Peter is reminding us that despite what is whirling around us we are anchored to the Rock of our salvation. Each one of us in fact, a stone in and of ourselves, being assembled into a Temple which houses the very Spirit of God, with Jesus as the Cornerstone - giving us strength and direction.
1:1 Strangers, Scattered
To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout
1:3-5
Shielded, guarded - Safe and secure - our life is now hidden with Christ in God, our refuge and strength, our ever-present help in trouble, we are guarded - Col 3:1-4; Ps 46:1-4
1:6-7
Rejoicing in our suffering because of what it produces in us
1:7
Standard bearers as Jesus is revealed in us
1:13-21
In so, we are sanctified, set apart, foreigners - holy, perfectly made for the purpose for which we were (John 3; Eph 2; Hos 2; Rom 12; 1Cor 12; 1Pet 2)
1:22
Having been loved thoroughly, sincerely, we now, in obedience to Jesus and His love, love Him, self and others, deeply - from the heart
1Peter 2:1-12 special citizens of a heavenly kingdom, stones, chosen, pieces scooped up by God’s skillful hands - we are being assembled
Mosaic, yes, even more profoundly, into a temple
1Peter 2:1-10
Vss. 1-3
How we ought to be, how we ought to live - not like we used to, not as if we are of this world
○ Why? Love, honor, respect, consequence
○ Because we are together - it affects everyone, all the time
Vs. 1 Stripping off, like clothing - wickedness - those character traits that come between brothers - fight against brotherly love
Vs. 1 Deceitfulness - trickery in an attempt to gain own ends
● Always impure in motive
Vs. 1 Hypocrisy - acting a part, never revealing true motives
● Acts own behalf, for own profit and prestige
Vs. 1 Envy - displeasure at another’s good, pleasure in misfortune
● Not wanting to raise one’s self to the envied level, but
● Wanting to depress the envied to one’s own
Vs. 1 Slander - evil speaking, backbiting, detraction, defaming
Vs. 2 crave the word - belonging to the word, being nourished
● Desire - yearn or crave
● Delighted to have and be in the word
● Pure - unadulterated, not mingled with useless or harmful
Vs. 3 God’s grace once tasted ought to compel us to purity
Certainly, Peter, remembering how he got his name and commission - begins to exhort believers as he himself was by Jesus… that we have also been renamed, commissioned
● Vss. 4-10 Church will be built - believers, us, me and you
○ And like stones are being built into a spiritual
■ lithos - building stone - Peter begins the metaphor we are all, including Jesus, “living stones”
● 2:4 lithos -
○ Jesus as a building stone
○ Precious, honored
● 2:5 lithos - Peter begins to play out the metaphor with a series of word pictures and plays on words
○ We, ourselves as building stones
■ Living stones
■ Spiritual house/holy nation - containing God (1Cor 3:9 God’s bdg)
■ Holy priesthood
● Access
● Representing and bringing others
● Offerings (Rom 12:1; Heb 13:15)
Jesus is differentiatedas the metaphor continues as
● 2:6 – Jesus as building stone, but not just a building stone – but, anchoring… the Cornerstone -
○ Eph 2:20 (in the) corner of the building (is what this word means literally) - extreme corner
● 2:7 – the image of Jesus grows in magnitude, majesty, form and function – anchoring, giving direction, commanding
● 2:7-8 Cornerstone, building Stone - a cornerstone, uniting two walls; head, ruler, lord, commander. (is the word, lit and fig, or metaphorically)
● 2:8 Rock - Petra - the same word Jesus uses to describe that rock on which He would build His Church
Cornerstone - The commander gives, us too, our directions, the commission...
2:9-10 the Commission -
9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
We must see, we are not of this world and our purpose is different, our reasons are eternal
1Peter 2:11-25
Who is our model as to how we should act?
● The zealot - rebelling, fighting, slain, dying for their perceived cause, but never to be heard from again - Acts 5:33-39
● Peter drew the sword and was rebuked by Jesus and warned of his fate if he continued in such a way and then reminded Peter of the true nature and power of the kingdom of heaven - Matt 26-51-56
● Pharisees - wanted truth, jot and tittle, fought, argued, rebelled - refused to submit and cooperate, threw stones and dragged “infidels” to prison and death - Matt 12:14; Mark 3:6; Acts 7
● Simon the sorcerer wanted power - Acts 8:9
● Pagans rush to riot with greed and vitrial and violence - Luke 12:30; Acts 17; 19; 21
● Politicians strike backroom deals for their own good
● Who was it that stood in the midst of all of this and kept His composure, committed no sin - whether in word, tone, or action, maintained His own character and dignity and ultimately would win, have victory, defeat His foes…? Who was it who appeared to lose, but in the end, rose to victory? And that, not just for Himself, but for all… and, whose are we? And in Him, have we not already, won? Was it not, Jesus? - John 16:33; Rom 8:37; 2Cor 4:6-7; 1Jo 2:13; R
What will make us different? What will enable us to be “heard” above the din? What will cause us to stand out in the crowd to the one seeking - mercy, grace, peace - to be loved? Can the approach us? Will we be a safe place to seek…?
And, if we are seen as different, if our lives stand out from the crowd, if our manner and way, words and tone, acts of kindness and generosity, shine like stars in the dark - what will we say when we’re asked… why? What’s different? In what, in Who, do you hope?
Will our answer be as different from the crowds as our life and way and manner are different?
Romans 8:18-30
2Corinthians 4:5-18
Jeremiah 29
