WEBVTT 00:00:00.920 --> 00:00:15.099 Every city in the world, every community, both ancient and I guess modern, is constituted or comes together around some kind of cultural establishment. 00:00:15.660 --> 00:00:22.780 Some place where people are gathered together, where identities are formed, and where culture is distributed from. 00:00:22.780 --> 00:00:29.820 So every city, every culture comes together around some kind of cultural establishment. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:35.460 In the ancient world, a small town may have been the marketplace or the public town square. 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:37.480 Or think of some of the big cities. 00:00:37.640 --> 00:00:39.719 You think of Rome, they had the Colosseum. 00:00:40.039 --> 00:00:44.500 People would gather, Romans' identity was formed and culture was distributed. 00:00:45.120 --> 00:00:48.159 Or think of the city of London 100 years ago. 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:58.480 Everyone used to talk about going down to the city, which is where Westminster and the Houses of Parliament, the inner part of London itself, was kind of the establishment of London. 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:00.000 Think of New York. 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:01.959 What comes to mind when you think of New York? 00:01:02.979 --> 00:01:03.640 Times Square. 00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:08.899 And in Hong Kong, we very creatively called the place where we gather Central. 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:13.939 I'm sure we could have come up with a more original name, but Central it is. 00:01:14.340 --> 00:01:21.500 But every nation, every city has some place that is central to who they are and where people gather. 00:01:21.799 --> 00:01:25.739 Where people gather together, identities formed, and from which culture is distributed. 00:01:25.739 --> 00:01:31.619 In the ancient nation of Israel, this place was the temple. 00:01:32.479 --> 00:01:33.019 The temple. 00:01:33.699 --> 00:01:38.439 Everything that Israel was, all of their identity was shaped by the temple. 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:45.959 In this morning's passage that Jefferson and John read to us, we're going to see that Christ is building His church. 00:01:45.959 --> 00:01:59.659 And what we're going to see this morning is that Christ's house, His church, or the church is Christ's house, which follows Christ's example, which is built on the foundation of who Christ is for the praise of Christ's name. 00:01:59.659 --> 00:02:16.439 But in order to understand this passage in 1 Peter 2, we need to understand something about this temple, this center of Israel's life. 00:02:16.539 --> 00:02:21.599 And so we're going to take a few minutes to explore the Old Testament story of the temple, and then we're going to get to our passage. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:23.599 Okay, that's where we're going today. 00:02:23.859 --> 00:02:30.699 So, as I said, throughout Scripture, the nation of Israel, this temple was so central. 00:02:31.139 --> 00:02:33.979 It was where commerce generally took place. 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:39.319 It was where legal disputes took place and legal arguments were fought. 00:02:39.740 --> 00:02:43.479 It was where families came for blessing and children came for blessing. 00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:45.419 It was an economic hub. 00:02:45.519 --> 00:02:46.579 It was a spiritual hub. 00:02:46.699 --> 00:02:48.259 Everything happened around the temple. 00:02:48.259 --> 00:02:59.280 And the reason for this, there are many reasons, but the primary reason for this is because the temple is where God's presence was said to dwell, where His glory was made manifest. 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:04.780 Remember, the nation of Israel wasn't defined primarily by their national borders. 00:03:05.239 --> 00:03:11.599 It wasn't defined primarily even by their ethnicity, that they were children of Abraham, even though that was a very big part of it. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:23.000 What defined the nation of Israel was that they were God's chosen people, God's special people, God's holy nation, that God had given them His presence and He made known His glory. 00:03:23.459 --> 00:03:27.539 Remember, in Exodus 33, Moses prays and he says, 00:03:28.180 --> 00:03:37.280 God, unless Your presence goes with us, don't send us out from here, because unless You go with us, how will the other nations know that we are distinct from them? 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:45.740 This is what distinguishes us from every other nation on the face of the earth, that You, the living God, are with us, that Your presence is with us. 00:03:46.039 --> 00:03:47.280 And where was God's presence? 00:03:47.920 --> 00:03:49.659 Primarily in the temple. 00:03:50.219 --> 00:03:56.599 And so the temple is absolutely central to all the Israelites, who they were, what they did, and their identity. 00:03:57.379 --> 00:04:02.920 One little anecdote is the temple in Israel always had to face east. 00:04:03.080 --> 00:04:04.960 The entrance was always towards the east. 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:10.879 And the reason for this is because when Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, they left out of the east gate. 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:15.700 And so in a sense, every time the priests would come back into the temple, it was a way of saying, 00:04:16.120 --> 00:04:17.780 You're coming back to the Garden of Eden. 00:04:17.879 --> 00:04:19.660 You're coming back into God's presence. 00:04:20.060 --> 00:04:22.500 The temple was the Garden of Eden on earth. 00:04:22.980 --> 00:04:25.460 Now originally, Israel didn't have a temple. 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:29.939 In Moses' day, they had a tent of meeting and then what was called a tabernacle. 00:04:29.939 --> 00:04:37.480 It was a kind of makeshift tent in the wilderness as they were journeying and traveling and pilgrims on their way to the promised land. 00:04:37.879 --> 00:04:44.699 But even this tent of meeting, this tabernacle, was designed absolutely down to the most minute detail. 00:04:44.899 --> 00:04:51.300 God said, This many feet, this many pegs, this many curtains, this many inches for this piece of furniture, 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:53.120 this many inches for that piece of furniture. 00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:59.379 Down to the most minute detail, God was absolutely specific about how this tent was to be built. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:04.240 And at the end of that, in Exodus 40, when Moses has done everything God commands, 00:05:04.340 --> 00:05:09.280 it says, There God's glory came and he made himself known in his tabernacle. 00:05:09.959 --> 00:05:13.639 Fast forward on a few years, the people of God go to the promised land. 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.780 And David, the greatest king that Israel ever has, 00:05:16.779 --> 00:05:22.139 He says, As the crowning moment of his kind of pretty successful reign, 00:05:22.519 --> 00:05:25.500 He says, I'm going to build God an established house. 00:05:25.579 --> 00:05:30.339 I'm going to build the house of the Lord, the temple that will be permanent and he can reside here forever. 00:05:30.979 --> 00:05:32.979 But God says to him, Your hands are full of blood. 00:05:33.359 --> 00:05:34.759 You've been involved in too many wars. 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:37.399 And so he says, Your son, Solomon, will build it. 00:05:37.819 --> 00:05:40.319 And so Solomon then becomes king after that. 00:05:40.659 --> 00:05:45.119 And he goes about building the most magnificent temple the world had ever seen. 00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:51.040 Glorious, covered in gold, magnificent artistry, exquisite design. 