Series: 1 Peter
Title: God’s Race
Text: 1 Peter 2: 6-12
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Date: April 3, 2011
1 Peter 2: 6: Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
Christ Jesus is the Foundation laid by God. This is a quote from Isaiah 28: 16. Christ Jesus is the Foundation Stone—the living Foundation in whom and upon whom every child of God is made alive and built up a spiritual house, his temple, his church. Christ is a tried stone—proven by God the Father, tried by Satan, tried by every believer in ages past. He is the chief corner stone—the Living Union in whom the whole building is held together. God has reconciled his children unto himself in Christ. And every child of God is made one in Christ—one with God and one with each other, born of the same Holy Spirit. Christ is chosen of God and precious—of preeminent value to God, preeminent honor to God, the very glory of God is Christ Jesus his Son. Isaiah said, “A sure stone”—the Rock which cannot be moved. And he that believeth on him shall not be confounded—not confused, not ashamed of Christ before others, and never put to shame for casting all your weight—all trust—upon Christ.
1 Peter 2: 7: Unto you therefore which believe he is precious:
By God’s grace, by the Spirit of God in every believer—what Christ is to God, Christ is to us—precious. Next is a contrast.
1 Peter 2: 7:…but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8: And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Who rejected and yet rejects Christ?--Those who think themselves the builders. Paul preached Christ and him crucified. He built upon Christ by preaching Christ and him crucified because no other foundation can be laid.
1 Corinthians 3: 10: According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11: For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
· To you who believe Christ is precious. —but to unbelievers Christ is despised and disallowed.
· To the believer Christ is a sure foundation and a rock of sanctuary— but to the unbelievers he is a stumbling stone and a rock of offence.
· You who believe shall never be confused, never ashamed of Christ before others, and never put to shame for casting all care upon Christ—but the unbeliever is constantly confused, ashamed of Christ and shall be put to shame for not trusting Christ
Does the unbeliever make God’s grace to be powerless? Is the unbeliever proof that God does not have the power to save some?
Romans 3: 3: For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” God forbid!
Not at all!---1 Peter 2: 8:…whereunto also they were appointed.
WHO MAKES THE BELEIVER TO DIFFER? WHEREIN DO WE GLORY?
1 Thessalonians 5: 9: For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are some in this world—a remnant from both Jew and Gentile—whom God chose in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world. It is Christ alone who makes his people what we are. When the Spirit calls us out of darkness into his light he declares this to us.
I Peter 2: 9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
I. A CHOSEN GENERATION—
God’s spiritual Israel is a distinct race made entirely of God.
Romans 2: 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
· Chosen in the first one God chose—Christ Jesus who is chosen of God and precious.
· Made the offspring of God in Christ his Son—regenerated into eternal life.
· God is our Father, Christ is the Head of our house, the Husband of his bride, our Elder Brother.
· God’s chosen generation is a world without end.
II. A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PECULAR PEOPLE
Exodus 19:5: Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
That was a conditional covenant—if ye will—ye shall. God declared through that natural nation of people that no sinner—Jew or Gentile--can fulfill God’s demands. Much advantage was given to the natural Jews—the very oracles of God was given to them—but in natural Israel we see what all flesh will do apart from the Spirit of God giving us life and faith in Christ—we will walk in the lusts of seeking salvation by the works of our flesh--rather than by faith in Christ. We will put confidence in carnal relationships (we be the children of Abraham), in the works of men (in being circumcised by our parents on the 8th day or infant dedication or sprinkling by ones parents), in the works of the flesh—temples made with hands, carnal priestcraft, carnal sacrifices. Paul is an example and said that these were things he put confidence in until the Spirit of God revealed Christ in him (Philippians 3: 3-10.)
Be sure to get this: Whomever our God saves--whether Jew or Gentile—“God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that HE might have mercy on all.” (Romans 11: 32.) Every believer is saved by the grace and mercy of God in Christ Jesus based on nothing in us. It is only by Christ Jesus that the believer is made a royal priesthood, a holy nation.
Revelation 1:5: And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6: And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen….5:10: And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
In time past—in our own experience—we were not a people—we were children of disobedience even as others, but God…called us out darkness into his marvelous light (Hebrews 8: 6-13.)
Application: Here is why God called us?
1 Peter 2: 9:…That ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
The words “show forth” means “to publish.”—what?--the praises of him who hath called you! He that believeth shall not be ashamed!
· We once gloried in ourselves
· In the works of our flesh
· In the lusts of our flesh
· In malice, guile, hypocrisy, evil speakings
· We were truly confounded concerning the truth
· And ashamed of Christ before others
· And too confused to cast all our care on him
· But by his grace…
· NOW WE GLORY IN HIM!
HIS ELECTING GRACE
PREDESTINATING GRACE
REDEEMING GRACE
REGENERATING GRACE
PRESERVING GRACE
RESURRECTING GRACE
I Peter 2: 11: Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12: Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Illustration: What do you see outside?
This world may speak of us as evildoers, but let it not be because we do evil. Let’s publish the praise of him that has called us into light. If God visits one of his own in grace through you bearing witness of Christ, they will glorify God that you submitted to God by not making yourself the object to be looked at, but Christ.
AMEN!