The Precious Stone

Turn with me to 1 Peter chapter 2.

1 Peter 2 · chapter mention

I had a I heard Dave was dealing with 1 Peter 3 today about where Jesus went and preached.

Did he preach to Satan?

Did he preach to the captives?

Who in the world did he preach to?

Well, when I get there, I'll straighten everything out, I promise.

Probably the most difficult passage of scripture, though, in the New Testament.

But it's kind of like a lection.

You know, and uh how simple that was when you look at some key words.

And uh so, and then run those key words all the way through the New Testament.

So, but anyway, I don't you love the word?

Hey, even when you don't understand it, hey, understand it completely, it's exciting.

You know why?

It creates a thirst to know.

And that's what Peter said in 2 Peter 3.18.

He says, but grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So, anyway, today we're going to be looking at the precious stone.

And you might want to add a little bit to that title, the precious stone and a purpose that is precious.

See, you, remember what I said a while ago?

I said, now, we said it together that we are precious to the Lord.

Okay, let's say that again.

We are precious to the Lord.

I want you to leave here realizing that this morning.

That, hey, there, God doesn't make any junk.

Can I get an amen?

God doesn't make any mistakes.

When God created you and He created you before the foundation of the world, He knew who you were even in the womb.

He had a precious purpose for you.

A precious purpose.

Not just an ordinary purpose, not just the thought of a purpose, but a precious purpose.

And that's what we're going to be looking at in verses 4 through 10 in 1 Peter chapter 2, which says, to whom coming as unto a living stone, Christians aren't dead, they're alive.

1 Peter 2 · chapter mention

Amen.

Jesus is not dead, he's alive.

Disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious.

There it is.

And precious.

Ye also as lively stones.

Not only is Jesus alive, we're alive, or built up a spiritual house and a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect precious.

And he that believeth on him shall not be confounded, shall not be ashamed, shall not be embarrassed, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed.

And then we'll pick up at the next paragraph and finish the chapter in the next, well, most of the next chapter in the next message.

In this passage, 1 Peter reminds us of the precious, precious Savior, and that the purpose of our lives are precious.

You are precious and you have a precious purpose.

Let's say that together.

Here's what I want you to say.

I am precious and I have a precious purpose.

Ready?

I am precious and I have a precious purpose.

And that is exactly what God's telling us here.

And I love it.

The Lord is special to Christians, but we are also special to him.

In fact, he has a special plan for each one of our lives to bring glory and honor to him.

1 Corinthians 10, 31, whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do, we do all to the glory of God.

Do you realize God has created you and made you a precious purpose so that you can bring people to Christ?

You know what glorifies Christ twofold.

One, you become like Christ.

Amen.

The process of sanctification, you become like Christ, and then secondly, you bring others to Christ.

That is his precious purpose for our lives.

One, to be saved, justification.

Secondly, to be what?

Sanctified, more like him, and then as an instrument, as an ambassador, as a tool, we reflect who Jesus is, which brings people to him, because Jesus said, if I be lifted up, I'll draw all men into myself.

John 12, 32.

So that's our precious, precious purpose.

But Peter, right here, deals, and I love this.

And let me say something.

You know what I was thinking all week studying when we talk about bringing other people today?

Only the judgment seat of Christ will we know the impact, the influence that we have had on this earth with our family, with our friends, with our relatives, with our community.

Only when we go to be with Christ and stand before Him on the Bema Judgment Seat Day will we realize how much of an influence God allowed you to be.

Wow.

Can you imagine?

No.

That's why the song I Can Only Imagine.

You can't imagine.

You can't imagine the impact you're having living daily for Jesus Christ, radiating Christ, the light that's set on the hill, cannot be hid.

You will not know even the influence you even had on your own family.

Now, we're it's pretty noticeable while we're living, but you don't know.

It's amazing how Stephanie used to get so upset with uh Susan sometimes when they would be disagreeing.

And now, all these years later, says Stephanie got saved.

She's excited about Jesus.

It's amazing when I'm going out there and visit them.

We're gonna go see them next week for a few days.

Hey, when we go see them and I'm sitting there playing with the grandkids, and all of a sudden they're doing something, and I hear Stephanie whoom! And I said, that sounds like Mama.

It's amazing how some how much she sounds like Susan now.

Hello.

It's that influence, that impact that you had that you didn't even realize.

You didn't even realize.

So, here's Peter.

Peter says, right here, Peter reminds us where we've come from, where we are, and where we're going.

