1 Peter 2:4-10
A Spiritual House
Watch
Listen
Sermon Text
1 peter 2:4-10
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”
8 and
“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Sermon Summary
Main Theme: Christ as the Cornerstone defines our identity and purpose as God’s people, calling us to live out His glory in the world.
Key Points:
Jesus as the Living Stone (v.4): Chosen and precious to God but rejected by men. His resurrection and role as the source of life for the spiritual house demonstrates His importance.
Believers as Living Stones (v.5): We are built into a spiritual house, aligned under Christ, who is our foundation. As living stones, we are part of a greater collective structure where each believer plays a role.
The Cornerstone’s Role (v.6-8): Christ is the cornerstone that provides stability and direction. Unbelievers stumble over Him because they reject His message and authority.
Identity and Calling of Believers (v.9-10):
Identity: Chosen generation, royal priesthood, holy nation, and God’s special people.
Calling: To proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
Transformation from “not a people” to “the people of God” who have received mercy.
Application:
Anchor Your Identity in Christ Alone: Avoid defining yourself by worldly roles or opinions. Christ is the foundation that remains constant.
Offer Up Spiritual Sacrifices: Engage in formal and informal worship. Praise, obedience, and daily acts of faith are pleasing sacrifices to God.
Proclaim God’s Glory Boldly: Share the gospel and testify of Christ’s excellencies even when facing rejection or fear.
Stand Firm on the Cornerstone: When faced with life’s challenges and temptations, turn to Christ as your firm foundation.
Sample Bible Study
Theme: Building Our Lives on Christ, the Cornerstone
1. Opening Activity
Scripture Reading: Read 1 Peter 2:4-10 together as a group.
Reflection:
What words or phrases stood out to you during the reading?
How does Peter describe Jesus and the believers?
2. Digging into the Text
Verses 4-5 Discussion:
Question: What does it mean that Jesus is a “living stone” and that we are also “living stones”?
Activity: Loo up Isaiah 28:16, Ephesians 2:19-22, or Matthew 16:18. Discuss how these verses add depth to the image of Jesus as the cornerstone.
Group Sharing: Share what you found and discuss how these verses shape our understanding of Christ’s role as the cornerstone.
Verses 6-8 Application:
Discussion Question: How does building on Christ, the cornerstone, give stability in both the firm and unsteady areas of our lives?
Discussion Question: How does “Christ being the cornerstone influence the church?
Verses 9-10 Identity Exercise:
Exercise: Discuss the titles given to believers: “chosen generation,” “royal priesthood,” “holy nation,” and “God’s own special people.”
What does each title mean practically for your life?
Share with your partner which title resonates most with you and why.
Group Reflection:
Question: Peter contrasts our new identity in Christ with our former state (“once not a people...now the people of God”). How can we remind ourselves of our true identity in Christ daily?
3. Theological Insights and Discussion
Union with Christ:
Discussion Question: What does it mean to be “built up” in Christ? How does this relate to being part of a church community rather than being an isolated believer?
Priesthood of All Believers:
Question: What kind of spiritual sacrifices can we offer to God as a “royal priesthood”?
Application: Write down one way you can offer a spiritual sacrifice this week.
Proclaiming God’s Glory:
Share: Share one example of how you can “proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness.” What holds you back from speaking boldly about Christ?
4. Westminster Confession & Catechisms Connection
Brief Explanation: Read WCF 3.6-7 together as a group.
Discussion Question: How does God’s sovereignty in calling and passing over people affect our understanding of faith and evangelism?
Catechism Challenge: Have someone look up Westminster Shorter Catechism Q.1 and Westminster Larger Catechism Q.168. Discuss:
How do these catechisms help us understand our purpose and assurance in Christ?
5. Practical Takeaways & Group Activities
Takeaway 1: Anchor Your Identity in Christ Alone.
Activity: Share with the group one practical step you can take this week to refocus your identity on Christ rather than on worldly roles.
Takeaway 2: Offer Up Spiritual Sacrifices.
Exercise: Commit to a personal or family worship routine this week. Consider starting or ending your day with personal worship.
Takeaway 3: Proclaim God’s Glory Boldly.
Challenge: Think of one person you can speak with this week about the excellencies of Jesus. Practice sharing with a partner before you leave.
Takeaway 4: Stand Firm on the Cornerstone.
Discussion Question: What are some ways we can encourage each other to stand firm in our faith, especially when we face trials?
6. Closing Prayer & Reflection
Group Prayer: Pray together, asking God to help each person see Christ as their cornerstone, live out their identity as a royal priesthood, and be bold in proclaiming His excellencies.
Reflection: What is one key takeaway from today’s study.
