The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People: Part 3

The Living Stone and the Church as a Spiritual House

So today we have part three the chosen stone and his chosen people will continue our study and The first epistle of Peter is brother Keith has mentioned. It's never looked at it like that brother Keith.

It's almost like the book of James put us right into the surgery room and Peter kind of. It has a healing balm for us to help us and then go we going toward second Peter Lord willing. We ever get there the Lord may come before then.

But it's talking about The warnings are false teachers. Don't we see that in our day and also the coming of the Lord the day of the Lord. But right now we in first Peter and we're going toward if you read.

Once you get into first Peter chapter 3 chapter 4 and so on you everything is The how can I put this? Everything is Out from the the key. The core is Submission and that's what I'm trying to say. Submission will be underscored.

It's our submission to God submission to government submission to husbands and wives and so forth. And we're going to break that down and what the Word of God has to say, but first we're in chapter 2 here.

We continue our study in chapter 2 and we're reading from verse 4 to verse 10. And I'm just going to pick up where I left off last week and go from there and There's a lot to say what Peter has to say here about the chosen stone and his chosen people.

It's a wonderful text for us to study. I pray that if you haven't studied this, please study this in your devotional time. Squeeze it in if you in the book of Psalms and the mornings I hear the book of Psalms and it's been feeding my soul so much in my personal devotional time as I go to work I'm just listening to the Psalms.

But I also study when I get home and in the evening.

Is.

I've been studying this and it's been such a wonderful study. But it's the Apostle Peter. He was the head of but he was the head Apostle of the 12 of part of the 12 and.

As.

Jesus chose him. He was always the spokesman for the other and God used him in a great way. This is what he says by the Holy Spirit verse 4 reading to verse 10 and coming to him as to a living stone. Which has been rejected by men.

But his choice and precious in the sight of God. You also as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood. To offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

But this is contained in Scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone a precious cornerstone and he who believes in him Will not be disappointed this precious value. This precious value Then is for you who believe.

But for those who disbelieve the stone which the builders rejected this became the very cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of a fence. For they stumble because they are disobedient to the word and to this doom.

They were also appointed. But you don't you love when he says that but you are a chosen race a royal priesthood a holy nation a people for God's own possession. So that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

For you once were were not a people, but now you are the people of God. You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Let's pray in this seat our God's face within this hour and ask his help and grace upon each and every one of us as we study and worship him and His word our Father and our God.

Oh How we thank you for your eternal word. Oh God, we pray that you sanctify us with that truth that Thy word is truth Lord that is the only way that we could be sanctified is through the word of the Living God.

Lord.

These are great and precious promises before us. These are great privileges before us and may we not take it for granted. Forgive us when we have Oh God Privileges from you and from your hand and you paid a dear ransom for it.

Through the precious blood of Jesus.

So father I pray within within this hour, but also within our whole entire life Save us from ourselves. Save us Oh God from apathy. Save us Oh God from lukewarmness. Deliver us Oh God. I pray that you would give us eyes to see Jesus and See only him also Lord.

I pray that we have eyes in her eyes by faith to see our own sin. Oh God. How horrible sin is in your sight? It's so horrible. It's beyond our comprehension. But how great is your love? How great is your love?

May we not forget this Lord and may we understand who we truly are in Jesus Christ who we identify with only Christ. That we are your people by your mercy Father and then we can give Truly back to you.

What is yours rightfully yours? And may our worship be acceptable Through Jesus Christ our Lord and I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Well, we have seen from the beginning of his letter that the Apostle Peter praised God Who has given us new birth?

By the Holy Spirit into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. You see that in chapter 1 verse 3 He actually says it it is a blessing as a doxology blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ Who according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through?

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and then he says in verse 4 to obtain an inheritance Which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away reserved in heaven for you. He expands on this inheritance within this text of the great privileges we have in Jesus Christ.

