Lively Stones - I Peter 2:1-8
Lively Stones: (believers in Jesus Christ)
I Peter 2:1-8: Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an 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 Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Believers have digested the Word and they have tasted the Goodness (THE GRACE) of God.
Believers are the priests in the living temple, they are the “lively stones” and offer up sacrifices of thanksgiving.
Psalm 69:30: I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 95:2: Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
Psalm 100:4: Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psalm 107:22: And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
Psalm 116:17: I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.
Psalm 147:7: Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
Ephesians says the same thing about the living temple.
Ephesians 2:20-22: And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
As we grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, let us believers understand that we are “one body” working as one body to glorify God in Heaven. In everything we do, let us praise God and give glory to Him.
In I Peter 2:6-8, it talked about a Chief Cornerstone.
Let us talk about the Chief Cornerstone:
Psalm 118:22-23: The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
Isaiah 8:14-15: And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
I Peter 2:6-8: Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Matthew 21:44: And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
The cornerstone is the first stone set in construction and all other stones are referenced and based on this stone.
If a person rejects the Chief Cornerstone, they will have a building that is not stable and susceptible to false doctrines and religions.
Matthew 7:24-27: Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
The wise man builds his house upon the rock.
Joshua 24:15: And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
The fool builds his house on the sand (false religion and doctrines of men).
Know this, all people will either be broken (humbled, know they are a sinner and need a Savior) and believe Jesus Christ died on the Cross for their sins, burial, and resurrection in this world and be part of the Body of Christ, a lively stone that is aligned with the Cheif Cornerstone and built upon on a foundation that no man can lay except Jesus Christ.
OR
They will be ground to dust and forever in torment.
Matthew 21:44: And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
Do you know The ROCK? “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ” (I Corinthians 10:4 KJV). Do you believe Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, burial, and resurrection: are you trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Remember, faith + works = WORKS; works will save nobody. “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:4-5 KJV). Or, do you “see” Jesus Christ as a stumbling block, a rock of offense?
I hope you “see” Jesus Christ as your ROCK! If yes, you are a “lively stone” within The ROCK...AMEN!!
“He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4 KJV).
“ The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Psalm 18:2 KJV).
The Gospel / Plan of Salvation:
The Gospel is Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins (past present future), He was buried and He resurrected the third day to show us the payment for sin is paid in full.
I Corinthians 15:1-4: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
There is only one way to Heaven and it is the belief in the Finished Redemptive Work of Jesus Christ.
Titus 3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Lord Savior Jesus Christ was born for one reason and that is to save us from our sins. Jesus Christ does not come to condemn individuals. Jesus Christ comes to save us because we are all Hell doomed sinners without the Blood of Jesus Christ.
John 3:16-18: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
The Bible is very clear Jesus Christ does not come to condemn for we are already condemned.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
The Bible is very clear the payment for sin is death; somebody has to die for your sin and this is why Jesus Christ come to this earth.
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let me ask you a very simple question. If you could be saved by being water baptized, doing good works, being a good person or following the Ten Commandments, why did the God from Eternity Past, the God from Eternity Future, the Ever Presence Jesus Christ reveal Himself in the flesh and die on the Cross and Resurrect the Third Day?
Galatians 2:21: I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
If you could earn salvation by doing those things, then Jesus Christ died in vain; but, we know Jesus Christ didn’t die in vain; Jesus Christ made a perfect sacrifice for sin because He is the Lamb of God and only the Lamb of God makes a perfect sacrifice for sin.
The resurrection is proof God the Father accepted Jesus Christ death payment for sin; death payment of past, present and future sin.
The bible is very clear Jesus Christ comes to saves us from a Hell we deserve to a Heaven we don’t.
People DO NOT go to Hell because they are “bad”, they go to Hell because they believe NOT the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they trust NOT in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they believe NOT that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for their sins, burial and resurrection.
Know that God is gracious to you and He has already died for all your sins (past present future) and He was buried showing all the world He died for your sins and He resurrected showing all the world that Jesus Christ fulfilled what the Father asked Him to do, IT IS FINISHED.
I pray you receive or you believe in Jesus Christ right now for salvation; believe Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sin, burial, and resurrection.
If you have not believed, what is stopping you right now from believing? God loves you and has already died and resurrected to meet you. Believe Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, burial, and resurrection and receive the greatest gift ever which is eternal life. Eternal life does not start when you die, eternal life starts the very second you believe in Jesus Christ for salvation. Why not trust in Jesus Christ today for salvation. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 KJV)
If you know someone who is not saved, forward this message to them and share the greatest gift that one could ever receive.
Lance Edminster
The Good News Voice
Email: thegoodnewsvoice@gmail.com
Once Saved, Always Saved -"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." (John 10:28-30 KJV)