THE HOLY TEMPLE1 Peter 2:4-8

1 Peter 2:4-8

4 Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it is contained in Scripture:

Look! I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame! (Isaiah 28:16)

1 Peter 2:4-8

7 So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving,

The stone that the builders rejected— this One has become the cornerstone, (Psalm 118:22)

8 andA stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. (Isaiah 8:14)

They stumble because they disobey the message; they were destined for this.

These OT passages are messianicJesus applied this interpretation to himself (Mark 12:10-11)

Peter used these to provide encouragement to them (and to us)

Peter has personal history attached to this analogy

Matt. 16:15-18 -- 15 “But you,” He asked them, “who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!” 17 And Jesus responded, “Simon son of Jonah, you are blessed because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the forces of Hades will not overpower it.

Peter has personal history attached to this analogy

Matt. 16:23 (NASB) -- But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

Peter has personal history attached to this analogy

Matt. 16:23 (NASB) -- But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”Peter personally

“stumbled over” Christ’s suffering & death

Peter has personal history attached to this analogy

Matt. 16:23 (NASB) -- But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”Peter was personally

restored because of what Christ’s suffering secured (GRACE)

Peter has personal history attached to this analogy

Matt. 16:23 (NASB) -- But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

Peter learned a valuable truth…

suffering ≠ rejection

Peter has personal history attached to this analogy

Matt. 16:23 (NASB) -- But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

2 Cor. 1:3-5 -- 3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so through Christ our comfort also overflows.

Peter has personal history attached to this analogy

Matt. 16:23 (NASB) -- But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”What is your redemption story?

Peter is using this analogy to give them a new paradigm for holiness

Peter is reinterpreting OT views of holiness in light of the Gospel & our corporate union with Christ.

Peter is using this analogy to give them a new paradigm for holiness

1 Peter 2:4 -- 4 Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God—

Peter is using this analogy to give them a new paradigm for holiness

1 Peter 2:4 -- 4 Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God—

Peter is using this analogy to give them a new paradigm for holiness

1 Peter 2:4 -- 4 Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God—

Peter is using this analogy to give them a new paradigm for holiness

1 Peter 2:4 -- 4 Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God—

Holiness ≠ Keeping everyone happy with you

Peter is using this analogy to give them a new paradigm for holiness

1 Peter 2:6-7 -- 6 For it is contained in Scripture: Look! I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame! (Isaiah 28:16) 7 So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected— this One has become the cornerstone, (Psalm 118:22)

Peter is using this analogy to give them a new paradigm for holiness

1 Peter 2:6-7 -- 6 For it is contained in Scripture: Look! I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame! (Isaiah 28:16) 7 So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected— this One has become the cornerstone, (Psalm 118:22)

Peter is using this analogy to give them a new paradigm for holiness

1 Peter 2:6-7 -- 6 For it is contained in Scripture: Look! I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame! (Isaiah 28:16) 7 So honor will come to you who believe, but for the unbelieving, The stone that the builders rejected— this One has become the cornerstone, (Psalm 118:22)

The Corner Stone

The Corner Stone

The Corner Stone

The Corner Stone

The Corner Stone

Peter is using this analogy to give them a new paradigm for holiness

1 Peter 2:5 -- 5 you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

A Pile of Stones

A Pile of StonesNo definite relationshipbetween stones

A Pile of StonesStolen stone hardlynoticeable

A Spiritual Dwelling

A Spiritual Dwelling

Each stone stands in relation to other stones

A Spiritual Dwelling

A Spiritual Dwelling

Stolen stone stands out immediately!

A Spiritual Dwelling

A Spiritual Dwelling

Stone not doing it’s part causes damage

A Spiritual DwellingRelatedness:

Stone not doing it’s part causes damage

A Spiritual DwellingRelatedness:Each stone being supported

Stone not doing it’s part causes damage

A Spiritual Dwelling

Stone not doing it’s part causes damage

Relatedness:Each stone being supportedEach stone supporting others

Parallel Passages

1 Cor. 12:18,25-26 -- 18 But now God has placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted. . . 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Parallel Passages

Eph. 4:16 -- From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.

A Spiritual Dwelling

Holiness = Cultivation of purposeful & personal relationships

A Spiritual Dwelling

1 Peter 1:22 -- Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart

Biblical Holiness Pseudo Holiness

Is secure because rooted in Christ’s work

Is insecure because based on our works

Is primarily expressed relationally Is primarily individualistic

Is very concerned with sin of omission

Is mostly concerned with sin of commission

Takes actions, heart, & mind seriously

Over-stresses externals and/or navel-gazing

Has great, grace-based vision for the struggling

Has little margin for the struggling

Develops a trust-based, welcoming community

Develops a suspicious, in-grown community

Jesus is the living stone that can’t be avoided

1 Peter 2:8 -- A stone to stumble over, and a rock to trip over. (Isaiah 8:14) They stumble because they disobey the message; they were destined for this.

Who is Jesus to you?

A good man and teacher?

A total lunatic?

A cruel liar?

The Lord of all?