Jesus Christ, the Chief Cornerstone

Transcript

GR1931
10/25/2015
Jesus Christ, the Chief Cornerstone
I Peter 2:6-8
Gil Rugh

We are going to I Peter in your Bibles. This is the first of two letters penned by Peter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and preserved as part of our Bibles; Peter, the well-known apostle who was so prominent in the Gospels during Christ’s earthly ministry because of his quickness to speak up sometimes appropriately, sometimes inappropriately. Then in the book of Acts he is God’s instrument for the first portion of the book of Acts as he is the central figure until God brings Paul into the picture and so for the last part of the book of Acts the focus is on Paul’s ministry but we keep in mind Peter’s ministry goes on. In the history of the church we move from the initial development of it and the establishing of it among the Jews to the carrying of the Gospel to the Gentiles and that is under Paul’s ministry but Peter’s ministry goes on as he carries the message of Christ and becomes a central figure until the time of his martyrdom.

His first letter is written to believing Jews. We keep emphasizing that. It becomes important as we have noted throughout the letter but particularly the section we come to in chapter 2. Now we say it is written, addressed to believing Jews. That does not mean things in it are not pertinent and much of it applies also to Gentiles but we keep in mind there will be things in this letter that will be true only of Jews so we want to be sensitive as we move through that. The salvation God has provided is the same salvation for Jew and Gentile alike. So through that first chapter he talked about God “caused us to be born again to a living hope” in chapter 1, verse 3: “To an inheritance.” We are protected by the power of God in verse 5 and this sustains us through trials. That is true whether we are Jews or Gentiles even though he may have in mind some of the particular trials the Jewish believers are experiencing basically those provisions are the same whether we are talking about believing Jews or believing Gentiles.

The instructions for how we live are the same even though the Jews would grab on to even more clearly the instructions from the Old Testament like verse 15: “You be holy for I am holy.” The Jews realizing that was instruction given to our nation and now repeated for us. But it is true for us Gentiles. We are saints, holy ones. We are set apart by God for Himself. And that work of salvation, the work of growing the ministry of the Spirit and using the Word in our growth down into chapter 2, those first three verses and we have looked into verses 4 and 5, “coming to Him as a living stone which has been rejected by men but is choice and precious in the sight of God you also as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” And for Jewish believers the language here would connect here to Old Testament promises and prophecies. Israel was to be a holy priesthood. There was promise that for their future they offer up sacrifices but now they are offering up spiritual sacrifices but that is true for all of us as believers.

We are Gentiles as we saw like in Ephesians chapter 2 are “being built up as a spiritual house.” So different analogies of believers being the body of Christ, being a spiritual building which is going to be elaborated further here and we are stones added to the building but we are living stones because we have come to the One who Himself is a living stone, verse 4: “Coming to Him as a living stone,” verse 5: “You also as living stones are being built up;” these different pictures drawn for us of the work of God uniting us together. True for Jews but it is also true in many ways for us as Gentiles as well.

He is going to draw a contrast drawn from the Old Testament between those who believe and those who don’t. Again this draws a line between all believers and unbelievers but it also makes clear for the Jews a distinction which has always been there. We talked about this, that the nation Israel as a nation was chosen by God for Himself; the physical descendants of Abraham through Isaac, through Jacob. That line is important. That is the chosen line. It is not all of Abraham’s descendants. It has to come from Abraham through Isaac and Isaac through Jacob and then Jacob to the twelve tribes. The nation that developed out of that family line is the only nation God has ever chosen for Himself, Amos chapter 3: “You only have I chosen of all the nations of the earth.” Other nations have received blessing. We live in a country we would say has been blessed by God. But it has not been chosen by God as the special nation for Himself. There is only one nation like that; that is why is continues to be the object of difficulty, trials and so on because the devil hates the nation God has chosen but choosing that nation does not mean that every Jew is saved. The Jews slid into this error. They thought because they were the Jews they had the covenants, they had the law and kept the law at least within a general way, observing sacrifices and so on. Their guarantee was secure and their salvation was secure, guaranteed. We are not sinners like the Gentiles. There is an element of truth in that. We are not just like the Gentiles. We are God’s chosen people. That was true for all the Jews but not every Jew was chosen in the sense of being a recipient of God’s salvation. There’s always been the line within the nation of true believers and we looked at passages where the Jews were instructed to have their hearts circumcised. Physical circumcision without the heart being cleansed, sin being removed was nothing but a physical exercise. So that idea of the remnant as we have looked at.

