- I Peter 2:4-8
- Hebrews 11:8-10,13-16
- Where do you find your identity?
- Who are the people of God?
- Identifying God’s people
- “As living stones”
- Ephesians 1:18
- God wants you as His inheritance.
- Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 2:10
- Romans 8:29
- The living stone, rejected but chosen (I Peter 2:4)
- The stone imagery is historically rooted in Messianic hope.
- Daniel 2:44-45
- Jesus is the living Messiah, the fulfillment of the prophets’ message of hope.
- I Peter 1:3,21 – Our hope and faith are resting upon Jesus’ resurrection.
- Now, you yourselves as living stones (I Peter 2:5)
- I believe this is part of the idea of “getting our minds ready for action” (I Peter 1:13)
- As “living stones,” that is, we are modeling the life of Jesus, God is using us.
- We are precious, valuable, and chosen.
- We are being built into a spiritual house.
- This is who we are!
- This picture is amplified in that we are a “holy priesthood”
- We are people set apart for God’s use and God’s service.
- The beautiful picture is that all Christians are priests.
- Everyone who comes to the living stone is a priest.
- We have direct access to God.
- This is a call to our holiness.
- Romans 12:1-2
- Peter is going to use three quotations from the Old Testament to further identify who we are as the people of God.
- Jesus, the cornerstone (I Peter 2:6)
- Isaiah 28:16
- When we build our lives on Jesus, we will never be put to shame.
- We will be rejected by the people of this world.
- Our trials and hardships are not a symbol of God’s rejection.
- What about the unbelieving? Acts 4:11-12
- Isaiah 8:14-15
- Your can refuse Jesus, but you’re building your life in such a way that it will end in disaster.
- Don’t stumble by disobeying the message.
- Don’t put your life on the wrong course.
- Tear down that life built on an improper foundation.
- Your can refuse Jesus, but you’re building your life in such a way that it will end in disaster.
- Jesus, the cornerstone (I Peter 2:6)
DM
April 20, 2014
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