2 verse 10.
1 Peter 1, 3, 3.
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth,
for a sincere brotherly love,
love one another earnestly and with pure heart,
since you have been born again,
not of perishable seed, but of imperishable,
through the living and mighty word of God.
For all flesh is like grass,
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.
And this word is the good news that is preached to you.
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all surrender.
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.
As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men,
but in the sight of God, chosen and precious,
view yourselves like living stones,
being built up as a spiritual house,
to be a holy priesthood,
to offer spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God and Jesus Christ.
For it stands in Scripture,
behold,
I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone,
chosen and precious.
Whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.
So the honor is for you who believe,
but for those who do not believe,
the stone that the builders rejected
has the wrongly chief cornerstone,
and a stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.
They stumble because they disobey the word,
as they were asked him to do.
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.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
So please follow along with me.
I hope you found your place in the Bible
in 1 Peter 1-2,
starting in verse 22 of chapter 1.
So Peter just talked about what it means,
what it looks like to be in right relationship with God,
and now in this passage,
he addresses what it looks like
to be in right relationship with one another
in the church,
and also with relation to the world.
And as I was preparing this message
and meditating on 1 Peter 1-2,
I was reminded of what I read
in a book entitled
The Rise of Christianity,
which is a historical,
kind of sociological book
written by Rodney Stark,
who's a sociologist in Baylor University.
And he recounts the meteoric rise
of early Christianity,
how it went from being a fringe religion
among Jews
to becoming the majority religion
of the Roman Empire,
the most powerful empire in the world at the time,
in just a few centuries.
It's not longer than the time
the United States has been in existence.
And he attributes this to two major factors.
And the first is that
while birth control, abortion,
and infanticide,
especially of female babies,
were rampant throughout the Roman Empire,
the Christians refused to follow these practices.
For that reason,
because they kept their female babies
and they didn't have abortions,
they had a much more balanced gender distribution,
which allowed them to reproduce
at a much higher rate
than the rest of the population.
So that's one thing,
is that the Christians were growing
because of their treatment of babies.
And second,
he attributes this to
the way Christians behaved
and lived
in the midst of the two epidemics,
plagues of 165 AD
and 251 AD.
These plagues were so widespread,
they wiped out a third
of the entire Roman Empire
each time.
So each time this plague happened.
And so that's millions,
several millions of people
each time dying.
And at that time,
understandably so in some ways,
many people
in the Roman Empire
abandoned the cities
and left their friends and families
to spare themselves,
to preserve themselves
instead of being contaminated.
But during that time,
Christians stayed in the cities
and they cared for the sick.
And the result of that,
the reason was because
they had a tighter social bond
with one another
than the rest of the Roman population.
And the result was
that the Christians
had a smaller casualty rate
than the rest of the Roman Empire
when these plagues hit.
So those are kind of
the non-spiritual,
kind of sociological reasons
why this sociologist says
the church grew.
But as you think about that,
we see that there's a very simple
biblical explanation
for all of this as well.
And you see this in John 13, 35
where Jesus tells his disciples,
By this,
all people will know
that you are my disciples
if you have love for one another.
Really,
what the Christians were doing
was nothing creative
or different.
It was radical,
but it was simply
loving one another
better than everybody else
in the Roman Empire.
They loved the little ones
in their midst.
They loved the sick ones
in their midst.
And as they did so,
they made Christianity
look extremely attractive
to the Washington world.
And what accounts
for how the early Christians
loved one another this way?
And this passage
in 1 Peter,
chapter 1, verse 22,
chapter 2, verse 10,
gives us a glimpse
into what truth
creates this kind of community.
And he tells us
the main idea here
is that the household of God,
the family of God,
the household of God
should love one another
because they have been born
of the living word
through nursing
with the life-giving milk
and for rearing
on the living stone.
So,
three things.
So first is
the reason
why we should love one another.
Second is
the means
by which we love one another.
And the last
is the goal
of loving one another.
And the reason
is that we have been born
of the living word.
And the means
is the nursing
with the life-giving milk.
And the goal
is the rearing
or the building
on the living stone.
It's Christ.