So these Jews are being reminded they are part of the church that is now being built through faith in Christ but they also serve an added function in being the remnant through whom God’s promises still hold true and a reminder that there will come a time when the entire nation will be brought into these blessings.

The contrast he is going to be drawing now is between believer and unbeliever. That would have special impact for the Jews, reminding them being a Jew does not save you. Being related to the Jewish Messiah by faith does save you.

Passages, we won’t turn there but let me read you a few. John 3:36, the Gospel of John chapter 3. We are familiar with John 3:16 but John 3:36: “He who believes in the Son has eternal life. He who does not obey the Son (and obey is talking about the obedience of faith) shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him;” that distinguishing between saved and unsaved. Acts 4:12, this is Peter speaking: “There is salvation in no one else for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” There is only one way of salvation. I Timothy 2: 5,6: “There is one God and one Mediator also between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus who gave Himself a ransom for all.” That consistent dividing in Scripture, you are either in or out, you either belong to God or you don’t. You are either a Jew who has experienced God’s salvation or you are a Jew who is lost forever. The same is true of Gentiles but for the Jews there is a particular thrust here because of their confusion in thinking they are saved because they are Jews.

A parallel we would have today is people think they are saved because they are part of a particular religious group. You know I go to this church, I am Lutheran, I am Catholic, I am this, I am that, I have been baptized and therefore I am alright; no, but here particularly the Jews in view.

Alright you will see as you just pick up with back in chapter 1, verse 24 you had the quote there: “All flesh is like grass” from the book of Isaiah chapter 40 and then you will see in the beginning of verse 6 an extensive series of quotes that go down through verse 10 that are very crucial. I have mentioned to you some of these are misapplied to the church today and we probably won’t get to all of these tonight but we want to walk through and what he is going to do in the verses before us speaking about with verse 6 is distinguish between believer and unbeliever and he draws Old Testament Scriptures to this because for Jewish believers and Jewish readers it is particularly relevant that they are reminded that this comes out of their Old Testament Scripture that God made a distinction between those Jews who belong to Him and those Jews who did not belong to Him, had not experienced His covenantal salvation blessings and we will see that there is a community dimension as he has developed. We are being built up as a spiritual house. These different analogies show even though salvation is personal and individual the result of salvation is we are brought together and even though it’s not as the nation Israel, it is as the church today. In both periods of time God works in bringing His people into a fellowship relationship with Himself and with others.