Weekday Devotionals
Monday: The Living Stone Who Gives Life
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 2:4-5
“Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious…”
Christ is the living stone—alive and active, sustaining His people. Though rejected by the world, He is chosen and precious in the sight of God. As we come to Him, we are built up into a spiritual house, sharing in His life and purpose. Through Him, our lives are given meaning and value as living stones that testify to His power.
Prayer Petitions:
Ask God to deepen your understanding of Christ’s worth and make Him more precious to your heart.
Pray for strength to endure the world’s rejection, remembering that you are accepted in Christ.
Tuesday: Built Together in Christ
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 2:5
“…you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood…”
God is crafting His church from living stones—believers who are shaped and placed perfectly by His hand. Each stone fits into His design, forming a spiritual temple where God’s presence dwells. We are not isolated, but are bound together with other believers to serve as a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices of prayer, praise, and obedience.
Prayer Petitions:
Pray for unity in the church and a deeper appreciation for your role within God’s spiritual house.
Petition for a heart that delights in serving alongside others for the glory of Christ.
Wednesday: Christ, the Sure Foundation
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 2:6
“…Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
Christ is the cornerstone that establishes and secures the entire structure of our faith. In Him, all things are perfectly aligned. If we build our lives on Christ, we will never be put to shame. He is trustworthy and immovable, giving stability in the storms of life. Rest in His finished work and find confidence in God’s promises.
Prayer Petitions:
Seek assurance in Christ as your foundation, asking God to deepen your trust in His sufficiency.
Pray for discernment to build your thoughts, words, and actions in alignment with Christ.
Thursday: A Royal Priesthood to Proclaim His Praise
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 2:9
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people…”
God’s people are set apart, chosen by Him to be a royal priesthood. We are consecrated for His service, reflecting His holiness in a world of darkness. Our purpose is to proclaim His excellencies, telling others of His power and grace. Once we were not a people, but now we are His—brought from darkness into His marvelous light.
Prayer Petitions:
Pray for boldness and wisdom to proclaim God’s glory to others.
Ask the Lord to help you live as a light in the darkness, bringing honor to His name.
Friday: From Darkness to God’s People
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 2:10
“Who once were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”
The church is comprised of those who were once lost, without identity or hope. But through Christ’s redemptive work, we have been brought into God’s family. We are now His people, having obtained mercy through the sacrifice of our Savior. Our past no longer defines us—God’s grace does. Rejoice in your new identity and live as those who belong to the Lord.
Prayer Petitions:
Give thanks for God’s mercy in making you part of His people.
Pray for a deeper understanding of your identity in Christ and the grace that has transformed your life.
Reflective Article
This week’s article is on how the church must resist the competing loyalties that want to redefine her. https://gentlereformation.com/2024/10/09/be-radical-dont-let-politics-hijack-the-pulpit-christ-is-king/
Transcript
Opening and Scripture Reading
Will you please turn in your Bibles with me to 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2. We're going to be reading verses 1 through 10. The sermon will specifically be coming through verses 4 through 10. You can find 1 Peter chapter 2 on page 1076 of your Pew Bibles, the New King James Version in the Pew pocket in front of you. 1 Peter 2, verses 1-10. Brothers and sisters, hear now God's perfect and enduring Word.
"Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is also contained in the Scripture: 'Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.' Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious, but to those who are disobedient, 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,' and 'a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.' They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."
"As soon as this portion of reading of God's word, the grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God endures forever. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for your word. And we plead with you now that your Holy Spirit would be active in our hearts to take this word and to bury it deep into our souls that we might indeed have a joy that would be enduring. Lord, we pray that you would let the children understand Jesus Christ as a foundation early on in their life. Lord, we pray for the young adults today as they listen to this word, that your Spirit would build them up. That their future that they look forward to would be in Christ. Lord, we plead with you for those who are adults. Lord, that your Spirit would anchor our identity in Christ. Lord, we pray for those who are closer to glory, those who are elderly. Lord, we pray that they would continue to rest in Christ's steadfastness. Lord, we pray for those who are struggling, that they would be encouraged by your Spirit, by these words, knowing that they are precious in God's sight if they rest in Christ alone. Lord, we pray for those who do not know Christ. Lord, we pray that even during this time, your Spirit might be working, that He might become precious in their sight. Lord, we pray that you would instruct us and teach us how these words ought to impact our lives, that we might live for your glory. Lord, we need you. We need the work of your Spirit to teach us and to help us now, we pray in Jesus' name, amen."
Introduction to the Sermon
Peter is writing to the churches that are all throughout this area that we call modern-day Turkey, five different provinces he lists, and I need you to get in your mind what a massive change this is for the people who are there in the churches he's writing to. These are people, some of them were Jewish, and they have left their Jewish customs, they've left many of their Jewish families because they've embraced Jesus as the Christ, as the Messiah.