00:05:51.660 --> 00:05:56.240 Again, down to the most minute detail, Solomon builds this incredible temple. 00:05:57.180 --> 00:06:02.420 And where the tabernacle was kind of Israel's pride and joy in the desert, 00:06:02.780 --> 00:06:06.600 the temple is now finally the place where God's presence is going to dwell 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:08.319 and God's glory is going to be located. 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:11.340 And it's Israel's crown and joy. 00:06:11.339 --> 00:06:15.979 But the problem is that just because Israel had a temple, which they loved, 00:06:16.099 --> 00:06:18.399 didn't mean that they loved the God of the temple. 00:06:19.099 --> 00:06:22.039 And so pretty soon after that, even in Solomon's only lifetime, 00:06:22.259 --> 00:06:25.239 Israel's already starting to build other altars to other gods. 00:06:25.979 --> 00:06:30.659 And in fact, things get so bad that at one point, a few years later, 00:06:31.359 --> 00:06:36.879 a thorough search is made in the temple to try and find a Bible. 00:06:37.099 --> 00:06:39.919 In fact, they actually don't even know what God's word was. 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:41.980 And one day they're cleaning out the temple. 00:06:42.120 --> 00:06:43.620 There's a whole lot of rubbish that's assembled. 00:06:43.819 --> 00:06:44.640 It's a big mess. 00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:48.040 And they stumble across this book and they're like, that's interesting. 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:49.379 I wonder what this is, right? 00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:51.400 And they find that it's God's word. 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:53.400 And so they read it and they're like, no way. 00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:54.759 God has spoken to us. 00:06:55.160 --> 00:06:57.360 Imagine you come to church one day and you bring a Bible. 00:06:57.759 --> 00:06:59.360 And the elders are like, what's that? 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:00.180 That looks interesting. 00:07:00.860 --> 00:07:02.360 So this is how bad things have got. 00:07:02.520 --> 00:07:04.639 The temple, they'd lost God's word. 00:07:04.860 --> 00:07:06.439 God wasn't speaking to them anymore. 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:09.160 And things get from bad to worse. 00:07:09.300 --> 00:07:13.439 And so eventually God says to them, enough is enough. 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:16.160 I'm going to send Israel into exile and to Babylon. 00:07:17.019 --> 00:07:22.339 And so in 586 BC, the Babylonians march into town, destroy Jerusalem, 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:25.139 sack Jerusalem, and the temple is destroyed. 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:30.019 But the devastating thing is just before this happens, Ezekiel the prophet has a vision. 00:07:30.019 --> 00:07:35.459 And in his vision, he sees a dream of the glory of God, the presence of God leaving the temple. 00:07:36.199 --> 00:07:39.699 And so the thing that distressed the Israelites the most as they're in exile in Babylon, 00:07:39.939 --> 00:07:44.259 wasn't just that Jerusalem was in ruins, it was that their temple was in ruins. 00:07:44.740 --> 00:07:46.799 And not just that, but God's presence had left. 00:07:47.699 --> 00:07:50.959 And so even when they come back from exile, they rebuild the temple. 00:07:51.159 --> 00:07:55.000 But never again does the Bible tell us that God's presence is back in the temple. 00:07:55.539 --> 00:07:57.539 Never again does God's glory return. 00:07:57.540 --> 00:08:01.260 And so for the rest of the Old Testament, another 500 years, 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:05.620 though God's people do have a kind of temple, God's glory is not there. 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:06.960 God's presence is not there. 00:08:07.140 --> 00:08:10.020 And Israel's very identity is in jeopardy. 00:08:10.600 --> 00:08:14.460 Well, they do eventually return from exile and they do rebuild this temple. 00:08:14.980 --> 00:08:18.240 Ezra is one of the leading guys that kind of gets this going. 00:08:18.420 --> 00:08:22.620 And he pulls everybody together and they rebuild this temple. 00:08:23.180 --> 00:08:25.420 And around that time, Haggai, who's one of the prophets, 00:08:25.420 --> 00:08:27.900 he has this prophetic word and he says, 00:08:28.420 --> 00:08:32.920 the glory of this newer temple will be greater than the former temple. 00:08:33.680 --> 00:08:37.440 But it seems like Haggai got it wrong because the second temple that they built 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:39.879 wasn't nearly as impressive as the first one. 00:08:40.340 --> 00:08:42.180 It doesn't, it's not as glamorous. 00:08:42.379 --> 00:08:43.259 It's not as big. 00:08:43.399 --> 00:08:44.460 It's not as spectacular. 00:08:44.860 --> 00:08:47.440 It's a real shadow of Solomon's temple. 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:51.860 But around 20 BC, so fast forward 400 years later, 00:08:52.400 --> 00:08:56.080 King Herod decides more for political reasons than anything else. 00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:58.200 Herod decides he's going to restore the temple. 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:00.520 He's going to fix it up and spruce it up. 00:09:00.940 --> 00:09:02.480 And so Herod restores the temple. 00:09:02.620 --> 00:09:03.620 He gets it fixed up. 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:06.980 He actually expands it and makes it bigger and he grows it. 00:09:07.300 --> 00:09:11.740 And he does this for political reasons because he knows that if he can restore the temple 00:09:11.740 --> 00:09:19.399 and national pride, this will maybe push back some of the Roman asserting their authority. 00:09:19.580 --> 00:09:23.240 So if he can get the Israelites proud of their temple and kind of riled up again, 00:09:23.500 --> 00:09:26.399 maybe the Romans won't be so strong about coming onto Israel. 00:09:26.620 --> 00:09:29.500 So Herod politically thinks, let's revive the temple. 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:34.000 And so at the time of Jesus' day, the temple actually once again looked pretty marvelous. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:35.220 It looked pretty magnificent. 00:09:35.220 --> 00:09:41.100 Remember that at one time Jesus' disciples leave the temple with him and they say to him, 00:09:41.100 --> 00:09:42.560 Rabbi, look at these stones. 00:09:42.700 --> 00:09:44.480 Look how amazing and beautiful they look. 00:09:44.779 --> 00:09:46.379 Doesn't the temple look magnificent? 00:09:47.820 --> 00:09:49.840 But Jesus says something astounding. 00:09:50.820 --> 00:09:52.560 Jesus in John chapter 2 says this. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:56.779 He says, pull down this temple and I will rebuild it in three days. 00:09:57.700 --> 00:09:58.660 What's Jesus saying? 00:09:59.420 --> 00:10:01.460 Jesus is actually fulfilling Haggai's prophecy. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:03.680 He's saying there is a better temple. 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:06.599 And it's far grander than anything you've ever seen. 00:10:07.019 --> 00:10:08.479 But I am that temple. 00:10:08.919 --> 00:10:10.219 I am the true temple. 00:10:10.359 --> 00:10:11.379 I am the true priest. 00:10:11.559 --> 00:10:12.719 I am the true sacrifice. 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:18.279 Everything you've read about in all the Old Testament finds its fulfillment in me. 00:10:18.959 --> 00:10:21.159 And so in John chapter 1, John says, 00:10:21.500 --> 00:10:25.019 The word became flesh, that's Jesus, and he dwelt amongst us. 00:10:25.079 --> 00:10:27.179 Or he tabernacled amongst us. 00:10:27.199 --> 00:10:29.740 In other words, his temple came to live amongst us. 00:10:29.799 --> 00:10:31.459 And we have seen his glory. 