As I was sitting there and enjoying our time of worship, I realized that everything that was happening was an illustration of everything I'm going to be teaching. It may not seem that way, but it was. It was beautiful. As we continue our studies on Sunday night, if you've been joining us, I've selected a section of 1 Peter to go through because I think it speaks well to the times that we face here in America. It certainly wasn't written to America, it was written 2,000 years ago to people in a different circumstance culturally, but the issues they faced in a sin-laden world were very similar to what we face. And 1 Peter, the Apostle Peter in writing the letter, was calling the believers to live through that. In other words, live past it. Don't get bogged down in the challenges of life. You live in a hostile culture and things are difficult. Well, right now we're living in an increasingly hostile culture and times are difficult. But in the midst of it all, Peter wrote a letter so that the original recipients would not lose their focus. as I read every week, although it's not the text of our study, our overarching goal, regardless of what goes on around us, should be the same. 1 Peter 1, 14-16, 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. As you might imagine, teaching so many weeks and keep coming back to that, those words resonate in my mind. It's the central focus of the book and everything is written towards that goal that we as believers, regardless of what transpires around us, could put it all aside and be holy as God is holy. And as we introduced a section last week, it's in 1 Peter chapter 2, and the section that we're covering over a few weeks is verses 4 to 10, if you want to go ahead and turn there. And last week as I introduced the section, I only actually covered one verse, verse 4. And I'm going to be retracing some of those steps tonight, because Peter in this section is painting a bigger picture, and it's that bigger picture that we're going to be focusing on tonight. But Peter had a great teaching methodology. He would tell the believers encouraging things, the truths that anchored them in the faith, then he would exhort them and challenge them. And this is one of those sections where he backs up again and he puts down roots and he anchors because he's focusing on Jesus Christ. He's using words and imagery that don't necessarily jump out initially, but they're things we're familiar with if you've read your Scriptures. And as you see him talking about Jesus, what you come to realize is that he's really describing in relation to Jesus privileges that all of us have. Again, he's exhorting us, be holy as God is holy. We're going to see shortly in some other verses, in another message, some exhortations, some challenges to living. But this is a time to be encouraged, to reflect on the privileges we have in Christ, And that's what I want us to do tonight. So I'm going to read this entire section again. I'm going to read from verses 4 through 10, but we're going to be focusing most of our time tonight in verses 5 through 8. But follow along with me as I read these scriptures. 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 disbelieve, the stone which the builders rejected, this became the very cornerstone, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, for they stumble because they are 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." The privileges we have in Christ are Too numerous to count, but from this passage in our study tonight, I'm just going to highlight three privileges of following Jesus in trying times. Three privileges of following Jesus in trying times. And the first privilege is this. In Christ, we are shown our place in this world. In Christ, we are shown our place in this world. I see this in verse 5, you also as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood. Now when he says you also, he's obviously referencing back to Jesus who was described as a living stone in verse 4. Peter's already said, we can come to Him, and coming to Him, something we do continually, we have access to God because of Christ, 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. We're really going to be building out tonight that living stone imagery. As I mentioned last week, and I'll reiterate, and again, it's all going to come into focus for us as we go further in the text, this isn't just a rock in a field. This is a stone used for construction. It's a stone carefully fashioned by a builder for a perfect purpose. The imagery comes from Old Testament prophecies. We're going to see some of those Old Testament prophecies because Peter references them. But God chose Jesus as this living stone to build from. It's a foundation stone for what He's building. And even though sinful men rejected Him, Jesus is chosen. He's choice. He's precious in the eyes of God. Yet the picture Peter is painting isn't just about Jesus. Certainly He's the foundation of everything. But Peter's also talking about us. You also, all of the church, all believers, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood. Because the imagery is used so much, I struggle with knowing where to really emphasize and explain things. I pray that this will come across clearly. But I can't imagine something more encouraging than this. The truths are simple and yet they're profound when we recognize what God has done for us personally. This verse and the verses after actually give us a picture of why we're here. If you're like me, there's a part of me that just wishes I would go to heaven today. I still do. I'd rather be in heaven. And I love you guys, but I'd rather be in heaven. But I'm not. You're not. We can see what we are about while we're still here. Now, there's a lot of things. And I'll try and highlight certain things. There's more than I can cover in the time we have. But first, notice our identification with Christ. Jesus is a living stone. It's a building stone. And we also are living stones. Now for Jesus, the living part is easy to understand. He died, He rose again. He's not dead, He's alive. But for us, it's an interesting phraseology, living stones. There's an aspect where we never died, and yet there's another aspect that the fact that we're called living stones is a miracle. We can miss this because our hearts are pumping blood and we think we're alive. But so does the rest of the world. You're well taught here at Lakeside, but there's a lost and dying world that doesn't understand the concept of living. Jesus said something interesting in Matthew 7, 13 and 14. It's a familiar text to us. Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." The broad way is the way of the world. Everybody's going there. It looks like the way to be. But it's the way of death, regardless of whether the heart is pumping or not. And all this mass of humanity pressing forward, if you say to them, by the way, you're dead, nobody listens. But that's reality. Ephesians 2.1, and you were dead in your trespasses and sins. Even though we haven't died physically, we were dead spiritually. But God in Christ made us alive. It's all we were singing about was what Christ did for us. Ephesians 2, 4 and 5, But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved. Don't gloss over the fact that we're living stones. It took a miracle of Jesus coming and dying to make us alive. But God is saying through Peter that we also are part of a building. He made us alive and He's using us to construct something. Verse 5, you also as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house. And this is where we can see our place in the world. And it's something far bigger than any one of our individual lives. The world around us largely ignores us. Very few people know where we are. We're not famous. If people did know where we are and they found out what we teach and believe, they would hold us in contempt. We're narrow-minded, not tolerant, not inclusive by all the world standards, mind you. But remember, they're on the broad road. And we're trying to go down this narrow path and they'll never understand it. Don't ever believe the world's assessment of Christianity and true Christians. Each one of us has been carefully prepared by God Himself for His building project. We've been shaped, we've been formed And if you picture a building made of stones, Jesus is certainly the main stone, but then God is fashioning each one of us when He saves us to fulfill our part in His master plan. God is making the stones. God is the master builder. And every stone, that means every one of us, has a perfect place in that spiritual house He's building. When I was in high school, my dad did something that was unusual. Where he worked in Perry, they were tearing down an old building. And they weren't doing anything nice, they were just knocking it down. And so my dad bought the knocked down building, all the bricks. They loaded them in a truck and he took them out to my granny and grandpa's little farm and he dumped them out there. And down by where the chicken coop used to be, there was this big massive pile of bricks. Now that was a long time ago, so my memory of how big it was, but it was probably at least as big as this center section. And it was just piles and piles of bricks. And it was old bricks, so it was covered with mortar. It was a mess. Some were broken, some were lying alone, but they were all over the place and it was something else. Now as a side note, my job at Three Cents a Brick was to get them clean so they could use for something. The worst job I ever had in my life. But I was trying to get them separated and cleaned up and it was a miserable mess. They were worthless as they sat there. There were weeds growing up, there were snakes around there. It's Florida, there were fire ants, there were wasps, there were spiders. And as I've thought about that picture, it helps me understand what's going on here. There's a sense in which that pile of bricks really describes us and our unbelief. We're just worthless. And yet God worked a miracle from that pile of nothing. He carefully purposed and prepared each one of us according to His master plan. You can almost picture God, because this is just imagery, you can almost picture God with the master plan and all the bricks and stones labeled. He knows where they go. He's doing it. We're being built up. It's God's work. In fact, it's the same phraseology Jesus used when He talked about that spiritual house in another context, Matthew 16, 18. I also say to you that you are Peter. And upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." God created us as living stones to be a part of the church that He's building. And He's designed each one of us to fit perfectly into that church. That church is continuing to grow. It's been growing for 2,000 years. It will continue to grow until Christ returns. But your place is important in that building project. Let me encourage you tonight. You're a part of something far bigger than perhaps you see yourself. And if you think your part in God's spiritual house is less important than Pastor Steve, or any other pastor or elder, or any of the famous pastors that you know about, it's only because we don't really see what God's doing by His standards, we're applying worldly standards. We may have different parts to play, but each one of us is critically important in what God is doing. God's placed us in the house. He's building us up. He's using us. There's none sitting on the sidelines at all. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, there's a lengthy explanation of what I think pictures all of this, and I hesitate to read a scripture so long, but it speaks so well to, I think, the imagery of what I'm trying to convey, of the fact that even if you don't have the most prominent position in the spiritual house, you actually have a prominent position in the spiritual house. Paul said this, for even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, because I'm not a hand, I'm not a part of the body, is it not for this reason any less a part of the body? And if the ear says, because I'm not an eye, I'm not a part of the body, it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body, and the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you. Or again, the head to the feet, I have no need of you. On the contrary, it is much sure that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on those we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to the member which lacks, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. If one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are Christ's body and individually members of it. That's just another description of the spiritual house that God is building and it's describing the function of us as living stones. We live in a headline society. We're guilty of it as Christians. You have a conference, you put the right name on the conference, you get the right men to show up and everybody hustles and signs up and they sell out. And it's not wrong. I've been to some of those conferences. We want to grow and we want to learn. But I think we'll be stunned in heaven at the accolades given to saints who were just humbly a part of the church. Even if you think you're a nobody, even if you think society has passed you by, even if you think you're forgotten here, you're not. You are a part of God's house, you're a specially prepared living stone, and the spiritual house that God is building would not be complete without you. You're important to God because He made you important. It's a spiritual house because it has to do with the Spirit of God that enthralls us. Part of us being living stones is that we are indwelt by the Spirit of God. The Spirit Himself dwells amongst God's people as we comprise the church. And the church is not the building, it's the people of God. So what's happening is Peter's using imagery of the Old Testament temple And he's saying that now God's building something different. We'll talk about that more in a few verses. But we're being built up by God because of the Spirit. It's a spiritual house. In Ephesians 2, 19-22, So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. in whom the whole building being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." So our place in the world is privileged. And Peter says one more thing about that place. We're being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood. And this just comes back to the idea that unlike in the Old Testament where the only priests were the Levites, they were the only one that could offer sacrifices to God, they were the only ones that could present the needs of the people to God, now we all have access. It really ties into that language that we can keep coming to God and keep coming to God. God's made us all priests in that we all have access to God and we can all bring sacrifices to God. We are part of a holy priesthood which gives us great privilege. If you wonder where you belong in this chaotic world, as things are moving so quickly and changing and all of that, don't wonder anymore. You are chosen by God and specially prepared to be a part of the church. and you have the ability, because you're part of the priesthood, to come to Him directly. Just understand this, your place is secure because you're in God's house where He wants you. But you're not just there to occupy space, you're there to do something. And that leads to the second privilege of following Jesus in trying times. In Christ we're shown our place in this world. Number two, in Christ we're given our purpose in this world. In Christ we are given our purpose in this world. Now again, I've said over and over, the overarching focus is be holy as God is holy. But what he's showing us is that holiness isn't a passive activity. In fact, as he describes what we're to be doing as part of this spiritual house, as part of this holy priesthood, it really is showing us an aspect of what holiness looks like. He says, we're being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Again, in the Old Testament, only the Levites could come and they were doing animal sacrifices. Peter is describing that we, as a holy priesthood, in a spiritual house, the church, are bringing sacrifices to God of a different nature. They're sacrifices that come out of us walking by the Spirit, being indwelt by the Spirit, and producing the fruit of the Spirit. This is why We're carefully prepared for our perfect place in the building that God is making. It's because we are to function and offer sacrifices with our life. Spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God. Ephesians 2.10, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. There's countless other descriptions, but our spiritual sacrifices are really just living out our faith. I'm going to quickly go through several, but if you go through the Scriptures, the list is endless. If you're doing something out of love for Christ to serve Him, it's a sacrifice, it's a spiritual sacrifice. I'm going to give a lot of verse references, I'm not going to read them, but we can sacrifice with how we deal with our bodies, Romans 12.1. We can sacrifice spiritual sacrifices by helping other believers, including with material goods. Hebrews 13, 16. Philippians 4, 18. Our expressions of praise with our lips are a sacrifice of praise. Hebrews 13, 15. We can pray for other believers. Ephesians 6, 18. And I will read this, but all of our efforts to love others because of Christ are a sacrifice, a spiritual sacrifice. Ephesians 5, 1 and 2, Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for us, and offering