Church family, how are we doing today? Today, we are going to call upon the Holy Spirit to help us explore the beautiful message found in 1 Peter 2:1-10. In this section of Scripture, we'll see the importance of craving spiritual nourishment, of being built into a spiritual house, and the significance of Christ as our cornerstone.
[Title: Building on the Living Stone]
We talk about Jesus Christ being the cornerstone, but do we really know what a cornerstone is, or even its purpose? Well folks, I am going to clue you into its meaning, so that as we go through the message the finer points of it will make sense.
The cornerstone in construction is important for the following reasons:
• Structural significance: It provides a sturdy base, ensuring the longevity and safety of the building.
• Ornamental significance: It displays noteworthy details about the building's construction and connects us to architectural history.
• Geographical marker: The cornerstone marks the geographical location and orients the building in a specific direction.
Now what do these points have to do with us? First, the structural significance applies to us having a firm footing in this world, weathering through its storms because we rest upon the solid rock of Jesus. Second, the ornamental significance allows us to relate to the beauty of the work Jesus did in His earthly ministry, and what He continues to do from His throne in heaven…as Christians we are associated with the beauty. Third, the geographical marker applies to the direction we are heading, being a child of God and a follower Christ, our direction is heaven.
Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
1 Peter 2:1-10
Before we get into our discussion, let's take a moment to pray:
Heavenly Father, thank You for this opportunity to come together as Your children to study Your Word. We ask that You open our hearts and minds to the message You have for us today. Help us to crave spiritual nourishment and be built into a spiritual house, with Christ as our cornerstone. Grant us the wisdom to understand and apply Your Word in our daily lives. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Craving Spiritual Nourishment
When we hunger for God's presence and God’s Word, we grow in our faith. It may be slow growth. It may have ups and downs. But this craving for God is key to becoming more like Christ. Just as newborn babies crave milk to grow and develop, we too must crave the pure spiritual milk of God's Word and His presence in our lives.
Our craving spiritual nourishment will result in regularly reading and meditating on God's Word. The Bible is a primary source of spiritual nourishment, as it contains the truth, wisdom, and guidance we need to grow in our faith. By spending time in God's Word, we can learn more about His character, His promises, and His will for our lives. This knowledge not only strengthens our faith but also equips us to face the challenges and trials that we may encounter in our daily lives.
Another key element is prayer. Prayer is our direct line of communication with God, and it is through prayer that we can express our gratitude, confess our sins, and seek His guidance and wisdom. By spending time in prayer, we develop a deeper relationship with God and experience His presence in our lives. This connection with our Heavenly Father is essential for our spiritual growth and well-being.
In addition to reading God's Word and praying, craving spiritual nourishment also involves seeking fellowship with other believers. As Christians, we are not meant to walk this journey alone, but rather, we are called to be part of a community of believers who can encourage, support, and challenge one another in our faith. By regularly attending church services, participating in small groups, and engaging in other forms of Christian fellowship, we can experience the love, support, and accountability that is necessary for our spiritual growth.
Craving spiritual nourishment is not only about our personal growth, but it also has a direct impact on our ability to serve and minister to others. As we grow in our faith and become more like Christ, we are better equipped to share the love of God with those around us. This may involve sharing our faith with non-believers, offering encouragement and support to fellow believers, or serving in various ministries within our church and community. By craving spiritual nourishment and growing in our faith, we can become effective witnesses for Christ and make a lasting impact on the lives of those around us.
It is important to recognize that our craving for spiritual nourishment is not something that we can manufacture or achieve through our own efforts. Rather, it is a gift from God, who desires to draw us closer to Himself and transform us into the image of His Son. As we seek God's presence and ask Him to increase our hunger for His Word and His presence, He will graciously respond and provide the spiritual nourishment that we need to grow in our faith.
One potential obstacle to craving spiritual nourishment is the many distractions and temptations we face each day. In our fast-paced, technology-driven world, it can be all too easy to become consumed with the things of this world and neglect our spiritual growth. We may find ourselves spending more time on Instagram, watching Netflix, or pursuing other worldly pursuits than we do seeking God's presence and nourishment. It is crucial that we recognize these distractions and make a conscious effort to prioritize our spiritual growth and well-being.
Another potential obstacle to craving spiritual nourishment is the presence of sin in our lives. Sin can create a barrier between us and God, making it difficult for us to experience His presence and receive the spiritual nourishment that we need. When we recognize sin in our lives, it is essential that we confess and repent, asking God for forgiveness and cleansing. As we do this, we can experience the restoration of our relationship with God and once again crave the spiritual nourishment that He provides.
It is also worth noting that our craving for spiritual nourishment may ebb and flow throughout our Christian journey. There may be times when we feel a strong hunger for God's Word and His presence, while at other times, we may struggle to maintain that same level of desire. During these times, we aim to continue seeking God and asking Him to renew our hunger for spiritual nourishment. As we do this, we can trust that He will be faithful to provide the sustenance that we need to grow in our faith.
Being Built into a Spiritual House
When Peter speaks of being built into a spiritual house, he addresses the collective nature of our faith. He’s also addressing individual growth and development that occurs within each believer.
As Christians, we aren’t meant to live in isolation. We are called to be part of a larger spiritual community that is being built up and strengthened by God. This spiritual house is a metaphor for the body of Christ – the church – which is made up of individual believers being shaped and molded by the Holy Spirit.
