Lightly updated: October 14, 2022
“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.” 1 Peter 2:4-5
I have to admit that I woke up feeling pressure and anxiety. Do you ever have days when you you just feel the weight of everything? In our current time there is a lot of weight to carry around, and the whole world seems eager to throw it on us.
I recently wrote a post about looking to the Bible before looking at the world. That discipline has served me well. I have found great strength to carry the necessary loads of life as I have been nourished by the Word of God. I have also found this strength in the weekly study and preparation for corporate teaching.
I am preparing to preach 1 Peter 2:4-10. As I study for this sermon I am finding this text to be precious to my soul. I recommend reading the entire passage before continuing.
God has established Christ as the Cornerstone of His spiritual house. This is definite and sure. Jesus is the chosen, first, and most precious stone in God’s spiritual house. He is the One in whom all the other stones find their setting and alignment. He is the Stone upon whom all the other stones of God’s house rest. Peter shows that this fact stands in the Scripture by quoting Isaiah 28:16 and Psalm 118:22.
Those who come to Him are being built up on Him. As we come to the living Stone who has been raised from the dead we are also made like living stones and fitted into place in God’s spiritual house (cf. 1 Peter 1:4). The church is the dwelling of God connected to Jesus the Cornerstone.
We are also a family of priests, a holy priesthood. While only Aaron’s descendants could serve as priests under the Law (Exodus 28-29) all who are in High Priest Jesus are given this sacred purpose of priesthood.
This priesthood serves the task of offering spiritual sacrifices to God. All that we do is to be a sacrifice of worship to God. Since we have come to Christ and are built up in Him the sacrifices we bring are offered up through Him. Since these sacrifices are brought to God through Christ they are acceptable (well-received) to God. God gladly receives our deeds done for Him, because they are coming to Him through the perfect Sacrifice.
Why does this bring comfort to an anxious soul? Since all of life is to be in service to God doesn’t this add even more weight to the day?
As I meditated on this truth today, I found the exact opposite to be true. I found a significant weight removed. My position is established in the immovable, living Cornerstone, and I am alive in Him. He has given me an eternal purpose to offer spiritual sacrifices to God, so my entire life can be about worship. Even my best intentioned failures of worship are not thrown out by God as trash, because they are all coming to God through the perfect Lamb of God.
Now, in this firm foundation I face the world, and I invite you to join me.
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