Then he exhorted the believers if you notice in verse 2 to crave and to long for the pure spiritual milk of the word so that by it we may grow up in our salvation and then he says graciously If that's the word if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

Now in chapter 1 he called the scattered believers God's elect God's elect exiles in verse chapter 1 verse 1 he also in chapter 1 verse 17 He mentions foreigners. They were foreigners and It's interesting to note that he declares in chapter 2 verse 9, which is a key verse you are a chosen race a royal priesthood a Holy nation a people for God's own possession so that you may proclaim The excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

To those who had been scattered by persecution and severe persecution and Seemed to have lost everything that they had at the cause of their faith in Jesus Christ. It was a must and a vital must and very vital to know Who they were in Jesus Christ.

This was the exhortation. They needed to know why they were being persecuted now it may seem odd. But it was because of Jesus Christ not because of anything of themselves.

They.

Identified with Jesus Christ and Peter brings out how they should live. I think that is very. It sounds very basic but it's very important us to know this. And this is what we're going to look at this is very critical.

Beloved because we live in a day and let me bring it to our day today. Not only in this lost world, which is depraved and on its way to hell under the wrath of Almighty God. But also within the church.

I dare to say that many of the tears within the church. There is the true church, which is the wheat but you have many tears that only As scripture says the angels is going to be able to Pull up at the harvest time.

They grow together right and they look almost identical. You can read about that. Jesus spoke about that. But within this church and within the world in which we live there seems to be what I would call a serious Identity problem.

Have you not noticed this today in the world? We live in everywhere I go when I work as a milkman. I see women that are trying to be men and men trying to be women. We have a serious problem folks people are confused and we know that the author of confusion is Satan himself and They're confused in their darkness.

They don't know where they're going to displace. Many people don't know why. Where they came from they don't know why they're here and they don't even know where they're going. Now that's sad. They're lost.

They're lost and they don't know where they're going. There's many people within the church that feels the same way. They don't even know their identity. People seek to understand who they are in various ways through the eyes of others.

Through subcultures of associate they associate with or terms of career possessions traditions family or nation people try to identify and be Like somebody or try to find their identity. As somebody once told me I'm trying to find my true self.

Really.

For some it is through their personal demons and sicknesses sin sicknesses. May I say that they try identify and there is a serious crisis. Let me say this a crisis among many who are obviously without hope is the Word of God says and without God.

That's the kind of world we live in but it's sad when you see this within the church folks. And there's a judgment God has given people over to a delusion. And that's what scripture says. Cannot they cannot people cannot identify again like to say they don't even know whether they're a male or female and They should know The way they're born and that's what God made them but Would not I'd be wrong to say that this is right on the verge or I should I say right into the area of?

Insanity. This is insane folks we we are and we're we living in a people and if people's they say as well, this is a Mental sickness. Well, yes, if it's a mental sickness First it was a sin sickness it's because of the sinfulness of the heart and the depravity of the heart and they don't know who they truly are and You know, I like what MacArthur says This is the only book that dams the entire human race and if you really want to know who you are Read this book here.

You know, you know. We are lost and we are depraved and we need to know that we're lost and depraved so we can run to somewhere to flee from the wrath of God to hide in the rock of ages and As in Jesus Christ because this book is all about the redemption and it shows us that our only hope is in Christ.

Now this is the world in which we live and they cannot see this. Well, I Say insanity. Yes, it is insanity people by the thousands. By the midrids of thousands the mirroreds I should say looking where they cannot.

They don't know who they really are. They look everywhere, but they fail to look in the right place or should I say they fail to look at the right at the right?

Source.

The right source I think would be more appropriate. And in the Bible is the Word of God like I said is where we can truly find out who we really are before God and.

Who God really is?

So I want to say Peter is really honing in on this so we can know Who we really are in Jesus Christ and who God really is. This is critical only by the Word of the Living God and what is God has given to us and has written revelation in 66 books of the Bible.

That's that can truly shape us and our character God us and our destiny and the right way that we should go. God has given this. As brother Ben was reading through Leviticus this morning. I was thinking it kept speaking about how God abhors and it's calls the nakedness of this and the nakedness of that.

