As you come to him, the living stone, rejected by men, but chosen by God and precious to him,
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood,
offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For in Scripture it says,
See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.
But to those who do not believe, the stone the builders rejected has become the capstone.
And the stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.
They stumble because they disobey the message, which is also what they were destined for.
Let's talk to God.
We're going to pray and ask for God's help as we look at this text together.
Let's pray.
Father, we trust you that your word that we have just read and listened to is true and trustworthy.
It is living and powerful.
And so we pray that your word would do an effective and changing work in each of our lives.
Father, we pray that as we come face to face with Jesus through this word,
we would be a people who build our lives on the solid foundation of who Jesus is,
and that we would live our lives in response to what he has done.
Father, please change us.
Please open up our eyes to see Jesus more clearly and understand who he is and what he has done.
We ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
A couple were walking around a car boot sale.
And as they walked around and surveyed the items,
they picked up what was a very small, plain bowl,
about the size of a breakfast bowl, for three dollars.
Clearly, the seller had rejected it as a piece of worthless junk.
To the buyers, however, it was something precious to them.
And to them it had some kind of value.
And they decided that they would have it valued.
And they discovered that this three dollar bowl was worth about one to two hundred thousand dollars.
They then decided they were going to take it to auction.
And when it went to auction, it sold for a massive 2.2 million dollars.
To one, it was rejected as useless.
To another, it was chosen as precious.
Now, for many people, Jesus Christ is seen as someone to reject.
Have a look at verse 4, what we read together.
Verse 4.
As you come to him, that's as you come to Jesus,
the living stone, rejected by men,
but chosen by God and precious to him.
Jesus was rejected.
He was pushed aside, ignored, betrayed by everyone,
and left to die on a cross.
But in the eyes of God, he is chosen,
and he is precious,
with eternal value.
Now, the point is,
if we are followers of Jesus too,
that's going to be our experience.
That's going to be our story too.
Let's read verse 4 again.
As you come to him,
as you come to Jesus,
the living stone,
rejected by men,
but chosen by God and precious to him,
you also like living stones.
You see, to live as a Christian in this world,
if you speak for Christian truth,
if you stand up for Christian values,
it means we will face rejection.
To the world, if you are a Christian,
you may feel like a stranger,
an outsider,
a nobody,
irrelevant,
outdated,
and of no value.
Nothing more than a rejected piece of junk.
But in the eyes of God,
you are chosen,
and you are precious.
Have a look back at chapter 1,
verse 1.
Look at what it says there,
how it reminds us.
Look how it starts,
to God's elect,
strangers in the world,
scattered,
verse 2,
but who have been chosen
according to the foreknowledge of God.
We might be forsaken by friends,
opposed by family,
but always remember this,
we are God's chosen people,
loved and treasured like Jesus.
In fact,
what we are is God's chosen community,
God's special people,
God's representatives,
here in this world.
So let's see how this is true.
How we are,
on the one sense,
rejected,
but on the other side,
chosen and precious.
We're going to see this in three ways.
First,
as we look at the way in which
Jesus builds his church.
Let's read verse 4.
As you come to him,
that's Jesus,
the living stone.
Now that's a very strange way
to talk about anybody,
talk about them as a stone.
Why is Jesus a living stone?
Well,
we're given a clue.
If you look at verse 6,
just a little bit further down.
This is a quote
from the prophet Isaiah.
For in scripture it says,
See,
I lay a stone in Zion,
or in Jerusalem,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.
This is God's word
through the prophet Isaiah.
And it comes to Isaiah
at a time
when God's people were in exile,
literally strangers in a foreign land.
But there was a problem for them.
There was no temple
when they were in exile.
The temple,
you remember,
was central to the people
because it was through the temple
and in the temple
that they got to meet God.
Here in the temple
was where their sin was dealt with
so that they could have access to God.
So no temple,
no God,
and no relationship with God.
And so the people
cry out to God,
How are we going to meet you?
How are we going to know you?
And God makes this promise.
And the promise is,
in verse 6,
let's read it again,
He says,
See,
I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.
God is saying,
I am going to build a new temple,
but this new temple
is not going to be
a physical building
made out of blocks and mortar,
but this temple
is going to be a person.
I lay a chosen,
a precious cornerstone.
The one who trusts in him,
in this stone,
this cornerstone,
will have life.
And that's exactly
what Peter is saying.
Jesus is the cornerstone.
The cornerstone,
or verse 4,
the living stone.
It was the first stone
that was put down
in the foundation of a building,
on which every other stone
was laid.
So the level had to be right,
and the angle had to be right.
It was the foundation
and most important stone.
And Peter is saying,
Jesus is that stone.
Jesus is the true foundation,
the true temple.
