PETER’S EPISTLES: PREPARING FOR ETERNITY

VIII. Functioning As God’s Royal Priesthood

(1 Peter 2:4-10)

I. Introduction

A. Before the Apostle Peter began to minister for the Lord in the Church, his outlook was impacted by Christ’s prophecy in John 21:18-19 that he would be crucified for Christ. Eternity was thus often on Peter’s mind.

B. We view Peter’s epistles that highlight preparing for eternity, and in 1 Peter 2:4-10, Peter taught us to function as God’s royal priesthood. We view the passage on what this entails for insight, application and edification:

II. Functioning As God’s Royal Priesthood, 1 Peter 2:4-10.

A. In 1 Peter 2:4a, Christ is spiritually called the Living Stone that was initially rejected by the builders, but Who was chosen of God and precious. This figurative expression comes from Psalm 118:22-23 where the odd shaped stone that the builders initially rejected in building the temple they later discovered was the head of the corner, that it was essential for the entire building’s construction. Jesus used this passage to apply it to His experience in His parable of Matthew 21:33-46 where He noted that though He would initially be rejected by Israel, He would eventually be enthroned as Messiah and King of the nation to the glory of God, 1 Peter 2:4b.

B. Just as Christ is this Living Stone, we believers in Christ in the Church are each spiritually living stones who are being built into a spiritual temple of the Lord, 1 Peter 2:5a. As such, we are also a holy priesthood, called to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 2:5b NIV.

C. Continuing with the idea of Christ being likened to a Stone, Peter at 1 Peter 2:6 NIV referred to Isaiah 28:16 that predicted how God would lay in Zion a Chief Corner Stone, elect and precious, that he who believed on Him would not be put to shame versus the experience of those who would not trust in Him.

D. Peter then noted the value of Christ this Stone to believers in contrast to His rejection by unbelievers, v. 7-10:

1. Christ is precious to us who believe, but unto those who are disobedient to God in rejecting Christ as the Messiah and Savior, Christ Who was rejected is made the Headstone of the corner, 1 Peter 2:7.

2. To unbelievers, Christ is thus become a Stone of Stumbling, a Rock of Offense, unto which they were also appointed in judgment for their unbelief, 1 Peter 2:8.

3. Conversely, we who believe in Christ are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, namely, a people uniquely possessed by God, 1 Peter 2:9a. The function of this chosen generation, royal priesthood, holy nation and a people uniquely possessed by God is that we should show forth the “praises,” or “eminent qualities,” “excellencies,” or “virtues” (aretos)” of God Who has called us out of darkness into His wonderful light, 1 Peter 2:9b NIV; Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 846.

4. Before we had trusted in Christ as our Savior, we were not a people of God since we had not obtained mercy from Him, but now that we have obtained mercy from God through trusting in Christ, we are now graciously made the people of God, 1 Peter 2:10.

E. Hebrews 13:12-15 has a similar theme of Christ’s rejection by unbelievers, but of His acceptance by believers as precious, and how our acceptance of Christ leads us to offer up sacrifices as a holy priesthood to the Lord:

1. Christ suffered as accursed outside Jerusalem’s city gate to sanctify the people with His blood, Heb. 13:12.

2. We believers are thus called figuratively to go forth to identify with Christ outside the camp, bearing His reproach, for we do not have an enduring city here on earth, but we seek one to come, Hebrews 13:13-14.

3. By Christ then we are to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name for His bountiful blessings to us in Christ, Hebrews 13:15.

Lesson: Since Jesus Christ was rejected by Israel, and yet He is the Messiah Who will truly be blessed of God in reigning in His future Kingdom, we who believe in Christ are likewise estranged from this world though in reality we are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people uniquely possessed by God, that we should offer up continual praises to the Lord with the fruit of our lips for His great mercy to us.

Application: (1) May we acknowledge the fact that just as Christ was rejected by this unsaved world only eventually to be established as God’s Messiah in His future Kingdom, we believers are similarly called by God to identify with Him, to bear His reproach for godliness though we are a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people uniquely possessed by God to produce ongoing sacrifices of praise to the glory of God. (2) May we then accept the fact that to live a godly life involves opposition from the ungodly (cf. 2 Timothy 3:12), that we thus not be shaken by that fact, but accept our high calling from the Lord to side with and to praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.