1 Peter 2:4-6

1 Peter 2:4-6

While approaching Him – a stone while living, in one case having been rejected by mankind but in another case chosen precious before God – even you all yourselves, a spiritual house, are being constructed as stones while living into a spiritual priesthood to make a spiritual sacrifice quite pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.  The reason is contained in scripture: Behold, I place in Zion a stone – a chosen precious cornerstone – and the one who believes upon Him should surely not be put to shame.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Peter continues talking about Jesus.  He is a living stone.  Peter is also quite quick to remind us that His status has a dichotomy to it.  Mankind rejected Him.  God chose Him to be precious.  This is the standard status of Christ.  Christ is valued by the eternal.  Christ is rejected by the temporal.  Therefore, this is also a status of what it means to be in Christ as well.  Those who are in Christ will likewise be rejected by temporal mankind and considered precious by the eternal Father.

Where do you feel rejected?  Where do you feel precious?

Second Thought:

Peter also gives us a bit of dichotomy within ourselves.  Peter tells us that we are each a spiritual house.  We know from elsewhere in scripture that we are holy to the Lord.  We know that our bodies are a temple to God.  This is in line with what Peter is teaching here.  Yet, Peter takes us beyond that designation.  Individually we are spiritual houses, but we are living stones being built into something bigger.  We are being built together to make one giant spiritual priesthood together.  We are being built into one giant community in God.

How do you identify yourself as a spiritual house?  How do you identify with the spiritual priesthood?  How does it feel to be a part of something bigger than yourself controlled by God?  How does this teaching assume a position of humbleness and submission?

Third Thought:

Peter uses a quote from Isaiah 28:16 to give hope.  “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.”  This is a way of saying that our hope will not be in vain. Peter is confirming that nothing can take us out of the hand of God.  The world may reject us.  The world may make our life difficult because of its own self-centered narcissism.  But in the end, we cannot be taken out of the hand of God.  That is a good promise indeed.

What does this promise mean to you?  Does this promise give you hope or encouragement?  How can this promise motivate you to do the will of God?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Peter 2:7-10