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Communities.
Continue first Peter 2, verse 4.
Not much further.
First Peter chapter 2 and verse 4.
To whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God.
And precious ye also is lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone elect precious. And he that believeth on him shall not be confounded unto you therefore which believe he is precious, but unto them which be disobedient.
The stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation, the peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of Him who have called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, which in the time past were not a people.
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But are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy?
Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstained from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may, by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of men for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the King is supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God honor all men love the brotherhood.
Fear God, honor the King, servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the forward. For this is thank worthy. If a man for conscience toward God, endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it if when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? But if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
For even here unto where He called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth, Who when He was reviled, reviled not. Again, when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously, Who His own self bear our sins, and His own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live under righteousness.
By whose stripes you were healed, For ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
Find in our guest book and he put down the reference first Peter 27 and he made a comment that the preciousness of an object defends on the value you put upon it and it looks like Peter put quite a value on the Lord Jesus and these precious things that he speaks of so we have it in the end of that fourth verse and the word occurs on through but.
He's putting a value on the Lord Jesus and the things that He's done for us. And unto you, therefore, which believe He is precious, it seems to assume. He seems to assume that He's precious to every believer, and well He ought to be. He saved us from this present evil world and saved us for glory. He's keeping us.
It's precious, insignificant that before he takes up the seventh verse unto you, therefore, which believe he is precious, he brings out the preciousness of the work and person of Christ to the heart of God. I say that because the verse we often quote in the first chapter, the 18th verse in connection with the blood of Christ, it says you were not redeemed with corruptible things of silver and gold, and then the 19th verse, but with the precious blood of Christ.
Now that's God's sense. That's God's value of the blood of Christ. Thank God it is because my salvation doesn't depend on my appreciation or my understanding of the work of Christ, but it does depend on the fact that God sees it as precious.
God sees that blood that was shed at Calvary cross as precious then as to the person of Christ. We have it in the end of the fourth verse precious and again confirmed in the middle of the sixth verse elect precious. This again is God's value of the person of Christ.
And then he says, having said, God, having given his estimation of the working person of Christ, he says, Now unto you therefore which believe he is precious, and the preciousness. Mr. Darby's translation, I think it's significant to notice the order here, because, brethren, the person and work of Christ will be precious to our souls in the measure in which we realize the preciousness of the work and person of Christ to the heart of God.
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Do we enter into what the person worth of Christ means to the heart of God? It's precious to the heart of God. He's precious to God the Father. The blood that was shed on Calories cross hasn't lost his preciousness to the heart of God. It's as precious and real to the heart of God as when it was shed on Calvary's cross. Now if you and I could enter into that more than he would be more precious to us. The blood would be more precious to our souls.
We would have a fresh and deep and precious appreciation of the preciousness of Christ in our own souls, and so often we think of what He means to us, and rather he ought to mean everything to us. Often we think even on Lords the morning. We think of what the work of Christ means to us, rather than ought to mean everything to us.
But I believe there's something deeper to enter in more what is going to produce praise and worship in our souls, To enter in more to what the person and worth of Christ is to the heart of God, that unconsciously he'll be more precious to our souls.
But that which was precious to God was disallowed of men. And it's interesting that what God esteems so often in this world circles is totally disallowed.
Oh, what a lesson that is for us.
I'd just like to suggest to brethren that it seems to me that Peter.
Comes from Matthew 16 and what he mentions here. Matthew 16 is where the Lord Jesus first mentions the church. In fact it's the only gospel that mentions the church is Matthews gospel and he speaks of himself as that rock upon which the church is going to be built because he wasn't building it at that time.
He says I will build my church on this rock, and the rock was the confession of himself.
As the Christ, the Son of the living God. Oh, what a rock to be to be settled on. And to come back to our verses of four. It starts there to whom?
Coming. How do you become a part of this building that the Lord Jesus calls my church?
To whom? Coming? Come to Jesus. You've got to do it individually. You've got to come and set your feet on that rock.
Oh, what a precious thing it is that it's so important that it be an individual matter with God. Not enough that your parents are believers. Not enough that others around you are believers.
But you have to come to Jesus as well.
To whom coming is that living rock? And then correspondingly in verse 5.
Ye also as living stones. Stones, naturally speaking, are not living, they're dead. So we were dead in trespasses and sins. But he's made us living stones for what purpose? To be built?
A spiritual house and holy priesthood to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. We have been chosen for this position.
