1 Peter 2:1-8  Living Stones

 

Intro: This morning we are Picking up our Study in 1 Peter –Break for Easter – JOYOUS TIME

A)As we come to Ch.2 – I want to remind you that this letter was written to Believers who were in the mist of severe Persecution

 

B) A Persecution that was about to get more intense – Nero was going to turn up the Heat – Literally – Human candles in His Garden

1)   So this letter was written to encourage the believers at this time and at all times to HANG IN THERE IN THE MIST OF TRIALS How?

 

C)By Understanding  who’s you are – Elect according to the foreknowledge of God

1)   Realizing  where you are going – ….Living hope to an  inheritance incorruptible undefiled reserved in Heaven … Kept by the Power v.3-5

 

D) COMPREHENDING  that God is using the Trials you are currently going thru to prepare you for Eternity v.6-9

 

For that Reasons we are to Live Lives marked by Holiness v.13-21  and Love v.22 Sincere Love and carrying for each other

A) Peter says Love each other – Hold each other up – because been Conceived by the same method – v.23 Born again …….seed…. FOREVER

 

 b)So those were some of the key THEMES OF CH.1 -With  that as our back ground we come to Ch. 2 – where Peter writes: READ v.1-8

 

Peter begins – laying aside all malice all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,

A)Circle that Phrase – Laying aside and put cast off – coat or a Garment

 

B) Now we are told in the book of Sam. That man looks on the outward appearance but God Looks at the Heart

 

C) Man is into Fashion & Out ward appearance – Fixing up / building up and Dressing up the Out side –

  1)The inside might be awful –but if the  Outside looks great- that is what 

       matters  most to many in our Society

 

D) But God is into Fashioning the heart – He realizes that what is going on in our hearts will be seen in our Appearance / Attitudes & Actions

 

 Prov. 15:13  A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

A)Prov. Declares the look on your face can reflect what is going on in your heart  - You look worried – I do / Look stressed – I am

 

B) The eye is the Lamp to the heart !!!    Newlyweds –Eye of the Bride  How is married life ?

 

C) Marriage to him is INCREDIBLE – (See the sparkle & the gleam – it really is – talk to me in a year)

1)   Another gal – How is ….. life – Oh it is great – no it is not – like many couples – first stage struggles – How can you tell – ( See it in eyes)

 

So what is going on in our hearts can be seen at times in our Appearance  Also at times in our Attitudes & Actions

A)Luke 6 Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks –

 

B) He talked there about The Heart being  like a treasure Chest – storing up a good treasure or an evil one

1)   It is going to be manifested by the Fruit coming out of your life / good or evil – what is coming out of your mouth

 

C) So Peter addresses here the Fashion of our hearts – POINTS OUT 

  5 fashions that don’t belong in the Christian life

  1) The First is Malice = a BITTERNESS  not Checked – it is a slow burning anger ( Not a blow up – slow brooding /Churning )

 

D)The writer of the Book of Heb. Warns us about allowing bitterness to take root in our lives – because it will defile us and those around us

1)   And when Bitterness takes root – when it goes unchecked it turns into MALICE – You were wronged & You want REVENGE

 

E) It happened a month ago but it has been eating at you – you see their car in your mind – You want to slash tires / break a window / Key across hood

1)   That is Malice

 

 

Now think of what a struggle this would be for those who were encountering Persecution – Grow Bitter at their Persecutors

A)Begin to hate them and to speak evil against them / Huge temptation to give into these things

 

B) But Peter says – You need to lay them aside like a Garment – PUT IT AWAY

 

C) 2nd thing He mentions is DECIET The word Deceit = to lie or to embellish the truth -  CAT STORY

 

Man’s wife was traveling in Europe – called home – Husband answered – talked for a while – when the wife asked – How is my Cat -   DEAD

The wife gasped – next time don’t be  so honest – you should have broke the news to me slowly – You have ruined my trip

 

What do you mean – Husband asked – Well you could have said the cat was on the roof & when I called you from Paris you could have said he was acting sluggish . Then when I called from London …. Sick and when I called from NY you could have said he was at the Vet And then when I arrived home you could have said he was Dead .