So I'm going to follow
that basic outline.
First,
let's look at verses
22 to 25 of chapter 1
where Peter tells us
about the reason
why we should love
one another
that we have been born
of the living word of God.
He says in verses
22 to 23,
having purified
your souls
by your obedience
to the truth
for a sincere
brotherly love,
love one another
earnestly
from a pure heart
since
you have been
born again
not of perishable seed
but of imperishable
through the living
and abiding
word of God.
Note
the structure
of that first sentence.
He says
the very reason
for which we have
purified our souls
by obedience
to the truth
is to love
one another.
He says
having purified
your souls
by obedience
to the truth
for a sincere
brotherly love.
That's the reason
for which we
believe in the gospel
the good news
of Jesus Christ.
The reason
for which we
obey the truth
of the gospel
is so that we
may have sincere
brotherly love.
So becoming
a Christian
then is not
merely about
assenting
to a set
of propositional truths.
It's about
loving God
and one another.
And when we
believe in the gospel
of Jesus Christ
the good news
that Christ
the son of God
became a man
and then lived
a perfect life
and died
to pay for our sins
and rose again
to give us new life.
When you believe
this truth
we do not simply
get to know
about God
or hear about God
but we come
to love God
and from that
we come to love
one another.
So then the
touchstone
of our faith
then is love.
It's an earnest
love from a pure
heart as it says
in these verses.
It's not
theological aptitude
or spiritual
gifting even.
It's love
that we have
for God
and for one another.
And by love
I don't mean
this kind of
flimsy
weightless
kind of
empty
kind of love
that people
talk about
and it's better
to call that
kindness
than love
probably.
And C.S. Lewis
highlights this difference
in his book
The Problem of Pain.
He says
You guys follow that?
So the so-called
kindness
that says to people
do whatever
makes you happy
and that's fine
with me
is no love
at all
rather it's a cold
detached
and uninvested
kind of kindness.
Because with the people
that we care the most
about we risk rejection.
We speak the truth.
We get our hands dirty.
We tell them
we don't simply tell them
do whatever you want to do
whatever makes you happy.
We tell them
this is what is good for you.
This is what will make you happy.
We tell them
the truth.
We speak to them
into their lives.
That's what true love
looks like
because it's a love
that's rooted
in truth.
As it says
Having purified your souls
by your obedience
to the truth
for a sincere
brotherly love.
Sincere brotherly love
springs from
obedience to the truth.
They can't be divorced
from one another.
Moreover
it's important for us
to note that this is
brotherly love
and that includes
sisterly love.
It's the fact
that we have to love
one another
as siblings
as brothers and sisters
in Christ.
And I've mentioned
this to you before
but the reason for this
is that we have been
born again
into the family of God.
Now that we have God
as our father
we are by
nature of our relation
to father
related to one another
as brothers
and sisters.
And sibling love
is special
in many ways
but one way
in particular
because most other loves
we choose
and deliberately
enter into them.
So you choose
whom you're going
to date
or marry
and you choose
whom you're going
to have friends with
but you don't choose
who you get to have
as your brother
or sister.
You have them
as brother and sister
simply because
you have the same father
and the same mother.
And that's what it means
to love one another
as siblings
is that
it's not
that we gather
as a church
because
we have these
similar interests
or that we look
like each other
or that we
have similar personalities
and opinions.
But we gather
as a church
and we are united
as a church
as a family of God
because of our relation
to God the father.
So that's why
we bear with each other's quirks
each other's unusual habits
odd opinions
maybe
whatever it may be
whatever people outside
may say to us
about each other
we can still say
this is my brother
and this is my sister
because we have
the same father
in God.