00:10:31.460 --> 00:10:37.420 Well, that's an amazing thing because for 500 years, the people of Israel haven't experienced God's glory. 00:10:37.740 --> 00:10:39.560 They haven't experienced God's presence at all. 00:10:39.980 --> 00:10:43.480 And now John says, here is his glory in our midst. 00:10:43.660 --> 00:10:45.040 And so D.A. Carson says, 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:49.000 God's glory had appeared once again, shining in splendor. 00:10:49.420 --> 00:10:52.900 But this time it came, not in the temple, in a man. 00:10:53.400 --> 00:10:53.980 In a man. 00:10:53.980 --> 00:10:58.899 This was incredibly difficult for the people of Jesus' day to understand. 00:10:59.180 --> 00:11:01.899 The temple was so central to everything they were. 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:06.539 Their identity and who they were as the people of God was found in their temple. 00:11:06.680 --> 00:11:08.659 And Jesus says, I am here. 00:11:09.220 --> 00:11:10.519 I am the true temple. 00:11:11.580 --> 00:11:15.820 Well, with that background, let's look at 1 Peter chapter 2. 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:16.259 Okay? 00:11:16.259 --> 00:11:18.799 So now remember what our big arching theme is this. 00:11:19.819 --> 00:11:27.600 The church is Christ's house, following Christ's example, built on Christ the foundation for the praise of Christ's name. 00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:33.179 And I've got five points that kind of follow that theme with one little warning thrown in the middle. 00:11:33.439 --> 00:11:33.559 Okay? 00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:36.080 So, firstly, let's dive in. 00:11:36.659 --> 00:11:39.059 The strange honor of being Christ's house. 00:11:39.379 --> 00:11:39.539 Okay? 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:40.399 Christ's house. 00:11:40.539 --> 00:11:42.439 The strange honor of being Christ's house. 00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:44.779 Look at verse 4 with me. 00:11:44.779 --> 00:11:46.459 I just lost my place here. 00:11:47.159 --> 00:11:50.259 Verse 4 says this. 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:58.860 As you come to him, that's Jesus, the living stone, rejected by men, but in the sight of God, chosen and precious, 00:11:59.399 --> 00:12:05.839 so you yourselves, like living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:10.539 to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 00:12:10.980 --> 00:12:12.059 So look what Peter's saying. 00:12:12.059 --> 00:12:16.179 He's saying, as you come to him, God is doing something amazing with you. 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:19.799 When you come to God, he doesn't just save you and make you a Christian. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:21.739 He does that, but he doesn't just do that. 00:12:22.099 --> 00:12:25.139 He doesn't just save you from hell, though he does do that. 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:28.299 God, when you come to him in faith, he actually does something. 00:12:28.779 --> 00:12:33.859 He makes you, he fashions you like a stone, and he places you in the wall of his temple. 00:12:33.860 --> 00:12:42.000 God takes every individual life of every Christ follower, and he's making you part of his house, his building, his temple. 00:12:42.279 --> 00:12:47.840 As you come to him, you are like living stones being built up into a spiritual house. 00:12:48.399 --> 00:12:51.180 In Ephesians 3, Paul says it like this. 00:12:51.179 --> 00:12:56.299 In the gospel, God is building a brand new house, and Christ is the cornerstone. 00:12:56.819 --> 00:13:01.819 And in him, you are being built together as a dwelling place for the presence of God. 00:13:02.239 --> 00:13:06.559 So everyone in Peter's day knew what the temple was about. 00:13:06.959 --> 00:13:09.259 The temple was heaven on earth. 00:13:09.579 --> 00:13:11.879 It was the garden of Eden here on earth. 00:13:11.959 --> 00:13:16.299 It was the place where God's presence dwelt and where God's Holy Spirit was. 00:13:16.299 --> 00:13:21.479 It was the place where God made known his glory, okay, literally heaven on earth. 00:13:22.219 --> 00:13:30.159 And so holy and so glorious and so majestic and so set apart is the temple that no ordinary people can go in there. 00:13:30.579 --> 00:13:37.019 If you're from another race, even if you convert to Judaism for 10 generations, you're not allowed to go anywhere near the temple. 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:42.279 If you are sick or you're not completely clean, you're not allowed near the temple. 00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:49.079 Only certain people of a certain ethnicity, of a certain family are allowed to go into the temple, and only at certain times. 00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:53.199 So holy, so precious, so magnificent is this temple. 00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:55.819 If you go there at the wrong time, you die. 00:13:57.819 --> 00:13:59.519 And now God says through Peter, 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:21.460 This is an incredible honor, incredible privilege that God dwells amongst us and makes his glory known in our midst. 00:14:22.179 --> 00:14:25.120 In the book of Nehemiah, there's this amazing little story. 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:32.679 Nehemiah comes back to Israel to rebuild the city walls of Jerusalem at the same time that Israel is rebuilding the temple. 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:33.980 So after the exile. 00:14:34.580 --> 00:14:37.620 And he comes back because he hears that the walls have broken down. 00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:40.539 And so he says, let's rebuild the walls. 00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:46.159 It's fine for you to build the temple, but if the walls are still broken down, people can attack us and that's not going to help. 00:14:46.220 --> 00:14:47.379 So let's rebuild the walls. 00:14:47.879 --> 00:14:51.139 But the problem is, Israel has been in exile for 70 years. 00:14:51.139 --> 00:14:55.019 They haven't had masons that are cutting stone or firing bricks. 00:14:55.460 --> 00:14:58.620 And so there's no good materials around to rebuild this wall. 00:14:58.840 --> 00:15:01.740 They need Dwight the contractor to come and bring in new materials. 00:15:02.139 --> 00:15:03.120 But they don't have Dwight. 00:15:03.559 --> 00:15:04.480 So what are they going to do? 00:15:05.019 --> 00:15:11.360 So Nehemiah calls his friends and says, let's go to the rubbish heaps and we're going to find some old burnt stones. 00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:13.439 Stones that were once used previously. 00:15:13.819 --> 00:15:14.720 We'll clean them up. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:15.500 We'll fashion them. 00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:16.379 We'll maybe chip away. 00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:21.439 We'll take old burnt stones and we'll use these to rebuild the walls in Israel. 00:15:21.939 --> 00:15:24.139 Friends, that's exactly what God does with our lives. 00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:28.299 He takes our lives that are sometimes burnt, sometimes tarnished with sin. 00:15:28.740 --> 00:15:30.379 He takes us with our self-centeredness. 00:15:30.779 --> 00:15:32.159 He takes us with our brokenness. 00:15:32.539 --> 00:15:33.860 He doesn't wait for us to be perfect. 00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:37.840 He takes our burnt stones lives and he comes and he says, I'll place in my wall. 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:39.399 I'll rebuild my temple. 00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:45.740 In you, with all your warts and all your failures and all your issues and all your sin, there my glory will reside. 00:15:46.100 --> 00:15:47.539 I'll send my presence there. 00:15:47.980 --> 00:15:49.579 And this was an incredible honor. 