Alright, look at verse 6 of I Peter 2: “For this is contained in Scripture.” And this is what the Scripture says, “Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone. He who believes in Him will not be disappointed.” What he is going to show is the key focus is Jesus Christ. He is reinforcing to these believing Jews. Remember he is writing to the elect, to the chosen sojourners of the diaspora reminding them of God’s work of grace in the salvation He has provided for them. He is going to use three portions of Scripture in verses 6-8 from Isaiah we will note this as we go, from Psalms and then back in Isaiah. Isaiah 28, then Psalm 118 and then he will come back to Isaiah 8, Isaiah 28 and Isaiah 8, in the middle of the Psalm 118. This statement, “I lay in Zion,” where this stone is established is Zion and it becomes a reference to Jerusalem where Jerusalem was, Mount Zion. It’s where the work of Christ was accomplished. So “I lay in Zion a choice stone.” So the work of Christ accomplished in redemption took place where? At Jerusalem, just outside the city but at Zion there, Jerusalem. That is where the stone will be laid so he is talking about Christ and he’s quoting from Isaiah 28:16 and he is going to say three things about this stone. It is God’s chosen stone, it is a precious stone and it is a cornerstone which will then be put together in application by him. “I lay in Zion a choice stone.” This was used in verse 4, “Coming to Him as a living stone which has been rejected by men but is choice.” It really comes to the basic word ‘election’ used of believers back in the opening portion of this letter, the opening verses, elect sojourners. So Christ is God’s elect chosen, choice stone, the sovereign God has chosen this stone so this is God’s work. This is God’s provision. This is God’s plan. “I lay in Zion a chosen stone” and the Jews could grasp on to this, these Jewish believers obviously. “It is a precious stone,” that was used in verse 4 as well; “Choice and precious.” You see what he said in these preceding verses now he is reinforcing with quotes from the Old Testament reminding these Jews. This is as God said He would do. This is not contrary to the Old Testament Scriptures. This is consistent with the Old Testament Scriptures. Now they weren’t properly understood by the Jews and even the prophets who gave them as Peter said they didn’t understand what they were writing as he mentioned that in chapter 1 here. He is a precious stone, a stone of great value. This is God’s valuation. It is chosen by God. It is precious to Him. I mean this is His Son, His only begotten Son, the One who dwelt with Him in eternity, the One through whom all creation was brought into existence. He is called a cornerstone, the stone that would be set at the extreme corner and then the building is laid out connected to that stone. It sets the lines of the building and so on. It is the central stone. This is the same thing that he talked about in verses 4 and 5 where He is the living stone and we come to Him and are living stones. Now in the construction of the building He is the cornerstone and all who will be part of this building are set in relationship to Him. He is the key here, the cornerstone.

This particular word ‘cornerstone’ come back to Ephesians chapter 2. It is only used one other time in the New Testament here, Ephesians chapter 2 and you see here it is true of all believers because Jews and Gentiles have been brought together in one new man, in one body, in the previous verses here, in one building in the work that God is doing now. So verse 19: “You are no longer strangers and aliens. You are fellow citizens with the saints and are of God’s household, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord in whom you also are being built together.” This is true of all believers but here it is driven home. It’s consistency with Old Testament Scripture that these Jews can appreciate. We have not abandoned what God prophesied. There is a dimension to the plan of God that had not received full revelation in the Old Testament but what is key has been revealed. The Savior that would be provided, the Jewish Messiah would be for Jew and Gentile but here this cornerstone laid in Zion, the work of Christ accomplished there, His redemption referred to back up in chapter 1, back in I Peter, verses 18 and 19: “You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your empty way of life inherited from your forefathers but with precious blood as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” That was the laying of the cornerstone. Without that there could be no living stones because we could not come to Him for life because it took His death. So that was laid in Zion. He is choice, precious, He’s the cornerstone.

Now having established the importance of the cornerstone chosen by the sovereign choice of God, precious in the sight of God the keystone by which all have to be connected and related to be part of this building he is going on to divide into two groups. First he who believes in Him will not be disappointed. He who believes in Him will not be disappointed. We have talked about our faith. It begins in salvation, the moment we place our faith in Christ but then we continue to live a life of faith. We have talked about the grace that began, God’s saving grace and it continues on to be the grace that envelopes all aspects of our lives as we walk as new creatures in Christ. I say that because here this word ‘believe’ is a present participle. Often in English we use ‘ing’ on the end of our participles. In the present tense – note this is ongoing. So you could translate this “He who is believing in Him.” That is not has believed in Him in some point in the past and now you know that faith was just for then. That faith that started then continues; we are still believing in Him, right? It doesn’t matter whether you initially trusted Christ 50 years ago you are still believing in Him as your Lord and Savior. That is the point here. “He who is believing in Him,” and the work He accomplished that we just read in chapter 1, verses 18 and 19 that accomplished what nothing else, no one else could accomplish. These Jews realize the traditions they inherited in Judaism from their forefathers. They were empty in the sense that they couldn’t provide salvation. The salvation was provided in the promises so the foundation is laid in Jerusalem.