a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. Giving, serving, sacrificing your time and energy Singing. You want to know what your purpose is in life? It's to live for Him. I've lived a lot of my life with a secular vocation. I was a lawyer. I didn't work for Christian organizations. I didn't work around Christians. I counted a great privilege that I get to work at church. But no matter what you do, even your job, if it has the right heart attitude, can be a spiritual sacrifice. Colossians 3, 23 and 24, whatever you do, do your work heartily as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. Here's the point. Everything you do every day, if you're motivated by love for Christ, is part of the spiritual sacrifice, especially when you're pouring into the lives of other believers. But it does matter the motivation. These are supposed to be spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. We have to be careful if we're doing things because we want to look more holy, or if we want recognition from people, or if we want a pat on the back, That's not acceptable to God. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for doing those very things. They were doing all these religious things, but it was all for the applause, for the accolades. But if you recognize before a holy God that it's a miracle that you're saved, that there's nothing in you that deserves these riches and these privileges then it becomes a little bit easier in humility to say, I have nothing but Jesus. He's done everything, and because of that, I give Him all that I am. You can serve Him in large ways or small ways. The point is, you're one of His priests in a holy priesthood. Use your life to serve Him. Spiritual sacrifice is acceptable to God through Christ. That's your purpose in this world. We'll lead to the final privilege. First privilege in Christ, we are shown our place in this world. In Christ, we are given our purpose in this world. And finally, in Christ, we are provided security in this world. In Christ we are provided security in this world. And this comes from the bigger section of what we're dealing with, where Peter makes clear some of the things that I've already said he was doing. He's going to do them with his analogy, and again, it's the same building analogy. But I want us to really understand the implications of it. We are living in an increasingly chaotic and unsettled environment. In my lifetime that I can remember, I'm almost 54 years old, I don't remember anything like this. People are unsettled. People are agitated. This election concerns me not because of the outcome. God's going to take care of His children no matter what. It's the reaction of our fellow citizens. I think it's interesting that because of all that uncertainty, people are stockpiling provisions, stockpiling things to protect themselves. Yet as Christians, we don't need anything else to have security. Because God's given us security. I don't care how unsettled things get, Peter's showing us that we already have everything we need. Verse 6, for this is contained in Scripture. Now again, he's just illustrating what I just told you is true. In other words, he's saying, I can prove to you that you're a living stone, that has been prepared by God, that He's using to build up a spiritual house, and that you're being built up as a holy priesthood, and it's all because of Christ being the foundation, He says, let me show you, for this is contained in Scripture. 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." Now, he's quoting from a version of Isaiah 28, and there's really two key components, because first, he's talking about Christ. Again, going back to verse 4, the living stone, he's now explaining a little bit more the prophecies in the Old Testament that were talking about that very thing, and then he applies it and ties it in to us. Behold, I lay in Zion." Zion was just another name for Jerusalem. It's where the original temple was. And there's a sense where the new structure God is building is using this language, but it's not a physical building anymore. Again, it's the spiritual house. But He lays a choice stone, a precious cornerstone. Same word from verse 4. Rejected by men, but in God's eyes, choice and precious. And this idea of a cornerstone, again, all these imagery all comes together, but a cornerstone was the beginning stone of a building. I'm not a construction person, but reading Bible scholars and historians at the time, they would cut, often a gigantic stone, but they would cut a large stone, and that had to be cut perfectly and placed perfectly, because every other stone in the building was in relation to that first stone. If the first stone was off, if it wasn't lined up right, the building wouldn't stand. And all Peter is saying, by quoting this text, is that Jesus as the living stone is perfect. God placed Him right there, exactly where He needs to be, and every other stone in the building is in relation to Jesus. Every believer has his or her place in that spiritual house in relation to the cornerstone, the foundation of Jesus. And Jesus is saying, if you're a part of that work of God, that spiritual house, it's written, it's in the Scriptures, he who believes in Him will not be disappointed. Some versions in place of the word disappointed, they use the word shame. The meaning in this context is the same. The idea here, borrowing just a terminology, you have the expression, you have egg on your face, you're embarrassed. Oops! No, that never happens with God. You will never be ashamed or embarrassed because you placed your faith in Jesus Christ. You'll never be ashamed or embarrassed when you stand before God because you are a part of His house. If you believe in Christ, you will never be ultimately put to shame before Holy God. Are there temporary setbacks on earth? Of course. Do we have troubles