Skipping Rocks

553.  "Skipping Rocks"                           July 2, 2012
1 Peter 2-Part 2
To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.  1 Peter 2:4-5

LET IT GLOW
As a child, I would play with rocks at the creek on my grandfather's farm. It is called Flint Creek because there are so many flint rocks along the creek bed. Now these are not just your ordinary rocks. They are white and flat, usually larger than my fist. I remember when my cousins would come during the hot summer, we all went to the creek to swim and play. Some of us would use these rocks as chalk to draw pictures. But there would always be a time when we tried to show off our ability to skip those flint rocks upstream across the top of the water. Of course, I could make mine skip at least 4 times, an achievement of which I was proud. (The secret is the twist of the wrist.) I thought about these special, unique rocks as I read our verses. Jesus is referred to as my Rock in Psalm 18:2, 31:3, 62:2, and 71:3.
Let's look into today's verses.

There is only one Savior, Jesus Christ, and only one spiritual building, the church. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone of the church (Eph. 2:20), binding the building togerther.

Peter describes Jesus as:

• the living stone because He was raised from the dead and is alive forevermore (verse 4);
• a Chief Corner Stone (verses 6, Is. 28:16);
• rejected by men (verses 4, Ps.118:22);
• the chosen stone of the Father, held in honor and exalted by God (verse 4);
• precious  to believers (verses 4, 7);

Do I hiding in the cleft of the Rock, my Savior? Am I standing on the solid Rock, Jesus? Is my life built upon Him?

LET IT GROW

Peter, in verse 5, tells me to come to Jesus and:

• be like a living stone, a lively stone, that is being built up into a spiritual house (the church);
• become a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ;
• rest my faith on Jesus, thus having no reason to feel ashamed;
• have honor belonging to us as believers. 

Just as a physical house is built upon a firm foundation (concrete) and the rocks or blocks are added together for the walls, so are believers added to the church, building a spiritual house for Jesus. He is the corner stone, which is the support of the walls. He is the builder of the church. It is His life and blood that is the foundation of our beliefs.


LET IT GO

Keep Jesus as my Chief Corner Stone in my life.

Make sure He is my Rock when my life crumbles.

Be a living and lively stone in the church.

Bring spiritual sacrifices to Jesus.



.