By Randy Keene
Pastor, First Baptist Church, Minor Hill
Focal Passage: 1 Peter 2:4-15
This week’s lesson is packed full of nuggets. Like a train has a caboose, we continue on the old T and O railroad, “trust and obey.” Peter jumps right in setting the stage on how our hope in Christ should be a testimony to the world.
The Greek word here for “coming” has the notion of coming and staying or remaining. You see, we are to come to Christ and in His power have an intimate fellowship with Him — a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.
Once I heard Adrian Rogers speaking on this royal priesthood. He jokingly told his congregation at Bellevue they could start calling him “King Adrian.” All jokes aside, we are part of a spiritual kingdom that God is building. And that’s awesome.
Next, Peter writes about our decision about Jesus. He wants his readers to understand that Jesus is the cornerstone and we are the living stones of this spiritual house that the Lord is building. In verse 8, he references the fact that if we reject Jesus as the Messiah, then He becomes a stumbling block.
Peter understood this well as he was, for the truth he spoke, called the rock or stone by Jesus himself. According to Peter, we become living stones when we place our faith in Christ as the Son of God.
Think on that a minute. We represent Jesus wherever we go. In my prayer closet on Sunday mornings I always ask God to help me be an example especially when no one is looking. Did you get that? I mean, God, I want to be an example, I want to let my light shine, I want to shake my salt as I go. But Lord, I really want to be holy when no one else but You is looking. I think that’s what Peter is trying to convey to us.
As living stones we are securely anchored to the Rock. Peter was anchored to that rock and he wanted everyone to know the difference between the haves and the have nots.
He went on to tell his readers that honor will come to those who believe. I wish I had a dime for every time I’ve told a business owner or someone thinking about making a big choice in life “if you honor God, He will Honor you.” So, the stone to those who believe becomes a stumbling block to those who do not believe. Like the lesson writer says “it’s not a neutral issue.”
Jesus gave Himself and then called me out from the gutter most to the uttermost, one preacher said. My past sins are forgiven and my future is full of hope, all because of what He did at Calvary.
This world is not my home, I’m just passing through. The next time you are out and about remember people will glorify God by watching your godly example on the day He visits us.
Lastly, Peter covers a little housekeeping about living before the world. He urges us as aliens to keep our behavior in check and to submit to government so that we might silence the ignorance of foolish people.