00:15:49.779 --> 00:15:55.419 It's an incredible privilege that God would look at you and at me and say, I'll give my glory to those people. 00:15:55.899 --> 00:15:57.159 I'll build my temple there. 00:15:57.439 --> 00:15:58.679 Is there any higher honor? 00:15:59.439 --> 00:16:01.500 And yet, it's a strange honor. 00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:06.379 And it's a strange honor because who is Peter writing to when he writes this? 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:09.539 He's writing to Christians and are they feeling very honored? 00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:12.519 No, they're feeling like outcasts, remember? 00:16:13.059 --> 00:16:18.220 Peter's writing this to people that are ostracized and persecuted and rejected because they're Christians. 00:16:18.779 --> 00:16:22.139 Peter writes this to people that are feeling like the whole world is against them. 00:16:22.500 --> 00:16:24.059 They're not feeling very honored at all. 00:16:24.419 --> 00:16:27.919 They feel like the rejects of society, being cast out. 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:30.840 In verse 7, he says, this honor is for you. 00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:34.139 And the people must have thought, what honor are you talking about? 00:16:34.220 --> 00:16:38.379 We are the most dishonored, shameful people in the whole of Cappadocia. 00:16:39.139 --> 00:16:40.680 And yet, it is an honor. 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:44.620 One commentator wrote it like this and said, these people, these Christians, 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:51.780 were on the receiving end of a barrage of verbal abuse designed to demean them, discredit them, 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:58.400 and shame the believers as social and moral deviants, as those endangering the common good. 00:16:59.139 --> 00:17:03.439 So people would go to these Christians and say, you Christians, you are bad news for our society. 00:17:03.720 --> 00:17:07.359 The best thing that should happen is just close down the temple and we should drive you out of here. 00:17:07.940 --> 00:17:09.359 You're not good for society. 00:17:10.579 --> 00:17:16.720 And friends, can I say that in Hong Kong, we haven't got to that stage yet, but it's coming. 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:21.400 As in other parts of the world, we're to stick up your hand and say, I'm a follower of Jesus, 00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:24.880 you will subject yourself to the same verbal abuse. 00:17:25.460 --> 00:17:28.360 People look at you and say, you're a moral and social deviant. 00:17:28.500 --> 00:17:29.839 You're a danger to society. 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:31.900 We shouldn't tolerate you here. 00:17:32.380 --> 00:17:33.759 Your faith is a danger here. 00:17:34.299 --> 00:17:35.000 And it's coming. 00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:36.240 It's coming. 00:17:36.940 --> 00:17:38.880 But friends, what is our hope? 00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:43.720 Our hope is that despite all of that, God's gathered people are his treasured possession, 00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:48.559 his holy temple, where he has chosen to send his presence and reveal his glory. 00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:51.799 And our hope is that this church is not anybody's church. 00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:53.299 It's Christ's church. 00:17:53.740 --> 00:17:54.620 It's Christ's church. 00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:56.700 So the first thing is this, Christ's church. 00:17:57.559 --> 00:17:59.200 Second point is this. 00:17:59.579 --> 00:18:00.960 We follow Christ's example. 00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:03.700 Now, look at verse four. 00:18:03.880 --> 00:18:09.519 Why should we not be surprised when hardship and persecution and difficulty follow the life 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:10.299 of a Christ follower? 00:18:10.299 --> 00:18:10.819 Okay? 00:18:11.259 --> 00:18:12.759 Just warning you, it's going to come. 00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:14.659 If it hasn't come yet, it's going to come. 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:14.980 Right? 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:17.859 Well, look at verse four because Peter tells us. 00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:18.299 He says, 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:25.000 As you come to him, that's Jesus, the living stone rejected by men, but in the sight of God 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:30.799 chosen and precious, so you yourselves are like living stones being built up into the spiritual 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:31.240 house. 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:32.240 Okay? 00:18:32.299 --> 00:18:33.099 So this is what he's saying. 00:18:33.539 --> 00:18:36.299 He's saying, you are no different from your master. 00:18:36.839 --> 00:18:38.039 Just remember Jesus. 00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:43.159 Jesus, he was this living stone, the living stone, and yet he was rejected by men. 00:18:43.740 --> 00:18:45.960 Do you expect anything different to happen to you? 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:48.039 Isn't this what Jesus said? 00:18:48.139 --> 00:18:52.519 Jesus said, if they persecuted me, you can be sure that they will persecute you. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:57.659 You see, friends, when the Christians started to experience this rejection, this persecution, 00:18:58.220 --> 00:19:00.460 they might have been tempted to think, God, where are you? 00:19:01.000 --> 00:19:02.139 Have you abandoned us? 00:19:02.680 --> 00:19:03.819 Have you forgotten us? 00:19:03.819 --> 00:19:07.539 Maybe we took the wrong path and we need to get back on track. 00:19:07.659 --> 00:19:10.039 And Peter writes to them and say, no, not at all. 00:19:10.439 --> 00:19:15.159 These hardships that you are experiencing is not because God has rejected you, but the 00:19:15.159 --> 00:19:19.079 very opposite, because you're cut from the same stone as Jesus. 00:19:19.819 --> 00:19:25.019 If Jesus, the chief stone, experienced this, why are you, the living stones that fashioned 00:19:25.019 --> 00:19:26.599 after him, going to be any different? 00:19:26.599 --> 00:19:32.439 In chapter 4, Peter writes and he says, friends, don't be surprised when fiery trials come 00:19:32.439 --> 00:19:35.299 upon you as though something strange were happening to you. 00:19:35.740 --> 00:19:38.679 Rejoice because you're sharing in Jesus' sufferings. 00:19:39.079 --> 00:19:43.299 In other words, rejoice because you're walking in the steps of Christ, your king, Christ, 00:19:43.379 --> 00:19:43.879 your master. 00:19:44.339 --> 00:19:46.319 You're cut from the very same stone as him. 00:19:47.679 --> 00:19:50.359 Christ's church following Christ's example. 00:19:50.359 --> 00:19:55.359 Third thing, built on the foundation of Christ, our cornerstone. 00:19:56.019 --> 00:19:57.979 Look at verse 6 with me. 00:19:58.539 --> 00:19:59.619 Are you following? 00:20:00.359 --> 00:20:01.359 Is that making any sense? 00:20:02.139 --> 00:20:02.779 Okay, great. 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:04.339 Thank you, Simon, for the encouragement. 00:20:05.399 --> 00:20:09.339 The church is Christ's house, which follows Christ's example. 00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:11.859 Thirdly, built on the foundation of Christ himself. 00:20:12.659 --> 00:20:13.500 Look at verse 6 here. 00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:19.160 In verse 6, Peter quotes Isaiah 28, which is actually the scripture that Soda read to us 00:20:19.160 --> 00:20:21.299 as our call to gather this morning. 00:20:21.660 --> 00:20:27.819 And it says this, behold, I'm laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone, chosen and precious. 