The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is studying the book of 1 Peter.
The thing that separates Christianity from other religions is grace. It is simply God doing something for you with no strings attached. God’s grace is solely motivated by love: deep, abiding, unconditional, sacrificial love.
Peter wrote this letter to Christians who were going through various trials. The apostle knew that a severe “fiery trial” was just around the corner, and he wanted to prepare believers for it. God’s message to us is, “Be hopeful! Suffering leads to glory! God can give you all the grace you need to honor Him when the going gets tough! The future is still as bright as the promises of God, so—be hopeful!
Unity does not eliminate diversity. The absence of diversity is not unity; it is uniformity, and uniformity is dull. St. Augustine said it perfectly: “In essentials, unity. In nonessentials, liberty. In all things, charity. (love) ”
Last week we started to talk about Christian togetherness.
You would think that those who walk in hope and holiness would be able to walk in harmony, but this is not always true.
At the end of chapter 1 and the beginning part of chapter 2 Peter emphasized spiritual unity by presenting four vivid pictures of the church.
Let’s read
1 Peter 1:22-2:10 NIV [22] Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. [23] For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. [24] For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, [25] but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you. [1] Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. [2] Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, [3] now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. [4] As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— [5] you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [6] For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” [7] Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” [8] and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. [9] But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. [10] Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
The 4 pictures of the church presented in this scripture are
We are all in the same family
We are stones in the same building
We are priests in the same temple
We are citizens of the same nation
Last week we looked at the pictures of the church that portray that we are all in the same family because we all experienced the same birth (1:23) [23] For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
We all express the same phileo and agape love
1 Peter 1:22 NIV 22] Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.
We need to finish the picture of us all being in the same family by acknowledging that we all enjoy the same nourishment (2:1–3).
1 Peter 2:1-3 NIV[1] Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. [2] Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, [3] now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
God’s Word has life, gives life, and nourishes life. We should have appetites for the Word, just like hungry newborn babes! We should want the pure Word, unadulterated, because this alone can help us grow. It is sad when Christians have no appetite for God’s Word, but must be “fed” religious entertainment instead.
If we don’t feed ourselves on the word of God we will feed on other things which will hinder our spiritual growth and result in what Peter describes malice deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander read 2:1 again Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
Malice” means wickedness in general. “Guile” is craftiness, using devious words and actions to get what we want. If we are guilty of malice and guile, we will try to hide it, and this produces “hypocrisies.” Often the cause of ill will is envy, and one result of envy is evil speaking, conversation that tears the other person down.
When Christians are growing in the Word, they are peacemakers, not troublemakers, and they promote the unity of the church.
2. WE ARE STONES IN THE SAME BUILDING
(2:4–8)
1 Peter 2:4-8 NLT [4] You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. [5] And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. [6] As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” [7] Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” [8] And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
There is only one Savior, Jesus Christ, and only one spiritual building, the church. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone of the church. binding the building together.
As it says
Ephesians 2:20 NLT Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.
Whether we agree with each other or not, all true Christians belong to each other as stones in God’s building.
Peter says that Jesus is a living stone because He was raised from the dead in victory. He is the chosen stone of the Father, and He is precious, He was chosen for great honor but he was rejected because he wasn’t the kind of Messiah they were expecting.
Isaiah 28:16 NLT [16] Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.
Psalms 118:22 NLT [22] The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.
He was not the kind of Messiah they were expecting, so they stumbled over Him. They were expecting a military leader and here was a guy preaching love your neighbors and life beyond this life.
The real cause of this Jewish stumbling was their refusal to submit to the Word as it said in 1 Peter 2:8, And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them. Had they believed and obeyed the Word, they would have received their Messiah and been saved. Of course, people today still stumble over Christ and His cross.
Jesus made reference to the church as a building.
Matthew 16:16-18 NLT [16] Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” [17] Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. [18] Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
Peter wrote in verse 5 that believers are living stones in this building which is the church “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple”
There is a unity of God’s people that transcends all local and individual assemblies and fellowships. We belong to each other because we belong to Christ. This does not mean that doctrinal and denominational distinctives are wrong, but it does mean that we must not permit our differences to destroy the spiritual unity we have in Christ. We ought to be mature enough to disagree without in any sense becoming disagreeable.