To OfferUp spiritual sacrifices, brethren, I really have to confess for myself that I believe I do not praise the Lord sufficiently in my life.
It should flow. It should flow constantly. The praise of our God.
That's why He's chosen us, That's why He's put us in this spiritual house for His glory and praise. Do you and I take time to praise Him?
00:15:11
I don't understand why sometimes I see people in a breaking of bread meeting sitting.
While hymns are being sung with their mouths shut.
Is there no appreciation of the glory of this person?
I often think of the Lord Jesus when he was coming into the Jerusalem and what is called the Triumphal entry.
The Pharisees complained that there were so many children crying Hosanna.
And the Lord Jesus said if they should hold their peace.
The stones would immediately cry out.
God is going to have His Son praised, brethren.
If you and I do not do it, he's going to raise up others to do it.
Oh, may the Lord stir in us, brethren, the appreciation of the glory of His person and what He's done so that our hearts would just flow with His praise. How important that is in our lives. For that reason, we have been put in this position as holy priests.
And it's it's to offer up. The direction here is up.
Offer UPS.
The spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Christ Jesus.
Because of what you've said, it seems apparent that it's important. Is this a question of spiritual maturity and age?
Understand. Well, I've had an exercise in connection with. It seems to be.
Consistent in the fifth verse, it's holy priesthood.
In the ninth verse it's royal priesthood, and not until you get to the 4th chapter do you have if any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God. And so first it seems.
That as fresh and new as a as a new believer he can OfferUp.
Spiritual offer of spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. And so then the development seems to be in the ninth verse, a royal priesthood. And then as I said, just to repeat myself in the 4th chapter, it says speak as the oracles of God.
And so how important to first see that, as the Lord said to the woman at the well, the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Scriptures this morning in the Sunday school in John four that you're mentioning. There it is. The water springs up because it's a question of worship, isn't it?
But in Chapter 7, there's rivers of water flowing out. It's horizontal, and that's what you have in verse 9.
As royal priests, we show forth the praises of him with call this out of darkness into his marvelous light. That's testimony, that's horizontal, that's out to others. It may be in the Gospel, it may to be to the Lords people too, but the water is flowing out first of all, because God always has his portion first. It's up. It's springing up into everlasting life worship.
That's first, and then it flows out in witness and testimony to others.
Two, I was thinking of the man who was healed in the third of Acts and immediately he rose up and he was walking and leaping and praising God. He didn't have an understanding of what had really happened. There wasn't maturity in divine things, but it was the natural reaction of having been brought into a place of blessing. Isn't it wonderful you've met a Christian, someone who's been recently converted, saved, and maybe there's a lot of things they don't understand about their blessings and what the Lord has for them and following the Lord.
But one thing they know, they're like the blind man. One thing I know I was blind. Now I see, and there's immediately praise and worship. But I just like to say too, in connection with what Bob said earlier, that praise has to do in Scripture with what is audible. Now praise ought to come from our hearts because the Lord wants more than just lip service. He said of those in his day. This generation draws nigh unto me with their mouth, and praise with me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
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And so he doesn't just want something from the lips, but it does say two. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. And it's interesting that the psalmist said he hath put a new song, not in my heart, that's true, but a new song in my mouth. Even praise to our God, I create the fruit of the lips. And it's the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. Whoso offereth praise, not silence, but praise glorifieth me. And Bob was mentioning about how sometimes when these good Christ exalting hymns are given out in the meeting.
You look around and there's some silent lips. I know some of us can sing better than others. Some can carry a tune better than others, but we sometimes sing that hymn. No heart, but of the Spirit taught makes melody to Thee. He wants to hear our voice. Maybe it isn't always perfect, but he wants to hear our voice, brethren.
The bridegroom said to the bride in the Song of Solomon. He said, Let me see thy countenance.
But he didn't stop there. Let me hear Thy voice. You know it's wonderful when He sees us at meeting. Wonderful. He wants to see our countenance. He wants to have our presence there, but doesn't end there. He wants to hear our voice. And brothers and sisters, you and I have the privilege of opening our mouths in praise and Thanksgiving when these hymns are given out. Brothers, you have the privilege of standing up and saying a little word of praise and Thanksgiving. Maybe it isn't always expressed perfectly.
Maybe it isn't always as eloquent as perhaps some others can express things.
But he wants to hear our voices. He wants us to praise. And so praise has to do.
