As I think about this year, more so than any year I can recall in my lifetime, I'm ready for 2020 to be over. I'm fearful of what can happen in the next two months. Not really fearful, the Lord is sovereign, but this has been something else. I can't think of a year in recent memory. It's the problem of getting older. It could just be that I don't remember very well. But I don't remember a year that created such emotions. I know I'm not the only one that has been exasperated more than once by what's going on in the world this year. And even as I've preached and had opportunities to teach, the reality is in my own heart I'm fighting a constant struggle with these emotions that I know I shouldn't have and that I fight hard to control, but they still rear their head, it seems, every week. Frustration and anger and sadness and fatigue. And I'm just tired and I'm ready for this all to be done. I'm tired of COVID-19. I was thinking to myself, it'd be nice, and I realize it's just a fantasy, but it'd be nice to figure out whatever point in the future this is over and go there right now. Just to be done with this. It's a fatigue of the mind and the heart that is set in that just says of everything, it's enough. What I find myself craving is what I remember it used to be. When you could come to church and not think anything about giving hugs and just shaking hands and doing those things. When we didn't have to skip rows and all these types of things when none of us would have ever thought to wear a mask except if somebody had a kid celebrating Halloween. What it was like to just go out to a restaurant or watch a ball game without fake crowd noise where there were actually people there. I think a big part of what causes such fatigue and frustration for all of us is we still remember that it wasn't that long ago when things were normal. Now, if you think hard enough, you realize when things were normal, we still complained a lot, but it just seems like something is different right now. And because we remember what things used to be like, it affects our contentment, it affects our peace. We want what used to be and we look forward to the day when it will be again. But the fact that we remember what things were like causes a lot of the issues. As I've had the privilege to preach on Sunday nights, if you've been a part of these services, I've been preaching through a section of 1 Peter that I think helps us deal with our hard attitudes in the midst of these trying times. And it's focused on being holy as God is holy and what that looks like. And then a week or so ago, Bruce Mills, who is the elder that organizes our communion calendar, he reminded me, he said, hey Joe, don't forget, the first Sunday in October there's communion. So for me, there's a pragmatic side of me that immediately is thinking, okay, I need to make my sermon shorter, I have to adjust things, I have to do all these things. And then I'm looking at the text saying, well, how do I weave communion in? And I was relieved because I looked at what we had just finished last week and what we're going to introduce tonight. And I thought, well, this is great. This fits together. I don't have to work too hard. But something else happened. I actually smiled because in my heart, even though we're using these little cups and we're not passing out the elements, communion is normal. Communion is familiar. even if we have a different type of wafer and a different type of juice, there's something about that that warmed my heart. That tonight I was going to get to do something to remember, and I don't have to wait till the pandemic's over, and I don't have to wait to something else, because regardless of all those things, communion is the same. And so I was thankful that the Lord was giving us a taste of something that for believers is a regular part of our life. So tonight, everything I say is going to be remembering, but remembering something very good. Not remembering what we don't have, not remembering what used to be, but remembering what is because what Christ has done. So for those who have been here on Sunday nights, and for those who haven't, I'm going to do a quick review, just a brief review to get us up to speed, because I have to tie in to the very end of last week's message to set the stage for where we're going this week. And it's all going to prepare our hearts, I believe, to remember what the Lord has done, as He's called us to do. 1 Peter was written to believers who were enduring great hardships. Life was not easy. They were the frequent targets of those who committed against them acts of injustice, oppression, persecution. They were subjected to unfairness. They were ostracized by society. They were looked on as outcasts because they didn't fit in with what everybody else was doing. And Peter knew that these believers who were enduring difficult times needed some encouragement. They needed to be reminded that in spite of all that's going on, they still had Christ. A reminder that of course is applicable to our hearts. And so Peter was reminding them of all the greatness of their salvation, that they had been chosen by God, that God had brought them into His kingdom, that God had caused them to be born again. And so Peter, throughout the book, including in some of the verses we're talking about tonight, was telling them great theological truths, but it was all geared towards an important purpose, which was how they lived. because the difficulties that they were enduring and the hardships they faced were no excuse for anything less than God's standard of life. I've read it almost, I think, every week that I've taught in 1 Peter. I'll read it every week that I teach after this, because it's the centerpiece of what's going on in 1 Peter 1, verses 14 to 16, as obedient children Do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior. Because it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy." Despite hardships, despite struggles, despite difficulties, that's the goal. And yet, as part of that goal, Peter over and over reminded them of who they were in Christ, of the incredible work that God had done to redeem them. And tonight, we're going to introduce a section of 1 Peter chapter 2 that paints a picture of the preciousness of our salvation. It paints a picture and a reminder, even amidst the difficult call to be holy as God is holy and Peter is going to continue to give practical instruction, he stops yet again for a reminder of what we have in Christ. I'm not going to reteach last week, but I'm going to read the first three verses of chapter 2 because the end of that section that we taught last week as the springboard for tonight. So if you have your Bibles open, turn to 1 Peter chapter 2, follow along as I read what was our message last week, the first three verses. Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies long for the pure milk of the Word, so that by it you may grow and respect the salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. Peter was teaching us, as we talked last week, that one of the ways that we're holy as God is holy is by treating other believers well. We don't treat them with malice and deceit and hypocrisy and Imbian slander. Those are the antithesis of being holy as God is holy. But the means to go past that is just like a baby has a single-minded focus on his mother's milk. We're supposed to long have that craving, have that desire for the Word of God that helps us to grow, that lifts us up. But verse 3 that I covered at the very end says this, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. You have to do all those things if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. As I reminded you last week, this isn't an actual question like, well, some Christians have tasted, so they have to do these things, some haven't. No, it's a statement. And it's a reminder that if you are in Christ, if you have been born again, you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. Titus 3 verses 4-7 illustrate an aspect of this. Verse 4, But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, being justified by His grace, we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. That's the experience of every child of God. If you've been born again, you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. And that idea is really the springboard for our passage tonight. In the time I have tonight, I'm going to be emphasizing and reminding you of the fact that you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. Because that's what Peter begins to talk about next. I'm going to read verses 4 through 10, which is the next section in their entirety, but I'm really only going to talk about verse 4. In that verse is enough for us to remember, as we need to do on a night that we celebrate the Lord's table. And my words will really be an introduction and then following up next week, I'll begin to elaborate the rest of it. But for now, just follow along. I'm going to read all of it, but we're going to focus on one verse. Beginning at verse 4. And coming to him as to a living stone, which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, and he who believes in him will not be disappointed. This precious value, then, is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieved, the stone which the builders rejected, this became the very cornerstone, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. For they stumbled because they were disobedient to the Word, and to this doom they were also appointed. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. For you once were not a people, But now you are the people of God. You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. I'm doing something unusual tonight, I don't have an outline. Just going to talk about one verse. And through that one verse, we're going to remember the precious work of Jesus. So let's look again at verse 4, and let me try and paint the picture to prepare our hearts. Peter says, "...and coming to Him as to a living stone, which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God." This is one of those times when I originally studied this verse, and I originally studied it a few years ago, and I'm studying it again. But when I originally studied this verse, it's one of those verses that a lot of it slipped past me. I read quickly, and I'm always looking for big pictures, but I ran past some words That's one of the values of studying and digging a little bit deeper, is that you begin to see the richness of the truths that Peter is laying out. And even though it's not actually the centerpiece of verse 4, it's an important part of verse 4, is the beginning words, and coming to Him. And coming to Him. Now it's interesting because Peter's not giving a command, he's not saying, come to Him, Him being Jesus, And I've already alluded to, you mentioned the Living Stone, that's where we're ultimately going. But there's a principle of coming to Him that really is so deep that I can't do it justice. Now there's an aspect of coming to Jesus that makes you a Christian. Jesus said in Matthew 11, 28, He gave an invitation to come. He said, come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. When we're dead in our trespasses and sin, and we're carrying around the weight of the guilt, we get it, our souls are weary. And we hear that invitation, come, and we come. In fact, if you don't come to Him, you don't come to faith. John 14, 6, Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me. So there's a sense that we come to Jesus for salvation or we don't have salvation. But that's not really what Peter's alluding to. The phraseology looks a little strange, but he's saying this is something that happens over and over and over again. He takes it as a given that as believers we're continually coming to Jesus. And if you stop for a few moments, as I have done, and you think about what a mess your life is, even in Christ, The thought that we can keep coming to Jesus is too incomprehensible to believe. We can keep coming to Jesus no matter our stumbles, no matter our weakness, no matter at a given moment our doubts, no matter at those moments when we second guess God's wisdom foolishly. And especially in chaotic, disorienting times like this, even though the world's going crazy, we still have access to God. We still come to Him, reminded of a passage I go to in my heart over and over and over again from Hebrews chapter 4 verse 16. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. I think all of 2020 has been a time of need. But if you know Christ, you can come to Him. You can come to Him in prayer at any time. You can come to Him through that craving and longing for His Word which He provided to us so that we can grow up in Christ. You come to Jesus when you come and gather with other believers to worship. You come to Jesus when you remember and celebrate the Lord's table. We are so familiar with most of what I said, that we lose sight of the fact that for the majority of human history, no one could come to God. Because steeped in sin, if you came to God, you would die. The Bible says in Habakkuk 1.13, the beginning of the verse, your eyes are too pure to approve evil and you cannot look on wickedness with favor. That describes all of human history after the fall. But God chose the nation of Israel. But when you read the Old Testament, you realize that even the nation of Israel didn't have unfettered access to God. God symbolically dwelled first in the tabernacle and then the temple, and access was closely guarded. The regular person couldn't go in there. Only the Levitical priests could go in to certain areas of the temple to offer sacrifices. And then in the Holy of Holies, the place where God dwelled, only one high priest could go in one day a year. Access to God was unheard of. Hebrews 9 again describes it. You can go to the Old Testament. Hebrews recounts a lot of it. But in Hebrews 9 verse 6, Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the Albert Tappenackle, performing the divine worship, but into the second, meaning the Holy of Holies, only the high priest enters once a year. not without taking blood which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance." For thousands of years, most people didn't even have that because most people weren't a part of the nation of Israel. And even the nation of Israel didn't have access to God. In fact, after the exodus out of Egypt, God rescued them from slavery. I won't read verses, I have a few in my notes, but you can go and read in Exodus chapter 19 on your own. But there was a time where God was going to bring all the people together. And even then, God was going to be on the mountain. And I've preached in a different context, but it was an awesome sight with thunder and lightning and everything. And before that even occurred and the people were terrified, God said, don't come near. In fact, twice He told Moses, you go down and tell the people to stay back, because if somebody tries to come up and look at me, I'll go against them. They'll be dead. In fact, the command was given to stone anybody or even in an animal that tried to get close to God. Now, we're not even into our passage yet, but I want you to realize the privilege that Jesus Christ gave us. We're not walled off from God. We're not in a situation where one day out of the year, maybe Pastor Steve can go talk to God. We all can come to him every day. As we prepare our hearts for communion, remember the privilege of just your access to God. Something unheard of for most of human history. In Mark 15, verse 38, it says, "...and the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, picturing the fact that God opened the door through the death of His Son." In the midst of our trials and our struggles and our weakness, when we want to be holy as God is holy and we fall short and we stumble, we still have access to God. And coming to Him, it's a privilege we all have. because Jesus died for us. But moving on in verse 4, not forgetting the fact that we have access to God now, but that was almost just a quick statement, and coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men. This is the picture that governs the section that we're going to be talking about. But it also sets the stage for why we're celebrating communion. Now the first part of this, again uses terminology that I'll be honest, if I had paid more attention when I first read through this text, I might have grasped it more, but I read this text many times and didn't really understand what was going on. Jesus is referred to as a living stone. Now, in a literal sense, of course, that'd be a contradiction because stones aren't alive. But in the context of what Peter's describing, and once we see his word picture, and that's the reason I read the entirety of the section, to give those pictures, and it's not the living part, we understand Jesus rose again. Throughout the New Testament, over and over, it's not just that Jesus died, He rose again. He's alive. So the living is not the issue, it's the stone. For years, and again, if I'd have thought more, I could have helped it. And I don't want to project my inadequacies and my shallow reading of something onto you, but perhaps this might help someone. When I read the word stone, I think of a rock in the field. I do. There's rocks everywhere. You see mountains, there's rocks all over the place. So in my mind I think of a rock, even though there's different Greek words for different things, I read the Bible in English and I see stone and that's what my mind does. But Peter isn't talking about a rock in the field, he's talking about a building material. At that time, and even today, buildings are constructed out of stone. And these stones weren't just haphazardly picked up from a field. At that time even, though the technology by our standards seems limited, they did remarkable things with stones. And the stones would be specifically measured and cut out of solid pieces into smaller pieces. And the stones would be prepared for a specific purpose. And that ultimately is what Peter is going to be getting at. But when Peter says a living stone, he's talking about something that would have been intuitive. They would have understand building materials and construction, but also he was referring to Old Testament