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1 Peter 2:4-11
January 15, 2023

• Title of the sermon: Unity of Believers, pt 2
• Outline¹
• We Are in the Same Family (LAST WEEK)
• We Are Stones Of The Same Spiritual House
• We Are In The Same Priesthood
• We Are Citizens In The Same Nation

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

We Are Stones Of The Same Spiritual House

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5a you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house,

• 4 b a living stone rejected by men
  • Jesus was evaluated by the powers of His day. Rejected was the consensus.
  • but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
  • This speaks to a common theme in the Bible: lost man sees in the opposite of God.
• 4 As you [plural] come to him, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house,
  • “as you come” = “visit” him as teacher, approach, draw nigh, legal defs.: appear before; come in, surrender to (LSJ).
  • As you come = personal choice and personal responsibility.
  • Interpretive question? Do the verses apply to justification of sanctification.
  • #1 each time a person gets saved.
  • Wiersbe believed that, “Each time someone trusts Christ, another stone is quarried out of the pit of sin and cemented by grace into the building.” (p 902)
  • #2 sanctification: “as you come [closer] to Him” is the idea.
  • Wuest wrote that, the “words ‘as you come’ in the Greek text does not refer to the initial act of the sinner coming to the Lord Jesus for salvation, but indicate a close and habitual approach and an intimate association …” (p 52)
  • The immediate context would point to the latter.
  • Remember, they are told to grow up in the faith in on the milk of the word (vv 1-3).
• 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house,
  • THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLS EVERY BELIEVER.
  • “Spiritual house” > There is no place like home.
  • CAMP: As they came they are built up.
  • Every step is beneficial.
  • There is a pay off for obedience.
  • As individuals are built up the community of the Saints is built up.
  • As Jesus finishes His work in us, as the Church goes home to be with Christ, the people of God are being built up further.

ILLUSTRATION

• This is illustrative in that, as we surrender to Him Jesus we become a more suitable place for worship and others to find God.
• Rick Warren: The community, the crowd, the congregation, the committed, the core.

APPLICATION

• Do we want to become stronger in the Lord?
• We can.
• James 4:8, Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
• Hebrews 11:6, And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
• One must apply themselves to drawing closer to Christ to be built by Him, the expert builder of people.
• Jesus does the the heavy lifting—He builds us up.
• Our lives can be spiritual homes.

Peter builds his argument v 6, For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

• 6 For it stands in Scripture:
  • For Peter, when something is in Scripture, then something stands.
  • Scripture is the actual reality of our lives and what is actually what is happening in the spiritual world.
  • If scripture says it, it truly is the end of the matter.
  • These words stand as a forever truth.
• Verse 6b: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious,
  • A cornerstone is one of a kind.
  • It’s the first stone put down in a stone building.
  • Everything is measured off of it.
  • The Father laid Jesus in place for the spiritual building.
  • Chosen = picked out.
  • Precious = held in honor, prized; honorable, noble, dear to one (Thayer)
  • Being the only Cornerstone laid by God, there is no other place to look other than Jesus.
  • Jesus is the cornerstone > the stone which is used to lay out the entire building.
• and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
  • “Whoever” = open invitation
  • “believes in him” > humans are on the razor’s edge of salvation.
  • Will not be put to shame = shame that causes blushing, disgrace (Thayer).
  • Jesus has dealt with the shame of believers’ sin.
  • Unbelievers— on the other hand —will experience shame. Why? They will have to deal with their sins. Those sins are utterly shameful next to Holy God.
  • Remember shame was experienced in the garden.
  • SIN > SHAMES
  • Anytime the fallen human is laid bare next to the holy. holy, holy God, shame will ensue.
  • Hebrews 12:2, “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (underline mine)
  • Jesus took our shame and it has been dealt with.
• 7 So the honor is for you who believe,
  • Instead of shame—honor.
  • Many definitions for the Greek word for honor here.
  • The honor is for the believers who were being built up as a spiritual building.
  • “honor” (NASB “precious value”) = timē (tee-may) = a valuing by which the price is fixed; blood-money (Thayer); pay or honor due regarding friends (LSJ).
  • So perhaps Peter is saying, it took a valuable price for those believers to be built up.
  • God will honor the individual that believes in Jesus, because of Jesus.
  • God will honor the church that draws close to Jesus, because of Jesus.
• 7b but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”
  • “but” the Asian Minor churches were contrasted with those “who do not believe.”
  • Jesus was rejected. He was looked at and evaluated by the religious leaders but rejected.
  • And yet Jesus is the only stone that could be.
  • He was the only cornerstone that could be used for the building.
  • Jesus was “offensive” to them.
  • “Peter quoted Isaiah 28:16 and Psalm 118:22 in his description and pointed out that Jesus Christ, though chosen by God, was rejected by men. He was not the kind of Messiah they were expecting …” (Wiersbe, 902)
  • The politically connected vs. a homeless Savior.
  • Jesus didn’t measure up for them. They missed God.
  • 2000 years later unbelievers continue to look for the found Stone of God.
  • Jesus is the only stone that will ever be.
  • There is no there name. There is no other cornerstone.
• 8b They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
  • THEY stumbled because THEY disobey the word (the OT in their day). This is an act of their will.
  • They had the proof of Jesus in their hands.
  • Matthew 21:42, Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

APPLICATION

• The first and only decision is Jesus or no?
• If yes, spiritual strength and honor.
• If no, destiny of shame.
• Jesus is God’s centerpiece. Everything depends on Him.
• He is the only Rock of Ages.