While it comes from the heart, it has to do with what is audible. Let's learn to open our mouths, but not just in meeting, because the verse I quoted in Hebrew says continually. You know, I love it when I'm in a home and a sister's out in the kitchen peeling vegetables are getting the dinner on and I hear a little note of praise. She's humming or singing the words of some of some hymn. A brothers working around the yard and you're out there with them and you hear them humming or singing the words of some hymn. That's that note of praise continually.
Brethren, we have so much to be thankful. We don't just have a lot to be thankful for it. We have everything to be thankful for. We ought to be the singing as people on earth. We ought to be praising the Lord audibly every day of our lives.
Verse it's 114 you want to look at it, but the second verse much incense is ascending before the eternal throne. God graciously is bending to hear each table groan to all this is precious to all our prayers and praises. Christ adds his sweet perfume and love. The sensor raises those odors to consume.
All that.
Unlike the echo.
A comment that I remember Norman Berry making, and he was.
Older than I, venerable old brother, so don't look at me for any validity of it. Look at what he said. But I'll paraphrase it this way very often in morning meeting it's proper. We enjoy it one him, then somebody gives out a second him.
And may even give out a third him. But wouldn't it be?
And I hesitate to press it, but wouldn't it be wonderful if there were three prayers in a row? Like we enjoy 3 hymns in a row? And yet if it would happened, I for one would say that's unusual. Is that the way it should be? Well, we think we think properly. Like I say 123 hymns in a row, but all to think of somebody getting up and then another brother gets up and another brother gets up.
00:25:04
I think it would raise us to the heights of what God would have for that occasion of the remembrance of the Lord. Now brother Barry didn't say all of that, but but he I'm paraphrasing what he said how it has reached my heart and has reached my conscience and if I can reach the heart and conscience of those here. Don't take it as from me because you know each of us are are very feeble as an example, but all how important.
And another thing.
There are some that have been in fellowship for years, capable. We're thankful for them and they've never given thanks.
For the emblems never gone forward and given thanks for the loaf.
And given thanks for the cup.
Now I leave such individuals with the Lord and and you don't do it because somebody suggested that you do. But all to think of what it would mean for an assembly to have a brother that they had noted had never done that all the the elevation, the praise, the United thankfulness of that assembly to to know that there are those that.
Come forward and it doesn't require.
A depth of knowledge does it.
But it does require something of the heart expressing itself.
Testament A person had to be born into Aaron's family.
To be a priest in the New Testament belongs to everyone born into God's family.
Men and women, that's why our sisters sing as well. That's priestly activity, offering to God the sacrifice of praise. They do not lead in praise or in prayer, but they are present and they are part of of those who are worshipping together and praising together. But I'd like to say to our younger brethren, be exercised about praising the Lord.
Practice it at home.
Sing those hymns, those precious hymns. Make them a part of your hearts enjoyment. They're such beautiful hymns. We don't sing #150 very much, but it's a hymn that's almost entirely a worship Him. If you look at that hymn, it's not occupied hardly at all with the work of Christ. It's mainly with the person of Christ.
And that's worship. Oh, the blessedness of those hymns. Let them get into your soul. And then when you come to meetings.
The exercise that the Lord lays on your heart, a hymn. It's not a matter, like Stan says, of of maturity or of knowledge or of gift. It is a matter of being born into God's family, and it should be the exercise of every brother there.
To pray and to praise God in both those meetings, the prayer meeting and in the breaking of bread is where we exercise our priesthood, and it belongs to us all. Brethren, there should not be silent mouths in connection with this matter of praising our God.
Nine And he had not yet seen the Lord at that time, but when Jesus met him, I guess I don't know if he even knew who it was at the time. He says, Do you believe in the Son of God?
And he says, Who is he, Lord? That, That I finish it? That I might worship him anyway? He hadn't even seen the Lord yet.
And he didn't know who he was by sight, even though he'd received his sight. But he wanted, he was willing. Who is he, Lord, that I might worship him? Is that thank you?
So he was ready to worship the Lord.
As soon as he found out who he was.
This Are you a new believer, you might say, just exercising that desire to please the Lord?
Another illustration too is the 10 lepers and I can always just picture the sadness in the voice of the Lord Jesus when only one returned to give thanks and the Lord Jesus said were there not ten cleansed and where are the 9? Wouldn't the Lord Jesus have desired that all ten of those men returned to thank Him?
