I know many men and women who were considered “rejects” when they were in school. Some appeared to think, “If you think I’m bad, I’ll show you how bad I can be.”
For the most part, Peter’s friends were “rejects” too. They belonged to a new and suspect religion, Christianity.
As Jews, they didn’t fit into Roman society. As Jewish Christians, they were accused of worshiping a crucified God.
Crucifixion was invented by the Persians as a way to humiliate and torture guilty parties. Absolutely no one would wear a cross as jewelry and more than someone would wear an electric chair today.
Peter’s message to the “rejects” was that the One they loved and served had been rejected by humans, but was highly accepted by God.
Come to Him
Many of my friends have done precisely what Peter advocated in his letter. They have come to Jesus with amazing results.
Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and
Like living stones let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2.4-5).
What people rejected, God has chosen and is precious in his sight.
God’s chosen people are a spiritual house and a holy priesthood.
For centuries the Temple was the place where God met with humans. It was rightfully the most sacred location on earth.
Paul understood that God had moved the Temple to a location within the human heart.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6.19).
Slaves, women, resident aliens, and the like received a major change in status. God made their inner self a location where he would visit them, just as he did in the Temple.
That fact is a good news message for “rejected” and everyone else in today’s age.
The high priest had the awesome duty of meeting with God in the Temple’s Most Holy Place.
God transforms believers and gives them the status of being “a holy priesthood.”
Believers talk to God on behalf of people and they talk to people on God’s behalf. We are given this awesome privilege and duty.
Peter exhorts us to “Come to him.” Considering these opportunities, why would we not come to our Lord and Savior?
Jesus – Our Example
Like a good preacher, Peter based his message on Scripture. When he wrote to the churches, the only available Scripture was the Old Testament.
He combined Isaiah 8 and Psalm 188 to show how Jesus was rejected but honored by the Father.
For it stands in scripture:
“See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (1 Peter 2.6)
We can’t emphasize enough the shame and horror of crucifixion. To be identified with a crucified person painted as a person with equal shame.
From God’s point of view, the crucified Son of God was not a “reject,” but the cornerstone of the temple in human hearts.
Believers are a temple for the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the stone that holds the entire building together.
This honor, then, is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner,”
And
“A stone that makes them stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.” (1 Peter 2.7-8)
Ben Witherington III writes, “Stumblers stumble because they do not believe and refuse to believe.” They build their lives rejecting the cornerstone.
Believers trust Jesus to hold everything together, whether it is the spiritual temple in their hearts or any other aspect of their lives.
Peter’s opening word “Come to him” is a keynote for us. Given all that God has done for us and all that God has for us, let’s come to Jesus.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I continue our discussion of 1 Peter on YouTube. You can see the video on the Bob Spradling channel.
Please email your prayer request to bsprad49@gmail.com. The Maywood prayer team will pray for you.
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