And that's why
it concerns me
deeply when I hear people
say things
like
and leave the church
flippantly
saying things like
I don't like
so and so
personality
or
I don't
fit in here
at this church
or
I don't like
the style of music
here
or
my ethnicity
or age group
is not represented
in this church
because these are not
the kind of reasons
for which you'd leave
your family
because you wouldn't say
oh I just don't get along
with my brother
so I'm going to stop
being his brother
I mean
oh I don't really
like the things
that my sister does
so I'm going to stop
calling her my sister
right
a family sticks together
just because
it's a family
right
and that kind of
added to betrays
a lack of commitment
to the body
of Christ
because
that's not
the kind of attitude
that would stay
in the middle
of a plague
in the city
to care for the sick
right
we are the family
of God
we are part of
the same household
and families
are meant to
suffer together
stick it out together
and change together
even as necessary
right
so that's how
we are to love
one another
as a church
because
we have been
born again
into God's family
and not only that
we have to consider
also what
we have been
born
like
consider by what
we have been
born again
into God's family
look at verse 23
with me
of chapter 1
it says
since you have
been born again
not of perishable
seed
but of imperishable
through the living
and abiding
word of God
it says
we have been
born again
by the living
and abiding
word of God
so here
Peter is
contrasting
two worlds
he is
contrasting
the eternal
spiritual realm
with the temporal
physical realm
and he is
comparing the
heavenly realm
that we are part of
now
we are citizens of
with the earthly realm
that we are still
aliens in
even though we are
maybe citizens
of an earthly nation
and this is
insightful
and helpful for us
because
what we see around us
the culture around us
the politics
the pop culture
everything that we see
may seem very real
and tangible
and permanent
and alluring
and enduring
but all the desires
of the flesh
and all the accomplishments
of our world
that feel so compelling
and irresistible
is
as it says
in verses 24 to 25
all flesh
is like grass
and all its glory
like the flower of grass
the grass withers
and the flower falls
but the word of the Lord
remains
forever
now Peter
is quoting here
from Isaiah 40
verses 68
which God
reassures his people
of the hope
that they have
while they're in exile
in the Babylonian exile
so he's reminding them
of their hope
and future deliverance
which fits exactly
the context
in which Peter's writing
to the people
who are in spiritual exile
here on earth
during the Roman Empire
and if you consider
that context
actually
it's even more remarkable
what Peter is saying
because Peter is writing
at the height
the zenith
of the Roman Empire
and the Roman Empire
as you guys know
is one of the most glorious
and impressive civilizations
in human history
the empire
was some of the largest
sprawling throughout
Europe and Asia
the emperor
was the most powerful ruler
on earth
at the time
Rome was the largest city
in the world
at the time
their army
was the most powerful military
in the world
at the time
and all of this
Peter says
grass
all its glory
like the flower of grass
the grass withers
and the flower falls
but the word of the Lord
remains
forever
and I hope you really
believe this
because this is a
very liberating
and freeing
truth
if you really get this
because then we don't
have to live
in captivity to the world
because all the worldly
fame and recognition
what school you went to
where you work
how much you make
what your position is
how much you
you know
all of this
is but grass
all the worldly riches
that we might think of
or envy people of
the car you drive
the house you live in
clothes you wear
it's all grass
right
all the worldly accomplishments
the patents
you may win
the laws you may pass
the scientific breakthroughs
architectural monuments
all of that
is grass
and I'm not trying to say
that these work
this kind of work
is not valuable
because
these work
this kind of work
can have eternal significance
when they're done
out of love for God
and love for one another
for his glory
right
but in and of themselves
all of these human accomplishments
all the things
accomplished by the flesh
is grass
they will fade in memory
and corrode with time
but God's living word
abides
it says
it will remain forever
and since you have been born
of this imperishable
living and abiding word of God
then Peter is saying
this is his logic
because you've been born
of this abiding word of God