00:30:19
For what he, what had had been done in their lives. And brethren, when we think of what has been done in our lives, we've been brought from darkness and delight. We've been brought into a marvelous place of blessing. We ought to, again, we, as we've been saying we ought to be, have praise on our lips every moment of every day. But I would like to say this to parents, too. Bob has addressed young people, but I'd like to address parents for a moment. You know, I'm thankful that I grew up in a home.
Where we were taught to sing in the home, our parents taught us to sing, and in the evening we'd stand around the piano and sing a few hymns if somebody dropped in. If some brethren dropped in on Friday evening for a little visit, why, we always passed around the hymn books and sang. And I'm thankful for a wife, too, who when my children were younger and brethren, I didn't have the patience to do this. But thank God for a wife who in meeting when the children could read as soon as they could read.
She made them open the hymn book. They could draw during the reading meeting or whatever, have a little pad. But during the singing of hymns, my wife was exercised to open the hymn book in front of the child and to run her finger line by line as we sang to teach those children the importance of opening their mouths and singing. Brethren, we can't expect parents. We can't expect our young people all of a sudden at 12 or 13 years of age.
To decide it's time to start singing, we need to be exercised to teach them to sing in the home. You know, I'm saddened to find that the gathered Saints are not the singers we once were. We are not the singers we once were. And I believe we lose something. Brethren, if we would familiarize ourselves with these good scriptural hymns, we would find that they express truth, sometimes in a way that there's no better way to express something than has already been expressed in one of the good Christ exalting hymns.
That we have been given by brothers and sisters that wrote these hymns, penned these hymns, not by inspiration, of course, but no doubt guided by the Lord Jesus, by God and the Lord to put these things down in poetry for us. And we need to learn to value this heritage that we have. But I just want to say again to parents.
Let's teach our children in the home by example, to learn to sing, so that when that we come to the assembly there will be that suitable praise.
I'd rather Stan asked the original question about a holy priesthood and a royal priesthood. And if you look at the holy priesthood in verse four, it is talking about us. Ye also as lively or living stones. We are currently living stones, aren't we?
Our build up a spiritual house and a holy priesthood. Now stop and look back at chapter one and verse 15. But as he, he who hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of life. When it comes to that word holy, that's sanctification.
We've been called out, haven't we? We've been set apart. And that is what the holy priesthood is. That is sanctification there stand when you get over into the other verse in verse 9, but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood. This is what Brother was talking about, where Bob was talking about. We are all priests, aren't we? And that verse has four things in it there versus 9 and maybe part of 10 there. But it starts out with the chosen or elect. We're not part of Israel, are we? We are now all part of the true people of God.
And that's what it's speaking about there, the chosen generation, and it says a royal priesthood. That's because we are all priests. And when it gets to a holy nation that is a distinct nation, we are set apart, aren't we? And then when it gets to a peculiar people, that means his own private possession. We belong to him, we are his, a peculiar people. But we needed to look at the difference between a holy priesthood and a royal priesthood. One is sanctification and the other is showing us that we are all priests.
Like to bring out the.
Essential.
Foundation.
Of worship and praise.
Is life. That's the essential foundation that's being brought before us here. It's life.
00:35:04
In the previous chapter, he begins with verse 23 being born again.
And then in our chapter it's taken on to the Lord Jesus is presented before us as the living stone and then we become living stones. And as it says in verse 2, before that as newborn babes, the newborn babe has everything he needs to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices to God because he has life. And that's the essential thing that.
Is Peter is bringing out to them that they had everything they needed in order to offer that which was acceptable to God by Christ Jesus. Bob referred to Matthew 16. Thou art the Christ.
The Son of the living God God is brought out in connection with the church as the living God. God can't accept praise or worship. It doesn't come from that which is dead. It has to be something that is living. It has to be someone that is living. And when they are, where did they get the life?
They got it from God through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the word of God, by the power of the Spirit. But the source of it is God himself, the living God who brings man into a relationship with himself that he can, even as a newborn babe, OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God. I'd like to take a couple more minutes and get the, can I say the context of this chapter that Peter is bringing out.
Is really from Exodus chapter 19, and I believe we will understand what we have here a little more if we go back to Exodus 19 and see it. Peter was writing to Jews. He wasn't specifically writing to us who were Gentiles. And in fact he brings in the Gentile our country says to this, those to whom he was writing who were Jews of the dispersion who had put their trust in Christ.
