What Christian’s Are (Part A)

It speaks of all that goes into the structure all the building all the effort all the planning points to the completion of the work provides foundation to the pinnacle that is Jesus Christ metaphorical the cornerstone's Christ. He sets the lines in place. He joins the walls together everything that goes up everything that belongs to the structure of our faith is the foundational stone of it all.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of first Peter, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in first Peter chapter 2 as he begins a new message called what Christians are. We are in first Peter chapter 2. If you have your Bibles please turn first Peter chapter 2 we will take verses six through 10.

Therefore, it is also contained in the Scripture, behold, I lay in Zion, a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on him will by no means be put to shame. Therefore, you who believe he is precious, but to those who are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, they stumble being disobedient to the word to which they also were appointed, but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, who once were not a people, what are now the people of God who had not obtained mercy now have obtained mercy early in the churches history when emotions were running high.

They created all sorts of outreach, while a particular outreach program to feed the hungry and it wasn't going so well, created more problems. It seems that I did solutions and they wanted the apostles to do something about it.

Will Peter step forward, representing the apostles and he said were not going to give ourselves to certain ministries to the weighting of tables is what he said but we will give ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word therefore choose from among you seven men full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We may appoint over this business and that they did. But the point that stands out concerning this portion of Scripture this morning is that Peter said we will give ourselves to the ministry of the word.

And here is this apostle. This motto to be who will die for Jesus Christ and he knows it. Here he is a student of the Old Testament, and not only is that he is student of the Old Testament.

He is applying its lessons in the power of New Testament Holy Spirit preaching since the day of Pentecost. This is been a different man is not the same Peter.

We met walking through Galilee and Capernaum with Jesus and all those other places, this is another another man and he is so because he walked with Jesus not only in the days before the crucifixion, but the days after the resurrection. So he goes and he quotes Isaiah frequently in his letters because he's a man of God's word, which is God's will.

How do you know what God wants and less you find out what he says because we live in a world where people think they can imagine what God is like and what he says they can imagine what is beyond the grave and they don't have a clue. They just make it up in a faucet. Those of us who say, thus saith the Lord God loves you, but God will not accept you if you do not accept him. And so that is what is happening in this little section.

This is been lead this this moment has led to this and this apostle's life. I want to talk you this morning about what Christians are because that's what Peter's going to tell us looking again at verse six. Therefore, it is also contained in the Scripture, behold, I lay in Zion, a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes in him will by no means be put to shame.

This is the second of four therefore is in this chapter and all that Peter has said he joins with what he is going to say I like links on a Cheney case cannot is not is not fragmented. It is all going somewhere what is already set as we are born again we are born a second time. We are kept by the power of God through faith, a genuine faith that is going to be tested. We are redeemed with the blood through the word of God.

Those are some of the things just in what we call the first chapter. The he's already covered and so when he says therefore is built on what I just said to you I am saying more to you because there's more to be said. He also says in verse six is also contained in the Scripture is a biblical basis for what he has to say. Now I know we Christians have been around a while you learn the Scriptures you had such hope and ambition to serve Christ.

But you've met with so much opposition from so many places, even from within your own heart and yet here you are still hell hates it.

Hell hates that you've met with opposition and resistance and defeat. And yet you're still plowing is still showing up for formation you're still in it. So don't be discouraged, be encouraged. Yes, it does not come out the way. Maybe you've envisioned it does not mean you're not being victorious where he says it is also contained in the Scripture Peter is saying the Bible says and I have a reason for what I'm about to tell you Peter is saying to his audience until sin becomes archaic. Don't tell me the Bible is archaic until critics of the Bible, stop sinning well when they stop sinning, maybe maybe then we'll have some interest in what they have to heat what they have to say about the Bible, but they won't. Men can't stop sinning because he is born a sinner needs to be born again needs to be put in right position with God in spite of his sin so he says what is in the Bible, behold, I lay in Zion chief cornerstone, elect, precious again frequently quoting Isaiah that great and prolific writer of the Old Testament others. Chief cornerstone vested in the days when buildings were made of stone or Masonary buildings originally. That was the stone that set the direction for the rest of the building adjoining to walls and it began the work. Everything was laid off that first stone. All the lines radiated from that cornerstone today. It's largely symbolic but not insignificant important in specialty and in that the application of the Scripture. Webster's dictionary says the cornerstone is the stone which lies at the corner of two walls and unites them. That would apply to Christ. Paul was talking about that to the Ephesian church. He said that there's no longer owe a wall of division, but Christ is brought in Gentiles and Jews alike to the cornerstone it speaks of all that goes into the structure all the building all the effort all the planning points to the completion of the work for its foundation to the pinnacle that is Jesus Christ. Metaphorically, the cornerstone is Christ, he sets the lines in place.

