The
Stones Are Alive
1 Peter 2:4-5
One by one they placed a stone onto the grave of Oskar
Schindler. Who were these people and why were they doing this? It was a solemn
moment and there were few dry eyes as we watched this take place on the big
screen in movie theaters across the globe.
Those small rocks were released from the hands of Jews
who were rescued or descendants of those rescued from the torment or death of
Hitler’s Third Reich. Those small rocks were saying to the departed Gentile
hero, “My memory of you is solid as rock. You will never be forgotten.”
If you saw the movie, Schindler’s List, I’m sure you
remember the scene.
A rock or stone can symbolize many things. It can be used
destructively in a riot or as a means of execution as with Steven, an early
follow of Jesus (Acts 7:54-60). In Peter’s letter to some First Century
followers of Jesus he sees stones as building materials.
Rejected, but chosen … and precious. Who is Peter
describing?
He had just affirmed the recipients of his letter, saying
they have “tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:3b), professing that these
people have partaken of the kindness of Jesus. Now he wants them, and us, to
understand more deeply what it means to follow Christ.
“Coming
to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and
precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a
holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through
Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5 NKJV).
From being like a new born babe and then maturing into
having the ability to put away the traits of a dark heart—that is a sinful past—(v.2),
now the Christ follower becomes like a stone—a living stone—like Jesus.
Peter knew about stones. When Jesus called him out to be
His disciple, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called
Cephas,” which is translated, a stone (John 1:42 NKJV).
Later, when Jesus asked of His disciples, “Who do you say
that I am?” Peter spoke up and answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God” (Matthew 16:15-16).
Jesus affirmed Peter in that moment and confirmed Peter’s
revelation statement. The Lord said, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah (meaning
son of Jonah), for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father
who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I
will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it”
(Matthew 16:17-18 NKJV).
Peter is translated, Petros - Petra
(Greek), meaning rock.
Jesus is not saying that Peter is the rock on which the
church is built, but that his faith, which Peter resolutely expressed, is the
foundation stone of the church Jesus is building. Jesus himself is the chief
cornerstone and He is the very foundation of His church, the body of Christ.
Peter declares Jesus the living stone on which God’s
spiritual house is being built and that as we continuously come to Jesus we
recognize Him as the stone that was rejected and crucified by men (Psalm 118:22).
He also points out that Jesus was chosen by God and is precious to the Father.
The imagery of a stone or rock is significant in the
Bible as well as in Jewish traditions. In Matthew 7:24-29, we’re instructed to
build on rock, not sand, and Jesus is referred to as the Rock of our Salvation
in Psalm 89:26.
Jesus is the solid foundation stone and, like Peter, our
solid rock belief in Him makes us useful as His living building blocks.
Paul wrote a beautiful metaphor of God building His
church: “Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow
citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built
on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the
chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows
into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a
dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:14 NKJV).
Stone upon stone, we are living, breathing members of
God’s eternal construction project. It is our honor and blessing, as Christ
followers, to be living stones. We are building materials in the the spiritual
house which Jesus is raising up. And not only that, we are a holy priesthood
offering up spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to God (v.4). Let’s take
a look at that in my next post.
“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My
church, and the
gates of Hades shall not prevail
against it. And
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on
earth will
be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”
(Matthew
16:18-19 NKJV).
Your comments are welcome.
©Copyright
2018 Connie Wohlford