And let's take a look at this preciousness of Christ and our purpose, which is precious.

Number one, look at verse 4.

To whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed amen.

Look at that phrase, powerful phrase.

The acceptance of Christ.

If you're going to fulfill God's plan for your life, then you must begin by going, hey, coming to Christ and trusting Him for your salvation.

That is the first step.

And I know you keep hearing that over and over because that's the key.

That's the key to the foundation.

The word coming here is the Greek word proskome.

And it means to approach.

It means to come, to draw near to.

The word means much more than drawing to Christ through salvation.

It's that same word that's used throughout the New Testament, especially in Hebrews and James, where he says, draw nigh to God.

Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

In James 4.8.

It's that same word, let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we might receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need in Hebrews chapter 4.

Hebrews 4 · chapter mention

What he's talking about here is an intimate, abiding, personal walk with Jesus Christ.

Not just getting saved, but having an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

Can I get an amen?

I mean, it's exciting, folks.

It really is.

It's more than just knowing him as a person, it's knowing him in a relationship.

See, I know of the president of the United States, Donald Trump.

But I don't know.

Hey, I know of him, but I don't know him intimately.

A lot of people know of Christ, but they don't know him intimately.

In fact, you can be a, hey, professor of Christ and not a possessor of Christ.

There's a big difference.

And if you possess Christ through the person of the Holy Spirit of God, you're going to have an intimate relationship and you're going to want more and more of Him.

Just like you want to spend more and more time with your children and your grandchildren.

Amen.

Hey, if you are a child of God, guess what?

Now this is going to blow your mind.

You're precious to God the Father, your Father, your Abba Father.

And He wants to spend time with you.

Precious time with you.

And when you, hey, and on the other side of the coin, you and I ought to want to spend precious time with him.

And that's so important.

It really is.

In the book of Hebrews, the word there, come boldly, come, is a consciousness coming into God's presence close to him and remaining in his presence.

That's what it means.

Not just to, you know, have a five-minute little devotion.

Now, five minutes better than nothing.

But he's talking about coming into his presence and abiding with him.

And I do that every morning.

I like what he says in Hebrews 7, 25.

Wherefore he is able also to save them.

I like this.

He's able to save them to the uttermost.

And he says that, save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever lives to make intercession for them.

That word come, intimacy.

That's what it really means.

When we come to Christ, we enjoy so many blessings of Christ.

Do you realize what you get when you come to Christ?

For those who hunger, guess what?

He's the bread of life.

He that comes to me shall not hunger.

He shall not hunger.

John 6.

Hey, for those who are thirsty, John 6.38, he's the living water.

Can I get an amen?

You'll never thirst again.

And then for you and me that are troubled, he's the Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9.6.

For those who need direction and security, he's the door and the light of the world.

He says in John 8, 12, I'm the light of the world.

He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have light everlasting.

He says in John 10, 9, I am the door.

If any man enter in, he shall be saved and shall go out and find pasture.

You know what that means?

Find peace and find tranquility and to find happiness and to find your precious purpose.

And that's good.

For those who need care and comfort, he's the good shepherd.

The good shepherd gives us life for the sheep, John 10, 11.

For those who need answers to their problems, he's the way, the truth, the life.

You need an answer this morning for your problem, amen.

Only two of us have problems this morning, amen.

Hey, you want your answers?

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

No man, hey, and when you come to him, he gives you the way, he gives you the truth, he gives you the light.

So it's so powerful.

And then for those who need strength, he's divine.

He says, With me you can do all things.

Without me you can do nothing.

John 15, 5.

And then I love this for those who fear death.

He's the resurrection and the life.

He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

John 11, 25.

Ladies and gentlemen, is that not exciting?

That's precious.

Oh, is that not precious?

And for those who need stability and a firm foundation and authority for your faith, he's the Lord and he changes not.

Oh, all the changes going on in our world and in our society and in America.

Trying to change history.

Trying to rewrite the history books, trying to change everything.

But I got news for you.

They can't change God.

He is the Alpha, the Omega, the beginning and the end.

For anything he was, after everything will be, he still will be.

Because he's God.

He's God.

I love what Peter's name is from the word.

In Matthew 16, 18.

The living stone of the church is not Peter, it's the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Catholics try to make Peter the foundation of the church.

But that's not true.

In Matthew 16, 18, it says, Jesus says, Upon this rock I'll build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

Now this is a good word study.