“Whoever is believing in Him will not be disappointed.” It refers to the idea of a disappointment or shame caused by failure. In other words you believe in Christ but nothing happens. There is no disappointment in Christ. No one will be put to shame because they believed in Christ and He failed. You know that happens. People are disappointed. You sometimes read of people whose money was embezzled and they put their trust in a person who said they would invest it and they really misused it and you see them interviewed and they’re ashamed. I am ashamed I trusted him. I don’t know why I trusted him so much. They are disappointed because they don’t have the promised result. In Christ there is no disappointment. The one believing in Him will never be disappointed and the negative here, “will not be disappointed.” It is really a double negative in Greek. Two little two-letter words each of these words are two letters ooh, may and some of you have taken some Greek and you ooh, may, that is strong. No, never will be disappointed. When you put ooh may together, the double negative the point is there will never, this will never happen. No disappointment ever for those believing in Christ.

The salvation He provides is full, complete and permanent. That’s what we had back in chapter 1. It started out and unfolded something of that salvation now he is going back and repeating it and showing this is what was promised and prophesied and these believing Jews have entered into the promises of salvation that God provided. He said back in chapter 1, verse 5: “You are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” Our salvation is complete in one sense but it is not complete in the other. It is complete in the sense I am fully saved, completely saved, cleansed from all sin. But it is not complete in the sense I haven’t experienced all there is in it. There is a future dimension, a glory in His presence, the inheritance He has provided for us; so the ones believing in Him. That is why he said back in verse 5: “You are protected by the power of God through faith,” because that is on-going.

A person who says they trusted Christ but have turned away they are not saved. Remember John wrote in his first epistle, “They went out from us because they were not really of us. For if they had really been part of us they would have remained with us.” They went out so it might be clearly demonstrated they are not part of us.

So saving faith is an on-going faith. That doesn’t mean there can’t be times when we stumble. We all do and sometimes we all look at ourselves and say, “How could I have such little faith?” You wonder, you stop and you say something to Him, “God, do You really love me?” Well, I mean, what a question. Of course He loves me. He loves me as much in my down time as my up times and sometimes I am a man of little faith as Christ has to say to His disciples, “Oh ye of little faith.” But we have that on-going faith. There is no disappointment. That’s why when you offer someone the free gift of salvation in Christ you can promise them this is guaranteed. Not by me, not by an organization. This is guaranteed by the sovereign God who is all powerful. That’s why Romans 8 says what? “There is nothing that can separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus.” The worst things we go through they don’t separate us from the love of God. There will be no disappointment. There is no failure.

Verse 7: “This precious value is for you who believe.” So a reminder, we’ve got to emphasize. People want to grab on to certain promises in the Scripture and claim them for themselves but these are only for those who believe. There is no salvation outside of what is provided in Christ and that salvation doesn’t come to a person who may have a lot of knowledge about Christ. The Jews have a lot of knowledge about the Scriptures. Paul knew a lot about the Old Testament Scriptures before he came to true salvation. There is a distinction between knowledge and faith. You need certain knowledge of the facts of the Gospel to believe them but just knowing the facts of the Gospel doesn’t save you.

There have been people who have shared the facts of the Gospel with other people and didn’t come to know Christ themselves until later and they give testimonies to that fact. You know I told people the Gospel. One day I realized I hadn’t really believed it myself. So this is where these Jews are and the truth is driven home. This precious value, what? The value of the salvation provided in the cornerstone laid in Zion that was talked about in verses 18 and 19 of chapter 1. It is more precious than the silver and gold you may inherit in the earthly realm. It is very 19 of chapter 1, “The precious blood as of a lamb unblemished and spotless,” the blood of Christ. It is precious, His death. So this precious value chapter 2, verse 7: “Is for you who believe;” the beauty of it, the simplicity of it; a reminder to these Jews. There is still a struggle in Judaism, remember, you need to keep the law. Paul alluded to that in our study this morning looking in a portion of Galatians. We feel like we have to do something. We have to earn it. We have to…..no, it’s by faith.