So if you want to know God,
if you want to meet God,
if you want to enjoy God,
you don't go into a building
that's made of blocks and mortar.
You go to a person,
and his name is Jesus.
He is the living stone.
The one who came into this world
to die for you,
to take the blame
for the wrong things you've done.
The one who rose again
from the grave
to defeat sin and death.
He is the living stone,
the foundation stone,
the one who gives you
an inheritance
and a life
that can never perish,
spoil,
or fade.
How do we experience this life?
Well, look what it says
in verse 4.
As you come to him,
as you come to Jesus,
as you trust in him,
as you build your life
on the foundation
of his death
and his resurrection,
so you have life
and life eternal.
That's why
those who turn to him
are precious.
But this building
is for a purpose.
The coming to Jesus
is for a purpose.
There's the first one,
living stone,
and the second,
a spiritual house.
So as we come to Jesus,
look what happens
in verse 5.
You also,
like living stones,
are being built
into a spiritual house
to be a holy priesthood
offering spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ.
So you see,
everyone
who comes to Jesus
and trusts in Jesus
is built
on the foundation
of Jesus Christ.
But not only that,
we're built together
by Jesus Christ.
So if you can think
of us gathered here today
that each one of us,
if we're trusting in Jesus,
is like a block
or a brick.
And Jesus takes
those blocks
and those bricks,
he builds us
on the foundation
of his life.
And he builds us together
so that we become,
verse 5,
a spiritual house.
And a spiritual house
is another way
of talking about
the temple.
God's house.
So as Jesus
builds us together,
we become
the temple of God.
we actually become
the dwelling place
where God lives
by his spirit.
So in a sense,
as we gather here together
as people who believe
in Jesus,
we are the dwelling place
where God is.
God is actually here
right now,
present with us
by his spirit.
Now that's going to be
huge encouragement
if we are facing rejection
from friends or family.
Here's what it means.
First,
no matter what opposition
we might face
as God's people,
God is always
with us.
We're a spiritual house.
We're built together
where God lives
by his Holy Spirit.
That means that
when I experience
rejection
as a Christian,
God will not
abandon me
and he will not
leave me
to fend for myself.
God sticks with us.
He never leaves us.
Wherever we go
as his people,
God goes with us
because he is dwelling
in us
and with us.
But the second thing,
no matter what persecution
we may face
as God's people,
God is still building
up his church.
His building project
is not finished.
God is still saving people
who have rejected him
and he's building them
together to be
his people.
You know,
when Peter wrote
this letter
in the first century,
a few decades
after he wrote it,
being a Christian
and meeting together
as we are right now
was an illegal act
to do in the Roman Empire.
You couldn't be a Christian
and you couldn't
meet together.
And as a result,
thousands of Christians
were put to death.
Some of them
were set alight
and used as human
torches by Nero,
covered in sheepskin
and set amongst the lions
for the entertainment
of the crowd.
And today,
in many, many parts
of the world,
there are Christians
who lose their life
because they side
with Jesus.
People are facing rejection.
But here's the good news
and the encouragement.
Jesus is still building
his church.
He was building it
when Peter wrote it
and he's building it today.
People all over the world
in Ireland
and in Carigaline
are still coming to Jesus
and are being built together
to become a spiritual house
where God lives
and dwells.
Yes,
life will be tough.
Life will be difficult
as a Christian.
But God,
through his son,
Jesus Christ,
is building his church.
We are part
of God's never-ending,
ever-growing
building project.
So yes,
we will face rejection.
But remember,
you are chosen.
You are precious.
You are part
of God's
eternal
building.
So that's the first thing
that we look at.
The second thing,
Jesus is empowering
his church.
Have a look at verse 5.
So you also,
like living stones,
are being built
into a spiritual house
to be a holy priesthood
offering spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ.
So God's people
are a spiritual house
and they are to offer
spiritual sacrifices.
Now,
spiritual is,
it's got a meaning here.
It means to be
influenced
or to be
controlled by
the Holy Spirit.
In other words,
God's people
are a spirit-filled,
a spirit-empowered people.
The very same
spirit
that rose
Jesus
from the dead
is the same spirit
and the same power
that is alive
and at work
within God's people.
So Jesus
empowers
his church
to serve God
in the world
where they are.
And we serve
the Lord
in two ways.
First,
he describes us
as a holy priesthood.
Again,
look at verse 5.
like you are being
built into a spiritual house
to be
a holy priesthood.
Have you ever
thought of yourself
as being a holy priesthood?
Well,
again,
the language
takes us back
to the temple,
to the Old Testament.
And in the temple,
the priests
were given
that special work.
They were set apart
from everybody else
and they were dedicated
to serve God
in the temple.
That was their life's work.
In fact,
through their serving,
they were representing
God to the people.