TRANSITION

Now that we are reminded that we are not going to be put to shame, let’s look at the role God’s children have, verse 5 again.

We Are In The Same Priesthood

to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

• "to be a holy priesthood"
  • holy = devoted to God: sacred > set apart from the common
  • Also glance at verse 9, a royal priesthood,
  • royal = Of, relating to, or in the service of a kingdom (Wordnik)
  • The basic meaning of priest in the Bible is a person who serves God and has the right to approach God in religious ceremonies for himself and as the go-between for others.
  • “Whereas in the Old Testament this privilege was restricted to one of the tribes of Israel,” Peter taught— along with other NT writers —that all believers are priests.
  • That is one of the direct benefits of Jesus’ death and resurrection: the Church gained better access than Israel had previously!
  • We have become sacred priests to serve the Living God in a holy building.
  • Listen to all the phrases of the church that Peter chose here (“chosen
    people,” “royal priesthood,” “holy nation,” “people for God’s
    own possession”) originally referred to Israel.
• The churches in Asia Minor had important duties to the world.
• 5b to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
  • “to” = purpose >> offer spiritual sacrifices instead of animal sacrifices.
  • “It goes without saying that these offerings are not for sin. The sin offering has been made once and for all by Jesus, and there is a total absence in the New testament of any language which suggest that Christian shares in it.” (Marshall, p 69)
  • offerings may be “acceptable” = well received = receive favorably.
  • “Acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” = where our mediator is involved, our sacrifices are acceptable. Where our mediator is absent, our sacrifices do not measure up.
  • THROUGH —> JESUS CHRIST
  • Just as a material sacrifices in the Old Testament had to be an offering God was willing to accept, as as the New Testament (Marshall, p 68).

ILLUSTRATION

• The priests in the temple > explained and led in worship.
• Through their work, they were to offer spiritual sacrifices for the people.

APPLICATION

• The book of 1 Peter isn’t written to Levites or to pastors in Asia minor area.
• He wrote it to the holy, royal priesthood of all believers.
• We are all priests in the Church. We are to help the lost and the weak find the Lord. For we have access.
• Also, one of the core aspects of the Christian life is sacrifice.
• spiritual sacrifices > when one serves God, one must sacrifice.
• Time, money, their wills, emotional strength, physical and spiritual strength.
• Service is sacrifice.
• Romans 12:1-2, I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

TRANSITION

• Now that we see that we a holy, royal priesthood, let’s see what kind of nation we are supposed to be.

We Are Citizens In The Same Nation

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

• 9 But you are a chosen race,
  • All believers are one race. This has always been the case.
  • Abraham’s children > spiritual Jews
• a holy nation,
  • A set apart nation.
  • One nation, unified under The One King, working towards His vision and desires.
• a people for his own possession,
  • This phrase communicates the “particular significance” they have to God. (Marshall, p 75)
• Yet, possession was not the end all purpose. We see purpose in v 9: that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people;
  • No higher honor than to be one of God’s people. But that honor comes with responsibility.
  • “That you may” COMMENT
  • May what? proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light
  • Therefore, “We must live lives of a character that can be recognized for its quality even by non-Christians.” (Marshall, p 78)
  • The Church is to be the catalyst through which the light of God reaches individuals who still sit in spiritual darkness. (Constable)
  • THE MESSAGE:
  • once you had not received mercy,
  • but now you have received mercy.
  • Again, the benefits of our salvation are the fuel for the right attitudes we should have, and the right actions we should live by.

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

• Counter culture
• Our flesh sides with the culture.

APPLICATION

• Do we place too much emphasis on being Americans verses understanding that we are really a spiritual nation? (cf. Marshall, p 79)
• Too often we are focused on our temporal country instead of our spiritual country.
• The Church has not lived up to its calling in so many ways.
• We are often too worldly minded.
• We have a ministry of apostleship > to “proclaim the excellencies of him”.
• We are to abstain from the staining power of the culture.
• We are to proclaim Jesus to people and brag on Him for the marvelous things He has done.

Note

¹ Sub-titles adapted from Warren Wiersbe’s The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, p 901 ff (David C. Cook, 2007).

Works Cited

Scripture quotations [unless otherwise noted] are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Most Works Cited. Please click here to access the web-page for all of the works cited, save those above–if any. Most of the works cited on the linked web-page correspond to the verses they are outlined with. In the case of background information and other general reference citations, one will find cited material with the Bible books the citations are associated with. ¶ Furthermore, all citations with URL linked, numbered notes are from Thomas Constable’s, “Dr. Constable’s Expository (Bible Study) Notes.” These links are preserved “as is” at the time of this work’s formation.

Other Works Cited

Marshall, I. Howard. 1 Peter. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, Ed. Grant Osborne, et al, InterVarsity Press, 1991.

Michaels, J. Ramsey. Word Biblical Commentary: 1 Peter. Ed. David Hubbard, et al, Word Publishers, 1988.

Wuest, Kenneth. First Peter in the Greek New Testament. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, eighth ed., 1960.

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