There's two words for rock here.

One is Petros.

That's the word for Peter.

And here's what it means it's a stone that's been quarried, but it was a small stone, kind of a pebble, loose, very movable.

Okay?

But now the rock Jesus refers to right here in Matthew 16, 18, upon this rock.

It's the word Petra, not Petros, Petra, which is an immovable, I'm talking about cliff or mass of stone, very similar to that that was rolled in front of the tomb.

That's the stone that he's talking about in reference to Jesus Himself.

He's the solid foundation, he's the strong one, he's the foundation that cannot be moved.

Difference.

Major difference.

An unmovable.

He's the firm foundation of the church.

Which brings him to number two.

Look at number two.

The acceptance of Christ, but here's the second thing: the antagonism for Christ.

Look at verse 4 again in the next phrase.

Disallowed indeed of men.

Peter refers to the Lord as a living stone.

Stones are not alive, but Christ is alive.

He says, I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I'm alive forevermore, and behold, I hold the keys of death.

Revelations 1.18.

He's the solid, strong, enduring Christ.

But, notice, he presented himself as the Messiah, but was disallowed of men.

Now that word disallowed is a powerful word.

You know how much I love word studies.

And it means to be disapproved of.

It means to be rejected.

It literally means to repudiate.

In other words, watch this.

Here's what it really means, those words in application.

It wasn't like they didn't know Jesus.

They knew him.

In fact, the scribes and Pharisees evaluated him, investigated him.

They knew all about him.

But they willfully rejected him.

They had the opportunity to willingly accept him.

But they didn't.

And his own what?

Received him not.

John 1.11.

He wanted him to accept him, but he didn't.

They rejected the Lord for several reasons.

Let me tell you why they rejected him.

You ready?

One, because he was a friend of publicans and sinners.

Oh, the Jews thought, why in the world?

They even made a statement in Luke 5.

Why is he eating with sinners?

Thank God.

Lord, thank you for eating with sinners.

I hadn't to be one.

Hello.

And Jesus turned and he said, I didn't come, hey, to heal those that are well.

I came to heal those that are sick.

Another reason they could not stand him, because he refused to bow to their Sabbath belief system.

They believed in work salvation.

Jesus believed in grace salvation.

Big difference.

They rejected him because the common people heard him and loved him.

They were jealous of him.

They rejected him because of his miracles, especially of that one of raising Lazarus from the dead.

You want proof?

What about Lazarus?

You want proof?

What about Lazarus?

You want proof?

What about all the other miracles he performed in the gospels?

You want proof?

Over 500 saw him after the resurrection at one time.

They couldn't believe the truth.

And they hated him because he exposed their hypocrisy.

You know, it's amazing when people.

All my ministry of 40 plus years, and I've had people tell me I don't have to go to church to be a Christian.

Okay.

You know my answer to that is I don't even deal with it.

Yeah.

Here's my question.

Why wouldn't you want to?

Huh?

When God says upon this rock, me, Jesus, I'm going to build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it, and Jesus says, I desire your worship, why wouldn't you want to come?

Then here's the next answer I get.

You ready for this?

There's nothing but a bunch of hypocrites there.

Can I go ahead and say guilty?

But aren't you a hypocrite by not coming?

You claim to be a Christian, but you don't want to go to God's house.

That's hypocrisy.

Well, never thought of it that way.

People don't want the truth revealed in their lives or they're convicted of things in their life.

Hey, they don't want that.

They don't like that, especially when they're trying to tell everybody that they're the right way.

And when God convicts us and we don't like it, guess what?

Then we don't want to be around it.

It's amazing.

It's amazing when, let me give you a good example.

My wife and I've been married.

Bob, how long where's Bob?

How long you've been married, Bob?

Okay.

So Susan and I have been married 38 years.

Wonderful years.

Thank you.

I was visiting with Bob the other night and he told me, I said, oh, I've been married one more year.

I said, from now on I got away, I won't miss it.

How long have you been married, Bob?

Okay, I've been married.

Susan and I have been married 38 wonderful years.

And we we just, I meant, you know when I really don't want to be around her?

I know I'm walking on shaky ground.

Rosemary's not here, it's going like I was starting to smear and say, hey.

But you know when when she and I disagree, hey, when I I don't want to be around her, when we've had a major disagreement, and she's right.

The guys are looking at me.

I'm not touching that with a 10 foot pole.

And those shoes can be reversed, correct.

Thank you, Deedra.

