1 Peter 2:4-10; Exodus 19:1-6, Living Stones (2)

Isn’t it interesting!  We come to Jesus as to a living stone, the cornerstone of the spiritual temple.  Yet we, the ones who come to Jesus, are living stones, built atop the foundation with the Cornerstone that make a beautiful temple, a spiritual house.  Paul explained in Eph. 2:20 that the foundation is the Apostles of the New Testament and Prophets of the Old Testament (2 Peter 3:2); the chief cornerstone is Jesus Christ.  This is more than “interesting.”  This is fundamental truth.  Who and what we are in Christ is dependent on who and what Christ is.  Remember: He is the vine; we are the branches.  His life flows through us so that we produce fruit that glorifies Him.

We are not just the building; we are the priests, a holy priesthood.  As priests under the Law offered sacrifices, so we offer spiritual sacrifices.  We offer our bodies as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1).  We offer the sacrifice of praise (Heb. 13:15).  We offer sacrifices in doing good and sharing (Heb. 13:16).  These and more are a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God (Phil. 4:18).

There is even more said about what it means to have come to Christ in saving faith in v9-10.  As you meditate on these things think about what it meant to the Jewish believers to whom Peter is writing. 

·        A chosen generation.  Generations were important in Israel.  Genesis recorded the earliest generations on earth.  Growing up in Israel you learned of the fathers, the great generations of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Land in Israel was passed on from generation to generation.  But think of being a Jew in the first generation after the death and resurrection of Christ.  You were living in a special time, the first generation experiencing the blessings of the New Covenant (Heb. 11:39-40).

·        A royal priesthood.  This is so important.  In Israel the priests were from the tribe of Levi; the royalty from the tribe of Judah.  The king was not allowed to do the priests work.  Yet the prophets spoke of the Messiah as a priest on His throne (Zech. 6:12-13).  Those who come to Christ offer spiritual sacrifices; AND they reign with Christ (Rev. 3:21; 1:4-6).

·        A holy nation.  This was what Israel never was.  They tried hard, which was, of course, their problem: they tried hard instead of trusting hard (Rom. 9:30-33).  But now these elect pilgrims had come to Christ, and by faith they were clothed in His righteousness.  They were the remnant as the prophets used to say, a holy remnant.

·        His own special people.  God had chosen Israel in the beginning and made them His special treasure (Deut. 7:6).  But Israel repeatedly failed to keep her end of the bargain (the Mosaic Covenant).  Read Exodus 19:5-6 and you will see that these Jews who came to Christ had, by faith, become what God intended from the start.  Also note that the reason they were God’s people was so they would proclaim the praises of Him who called (them) out of darkness into His marvelous light.  This was what God always intended: that Israel would be His witness to the world. 

·        The people of God who have obtained mercy.  This verse (v10) is a clear reference to Hosea 1:9-10; 2:23.  Through Hosea God had told sinful, idolatrous Israel that they were not His people and would not obtain mercy.  But then God promised to seek after His wayward wife Israel and that the day would come when they would truly be His people and would obtain mercy. 

Let us marvel in the blessedness of the grace of God by which He made provision for our sin and called us into a relationship with His Son.  How blest are His people!