1 Peter 2:1-8...a couple pictures to ponder and a great gospel verse in Isaiah

 

I'm always on the look out for these places to frequent when on my bike rides.  What a relaxing coffee shop to stop at in downtown Wautoma, WI that serves some great lunch options.  This was some fantastic pesto and I say "was" because it was gone when I devoured every bit of it.  A couple of the young ladies who work the counter go to the church I am assigned at and it was refreshing to my soul as they talked about being excited about learning from God's word as we go through the book of 1st Peter.  Expository preaching, chapter by chapter and verse by verse, is making a comeback in our churches to cover the whole counsel of God.

We have ventured into chapter 2 and Peter gives us two pictures to ponder and uses the Old Testament scriptures to establish our actions as born again believers.  Peter's fourth command to them was to "love one another earnestly from a pure heart."  We get some practical instruction on what we need to "put away" (v.1) and what we need to "long for" (v.2).  

Here are some sermon highlights for me:

• Do we read things that merely reference the Bible or do we start with the Bible.  The craving of the pure spiritual milk of the Word needs to be in place in our lives.
• The actions of men do not thwart the plan of God.  Actually God in His sovereignty at times tells us the actions of men ahead of time that play out in the plan of God!
• Peter and the Old Testament scriptures identify all of us in two groups.  Group #1 are those who believe and Group #2 are those who do not believe.  In Group #2 are two subgroups.  One are those who stumble over Jesus; who trip over Him; who are apathetic to Him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  The other subgroup are those who shake their fist at Jesus; who see Him as a snare and trap; who are antagonistic against Him.  Both of these subgroups have the same outcome.

Lastly, I was captured by Peter's reference to Isaiah 28:16 and his opening line of "For it stands in Scripture:..."  The verse he references stands; it encompasses; it surrounds; and it is something you can hold firmly in your hand.  Here is the gospel in the O.T.

"Behold, I am laying in Zion a Stone, a Cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame."

Do you see John 3:16 in Isaiah 28:16?  "Behold, I (For God so loved the world,) am laying (that He gave) in Zion a Stone, a Cornerstone chosen and precious (His only begotten Son,), and whoever believes in Him (that whoever believes in Him) will not be put to shame"(shall not perish, but have eternal life).  

Closing points to the congregation:  In the midst of persecution...

• The Christian is to continue to crave God's Word.
• The Christian is to continue to carve off the ways of the world.
• The Christian is to copy Jesus who was rejected by men but chosen and precious to God who gave His life as an acceptable sacrifice to God.
• The Christian's reward is not from this kingdom but comes from God.
• The non-Christian's response to God is not believing Jesus is God's provided salvation; rejecting Him as such; apathy to or antagonistic against; and they disobey His words.  The Christian's response is the counter to this.

I pray you have a great week and thank you for coming along on this journey with me through the book of 1st Peter.

Adam