That's right, ladies.

That's good.

But is that Not right.

I mean, and then so what about what is saying?

When you and I are not walking with the Lord, hey, we don't want to be around people, or if we even don't want to be in church and be under conviction because we don't like that feeling.

Because we know when we are under the word of God and the conviction of God, you got to do one or two things.

You either got to repent or you're gonna be in trouble.

Hello?

I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to me.

And it's not until I repent and we get it right, or she repents and we get it right, or we both repent and we settle it, that we have that peace that passes all understanding again, even in our relationship.

Now, is that not a pretty good illustration?

Because every one of us in here that's married had those problems.

And God just gave me that.

So amen.

That was not in my note.

All right.

I got excited, not my.

So, again, he came into his own received.

Look at the third thing.

Not only the acceptance of Christ, the antagonism for Christ, but thirdly, the adoration for Christ.

Look at the next phrase, but chosen of God, and notice what he says, and precious.

Jesus was rejected by men, but chosen of God, and he was precious.

He was chosen or elected not for salvation.

Now watch.

Jesus said in John 4, 34, My meet, my purpose is to do the will of him that sent me.

Watch.

To finish his work.

Is that not good?

Yes, was he our salvation?

Absolutely did he take away our sins.

Yes, but it was God's purpose for him to save us.

Hey, and then complete the beginning and the birth of his church.

That was his purpose.

And we must never, ever forget that.

So we see that Jesus, God the Father's plan, was to send his only begotten Son to die for the sins of the world.

And he was the only one that could meet the qualifications of a mediator between God and man.

You know, 1 Timothy 2.5, there's one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

Have you ever thought about the word mediator?

What is a mediator?

Here it is.

In fact, he was the only man in the world who was without sin, a lamb without blemish or spot, 1 Peter 1.19.

So what did a mediator do?

Well, let me tell you.

First of all, mediator was a sponsor.

He was a guarantor.

A guarantor.

He was surety.

He was a man who paid the bail for another's person's appearance in court.

He was a bail, hey, a person that paid the bail for a person who was supposed to appear in court.

That's what a guarantor was.

He also guaranteed or co-signed for a debt.

When my son-in-law went into business and bought a SERPO in Athens, Tennessee, over ten years ago.

He and my oldest daughter had just gotten out of school, graduated from Tennessee Temple.

And his signature didn't mean squat.

You know why?

Not because John wasn't worth anything.

John was smart.

Go get her.

Wanted his own business.

But guess what?

He didn't have anything.

He didn't have any money.

He didn't have anything to put up.

He didn't have any credit.

So guess what?

Susan and I became guarantors.

We became mediators.

We signed on the dotted line.

And you know what that meant?

That we were responsible for everything.

That's a pretty important signing, folks.

Amen.

Now think about that.

Now don't work with me here.

A mediator was also something else that I was an arbitrator.

Bringing two estranged parties together.

A true qualified mediator had to be able to represent both parties.

In other words, I represented my son-in-law and daughter and I to the banker.

Neil at that time was the bank president there in Athens.

I was the go-between.

Now think just a minute.

There's been only one mediator that could go between God and man and be the co-signer, but not the cosigner, the one that paid the debt, the one that took care of everything, because remember, and the hey, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten Son of God.

John 1:14.

John 1:14

Woo, folks, listen to me.

Hey, he was as much man as I am, hey, as any man in here is, but yet he was as much God as God ever has been, ever will be.

So he was the only mediator that could reconcile you and me to an awesome God.

He's our guarantor.

Can I get an amen?

Is that not good?

Is that not good?

Oh my soul.

What a beautiful picture.

He has guaranteed that our debt is paid if we believe and put our trust in him for salvation.

The price was paid at the cross, and he guarantees eternal life for all who believe.

Romans 5.8.

But God commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Give me an amen, church.

He died for us.

You know why?

You're precious.

You're precious to him, and he has a precious purpose for you.

Which brings me to number four.

Look at verse 5.

And acceptable sacrifices.

Not only the watch, as lively stones are built up a watch.

Spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

As we delve deeper into the passage, we get a glimpse of our purpose that is precious to God and should be precious to us.

Our purpose is precious to God and should be precious to us.

Notice.

Oh, this is so good.

Peter touches on three areas that explain our position and our purpose as believers.

Watch.

Eh?

Stones that are living.

Just like the Lord, we are, notice what he says, we're lively stones.

This word stone is the Greek word lethos.