And we're now part of the body of Christ. But he says your conversation before the Gentiles and what he's refers back to is Exodus chapter 19.
And verse one in the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt.
And then it says, verse three. And Moses went up unto God, the Lord called him out of the mountain, and saying, Thus shalt thou say to the House of Jacob to tell the children of Israel, Verse 5 Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my commandments. Now notice this is our chapter.
Pardon me.
My covenant. Now this is our chapter. Then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, for all the earth is mine. Ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of priests. That's our chapter, brethren. And in holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
That is what was being said to God's people at that time was if you're obedient to me, you will be to me a royal or a holy priesthood, a peculiar people.
Were they?
Were they? It's not specifically in our chapter talking about the difference between only the the Taos of Aaron could bring the offering of the sacrifices, but the whole nation had the privilege and the place to offer that to God, which was a pleasing to him.
But it was if it was based on man's responsibility to his offering to God in what he was in himself.
And the sad history of Israel and the history of every human being is there is nothing in the human heart, in the flesh which offers any praise or worship to God. Man is dead in trespasses and sins, and Israel proved it before God and they were not a holy peculiar people by behavior. And so it when it gets to later on in the prophets specifically.
00:40:13
Micah, God had to say to them and he says it later. Peter refers to it a little bit later, alludes to it. He says you're not my people.
You're not my people.
There's nothing acceptable here for God. But God doesn't give up on man. And so he says he's the living God and he introduces Christ the living Stone who does a work that.
Now through life given by new birth, there can be to God.
A holy nation, that life is in its nature holy, and so it's a holy priesthood because they're those who have the life of Christ who can offer to God that which is pleasing to God and is acceptable by Christ Jesus. Without him there's nothing. And the sacrifice that is offered to God is that which brings before God.
What Christ is and has done in himself. And that's our sacrifice. Really. That's what our praise is centered in. That's what our worship flows from. It flows from the the new life overflowing with its object of Christ, which is offered to God as a sacrifice. I just want to make one more comment to get the thought. That's before Peter went to those to whom he was addressing.
He's saying ye, and in his case we properly include ourselves. But Peter's particular concern was really these who had put their trust in it in Christ became an remnant in Israel of Israelites who were now part of the church who were able to fulfill the desire of God that he had had in the Old Testament time. And he could look on and does look on here.
To that day, still future, when the royal priesthood of Christ.
Is seen manifested in the whole world.
And the whole nation of Israel comes into their place here as they too will satisfy the heart of God is a holy nation as a as holy priests and as royal priests as a whole nation and and will be able to manifest the royal priesthood of Christ. We act as royal priests.
When we display to this world.
His character in life, the.
The virtues of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Are displayed in us in our lives when we allow it and when we follow it. And the Lord Jesus, publicly and officially, will be seen in that way in His millennial glory.
But we now have that privilege to display before the world that character of life that will be seen, and it's more wonderful manifestation when all Israel and the Lord Jesus reign over the earth.
I'd like to add just a couple of thoughts in Hebrews 13.
Hebrews 13.
Verse 15.
By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. That's the praises that come from our lips.
That's our holy priesthood, I believe, But then we have the royal priesthood. But to do good and to communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. So in in both cases, the priesthood is a giving, a giving of praise and a giving of substance for those in need. Is that right?
It is right. It is right. It's as it says.
In verse 9 ye should show forth the praises of Him who have called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. We give to the world in that sense when we present to it.
00:45:04
Christ.
We present in our holy priesthood, we present Christ to God in our royal priesthood character. We present Christ to the world and we can present him. He went about doing good as an example. And so the display of the heart of Christ to the world can be seen in us when we, I don't want to say imitate because it's an expression of the same life, but when we do it, when we give to the world.
That which Christ gave to the world where we are serving in a royal priesthood character. So just to summarize it again, the offering of Christ to God is the is a holy is a holy priesthood service.
The presentation of Christ to the world is a royal priesthood service.
But if I don't have life, I can't present Christ to God. And if I don't have life, I can't present Christ to the world. That's essential. The life is the essential thing.
We have these two things combined in the first chapter of the Revelation, I think.
The end of verse five says unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and have made us king for a Kingdom of priests unto God and his Father. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.
Like to suggest the line of thought too that can be followed out. Maybe we don't have time to spend too much time, but the thought of the building here, the spiritual house.