“This precious value then is for you who believe.” And the full realization of it all will be yet in the future, back in chapter 1, verse 7: “So that the proof of your faith, you continue to believe through trials. You are distressed now by various trials. The proof is testing of your faith. More precious than gold which is perishable even though tested by fire may result in praise, glory and honor.” Honor, same basic word that we have translated ‘precious,’ worthy of honor, something precious, worthy of honor. It is of great value, “At the revelation of Jesus Christ.” As wonderful as the salvation that I have and enjoy today is the fullness and the best is yet to come. Now when you think of what is before us, what is promised to us, that is what he talked about in chapter 1: “This precious value then is for you who believe.” “For you who are believing.” Again, another present participle addressing these believing Jews.

Well isn’t that how we talk about a Christian? We are believers. We are not just those who believed at one time. We are believers. We are those believing in Jesus Christ. I first believed in Him many years ago but I have not stopped believing in Him for one moment of one day. That is not to imply I have never you had weak spots in my faith but you understand the point being made and that is what he is reminding. “This precious value is for you who are believing.”

A good reminder for these Jews because they would be assaulted by unbelieving Jews saying it is not enough. You have to keep the law. A reminder, this precious value is for those of you who are believing but not for those who disbelieve. It is just the word ‘believe’ with a negative on the front. They put the Greek ‘a,’ it’s our English ‘a’ on the front of believing, you have not believing translated here, disbelieving. It is another present participle.

So this precious value is for you who are believing but for those who are not believing, they are in a state of unbelief. Now he is going to quote from Psalm 118, verse 22. We are not going back to these passages because we have them basically recorded here for us but he quoted from Isaiah 28. Now he talks about those who are not believing and he goes to Psalm 118. “The stone which the builders rejected” and this became the very cornerstone, the stone rejected by the believers.

This refers to the professional builders. We are talking about Jews writing to Jews. They have a special place, these builders of responsibility. Jesus came to His own in John 1. He is talking about the Jews but they wouldn’t have Him. They wouldn’t receive Him. They refused to believe in Him and the “builders” here is referring to the leaders of Israel, the Scribes and the Pharisees. In fact Jesus in the last week of His life before His crucifixion used this very passage applying it to the Jewish leaders of His day.

Come back to the book of Luke, the Gospel of Luke. We are going to Luke chapter 20. He’s told the parable of the vine-growers. You know the master sent his servants and they are shamefully treated and then he sends his son and they mistreat him and kill him. The response to that, verse 16: “He will come and destroy those vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, ‘May it never be!’” This nation is ejected, the nation hearing Him, the nation Israel as a nation is not rejected but that generation and the nation Israel will be placed under judgment which has continued until today for their rejection of the Messiah. There will come a time when we will have the restoration of the nation. Then he says in verse 17: “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘what then is this that is written, the stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief corner stone?’ Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken in pieces, but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”
Come over to John 19. Here Jesus in His conversation with Pilate as the Jews have brought him to Pilate because they need Roman authority to crucify him, verse 10 in the conversation between Pilate and Jesus, Jesus doesn’t offer Pilate an answer so Pilate said to Him in verse 10: “You do not speak to me. Do you not know that I have authority to release you, I have authority to crucify you. Jesus said, ‘You would have no authority over me unless it had been given you from above.’” Jesus acknowledged you have been placed in your position of authority by God. He understands Pilate’s predicament. That doesn’t excuse Pilate’s guilt but he’s not the real guilty party here in the final sense. He will give the decree because he has been put in this position but note the last part of verse 11: “For this reason, he who delivered me to you has the greater sin.” It doesn’t say Pilate is sinless but the real responsibility for the crucifixion of Christ lies with the Jews. That is not popular to say. It’s like you are anti-Semitic. The Jews bare the ultimate responsibility for the crucifixion of Christ. Now we have to be careful. That is why some of the reformers as we have talked about believe that God was done with the Jews and they didn’t deserve any mercy because they had killed Christ and bore full responsibility and so should suffer. We need to be careful we keep Scripture in perspective but you will note here, “Those who gave Him over had the greater sin.”