It's does, hey, it describes stones.

Now watch this that were quarried, cut out of the ground, cut, chiseled, shaped, and smooth for a purpose.

Isn't it amazing when they get a diamond out of the ground or out of the caves or out of the mountains?

They have to cut them.

Then they have to smooth them.

They have to polish them.

All that they gotta do.

By the way, it was used, the same word, stone, was used to describe the two tablets that Moses, God gave, when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, and he cut them out of those stones.

He cut the commandments out with probably a hammer and a chisel.

It was also used to describe bricks for buildings, marble, emeralds, rubies, and all other precious stones that had been quarried.

These were stones with a purpose.

And that's what we are.

Notice this: we are to be living stones, not dead ones that can accomplish zero for nothing for Jesus, but living stones.

Now I got to thinking about that.

Our purpose is to be part or something that's bigger than we are.

Can I get an amen?

Why do you think I love church?

Why do you think I love our body?

Listen, are you ready for this?

Now let me tell you, you're gonna see why you're precious.

Out of 300 people in our church, okay, that come very regular.

Some not all at the same day.

But they're pretty faithful.

Amen.

All right, are you ready for it?

Listen.

You have been, am I saying that word right, quarried?

Quarried, yeah, okay.

You know when they cut out a stone.

Okay.

You have been quarried by God.

You have been chosen by God.

You've been made.

Hey, hey, what did it say?

In the likeness of Christ.

But you have been chiseled out.

You have been given gifts.

You have been given talents that nobody else can have.

You are a fine, precious stone that God has a purpose.

He's created you, he's made you, and now he wants to place you in the body of Christ for you to exercise all your giftedness and talents that nobody else can do.

Angela, you got excited about that, thank you.

Do you understand that?

You know why we don't want to understand that?

That puts a lot of responsibility on me because that means, whoo! Are you ready?

Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone.

Builders, builders.

That chief cornerstone is where all the rest of that foundation comes together.

You with me?

To make it a firm foundation.

So Jesus Christ, I think you're telling me I've I've fallen down, but that's okay.

Hey hey, I don't.

Y'all didn't watch.

Wax on, walks off.

Okay.

Here.

Hey, watch this.

Listen to me.

This is so good.

He's that chief cornerstone, and then he's chiseled out.

He's made.

He's chosen.

He's chosen Susan.

He's chosen Clay.

He's chosen John.

He's chosen Ty.

He's chosen you, Larry.

And he's made you and gifted you and talented you so that Jesus can take those other stones and build a spiritual house.

Amen.

And when we're not in our place, we have a weak foundation.

One that when the wind blows and the rains come, it'll be like seeking sand.

But if we're all in our place connected to the chief cornerstone, when the winds and the rains and us come, we'll still be standing.

That's why you come to church.

That's why you're in church, because when you're out there on the lake by yourself, when the winds and the seas come, you're in trouble.

You need your body.

You need your church.

Amen.

We need each other.

Which leads me to the next point.

We're stones of the living, but we build a spiritual house.

Look at it.

A living stones or bricks which are being built into a spiritual house whose foundation is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Look at what Paul said in Ephesians 2.

In Ephesians 2, listen to what Paul said about this.

He dealt with the issue in his letter to the Ephesians.

Look at what he said.

Now therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, and are built, watch, upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.

Now watch, verse 21.

In whom all the building, I love this next phrase, fitly, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord, verse 22, in whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

There it is, church.

Paul addresses the issue of individual importance and purpose in the body of Christ.

He said, We're fitly joined together, carefully joined of every component.

You know what that phrase means?

It's like a, I think of Bob.

Bob's a craftsman.

I think of Paul.

Paul's a craftsman.

Bob builds beautiful boats.

And I've watched him.

I've watched him.

He's shown me how he does it and how he bends.

And every piece in that boat has a specific place.

But time is spent making that piece so that it'll fit exactly where it needs to be.

That's why God refines us and sometimes puts us in the furnace to what?

To get our peace, our peace, our place, which is precious where it needs to be, so it fittingly joins together.

Are you with me, church?

Woo! And then it'll float.

But if it doesn't, and if he doesn't have to fill it, pitches it.

So what does that mean?

That means you take the tar and fill the cracks and go over it so it can't leak.

But can you imagine if one of those pieces was out of place and you put that boat in the water, guess what's going to happen?

The boat's gonna fill up with water and then it's gonna sink.

Now let me bring it to application.