And it's an abomination. God doesn't miss anything. He has given us everything we need to know pertaining to godliness.

All.

Instructions of righteousness is right here contained in the Bible the 66 books of the inspiration of God's Word. Aren't you glad it's the Word of God and I'm not talking about the Word of men. We're talking about the Word of the Living God.

Well through this message Let us listen with our inner ear by the help of the Holy Spirit To what God has to tell us about who we are in Jesus Christ. After all, this is what really matters who we are before him.

That's all that's going to matter because if we're not in him We're not God's people.

Jesus.

Made a line of demarcation. He said on this side it's those that love me and on this side those that love me not it's that easy and The world has come kind of grayed that out. Straddled in the fence. They want the world and they want Jesus at the same time.

It doesn't happen that way we have to die to one and Live to the other that's all there is and Jesus said that. Now that sounds simple, but We made it very complex. Because of our sin, that's why sin has complicated it.

Coming to the Living Stone and the Temple Fulfilled in Christ

Well, I'm picking up where I left off last week believers come to Jesus, right? That's why we come to Jesus the Living Stone. Notice in verse 4 and coming to him as to a living stone. Which has been rejected by men.

Jesus was rejected by me and he still is rejected by men Peter says but his choice and precious in the sight of God. We come to Jesus the Living Stone. Peter's word in verse 4 now He takes it through verse 8 and actually it reflects the temple and the sacrificial system of Israel.

So in verse 4 These words and coming to him. This is key as to a living stone, which has been rejected by men. But his choice and precious in the sight of God, you know. This reminds me of God's gracious repeated invitation to his people to come to him the Jewish culture of Peter's time.

And under the old economy centered on on the temple in Jerusalem apparently drawn from that picture. Very vividly Peter used this language to teach that God no longer dwells in an earthly material temporal house.

But in a spiritual house. This was the intention that God really had all along but the old economy. We have the shadows and the tides. To point us to the reality which is in Jesus Christ and what God is really up to.

We see the big picture. Now they could not see the big picture completely in the Old Testament. But we could see it as the old and new is before us. We have much light beloved. We have much light.

And.

We should be on our faces before God that God has given us much light because Jesus says much is given much will be required. Only Christians are united With and receive the spiritual life from the object of their worship.

It's interesting I'm now mentioned that because you had the Buddhas and Confucius and the Mohammed's. None of them you ever say or I'm in Mohammed. I'm in Confucius. I'm in Buddha. Only the Christians could say I am in Christ and we worship the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is the object of our worship and our love. So when you and I come to Christ the living stone, we become a living stone to ourselves. We possess his resurrection power his resurrection life and we draw from his spiritual resources.

This is an incredible because this can only happen by the power of the Holy Spirit the third person of the Trinity that brings us right into the presence of Jesus and Jesus brings us right into the presence of God the Father all working together.

Now that's what Peter meant when he said that God has granted to us. God has Granted don't you love that word? He grants repentance. He grants to us his Precious and magnificent precious promises in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature.

God's.

Holiness. Now we could be partakers of his divine nature. Now we're in or into a holy ground. Beloved Christians are so closely identified and united with Jesus Christ at the very life that exists in Christ.

Exists in us.

Now you contemplate on that a little bit. That the power of the Living God dwells within you he abides within you He dwells within you you are the habitation of God this morning. Much it's so much and and this implies so much.

Now in general There is much.

Specifics.

But what I'm saying is we can look at the general part of it. But there is much specifics to look at and when we try to break this down a little bit. Let's look at the specifics. God is holy and We are sinful.

That's the problem. But that's the solution. God is the solution. But how can we get to God if man is so unholy and God is holy? Actually Paul said this in 1st Timothy 6 16 he gives a benediction in the pastoral epistle here and he said who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light.

Whom no man has seen or can see. And then he says to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. You see God Under the old economy. This is where Peter is going. Under the old economy God provided a high priest.