 

Hubby   Ok – I will Try harder next time !!!!/  Ok -  By the way how is my mother

Long silence – “Uh she’s on the roof”

Peter says lay aside  Deceit – word also means a false flattery

A)Progression here in this – Starts w/ bitterness – that goes unchecked and dealt w/ it takes root – turns to Malice

 

B)But then you come to Church and you see that person and because you are here you need to be nice – there is this false flattery

1)   You say things you don’t mean – So good to see you – praying for you

  Yea that the Lord would break their necks / Being Deceitful

 

C) In reality you are playing the HYPOCRITE = to put on a show Actor pretending to be something – you are not !!!

1)   And if and when that person is Blessed / or recognized – Envy fills your heart – Because of the Malice / but the act continues as you act happy

 

D)But Then when they are not around –Evil speaking is the result

1)   Evil Speaking -  included in that is TO NIT PICK – you just tear them

      down

 

E) Peter is describing 5 natural tendencies of the flesh – but we are to walk in the spirit – Born again – incorruptible seed

1)   H.S in us – therefore – Lay aside those things  / Put off old / put on new

 

Remove what is Bad & replace it w\ what is Good v.2

as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

 

As newborn babes----, Be like a little Baby – in desiring the word – Desire speaks of an intense yearning ( Breast feeding baby)

A)When that intense yearning comes – they will stop at nothing to be fed

 

B) Peter knows  that your heart appearance will be affected by  the attitude you  have toward the word of God

1)   Intense yearning – craving to Possess -for the Pure milk of the word –

That You may GROW THERE BY

C) See The Word of God will Produce w/in us the Opposite of those things

 

Ex. Take a little baby – one thing that a Baby lacks is self control – But what happens when a Baby begins to eat – begins to grow

A)More it grows the more mature that Child becomes – learn how to Have self Control

 

B) So too we are to take in the word – intensely craving for it & as we do  these fleshly tendencies are replaced by godly ones

1)   Once malice – Forgiveness / Deceit – truth / Hypocrisy – Integrity

Envy – Love / Evil Speech – words of Grace and Mercy

 

C) Words that Build up others instead of tearing them down !!!

1)   So Peter says – to intently desire the  Pure milk Word of God

 

D) But there are a lot of Christians who don’t intently desire the word

1)   Struggle to get into it or they have  Forsaken it altogether/ why is that ?

 

 

WHEN people lose their spiritual Appetite it is usually because they have been feasting on others things  - Denise – great dinner –

A)But if I stop at Carls Jr. on the way home – #5 Combo – Barbecue fries

   SUPER SIZE IT -  I am not going to be hungry

 

B) So When a Christian loses his spiritual appetite – one reason usually is they are eating Junk food -   affects their spiritual appetite

 

C) PURE WORD Pure = Unadulterated / not watered down / Ice tea 100%

1)   There are a lot of Churches – where the people are not given the Pure milk of the word – not unadulterated / instead watered down

 

C)Instead  feasting on Junk food – Self help sermons /Sermonettes for Christianettes – 15 minute feel good raps/   Dramas / special music

   1) Consequently – much of the Church has no appetite for the Word !!!

How is your spiritual appetite doing – dulled – not hungry – what have you been feasting on - T.V.- Movies / Novels? /  ( join us  wed. night )

A)If we have lost hunger for the word – How do we get it back ? Answer is found in v.4 Coming to Him – Present – on going thing

 

B) That is always the Key – Coming to Him – Keep coming to Jesus

  As to a LIVING STONE !!!!

 

C) PETER is into PICTURES – 1st Little Baby – Breast fed / Now  Architecture -    Coming to Him – Living stone 

 

 

The Bible often refers to the Lord is this manner – Stone / Rock

A)It is a Powerful Picture -  Living stone & in v.6 Cornerstone

  He quotes from Isa. 28 / and Psalm 118

 

B) The Cornerstone was the most important stone in the building

The principal stone on which the corner of the BUILDING  rests.

1)   The Corner stone was usually a Large square Stone carefully selected and well-tried!!

 

C) One that could endure all the storms that should beat around it, / 

      Stand unshaken and unmoved any attack of the enemy !!!!

 

D) Jesus is that Rock – The Cornerstone / that the Church is Built upon

1)   Matt.16:18  Peters Confession – You are the Christ.. Son of Living God!

HIS DEATH / HIS REZ. –

 

Our Faith rest on that firm foundation that Jesus is the Messiah –God in the flesh – Come down to save man from His Sins

A)He is the Rock that we have built our lives upon rock of our lives – Matt.7 Parable of the Builders – Heard the word & did it – Believed / trusted

 

B) Our lives are built upon a ROCK that is immovable / no matter the storm the trial that comes – We stand ON HIM!!!!