If you and I are part of a body of Christ, and we happen to be a part of the local body, CCW, and we're not in our place, that God has cut you, He's designed you, He's chiseled you, He's and still chiseling on some of us.

Can we all say, Oh me?

You with me?

But if we're not there in the place we're supposed to be, our boat's got problems.

Watch this.

Our church has problems.

Wow.

So that means you can't just decide to come to church when you feel good.

By the way, you really need to come to church when you feel bad.

It does, because you get encouraged.

You get built up.

You get loved on.

You get your next hugged.

Amen.

I visited a couple to a person the other day.

Well, a couple.

They said, that's the most hugginest church I ever seen.

And you know what she said?

Then she said, but I like it.

Amen.

Amen.

We're family, folks.

You got a purpose here.

You're not just here because you want to be here.

That's part of it.

And I'm glad you want to be here.

But you're here for a purpose.

And it's precious.

Say it with me.

Precious purpose.

One Christian can't do it all.

Can I get an amen?

One Christian can't do it all.

Can't do it.

Isn't it amazing?

Now watch how 1 Corinthians 6 19 fits into this.

You're bought with a price.

Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God.

We're a spiritual house.

We are a spiritual house put together for a foundation that is precious to God.

Oh my, so is that not beautiful?

Christ is molding, making, shaping, cutting, chiseling, and constructing us into his image through the work of the Holy Spirit and through the circumstances that we face day by day.

For those who are, and I wrote this down, listen, God gave me this.

For those who are surrendered, the process is a little bit easier.

But for those of us who may be carnal, it's tough.

It's tough.

Really is.

Our destiny as Christians is to be to conform, be conformed to the image of Christ and to be like him someday.

Listen to what Paul said.

God wants us to be like him now on this earth so that others will see Jesus in us.

Here's what he stated in Romans 8.29.

There it is.

For whom he did foreknow predestination.

He also did, well, foreknowledge, who he also did predestinate, predestination, to be conformed to the image of his son.

Paul put it this way, being confident of this very thing, that he which begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Wow, that's good.

So, stones that are living.

What's our position, our purpose?

We're to be living stones, alive and well, radiant, a light set on the hill.

Those who look to him and radiant, they should never be ashamed.

Secondly, we're to be a spiritual house.

I mean a body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

We're to be all that we say we are.

We're to live like Christ, to be like Christ.

And then C, saintly priest.

Look at the next word.

We are a holy priesthood.

Chosen generation, verse 9.

Holy nation.

We're to not just any priest, and we're not to be, hey, we're to be holy priests.

Peter is speaking about the priesthood of each believer, not the priest of the Catholic Church.

As a holy priesthood, we have several responsibilities.

You ready?

This is good.

You need to know this.

I bet you've never been, chances are you've never been told this.

As I'm a priest, a priesthood of the believers.

What does that mean?

What's my job?

What am I supposed to do?

Here we go.

Number one, to be holy.

Holy is from the Greek word hagiat.

And it literally means to be set apart for God, to be consecrated and dedicated to God, pure, upright.

Here's what it means: saintly.

In other words, you live what you claim to be.

Can I get an amen?

If you say I'm a Christian, then live like a Christian.

I didn't say perfect.

Live like a Christian.

Be an example as a Christian.

Now your flesh will constantly badger you to reject such a living purpose.

Paul dealt with that.

Don't think it's easy.

When somebody says it's easy to be a Christian, they hadn't read Romans 7.

Where Paul said, That which I want to do, I do not, and that which I don't want to do, I do.

Satan's gonna battle you every day.

But you can overcome.

Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.

Can I get an amen?

There is no temptation taken you, but such as coming to man.

But God is faithful and just and will not suffer you to be tempted above that you're able, but With the temptation, make a way to escape.

1 Corinthians 10, 13.

So we're hope to be holy.

Look at the second thing.

We're to be a bridge builder.

Bridge builders.

Believers are holy priesthood.

And if you remember in the Old Testament, it was only the high priests that had access to God.

But now in the new covenant, every one of us as believers have direct access to God.

Can I get an amen?

Is that not exciting?

We really do.

And that's why Hebrews 4, 16, let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we might attain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The Latin word for priest here is pointifex.

Pointifix.

P-O-I-N-T.

No, excuse me.

Yeah, P-O-N-T.

Not P-O-I-T.

P-O-N-T-I-F-E-F-E-X.

Pontifix.

Here's what it means.

The word means bridge builder.