There was a temple and there was a sacrificial system as you will know in the temple. There is the most holy place where God dwelt his manifest presence dwelt between the cherubim the seraphim the mercy seat and this is where his Shakana glory his manifest presence dwelt and from there God spoke to his people and this is how he did it.

No one could enter there except through the high priest, which was the Day of Atonement once a year and outside. Was the holy place? Which ordinary Jews were allowed into and as you well know, the Gentiles were not allowed there.

They had to stay in the outer court. Inscriptions was written in stone were mounted around the holy place. Warning that the Gentiles would be killed if any would enter. Very serious, isn't it? Very very serious.

You just don't barge in on God's presence they would immediately be put to death. God would kill him and the system of mediation Under the old economy was fulfilled In and by Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.

This is critical because we know it all centers on the cross of Jesus Christ everything now we look back at the cross since Genesis and since the great Promise of Jesus to come with the Messiah points to the cross his great sacrifice.

It all goes to that one point. This is why Paul says I know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. He was talking about the great importance of the crucified Christ on Calvary and how and how everything comes together at that point of how a sinful Person can meet a holy God and that's where they can meet because mercy and truth is kissed.

Justice and mercy has met together. This system of mediation under the old economy was fulfilled by Jesus Christ and is when he died On the cross and Gee, and you know the story and as Christ died on the cross and his sacrifice was accepted before a holy God.

The just demands of a holy God was satisfied. The curtain of the temple was torn in two. From top to bottom. Now, what does that tell us that tells us a lot. Only God could do that number one. Only God can take that that curtain from top to bottom and rip it in two.

Mark that's mark 1538 says is but this also indicated that the people could now come to God. Have access to God directly through Jesus Christ. No longer you need to go to the temple. That's not necessary now.

Because that was tights and shadows of what is to come the reality has come and now God has showed He has accepted the sacrifice the perfect sacrifice of the great high priest. Once and for all. Aren't you glad?

Oh, it's it's it's wonderful, isn't it? And the temple itself and the curtain temple was rent in two. I like what Jesus Said. There's a story in John 2 chapter 2 verse 18 through 22. Let me read to you.

You don't have to turn there, but I read it to you. It says it right here John chapter 2 verse 18 through 22. This is Very important to what is being said here the Jews then said to him they come to Jesus.

What sign? Do you show us as? Your authority for doing these things now what things are they're talking about? He just cleansed the temple he went into the temple and he cleansed it and The zeal of God the zeal the Lord had has eaten them up.

That was the scripture that was given to him and he over turned the the money changing changes and they were selling and buying in the temple and he and he rebuked them and said.

My.

Father's house would not be a den of thieves. But it'd be a house of prayer. He did this at the beginning of his ministry and he also cleansed the temple at the ending of his ministry. Got those bookends and I think it's very significant.

Because there's something important there that God is saying the purpose of the temple was a place of prayer. But they defiled it. They made it into a marketplace of buying and selling. Because and these were people religious people that were doing this and then after Jesus does this they said what sign.

Always a sign. They want. What sign you're going to give us showing that you have authority to do these things. Well, he answers them. Jesus answered them. Destroyed this temple. Another literally means that word temple means sanctuary.

You just you destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up. Well, the Jews then said it took 46 years to build this temple and you're going to raise it up in three days. Well, what did Jesus say, but he was speaking of the temple of his body.

Now they didn't get that no one got that not even the disciples got it because in verse 22 It says so when he had was raised from the dead in verse 22 his disciples. Now they got it. No, the Jews and the Pharisees didn't get it, but the disciples understood it and his disciples Remembered that's the key word right there.

They remembered that he said this that they believed the scriptures and the word which Jesus had spoken. Get that they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken so Jesus is.

That great.

Cornerstone, so Jesus is the new and living way opened about for us to God. As Hebrews 10 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with a full assurance that faith brings. You know what an awesome and great privilege we have we can enjoy as believers in Jesus Christ that we have access right into the presence of a holy God.

We as we come to Jesus and by the way, that's why Peter says this and coming to him. Coming to him. Keep coming to him keep remaining in him keep abiding in him. It's not a one-time coming right? I don't know about you.

