct something enduring and of substantial value is ultimately a futile endeavor? After all, are not our attempts to obtain significance merely dust chasing after dust? Though our lives are like the “mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14), surely those created in the divine image who hold infinite value in the eyes of God are also beckoned to leave a lasting imprint on those around them on earth and in realms of heaven! In today’s passage (1 Peter 2:4-10) Apostle Peter offered a reminder to those dispersed all throughout Asia Minor. Although they were not physically present at the great temple of Jerusalem to worship God, they were still to rejoice because, through the living Stone, they were being built into a spiritual house, destined to become a royal priesthood capable of offering sacrifices to God that not only pleased Him but were also eternal! To establish a house that never fades it must have a strong and permanent foundation. Let’s now take some time to reflect on the primary cornerstone of our spiritual dwelling, which is Jesus.

The Living Stone

Centuries after the passing of the last great Old Testament prophet Malachi an “impoverished itinerant preacher from Galilee named Jesus” came along and took the imagery of the stone passages and applied it to Himself, “instead of to Judaism, the city, or the temple.” God’s chosen people found this offensive, for in the Old Testament, the term “stone” or “rock” symbolized God’s faithfulness. In Isaiah, God was referred to as “the Rock eternal” (26:4) and “Rock of Israel” (30:29), while in Psalms, God was described as a “rock of refuge and a strong fortress” (31:2) and “my Redeemer” (19:14). The long-awaited Messiah had finally arrived among His people, but they rejected Him as their king because His mission was not to vanquish Israel’s enemies, particularly Rome, but rather to lay down His life for the many (Mark 10:45). Only the God-man had the power to satisfy God’s righteous wrath and pay the price for human sins and that is why “God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). As prophesized in Psalms 118:22, Christ faced rejection from humanity, but the ultimate judgement did not come from humans; it was God’s divine verdict. Though His own rejected the authority of the vineyard’s own son over their lives (Luke20:9-18), He in whom all the Old Testament “promises were being fulfilled” offered all to come to Him, the living Stone. “This Stone is not, like the stones of earth, an inert mass; it is living, full of life; nay, it gives life, as well as strength and coherence, to the stones which are built upon it: for the Lord hath life in Himself—He is risen from the dead and is alive for evermore.” For those who reject Him, He becomes a source of confusion and a stumbling block. However, for those who have faith in His redemptive sacrifice, He serves as the gateway to becoming part of a “new people of God,” inheriting all the blessings of the Old Testament Israel and enjoying the privilege of approaching the Father in worship and adoration.

Reflection. What an honor it is to come to the living Stone and receive salvation and spiritual blessings. What are some of the blessings that you are thankful for and why? Imagine for a moment what our plight would be without the incarnate Son of God!

Building a Spiritual House

To the many individuals scattered throughout Asia Minor, distanced from the religious activities of Jerusalem’s grand stone temple, Peter’s proclamation about the rebirth leading to believers becoming living stones, in which God resides, would have been Good News indeed. In Matthew 16:18-20, Jesus tells Peter that he is the rock upon which He will construct His church, signifying a transformative shift where the spiritual community known as the church now serves as God’s dwelling place. Church, for Peter, “is the antitype of the ancient temple—a building not material, but spiritual, consisting, not of dead stones, but of sanctified souls, resting on no earthly foundation, but on that Rock which is Christ.” While God’s intent on Mount Sinai, that His people would be a “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6), was not fulfilled in the OT, it has been fulfilled in the Christian church. Individually and collectively believers are the temple in which God’s very own Spirit resides and, therefore, they are meant to serve as the “very heart and center of God’s activity in the world.” Embracing their interdependency on one another while bowing to the Chief cornerstone, akin to the Israelites of the OT, “the people of Jesus Christ are to be God’s light unto the nations (Isaih 49:6), by word and deed.” While the “once and for all” sacrifice of the “great High Priest upon the altar of the cross” has forever fulfilled the requirements of the OT law, this does not mean believers no longer need to give sacrifices unto the Lord. In our roles as ambassadors and royal priests, we are called to continuously offer sacrifices such as “praise (Heb. 13:15), prayer (Rev. 5:8), self-consecration (Rom. 12:1; Phil. 2:17), benevolence (Rom. 15:27; Heb. 13:16), and giving (2 Cor. 9:12; Phil. 4:18).” Each of us has unique spiritual gifts and specific role inside the church. As we carry out God’s purpose, let us not forget to express our gratitude to the Chief cornerstone, through whom all things are made possible.