Those Who Don’t Stumble Series

You can listen to the sermons of NPBC at https://www.npbc.org.au/podcasts/media

1 Peter 2:4-10

“Those Who Don’t Stumble”

(Written for Sermon Central to fill a gap in this series on 1 & 2 Peter)

Who am I?

That is a question everyone asks at some point in their life.

We all have questions about our identity ... and purpose ... and meaning.

And we especially tend to ask that question when life isn’t going so well.

There is the stay at home mum surrounded by kids.

Feeling – underrated ... I just want to go back to work!!

Who am I?

There is the person sitting in the middle of a job.

Basically doing the same stuff every day … unnoticed.

Does anybody really need me?

Who am I?

Or the young adult

Trying to find a place and a career but they keep getting told they don’t have enough experience.

No-one will give me a start.

Who am I?

We all go through it at some point. And this was the case even more so for the audience of 1 Peter. Remember they live in a society that was constantly saying – everything you need is right here. Why do you want anything else?

These believers were constantly under the temptation to just fit in.

Who am I?

Should I just act like everyone else?

Why not enjoy life like others do?

These believers were constantly facing suffering and ridicule.

Why can’t you just accept that your religion is one among many, not the only way?

When you don’t get involved in our feasts and city wide events you make us feel unwanted.

Who do you think you are?

Yes … who am I really?

The believers, we are as believers, constantly facing a choice

Is being a Christian in a culture that is so against me worth it?

Is the suffering and the need to stand out worth it?

In this big plan of God, who am I?

That is what is happening. Peter, who is being divinely inspired to write his letter, knows this is going on. So, he addresses the issue in 1 Peter 2:4-10

4 As you come to Him, the living Stone – rejected by humans 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 cornerstone,’

8 and,

‘A stone that causes people 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, God’s special possession, 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.

This whole section is about understanding one’s identity and the power of that identity.

Peter wants us to know that we are a significant and important part in God’s plan.

That we are not underrated or unnoticed, or unneeded.

That we have significance and worth and value.

That we don’t have to have questions of identity because we are certain of who we are.

The way Peter helps us to see this is there are two building projects.

One building project is being built by mankind. Built by the world.

The purpose of this building is to provide the world with some sort of identity. Before them there is all sorts of methods and means to build their identity. And they need to choose from the pile … a large pile.

Materialism is in that pile

Money makes me happy; I am what I own. Money will solve all my problems. Materialism helps me fulfil my calling.

Individualism is in that pile

I make my own decisions; I forge my own destiny. I can have pride in being able to say, “I did it my way”. My individualism helps me fulfil my calling.

Education is in that pile.

If I know enough I can get what I want. There is value in being able to come before others and say, “Look at my great understanding.” Education helps me fulfil my calling.

There are some of the options in the pile of resources. And there are many others as well, lying around like stones on the ground. Stones which can be brought together to make up the foundation of my life.