And there's a whole other group of people who grew up going to the pagan temples and doing all their rites and all the traditions handed down to them by their fathers. And God has said all of that was useless. And now both groups in the church are united to Christ and each other, but they're facing suffering and persecution and trials. There's a lot going wrong in their lives by earthly standards. And the question is, are they wrong? Are they wrong about their choices? Are they wrong about their beliefs? Have they really royally messed up?
And how does Peter, the fellow elder, the pastor, encourage them? He points them to Jesus. He points the people to Christ. That's what he does here in this passage. The central idea that the Lord is getting across here is reminding and assuring the people that their identity is secure in Christ. Christ is the cornerstone, and because of that, it defines the Christian's identity and purpose as God's people.
And so we—this is the truth I hope you'll take home with you—we are built upon Christ. And since we are built upon Christ as that cornerstone, our lives are meant to reflect that true identity.
Jesus as the Living Stone
So first, we need to understand the passage. And so I'm going to work through this passage with you. I need you to buckle up, Buttercup, because we've got a lot of ground to cover. There's a lot of interesting things. I'm going to try to keep myself off rabbit trails, but I need you to sharpen your pencils. Get ready, because we're going to go to school, and it might be difficult. Put on your thinking caps, but this is going to be good, right? This is God's Word. It doesn't return void, so let's pay attention.
First, we need to understand in verse 4 that Jesus is the living stone. Look at verse 4 with me. "Coming to Him as a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious." The main idea in this verse is that we are coming to Him, Him being Jesus, as the living stone. Jesus is elected and honored by God, and yet He's rejected by men.
But here's the weird thing. We can get so comfortable with Christian language that we don't recognize the weirdness of that phrase. Jesus is a living stone. How do you have a stone that's living? I've never seen a living stone. I've never gone out to the field or down the gravel road and picked up a stone and somehow it was alive. What does this mean, He's a living stone?
And by the way, there's a difference here in Greek between a stone and a rock. A rock is a petros, a stone is a lithos. And so you have a stone, and that's something like when they built the temple, a stone that was carved out, perfectly measured, so it would fit exactly in the right space. Think more like a brick today or something like that. And so this stone is dressed, ready for construction.
But again, I've never seen a stone that's alive. But Jesus is said to be the living stone. That's because Jesus is no dumb idol. Jesus is not some stupid little piece of rock that can't talk and can't speak and can't hear and can't understand. No, Jesus is alive. But he's our rock. Stability. Perfectly fit. Ready for somebody to actually do something with, unlike the idols of the Old Testament.
And by the way, if you're offended by some of the adjectives I used for idols, go argue with the Lord as He's talked about them in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Jesus is not like those dead, dumb idols out of wood or stone that God hates and rejects. No, Jesus is the precious stone that God has elected. He's chosen and precious. Jesus is alive.
You do not rest your hope for eternity on some rock that's dead. Brothers and sisters, Jesus is very much alive. The stone which was rolled over the tomb where his dead body laid was rolled away because Jesus conquered death. In Jesus's resurrection, we see that Jesus is the living stone. And because Jesus is the living stone, he is able to impart life to us. His life, his death, and his resurrection make him the source of the life and resurrection that we have in our lives.
Jesus is our living stone. He's a source of ongoing life. He's our refuge, our strength, and our spiritual vitality. So Jesus is that living stone.
Believers as Living Stones
So let's move to verse 5. How do we understand verse 5? Well, it doesn't end with Jesus. Notice verse 5, believers are also living stones. Verse 5, "You also, by the way that's you all, you all also as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." You also, or you yourselves, indeed are living stones.
It's not just Jesus who is a living stone, but because you are in Christ, you also are living stones. But you might ask, well, hold on, how are we being built up into a house? What's this talking about? You also are living stones, are being built up a spiritual house? What's this talking about?
This is about us not being dead in our transgressions and sins. But God has made us alive together with Christ. He has made us reborn. Look again at verses 3 and 23 of chapter 1. This idea that's coming across is that we are coming as we draw near to the elect stone in the Word, prayer, and sacraments. We become. being built up by God, a spiritual house. This is God's work. God is building stone by stone by stone. God is building for Himself a spiritual house.
And it isn’t the plaster on these walls. It’s not the windows in this building. It’s not the pews you’re sitting on. The house of God in the New Testament is not some building. The church is not some building. You, you are the temple of the living God. One stone upon another, upon another, upon another. God puts you in where in the church you are, in the place you are for a reason: to build you up as a spiritual house.