the living word of God
you should then live
with eternity in view
you should live
with the long view
long perspective on life
and this reminds us
of 1 Corinthians 13 13
where Apostle Paul says
now faith, hope, and love
abide
these three
but the greatest of these
is love
right
so what they're saying
basically is
love is the stuff of eternity
because
because the love
is the essence
God is love
and love is the essence
of the new eternal nature
that we have
now it's people
who are indwelled
by the spirit of God
and the love of God
right
so love is what's going to last
therefore
people as
people who have been
born again
by the living
and abiding word
the eternal word
we should live
with love
because love
is what lasts
what is eternal
so that's the reason
for which
reason of why
we have to live
love one another
the house of God
should love one another
because they have been born
of the living word
and even though
it could be hard
to remember
this truth as we live
you could kind of
think of it like
let's say you were
getting into
you have a really
really entrancing
video game
that you're getting into
or a TV show
or a movie
and you're watching
and
if it's a really good
game or movie
or film
or show
you kind of get
immersed in it
right
and you come to
identify with the
characters
and you feel
sad
when the characters
are sad
you feel their joy
you feel their
empowerment
as well as their
enfeeblement
you identify with that
but at the end of that
at the end of the show
or at the end of the game
you realize
that was just temporary
it was a virtual
world
it wasn't real
and you resume
your regular life
right
and it's not going
to be unlike that
at the end of time
right
that the life we live
the human accomplishments
the world of the flesh
is going to seem
that
chimeral
that
fleeting
in light of the reality
of God's love
and the eternity
that we get to share
with him
now so if that's the reason
why we must love
one another
Peter also tells us
the means by which
we love one another
it's in chapter 2
verses 1 to 3
and he says
let me read it out loud
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
so what is the means
by which
we love one another
he says
it involves
putting away
all malice
and all deceit
and hypocrisy
and envy
and all slander
and if you notice
what category
these sins
fall into
all of these
are vices
that destroy
relationships
and community
and that's why
they're listed here
because instead
as Christians
of relating to one another
with malice
ill will
we have to have
good will
toward one another
instead of deceiving
one another
we have to be honest
and speak the truth
with one another
instead of being
hypocritical
we have to be sincere
right
just have sincere
brotherly love
for one another
and instead of
envying one another
or slandering one another
we have to seek
one another's good
and love one another
and consider others
better than ourselves
right
and this is not easy
because we have
a real spiritual enemy
and Satan is
actively seeking
to destroy us
to destroy the community
by inciting
precisely these things
malice
deceit
hypocrisy
envy
and slander
and we as a church
have to stake
our ground
our claim on the ground
and say
refuse to yield
and repent
each time we fail
in this regard
repent
and ask
forgiveness
of one another
and Peter goes on
in verse 2
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
now he's
continuing the metaphor
of the birth
of the new birth
of Christians here
so since we have been
born again
now as newborn infants
we should crave
pure spiritual milk
and there's a
double word play
here going on
that's not apparent
in the English necessarily
but because the word
pure
literally means
deceitless
and now if you remember
he had just told us
to put away all deceit
and now he says
to crave
long for deceitless
milk
right
and then Peter also
tells us that
that we were born
of the word of God
and then he tells us
to long for
spiritual milk
the word
word
and spiritual
both come from
the same Greek root
if you're reading it
in Greek
they look almost
identical
and so he's
saying here
so the word
spiritual here
it's not the same
word that's used
later in the passage
if you look at
verse 5
it says that
the church is called
a spiritual house
that
and a holy priesthood
that offers
spiritual sacrifices
so it's a different
word
so it actually
as spiritual
it's translated
spiritual
but actually means
something more like
true to the nature
of
appropriate
or corresponding
to the nature
of
so
what that means
here then
is that
this milk
is true
to the nature
of our new
birth
by the word
of God