C) TRIED STONE Isa.28: 16 A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;

 

D)The  word tried  was commonly used to describe “metals” which are tried in the fire to test their quality /

   1)The idea is, that God would lay for a foundation not a stone whose

       qualities are unknown, and whose stability might be doubtful,

 

2)   but one whose firmness and solidity were so fully known, so that the 

     foundation and the structure would be secure.

 

He is our  Rock of refuge : Psa.18:2  A fortress / a place to flee in the mist of trouble – always come to Jesus

A)Psa. 62 :7 Rock of Strength- when standing upon Him we can Be assured that the bottom will never cave in on us !!!!

 

B) Love this one Psa. 61:2 The Rock that is higher than I – no matter how high the waves of the storm get in my life – never higher than him

1)   Always under His feet !!!! – He is higher than any situation I will ever encounter

 

C)Psa. 95:1 Shout Joyfully to the rock of our Salvation )

 

D) The Implication here is if I really believe that Jesus is all of those things – I am going to Keep coming to Him / Feasting in His Word

1)   Looking to Him to help me – Live according to the word

 

The Stone that the Builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone

A)We know that when they were building Solomon’s temple all the stones were worked on in the valley below – transported / Temple Mt.

 

B)Tradition tells us that during the Construction –the workers sent up the Cornerstone to the Builders on the Temple Mt. – were not ready

1)   Couldn’t figure out where this stone fit – so they rejected it – thru it back down in the valley – Months went by – sat there – weeds grew

C) Then Ready- Send up the Cornerstone – Sent it along time ago – searched and found it in the Valley below – Thus Stone rejected ……..

 

D) It really speaks of how the religious leaders would reject Christ – they didn’t believe that He was the Messiah

1)   But the stone that the Builders rejected – become the Chief CornerStone

 

E)Precious Stone – Precious to God and to those who believe

   1) But to those who don’t believe – He is a   Stone of Stumbling / 

      Rock  of offense

 

In 1 Cor.1:18-24 He talks about How Christ & the Cross would be a stumbling Block to the Jews and Foolish & offensive to the grks

A)Grks foolish that a Savior & king would hang on a Cross – How can you help anyone on a Cross – It is foolish – offensive – Gross

 

B) To the Jew – Jesus was a stumbling block – Their Messiah wasn’t suppose to suffer  - Conquering King – not a suffering Messiah

1)   NOTICE WHY THEY STUMBLE V.8 b

 

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.

 

C) They ignored the Fact that the Scriptures spoke of two comings

1)   Suffer / Save / Ransom – Then come as conquering King !!!

 

D) To the Jews to this very day – this is a stumbling block to them / that keeps them from coming to Christ

 

But Jesus also Spoke of Himself being a Stumbling stone in this way –in Matt.21 – Rock that some stumble upon – fall on and are saved

A)You are on your way – going thru life and the message of Jesus – trips you up – stop – why am I here / what am I living for – broken

 

B)Fall on Him – have to face the reality of who He is – what He did for you

C) So there in MATT. 21 Jesus says He who falls on this stone will be Broken – Jesus comes in and begins to Fix

1)   But He who the stone falls on will be Crushed !!!!!

 

D) So everyone here today – Jesus is either the stone that you have fallen on found Him to be the Cornerstone /Rock of Refuge /Strength /Salvation

1)   The LIVING STONE that your life revolves around and is currently being built upon

 

E) Or He is a Rock of offense and a Stone of Stumbling – Rejected

1)   You will be Crushed by Stand before Him in Judgment

 

 

One last thing that we need to see back to v.5 –for those who believe

you also  are LIVING STONES a spiritual house being built together

A)Often times we talk about going to Church and coming to church but the thing that we must not forget is this : THIS IS NOT THE CHURCH

 

B) This is a building that the Church here at CCV meets in to study to worship / to fellowship / built up to go back into the World

1)   This is like a Huddle ( huddle is not the Team – team meets)

 

C) This is not the CHURCH – YOU ARE THE CHURCH – this is just where the Church meets – Huddles – studies play book

 

 

We are the Church / A SPIRITUAL HOUSE  Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone / We are being built up in Him& around Him

A)He is the foundation our lives are built  on Him

 

B)Now when I drive by certain buildings – they make me think of certain things : Vons Groceries /low prices / great service

1)   Black Angus – Great Steak /Big Baked Potatoes and incredible Mud pie

 

C) RITE AID – Colossal  cones – 3 Huge scoops in a waffle cone $2.19

The Building is known by what is inside it !!!!!