The Spiritual House of God
So what type of house are we talking about? Well, this is one of those difficult things for us because we don’t see this so much. But let me say, if you live in a house, it’s just a house. If you’re a rich person and you live in a house, what’s that house called? A mansion. If you’re a king and you live in a house, what’s that called? A palace. But if you’re a God and you live in a house, what’s that house called? A temple. And the Spirit of the living God abides in you.
When two or three are gathered together in His name, there I am in the midst of them, is the promise Jesus makes to His disciples. We are a living temple. Which is exactly why, if you notice, we are being built up a spiritual house. And who’s in that spiritual house? Did you see it in verse 5? A holy priesthood. A holy priesthood. Where do priests do their work? In a temple. Do you see it?
You can’t be me alone by myself, a Christian, because if you’re not in the body of Christ, in the temple of God, you’re not doing your work as a priest in God’s kingdom, in God’s house. God dwells in and amongst His people. His believers are living stones forming a living temple built on the foundation of Christ. This is one of the things that we need to understand and wrap our hands around because our identity as Western people is often defined by our individualism.
“I am a Christian. I am a living stone.” But this is, “You all are being built up. You all are a royal priesthood. You all offer up spiritual sacrifices.” This is God’s doing. And it’s at this point I need to stop and I need to say, just so we’re absolutely clear on this, I’m begging you to never, ever, ever, ever, ever say like the little boy outside at VBS one time. He asked me, he said, “Is this your church?” No. No, this is not any pastor’s church. No church is ever a pastor’s church. It is not this pastor of that place, their church. No, no, no. You are Jesus’ church.
You are God’s workmanship displaying His glory and His handiwork. You are no pastor’s, no elder’s possession. You are God’s royal possession. The church, the temple of God, is ultimately His.
Built Up By Christ
So what does this mean practically? We are being built up by Jesus, by coming to Him. We come to Jesus together. And as we come to Jesus together, we are built up. Now, if we’re not coming to that stone together, if we’re not coming to Christ together, the living stone, and we’re coming together because we want to come to something else, because we have some political idea or some key little doctrine or some idea, some philosophy that binds us together, and we’re not coming together to the living stone, we come together for the wrong reason. And we’re building the wrong house. The church is built on Jesus Christ.
So we come to Christ. And that’s how we’re built up. That’s how we come to Jesus and we’re made stronger. As we come to Jesus, we’re made better together. As we come to Jesus, we go with one another to grow in love and in our likeness of Jesus Christ. As we abide in Christ, we bear good fruit. This ought to be the place where we’re regularly telling each other, “Look to Jesus. Go to Jesus. When your heart’s trying to betray you, go to Jesus. When your life is hard, go to Jesus. When your heart is condemning you, when you’re struggling and wrestling with sin, go to Jesus. Go to Christ.”
That’s what this passage is getting at. That is how we are living stones, offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ.
Verse 6: God’s Plan, Estimation, and Promise
So let’s move to verse 6. Three things from verse 6. I think we need to understand that the Father has a plan, an estimation, and a promise. A plan, an estimation, and a promise in verse 6. Read with me there. “Therefore, it is also contained in the scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.’”
This is referring all the way back to Psalm 118 verse 22. God had a plan from a long time ago. Centuries and centuries and centuries before Jesus was born, God had a plan. He knew He was going to set a stone in Zion. He knew this when He spoke through Isaiah in Isaiah chapter 28 verse 16: “Therefore, thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. Whoever believes will not act hastily.’”
God had a plan centuries and centuries and centuries before Jesus’s incarnation. He knew He was going to put Jesus there amongst His own people. Notice it says that the stone is placed in Zion. What in the world is Zion? Zion is the mountain where Jerusalem was built on top of. Where the temple was built on top of. This is also used sometimes metaphorically. Zion is used as the daughters of Zion. The people of God. The children of that city. The people who worship the Lord. That’s what Zion is.
So notice God had a plan to put Jesus exactly where He wanted to put Him amongst His people. In His right time. And look at God’s estimation of this stone. “Behold, I lay in Zion.” And what does He lay in Zion? A chief cornerstone. Loaded in and of itself with an estimation of His value, of what He thinks about this cornerstone. What else about this cornerstone? Elect and precious.
Jesus was not expendable to the Father. Jesus was elect and precious. This is a rough metaphor, and please don’t take it literally, because there are no red-headed stepchildren up in heaven, but God did not send His red-headed stepchild to save the world. He didn’t send some lesser angel. No, He sent us His very own Son. The Father chose the perfect stone. He loved the world so much that He sent His only begotten Son.
