“As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.’ So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’ They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” I Peter 2:4-10
As we have been navigating through the Book of Revelation we have seen much symbolism that is rich with meaning. As we began our “trek” through chapter 11 this week…I took a bit of a detour to highlight the true temple of God…the Church, for we are often talking about the Church when we read the word “temple” in the New Testament. In fact, we have seen and will continue to see how God, while meting out judgment upon His enemies in the last days, continues to give hope to His Church helping us to understand who we are AND what we are to be doing during these last days.
In, I Peter 2:4-10, Peter speaks of, at least, 3 ways God honors us as His Church using the metaphor of the temple. (We talked about this in Sunday School this week, if you are wondering on this Monday morning where you heard this before. Lol!) First, he tells us that God honors us to be a place. I Peter 2:4-5 switches the metaphor from family, to being living stones who make up the Temple of God. “As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house…” Now take notice of the words “being built up”, this word in the Greek is a passive word…meaning that this is being done TO us…it is not action done BY us. In Christ, we are being built up into a “spiritual house” by Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. Think about this: This is an amazing honor for us His children: we, sinners, individually and corporately, are being built up and we are the temple of the living God in which God dwells.
Second, God honors us by making us a royal priesthood in this temple. “…to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” All priests came from a specific tribe…the tribe of Levi…now in Christ all believers are priests. So we are not just the temple but the priest offering spiritual sacrifices in the temple. “Spiritual sacrifices” are sacrifices that are offered by virtue of the work of the Spirit in our lives, because of our love for God and for one another. See Rom. 12:1-2- “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” These are always sacrifices given in earnest, as well, not as simply a rote exercise. In fact, I know one can actually accomplish the Roman passage with an insincere heart… “That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.” (I Cor. 11:30) But imagine this…oh, we don’t have to imagine it…for it is true…not just priests but a royal priesthood with a particular calling… “…a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” I Peter 2:9
Lastly, we are honored to be A people…the people of God. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession… Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”- (I Peter 2:9-10) Look at this; this, if you will, is a quadruple honor. “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession…” This was Israel’s honor once upon a time, as she represented the Church in the OT, but now it defines all believers in Christ…Jew and Gentile alike.
So if you are questioning today who you are and what is your purpose in this life…re-read this passage. It doesn’t tell all the story…but that is just it…we are so much more in Christ…because God Himself dwells within us…His own possession.
