Friday, January 8, 2010

1 Peter 2:2-10 – Jesus -- The Chief Cornerstone


Lesson 8 -- Written by Marcia McCance
1. What it says:
2  as newborn babes, desire the pure milk  of the word, that you may grow thereby,
3  if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4 ¶  Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,
5  you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6  Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."
7  Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,"
8  and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
9  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10  who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
2 What it means:
2  as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word,
What is more pure, fresh, and clean than a newborn babe? And what is it’s strong desire? 
For what is Peter saying that our strong desire should be? 
that you may grow thereby,
Why are we to desire the word?
Mark 4:26-32 – What 2 things does this passage say about growing?:

Acts 28:27 – What kind of growing is taking place here and what is the result?

Col 2:18-19 – What does this say about growing?

What kind of “growing” comes from desiring “the word?”

2Pe 3:18  but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Fill in the blanks: “grow in the______________ and  ____________________ of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
What does it mean for us to grow in grace? 

To grow means to “increase”. We are to increase in grace  -- fill up on God’s grace until it overflows and spills out on those around us. We are to be full of grace and mercy towards others – to love our neighbors – have goodwill toward men as God does!
What does it mean for us to grow in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? 

To increase in knowledge – this is the Biblical "know,"  which means to become more and more intimate with Jesus Christ through prayer, humility, and study of His word.
3  if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
What does it mean to “taste that the Lord is gracious?”
"To taste" represents our own personal experience of the graciousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Fill in the blanks:
Micah 6:8  He has shown you, O man, what is____________________ ;
And what does the LORD________________________ of you
But to do__________________ , To love___________________ ,
And to walk_________________ with your God?
4 ¶  Coming to Him as to a living stone,
What does “living” mean?
What does “Coming to Him” mean?
[Albert Barnes Commentary  (edited): … The idea here is, that they had come to him for salvation, while the great mass of men rejected him. …. Salvation is often represented as coming to Christ. ]
Mt 11:28  "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Genesis 2:7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Job 33:4  The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Notice that Job has taken the fact that God formed man and breathed life into him -- and stated it in a very personal way. “The Spirit of God has made me” and “the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”  We can do the same thing to nurture our faith in God. We need to both glorify God and receive His gifts as our own to strengthen and support our faith in God. Then share them with others. “The Spirit of God has made you” and “the breath of the Almighty gives you life” – but only as a way to glorify God and strengthen our faith. It is not meant to go to our heads – it is God who is the Potter. We are the clay vessels – whom He loves!
John 6:63  "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
Romans 8:10-11 -- 10  And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11  But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
 [Albert Barnes Commentary  (edited): … As unto a living stone. The allusion is to:
[KJV #Isa 28:16, "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."
Same verse from the Amplified Bible: Isa 28:16,  Therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am laying in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tested Stone, a precious Cornerstone of sure foundation; he who believes (trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone) will not be ashamed or give way or hasten away .
Jesus is our rock -- and trusting in Him, relying on Him and adhering to Him will eliminate any shame or panic!  Believe Him!
[KJV #Ps 118:22, "The stone which the builders disallowed, is become the head-stone of the corner."
Same verse plus context from NKJV -- Ps 118:21-29 -- 21  I will praise You, For You have answered me, And have become my salvation. 22  The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. 23  This was the LORD’S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. 24  This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. 25  Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. 26  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We have blessed you from the house of the LORD. 27  God is the LORD, And He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. 28  You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. 29  Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
[The reference is to Christ as the foundation on which the church is reared. He occupied the same place in regard to the church which a foundation-stone does to the edifice that is reared (built) upon it.
[The phrase "living stone" is however unusual, and is not found, I think, except in this place. There seems to be an incongruity in it, in attributing life to a stone, yet the meaning is not difficult to be understood. The purpose was not to speak of a temple, like that at Jerusalem, made up of gold and costly stones; but of a temple made up of living materials—of redeemed men—in which God now resides. In speaking of that, it was natural to refer to the foundation on which the whole rested, and to speak of that as corresponding to the whole edifice. It was all a living temple—a temple composed of living materials—from the foundation to the top.
[Compare the expression in #John 4:10, "He would have given thee living water;" that is, water which would have imparted life to the soul. So Christ imparts life to the whole spiritual temple that is reared (built) on him as a foundation].
rejected indeed by men,
Who do you know who rejected Jesus at that time? 
but chosen by God and precious,
Who chose Him? 
What did He think of Him?       
5  you also, as living stones, are being built up
What does Peter say we are?     
And we are being what?     
a spiritual house,
“A spiritual house” is another way of saying what?   
Peter has just pointed out that we are being made into a temple for the living God – a spiritual house  -- a place for the Holy Spirit of God to abide! Does it not seem reasonable that The Living God, should have a living temple to dwell in?  Eternal life is God’s greatest attribute and gift -- and now He has given us eternal life in Jesus Christ and destroyed the “separation” allowing all of us to be near to Him. His Holy Spirit not only seals us but dwells in us and gives us eternal life!
a holy priesthood,
What is the connection between “a holy priesthood” and “a spiritual house?” 