But notice also God’s promise here. Look with me again at verse 6, His promise: “And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” You need to take this promise like a check and cash it in the spiritual bank. If you are trusting—if you believe in Jesus Christ—you will by no means be put to shame. Why? Why? Why will you not be put to shame? Because Jesus is absolutely, totally, utterly reliable. Trustworthy.
His resurrection, Jesus’s resurrection and exaltation, demonstrate the ultimate honor that the Father bestowed upon Him when He ascended up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. Why will you not be put to shame? Because your cornerstone has been highly exalted.
Notice in verse 6, “by no means.” Some of your translations might say, “never.” It’s a double negative here in the Greek, ou mē, meaning certainly, absolutely, never, ever, by no means. It’s not gonna happen. You’re not gonna be put to shame. This is the emphasis that God in His word puts on this. If you believe on Him, Him being this chief cornerstone—who is that? Jesus. If you believe on Jesus, you will by no means put to shame.
Jesus as the Chief Cornerstone
Okay, but there’s something here that, again, we might just pass over and be like, “Move on.” But what’s a cornerstone? What is that? What is a cornerstone and what’s a chief cornerstone? If we bring it into today’s world and you’re gonna build a house, and I hope you don’t start building your house the way I would.
I remember when I asked Ben Turner if he would help me make a chicken coop one time. And in my mind, when I said, “Can you help me make a chicken coop?” I thought we’re going to make a redneck box with a hole in it. And he came out, and I didn’t know Ben very well at that time. And I got to know him during those couple of weeks that we were building this chicken coop. Because all of a sudden, he kept measuring and remeasuring and measuring and remeasuring. And he made sure this foundation for this foundation for a chicken coop, right—that’s how precise this is—was absolutely perfectly square. Because if the foundation was off, it was going to look like Brian’s creation. The walls would be walking, the roof would be tilted, and somebody would come, a kid would push against it, it would fall down and kill someone.
That’s what happens if the foundation is off. Jesus is the perfect cornerstone. In an ancient temple or building, you would find the perfectly lined stone, perfectly square or whatever dimensions it was supposed to be, and it would go in the very corner, and then all the walls were built off that straight line. And if that straight line was off, the whole building is off. Which is why I’m encouraging you again: the church and our lives must be founded upon Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone. Because if our lives are not founded upon Jesus, the chief cornerstone, what’s going to happen to the walls of your faith? What’s going to happen to the roof of the way in which you live your life? It’s going to look like Brian’s redneck chicken coop.
No, no, no. Our cornerstone is in Jesus Christ. Perfectly carved, perfectly crafted. Selected by God Almighty Himself. Put down as the perfect chief cornerstone. And we build everything on Christ. The chief cornerstone. Because He is stable and He is perfect. And when we rest our lives on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ, we know that we won’t be put to shame because the household of our faith isn’t resting in our building, but on God’s work. Because it’s resting on Christ.
The cornerstone sets the standard for the alignment of the rest of the building. And Christ, when He is our cornerstone, our lives begin to align with what He said and the commandments He’s given us. We take our cues and directions from Jesus. We base our choices, our relationships, even the thoughts and intent of our hearts, molding them and changing them and putting them in line with who Jesus is and what He’s done.
So that’s what Jesus is: this chief cornerstone. But notice God doesn’t stop there. He wants to keep going.
Two Reactions to Jesus
Look at verse 7 with me as God continues to evaluate Jesus. “Therefore, to you who believe He is precious, but to those who are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.” Notice there’s two reactions to Jesus. The evaluation here now is not God’s evaluation of Jesus, but people’s.
Notice there’s two different reactions to Jesus in verse 7. The first is those believers. “Therefore, to you who believe, He is what? He is precious, valuable.” But there’s another group. That’s the second half of verse 7. “But to those who are disobedient,” or some of your translations might say that they are “disbelieving,” we must not be surprised that there are people who come and they’re not convinced of Jesus. They’re not convinced of the gospel. And so they turn away from Him. They reject Him.
John even tells us this in his gospel: “Jesus came to His own, but His own did not receive Him.” The Jewish people specifically rejected here. And the verb here specifically, when it says, “The stone which the builders rejected,” this carries with it an idea that they can’t plead ignorance. You might reject a stone because you didn’t know whether you should like the stone or not. But this is apodokimazō. This is that they actually tested the stone and they said, “Eh, not good enough,” and threw it away. They put it away from them. They tested it and said it wasn’t what they wanted. Jesus wasn’t what they wanted.
And there’s still people today. There’s still people today who will stumble, who will hear of Jesus, hear about His message, and turn away. We need to understand that that is part of God’s plan. The Lord is even part of this. When it says, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,” again, this is Psalm 118. Psalm 118:22, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.” It doesn’t matter at the end of the day that the builders rejected Him. That does not change God’s estimation of this stone. The builders thought they were building and they rejected Him, but God was the one who is ultimately going to build the house.
