Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Union in Christ: Our Relationship with Him and Identity in Him – Part 3

1 Peter 2:4-8 – 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.

A. Jesus Christ: Our Living Stone: 1 Peter 2:4 – Part 1

1. Christ is our salvation’s firm foundation – 1 Peter 2:4, 1 Cor. 3:10-11, Acts 4:11-12, Isaiah 28:16
2. Christ is God the Father’s provided foundation – 1 Peter 2:4, 1 Peter 1:1, 1 Peter 1:20, Luke 2:8-11
3. Christ is our living foundation

a. Living water – John 4:10, John 7:37-38
b. Living bread – John 6:51, 1 Peter 1:3, 1 Peter 1:23, Luke 20:38, Romans 14:9

B. Jesus Christ’s Followers: Living Stones: 1 Peter 2:5 – Part 2

1. What God is building us up to be – 1 Peter 2:5, Eph. 2:18-22
2. Who God is building us to be in this spiritual house – 1 Peter 2:5
3. What is the Priest’s purpose in the spiritual house – 1 Peter 2:5, Romans 12:1, John 4:23-24

a. Ourselves – 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
b. Our time – Psalm 31:15, Psalm 90:12, Ephesians 5:15-16
c. Our abilities (natural talents and spiritual gifts) – 1 Corinthians 12:1-7
d. Our material resources – Acts 2:42-48, Acts 32-35, Matthew 6:19-21

4. How God is doing this building work in and through us – 1 Peter 2:5, Romans 11:36

This Sermon

C. Jesus Christ: Out Chief Cornerstone – 1 Peter 2:6-8

1. Jesus, the Cornerstone: The Foundation for Building – 1 Peter 2:6-7a

a. The cornerstone for building out lives – Colossians 2:9-10

b. The cornerstone for building His Church – Matthew 16:16, Ephesians 2:18-22

c. The cornerstone for building our families – 2 Peter 3:18

2. Jesus, the Cornerstone: The believer’s precious possession – 1 Peter 2:7a
3. Jesus, the Cornerstone: The world’s offense – 1 Peter 2:7b-8

a. Christ, the cornerstone, confuses the world – Matthew 5:1-12

b. Christ, the cornerstone, offends the world – Galatians 5:11, Acts 5:27-33