A)The same is true here – when People drive by this building that the Church of CCV meets in they are going to have an opinion

 

B) Busy place – always cars – horrible parking – must be dedicated see them walking from all over

 

C) Now hopefully they Know us as a group of people who Love Jesus w/ all of our hearts – why we love to study His word / learn about Him

1)   He is the center – Love Him / learn of Him / walk w/ Him/ Worship & Serve Jesus – Hopefully that is their perception

 

D) But there is only two ways for that perception to be formed !!!

1)   A few will come into this building and Visit and observe the Church

 

 

This is what I hear from Visitors about –You – I can tell that they really love the Lord – people are really sweet

A)But at the same time they are SERIOUS about the Lord – everyone has Bibles – many taking notes -    IMPRESSED BY THAT

 

B)So one way is some will come and visit and they will see You the Living stones – Worshipping / praying / studying – IMPACT

1)   But the other way is they will WATCH YOUR LIFE – when you are not here

 

C) So tomorrow you go to work and someone asks you hey did you see the KNICKS   game ?

1)   No I was w/ the Church – great time of worship / studied about how God’s word can change our lives – Jesus is the Cornerstone

 

D) You were at Church – ( ONE OF THOSE)

1)   They start watching you – and they are drawn to Jesus  that they see in You – they respond – I am going to Check this out/ where is that Church

 

Like last week – took the family to Rite Aid for Ice Cream – I got the Colossal Cone – Choc. Chip / Cookies Cream / Pecan Praline – Huge

A)Hanging around there to eat – walking by the Shops – this guy is w/ his wife &  sees me/  EYEING MY ICECREAM – ( Big lick)

 

B) I can tell by the look on His face – thinking / look at that thing -  Man I want one of those – honey suddenly in the mood for Ice Cream

1)   later come back by – Who is walking out of Rite Aid w/ a Colossal cone ?  You guessed it

 

C) Now If I was walking along eating a bucket of Manure – I can guarantee that it would have the same affect

1)   Listen – we are living stones – and your life is going to have one of two affects on those who are around you

 

D) Stumbling blocks – gross people out – you are going to turn them off – want nothing to do w/ Christ

1)   Or Your life is going to be a stepping stone – Moving others to Christ

 

E)And it all depends on what you are Cultivating – what you are putting into the treasure Chest of Your heart –

1)   The Word – produce good stuff – sweetness

2)   Junk food – evil stuff

 

 

Now living in this world can be tough – lots of obstacles and difficulties

A)Here is what we need to understand -   1Kings 6:7

7And the temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple while it was being built.

 

B) All the STONES for the temple which picture us – we are the temple of God – spiritual house – all the Stones –worked on and fitted in the Quarry

1)   So that there would be no Chiseling – no hammering on Temple Mt.

Everything was fitted in the Quarry – then stones sent up

C) We are Living Stones – being fit together for What ? An Eternal temple in heaven a Spiritual House – we are living stones being built up

1)   And Guess what this life we are going thru right now this world we live in is the ROCK QUARRY – where all the Chipping / Hammering

 

D) Feel like you are getting hammered – Understand You are in the quarry

1)   All the difficult stuff we go thru here is part of the Lords plan in fitting me & you for Heaven

 

 Realize this – It is not heaven until – HEAVEN –

A)You and I are going to be Chipped on and hammered on until that day that we come to Heaven – part of Process

 

B) So it is so important to understand that all the difficult stuff that we go thru is fitting me for Heaven – We are in the Quarry

1)   A lot of our questions can be answered if we just realized that

 

C) Here is the Problem –we face – Often times I try to fix the fix that I am in

1)   Or I try to escape the Fix

 

 

Listen Life 101 – God puts us in Fixes to do what ? To fix us !!

A)Now if I try to fix the fix that I am in by trying to get away from the Fix – God will send another fix to fix the fix that he sent to fix me in the 1st Place

 

B) So don’t run from them – but run to Him – Our Rock of Refuge !!!!