Moses constructed the tabernacle and Solomon the temple using detailed plans. Moses got the plans directly from God, Solomon got the blueprints from David who said “Every part of this plan, was given to me in writing from the hand of the Lord.” 1 Chronicles 28;19.
1 Chronicles 28:11-19 NLT [11] Then David gave Solomon the plans for the Temple and its surroundings, including the entry room, the storerooms, the upstairs rooms, the inner rooms, and the inner sanctuary—which was the place of atonement. [12] David also gave Solomon all the plans he had in mind for the courtyards of the Lord’s Temple, the outside rooms, the treasuries, and the rooms for the gifts dedicated to the Lord. [13] The king also gave Solomon the instructions concerning the work of the various divisions of priests and Levites in the Temple of the Lord. And he gave specifications for the items in the Temple that were to be used for worship. [14] David gave instructions regarding how much gold and silver should be used to make the items needed for service. [15] He told Solomon the amount of gold needed for the gold lampstands and lamps, and the amount of silver for the silver lampstands and lamps, depending on how each would be used. [16] He designated the amount of gold for the table on which the Bread of the Presence would be placed and the amount of silver for other tables. [17] David also designated the amount of gold for the solid gold meat hooks used to handle the sacrificial meat and for the basins, pitchers, and dishes, as well as the amount of silver for every dish. [18] He designated the amount of refined gold for the altar of incense. Finally, he gave him a plan for the Lord’s “chariot”—the gold cherubim whose wings were stretched out over the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant. [19] “Every part of this plan,” David told Solomon, “was given to me in writing from the hand of the Lord.”
In each case the workmen followed the plans so carefully that everything fit together.
If all of us would follow God’s blueprints given in His Word, we would be able to work together without discord and build His church for His glory.
3. WE ARE PRIESTS IN THE SAME TEMPLE (2:5, 9)
We are a “holy priesthood” and a “royal priesthood.”
1 Peter 2:5, 9 NLT [5] And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
[9] But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
This corresponds to the heavenly priesthood of our Lord, for He is both King and Priest.
Hebrews 7:15-17 NLT [15] This change has been made very clear since a different priest, who is like Melchizedek, has appeared. [16] Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. [17] And the psalmist pointed this out when he prophesied, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
But Melchizedek is also described as a king too.
Hebrews 7:1-3 NLT [1] This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and also a priest of God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against the kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him. [2] Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had captured in battle and gave it to Melchizedek. The name Melchizedek means “king of justice,” and king of Salem means “king of peace.” [3] There is no record of his father or mother or any of his ancestors—no beginning or end to his life. He remains a priest forever, resembling the Son of God.
In the Old Testament no king in Israel served as a priest; and the one king who tried was judged by God.
2 Chronicles 26:16-21 NLT [16] But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar. [17] Azariah the high priest went in after him with eighty other priests of the Lord, all brave men. [18] They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is the work of the priests alone, the descendants of Aaron who are set apart for this work. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have sinned. The Lord God will not honor you for this!” [19] Uzziah, who was holding an incense burner, became furious. But as he was standing there raging at the priests before the incense altar in the Lord’s Temple, leprosy suddenly broke out on his forehead. [20] When Azariah the high priest and all the other priests saw the leprosy, they rushed him out. And the king himself was eager to get out because the Lord had struck him. [21] So King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house, for he was excluded from the Temple of the Lord. His son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land.
In the Old Testament period, God’s people had a priesthood, but today, God’s people are a priesthood. Each individual believer has the privilege of coming into the presence of God.
Hebrews 10:19-22 NLT [19] And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. [20] By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. [21] And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, [22] let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
We do not come to God through any person on earth, but only through the one Mediator, Jesus Christ, because He is alive in glory, interceding for us, we have the privilege to minister as holy priests.
Peter writes in verse 5 that we have the privilege of offering “spiritual sacrifices (Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.).”