so he's saying
crave the milk
and milk
obviously symbolizes
nourishment
sustenance
so crave
that milk
that is true
to the nature
of your new
birth
in Christ
the deceitless
the one
something that is
deceitless
and true to
nature of your
birth
by the word
of God
that's what
he's referring
to
and the milk
here
even though
in other parts
of the Bible
the word
milk
is contrasted
with solid
food
to refer
to kind of
food for
immature
Christians
so he's saying
well mature
Christians
should eat
solid food
but milk
should be
reserved for
immature
Christians
but that's
not the
contrast
that Peter
is drawing
here
because this
is a milk
for all
of us
so he's
saying
this is
good milk
pure
milk
spiritual
milk
that every
believer
needs
every church
is fed
on
is grown
by
nurtured
by
so that's
the milk
that is
in view
so what
exactly
is this
milk
that's
probably
the question
you're
wondering
and some
people think
that the
milk here
refers to
the word
of God
and that's
possible
but I
think that
would be
a little bit
inconsistent
with the
metaphor
that Peter
is using
because he's
saying we
were born
by the word
of God
and now
we're
nursed
by the
spiritual
milk
so it's
not
consistent
if that's
what he's
doing
in terms
of
metaphor
and I
think the
key to
understanding
is in
the actual
Old Testament
verse that
Peter's quoting
which is
Psalm 34
8
and in
Psalm 34
8 which
was part of
our cult
worship
and in
the Greek
version of
the psalm
which Peter
would have been
using
it says
oh taste
and see
that the
Lord
is good
blessed
is the
man
who
hopes
in
him
and
notice
the parallel
statements
between
tasting
and seeing
that the
Lord
is good
and setting
our hope
on him
those two
things are
parallel
and that
should
immediately
ring a bell
it should
sound familiar
because we
just learned
about in
chapter 1
verse 13
Peter was
exhorting us
to set
our hope
fully
on the
grace
that will
be brought
to us
at the
revelation
of Jesus
Christ
so that's
note the
logical
connection
there
so that
in verse
2 and
3 as
well
if indeed
you have
tasted
that the
Lord
is good
then long
for this
pure
spiritual
milk
so what
we have
tasted
is the
Lord
himself
so then
what we
ought to
long
for
the pure
spiritual
milk
also is
the
Lord
himself
it's
the grace
of God
it's the
grace
of our
Lord
that's
what we're
supposed
to set
our
hope
on
and
that's
what
we're
being
called
to
long
for
and
crave
the
milk
is
God
himself
his
grace
and
isn't
it's
cool how
Peter
leaves out
the
sea
part
but he
includes
the
taste
part
taste
if you
have
indeed
tasted
that
the
Lord
is
good
and
that's
such
an
intimate
metaphor
right
because
if you
think about
the five
senses
that we
have
seeing
hearing
smelling
and
touching
not all
of those
are
external
it's
outside
of
ourselves
but
tasting
involves
ingesting
right
it
becomes
a part
of us
when we
eat
something
so
it's
such
an
intimate
and
powerful
picture
of us
savoring
tasting
him
making
God
part
of us
becoming
a part
of
God
so
it's
not
enough
that we
just
hear
about
him
we
have
to
taste
him
and
those
that
have
partaken
of
God
through
his
spirit
will
continue
to
long
for
more
of
that
milk
more
of
God's
grace
and
John
Piper
who's
a pastor
a theologian
he writes
about this
truth
in his
book
Desiring
God
he writes
all the
evils in
the world
come
not because
our desires
for happiness
are too
strong
but because
they are so
weak
that we
settle for
fleeting
pleasures
that do
not satisfy
our deepest
souls
he continues
in another
part of
the book
he says
I know
of no
other way
to triumph
over sin
long term
than to
gain a
distaste
for it
because
of a
superior
satisfaction
in God
unless
we have
tasted
that the
Lord is
good
have
savored
him
and find
more joy
and satisfaction
in that
than anything
else
we will
not be
able to
overcome
sins
in our
lives
the temptations
that we
face
because
we won't
long for
God
that
spiritual
milk
more than
we long
for those
things
and that
of course
means that
we have to
make use
of the
means of
grace
that God
has given
us
spending
time in
prayer
being in
God's
word
where we
can
encounter
him
and God
speaks
to us
so that's
what is
in view
here
to say
so if
the reason
why we have
to love
one another
is because
we have been
born of
the living
word
the means
by which
we grow
in that
and love
one another
is by being
nursed
by this
milk
life-giving
milk
of God's
grace
and
finally
if you look
at verses
4 to
10
Peter tells
us
the purpose
the goal
of our love
for one another
and that
is that
we would
be
reared
that word
has two
different senses
of raising
or caring
for but
also of
building
and constructing
so that we
are to be
