1 Peter 2:4-8 A New Temple for a New Covenant
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In the beginning of this chapter, Peter gives us the key to spiritual maturity - we need to lay aside the sinful attitudes that characterized our behaviour before we came to Christ. Here specifically he calls out malice, hypocrisy, envy and slander. As we struggle to shed these attitudes (since we are still in the flesh), we draw closer to the Lord. This is all part of the Lord’s greater plan to build His church.
In the beginning of this chapter, Peter gives us the key to spiritual maturity - we need to lay aside the sinful attitudes that characterized our behaviour before we came to Christ. Here specifically he calls out malice, hypocrisy, envy and slander. As we struggle to shed these attitudes (since we are still in the flesh), we draw closer to the Lord. This is all part of the Lord’s greater plan to build His church.
And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is 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. For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.
In the beginning of this chapter, Peter gives us the key to spiritual maturity - we need to lay aside the sinful attitudes that characterized our behaviour before we came to Christ. Here specifically he calls out malice, hyprocrisy, envy and slander. As we struggle to shed these attitudes (since we are still in the flesh), we draw closer to the Lord. This is all part of the Lord’s greater plan to build His church.
What is next in the plan? What are God’s plans for us? In the next few verses, Peter will explain to us how, once we put our faith in the Lord, He will integrate us into His kingdom. We are not to be passive, rather we need to stay close to the Lord in prayer and the Word, act like His disciples and children, and do as He commands. As we do that, we become part of His project to call His people into a new kingdom.
These Christians, whom Peter is writing to, scattered across the world, are united as members of that kingdom. They are building blocks of the new temple - the first and second temples were physical models of this new Temple, which is organic and spiritual. When you come to Christ, God has a plan for you, and every other Christian.
If you are not a Christian, God has a plan for you as well, but it is not in His new kingdom. If you reject Christ, then when you stand before Him in judgement when you die, He will want none of you.
Key Question/Interrogative: How does God integrate us into His kingdom?
Key Question/Interrogative: How does God integrate us into His kingdom?
Imperative: We must conform ourselves to Christ, as we take up our new roles in the kingdom.
Imperative: We must conform ourselves to Christ, as we take up our new roles in the kingdom.
Transition: God’s Kingdom here is pictured as the the New Temple, who’s cornerstone is Christ with Christians forming its structure and priesthood.
How to build a Temple
Purpose of the Temple - where God meets His people.
“But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come. “There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. “There also you and your households shall eat before the Lord your God, and rejoice in all your undertakings in which the Lord your God has blessed you.
Temple is God’s design
Select the materials (done)
Process the materials
Assemble the materials
Man and operate the Temple
First Point: The Cornerstone of the entire temple
First Point: The Cornerstone of the entire temple
And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
Rejected by men - Christ and us - makes it hard to come to Him
Choice in the sight of God - Christ and us
This choice living stone is the cornerstone which is the foundation of the entire structure - it must be strong to hold everything together.
The cornerstone in this case is indestructible - nothing compares
The rock in the desert that Moses drew water from
The stone that shattered the image in Daniel. (Dan. 2)
We are drawn to the cornerstone. We are conformed in the image of the cornerstone.
John 6:37 ““All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”
Illustration: Gold and Iron Pyrite - we should be drawn to the genuine, not the fake
Argumentation: We should not be drawn to the profane.
Faith healers, prosperity
Oprah
Apostates - smooth talking preachers.
Exhortation: seek the Christ of the Bible any way you can, and imitate and follow Him.
Second Point: The building blocks or stones
Second Point: The building blocks or 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.
More comparison to the Temple.
Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “The two shall become one flesh.” But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.
Calvin: Peter no doubt meant to exhort the faithful to consecrate themselves as a spiritual temple to God; for he aptly infers from the design of our calling what our duty is. We must further observe, that he constructs one house from the whole number of the faithful. For though every one of us is said to be the temple of God, yet all are united together in one, and must be joined together by mutual love, so that one temple may be made of us all. Then, as it is true that each one is a temple in which God dwells by his Spirit, so all ought to be so fitted together, that they may form one universal temple. This is the case when every one, content with his own measure, keeps himself within the limits of his own duty; all have, however, something to do with regard to others. stones of the temple are strong, solid, heavy, robust stones.
This is what God seeks to make us. people are the building blocks of the new temple. They must be of the highest quality composition and free of impurities (sin) as these weaken the structure.
This is where the priesthood works. Welcoming people to the kingdom, leading them to Christ, Spiritual sacrifices.
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
“He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.”
What are those sacrifices? Service, offerings, spiritual gifts, John Chau (Sentinelese missionary).
Illustrations: Koreans thank you gifts. Thank you notes.
Argumentation: What the world says about John Chau and Jim Eliot.
Third Point: Attitudes toward the cornerstone(vv6-8).
Third Point: Attitudes toward the cornerstone(vv6-8).
For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.
OT Context of these verses.
Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, O scoffers, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we have made a pact. The overwhelming scourge will not reach us when it passes by, For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception.” Therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.
This is profound - This shows how the Lord calls out His people - leaves the rebellious and unrepentant in sin.
V. 7
The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone. This is the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Jesus Himself told us He would be reviled and rejected, as would His followers. We need to rejoice in our good providence.
V. 8
“It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread. “Then He shall become a sanctuary; But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. “Many will stumble over them, Then they will fall and be broken; They will even be snared and caught.”
Lesson: Understand the relationship between the lively stones (Jesus and His followers) and the world. The City of God and the earthly city. If it is acceptable to the world, it is unacceptable to the Lord. If it is acceptable to the Lord, it is unacceptable to the world.
If it is pleasing to the world, its not pleasing to God.
The world ridicules Christians because it is evil and under the influence of Satan. This is why we have to leave behind our sinful attitudes - Satan uses those.
Christians have always been reviled and persecuted, just as the prophets and Christ foretold.
As a Christian, you can never please the world, nor should you desire to. The world is filled with evil and enjoys the company of other evil. Satan, the author of evil will tempt you with evil and ridicule your commitment to Christ and His righteousness.
Summary:
Summary:
God is building a new Temple. He chose us out as “lively stones.
It all depends on Christ
We are dependent on Him for life, for power, for sanctification, for faith, for love, for our knowledge of Him,
We are not interdependent. We depend on Christ, but He does not depend on us.
He is perfect and perfectly reliable
We are not
He compensates for our failures.
Gospel Appeal:
Gospel Appeal:
Come to Him as a living stone. Turn to Christ. Cast off your sinful attitudes - reject sin in all its forms. He will forgive your sins and make you a lively stone in His Temple.