00:20:28.039 --> 00:20:31.799 Isaiah actually says a stone that's been tested, chosen and precious. 00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:36.220 And whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. 00:20:36.220 --> 00:20:42.980 Friends, the reason why these Christians could endure hardship and suffering and reproach and 00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:49.880 rejection and difficulty was because this building, which God was making out of these community 00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:55.620 of believers, was established on a rock-solid, unshakable foundation. 00:20:56.400 --> 00:20:58.220 And that foundation had been tested. 00:20:58.819 --> 00:21:01.039 It's the foundation that has stood the test of time. 00:21:01.600 --> 00:21:03.900 That foundation is Christ himself. 00:21:03.900 --> 00:21:06.960 Those who believe in him will not be put to shame. 00:21:07.720 --> 00:21:10.880 And Isaiah describes this foundation as the cornerstone. 00:21:11.120 --> 00:21:16.000 Now, the cornerstone, I'm sure you know this, was a very important stone in a building project, right? 00:21:16.060 --> 00:21:17.920 It serves two purposes. 00:21:18.460 --> 00:21:20.980 The one is that it's kind of like a foundational stone. 00:21:21.360 --> 00:21:26.500 It's a stone that had to be very strong because a lot of the weight of the corner and a lot of the 00:21:26.500 --> 00:21:28.500 weight of the building would rest on the stone. 00:21:28.680 --> 00:21:33.440 And so it was placed at the bottom of the building, and it would carry a lot of the weight 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:34.059 of the building. 00:21:34.059 --> 00:21:38.900 It was a foundational stone, and a lot that was built after it was rested on the stone. 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:45.320 But the second thing about the cornerstone was that it set the line for where the rest of the walls were to go. 00:21:45.600 --> 00:21:49.420 So while you're building this wall and you're wondering, am I building straight, am I not straight? 00:21:49.539 --> 00:21:52.940 You look to the cornerstone to see, am I still on track? 00:21:53.259 --> 00:21:53.380 Okay? 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:55.840 And so you build according to the cornerstone. 00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:58.220 And so the cornerstone had to be straight. 00:21:58.539 --> 00:21:59.380 It had to be honest. 00:21:59.660 --> 00:22:00.580 It had to be strong. 00:22:00.579 --> 00:22:02.480 And this is what Peter's saying. 00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:09.139 He's saying that this house, this temple, this church that Christ is building, this new household of God's people 00:22:09.139 --> 00:22:13.399 in which God's presence dwells and in which God is going to make His glory made known, 00:22:13.799 --> 00:22:17.960 this is not just a ragtag bunch of people that are trying to be religious, 00:22:18.539 --> 00:22:22.500 a bunch of people that are trying to live a good life and sort of keep things together. 00:22:22.879 --> 00:22:26.019 No, this is a house which is built on a cornerstone. 00:22:26.019 --> 00:22:28.819 And that cornerstone is Christ Himself. 00:22:29.319 --> 00:22:30.440 He is our guide. 00:22:30.539 --> 00:22:31.579 He is our foundation. 00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:34.059 This church is meant to be built on Him. 00:22:34.460 --> 00:22:37.920 And therefore, it's built on an unshakable foundation. 00:22:39.500 --> 00:22:42.720 And friends, Peter here is talking about the universal church. 00:22:42.839 --> 00:22:44.079 The church will stand. 00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:48.859 But it's important for us as a local church to sit up and take note here. 00:22:48.859 --> 00:22:54.259 Because, Watermark, the future of our church depends on this question. 00:22:55.399 --> 00:22:59.299 Will we as a congregation build on Christ and follow His lead? 00:23:00.099 --> 00:23:03.299 Will we as a church allow Christ to set the agenda? 00:23:04.159 --> 00:23:07.019 Will we allow Christ to be the cornerstone of this church? 00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:14.019 Or will we capitulate and build according to our own desires, our own dreams, our own vision? 00:23:14.019 --> 00:23:21.639 What's amazing here is, remember in the Gospels, in Matthew 16, Jesus is talking to His disciples. 00:23:21.879 --> 00:23:24.940 And at that stage, Peter, His name was still Simon, right? 00:23:26.119 --> 00:23:28.079 And Jesus is talking to His disciples and He says, 00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:29.400 Who do people say that I am? 00:23:29.879 --> 00:23:34.660 And they say, some say Elijah, some say this prophet, some say that prophet. 00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:36.519 And Jesus says, Well, who do you say I am? 00:23:37.379 --> 00:23:39.539 And Simon, later called Peter, says, 00:23:39.859 --> 00:23:42.019 You're the Christ, the Son of the living God. 00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:45.500 And Jesus says to him, You're right. 00:23:46.379 --> 00:23:48.079 You are no longer to be called Simon. 00:23:48.259 --> 00:23:49.299 You will be called Peter. 00:23:49.480 --> 00:23:51.539 Now, the word Peter means the rock. 00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:52.079 Okay? 00:23:52.639 --> 00:23:56.400 Jesus says, You'll be called Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. 00:23:56.839 --> 00:24:02.000 Now, some people think, Well, that means that on Peter, the rock, Jesus is going to build this church. 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:06.460 He's going to establish His church on the foundation of Peter's authority. 00:24:06.680 --> 00:24:10.779 That Peter, this great leader of the church, is the foundation of the church, right? 00:24:10.779 --> 00:24:17.059 But if there is one place in all of Peter's writings where he could have just slipped that in and said, 00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:20.720 Just to remind you all, I am the rock, right? 00:24:21.139 --> 00:24:24.819 I mean, he's writing all about the stone, the foundation that the church is built on. 00:24:24.859 --> 00:24:29.660 He could have said, Listen, Jesus is the chief cornerstone, but right next to Him, there's another rock. 00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:33.460 Just remember, just want to remind you what Jesus said about yours truly. 00:24:33.980 --> 00:24:34.119 Okay? 00:24:34.619 --> 00:24:35.759 He could have reminded them. 00:24:36.440 --> 00:24:38.180 Peter doesn't mention a single thing. 00:24:38.180 --> 00:24:40.740 He doesn't mention himself once. 00:24:40.940 --> 00:24:41.180 Why? 00:24:41.880 --> 00:24:43.160 Because there's one rock. 00:24:43.740 --> 00:24:44.720 There's one foundation. 00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:47.120 The church is not built on personality. 00:24:47.820 --> 00:24:49.340 It's not built on charismatic leaders. 00:24:49.840 --> 00:24:52.820 It's not built on any entertainment or anything. 00:24:53.220 --> 00:24:55.640 It's built on one foundational stone. 00:24:56.080 --> 00:24:59.799 The cornerstone that has been tested, chosen, and is precious. 00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:01.400 That has stood the test of time. 00:25:01.960 --> 00:25:03.440 The cornerstone of Jesus Christ. 00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:09.019 It's Christ's church, following His example, built on Christ Himself. 00:25:09.860 --> 00:25:13.420 And friends, can I let you into a little secret in my own heart? 00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:13.700 Okay? 00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:16.299 If we can just keep this to ourselves, just the 200 of us. 00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:16.580 Okay? 00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:23.840 But honestly, I really am deeply worried about the state of the church in the world. 