Look in Acts chapter 4. Peter is preaching as we’ve said in the first part of the book of Acts Peter is the dominant figure. In Acts chapter 4 he is addressing the Jewish leadership again. Verse 8: “Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them, ‘Rulers and elders of the people,’” and they have brought him because he healed a sick man. “If we were on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man as how this man has been made well,” we will say something about that in a moment, “Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead.” You see he put them in conflict with God. “You in opposition to God crucified Him but God overruled you and raised Him from the dead. By this name, this man stands here before you in good health. He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders.” You see the Jewish leaders representing the nation and the unbelief of the nation rejected Him. “But He became the chief corner stone and there is salvation in no one else for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” And Peter has made an important connection here. The physical salvation of this man demonstrates that the power the brought him physical salvation is the power that can bring spiritual salvation. You pick that up. We don’t have it in our English but at the end of verse 9, “This man has been made well.” That is the translation of the basic Greek word ‘sozo’ to be saved. It can be used of physical salvation. It can be used of spiritual salvation. Peter uses it of physical salvation, this man being healed in verse 9. He used the same verb down at the end of verse 12, “By which we must be saved,” sozo. So this man has been saved physically by the one that you crucified that God raised from the dead. There is salvation is no one else. The fact that he is here having been physically healed demonstrates that He can bring spiritual life and healing. Remember Jesus did this that offended the people of His day when He told the man to “take up your bed. Your sins are forgiven you. Rise up and walk.” And the Jews were horrified and Jesus said, “What it is easier to say? Rise up and walk or your sins are forgiven? But so that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins.” So here that same connection is made and Peter makes the transition so clearly and he applies to them the very passage that we are looking at from Psalm 118. “He is the stone which was rejected by you,” the builders. “And this is the day (verse 5) when their rulers, elders and scribes were gathered together” and the high priest and those of his family and so on are gathered there. They are the builders. They were the ones responsible and accountable in the oversight of the nation. It doesn’t excuse the nation because the nation became part of the decision of their leaders. He became the cornerstone.

So come back to Peter. He became the very cornerstone. So in God’s plan His purposes are accomplished. He even used the sin of man to accomplish His purposes. Peter preached this in Acts chapter 2: “You by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God have used the hands of wicked men to crucify Christ.” So men in the most sinful action, the crucifixion of the Son of God are simply carrying out the predetermined plan of God; they in their sinfulness. You cannot frustrate the plan of God. The builders rejected the stone. God made Him the chief cornerstone. Their rejection was part of His sovereign plan to provide the Savior, to be the cornerstone of a building that those who believe in Him could be part of. He became the cornerstone.

So He is the only one in whom there is salvation. There is no being part of the building of God’s work of salvation apart from Jesus Christ. There was an article in the paper this weekend about a church celebrating an anniversary in our city and they pride themselves. They are open to all religious convictions and people of all beliefs are welcome and they see that as a mark of pride. It is a mark of doom, of lostness, of people without hope. You have rejected the stone. There is no saying nice words about Christ and then implying that there are other ways of salvation. He is the cornerstone. It is those who believe in Him who will not be rejected.

So verse 8 now goes back to Isaiah. We started out by quoting from Isaiah 28. Then we moved to Psalm 118. Now Peter goes back to Isaiah again chapter 8, verse 14: “And a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense.” This is for those who do not believe. Precious value, verse 7 is for you who are believing. “He became the chief cornerstone. Those who believe in Him will not be disappointed.” What about those who are not believing in Him? He is still a stone, a rock but not the cornerstone. He’s the stone that will bring destruction to them. A stone of stumbling, a rock of offense. The unbelievers stumble over Him to their own ruin. They are crushed by Him. This is a picture of the rock of offense. They are offended by Him and so it is the stone who will crush them.