The stone had become the chief cornerstone. Jesus has already been described in verse 6 as the cornerstone, but now He’s the head of all the stones. He’s the best of the best of all the stones. There’s nothing above Jesus. There’s no one better than Jesus. That’s what He’s getting at. That’s why Peter pushes this a second time. So who’s the church built on? It’s built on Jesus.
Now, this is one of the things that I need to encourage you. This is somewhat polemic, but I hope you’ll hear me with charity, and I hope that you’ll love people when you talk with them about this. Some of our Roman Catholic friends will say, “Well, the church is built on Peter. He’s the rock upon which God built His church.” But if you listen to Peter, what does Peter say God built His church on? The rock is Jesus. The chief cornerstone is Jesus. It’s Jesus. It’s not Peter. The church is built on Jesus alone.
Jesus, the Stone of Stumbling and Rock of Offense
And this is controversial, and the Lord knows it. Look with me at verse 8. This is controversial. “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble, being disobedient to the word to which they also were appointed.” People are going to trip over Jesus. And by Jesus, I don’t mean the Jesus that’s peddled to us by most of our modern-day culture, the Jesus who’s more like a hippie than the Jesus of the Bible. People will trip over the biblical Jesus.
So how do they stumble? Well, I’m going to break it down to two different reasons why people stumble. The first reason why people will stumble is because they will not put their faith in Jesus Christ. They will not put their faith in Jesus Christ. Because you see what we’re saying here, this is absolutely radical: what we’re saying is, you must, as the Catechism gave us—I'm going to use that as our guide here—what is faith in Jesus Christ? “Receiving and resting upon Him alone for salvation.” Alone. That’s too narrow! How could you possibly say Jesus alone for salvation? How could you possibly say that Jesus is the only way to the Father? It can’t possibly be that narrow. No, we accept what Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth. Nobody comes to the Father except by me.”
This is offensive, highly offensive. It’s too exclusionary, and yet it’s true. We have friends who reject Jesus because they won’t put their faith on Him because they don’t want to rest in Him alone. And we grieve in our hearts, we cry, we mourn over them because they want to rest. And somehow that they might be good enough on the judgment day, that somehow they might have enough good works, that somehow that God will just accept them and He’ll grade on a curve because they’re not as bad as that murderer over there, excusing away their own sins. Some might rest on their religious activities or somehow they’ve come and done enough good works, and they’ll rest in that.
But notice, they stumble for a reason. They stumble because they don’t believe. They won’t rest in Him. There’s also another reason that people will not come to Jesus and they’ll stumble over Him. Because baked into the gospel is what Jesus said: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” There are many people who will come even today, and I need to be careful about this because I don’t want to slander our friends or our brothers and sisters who truly are in Christ, but there are those who will preach a gospel that is nothing but “feel bad for your sins, ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins, and you’re in the family and that’s it.” Because repentance doesn’t have room in their vocabulary.
And yet repentance is baked into the Christian life. With a grief and a hatred of our sin, turning from those sins unto God. By putting away those sins, looking to Christ, I need to say this carefully, feeling bad about your sins is not the same as repenting of your sins. Do you see your sins and recognize that’s out of line with the cornerstone? “I gotta cut it off and turn towards Christ.” The gospel requires this of us. Jesus is not just a get-out-of-hell-free card so we can keep on sinning. It’s not being built up into a holy temple.
I think I’ve beaten a dead horse long enough, so I just gotta ask you, do you believe in Christ? Are you resting in Him alone for your salvation? As you come to that living stone and His word pierces your heart, does it grieve you? Does it make you hate your sin and want to turn from it and turn unto God with full repentance?
A question that some people have, just lastly on this verse: “They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.” Some people have asked, does this mean that God causes people to reject Christ? I’m thankful for our tradition, our denomination, and the holding to the Westminster Confession of Faith, because I don’t have to come up with some explanation for that.
I’m going to read to you two paragraphs from Chapter 3 of the Westminster Confession of Faith, paragraphs 6 and 7:
Paragraph 6:
“As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous judge for former sins, doth bind and harden, from them He not only withholdeth His grace, whereby He might have enlightened their understanding and wrought upon their hearts, but sometimes also withdraweth the gifts which they had and exposeth them to such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin, and withal gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan, whereby it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under those means which God uses for the softening of others.”
You see, God withholds His grace sometimes, or even withholds His protection and allows them to go after their own sins, and as they go after their own sins, their own hearts are hardened.
Paragraph 7 teaches us:
“The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of His own will, whereby He extendeth or withholdeth mercy as He pleaseth, for the glory of His sovereign power over His creatures, to pass by; and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of His glorious justice.”