I have to keep coming. I have to keep remaining. I have to keep going to Jesus Christ and keep going to him and keep repenting and keep believing and keep Persevering until he comes back again or until he calls me home.

You know, he's the living stone. He's the living sound. What happens what happens? Well, I can honestly say a transformation takes place. Well the transformation let's look at this first. He makes us like living stones.

This would be well, I only got two points this morning first. He makes us like living stones and builds us into a spiritual house. This is what God is doing verse 5. You also is living stones. You also as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ and we talked about a little bit About this text last week and I want to pick this up and I couldn't help but think about.

As.

What we used to be in Jesus Christ and Ephesians chapter 2 1 through 6 says so clearly as the Apostle Paul Brings us to light by the Holy Spirit he says this and You and chapter 2 verse 1 through 6 Ephesians and you.

Being dead or were dead being dead sounds very good. That's a good translation being dead in your trespasses and sins. Notice he keeps saying in which you formerly walked. According to the course of this world you on a different course.

According to the Prince and the power of the air. He was the Satan himself was our master. He was the taskmaster that was behind it. So if there's the world there, it's Satan that's behind this world system as well.

So of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too were all formerly lived in the lust of our flesh than the desires of our flesh and this next word Really makes it so crystal clear what we were doing.

We were indulging indulging ourselves in the desires of the flesh and of the mind the flesh and of the mind and We're by nature. We were born in this way, right. We were born this way we we adopted that Adamic sinful depraved nature.

It's part of us that nature that we are children of wrath. Wrath is coming to those who are in this way we must be changed we must be transformed and then he says even as the rest and Verse 4 is to transition that this is this is the greatest part of this text but God but God.

Being rich. He's rich. What's he rich in? He's rich in mercy. He's rich in compassion. He's he didn't have to be but he was compassionate toward us. It was nothing we did because we were dead in our sins, right.

And he was dead to dead sinners. Zombies dead zombies. I'd like to say we're dead in our chest transgressions. And what did he do? Well and with his great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in our transgressions.

Made us alive. Together there it is together with who Christ. Together with Christ see there's the identity. We identify with him we have our union with him and then he says in parentheses just to remind us.

It's not by good works, it's nothing that we have done by grace God's Favor that you have been saved. God has saved you solely upon his grace. Nothing that you and I have done because we were dead in our sins and then he saved us.

He didn't have to he loved us. He showed his mercy. He raised us up with him. Seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Then he tells us purpose here first seven so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Oh Hallelujah, we could just sit there and just praise God and glorify him and worship him because he's worthy. What a Savior we have today when we come to Jesus he breathes life into us. He breathes spiritual life into us.

He raised us from the dead. We were dead zombies that way we didn't come to Christ just making a decision or a sinner's prayer or going to an altar and. Sometime somehow we decided okay today. I'm going to make this the day if we do make a choice God initiated at first folks.

Now the choice that we make is Jesus, but first he chose us. We love him because he first loved us. We know that that because the Bible says there's none that seeks God. No, not one. There's none good.

No, not one. Paul made that very clear and he quotes the Old Testament prophets to prove it. Very spiritual life into us. We've come with spiritual alive in him. This is what Jesus does. This is what he does.

Believers are become living stones I think about it. Those stones are not for decoration. Are they they're not for decorations? No, they are to be living stones and they're being built stone by stone in perfection to a spiritual house.

This is the church beloved the spiritual house being a metaphor which describes the invisible church of the Living God the Ecclesia the called out ones called out of darkness that Calling is the effectual calling that God calls us out.

The God there's an outward call. There's an inner call, but. The outward call comes to us. But that inner calls the Spirit of God the effectually and a word that word effectually it is effective. It works.

God has you selected? It's the universal church. It's the remnant of the Church of God is God's people that God is building through Christ and Christ is the head and the chief cornerstone. Now we looked at this verse.

