1. God’s Living Stones
1 Peter 2:4-12

2. Covered in Ch.1: Xians=Amazing different-ness!
Change= in place:“born again”
BUT: Needs Agreement
“BE different! ..I am Diff…”
“…do not be CONFORMED…”
Get Rdy: Upheavl“Evryth.Chng!”
“…arm yourself 4 action…”
“long 4..milk”  Need STRENGTH
JC=WIN!  JC=GOD!
BUT: Nobody Understands!
G=Genius! Counter-Intuitive!
“I Knw G…~Wanna Tlk About it”
“NOBODY Undrstands”
We Nd. G’s REVELATION

3. The Ancient Plan of God
Before God set creation in motion…
A plan centered on Jesus Christ
“For He [the Christ] was foreknown before the foundation of the world…” (1:20a)
It included you, too!
“…but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.” (1:20b)
“…who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father…” (1:1b-2a)
In a nutshell: you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house …Through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5
God is Building a LIVING TEMPLE

4. The Ancient Plan of God Before God set creation in motion…
“The Cornerstone”
Building a new Kind of TEMPLE. (2:6)
Begins HERE:
Staggering cost, even to God: ‘precious’
En+Tuphos: high value, high-price
Cf. “Costly” – ME / Gates / GOD
God is HEAVILY-INVESTED in “THE WAY”
NO TEMPLE “BUILDINGS” !!!
NOT A RELIGION!
For this is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." 1 Peter 2:6

5. GOSP: You WON’T be Dissapointed
Valuable TO YOU, too:
“An end to disappointment.”
AP:NO XIAN shld be Disappointed
(~TRITE “.Browns lost…”)
Dissappointed? CORNERSTONE
GOSP: You WON’T be Dissapointed
Creator=SMART=Someth.PROFOUND
the Vastness of Creation
AP: I.P. = Discover.,,, VALUABLE
God’s Eternal Plan = SIGNIF/Purpose 4 U!!!

6. Contradiction? The Ancient Plan of God
Before God set creation in motion…
The Cornerstone: something new. (2:6)
A Rock of Offense (2:7-8)
This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, "THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone," 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. 1 Peter 2:7-8
Contradiction?

7. The Ancient Plan of God Power-Mongers = LOOSERS
Before God set creation in motion…
The Cornerstone: something new. (2:6)
A Rock of Offense (2:7-8)
Brushing aside man-made religion.
Power-Mongers = LOOSERS
“And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”
“When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. Matthew 21:44-45

8. Bow Down To God’s Genius!
The Ancient Plan of God
Before God set creation in motion…
The Cornerstone: something new. (2:6)
A Rock of Offense (2:7-8)
An offense to human pride.
But we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness 1 Corinthians 1:23
Bow Down
To God’s
Genius!

9. The Ancient Plan of God Why God WINS: More Losers!
Before God set creation in motion…
The Cornerstone: something new. (2:6)
A Rock of Offense (2:7-8)
An offense to human pride.
An appeal to “losers”.
Why God WINS: More Losers!
God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 1 Cor. 1:26

10. The Ancient Plan of God Must be “Born Again”…
Before God set creation in motion…
The Cornerstone: something new. (2:6)
A Rock of Offense (2:7-8)
Starting Over: a New Race of Humanity
Must be “Born Again”…
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. 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV)

11. The Ancient Plan of God
Before God set creation in motion…
The Cornerstone: something new. (2:6)
A Rock of Offense (2:7-8)
Starting Over: New Race of Humanity
The Dwelling Place of God
The exalted, unique & ancient purpose of God…
You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house… 1 Peter 2:5
Just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 2 Corinthians 6:16

12. The Ancient Plan of God
The Kingdom of God
Established Since 1964

13. The Ancient Plan of God Before God set creation in motion…
The Cornerstone: something new. (2:6)
A Rock of Offense (2:7-8)
Starting Over: New Race of Humanity
The Dwelling Place of God
LOVE WINS!!
God IS LOVE…Jesus IS LOVE
No Other “Way” Like It – Anywhere!!
What PRIVILEDGE / STATUS / HONOR!!
Communism ROTS – “The Way” WINS!
Islam – Not Doing Very Well
Just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 2 Corinthians 6:16