It's interesting to look back in scripture and consider when buildings are mentioned first in the scripture. Or Noah built the ark. But besides that, the first building that's mentioned is the Tower of Babel in the 11Th chapter of Genesis, and the purpose of that tower is stated there. Let us make us a name.
Men likes to put up monuments and they make themselves a name. Sears Tower, Chicago Sears, that company has a name of the of the highest building in the United States. But that's what man strive for. And that ended in Babel in confusion. And it seems like even in Christian circles, men strive for honors.
For themselves even to be the most effectual preacher, the greatest orator, and they get a name for themselves.
When the Lord Jesus presented himself to the Jewish builders, he was that living stone. He did not come to glorify His own name, He came to glorify the name of His Father. And they said we don't have any place in our building for this stone, and they cast him out. Now God takes that stone that was cast out and he makes it the foundation of a completely new building.
And this new building, this spiritual house, is for the praise.
Of God, the living God. Oh brethren, to think that you and I are part of it. And to me it is so wonderful to consider that God uses stones. In the Tower of Babel, they baked themselves bricks. Bricks are always, generally speaking, the same size, same mold you want to belong to man's organizational structures you have to conform to.
Their mold and you can belong. But God doesn't use bricks, He is as stones. You'll never find one stone exactly like another, always different.
And to me, it is so wonderful to go from country to country and see all the stones that are being gathered in different kinds of stones from all strata of society, all nationalities, all colors. And yet he's fitting them into this building for his own praise. But it's far different than what man's building. And to me, brethren, it's a challenge.
00:50:11
To my own soul, what I do for the Lord, what is it? What is the purpose in doing it? Is it to get a name for myself? If that's the purpose, it's going to end in Babel in confusion. And that happens off times we get focused in on. People thank God for gifts that God gives, but they're not to garner glory for themselves.
It's for the glory and praise of God, what He's doing in this world, the building that He is building for the praise of our God.
You say is a living stone in the Church of God. And I'd like to just go back to First Kings for a moment because I think you see it illustrated so very beautiful in the building of Solomons Temple or the temple under the direction of Solomon. And see some of the things that characterize the stones that were put into that building which have a spiritual application to the stones that we're Speaking of here. First Kings chapter 5.
And verse 17.
And the king commanded, and they brought. Now notice this great stones, costly stones, and hewn stones to lay the foundation of the house. First of all, these stones were great. As Bob said, every stone is a different shape and size.
And I have no doubt that in the building of the temple, there were different shapes and sizes of stones that were used, but every stone was great. No stone was insignificant in the building of the temple. And maybe there's someone here and you feel, well, I'm a pretty insignificant stone in the House of God. Don't think that for a moment you're just as great in the eyes of God or in the eyes of the Lord Jesus as this living stone that's sitting beside you. They were all referred to as great stones.
But then it says they were costly stones rather. Let's never forget the cost.
You and I are living stones in the Church of God. But there was a cost involved. The cost was that the Lord Jesus come into this world and give himself at Calvary Cross. He allowed wicked man to take him and to treat him so cruelly. He allowed them to nail him to a cross.
And not only that, but he bore our sins in his own body on the tree. He laid down his precious life and he shed his precious blood. That's the cost. You're a costly stone. And you know, you go to a Jewelers and there are stones displayed behind the glass on the counters and in the showcases. And all those stones have a different cost and value. But every living stone, he paid the same for every living stone. You're just as costly a stone as the next person.
The price that had to be paid for your salvation and blessing for you to be a living stone is the same cost that had to be paid for me to be a living stone, said They were costly, then they were hewn stones. That is it was the work of another.
Those stones had to be hewn out of the quarry and brought and placed in the in the temple. Those stones had no power to hew themselves out of those quarries. And so the psalmist said, He brought me up out also out of an horrible pit.
And so these stones, there was a work that went on, and aren't we thankful for that work of grace?
That work of grace in our souls, that imparted divine life to us, brought us out of that pit that we were in and placed us in that building. But now turn over to the 7th verse of the 6th chapter.
And the house when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither, so that there was neither hammer nor axe, nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building. That is, it was a silent work that went on as this house was. It was erected. And, brethren, there's a silent work that's going on in this world as one and another, by the grace of God, and a work of the Spirit.
Are being saved and placed as living stones. The world doesn't see it.