imagery, Messianic Old Testament references to Jesus. So for example, in Isaiah chapter 28 verse 16, it says, Therefore, thus says the Lord God, behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone. A costly cornerstone for the foundation firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed." There's echoes of all of that in Peter's language in these verses. A cornerstone for a foundation. That begins to really zero in on this living stone idea. A stone around which everything else would be built. If this stone is not correct, You're not building the right way. It's critical. It's crucial. Everything else is balanced off of this one perfect stone. But there are other Old Testament imageries. Isaiah 8 verses 13 to 14. It is the Lord of hosts whom you shall regard as holy, and He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread. Then He shall become a sanctuary, but to both the houses of Israel a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, and a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem." That language is wrapped up in Peter's words. Psalm 118, 22, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. Peter's drawing on all this rich imagery. In fact, it's imagery that Jesus applied to Himself. Matthew 21, verse 42, Jesus said to them, did you never read in the Scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief cornerstone. This came about from the Lord and it is marvelous in our eyes. So all this is coming together and these simple references, and coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men. At communion, we're remembering the Lord's death, and that death was because He was rejected by men. But this isn't just an historical reference because it has ongoing applicability to all those who name the name of Christ. We generally at Lakeside are blessed to be well taught and we understand the principles of Scripture. Jesus originally came to His people, the nation of Israel. He came to the Jewish people. He was Jewish. And He came to them preaching repentance, proclaiming Himself the Messiah, and for a period of time, when He was working miracles, thousands of people would flock around Him. They would come to hear what He would say. They would come to be healed of their diseases. They would come to eat when He fed them. And yet we know from the book of Acts that after Jesus had died, the number of disciples were 130. All those thousands and thousands of people that had followed Him and celebrated Him and at times cheered Him on were gone. In fact, we know from Scripture that somewhere in the midst of that became, crucify Him, crucify Him. Acts 2.36 Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." So let me try and play this together, put this together. Jesus is a living stone. meaning He is the perfect foundational piece for what God is building. But He was rejected by men. One of my favorite commentators, any commentary that he has put out I will read, His name is D. Edmund Hebert, but talking about this word rejected, he said this, "...it indicates that men applied their test to the stone, but because it failed to measure up to their expectations and demands, they cast it aside as useless." When I read that, I wrote in the margin of my commentary copy, that's today. Understand that the rejection of Jesus wasn't haphazard. It wasn't careless. It was carefully thought out. Jesus came to be the foundation, the Messiah. In the imagery Peter's using, He was a perfectly cut stone. If you're going to build a building, this is the starting point. The angles are correct. It's cut perfectly. It's the right material. You can't build a building without this stone. And people looked it over, and they said, let's try something else. Toss it aside. That still happens today. That original rejection resulted in Him being crucified, which is why we come to the Lord's table, because we remember His death. But understand that that type of careful rejection of Jesus is ongoing. It's the hindrance to our evangelistic efforts. Certainly there are people that do things flippantly, but by and large, America, more so than many nations around the world, actually knows a lot of what's in the Bible. I'm not saying individual Americans do, but as a society, we understand more than most countries. America, I believe, to some extent, more so than most countries, knows what the Jesus set forth in the Bible stands for. He's the Creator to whom everyone owes allegiance. He is the epitome of holiness, the standard of holiness. He stands, though, for things that people don't want. He stands for a biblical sexual morality as set forth in Scripture. He stands for personal restraint and self-control, not unfettered satisfaction of your lusts and desires. He stands for placing God and His Word above our own interests as the ultimate standard of right and wrong. He stands for seeking treasure in heaven, not just accumulating treasure on earth. And the world system has weighed all of this. They've examined it. They've looked at it and they've said to themselves, do we want this Jesus to be the foundation of everything? Look around us, the answer is no. So understand this, when society looks at you and mocks you and rejects your biblical standards and rejects your biblical beliefs, And depending on the outcome of the election in a few months, that may accelerate and you may find yourself even more ostracized and more criticized and more despised for the truth. Just understand this, you're in good company. Stand with Jesus. If they hated Him, as Pastor Steve said this morning, they'll hate you. And in John 15, 20, Jesus said, if they persecuted Me, they'll also persecute you. But here's the point. Man's rejection of Jesus isn't the final word. We remember tonight His death, but His death wasn't the end. The world's rejection of Jesus, while it carries monumental consequences for them, And for the world, at the end of the day, it doesn't change God's analysis of Jesus. Verse 4, "...and coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God." In other words, the world rejected Him. They evaluated Him looking at that