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:27.200 And Hong Kong, we're not that bad, but the temptation is still here. 00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:34.220 And the reason is, in every church, in every age, the temptation is to find some other cornerstone, 00:25:34.319 --> 00:25:37.039 some other foundation upon which to build the church. 00:25:37.259 --> 00:25:39.019 To build it on celebrity leaders. 00:25:39.580 --> 00:25:41.519 To build the church on personality. 00:25:42.539 --> 00:25:46.279 To build the church on entertaining kids ministry or entertaining speakers. 00:25:46.740 --> 00:25:50.380 To put on a world-class show where church members are well entertained. 00:25:50.380 --> 00:25:56.860 But friends, what makes the church the church is that it's God's people that are gathered in God's name. 00:25:56.940 --> 00:26:00.820 And God's presence is there for the glory of His name with Christ as the foundation. 00:26:02.040 --> 00:26:06.820 And this means that when we assemble in Christ's name, we love and serve each other like Christ would. 00:26:07.100 --> 00:26:09.320 It means we forgive one another that Christ would. 00:26:09.400 --> 00:26:12.520 It means we deal with sin and repentance like Christ would have us do it. 00:26:12.900 --> 00:26:16.640 It means that when a brother sins against us, we forgive them like Christ would have us do it. 00:26:16.640 --> 00:26:19.160 It means we point one another back to Christ. 00:26:19.240 --> 00:26:22.340 Because Christ is the foundation of this church. 00:26:22.900 --> 00:26:26.880 Charles Spurgeon tells a story where one day he goes to a church service. 00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:31.220 And the preacher doesn't mention Jesus anywhere. 00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:32.840 Nothing of Jesus. 00:26:33.100 --> 00:26:33.940 Nothing of Christ. 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:35.000 Nothing of the gospel. 00:26:35.259 --> 00:26:36.580 Nothing of the blood of the cross. 00:26:36.780 --> 00:26:37.880 Nothing of Jesus at all. 00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:40.400 It's all moralism and religion and good works. 00:26:41.120 --> 00:26:43.759 And he walks out and someone says, how did you find church today? 00:26:44.599 --> 00:26:47.379 And Charles Spurgeon quotes Mary Magdalene at the tomb. 00:26:47.460 --> 00:26:51.599 And he says, they've taken my Lord Jesus and I know not where they've laid Him. 00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:54.599 Friends, may that never be said of us. 00:26:55.319 --> 00:26:59.980 May people never say of this church, they've taken the Lord Jesus Christ and I know not where they've put Him. 00:27:00.460 --> 00:27:05.200 May this church forever be built on the one true foundation that is Christ. 00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:09.200 In Christ the solid rock we stand, all other ground is sinking sand. 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:14.140 Behold, I'm laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious. 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:17.080 Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame. 00:27:17.700 --> 00:27:20.539 And this leads to the fourth point, which is a serious warning. 00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:21.799 A serious warning. 00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:23.799 Look at verse 7 to 8 with me. 00:27:25.400 --> 00:27:31.620 Peter says, this honor of being Christ's temple, Christ's building, Christ's church is for you. 00:27:31.700 --> 00:27:32.960 It's a magnificent honor. 00:27:33.120 --> 00:27:35.920 Strange as it may be because you may not feel honored all the time. 00:27:36.360 --> 00:27:38.080 But this honor is for you who believe. 00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:42.139 But for those who do not believe, and then he quotes two scriptures. 00:27:42.500 --> 00:27:45.039 One is Psalm 118, the other is Isaiah 8. 00:27:45.139 --> 00:27:46.679 And the quotations go like this. 00:27:47.339 --> 00:27:51.759 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. 00:27:52.460 --> 00:27:56.500 And secondly, it's become a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense. 00:27:57.379 --> 00:28:00.460 Now what's interesting about this is you'd expect Peter to say, 00:28:00.659 --> 00:28:04.960 you reject Jesus and you're going to burn in hell, fire and brimstone, right? 00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:06.960 But that's not exactly what he says. 00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:11.460 He says, if you reject Jesus, it means nothing to Jesus. 00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:13.420 Well, let me rephrase that. 00:28:13.799 --> 00:28:14.400 That's not what I mean. 00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:19.819 He says, if you reject Jesus, that has no bearing on what happens to Jesus. 00:28:20.340 --> 00:28:21.880 He still becomes the chief cornerstone. 00:28:22.420 --> 00:28:23.519 He's still the glorious one. 00:28:23.579 --> 00:28:24.600 He's going to build his church. 00:28:24.599 --> 00:28:30.419 If you reject this cornerstone, what happens is that you find yourself rejected. 00:28:30.959 --> 00:28:31.099 Okay? 00:28:31.199 --> 00:28:31.699 Do you see that? 00:28:31.980 --> 00:28:36.339 He says, the stone the builders has rejected has become the cornerstone. 00:28:36.579 --> 00:28:41.079 It wasn't like they rejected it and now it's languishing down in some courtyard somewhere. 00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:44.299 They rejected it, but the stone is still the cornerstone. 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:45.639 It's still standing strong. 00:28:46.119 --> 00:28:50.579 And they find themselves as the one that have now fallen away and out of the limelight. 00:28:50.579 --> 00:28:51.859 And so this is what he's saying. 00:28:52.019 --> 00:28:56.419 Those who reject Christ find in the end that it's only themselves that have been rejected. 00:28:57.359 --> 00:28:57.539 Okay? 00:28:57.899 --> 00:28:58.619 Does that make sense? 00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:00.259 Let me give you an analogy. 00:29:01.139 --> 00:29:07.259 How many of you have seen or heard of Michelangelo's magnificent statue of David? 00:29:07.439 --> 00:29:08.179 Anyone seen it? 00:29:08.259 --> 00:29:09.579 In Florence and Italy, right? 00:29:09.659 --> 00:29:09.899 Okay. 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:12.000 It's an amazing story. 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:21.680 500 years ago, 600 years ago, the committee that oversaw the cathedral in the city of Florence in Italy decides that they need some statues to be built. 00:29:22.380 --> 00:29:26.460 And so in 1465, they commissioned this artist. 00:29:26.819 --> 00:29:31.539 They go and get a magnificent piece of stone cut from the quarries in Tuscany. 00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:36.240 They bring it to Florence and they commission an artist to carve a statue of David. 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:42.759 Now, this statue is probably the most famous and the most magnificent sculpture or statue ever sculptured. 00:29:42.900 --> 00:29:42.980 Okay? 00:29:43.220 --> 00:29:44.720 It's 17 feet tall. 00:29:44.859 --> 00:29:48.460 So it's the size of kind of three normal men, twice the size of Eric. 00:29:48.680 --> 00:29:50.120 But it's really big. 00:29:50.220 --> 00:29:50.400 Okay? 00:29:51.099 --> 00:29:52.039 17 feet. 00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:52.700 That's what? 00:29:52.839 --> 00:29:53.960 Three meters or something? 00:29:55.460 --> 00:29:56.319 No, five meters. 00:29:56.440 --> 00:29:56.559 Okay? 00:29:57.440 --> 00:29:59.819 So they commissioned this guy. 00:29:59.940 --> 00:30:01.940 We want you to carve us a statue of David. 00:30:01.940 --> 00:30:05.019 And he starts and pretty soon he abandons the project. 00:30:05.180 --> 00:30:06.400 He says, I can't work on this thing. 