If you go to Scotland or anywhere there are a lot of sheep, sooner or later you will see a little lamb running around the field with what looks like an extra fleece tied onto its back. There are little holes in the fleece for its four legs and usually a hole for its head. If you see a little lamb running around like that, that usually means its mother has died.
Without the protection and nourishment of a mother, an orphaned lamb will die. If you try to introduce the orphaned lamb to another mother, the new mother will butt it away. She won’t recognize the lamb’s scent and will know the new baby is not one of her own lambs.
But thankfully, most flocks are large enough to have a ewe that recently lost a lamb. The shepherd skins the dead lamb and makes its fleece into a covering for the orphaned lamb. Then he takes the orphaned lamb to the mother whose baby just died. Now, when she sniffs the orphaned lamb, she smells her own lamb. Instead of butting the lamb away, she accepts it as one of her own. In a similar way, we have become acceptable to God by being clothed with Christ.
This illustrates the idea that we too are fitted with the body of Christ so that we are not booted out, or as the bible says, to be cast out, literally thrown out with force. But having the body of Christ around us has being welcomed into a community bound for glory.
In our passage, Peter describes believers as living stones that are being used to construct a spiritual house. His language speaks of a dynamic and active nature to our faith. As living stones, we are not passive or inert. We are continually being shaped and transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Also, as that living cornerstone we can set the geographical direction for those we encounter in our walk with Jesus. This process of spiritual growth and maturation is essential for the health and vitality of the spiritual house.
What does it mean for Christ to be the cornerstone of this spiritual house? In ancient architecture, the cornerstone was the most important part of a building, as it provided the foundation upon which the rest of the structure was built. In the same way, Christ is the foundation of our faith and the source of our spiritual growth. As believers, we are called to build our lives upon the teachings and example of Jesus, recognizing that He is the one who holds everything together and gives our faith its ultimate meaning and purpose.
Being built into a spiritual house involves the idea of being a holy priesthood. In the Old Testament, the priests were responsible for offering sacrifices on behalf of the people and serving as mediators between God and humanity. In the New Testament, however, this role is expanded to include all believers, who are called to be a "holy priesthood" that offers "spiritual sacrifices" to God. These spiritual sacrifices include our prayers, our acts of worship, and our commitment to living lives that are pleasing to God. As members of this holy priesthood, we are called to serve as ambassadors of Christ, representing Him to the world and sharing the good news of His love and grace.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said it well: "The Church is the Church only when it exists for others...not dominating but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling what it means to live for Christ, to exist for others." (Letters and Papers from Prison). Bonhoeffer captured the essence of what it means to be part of the spiritual house – a community of believers who are committed to growing in their faith, supporting one another, and reaching out to a world in need of the hope and healing that can only be found in Christ.
Christ as the Cornerstone
Earlier I mentioned that a cornerstone is the first stone laid in the construction of a building. It’s the most important stone because all other stones are set in reference to it. It determines the position of the entire structure, and if the cornerstone is not properly placed, the entire building will be misaligned. In the same way, Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of our faith, and our lives should be built upon Him and aligned with His teachings.
In our passage, Peter quotes from the Old Testament prophecies in Isaiah 28:16 and Psalm 118:22, which speak of the coming Messiah as the cornerstone. These prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who was rejected by the religious leaders of His time but chosen by God to be the foundation of our faith. Peter emphasizes that those who trust in Jesus as the cornerstone will never be put to shame, meaning that their faith in Him will not be disappointed or proven false.
However, for those who do not believe in Jesus, He becomes a stumbling block. They reject the very foundation of their salvation, and as a result, they stumble and fall. This is a sobering reminder of the importance of recognizing and accepting Jesus as the cornerstone of our faith. Without Him, we cannot have a solid foundation, and our spiritual lives will be unstable and prone to collapse.
As believers, we are called to be living stones, built upon the cornerstone of Christ. Our lives should be aligned with His teachings, and we should strive to follow His example in all that we do. As we grow in our faith and become more like Christ, we are being built into a spiritual house, a holy temple where God's presence dwells.
We are called to support and encourage one another, just as the stones in a building support and strengthen the structure. We are also called to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. These sacrifices include our worship, our prayers, and our acts of service and love towards others.
Let’s build our lives on the solid foundation of Jesus and His teachings. As we grow in our faith and become more like Christ, we are being built into a spiritual house, a community of believers who are called to support and encourage one another and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are pleasing to God. By recognizing and accepting Jesus as the cornerstone of our faith, we can experience the stability, security, and peace that comes from being firmly grounded in Him.
Conclusion
So, as we go forth today, let's remember to crave that pure spiritual milk, to grow in our salvation, and to be built into a spiritual house with Christ as our cornerstone. Let's embrace our roles as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation, called to declare the praises of our God who brought us out of darkness and into His marvelous light.
Now, for our benediction: May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, now and forevermore. Amen.
And let's close with a prayer:
Dear Lord, we thank You for the time we've spent together in Your Word today. As we leave this place, help us to remember the lessons we've learned and to put them into practice in our daily lives. Guide us in our walk with You, and may we always seek to grow closer to You, our living Stone and precious cornerstone. Bless us, our families, and our communities as we strive to be Your hands and feet in this world. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
