Do you remember the television show called Fantasy Island? For a fee of ten thousand dollars they would arrange a weekend of your fantasy to come true. That sounds pretty good. But God can do better than that.
He will give you beyond what you ask or think. Not for a weekend but for a life and even extending into eternity. And this does not cost you ten thousand dollars. It has already been paid in full.
1 Peter 2:4-11 is passage that tells us of our privileged position in Christ. If it was anyone but God making this all possible it would simply be too good to be true.
In the Old Testament Israel were the people of privileged position. Now we read that those who have Jesus Christ have the Old Testament promises apply to them and in a more glorious way.
Read 1 Peter 2:4-12
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 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. 6 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.”
7 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,”
8 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.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Built into a Spiritual House 1 Peter 2:4-8
Christ is referred to as the living stone. The cornerstone of God’s House. When a building was constructed in bible times the strength of the building was dependent on the cornerstone. It had to be just right.
The analogy is the builders are working and they have a stone that will be the cornerstone. They examine it and determine it unfit and cast it away. As they search for the right cornerstone they keep stumbling over the one they rejected.
Peter uses three Old Testament prophesies about cornerstones and applies them to Jesus. Jesus referred to himself as the cornerstone found in Matthew 21:42.
Verse 7 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,”
Jesus was rejected by the religious leaders, but He is the cornerstone God would use to build His church, His spiritual House! Since Christ is honored by God so will all who are one with Christ.
Peter portrays God as the Divine Architect who builds a spiritual house.
Ephesians 2:20-21
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
Each Christian is a “living stone” in that spiritual building.
During college I had a summer job with a landscape construction company building Railroad tie retaining walls. The critical part to this work was laying the first tie into place. It had to be level and firmly placed and all the other ties were built on this one. Christ is the essential foundation for a privileged position with God.
If Christ is not the foundation stone then it is not God’s spiritual house. There is only one spiritual house.
1 Corinthians 3:11 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
The analogy is meaningful. The Temple was the central part of Old Testament worship. In a New Testament sense the house of God comes to the building and leaves the building. The spiritual house is the people of God. Even Solomon did not think God was limited to the Temple.
There is a sense that as a believer in Christ you are the Temple of God. God the Holy Spirit dwells in you. God’s people are the spiritual house where God dwells. You have a tremendous privilege being built into God’s spiritual house as living stones.
Belonging to God 2:9-10
Very specifically Peter takes the Old Testament promises of Exodus 19:3-6 and applies them to believers in Christ. For one thing Israel was chosen not because of their good works, but because of God’s favor.
But they were chosen to bless others. Through this chosen nation God would send the Messiah his Son Jesus to bless all the earth. Now in Christ you are: a chosen people, people of the New Covenant in Christ’s blood.
The priesthood of the believer. We all have positions of priests. We all have direct access to God. And it goes on. Christians are God’s own people. You are a special possession of God.
1 Peter 1:10 contains words from the prophet Hosea written in Hosea 1:10 and 2:23. Once you were not my people now you are. God’s grace transforms you into something special.
A Chosen People
A Royal Priesthood
A Holy nation
People belonging to God
Life that Honors God 1 Peter 2:11-12
With privilege also comes responsibility. We are to be proclaimers of good news vs. 9. You live on this word as an alien, a stranger. Yes it is tough when people are watching you testing you.
Does your character verify what you say you believe or nullify it? The flesh wages a war against the soul. Don’t be surprised that the world has an anti God agenda. You are on a journey a pilgrimage. Non Christians notice your good works.
Christians will be falsely accused. A trial lawyer will try to reveal character flaws so the jury will believe they could commit the crime.
Live a life that the one who accuses you will see your good works and how they glorify God. You should rejoice in your privileged position.
Don’t reject the capstone, Jesus.
“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.”
Trust in Jesus. Put your faith in Him.