living stone. They said, we don't want any part of it. But God said, He is perfect. He is choice. God chose Him. Luke 9.35, Then a voice came out of the clouds, saying, This is My Son, My Chosen One. Listen to Him. And God didn't just choose Jesus. He approved of everything that He did. Mark 1.10-11, Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him. And a voice came out of the heavens, You are My beloved Son, and You I am well pleased. Jesus was choice. Jesus was precious in the sight of God. He still is choice and precious. Prized, honored, highly valued. And here's why God's analysis of the living stone of Christ is so important. And we won't dig into it tonight, but look at verse 5. You also as living stones. We're going to be identified with Him. We have a place with Him. Just as God prepared and had a choice and precious view of Jesus, if you're a believer, He sees you as choice and precious as well. So as the world looks at us and despises us, or ignores us, or pities us, understand this, in the sight of God, because of Christ, we're choice, we're precious. Romans 8, 31, what shall we say of these things? If God is for us, who is against us? Tonight we remember. How did all this happen? Because Jesus died on the cross to save sinners like us and to make us his children, a part of his family. So tonight we remember. We're celebrating the Lord's table. We're remembering all these truths. We're remembering all of these things. Part of what warmed my heart when I realized it was communion is because I love communion. The time to remember. I've taken it for granted so many times, but it seems so precious right now, this oasis in the midst of everything else, when we can stop and remember. Because of the Lord's death, we'll live with Christ. Because of the Lord's death, we have the favor of God. Because of the Lord's death, we can come to the King of the universe with our problems and with our needs. And when we need help amidst the trials, He's there for us. Now, as we prepare to take the Lord's table, I will remind you, communion is something for believers. If you don't know Jesus Christ, then this is just something you can observe, and I pray that you would examine your heart. Have you rejected the Living Stone, Jesus Christ? Now's the time to put down the heart of rebellion, cry out for mercy to the Lord, and understand that as a sinner before a holy God, you face death. But because Jesus came to the earth and died at the place of sinners, you can have life and life eternal. Repent and turn to the Lord tonight. But for believers, there's always a caution for us. that we need to come to the Lord's table with the right heart attitude. The Apostle Paul gave a stark warning. We're very familiar with it, but we shouldn't overlook the significance of it. 1 Corinthians 11, beginning at verse 27. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason, many among you are weak and sick and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world." As we remember and as we rejoice what Christ has done, we also need to repent of any unconfessed sins. We need to prepare our hearts so that we don't take the Lord's table in an unworthy manner. So right now, I'm going to give you a few moments in the quiet of your heart to reflect and make sure your heart is right with the Lord. And then I'll pray and then we'll celebrate the Lord's table together. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you that even now we can come to you. Lord, I pray that we have prepared our hearts so that as we enter in to the Lord's table, we collectively and individually will partake in a worthy manner. We love you. We thank you for the continuing forgiveness of our sins, and we thank you that we have the privilege to remember. In Jesus' name, amen. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 23 says this, For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, that the night in which He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, This is My body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me. There's nothing mystical or magical about this little wafer. It's merely a symbol. A remembrance. that rather than us being judged for our sins, Jesus allowed His body to be broken so that we might have life. Let's thank Him for that. Dear Heavenly Father, we do thank You that You allowed Your Son to be rejected by men. And Lord, we thank You that You broke through our dead hearts and gave us life, that we were born again so that we have hope in Christ. Lord, we thank you for the Lord's sacrifice on our behalf. In Jesus' name, Amen. Paul goes on in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 beginning at verse 25, in the same way he took the cup also after supper saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it in me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." Again, this is just grape juice. It doesn't magically transform into anything else. Rather, it's just a symbol and a good reminder of the fact that Jesus shed His blood for us. It is through the blood of Christ that we're cleansed of our sins, and let's thank Him for that. Dear Holy Father, we can't comprehend the magnitude of the suffering of Jesus Christ when He was taking the penalty for our sins. Lord, every one of our sins, past, present, and future, deserve to be judged, and the wages of sin is death. Tonight, we remember and say thank You that Jesus shed his blood in our place. Lord, we pray that that remembrance will inspire us to live holy as you are holy. Thank you, Lord, for the blood of Christ. Amen. Would you stand and we'll close in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunity we've had tonight to remember Lord, I pray that the work of Jesus Christ would never become mundane in our thinking. Lord, that we wouldn't take it for granted as we've all done. But Lord, renew in our hearts the desire to focus on Jesus. Lord, we thank you for tonight. We thank you for the opportunity you'll give us this week to live for you. And I pray for each one of us that we would be holy as you are holy. We ask all of this, Lord, in Jesus' name. Amen.