Come back to Matthew chapter 21; Jesus quoting again the context of the parable of the landowner and the vineyard. Verse 42 He says: “Did you never read the Scriptures? The stone which the builders rejected this became the chief cornerstone. This came about from the Lord. It is marvelous in our eyes; therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, a nation producing the fruit of it” and we will talk about that when we get to the nation in Peter probably in our next study. This is not Gentiles. He doesn’t say to the nations like Gentile nation, but to a nation. This particular people, Jews of Jesus’ time don’t get the blessing. There will come a blessing we read about like in Romans chapter 11 when all Israel will be saved. The nation in existence at that time will receive the blessing. So it will be given to a nation. You have that in your margin, that little number ‘1’ in front of people. Then you look at the margin, literally nation, given to a nation.

“He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces. On whomever it falls it will scatter him like dust.” And the leaders of the Jews are offended. They know He is talking about them, verse 45. You can’t avoid Christ. You will deal with Him. He is the stone you will deal with. Either that stone to bring you life and you are incorporated into His life and part of His body, His building or you will be crushed by Him. There is no middle ground. You cannot avoid Jesus Christ. “Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” There is no getting around it.

This softness about the Gospel and you know we shouldn’t be offending people. The Gospel is an offense. The Gospel is offensive to those who are perishing but for the grace of God we would continue to be offended by that message. Jesus Christ told us to expect that. “Woe to you when all men speak well of you.” They speak well of the false prophets. The church is constantly trying to have some kind of recognition. Neo-evangelicalism, well if we develop the scholarship that gets admiration of the world then they will see us differently. We don’t want to be just viewed as Bible thumping fundamentalists. If only the world would respect us and admire us. Not possible. What did Jesus Christ do wrong to be rejected by His own people, the Jews and be crucified, a sinless man? And what did He say? “If you are my slaves why should you expect better treatment than Me? But we keep thinking we should.

Our church ought to have a good reputation in the community. Well it should in the sense that the people of this are good workers, they treat people fairly, they are kind and thoughtful but the bottom line issue is a spiritual issue. You can’t get away from it.

The world is divided between the children of God and the children of the devil. That is the division Peter is drawing here to the attention. These Jews need to understand they have family members and friends. The Jews are under pressure. Well, could I compromise? Could I incorporate the law into the Gospel? Could I play down Christ’s role?

Come back to I Peter chapter 2. “He is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” That rock of offense, that stone of stumbling is a crushing rock. They get scattered like dust. They are totally destroyed. They are not annihilated but you get the point. They are destroyed by Him. “Depart from Me, cursed ones into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” That is the destiny. This is serious business. This is not let’s just get along the best we can. Let’s be as clear as we must.

Note what it says, “A stone of stumbling and rock of offense,” in I Peter 2:8 from Isaiah 8:14. “For they stumble because they are disobedient to the Word and to this (and you have the word ‘doom’ inserted here) they were appointed. They stumble because they are disobedient to the Word.”

Back in chapter 1, verse 2: “According to the foreknowledge of God the Father by sanctifying work of the Spirit obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood.” That’s why we looked at passages that showed obeying Christ, believing in Christ are used interchangeably. We respond in faith to Him. We are obeying Him; the picture, the concept.

Down in verse 14 of chapter 1: “As obedient children.” Those what, believing. So back in verse 8 of chapter 2: “They stumble because they are disobedient to the Word. They refuse to believe it.” You know I agree with Rob as he shared with you in the forum. It is encouraging to read the testimonies of those who are carrying the Gospel out to our city and many doors are closed. Many people are rude and some are open and some will hear but how important it is that people hear this message. You can’t make them believe. Only God can touch a heart. We can know we came to their door with the message of life. That door may be closed in our face but we were there representing the One who is the only Savior. Some listen, some take material but that is in God’s hands. God is pleased the savor of the knowledge of Christ is being given off. The people were disobedient to the Word. They don’t want to hear it.

The rebellion against the Word of God oozes out of our society. We don’t want God included. You know we are open to all religions and more and more you are closed in and people who own businesses feel more of the pressure because unbiblical conduct has to be accepted and if you speak against it you are intolerant. Where will they go because now if people have a right not to be offended and they are offended when you tell them they are a sinner, you tell them when their conduct is sinful, when you tell them that they are lost that is offensive.