00:30:06.860 --> 00:30:07.559 And he goes off. 00:30:08.100 --> 00:30:12.960 And so this piece of magnificent marble is left in some courtyard languishing for 10 years. 00:30:13.500 --> 00:30:17.320 10 years later, they go to another artist and they say, listen, we want a statue of David. 00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:21.220 Will you take this piece of marble and carve us the statue of David? 00:30:22.039 --> 00:30:23.840 And so this artist starts. 00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:27.759 But as soon as he starts, pretty soon at the project, he abandons the project. 00:30:27.860 --> 00:30:29.259 And the reason is he says this. 00:30:29.539 --> 00:30:31.100 This marble is a piece of rubbish. 00:30:31.099 --> 00:30:32.339 It's mediocre. 00:30:32.899 --> 00:30:35.139 You can never carve anything magnificent out of that. 00:30:35.719 --> 00:30:39.240 And to preserve his own name, he walks away from the project. 00:30:39.819 --> 00:30:45.939 And so this piece of marble, this five meters tall piece of marble, for the next 25 years, 00:30:46.019 --> 00:30:51.139 is lying in some courtyard in Florence, subject to the weather and the elements. 00:30:51.719 --> 00:30:56.240 And so eventually in 1501, the city officials think we better do something about it. 00:30:56.240 --> 00:30:59.359 And they find this young artist called Michelangelo. 00:30:59.480 --> 00:31:00.619 He's 26 years old. 00:31:01.099 --> 00:31:04.699 And they say to him, listen, will you take a stab at this piece? 00:31:05.319 --> 00:31:07.799 And so for the next two and a half years, he works day and night. 00:31:07.919 --> 00:31:08.980 He works his backside off. 00:31:09.259 --> 00:31:15.199 And he carves the most magnificent and beautiful and glorious sculpture, probably the most famous 00:31:15.199 --> 00:31:17.539 sculpture the world has ever seen. 00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:19.240 But here's the point. 00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:22.039 Those that rejected the marble is unfit. 00:31:22.839 --> 00:31:23.240 Unworthy. 00:31:23.460 --> 00:31:24.920 Those that thought it's mediocre. 00:31:25.059 --> 00:31:26.180 There's nothing good about it. 00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:28.180 Nothing good can come from this piece of marble. 00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:31.120 In the end, they find the other than themselves rejected. 00:31:31.660 --> 00:31:35.980 In the end, it was their names that were rejected from the history books of art history and from time. 00:31:36.460 --> 00:31:38.200 They reject it as a piece of rubbish. 00:31:38.200 --> 00:31:38.960 It's mediocre. 00:31:38.960 --> 00:31:41.220 They think nothing good is going to come out of it. 00:31:41.500 --> 00:31:43.700 They reject this marble as a waste of time. 00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:47.279 And in the end, the marble stands in Italy. 00:31:47.900 --> 00:31:53.620 And their names are relegated to footnotes in the back of some history book that nobody knows anything about. 00:31:54.140 --> 00:31:55.600 Friends, this is what Peter is saying. 00:31:55.720 --> 00:31:59.720 When you reject Christ, it has no consequence on what happens to Christ. 00:32:00.259 --> 00:32:01.299 Christ will stand. 00:32:01.919 --> 00:32:03.139 He will build his church. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:06.139 But the consequence does result in us. 00:32:06.680 --> 00:32:08.859 It does have massive consequences for us. 00:32:09.619 --> 00:32:12.599 Listen to how New Testament scholar Leonard Gopold put it. 00:32:12.639 --> 00:32:13.180 He said this. 00:32:13.720 --> 00:32:16.500 Christ has laid across the path of humanity. 00:32:17.059 --> 00:32:20.039 In the encounter with him, each person is changed. 00:32:20.180 --> 00:32:23.180 One for salvation, another for destruction. 00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:31.059 One cannot simply step over Jesus and go on about the daily routine and pass him by to build a better future for yourself. 00:32:31.680 --> 00:32:35.419 Whoever encounters Jesus is inescapably changed through that encounter. 00:32:35.960 --> 00:32:43.919 Either one sees him and becomes a living stone, or one stumbles as a blind person over Christ and comes to ruin. 00:32:45.819 --> 00:32:48.059 Friends, Peter says there's two building projects going on here. 00:32:48.220 --> 00:32:51.799 Christ is building his church, or you can build your own temple. 00:32:52.359 --> 00:32:55.259 One of them is going to stand, and one of them is going to lead to destruction. 00:32:56.299 --> 00:32:58.220 Friends, which building project are you engaging in? 00:32:58.220 --> 00:33:08.440 Are you going to allow yourself to be like refurbished burnstones placed in Christ's temple, built up for his glory, where Christ's presence and his glory resides? 00:33:09.180 --> 00:33:11.640 Well, are you going to step over him and stumble? 00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:14.759 And in the end, your house is going to be built on sand. 00:33:14.880 --> 00:33:15.539 It's going to lie flat. 00:33:15.539 --> 00:33:19.480 I think the greatest example of this is the story of Judas. 00:33:20.539 --> 00:33:25.839 Judas hangs about with Jesus, and in the end he says, no, it's not all that he's cut out to be. 00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:29.159 And he says, let me make some money off walking away from him. 00:33:29.240 --> 00:33:32.799 And so he goes to the authority and he says, I'll sell you Jesus for 30 silver coins. 00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:34.960 They say, sure, and he makes a deal. 00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:38.160 But later on, he realizes what he's done, and he's changed his mind. 00:33:38.220 --> 00:33:41.039 And he goes back and he says, I've sold an innocent man. 00:33:41.120 --> 00:33:42.200 Here, take your coins back. 00:33:42.240 --> 00:33:43.579 And they say, what is that to us? 00:33:44.120 --> 00:33:45.360 You deal with your own problems. 00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:51.279 And so Judas throws the coins on the ground, and he goes out and he takes his own life. 00:33:52.299 --> 00:33:57.400 Friends, we build our lives on Christ as a firm foundation, or we build our lives on sinking sand. 00:33:58.140 --> 00:34:00.019 Whose building project are you engaging in? 00:34:00.019 --> 00:34:03.619 Finally, the last point. 00:34:04.279 --> 00:34:10.719 Christ's church follows Christ's example, built on Christ as the foundation for the praise of Christ's name. 00:34:11.360 --> 00:34:13.179 Look at verse 9 and 10 with me. 00:34:13.739 --> 00:34:14.920 We're coming into land here. 00:34:15.039 --> 00:34:21.820 He says, but you, those who have come to Christ, are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, 00:34:21.820 --> 00:34:29.900 a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness 00:34:29.900 --> 00:34:31.480 and into his marvelous light. 00:34:32.019 --> 00:34:35.559 Once you were not a people, but now you're God's people. 00:34:35.900 --> 00:34:40.039 Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:46.280 And friends, this is the spectacular and stunning promise for those who do humble themselves and come to Christ, 00:34:46.840 --> 00:34:48.099 for those who do trust him. 00:34:48.240 --> 00:34:55.119 He builds us into a house, and our lives become a statement, a proclamation about the wonder of who Christ is 00:34:55.119 --> 00:34:56.980 and the glory of his presence. 00:34:57.300 --> 00:34:59.400 He will do it, but how does he do it? 00:34:59.400 --> 00:35:06.059 He does it by taking rebels and sinners like you and me, and he builds us into his house together. 00:35:06.599 --> 00:35:09.340 He takes rebels and he calls us his chosen people. 00:35:09.820 --> 00:35:10.220 Amazing. 00:35:10.360 --> 00:35:15.880 It's a quote from Isaiah 43 where God is bringing his people back from Babylon, back to Jerusalem, 00:35:16.240 --> 00:35:18.660 to where his presence is going to be, into his temple, and he says, 00:35:18.840 --> 00:35:20.260 you are my chosen people. 