The Lord passes over them and allows them to go on in their sins, allows them to do the disobedient things that were already in their hearts to do. So no, God doesn’t cause the people to sin, but He allows them to go their own way.
God's Sovereignty and Mercy
So what’s the point of this? What’s the application of this? This doctrine underscores God’s sovereignty, justice, and mercy. While God passes over some in judgment, He graciously calls others to Himself in mercy. And our response to Christ reveals which group we’re in. Are we just going after our own sins, doing what we want, being disobedient because that’s what’s in our heart? Or do we long to come to that living stone?
Verses 9-10: Identity and Calling of Believers
Well, lastly, let’s look at verses 9 through 10. I shouldn’t have said lastly, but I’ll give you a little bit of hope that this will be done sometime. Look at verses 9 and 10: Identity and calling of believers.
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, who once were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”
I love the first word of verse 9. But. But. You’re not one of those disobedient, disbelieving people who God has allowed to harden their own hearts. What does the Lord say of you who trust and come to that living stone? “But you, but you are a chosen, an elect generation.” If you are resting in Christ alone for salvation, it shows that you are one of His chosen children.
But He also says that you are a royal priesthood and a holy nation. This is language that was for Israel. Exodus chapter 19, verses 5 and 6. The Lord Himself says, “If indeed you will obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people. For all the earth is Mine, and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” And the Lord is saying, you who rest in that living stone, Jesus Christ, as your chief cornerstone, you’re who He was talking about in Exodus 19.
You’re the true Israel. You’re a royal priesthood. Royal meaning you belong to the King, you’re the King’s family, you serve the King, you’re about the King’s business, and you have allegiance to King Jesus. But you’re not just a royal to King Jesus, but you are a priesthood to Jesus. This is one of the things that was recovered in the Reformation: the priesthood of all believers.
Each and every one of you, if you are resting in Jesus Christ, is a priest unto God, and we together offer up our lives as living sacrifices. We bring to Him the sacrifice of praise. We know that the Holy Spirit dwells in our bodies, so we know our bodies are even a temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we glorify God with our bodies. This is what we do as priests.
Christ as a cornerstone makes this identity possible because He is our High Priest, and He has anointed you to be priests in His spiritual house, His temple. You are unique because God has chosen you, elected you, and put you in this purpose. You are His special people, unlike any other.
Proclaiming God's Praises
And so what should we be doing? Verse 9, “That you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” That’s the purpose. That’s the goal of your life, Christian—to proclaim the excellencies of the One who has called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light. That’s our joy. That’s our blessing.
So real quick, and I mean this because you’ve been in school for a long time, in the next few minutes we’re going to get to the doctrines and applications. It’s going to be fast.
Three Doctrines
Three doctrines I want to point out, three different teachings from these passages.
Union with Christ
We have been united to Christ. You truly, if you are resting and coming to that living stone, you are in Christ and His Spirit is in you. You are vitally connected to the vine, and that is how you bear good fruit. This is a mystical union between you and your Savior. But because you are united to Christ, Christ defines your identity.
This is why in Antioch they called the people—ready for it?—Christians. Christians. Because you bear the name of Jesus Christ upon you. Because you follow in the way. Because you rest in Jesus Christ alone.
Okay, well that’s a great big-headed idea, but how does this impact my actual life? When you build your life on Christ, it provides stability and guidance for you. You’re not trying to go around aimlessly not knowing what the goal is. No, you look to Christ, and you conform your life to His likeness and image. But also, why does it matter to you? Because as you conform your life to Christ and rest upon Him alone for salvation, Jesus serves as a rock for you. Especially when things seem to be going sideways in your life and you’re facing a lot of pressure and suffering and criticizing. You can go to Christ and you can say, “Am I in line? Okay, if I am, all that can go to the wayside because I’m trusting in Christ.”
The Priesthood of All Believers
Every one of you together is a priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices. But notice again, it is y’all. You saw that, they put that in New King James, right? Y’all are a royal priesthood. It doesn’t say that, but I promise you, it’s “Y’all are a royal priesthood.” You all—second person plural—emis in the Greek, you all are a royal priesthood. But that means collectively, together, we need one another. There are no lone cowboy Christians out on their own just underneath a tree, by themselves, and that’s good enough. Just me, my Bible, and God.
No, that’s not how this works. If you’ve done that, you’ve defined your identity how you want to define it, rather than how God Himself does. We’re a living temple built upon one another. So how do we bring these sacrifices now? Well, four different ways: with praise, with singing, with your life, glorifying God with your body, with your whole conduct in your life, as you seek to have your mind renewed and live for His glory, as well as in prayer.