One thing all the world agrees on, we hate the truth. We oppose the Savior. The world can come together around that commitment. Good people, bad people. At heart there are only two kinds of people, saved people and unsaved people. “They stumble because they are disobedient to the Word,” they refuse to believe it. You can’t avoid Him. If you won’t believe in Him you stumble over Him and if you continue in your unbelief you will be destroyed through Him.

“To this doom they were appointed.” We want to be careful. Some reformed people believe in double predestination, reprobation that some people were elected by God, chosen by God for salvation and were chosen by God and appointed by God for destruction. The Scripture doesn’t present that. This verse doesn’t present that. God doesn’t have to act on unbelieving people to have them doomed. They are doomed by birth and by choice. What he is talking about here to this doom they were also appointed. To this they were appointed. You leave the word ‘doom’ out may help, to stumble. When you are disobedient to the Word, you are appointed to stumble. God’s provision is salvation by faith in Christ. He’s appointed all who won’t believe in Him will stumble and be destroyed. They were appointed to this. It is not, well, God predestined them to destruction. He has predestined all who will not believe to destruction. We want to be careful we don’t go beyond what the Scripture says.

Just come to one passage, I Timothy chapter 2 and you are familiar with a number of the passages. I have some of them listed here but we will just take I Timothy chapter 2, the first verse: “First of all then, I urge that entreaties, prayers, petitions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men, for kings, all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” We pray for our rulers, the decisions being made that we might continue to enjoy the kind of environment that is conducive to godliness and the giving off of the Gospel of Christ. We have to do it in unconducive environments and we can ask God to work in the hearts and lives of rulers to direct them in their decisions.

“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.” Now note what the ultimate goal is. “Who desires all men to be saved.” That word ‘all’ you may have it marked from previous studies, twice in verse 1, twice in verse 2, again in verse 4, again in verse 6. “He desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth for there is one God and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus who gave Himself a ransom for all.” How gracious God is. He has given a Savior for all but all won’t be saved. God desires all men to be saved. He doesn’t cause all men to be saved but He desires them.

Talk to someone. You can tell them, “You know, I would like to tell you what God desires for you. What His hearts’ desire for you is. You know what He says? He desires that you would receive His gift of life. That you would be saved by believing the Savior He provided for you. You know God says, ‘I take no pleasure in the destruction of the wicked.’”

Why has He delayed the destruction of the wicked? 2 Peter, He is patient giving man an opportunity to experience salvation but make no mistake. He is not a soft-hearted God in that sense. He is a God who is gracious, who is loving, who has gone beyond what could be expected. He gave His only begotten Son to pay the penalty for our sin so that we through faith in Him could be saved. How gracious. I will give it to you as a gift. No works, no spiritual activity just receive it by faith. How gracious, how loving but understand He is an ungracious God to those who reject.

So you have to bring the other side. There is a doom ahead. There is a crushing destruction awaiting for those who do not avail themselves of this salvation. We must not blur these matters. That is what Peter is pointing out. You Jews, there can be no confusion here thinking we will be gracious. We will expand it. We will take the sharp edges off. We will make it seem more appealing. We don’t want it to look like its narrow. It is narrow. I must tell people there is only one way of salvation. It is very narrow but you know what? It is broad enough for everyone who will receive it. Why would it need to be any broader? You can come but you have to come through the narrow gate. You must come through Jesus Christ. It is God’s way that is the only way to salvation. That is what Peter is driving home to these believing Jews and to us today.

Let’s pray together. Thank You Lord for the riches of Your Word, Lord, the truth that is true. Heaven and earth will pass away. Your Word will never pass away. The truth proclaimed 1,000 years before Christ came, the truth proclaimed by Christ, the truth proclaimed by His apostles is true 2,000 years later, a truth 3,000 years later. It is a truth of Your graciousness, Your love, Your provision of a Savior and that reminder of the hopeless lostness of all who refuse to believe in Him. We thank You for the grace that brought us salvation and Lord Your grace that enables and empowers us to be ministers of reconciliation to share with the lost the salvation that is available to them in Christ. We give You praise in Christ’s name amen.