Elect Exiles - Part 4

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

Four G’s reminder...

God is good, so you don’t have to look elsewhere

God is great, so you don’t have to be in control

God is gracious, so you don’t have to prove yourself

God is glorious, so you don’t have to fear others

1 Peter 2:4–5 ESV

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

As you come to him… an ongoing coming, a continued walking and fellowship with Jesus...

Jesus is… Rejected by men, chosen by God… Jesus AND Christians...

You also are “living stones.” Dynamic, not static.

Together we are a spiritual house… Christianity is NOT an individual faith or spirituality… A convenience for those who need it...

We are all priests, given the ministry of reconciliation (cross reference)

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

ANYONE, New creation

Old gone, new come

Reconciled, given ministry of reconciliation

Not counting, entrusting

WE ARE AMBASSADORS, God is making an appeal to the world through US!

Jesus takes our sin, we become reconciled to God.

Holy Priesthood

Connected & Called

Connected = access to God

Called = offer spiritual sacrifices

1 Peter: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Privilege of Access to God through Spiritual Sacrifices

The New Testament sets forth seven basic, acceptable spiritual sacrifices for Christians: their bodies, their praise, their good works, their possessions, their converts, their love, and their prayers.

1 Peter 2:6 ESV

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.”

First comes from Isaiah 28:16

Shame: My definition

Guilt: You’ve done wrong

Shame: You don’t belong

1 Peter 2:7 ESV

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,”

1 Peter 2:8 ESV

and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

Contrast. Is Jesus precious to you??

Vs 6, we see Jesus is precious to those who are elect/chosen.

Vs 7-8, we see Jesus is a stone of stumbling and rock of offense to those who reject him.

1 Peter 2:9–10 ESV

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. 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.

You’re chosen

THAT YOU MAY… proclaim the excellencies of Jesus

It hasn’t always been this way, God gives us mercy

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