The duty of the priest is to build bridges for others to bring them to Christ.

Wow.

Is that not good?

The priesthood of the believer, one of our jobs is to be holy, but secondly, is to be a bridge builder, to bring our loved ones, our relatives, our friends, our community, our schoolmates, hey, our our family members to Christ.

We're bridge builders.

Say that with me.

We're bridge builders.

That's what we are.

That's what the priesthood of the believer means.

Holiness and bridge builders.

But there's a third thing.

Bringing the offering to God.

Another responsibility of the Old Testament priest was to bring offerings to God.

And this is what we're to do as believers.

Our sacrifices are not animal sacrifices like there were in the Old Testament.

However, do you realize there are spiritual sacrifices that we're to bring to God?

Let me say that again.

There are spiritual sacrifices that we're to bring to God.

Wouldn't you like to know what they are?

Huh?

I'm going to tell you.

Say amen.

I want to know.

All right, here we go.

Number one, he says, and I love this, let's look at some of the verses that pertain to bringing our office as a sacrifice.

Number one, your growing body.

Romans 12, 1 and 2.

Our growing body.

I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your body, what?

A living sacrifice.

Oh, ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you, that really takes on a whole different meaning about my body.

My wife, I've gotten convicted, I have over about a year ago, year and a half ago, that I had to get my weight off was one reason.

My blood pressure was going up, my sugar was starting to go up, my cholesterol's starting to go up, and then I just realized I've got to do something.

My doctor says I've got to do something.

That really helps.

But what I'm saying is we're to, we're to, we've got to realize our body's the temple of the Holy Spirit, folks.

So we try to do the best we can to live the best way we can.

Amen.

I got, can we like let me rephrase that?

Can we say owe me on that?

Oh me.

All of it.

Yeah, don't be talking about the donuts right now.

Because I did eat a little piece of my wife's strawberry cake this morning.

I noticed she didn't leave me a piece, but I did steal one.

I'm guilty.

I did.

Guilty.

But that's all I've had in two weeks.

But anyway, what's this?

What's this?

I did have a little chocolate pudding, too.

Yeah.

Heather brought that to me while I was sick.

I'm sorry.

I didn't want to offend Heather.

Your growing body.

Hey, number two, gratitude.

Hey, we're to bring gratitude.

Listen to what he says in Psalm 116, verse 17.

Psalms 116:17

I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and we'll call upon the name of the Lord.

I think this is the most neglected offering of most of us.

We're not thankful for all that God's given us.

Oh, we get thankful for the big things, but we don't thank him for the little things.

But that's part of our, that's one of our offerings, is thankfulness.

Why don't we learn to be thankful?

You know, I'm learning something in my own life.

If I if I am thankful about a situation, even a bad situation, I have a whole different perspective and attitude.

Is that not right?

Is that not right, church?

And then what about here's another one?

Glory to God and praise is a sacrifice.

Listen to Hebrews 13, 15.

By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually.

That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.

Hey, praise, glory, thanksgiving.

How in the world can you be mad and upset if all you're doing is praising God and being thankful?

Next time Sister Fluffy Head gets under your nerves or Deacon Potato Head, just start praising God and thanking them for Sister Fluffy Head.

That's hard for me to do.

But I've learned if I do, it doesn't ne'er get under my skin.

Amen.

Pray God, give them a good attitude.

Find something to be thankful about them.

Well, I can't find anything.

Well, then just praise God anyway.

Hello.

Amen.

And then gifts.

Philippians 4.18.

But I have all, Paul said, in abound.

I am full, having received of Eparoditus the things which were sent from you, an odor.

Now watch this, a sweet smell.

Now watch, a sacrifice, acceptable, well pleasing to God.

But bring in our gifts, our talents, our treasures, our money.

Yes.

We're to sacrifice and bring it to the Lord.

Then good works.

Hebrews 13, 16.

But to do good and to communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices, God is well pleased.

As priests, we are to offer our up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to the Lord.

Can I get an amen?

The same holds true, too, for the Lord.

He says, make sure that your sacrifice is acceptable to him.

The word acceptable there means our ministry.

You know what it means?

The Greek word there?

That my ministry, your ministry, is greatly, watch this, appreciated and pleasing to God.

I'm going to really encourage you here.

You ready?

Your heart, your gifts, your talents that have been chiseled out and fitly joined together.

Everyone's in their place of service, giving their time, their talents, their treasures, their testimony, all fitly working together.

