A house of stone not of straw
1 Peter 2:5-10
I. Introduction
a. Three little pigs each build a house
i. Straw
ii. Stick
iii. Stone
b. Which one held up against the wolf?
i. The one made of Stone
c. What I hope to do today is paint a picture in your mind of strong house that can withstand the attaches of the wolf and fulfill its divine purpose.
d. 1 Peter 2:5-10
i. As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” and, “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once 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.
1. Jesus was rejected by men
2. The world will always find some reason to reject you:
a. Age.
b. Physical or mental differences
c. Economic status
d. Gender – race
3. You are not rejected by God – you are precious to him
a. He made you
b. He Loves you
c. He rejoices over you with singing
d. He wants you to be with Him for eternity
II. Reaching up to God (house on the rock Matthew 7:24-27)
a. A house if it is going to last a long time needs a sure foundation
i. Isaiah 28:16
ii. Isaiah 33:6 - 6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.
b. Jesus is our sure foundation and if we are wise we will build our house on the Rock.
i. House on the rock – Matthew 7:24-27
c. We are living our lives as spiritual worship
i. Romans 12:1,2
1. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will
d. We should do everything as if we were doing it for God
i. Colossians 3:17
1. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
a. William Booth walked among the poor, hungry, sick, and lonely people of London, England. The people were crammed into crumbling buildings that were full of rats. They had no jobs. There was no one to help them. Worst of all, there was no one to tell them that Jesus cared. They did not know that Jesus died to be their Savior and lives again to be their Lord. William Booth told his wife, "I have given myself to work for God among those sick souls." The work that was begun at that time is today known as the Salvation Army. Years later when someone asked General Booth the secret of his success, he said, "God has had all there was of me to have! From the day I got the poor of London on my heart, and a vision of what Jesus Christ would do for them, I made up my mind that God would have all there was of William Booth. “God has had all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life." William Booth gave Jesus complete charge of his life. He made Jesus Lord of all.
b. I have a sign in my offices that says “I am not a human being having a temporary spiritual experience but a spiritual being having a temporary human experience”
i. It’s all about perspective!!!
e. Why should we worship?
i. We want to passionately embrace our relationship with God
1. We get to know God as we experience Him
a. As we look at scripture we can see that the different names of God have come out of how people have experience His presence.
b. We experience
i. Joy
ii. Identity
iii. Peace
iv. Purpose
c. Corporately God is in our midst
i. Where two or three are gathered I am in their midst
ii. God inhabits the praises of His people
ii. We re-align our hearts and experience the presence of God
1. Inward ways to experience God
a. Meditation
b. Prayer
c. Fasting
d. Study
2. Outward ways to experience God
a. Simplicity – making our lives a little more simple
b. Solitude – getting away to be with Jesus
c. Submission -
d. Service
3. If our relationship with the Lord is off it affects everything else in our lives.
a. Printer alignment
i. If you don’t get the cartridges lined up right then the quality of picture is reduced in proportion to the mis-alignment
b. Instrument tuned
i. If instruments are not tuned then the quality of music declines in proportion to the degree the instrument is out of tune
c. Concrete mixture
i.
iii. We experience the goodness of the Lord
1. Psalm 34:8
a. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
iv. We express joy
1. Psalm 33:1-3
a. Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
v. We proclaim promise
1. Joshua 21:45
a. Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled
2. Psalm 106:12
a. Then they believed his promises and sang his praise.
vi. We pledge allegiance
1. Matthew 6:24 – No one can serve two masters
III. Reaching in to stand together
a. We are building a Christian Community
i. On this foundation of worshiping God with our whole hearts and lives He is building us together, living stones cemented together with the power of the Holy Spirit
1. Ephesians 2:22
a. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
ii. Philippians 2:1-5
1. If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus
iii. We need to be a relationship building community (Mark 10:35-45)
1. Outside of relationship we have no purpose and can’t be used to strengthen the church
iv. We need to be a connected community (1 Corinthians 12:12-26) – the body of Christ
1. Each part is important and has an equally important task to fulfill in the body.
v. We need to be a growing community (Psalm 1)
1. We all need to be a community that matures together
vi. We need to be an outreaching community (John 4:4-38)
1. We need to be a community that extends the borders of God’s kingdom
vii. We need to be a covenant keeping community (Exodus 19:3-8)
1. We need to be a trusting, loving community that looks out for each other’s best interests.
viii. Acts 2:42-47
1. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved
a. They devoted themselves to teaching
b. They devoted themselves to meeting together
c. They devoted themselves to Prayer & Communion
d. They abounded in Joy and experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit and God continued to add to their number daily.
ix. Acts 4:32-35
1. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
a. They were in unity
b. They shared all of their possessions and gave freely to anyone that was in need
IV. Reaching out to the unconvinced
a. In this house filled with joy, peace, love, forgiveness we live, while others who have not been built into this community of faith are still living in the storm of life and sin. They do not know the joy and community that awaits them
b. We are presenting the good news of Jesus Christ
i. Romans 10:11-15
1. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
c. Jesus does not want any to perish
i. 2 Peter 3:9
1. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
V. Conclusion
a.
b. Precious living stones built on the solid Rock of Christ. Together we are building Christian community, standing together unified walking in the power of the Holy Spirit reflecting the light, which is Christ the King. We will experience favor of God and the adding of saints to this spiritual house adding priest who will give there very lives as a spiritual sacrifice in worship to the living God