When you all pray, pray this way, “Our Father who art in heaven.” We pray with and for one another. And as we pray with and for one another, as we live our lives to God’s glory, as we conform our minds to His image, as we look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith together, and sing His praises, we are lifting up those sacrifices to Him. These spiritual sacrifices are important to God. But when they are done in faith in Christ, they are a pleasing aroma in His sight.
Preaching and Missions
As we come to Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone, we are driven to this point of verse 9. We are a holy nation, His own special people. Why? “That you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” That’s what the preaching of the gospel is: proclaiming Jesus Christ. That’s what the work of missions is: taking the gospel of Jesus, proclaiming the excellence. You hear it as “praises,” but it’s like all the amazing virtues of Jesus. We take it and we say, “Do you know what God does? He takes people out of darkness and brings us into His marvelous light. And that can be you too if you rest on Him.”
That is what propels missions, that is what propels preaching, that is what will give you, as you focus on who is God, in the light, He has drawn me out of the darkness into His marvelous light—that will encourage you and propel you as you want to tell others about Jesus.
And you might say, “Well, I don’t feel equipped to share the gospel.” Just talk about the excellencies of Jesus. Just tell people how He has brought you out of the darkness and into His marvelous light, and talk to them about that marvelous light, and you’ll have the gospel.
Four Applications
So, to end, four applications—tangible takeaways for you:
Anchor Your Identity in Christ Alone
I beg you, do not anchor your identity in your job because it may change. Don’t tie your identity to being a mother or a father because, sadly, your children may die. Do not tie your identity to your net worth because the stock market may crash, your farm may go bankrupt, your job may go out of business, and then you are left on an ocean of nonsense, not knowing what you should be doing. You must anchor your identity in the hope you have in Christ Jesus. He is the chief cornerstone. We go to Him, and we rest in Jesus.Offer Up Spiritual Sacrifices
Do this in the formal worship. You’re doing it right now. Thank you for taking part in this application. You’re about to stand up and sing His praises. But also, I’d encourage you to offer up these spiritual sacrifices informally in your daily devotions, prayer, and praise, as well as when you get together with your family. And here I’m going to encourage fathers to lead their families—to go to the altar of worship together, to read the Scriptures together, to sing with your kids, to pray with and for your wife and your children. Bake it into your routines, and God will be glorified.None of you has something insignificant to offer up to Him. God put you in this temple for a reason, and your life brings Him glory. You’re not insignificant. There’s not a single stone that He’s chosen that He said, “Well, I could have done without this one.”
Proclaim God’s Glory Boldly
You may be afraid to proclaim the excellencies of Jesus, and that’s normal, and that’s okay. Just tell them of the One whom your soul loves, though you have not seen Him. Don’t be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. And here’s the thing: if they reject it, they’re not rejecting you. They’re rejecting the cornerstone. And so we can grieve over that, but at the end of the day, if you proclaim the excellencies of Christ and they decide that’s not for me, you’ve done your job and you’ve glorified your Father in heaven.Stand Firm on the Cornerstone
Stand firm on the cornerstone. When challenges arise in your life, and I promise they will—cars will break down, houses will need repair, relationships will get frayed, income will get tight—what will you do? Go to Christ. Go to your cornerstone. When there’s a temptation to cheat at work, remember who you are in Christ. When life gets hard and the stress piles up, know where to go to find rest, because you’re not bearing the weight of your entire life—Jesus is.When the secular and pagan culture around you, in which we just live and breathe, tries to drag your heart away from Christ, come to the living stone that much more. When the storms of life buffet against you, run to the firm rock that doesn’t move. Seek God in prayer, rely on His Word, and sing His praises.
Conclusion and Transition
Man, this has been a long sermon. But it’s been about one person—Jesus Christ—and what we’re about to celebrate right now, because it’s not just a philosophy. It’s that Jesus Christ truly did die for us, rose again from the grave, appeared to hundreds of people, and then ascended up into heaven, sat down at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, and He is coming again. Our King will return. So we rest on Him. We remember Jesus. We cling to Him and Him alone.
I hope that’s true for you. Let’s pray.
Closing Prayer
Lord, You have given Your people great patience today. Lord, thank You. Thank You for giving us Your own Son. Lord, our sins were that dark. Lord, our own lawlessness and our deeds, our thoughts, and our actions. Lord, we didn’t just dwell in the darkness. The darkness was in our own hearts. But Lord, while we were still sinners, You died for us. You sent Your Son to die for us. You redeemed us out of the darkness. You’ve given us new hearts, a new birth, a new life, and a living hope.
God, please let us have true faith, believing and resting upon Your Son alone for our salvation. We pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.