STONE and stones ...
As you come to him, the living Stone - rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him - 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. 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.
This passage brought to mind when I was new in the faith. I remember pastor Dr. Lin taught us, as a Christian you are a "Christ Junior." My first reaction was that sounds strange. He would elaborate: since he was the ultimate prophet, priest and king, we are small prophets, priests and kings too.
He would explain what that should mean.
As a priest, we need to be praying for people and bringing them to God.
As a prophet, we need to be sharing God's message with people.
As a king, we need to be exerting rulership over the areas of life God has given us responsibility for.
And so in this passage in Peter, we get to see that Jesus is the STONE and we are living stones... stone and stone juniors!
What about THE STONE?
He is living. What a crazy metaphor, eh? Stones are as dead and inanimate as anything we know. And yet, Jesus is the LIVING stone. He is risen from the DEAD!
He is chosen and precious and the one who can be trusted!
What about us, the little stones?
We are living too! We were once dead but Jesus has given us life. So we too are living... living stones.
For what purpose?
built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ ...
Thus, as stone juniors, we are being built into collection of priest juniors.
This imagery must have been very encouraging for people in the congregations who heard this letter from Peter.
But aside from this positive image there is a parallel negative response.
Take a look again ...
As you come to him, the living Stone
... a chosen and precious cornerstone
......... you who believe
......... those who do not believe
... stone the builders rejected
A stone that causes men to stumble
The message of Jesus is a powerful message of life and hope. Yet, he was rejected in his time and his followers over the centuries since have been rejected.
In some cases, the adage, the biggest hinderance to Christianity has been Christians, applies. Sad to say, there is truth to that.
But is the message itself and Jesus himself a hinderance?
As beautiful a life and message that was and is, people stumble because of it.
Lord, have mercy. Help me be a priest that lifts up to you the needs of people around me. I pray for compassion for a chaplain intern as he stands alongside the person in the hospital bed and the family in the waiting room and shows the love of Christ. I pray for strength and wisdom for the doctors in Haiti who minister with their gift and training of medicine in the face of overwhelming need. I pray for us in the USA who have so much that we would give to help those who have so little. I pray for those who in the world who seek to destroy life for you ask us to pray for our enemies. May you break through the darkness that shrinks their hearts. And is it wrong for me to ask that if they do not turn, that the hammer of justice would fall upon them ending their ability to inflict evil and suffering? Lord have mercy. Amen
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