If you've turned to Ephesians 2 I say you didn't have to but go with me to Ephesians chapter 2 and look at verse 19 through 22. He expands on this a little bit. Apostle Paul says this so then in verse 19, so then.

You're no longer strangers. Oh. Don't you love that? You're no longer strangers and aliens foreigners. But you are fellow citizens. Fellow citizens your fellow citizens. No, heaven's gonna be wonderful in it with the Saints.

You know what the word Saints means holy ones. God is all about he is so holy his city is holy. He's holy. Everything about God's holy his people will be holy. There's no question to it or about it. And are the house are and are of the house God's household.

I notice what he says having been built on the foundation of the Apostles and the prophets. Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone that is the head that is the stone in which the whole structure is lined up.

Brother Keith and I were talking about this. It's the plumb line. It's the one that the whole structure is supported on Jesus Christ himself. Now and then he says he's to be in the cornerstone in whom the whole building.

Don't you love this. Paul said he on. Paul understood it the whole building. Peter understood being fitted. Together there it again. The word is together in growing into a. What kind of unholy temple?

No a holy temple, you know that word holy. It means separate it means separate if anything it means cleansed. There's a cleansing but when I see that word, holy, I think you are separated. David. Remind myself you are different from the world.

You are called out of darkness. You are to be separate says the Lord come out from among them and be you separate. You are to be separated from them to be different from them because you're cleansed. Because God has called me out of darkness.

You see I have to remind myself of that because that's who I am in Jesus Holy temple. But see it's just he has a purpose of separating us. Because God will have nothing to do with sin nothing a holy temple a Sanctuary in the Lord in whom you also being built together into a dwelling of God and the Spirit.

Now, there's the purpose of Jesus building the church that he's building. That we are a holy temple. God's people are a holy temple a holy Sanctuary in the Lord in whom you're also being built and he didn't say alone.

No, you're being built up together.

But the whole household of God.

Together into a Dwelling of God where the Holy Spirit dwells within us. This is the church of the Living God. This is the church Christ is building. Christ is the cornerstone of the church built on the foundation of biblical truth.

Now, that's what it means about the prophets and the apostles. These holy men of God was chosen of God and they spoke for God, but is basically It was they were spokesmen that were different than Jesus.

Now Jesus was more than just a spokesman He was the Word in flesh.

These were.

Holy men of God separated God chose and by the way when usually God chooses people they choose. God chooses them to suffer. Because the world's not going to like him Raven. He'll says you might as well just give your head to the butcher block because they're gonna take your head off when you get out there and speak the truth and I'm telling.

Go out there and speak this truth the way the Bible says it and I can guarantee you not gonna be. Oh, yes I've been waiting all day to hear this now. No because it attacks their sin nature and People love their sin there.

They love don't don't haven't we all been there. We love to indulge ourselves and gratify the old flesh. Well, you know something. I know I'm starting to metal a little bit now, but you know, that's the truth the old flesh likes to be Catered to it likes to be pampered.

The flesh likes it. Scripture says it to its pleasure and sin. You know, God doesn't pull any punches on that. But it's only for a season. And I like what I think it was Watson that said this brother Keith.

What fools are they that drink a drop of pleasure? In comparison to a sea of wrath. You see how blind people are. So you you rather? Live your best life now as people are mocking God and doing it in the name of God.

That's what's so bad about it. The world does it but when the church starts promoting it. It's even worse because they use in the name of the Holy God. It's blasphemy. And you know. It's it's soul-searching too, but God this is another reason why we're under the judgment of God.

But the probably apostles and prophets were part of that foundation. Now not because of the who they were in sense of being men. It was because of the biblical Inspiration the divine revelation that God the Holy Spirit was speaking through them.

That's why.

You see we that's why we say these 66 books are inspired of God.

God breathed.

Inerrant infallible.

All-sufficient.

Because it is God's work. You see and that's the reason why it's the foundation. RC brought this out. He mentioned this last Lord's Day, but sent me this message about being building your life on the rock the conclusion that Jesus made of the Sermon on the Mount and he gives the example of the house and the foundation and.