Is not just acceptable, but pleasing to God.

And that's why your purpose is precious.

Is that not good?

Is that not good?

Which brings me to the last point.

The acceptance of Christ, the antagonism for Christ, the adoration for Christ, the acceptable sacrifices that we've looked at in detail, dug them out.

Number five, the absence of disappointment.

Woo!

There'll be no disappointment.

Wherefore, wherefore?

Wherefore?

Also it is contained in the scripture.

Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be ashamed, shall not be confounded, shall not be disappointed.

Verse 7, unto you therefore which believe he is precious.

Mm-mm-mm.

Mm-mm-mm.

Is that not good?

Now you've got to understand the context.

In Christ, what he's talking about here is both Jews and Gentiles were united by those who put their faith in him.

And this is why he is so precious.

The unity of Jew and Gentile believers is why Jesus and his teachings became a stumbling block to the Jews.

Let me tell you why.

There is no way a Jew could believe that a Gentile could be as acceptable to God as they were.

That's why Jesus became a stumbling block.

Jesus wiped away all prejudice.

Can I get an amen?

He says, No.

No.

You're all one in Christ.

That's why he went to the woman at the well, the half-breed.

He had to straighten the disciples out at very at the very beginning of their ministry.

He said, What in the world are we doing here?

He said, Let me tell you why we're here.

Because I came to die for everybody.

The Jew and the Gentile.

Amen.

So we see that.

We see that right here.

Christ was chosen or elected to be the cornerstone of the church by God the Father.

And he himself loves everybody, died for everybody.

And Peter tells us that those folks who believe on the Lord will not be confounded.

They will not be dishonored.

They will not be disgraced.

They will not be disappointed.

They will not be humiliated, or they will not be ashamed.

Can I get an Amen, church?

In fact, the words Peter used in the King James shall not be.

It's Omeh.

Omey.

And you know what it means, these words mean.

No, not at all.

Not at all.

Not at all will you be disappointed.

I love that.

Not at all will you be dismayed, discouraged with Christ.

Not at all.

Nothing to compare with him.

Wow.

He that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

Well, let's end it up.

Peter continues one of his favorite themes.

Notice in verse 7, unto you therefore which believe he is precious.

I'm going to close with this.

Precious.

Valuable things in Peter's epistle.

I don't think I have this for you.

This is something God gave me the last couple of mornings.

I pulled up the, I got to thinking about what was precious in the book of Peter, in 2 Peter.

Precious inheritance.

Write it down somewhere.

1 Peter 1 4.

To an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.

Hey, reserved in heaven for you.

Ha ha! Wow! Precious inheritance.

Two, precious trials.

1 Peter 1.7.

The trial of your faith being more precious than gold that perish.

Our trials are precious.

3.

Precious blood of Christ, 1 Peter 1.19, but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Number four, precious stone.

We just read those.

He's a precious stone, 1 Peter 2, 6 and 7.

Number 5, press a precious testimony for the Lord, 1 Peter 2.12, having your conversation, your behavior honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, now watch this, that they may by your and my good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in a day of visitation.

You know what he said?

Even when they're trying to criticize you, they can't.

Because they see you walk with the Lord.

You say, that's not in, that's impossible.

No, it's not.

Look at Daniel.

They couldn't find anything wrong with Daniel except his, hey, love for God.

Woo! That's good.

And then your precious attitude and spirit, 1 Peter 3.4.

But let it, this is a, I know this is a message in itself, but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God, a great price, which is in the sight of God precious.

Then precious faith, 2 Peter 1.1.

He said, to them that have attained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

And then the last, precious promises.

2 Peter 1.4, whereby are given unto us exceeding and great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world and the lust.

Woo! Wow! Unto you, therefore, which believe He is precious.

That's the soul.

Precious to you, it was to Absalon, and it destroyed him.

Is possessions precious to you?

It was with Achan and Judas, and it destroyed them both.

Prestige, is it precious to you?

It was to Ananias and Sapphire, and they lied and cost them their life.

What about a wicked person?

A wicked person was precious to Samson.

Her name was Delilah.

It cost him his life.

What about position?

Position was more important, more precious to Eve than God, and it cost her paradise.

Why is Jesus precious?

He saved us.

Can I get an amen?

Romans 10, 9 through 10.

He sealed us.

Ephesians 4 30.

He sustains us, Philippians 4.19, and he will one day snatch us away.

Is that not good, church?

Is the truth not good?

You should know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.