reared
on the
living
stone
it's been
a little
while so
let me
just
recap
by reading
verses
4 to
10
follow along
with me
there
it says
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
for it
stands
in
scripture
behold
I am
laying
in Zion
a stone
a corner
stone
chosen
and
precious
and
whoever
believes
in him
will not
be put
to shame
so the
honor
is for
you
who
believe
but for
those
who do
not
believe
the stone
that the
builders
rejected
has
become
the
corner
stone
and a
stone
of
stumbling
and a
rock
of
offense
they stumble
because they
disobey the
word as
they were
destined to
do
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
I don't
know if
you're
noticing
or following
all the
parallels
here between
Christ and
his church
it says in
verse 4
that Christ
is a
living stone
and then in
the same
verse it
says that
Christians
likewise
are living
stones
in verse 6
says that
Christ is the
cornerstone
the cornerstone
of a house
and it says
that in
verse 5
that Christians
are that
house
which Christ
is the
cornerstone
of
it says
in verse 7
that
well it
says that
verse 7
that honor
is for you
who believe
and the word
that's translated
precious here
of Christ
Christ is the
precious
cornerstone
means honored
literally
so Christ
is the
honored stone
and we
likewise
are honored
right
and these
parallels exist
because we
are now
a part of
Christ
right
because we
have been
born again
into his
family
and we
are part
of the
construction
the building
work
that God
is
undertaking
right now
and it's
because our
nature derives
from the
resurrected
Christ
that we
are now
a spiritual
house
living stone
and honored
because of
what Christ
has done
for us
and this
is such a
powerful
truth
that emphasized
the unity
of the
church
because
our
bodies
who we
are
people
sometimes
talk about
we are
the temple
of Christ
like our
bodies
are the
temple
of Christ
and that's
a true
statement
that's also
a biblical
statement
we as
individuals
are also
the temple
of Christ
but
even more
importantly
we sometimes
neglect the
fact that
we as a
body
as a
church
is the
temple
of God
and that's
what it
is referring
to when he
says we're
a spiritual
house
we're a
house
of the
spirit
we're
supposed to
be indwelt
by the
spirit
and together
as a
church
we make
up that
house
and the
household
is why I
said household
earlier is
because this
word house
can mean the
literal construction
the building
of a house
but also
can refer
to a
household
and I
think Peter
has that
double meaning
in view
because that's
the context
of the
psalm
that he
is citing
but also
because he's
continuing that
metaphor of the
family
you've been
born again
now you've
been
nursed by
the
milk
and now
you are
being built
as a
family
as a
household
and you're
being built
as stones
as well
as a physical
house
and Charles
Spurgeon once
commented on this
in one of his
sermons
in his
characteristic
wit
he says
I know
there are
some who
say
well
I have
given
myself
to the
Lord
but I
do not
intend
to give
myself
to any
church
now why
not
because I
can be a
Christian
without it
and then
Spurgeon
continues
are you
quite clear
about that
you can be
as good
a Christian
by disobedience
to your
Lord's
commands
as by
being
obedient
there is
a brick
what is it
made for
to help
build a
house
it is of
no use
for that
brick
to tell you
that it
is just
as good
a brick
while it
is kicking
about on the
ground
as it would
be in the
house
it is a
good for
nothing brick
so you
rolling stone
Christians
I do
not believe
that you
are answering
your purpose
you are
living
contrary
to the
life
which
Christ
would
have
you
live
and you
are much
to blame
for the
injury
you do
being a
spiritual
house
is not
optional
for
believers
if you
are not
being reared
on the
living stone
being built
up as a
part of
this
spiritual
house
that God
is building
then you
are not
fulfilling
your very
purpose
as a
Christian
that's why
there's no
such thing
as an
independent
Christian
on my
own
Christian
there's no
such thing
as having
a relationship
with God
on your
own
because by
virtue of
your
relationship
with God
if you
really did
have a
relationship
with God
you by
necessity
have a
relationship
with his
people
his family
that's what
it means
to be in
the family
if you
know the
father
then you
know your
brothers
and sisters
you're
either a
brick
that is
part of
a house
or a
good for
nothing
brick
you're
either
believer
a member
of the
body
of Christ
the church
or you're
a detached
limb
that is
as good
as dead
and because
we are
reared on
the living
stone of
Christ
and this
is the
purpose
for which
we have
been born
