LIVING STONES

Passage: 1 Peter 2:4-10

Key verse: 5

NIV

The Living Stone and a Chosen People

4 As you come to him, the living Stone(A)—rejected by humans but chosen by God(B) and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built(C) into a spiritual house[a](D) to be a holy priesthood,(E) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(F) 6 For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and precious cornerstone,(G)
and the one who trusts in him
    will never be put to shame.”[b](H)

7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,(I)

“The stone the builders rejected(J)
    has become the cornerstone,”[c](K)

8 and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.”[d](L)

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.(M)

9 But you are a chosen people,(N) a royal priesthood,(O) a holy nation,(P) God’s special possession,(Q) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.(R) 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;(S) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Peter 2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit
  2. 1 Peter 2:6 Isaiah 28:16
  3. 1 Peter 2:7 Psalm 118:22
  4. 1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

4 As you come to him, a living stone (A)rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 (B)you yourselves like living stones are being built up as (C)a spiritual house, to be (D)a holy priesthood, (E)to offer spiritual sacrifices (F)acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

(G)“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
    a cornerstone chosen and precious,
(H)and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

7 So the honor is for you who (I)believe, but for those who (J)do not believe,

(K)“The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone,”[a]

8 and

(L)“A stone of stumbling,
    and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, (M)as they were destined to do.

9 But you are (N)a chosen race, (O)a royal (P)priesthood, (Q)a holy nation, (R)a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you (S)out of darkness into (T)his marvelous light. 10 (U)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.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Peter 2:7 Greek the head of the corner
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Jesus is the Living Stone, the cornerstone of God’s house, the church. We once lived empty lives, separated from God, but now, as we come to him, we are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God. Each of us are living stones, built upon Jesus, the precious cornerstone, who was rejected by man but chosen by God. For those who reject Christ, they will stumble and fall, but those who trust in him, they will never be put to shame.

In Exodus 19:4-6, God reminded His people of what He did for them in Egypt and His purpose to make them a royal priesthood and a holy nation. A priest stands in the gap between man and God to make an intercession for them. To be holy means to be set apart. Because of Christ’s blood, we are no longer in darkness but have a new life with a new identity and purpose before God. We belong to Him. May we not mold to the world but live firmly as living stones as a holy royal priesthood.

Prayer: Father, thank you so much for calling me out of darkness and an empty life to have purpose in you. Please allow me to live for you. May our prayers help others to see Christ as the precious cornerstone.

One Word: A holy and royal priesthood