00:35:20.340 --> 00:35:22.940 I've chosen you for the praise of my name. 00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:26.599 God takes sinners like you and I that are lost in darkness. 00:35:26.599 --> 00:35:31.079 He brings us into light and he says, now you will be a statement for the praise of my name. 00:35:31.440 --> 00:35:35.980 When you come to him, God takes sinners like us and he calls us his royal priesthood. 00:35:36.539 --> 00:35:37.380 That's incredible. 00:35:38.319 --> 00:35:42.259 He takes broken sinners like us that will never be allowed near God's presence, 00:35:42.319 --> 00:35:44.339 and he says, now you are my royal priests. 00:35:45.000 --> 00:35:48.119 Friends, we are those that don't just minister to God and to one another. 00:35:48.119 --> 00:35:49.799 We minister to a broken world. 00:35:50.559 --> 00:35:56.859 You see, Peter's audience, tempted as they may have been, 00:35:57.480 --> 00:36:00.279 the temptation would have been, let's just come to church, 00:36:00.719 --> 00:36:07.199 and let's just huddle together and minister to one another out of this horrible hostile world, 00:36:07.420 --> 00:36:08.960 and we'll love and serve one another. 00:36:09.819 --> 00:36:12.460 And now Christ says, you are my royal priesthood. 00:36:12.460 --> 00:36:16.920 I send you out into that world to minister on my behalf for them. 00:36:17.220 --> 00:36:18.199 That's what priests did. 00:36:18.740 --> 00:36:21.119 Priests ministered to God's people on behalf of God. 00:36:21.659 --> 00:36:24.440 And now he says, I'm going to send you out into the world Monday to Friday 00:36:24.440 --> 00:36:27.980 while you're at work and you're at home and you're at university and you're at high school. 00:36:28.300 --> 00:36:31.059 I'll send you out to be my royal priesthood, my people, 00:36:31.260 --> 00:36:34.099 to minister to the broken and hurting world. 00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:38.940 Friends, Peter says that when we come to him, he takes sinners like us and he makes us a holy nation. 00:36:38.940 --> 00:36:50.480 The nation of Israel is holy because it had been built on a covenant shed by blood on Mount Sinai. 00:36:51.019 --> 00:36:56.559 God says, you are my holy people because you've been built on a covenant shed by blood on Mount Calvary. 00:36:57.300 --> 00:37:01.280 And in the end, Peter ends the section with a quote from the book of Hosea. 00:37:02.019 --> 00:37:02.960 And we'll close with this. 00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:09.500 The story of Hosea is that God calls this man called Hosea, this prophet, to marry this lady of ill repute, 00:37:10.019 --> 00:37:11.320 a lady who's a sex worker. 00:37:12.099 --> 00:37:14.699 And so he says, Hosea wants you to go marry this lady, Goma. 00:37:15.460 --> 00:37:17.440 And so he marries her and they have three children. 00:37:17.539 --> 00:37:20.880 The first one, God says, I want you to call her your son's name Jezreel. 00:37:21.059 --> 00:37:23.579 Jezreel was a term for judgment and condemnation. 00:37:24.099 --> 00:37:26.139 He says, because Israel are being judged. 00:37:26.780 --> 00:37:28.440 He says, then they have a second child, a daughter. 00:37:28.440 --> 00:37:34.019 And he says, call that daughter no mercy because Israel have no longer got my mercy. 00:37:34.659 --> 00:37:35.579 Then they have a third child. 00:37:35.659 --> 00:37:39.960 He says, call that third child not my people because Israel are no longer my people. 00:37:40.380 --> 00:37:41.639 They are lost in darkness. 00:37:42.539 --> 00:37:44.780 And then Hosea's wife, Goma, leaves him again. 00:37:45.940 --> 00:37:50.720 And God says to Hosea, I want you to go and buy back your wife. 00:37:51.400 --> 00:37:52.440 Go to the market. 00:37:52.720 --> 00:37:54.159 Go where people are buying her body. 00:37:54.720 --> 00:37:55.880 And you go and buy her. 00:37:56.619 --> 00:37:59.460 And so Hosea goes and he buys her for 30 silver coins. 00:38:00.160 --> 00:38:04.059 And he brings her back and he says, you are not my wife, but now you'll be my wife. 00:38:04.460 --> 00:38:06.700 You don't deserve mercy, but now I'll give you mercy. 00:38:07.079 --> 00:38:08.760 You'll once again be part of our family. 00:38:09.360 --> 00:38:10.360 And it's a prophetic picture. 00:38:11.000 --> 00:38:12.099 It's a picture of the church. 00:38:12.840 --> 00:38:15.640 God says to you and I that we are like Goma. 00:38:15.740 --> 00:38:16.720 We've lost our way. 00:38:16.980 --> 00:38:18.340 We've gone after our own way. 00:38:18.340 --> 00:38:22.160 We don't deserve mercy and we don't deserve to be God's people. 00:38:22.340 --> 00:38:25.000 And God says, just like he said to her, he says, 00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:27.980 You who are no longer my people, now you are my people. 00:38:28.420 --> 00:38:32.559 You who deserve no mercy, now I'll call you full of mercy. 00:38:33.079 --> 00:38:33.519 Why? 00:38:34.079 --> 00:38:35.099 Because of Jesus. 00:38:35.579 --> 00:38:36.260 Because of Jesus. 00:38:36.880 --> 00:38:38.659 Because Christ is building a temple. 00:38:39.460 --> 00:38:40.699 Friends, what is the church? 00:38:41.119 --> 00:38:42.460 The church is Christ's house. 00:38:43.199 --> 00:38:44.659 It's built on his foundation. 00:38:45.260 --> 00:38:47.699 It follows his examples for the praise of his name. 00:38:47.699 --> 00:38:52.759 That sinners like you and I, those that have been brought from the darkness into his marvelous light. 00:38:52.899 --> 00:38:55.159 Those that were once not his people and now his people. 00:38:55.319 --> 00:39:01.460 May go out into our hurting and broken world and proclaim the marvelous excellencies of who he is. 00:39:01.879 --> 00:39:05.879 Friends, this church exists for the glory of Christ's name. 00:39:06.500 --> 00:39:08.839 And so Christ says to us this morning, 00:39:08.840 --> 00:39:10.700 This church is my house. 00:39:11.380 --> 00:39:12.519 Following my example. 00:39:13.420 --> 00:39:14.460 Built on who I am. 00:39:15.079 --> 00:39:17.300 Called for the praise of my name. 00:39:18.059 --> 00:39:19.160 Let's pray together. 00:39:25.039 --> 00:39:28.240 Father, we thank you God. 00:39:28.340 --> 00:39:30.480 We thank you for this incredible privilege. 00:39:30.840 --> 00:39:32.380 This honor of being your people. 00:39:32.380 --> 00:39:35.680 God, we think of how in the Old Testament, 00:39:35.900 --> 00:39:40.579 What an honor it was that people travel for days and weeks to get to your presence. 00:39:40.680 --> 00:39:41.500 To get to your temple. 00:39:42.119 --> 00:39:43.200 To be close to your presence. 00:39:43.320 --> 00:39:45.300 And now you say you make us your temple. 00:39:45.980 --> 00:39:47.780 Your presence and your glory dwell here. 00:39:47.940 --> 00:39:48.900 Reside within us. 00:39:49.519 --> 00:39:51.320 God, we ask, won't you sanctify us? 00:39:52.099 --> 00:39:54.000 Won't you make us worthy of that title? 00:39:54.880 --> 00:40:00.119 Won't you help us, Christ, to really, to proclaim your name, Lord God? 00:40:00.119 --> 00:40:02.980 May we not be a dishonor to you in our city. 00:40:03.739 --> 00:40:05.819 Lord, may Christ be made famous. 00:40:05.960 --> 00:40:09.059 May Christ's name be honored because of us, we pray. 00:40:09.900 --> 00:40:13.219 God, we ask that you do give us your Holy Spirit. 00:40:13.960 --> 00:40:16.559 We ask, God, that you do give us your presence, Lord. 00:40:17.299 --> 00:40:18.779 God, we long for your presence. 00:40:18.900 --> 00:40:20.460 We don't just want to go through the motions. 00:40:20.639 --> 00:40:24.420 We want to be a church where your presence dwells and your glory resides. 00:40:25.619 --> 00:40:29.279 Oh, God, may Watermark be built on Christ, the true cornerstone. 00:40:29.280 --> 00:40:30.320 The true foundation. 00:40:32.180 --> 00:40:37.460 And may we exist, God, all our days for the praise of your name. 00:40:38.180 --> 00:40:40.019 We pray these things in your name, Christ. 00:40:41.240 --> 00:40:41.660 Amen. 00:40:42.460 --> 00:40:42.840 Amen.