again
this is
the reason
why
this is
the purpose
the goal
for which
we love
one another
is so that
we can be
built up
with this
stone
on this
living stone
that can
be reared
on this
living stone
and grow
and
this is a
really hard
constant to
grab a
grasp
I think
especially
for
evangelicals
and
because
you'd often
hear people
say
evangelicals
will say
things like
you know
but whether
you're a member
of a local
church or
not
every Christian
is part of
the universal
church
aren't they
and that's
true
right
we are part
of the universal
church
but if you
give no
evidence
of your
heavenly
membership
in that
universal
church
by having
an earthly
membership
in the
local
church
then you're
resting on
false
assurance
right
because you
can't separate
the two
in this
life
right
this is the
church that
God's given
and this is
the church
the local
church that
Peter is
writing to
and
Simon
Chan
a professor
at Bible
University
writes
this in
his book
Liturgical
Theology
this is a
little bit
dense but
I'll explain
in a second
to try to
follow along
with me
says the
evangelical
movement is
largely a
parachurch
rather than
a church
movement
the visible
form of
evangelicalism
is non
ecclesiology
it's the
voluntary
society
in which
the congregation
is the
ultimate
source of
authority
the born
again
experience
that unites
evangelicals
has tended
to highlight
the value
of trans
ecclesial
fellowship
rather than
ecclesial
structures
this means
that what
is really
important to
evangelicals
is the
fellowship
of all
genuine
believers
regardless
of which
visible
churches
they come
from
the
visible
church
thus
becomes
in terms
of the
salvation
history
irrelevant
in other
words
what
evangelicals
offer
is a
docetic
ecclesiology
where the
real church
is perceived
as spiritual
inward
and invisible
and has
no direct
correlation
with the
visible
church
but what
evangelicals
need
is a
theological
ecclesiology
that sees
ecclesial
life
in the
local
church
as coming
into
union
with the
triune
God
with the
father
son
and the
holy
spirit
and this
is what
gives the
true
church
its mark
as the
church
of jesus
christ
the church
is the
god
ordained
local
assembly
of
believers
that
gathers
regularly
that have
committed
to one
another
that
gathers
regularly
as the
family
of god
they teach
the word
of god
they baptize
and then
they share
in the body
of christ
through communion
and as you
eat and drink
for the body
and blood
of christ
we also
recognize
that we
are becoming
the body
of christ
we are the
body of christ
and we are
assured of
that fact
and the
church
also
practices
church
discipline
and establishes
a biblical
structure
of leadership
they live
together
they pray
together
they grow
together
and all
of these
things
none of
these
all of
these
things
are found
in a
church
but not
all of
them
can be
found
in any
single
parachurch
right
because
parachurch
by
definition
is
dealing
with the
narrower
slice
of the
body
of christ
either
they're
specializing
in college
students
or men
or women
or they
do not
have
biblically
sanctioned
leadership
structures
so therefore
they can't
then rightly
distribute
communion
or to
practice
church
discipline
and all
of it
because
there's
no such
structure
you can't
say
just because
you are
doing
bible study
with people
or you
have a
relationship
with other
believers
that you
are part
of the
spiritual
house
and you
are being
built up
as a
church
without your
membership
in
the
local
church
the
church
that
christ
promises
that even
the gates
of hades
will not
prevail
against
so then
if this
is how
important
this
church
is
if this
is the
goal
the purpose
for which
we have
been born
again
that we
why we
are to
love one
another
so that
we can
be built
up into
this
house
how do
you become
a part
of this
house
and the
answer
is in
verses
7 to
8
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
and a
stone of
stumbling
and a
rock of
offense
they stumble
because they
disobey the
word as
they were
destined to
do
just as
christians are
those who
are born
of the
living
word
non-christians
by definition
are those
who disobey
the word
and what
is this
word is
told us
in chapter
1 verse
25
this word
is the
good news
that was
preached to
you
the word
is the
gospel of
jesus christ
the good
news that
the son of
man
that jesus
christ
came to
save us
sinners
came into
the world
to save
sinners
like us
that's the
good news
and that's
what separates
unbelievers
from believers
right
and this is
unavoidable
because you
have to make
a decision
on this
fact
christ is
on the
path
the christ
the living
stone is
on the
path
of every