They were like a mediator
between God and people.
What they did
was make God
known to the people.
What God wanted to say,
he said through the priests.
What God wanted them to do,
he said through the priests.
God communicated,
if you like,
through them
to the people.
Now,
we are God's
holy priesthood.
God's holy priesthood.
We are set apart
by God
and dedicated
to serve God.
More specifically,
we are to make
God known
to the people
around us.
That's the purpose
of the church.
We are to display
God
to the world.
So,
if somebody should
come up and ask
and they say,
what's God like?
I've never met God.
Could you tell me
what he's like?
Well,
part of that answer
is to say,
I tell you what,
go and have a look
at the church.
Go and have a look
at Carigoline Church.
Look how the church
lives.
Listen to what
the church says.
Observe them
in the way
in which they behave.
The way in which
they interact.
As people hear
and see,
they will begin
to understand
understand
something
of what God
is like.
So,
as a holy priesthood,
we are to display
God to the world.
As he empowers us
and fills us
with his Holy Spirit,
he enables us
and equips us
to live
as God's people
to serve him
where we are
right now.
So,
he empowers
his church.
And,
not only that,
we are to be
spiritual sacrifices.
You see,
the primary role
of the priest
was to offer
sacrifices.
That's what they did
all day,
every day.
So,
verse 5,
we are to be
a holy priesthood
offering
spiritual sacrifices
to God.
Now,
we've got to be
very clear here
that we don't
get confused.
We're not called
to make sacrifices
to God
so that God
will accept us.
No,
Jesus is that
perfect sacrifice
for our sins.
Have a look
at chapter 3.
So,
you need to maybe
flick over the page,
I'm not sure,
but chapter 3,
the big 3,
and then verse 18,
which is the little 18.
So,
chapter 3,
big 3,
little 18.
Here's what it says.
It's talking about
Jesus being the sacrifice.
For Christ
died for sins
once for all,
the righteous
for the unrighteous
to bring you to God.
You see,
when Jesus died,
his sacrifice
was for us
on our behalf.
It was perfect,
it was complete,
it was sufficient.
when Jesus died,
that was enough.
He died for all
of our sin,
past,
present,
and future,
to bring people
like us
into a relationship
with God.
Go back to chapter 2.
So,
we're not to make
a kind of sacrifice
to try and get God
to accept us
and to earn
his approval.
No,
in the light
of what Jesus
has done for us,
because Jesus
was that true sacrifice,
in response,
we offer ourselves
as,
as if you like,
a living sacrifice
to God.
Through
Jesus Christ.
It's because
of what Jesus
has done
that we can now
offer ourselves
to God
as a sacrifice.
And how do we
offer ourselves
to God?
How are we going
to be a living
sacrifice?
Well,
as the role
of the priest
was to do,
it's to make
God known
in the world.
That's our sacrifice.
Our sacrifice
is to display
the goodness
and greatness
of God
through what we say
and how we live.
We'll get more
into this next week.
But as we go,
as we disperse
from this gathering here,
as we go
to our workplace,
as we go back
to our families,
as we go to college,
as we hang out
with our mates,
we are going
as a holy priesthood,
representing God
where we are,
being spiritual sacrifices,
showing people
the goodness
and the greatness
of God.
God's people,
as we step out
in faith
as God's people,
as his representatives,
the spirit
will equip us
and enable us
to represent him
and to live for him
in the world
in which we live.
yes,
we will face rejection.
Yes,
it will be hard.
But he fills us
with his spirit
and with his power
to enable us
to keep on going.
So,
he builds his church,
he empowers his church,
and Jesus honours
his church.
Let's read verse 6,
that quote from Isaiah.
For in scripture it says,
See,
I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen
and precious
cornerstone.
Jesus,
as we've seen,
is that chosen
cornerstone.
His death for us,
his resurrection for us,
is the foundation
for our lives.
And if we build
our life on Jesus,
if we align ourselves
to his level
and to that angle,
if we commit ourselves
to him,
we are going to face
opposition
and rejection.
That's the big message
of Peter.
If you side with Jesus,
if you follow him,
if you identify with him,
you will get hit.
But,
look at the rest
of verse 6.
Jesus died
and the one
who trusts
in him
will never
be put to shame.
Jesus died
a shameful death.
Mocked,
ridiculed,
laughed at.
He hung
on the cross
alone.
The whole world
shamed him.
But he was raised
in glory
and honour.
And what Peter
is saying to us
is,
so that will be
for you.
We may suffer
shame now.
We may suffer
all kinds of struggles,
but we will be
raised in glory
and honour.
Yes,
you may experience
isolation at work.
Yes,
you may feel
like a stranger
among friends.