Since God is building us into a spiritual house for His Holy Spirit to dwell in, we would also be the holy priesthood who serves Him!
to offer up spiritual sacrifices
This is what “a holy priesthood” does!  Offers up what kind of sacrifices? 
We  are asked to give spiritual sacrifices. Let’s take a look at what they might be:
Romans 12:1  1 ¶  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
What kind of sacrifice is spoken of here?
1.   
2.   
3.     
What does the word “prove” mean? 
When we do not conform to the world, but are transformed by the renewing of our minds, our thoughts, and our beliefs, what are we then demonstrating with our life of reasonable service?
We become living proof of God’s acceptable will, His perfect will, His good will!  Good will is Grace! We then become living demonstrations of God’s Grace!  “Which is your reasonable service” – it is completely reasonable that after all that God has done for us we live our lives in a manner pleasing to Him. That we be renewed in the spirit of our mind, put our faith completely in Him, and give grace to those around us. . “Love thy neighbor.”
Phllippians 4:18  Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet–smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
What sacrifice had been offered that was well pleasing to God?     
Heb 13:15  Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
What sacrifice is spoken of here?   
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
How are our spiritual sacrifices made acceptable to God?       
6  Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."
7  Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious;
To one who truly believes in the gift of Salvation from God, Jesus Christ, the Gift, the Chief Cornerstone, is very precious!!
but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,"
8  and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word,
What does it mean “to stumble?”   
What causes stumbling?     
What were they disobedient to?   
[Albert Barnes Commentary: A stumbling-stone and rock of offence. Something over which men shall fall.  This is, by Paul, referred to the Messiah. He is called rock of stumbling, not because it was the design of sending him that men should fall, but because such would be the result. The application of the term rock to the Messiah is derived from the custom of building, as he is the corner-stone or the immovable foundation on which the church is to be built. It is not on human merits, but by the righteousness of the Saviour, that the church is to be reared.]
to which they also were appointed.
“They,” -- the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Priests (Levites) had rejected Christ – even though they had been appointed to the word! They had the word. They were the caretakers of the word. Yet, they rejected Jesus, not because of ignorance, but because of disobedience and hardness of heart.
9  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people,
But you who believe are what? 
1.     
2.   
3.   
4.     
that you may proclaim the praises of Him
How could we keep from proclaiming His praises!   That we may proclaim our gratitude and the praises of Him…
who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
What does “called you out of darkness” mean?   
What does “called you into His marvelous light” mean? 
10  who once were not a people but are now the people of God,
We were once “individuals” each going our own way – we were not even “a people!” 
But now we are the what?   
who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
We once were without mercy – we were condemned. But now we have mercy.  How did we get mercy?     

Read: Eph 2: 18-22 – What do you see in this passage?: 

     
3. What it means to me:
(Believe, Trust, Conform)     




        ­Read again: 1 Peter 2:2-10, at the top of this study – and in another translation.
Definitions and Synonyms:
1.      cornerstone – foundation stone, keystone, foundation, basis
2.      foundation – base, basis, groundwork, underpinning
3.      grace – elegance, loveliness, beauty, kindness, decency, favor, mercy, charity, benevolence, clemency, leniency, blessing, prayer, thanksgiving, dignify, honor, distinguish
4.      gracious – cordial, congenial, affable, sociable, courteous, polite, well-mannered, kind, benevolent, generous, merciful, compassionate, lenient, humane, charitable, understanding
5.      knowledge – information, facts, data, acquaintance, familiarity, awareness, understanding, comprehension, realization, experience, expertise, skill, know-how, wisdom, learning, education, intelligence
6.      living – breathing, existing, active – in a Biblical sense: to have life through the Gift of the Holy Spirit
7.      mercy – compassion, pity, clemency, forgiveness, kindness, sympathy, understanding, leniency, benevolence (forgiveness given by someone under whose authority we could have received punishment)
8.      prove – show, establish, confirm, demonstrate, verify, provide evidence, attest, bear out, substantiate, ascertain, corroborate – Antonym: disprove
9.      purify – cleanse, disinfect, sanitize, decontaminate, clean, get rid of impurities
10.  purpose – reason, principle, intention, aim, objective, target, goal, determination, resolution, resolve, persistence, tenacity, single-mindedness. Antonym: indifference
11.  redeem -- buy the freedom of,  regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment
12.  taste – flavor, savor, experience, feel , undergo, go through, live through ,try, sample, nibble, drink, sip, test, discern, judge

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