Christmas was celebrated in the United States a few days ago. It is timely that our next study in 1 Peter which began in May of this year, is centered on Jesus being the foundation of living faith. Without His birth, death, and resurrection, our faith would be pointless. Trust placed in any person or thing other than Christ is empty and has no eternal value.
1 Peter 2:4 And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God
The Olive Tree Bible App, in its introduction of 1 Peter states, “The readers of the apostle Peter’s letter were confused and discouraged by the persecution they were encountering because of their faith. Peter exhorted them to stand strong, repeatedly reminding them of Christ’s example, the riches of their inheritance in Him, and the hope of His returning again to take them to heaven. Peter explained how Christians should respond when they suffer because of their beliefs”.
Transport yourself to the time and culture this was written. The metaphor of ‘Christ as a living stone’ made sense to these Christians because they had previously placed their hope in elaborate stone temples of worship. Unlike a non-living object, Christ is the foundation of the church. Church is not a building; it is a person – Jesus Christ. He is not only life itself but gives life to all those who believe in Him. Adam Clarke’s Commentary says Christ “is the source of life to all His followers, and that it is in union with Him that they live, … the stones of a building are of no use but as they occupy their proper places in a building, and rest on the foundation”.
The temple was the center of worship in the Jewish religion. It was where God was approached and sacrifices for the atonement of sin were made. In contrast to these magnificent stone temples, Peter reminds the converted Jews and others, that Jesus is the foundation of living faith, their source of spiritual life. The stones of a building have no use other than to support a structure, and once placed, the job is done. Christ offers a secure foundation, and life everlasting. The truth of who He is, what He has done, and salvation in His name alone, continues to reach throughout the world as His church is built to completion. Without Christ, there is no church.
All across the world, there are magnificent buildings erected to represent religion. St. Peters Basilica or the Vatican City is said to be the largest church covering over 110 acres. In the United States, the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City is 121,000 square feet with a roof height of 177 feet, (source - Wikipedia). However elaborate and beautiful these structures may be, they offer no special connection to a true lasting faith.
Jesus is the foundation of true saving faith. Read William Burkitt’s New Testament notes, “the corner-stone supports the whole building, the church’s grace, the church’s peace, the church’s consolation, the church’s salvation, are all upheld and maintained by Him”.
Coming to Him by faith, those addressed were to throw off the way they used to act and instead seek to be transformed by God’s word. Christ was to be their strength and protection. “Christians are called “living stones”, not like the inanimate things of the material temple, but living men built up on Christ, the living and chief corner stone”, The People’s Bible Encyclopedia 1924.
Your focus at work, at home, at school, in relationships, the things you pursue, the importance you place upon worldly ideals, and your response to worldly thinking should be in great contrast to those who do not follow Christ. Although we may not suffer because of our faith as the audience Peter wrote to, there are choices we make that will set us apart, and in that context, friendships, family, and relationships are often affected. The exhortation remains the same – we are to worship Christ, to draw near to Him.
Stones make up a building which rests on a singular foundation for support. People make up a spiritual family which rests on Christ as their foundation and purpose. Christ gives spiritual life to all who believe in Him. “Like no earthly rock, He lives and gives life”, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary.
The beginning of 1 Peter 2:4 uses the phrase “and coming to Him”. The NIV translation reads, “As you come to Him”. These words denote a direction forward, towards Christ. The Christians being addressed can move towards God because He has called them to be alive in Him.
Hebrews 10:22, “Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled [clean] from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water”.
This relationship opens the door to approach and come near to Him in worship. Imagine how important this truth was to Peter’s audience for encouragement as they found themselves rejected by others because of their faith. Peter reminds them that Christ was rejected by men, but chosen and precious in the sight of God. Men did not choose Christ, in fact, they scoffed at Him and eventually crucified Him.
John 1:11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.
Luke 9:22 saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day."
Psalm 118:22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner [stone.]
Read Peter’s testimony of Christ in Acts 4:11-12, "He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, [but] WHICH BECAME THE VERY CORNER [stone.] "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."
Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone [for] the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes [in it] will not be disturbed.
Meditate on these truths for a moment. We have an incredible position in Christ because of God’s love. In Christ, He has chosen you to be His child, forever to be alive in Him. These truths excite the heart to know all is well – regardless of outside circumstances and of how we might be perceived by others. Thousands of years ago, these same truths were used by the Apostle as a reminder to those who were struggling. And today, these truths continue to be an encouragement to stay the course. God’s purpose and plan will not be thwarted!
“Men may rail at us, as they did at Him, but God has chosen us, and we are precious in His sight, even as Jesus is; hence we desire to live as consecrated persons, in whom God dwells, whose whole business is to present sacrifices unto the Lord”, Spurgeon Devotional Commentary. In faith, we can approach God. “And coming to Him” is present tense. This is not our one-time conversion but a daily coming to God as we exercise our faith and trust in Him.
Do you continually seek God? How?
What is your security? What is your strength?
John 6:35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