All the world sees its great edifices that Bob was talking about, and sometimes I've stopped and watched as builders have raised those great edifices, and it's something to see how they get those walls and whatever material they're using into place and so many stories up and so on. And you stand in awe. But there's a silent work that's going on that the world isn't aware of as the Spirit of God works and places one another in the House of God. But then I want to notice one other thing. It's in the 22nd verse of the 6th chapter.
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And the whole house he overlaid with gold until he had finished the all the house. You know, when you looked at that building and its completion, you didn't see those stones. What you saw was the gold, that which speaks in so many, on so many occasions in Scripture of the righteousness of Christ. And brethren, isn't it wonderful that you and I as a living stone in the Church of God in this building that we've been Speaking of?
He looks down, he sees each stone, but what does he see? He sees us in Christ. We've been made the righteousness of God in him. What you saw when you looked at those buildings, that building was not the rough cut, chiseled stone that had been placed there. You saw that beautiful gold. God sees every one of us in Christ. That's the way we ought to see one another too. But I think it's so beautifully illustrated. And every one of us, this is every one of us, every child of God.
Is a living stone, and if the building is going to be completed, and when that building is completed the last stone is put in, then the Lord Jesus will come and take his church home.
How soon?
I hope this afternoon, thank you.
Similar, the boards were once getting their strength from the earth. They were cut down and they were covered with gold, and then they were placed on silver sockets. Redemption.
And all you could see was the gold. And we tend to think about the boards, but God looks at us as gold, not just wood underneath.
It's very practical, doesn't it? Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man.
It doesn't put us, it doesn't separate us from the responsibilities and earthly things, does it?
Wonderful to see the where it's already been alluded to, but what we have here in Peter is the same as in Ephesians chapter 2.
This is a work of God here. It's not building by human responsibility that we have in looking at the house in First Corinthians chapter 5, for example, but this chapter is corresponds to Ephesians chapter 2 and it says.
Verse 20 are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building.
Fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord, in whom ye also are builded together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit. It's just wonderful to reflect on.
When you build a house for somebody to occupy.
Houses aren't generally built just for people to come and look at them, but they're built as a dwelling where someone is going to dwell, and God is pleased to build a spiritual house in which he himself will be pleased to dwell.
And you and I are going to be living parts of that house. We already are. We aren't going to be, but we already are living stones in that house, which is will be, as Jim said, when the church is complete, it will be perfectly finished as a habitation for God. And it is a.
Display of the glory of God's own person, that He would do such a thing. And so we will be forever of that which God has used to his own glory or His own glory. We are going to be that. And at the same time He gives us the privilege in eternal privilege now for us to forever as part of that house present to Him.
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His beloved son and all the virtue of his person and of his work, but in contrast to that in our chapter as he goes on, that's our portion.
But we have the other side and it's a solemn side to it too. It says in verse eight and a stone of stumbling in a rock of offense even to them which stumble at the word being disobedient were unto also they were appointed. That is the Lord Jesus tests every man there is either that faith which accepts him and trusts him as Savior and becomes a living stone.
Or that same person, the Lord Jesus, which has been rejected by man when here.
He becomes the very one over which man himself, you might say, will stumble.
To his own loss, To his eternal loss, no man.
Can go into eternity without either being to the glory of God.
Or having.
Faced, if you will, the revelation of God, whatever it is, to his own soul, and in this case, the Lord Jesus Christ, and to those who are disobedient, it's an awful, awful end. The consequences are terrible for anybody who sits in this room among living stones.
Who is disobedient to the living Word of God and does not accept the Lord Jesus?
Just a couple of things lest we be there be confusion in our minds. It was mentioned at the beginning of the meeting the portion in Matthew on this rock I will build my church and the Lord Jesus has built his is built the I'm sorry, God is building his church on the Lord Jesus. That's the rock and Peter clarifies this in our chapter, but Don read the verse in Ephesians where the he builds upon the foundation which is the apostles and prophets.
Now you say, what is the coalition? Well, I believe it's just this, the the when he speaks of the apostles and prophets being the foundation, it is the foundation truths that they laid down by inspiration, particularly perhaps the Apostle Paul, but all the New Testament writers, they laid the foundation by giving us the truth concerning the Church of God. That's the foundation and nothing can change that. If the foundation be shaken, what can the righteous do?
But the foundation of God stands sure. Having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And so.