But those
who trust
in Jesus
will never
be put to shame.
in fact,
we will be
honoured.
Look at verse 7.
Now to you
who believe,
this stone
is precious.
Now,
I just want us
to take a step
back from this
and just
be clear
as to what
this is saying.
It can also
be read,
verse 7,
so the honour
is yours
for those
who believe.
So the honour
is yours
for those
who believe.
So let me read
the end of verse 6
again
and the beginning
of verse 7
so you get the flow.
Okay,
here we go,
the end of verse 6.
And the one
who trusts in him
will never
be put to shame,
so the honour
is yours
for those
who believe.
His point
is this,
that one day
the risen Lord
Jesus
is going to
return
and all those
who have honoured
Jesus in this
life,
well,
Jesus will in turn
honour you.
You can think
of the great big
medal processions
that you see
in the Olympics
where the music
sounds,
the trumpet
blasts
and the winner
comes out
into the middle
of the stadium
and stands
on top
of the podium
and receives
the gold medal
and the music
is played
and the whole
stadium cheers
and sees
that this one
above everybody
else is honoured.
And in a sense
it will be
something like that,
that God
will gather
all his people
before a watching
world,
all those
that stood
against us,
all those
that were
opposed to Christ
will watch
and see
God's people
being honoured
by the King
of Kings.
Instead of shame,
glory.
Instead of rejection,
honour.
there.
But that's
not all.
Those
who have
taken
the other
side,
those who
have
rejected
God's
people
and rejected
Jesus Christ,
those who've
been honoured
by the world
because they
stood opposed
to Jesus,
will they
in turn
will be
shamed
before Jesus.
Look at the
rest of
verse 7.
But to
those who
do not
believe,
the stone
the builders
rejected
has become
the capstone.
The world
which rejected
Jesus,
mocked him,
laughed him,
ridiculed him.
The world
which rejected
God's people,
shamed them
and persecuted
them,
will in turn
be rejected
by Jesus.
Instead of
receiving glory,
it will be
shame.
Instead of
honour,
it will be
judgment.
You see,
Jesus,
the living
stone,
confronts
each one
of us
today.
Look at
verse 8.
He is a
stone that
causes men
to stumble
and a rock
that makes
them fall.
He stands
before us,
if you like,
this morning
as a great
big stone
that we must
deal with,
that's right
in our path
as we walk
through life.
That stone
is before us.
And Jesus
is either going
to be the
foundation stone
of your life,
you will
either trust
in his death
and resurrection
for you,
or you will
decide to
discard that
stone and
say,
no,
I'm going
to build
my own
life my
own way.
So that
stone will
either be
your foundation
or that
stone will
either crush
you or
break you.
Look at
the end of
verse 8.
They stumble
because they
disobey the
message,
which is also
what they were
destined for.
So as we
are confronted
with Jesus,
it is a
case of
saying,
well I'm
going my
own way
or I'm
building my
life on
him.
You see,
to some,
Jesus is
just a
worthless
piece of
junk,
an old
item that
you see
in a car
boot sale
of no
value,
of no
worth.
But to
God,
he is
chosen
and
precious,
the one
who died
for you,
the one
who rose
again from
the grave
for you.
And the
story of
Jesus and
the experience
of Jesus is
going to be
your story
and your
experience.
Because to
be a
Christian in
this world
will mean
that you
will be
disowned,
you will
be rejected,
you will
be pushed
aside.
But,
you are
God's
chosen
and precious
people.
Jesus died
for you.
He rose
for you.
He will
not let
you go.
You will
not be
shamed by
him.
You will
be honoured
by him.
You will
be raised
in glory
just as
Jesus was
raised in
glory.
So,
what will
we do
with this
stone,
this living
stone?
Will we
build our
life on
the
foundation?
Or are
we going
to ignore
it and
be crushed
by him?
Rejected
by men,
but chosen
by God
and precious
to him.
You decide.
Let's
pray.
Let's
pray.
Let's
pray.
Let's
pray.
Let's
pray.
Let's
pray.
Father,
thank you
for
Jesus.
Thank you
for his
death
for us.
Thank you
for his
resurrection
from the
grave,
defeating
death,
destroying
the grave
and giving
life to
all who
will
trust in
him.
Father,
help us
that we
would build
our life
on the
Lord Jesus,
that we
would level
our lives
to him,
that we
would angle
ourselves
to him,
that he
would be
our rock,
that we
would not
turn from
him.
And
Father,
would you
please help
us to
remember that
just as
Jesus was
rejected,
we too
will be
rejected.
But help
us to
remember that
just as he
is chosen
and precious,
so we
are your
chosen and
precious people,
loved by
you and
cared for by
you.
Father,
help us to
walk with
you today.
We ask
this in
Jesus'
name.
Amen.