on earth? Of course. But don't let those troubles rattle you. You're secure. You're safe. You never have to wonder, did I really believe the right thing? You did. If you've placed your faith in Christ, you'll never be disappointed. As the world spins more and more out of control, you're secure. You don't have to doubt. You're never going to be disappointed that you follow Christ. But there's a warning. And it's tied up in what we have, this precious value, this great worth. This privilege we have of being placed by God into His home, into His spiritual house, so that we can offer sacrifices to Him with our lives, indwelt by the Spirit, the overflow of our love for Him, in serving others, in serving Him. This precious value is for you who believe. Our hope in Christ means that we're safe. Read later Romans 8, 33-39. If you wonder about this world and the things that are happening, Romans 8, 33 and 39 is an illustration that those who believe will never be disappointed. But what we have is only for those who believe. Continuing on in verse 7, but for those who disbelieve, 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. I'm going to summarize all of this very quickly. And he's describing it this way, for those who disbelieve, there is a doom appointed for them." That's talking about standing before a holy God, not clothed in the righteousness of Christ, but standing before Him with all of your sin, and it is doom, and there's no escape. In the picture he paints, quoting from Psalm 118, in Isaiah 8, and Jesus applied those Psalms to Himself in Matthew 21, is this, it originally goes back to the Jewish nation. They were God's chosen people. God was building them as His people, His representative on earth, and He laid for them in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the perfect stone for them. They had had centuries of rebellion against God. Their kingdom had been taken apart, they'd been in exile, but God was saying, we'll start over and I'm sending you Jesus. He's perfect. And the Jewish people at that time who viewed themselves as religious, they wanted to build something for God, but they decided, we don't want to start with that rock. We don't start with that stone. And the imagery from the Old Testament passages Peter's quoting is they've looked at Jesus and they've evaluated Him and said, no, let's don't use Him. And now they're looking for something else and they keep tripping over Jesus. It's the foolishness of them running in circles. And every time they trip over Him, they get angrier and angrier and their hearts get more and more hardened. They stumble because they're disobedient to the Word. They will not believe the Gospel. So close to us. Situation at that time, the believers would be persecuted and hurt, and the government didn't always come and help them. In fact, the government at times caused the persecution and hurt. You can almost picture them crying out like the psalmist, how long Lord? Is this going to keep happening? Have you not thought that about America? Rampant immorality, the devaluing of human life from the womb to the aged, government endorsement of perversion and lawlessness. Seems like the only thing that people agree on is that it's intolerant to believe John 14.6. Jesus said, I'm the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me. It's the same stumbling block today that it was for the Jewish nation. People don't want Jesus Christ. They set Him aside, and they're looking for anything else, and they can't keep falling over Him. They can't help themselves. And the opposition is growing. And they keep stumbling over Jesus because they're disobedient to the Word, and they're getting angrier and angrier, and we see it around us. And we would almost say, Lord, how long? But let me encourage you, don't hate those people, because we were those people. And God reached down and showed us mercy. Don't wish hell upon them, wish Christ upon them. Pray for their salvation. Let me challenge you between now and election day, think of all the candidates that if they win, it's your nightmare, start praying for them now. But not that God will strike them dead, but that God will save their souls. But ultimately, we don't need to worry. Because we have the precious value. And regardless of what happens in the world, we have security in Christ. And we'll never be disappointed because we followed Him. Please join me in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we are overwhelmed that you saved us. And we thank you, Lord, that because of our salvation, we're no longer wandering blindly around looking for a place. You've given us our place. You've made us a part of the church. Lord, help us cherish being a part of the body of Christ here at Lakeside. And Lord, help us understand that even here we're a part of your holy priesthood, and that coming to church and serving other believers allows us to offer spiritual sacrifices, which gives us our true purpose in this world. And Lord, as things continue chaotically, spiraling, seemingly out of control, help us remember that you're in charge, you're sovereign, Nothing's escaping your notice. And we're safe. We won't be disappointed for our faith. But Lord, help us not hate unbelievers. Help us have mercy on them. Help us pray for them so that they avoid the doom that's been appointed for those who reject Christ. Nor perhaps now, someone hearing my voice is an unbeliever. The doom is theirs unless they repent and believe. I pray that now you would work in their hearts so that they would turn to Christ, understanding that they can't work off the guilt of their sin before a holy God, but that Jesus paid it all. Help them believe and become a part of the spiritual house that you're building. Lord, we love you. Help us take these truths to heart so that we can be holy as you are holy. We ask it in Jesus' precious name. Amen.