That when he speaks about building on the foundation, it's the truth concerning the person and work of Christ that the apostles give the fruition, the unfolding of this precious truth of which the Lord Jesus sowed the seeds in Matthews Gospel. Interesting that Matthews Gospel is the gospel that's most Jewish in its character and yet it's the only gospel where he gives us twice in anticipation the truth concerning the church. The other thing I'd like to say is that.
In both Ephesians 2 and in our chapter here in the King James that talks about the chief.
Cornerstone. Mr. Darby leaves the word chief out in both portions, and I believe rightly so. If Bob was talking about the cornerstones in our lives, four cornerstones and very, very good presentation. And when we talk about this building, it's not that there are more than one cornerstone and a chief 1A chief. Something gives the thought that there are others, but it's the thought that the Lord Jesus is the cornerstone.
The cornerstone on this rock I will build my church. There is one cornerstone that the Lord that he builds his church on, and that's himself, the Lord Jesus. Yes, there's the foundation, the apostles and prophets, but he is not just the chief cornerstone, He is the cornerstone. Is that right, Don?
Him with what in chapter one?
Umm, verse 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seeds, but of the incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.
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That Word of God is that we hold in our hands as a revelation.
Is the growth given to us by the apostles and prophets? And so the apostles and prophets are those that were given of God that we have in the New Testament part of the Word. And it's on that foundation which in itself is part of the living Word of God.
That is the foundation on which the work is done, and it has to be on Christ, who is the living stone.
He was dead.
But He is alive forevermore, and as alive forevermore in His person. We have that one and only on which this word is used to bring life.
It's an incorruptible seed that was established for us through the human instruments that recorded it, inspired of God. It is beautiful to know that this morning.
The emblems we saw the smitten stone didn't we? That was that was nice to see. We have saw a smitten stone there and here we see the cornerstone in connection with the church. If you look at the stone of stumbling in a rock of offense at Christ first.
Coming he was A to the Jews, a stumbling stone in a rock of offense, wasn't he?
But it doesn't stop there. Christ is going to return a second time to the nation of Israel, and in Zachariah four and seven, it says that He will be the headstone of the corner. So He will again be a stone again only to that nation of Israel in His second coming. And then to the Gentile power it says that he is a stone that is cut without hands.
And that's found in Daniel. And so we see that in his second coming, when he sets up his Kingdom, he will again still remain as a stone, won't he? He'll remain as a stone to Israel in one sense, in the way that it tells us in Zechariah, the heads on other corner and under the Gentile powers, he will be one that is a smiting stone, a stone cut without hands.
Lord Jesus is the foundation, isn't He? It says in First Corinthians 3.
No other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ.
But it's called this foundation of the apostles and prophets because it's the apostles and New Testament prophets that laid out the teaching as to the person of the Lord Jesus upon which we are grounded, if we are real believers in the Lord Jesus. But I'd like to suggest another thought in connection with the cornerstone and that it is the reference point for everything in that building.
They used to set a large stone in the corner from where they were going to build, and how long is that building going to be, how wide, how high? All the measurements were made from that stone. That was the point of reference, and I think that's important to consider. Brethren, in assembly meetings, what is the point of reference? It's not what I think.
It's not what such and such brethren feel or believe.
It's Christ. It must be the reference point in everything in connection with this building. He is the cornerstone.
And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The Lord Jesus said, And I think rather than that's a great comfort, isn't it? The great edifices of this world come and go. The Twin towers came down on 9/11. I've had opportunity to, to tour some of the ruins of Europe and those great castles and buildings that were built. And some of it is still standing, but those they're in, they're in ruin. But the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And you know, sometimes we use an expression and I know what we mean when we use this expression.
But sometimes we say the church is in ruin. But brethren, that needs explanation because if we unequivocally say the church is in ruin, we're saying that God has failed, that the Lord Jesus has failed. It's the testimony that is in ruin because man has failed in his responsibility to, for instance, endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace and so on. So it's the testimony that's in ruin, but it's really not the church that is in ruin because that is in His hand.
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And he is going to bring it to fruition. He's going to present it to himself. A glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
Now take me, I say, Amen. But in connection with part of what you said, First Corinthians 11/26 very plainly says, For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lords death.
Till he come.
Telecom.
That is going to continue until he comes on a scriptural ground. He wouldn't say till he come if he wasn't going to provide a scriptural ground on which to do it. Right now the exercise from my heart is Lord, keep me and my prayer for you is to be kept because it says you do show the Lord's death till he comes.
Encouragement.
I Salvation.
Progressing.