human being
and you
have to
confront him
on your
journey
either you'll
confront him
and you will
stumble over
him
he will
become a
rock of
offense
and you
will reject
him
and disbelieve
in him
or you
will put
your faith
in him
believe in
him
and build
yourself
around
and on top
of that
living stone
there's two
choices
and it's
inevitable that
you go
through one
of those
things
and this
is the
good news
that
this is
the good
news
that we
should
that we
project
and that
we share
with all
around us
right
and this
happens
and this
is why
we are also
being built
up as a
spiritual house
so we may
proclaim the
excellencies of
god
right he says
that's the
ultimate purpose
the penultimate
purpose is that
we be built up
as a church
for the ultimate
purpose that god
would be glorified
his praise
would be
proclaimed
his excellency
would be
proclaimed
throughout the
world
right
and it's
by this
good news
that we
have become
as it says
in verse 9
a chosen race
a royal priesthood
a holy nation
a people for
his own
possession
now this is
such a radical
claim
right
because he's
writing here
he's saying
peter's saying
there's no
jew
gentile
greek
or roman
black
or white
or hispanic
or asian
right
among christians
we constitute
ourselves
a new race
as believers
we are a new
race
in christ
he says
of those
who have been
born again
into living
hope
through the
resurrection
of jesus
christ
we are also
a royal
priesthood
we are those
who people
on earth
who mediate
between god
and the rest
of the world
we are the
ones that
infuse this
world with
the kingdom
of god
we are a
holy nation
it tells us
we do not
belong merely
to the
united states
of america
or to
korea
or to
china
right
we belong
to the
holy nation
of christians
of believers
of the family
of god
and this
reality
not more
legislation
or simple
political
correctness
that's going
to fundamentally
solve
racism
and tribalism
and international
hatred
and enmity
right
and jonathan edwards
writes about this
in his book
the nature
of true
virtue
because if
our highest
good is our
family
then we are
going to
discriminate
against
other
families
if our
highest
good is
our gender
then we are
going to
become sexist
and discriminate
against other
genders
if our highest
good is our
country
then we are
going to be
patriotic
jingoistic
right
and discriminate
against other
countries
right
only if
god is our
highest good
supreme good
Can we truly be united as people?
And so this is the true solution for the problem that plagues our society now.
And Lindsey Brown, who was once the CEO of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students,
wrote this in his book, Shining Like Stars.
He illustrates this fact in a powerful story.
Because during the Burundi genocide in the early 90s,
a number of Tutsis were killed in tribal fighting against the Hutus.
And this was on campus, a college, Bujumbura University.
And during this time, the Hutus, Hutus were the ones that killed the Tutsis,
Hutu Christians followed the Tutsi Christians into the cave that they were hiding in
to bring them food and clothing.
And as they did that, they became disowned by their own family.
Because they were saying that you're putting your Christian alliance and loyalty higher
than your allegiance to your tribe, your people, your family.
And because of this event, the non-Christian president of Bujumbura University
made this announcement.
He said,
Our culture is disintegrating.
On our campus, there are three groups of people.
Hutus, Tutsis, and Christians.
If our culture is to survive, we must follow the example of the Christians.
We are a holy nation.
A new race of God's people.
A priesthood.
A royal priesthood.
And all of this, as a result, not of our own works, of our own deserving,
but God's mercy, says in verse 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.
We had been unfaithful to God.
We had left Him.
And so we had disowned Him.
We were not His people.
But by His grace and through His reproachment, through His Son, Jesus Christ,
we are now His people.
And we have now received mercy.
Imagine if every believer truly considered and understood
the importance of being a member of the household of God.
Imagine if we really loved one another
because we have been born of the living word,
because we have been nursed by the milk, the life-giving milk.
So that we can be built and reared on this living stone.
Now that would be a magnificent spiritual house indeed.
Fitting for the faithful Father and majestic King that we serve.
Fitting for the faithful Father and the Holy Spirit.
With that, let's...