Christians today do not bring animal sacrifices as did the Old Testament worshippers, but we do have our own sacrifices to present to God. We ought to give our bodies to Him as living sacrifices
Romans 12:1 NLT And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
Praise as well as the good things we do for others is spiritual sacrifice.
Hebrews 13:15-16 NLT [15] Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. [16] And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
We offer these sacrifices through Jesus Christ, for only then are they acceptable with God. If we do any of this for our own pleasure or glory, then it will not be accepted as a spiritual sacrifice.
The fact that each individual believer can go to God personally and offer spiritual sacrifices should not encourage selfishness or “individualism” on our part. We are priests together, serving the same High Priest, ministering in the same spiritual temple. The fact that there is but one High Priest and heavenly Mediator indicates unity among the people of God. While we must maintain our personal walk with God, we must not do it at the expense of other Christians by ignoring or neglecting them.
4. WE ARE CITIZENS OF THE SAME NATION
1 Peter 2:10 NLT “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”
The description of the church here parallels God’s description of Israel.
Exodus 19:5-6 NLT [5] Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. [6] And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”
In contrast to the the nation of Israel which was disobedient and rebellious, God’s people today are His chosen and holy nation. This does mean that the church today is to God and the world what Israel was meant to be.
We are a chosen generation, which immediately speaks of the grace of God. God did not choose Israel because they were a great people, but because He loved them. God has chosen us purely because of His love and grace.
[John 15:9-17 NLT [9] “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. [10] When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. [11] I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! [12] This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. [13] There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. [14] You are my friends if you do what I command. [15] I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. [16] You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. [17] This is my command: Love each other.
We are a holy nation. We have been set apart to belong exclusively to God. Our citizenship is in heaven, so we obey heaven’s laws and seek to please heaven’s Lord.
Philippians 3:20-21 NLT [20] But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. [21] He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
Israel forgot that she was a holy nation and began to break down the walls of separation that made her special and distinct.
We are the people of God. In our unsaved condition, we were not God’s people, because we belonged to Satan and the world. Now that we have trusted Christ, we are a part of God’s people. We are a people of his own special possession, because He purchased us with the blood of His own Son.
All of these privileges carry with them one big responsibility: revealing the praises of God to a lost world. After all, we have obtained mercy from God! Were it not for His mercy, we would be lost and on the way to eternal judgment!
We are God’s chosen people only because of His mercy, and it behooves us to be faithful to Him. We are living in enemy territory, and the enemy is constantly watching us, looking for opportunities to move in and take over. As citizens of heaven, we must be united. We must present to the world a united demonstration of what the grace and mercy of God can do.
Each of these four pictures of the church Peter painted; emphasizes the importance of unity and harmony. We belong to one family of God and share the same divine nature. We are living stones in one building and priests serving in one temple. We are citizens of the same heavenly homeland. It is Jesus Christ who is the source and center of this unity. If we center our attention and affection on Him, we will walk and work together; if we focus on ourselves, we will only cause division.
Unity does not eliminate diversity. Not all children in a family are alike, nor are all the stones in a building identical. In fact, it is diversity that gives beauty and richness to a family or building. The absence of diversity is not unity; it is uniformity, and uniformity is dull. It is fine when the choir sings in unison, but I prefer that they sing in harmony.
Christians can differ and still get along.
Ephesians 4:1-6 NLT [1] Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. [2] Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. [3] Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. [4] For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. [5] There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, [6] one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.
All who cherish the “one faith” and who seek to honor the “one Lord” can love each other and walk together
God may call us into different ministries, or to use different methods, but we can still love each other and seek to present a united witness to the world. After all, one day all of us will be together in heaven. It would be a good idea if we learned to love each other.
St. Augustine said it perfectly: “In essentials, unity. In nonessentials, liberty. In all things, charity.”
Numerical growth is up to God. If a church takes care of its depth, then God will take care of its breadth. It doesn’t matter whether a church is the largest. What matters is having a strong church, a biblical church, and a church that is built on Christ Himself.
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