1. SERIES: TRUTH, JUDGMENT AND ETERNITY 1PETER 2:4-12 Stones on the Rock

2. Who We Are in God’s Sight I believe that many of us in the Universal Church have forgotten who we are in Christ. Many Christians have not received true revelation about the fullness of what Christ died to give us. This is why this passage of Scripture is so critical for us today. One thing I must point out: This passage is not to boost our egos or puff us up with pride, but it is revealing to us the truth about who we are in Christ our Saviour. The problem today is we read this passage, and we say, “what wonderful and beautiful words.” Yet it does not change or correct our understanding of who we are in Christ because we doubt ourselves. In effect we doubt our Saviour who purchased us with His blood, and in a sense, His choosing us to serve Him. Therefore, the Church is full of pew warmers, with many who are full of iniquity and unbelief and useless to God.

3. Discarded but Precious 1Peter 2:4 Come to Him [then, to that] Living Stone which men tried and threw away, but which is chosen [and] precious in God's sight. (AMP) Jesus is the precious Stone in the sight of God. He is the Rock upon which we the Church have been built. But here is how we know Him, He is the One who was rejected by men. Even today, He is rejected and discarded by men. This has been the case from the beginning of the Church and will be the case until He returns. Revelation 1:7 Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.

4. Foundation Stones Ephesians 2:19-22 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (NIV) We have been built upon the Foundation Stones of the apostles and prophets. The apostles and prophets, dug down and and laid the foundation stones of the Church upon the Rock, who is Christ. Thus Christ became the Corner Stone upon which the building was set. In that, we must be laid upon the foundation stones of the apostles and prophets, and then we become fellow citizens in the Kingdom of God.

5. Consecrated Stones 1Peter 2:5 [Come] and, like living stones, be yourselves built [into] a spiritual house, for a holy (dedicated, consecrated) priesthood, to offer up [those] spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ. (AMP) Here is the call to come and like Living Stones, be built into the House of God. How do we do get built in? Through fellowship, knowing the word of God, by the Spirit of God and through daily consecration to Him. We then become a living sacrifice offered up to God, holy and blameless, and pleasing in His sight.

6. Chief Cornerstone 1Peter 2:6 For thus it stands in Scripture: Behold, I am laying in Zion a chosen (honored), precious chief Cornerstone, and he who believes in Him [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] shall never be disappointed or put to shame. (AMP) The prophets here declare that Jesus is the chief cornerstone. We who trust in Him shall rejoice in His presence all the days of our life, and we shall dwell in His house forever. And on the Day of Judgment, we will not be disappointed or put to shame, when God and Jesus reveal their glory.

7. Rock of Offense 1Peter 2:7 To you then who believe (who adhere to, trust in, and rely on Him) is the preciousness; but for those who disbelieve [it is true], The [very] Stone which the builders rejected has become the main Cornerstone, 8 And, A Stone that will cause stumbling and a Rock that will give [men] offense; they stumble because they disobey and disbelieve [God's] Word, as those [who reject Him] were destined (appointed) to do. (AMP) Our precious Lord is a Rock of Offense to the unbeliever. The unbelievers are sons and daughters of disobedience and therefore they disbelieve God’s Word. 2Corinthians 2:16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. (NLT)

8. Chosen People 1Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God's] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (AMP) Here is the revelation of who we are in Christ. We are chosen by Christ, hand picked and set apart. For what purpose? To be a royal priesthood. We are kings and priests of the Most High God, and have been chosen to reign with Him in His Eternal Kingdom. All of this because we responded to His call when He called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

9. God’s People 1Peter 2:10 Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God's people; once you were unpitied, but now you are pitied and have received mercy. (AMP) Once we did not receive mercy, now we have. I once was lost, but now I’m find. Was blind but now I see. How precious is the blood of our Lord, how wonderful is His salvation by the Cross. Saints (consecrated ones) let’s remember His sacrifice right now. [pass out emblems]

10. Resist Sin 1Peter 2:11 Beloved, I implore you as aliens and strangers and exiles [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges (the evil desires, the passions of the flesh, your lower nature) that wage war against the soul. (AMP) Peter continues, now imploring the brothers and sisters in Christ to resist sin, to wage war against the flesh and our sensual urges. Peter tells us that these passions of the flesh wage war against our soul. We are living in an age where a great war has been raging for thousands of years, it is a cosmic battle for the souls of men and women.

11. Proper Conduct 1Peter 2:12 Conduct yourselves properly (honorably, righteously) among the Gentiles, so that, although they may slander you as evildoers, [yet] they may by witnessing your good deeds [come to] glorify God in the day of inspection when God shall look upon you wanderers as a pastor or shepherd looks over his flock]. (AMP) Again another Scripture exhorting us to holiness. Everywhere I seem to look in the Bible these days I am confronted with these Scriptures. We are on display as it is written. 1Corinthians 4:9 For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. We must watch our conduct so that men will witness our good deeds and glorify God in the day of inspection, the day when God reveals Himself to the unbeliever.