By Pastor Rich Paradis
1 Peter 2:1-10
With
the change of a chapter, we have to remind ourselves that this is a letter, an
epistle, to these hurting believers in modern-day Turkey. They are struggling
with local religious and social persecution for their faith and need the
challenging and encouraging words of Peter. He has been faithful thus far to
not “major” on the problem, but to “major” on the solution, Jesus and His
enduring Word. Let’s continue to see his counsel to these that are hurting, as
well as to readers like us in the days that we are living in today.
I.
Remember
the Setting Review
a.
Thus
far, we have been introduced to both the writer of the letter and its
recipients. Peter, the Apostle of Hope, is writing this letter from a place
referred to as “Babylon”, probably the city of Rome. He is writing to
believers, both Jew and Gentile that are scattered from their homeland to what
we would see as modern-day Turkey. They are saved, but they are struggling with
localized religious and social persecution because of their faith in Christ.
b.
Peter
wastes no time in reminding them of both the permanence of their salvation and
the temporary nature of their sufferings. In light of their position in Christ,
Peter calls them to demonstrate a life of recognition toward who God is and
obedience toward Him even during difficult times.
c.
He
concludes the chapter with a reminder of the “source” of their salvation,
Christ Himself and the “means” of their salvation, the enduring Word of God.
This word is the very same word that had been faithfully preached to them along
the way.
II.
A
Challenge to “Put Off” and “Put On” 1 Peter 2:1-3
a.
Sometimes
when we make a chapter change, we are led to believe that we have changed
subjects and sometimes even thoughts. But in this case, nothing could be
further from the truth. With the very first word of the new chapter, we are
reminded that what is going to be said is linked in an important way to that
which was just written. “Therefore” is the overwhelming hint that the thought
of the previous chapter will continue right into our present consideration of
the text. We are going to be challenged to put something off and to put
something on in the next three verses. This is important information for both
the reader of the time that is under persecution and hurting and the
contemporary reader that is under attack because of his or her faith.
b.
What
is it that Verse 1 tells us should
be “put off”? The challenge from Peter is to “put aside” all malice, deceit,
hypocrisy, envy and slander. When people are going through difficult times,
they often began to get irritable and to wear their difficulties on their
sleeves. Peter understands this and challenges them to not allow this to happen
to them. To allow these negatives to have their effects on you or your church
during difficult times is to only magnify the problems and to reduce the possibility
of seeing the brethren as any part of the helpful reminders of Christ needed to
move forward.
c.
But
Peter also understands that when something is “put off”, there is an important
“putting on” that must also occur or sin and its results will be quickly having
to be dealt with again. So Verse 2
offers us a word picture that is both very descriptive and helpful as we
consider the help we need for going forward, especially during difficult times.
The picture that is offered is one of a newborn baby that is singularly focused
on only one thing, milk. While 1 Corinthians 3:2 speaks of milk as something
that is the precursor to the meat of God’s Word and therefore only drank by
infants, Peter offers milk as something that will never be outgrown. He says that
“like” a newborn baby, not “as” a newborn baby. In the same way that a newborn
longs after his or her mother’s milk, we that are believers should long after
the Word of God.
i. Do you long
after God’s Word in this way?
ii. Do you find
difficulties and tough times helping you to draw nearer or further from God’s
Word?
d.
The
connecting thoughts of chapters 1 and the beginning of chapter 2 are “born
again” in 1:23, the enduring word” in 1:25 and the “newborn” and the “pure milk
of the word” in 2:2. There is a result of longing for the milk of the Word at
the end of the verse and continuing into Verse
3. It is that as we long for and partake of the pure milk of the word;
growth (sanctification) is guaranteed to those that have “tasted” the kindness
of the Lord in relation to salvation.
III.
Connection
1: “Living Stones in a “Spiritual House”
1 Peter 2:4-8
a.
Following
the initial challenge of this chapter to his readers, Peter now continues by
making the first of two connections to Christ for those that are His own. He
tells his readers that as they come to Christ, both in salvation and in a
continuing way, they are a part of a spiritual house that has Christ as its
foundation and its capstone.
b.
We
must understand that in coming to Christ, we are coming to One that has been
both rejected by men and is choice and precious in the sight of God. Verse 4 tells us this and reminds us
that the world has very strong and violent reactions to the same Jesus that we
love and count on during difficult times. And did you notice that the choice
and precious stone is also ALIVE!
c.
That
will be very important as we now move to Verse
5. As we are connected to Christ, we are now considered as “living”. The
Bible uses this language of “stones” in it imagery often. Matthew 16:12 speaks
of the “rock” that the church will be built on. That rock is not Peter,
although Peter is the one that Jesus is addressing. That rock is Jesus Christ
and the truth of the Gospel. That truth will be the foundation of the church
and it will endure forever and ever. But now we have Peter speaking to these
hurting believers, telling them that as they come to Him they will be
transformed into “living stones”. This verse also notes that when we come to
Him, we become a part of a “holy priesthood”. We sometimes speak of the
“priesthood of the believer” in our churches today. This term means that we
have access to Him, and we are able to make sacrifices to Him that are
acceptable to Him. In the Old Testament economy, this could only be done
through the High Priest.
d.
As
Verses 6-8 unfold, we are pointed back to the Old Testament to further make the
point already stated. First of all, Verse
6 points us to Isaiah 28:16. In it, Christ is referred to as a
“cornerstone” and those that are in Him will not be disappointed, put to shame
or disturbed. Verses 7-8 offer a contrast by noting that the value of the
precious stone is for the believer. But it continues by noting that for the
unbeliever this “precious stone” is a stone of stumbling, offense and
ultimately even death. The reader must understand that to reject this “precious
stone” is to appoint oneself and even be appointed to death and separation from
God.
IV.
Connection
2: “A Chosen Race, A Royal Priesthood, A Holy Nation, and A People for God’s
Own Possession” 1 Peter 2:9-10
a.
With
the conclusion of the thought related in verse 8 to separation and death, Peter
now reminds his hurting brethren that they are not in this group of separated
and dead folks. He begins Verse 9
with my favorite word in the Bible: BUT. In contrast to dead and separated,
these folks are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people
for God’s own possession”. WOW!!! That sounds so much better than separated and
dead.
b.
In
the Old Testament, Israel was called God’s chosen people. But now in the New
Testament, believers are referred to as chosen. But as this thought is
unfolded, we are neither to believe that the church is Israel OR that the
church replaces Israel in the plans of God. The functions of Israel in the OT
were to uniquely “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called them out”. In
the present time, this opportunity and duty is being done by all believers. In
the future, Israel will again be used by God to bless the world.
c.
As
we close out this section, we note from the end of Verse 9 and the entirety of Verse 10 that there was a time when the
truths of a “spiritual house” and a “chosen race” were not true. It was Him
that called you out of darkness and into “His” marvelous light. At one point,
they were not a people, but now they are the people of God! And they had not
received mercy, but now they had received mercy! This language, taken from
Hosea 2:23, offers a sober reminder of the position of all believers before
coming to Christ.
d.
From
here, Peter is going to being offering a continuing challenge toward moving
forward from this positional truth. It will push not only his readers of that
day, but readers that are believers from all generations.
V.
An
Application For All Of Use
a.
The
enduring Word of God is the platform and the place of challenge related to
dealing with difficulties and persecutions.
b.
The
believer must desire the Word of God, especially during times of difficulty and
persecution.
c.
When
believers come to Him for salvation, they join an ever-growing “spiritual
house” and a “chosen race”.
d.
As
believers continue coming to Him in sanctification, they are assured of growth
and help for even the most difficult times in life.