He joins the walls together everything that goes up everything that belongs to the structure of our faith.

He is the foundational stone of it all. He continues here in verse six and he who believes on him will by no means be put to shame a little different from the Hebrew where Isaiah says will not act hastily lose all story behind Isaiah's application.

Bottom line is a bring up to bring us to the same place that haste. That Isaiah speaks of where those who are running in the wrong direction for the wrong kind of help in the days of the Assyrians coming against Jerusalem, it would go up to Egypt to look for help and God said, you need to come to me you've been careless in your rush in your hurrying off to get what you want. You have been reckless with me. The result of that is shame profound failure that is the idea we are dealing with superlatives here were dealing with words of a prophet that were given to him from God, who sits on the throne forever. It has a meaning it has an application.

It is for God to know, and for us to find out we can find out the meanings to Scripture if were busy licking our wounds have to get up, move forward insists to ourselves that we will continue to move forward. That is the story of the Bible is the story of Naomi and Ruth almost lost away from home so they went back home. God rebuild their lives. They did not stay in the land of idols. They went back to the land of promise. So when Isaiah wrote these words, the northern kingdom was about to sweep away everything in the southern kingdom as they had already done to the north, catastrophic is the result of rushed judgment in rejecting God, and it happens way too often reject Christ. Christ rejects you to doesn't mean much unless he is the son of God, and he happens to be.

Now, it means everything, but everyone who hears these sayings of mine, Jesus said, and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand and the rain descended, the floods came the winds blew and beat on that house and fell it fell in great was its fall. How can anyone miss the deity that Jesus is God the son when he says, everyone who hears these sayings of mine will, the objection should be who you know if he's not God the son, the objection to the bin. Who are you know you're not God, but he is God. No one objected you here. These sayings of mine, Luke chapter 1327 but he will say I tell you I do not know you, where you are from, depart from me, you workers of iniquity not depart from the idea and this is Jesus spoke not depart from God but me because he is God. My point is, these two verses speak of God rejecting those who rejected him. He is the chief cornerstone. And if you reject him. Shame is on you.

What we Christians know this, but so often we are so preoccupied with just trying to find joy in our lives we can work we can serve again were too busy licking our wounds can't shoot a rifle you can't swing a sword if you licking your wounds all the time. Hopefully this is an encouragement, not a rebuke. I'm not rebuking anyone. I'm in the same boat that urine. I have the same challenges may be a different brand with the same intensity that you have. I faced the same doubts the same bogeyman. The same monster that you face were in this together and we can look and see men like Peter facing these things aware of his soon-to-be martyrdom and yet still still hold to every word that is proceeded from the mouth of God.

And we can to. That's the idea, don't let, but I don't feel like it sweep away from you the things you know to be true and right verse seven. Therefore, do you believe is me. Hopefully this all of you.

Do you believe he is precious, but to those who are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

Peter shut your mouth. This is negative. This is all this is very friendly to tell people coming into the church.

That's what Satan would say the Holy Spirit is what you think I wrote this for. Why do you think I put this on this man's heart because it needs to be said and what is not said the catastrophes just were avoidable and not worth it.

Therefore, this is the second.

Therefore believers adore Christ. He said to you who believe he is precious believers or door Christ ever I loved you my Jesus is now on a manly song that is next time we sing that you men book market.

That's a time for you to barrel Carolyn to that song, if ever, I love the my Jesus 'tis now why is his precious say lady say why don't you tell us something because you don't need any encouragement you send the men of the wonder what time is it okay no joking outcome. If you are not fooling around here. He is precious. He is the reason why we work to love the unlovable. Why would I love anybody I don't like. One reason Jesus Christ as he did that to me.

Why would he love me what's likable about. Well let's list use you for example we can learn much about a person by what they hold to be precious to be dear to them.

What is dear to you, what is the most dearest thing to you create a list in your head and what's at the top and and how far our visit. If you're honest, you might say I know it should be the Lord, but I have other passions. I don't like that I have these other passions, but they are there. That's an honest answer. That's where the fighters is something wrong about being honest something very wrong with pretending that the truth is not the truth, and so we learn much about ourselves by what we hold to be precious Jesus said for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Well, you go to the long stretch of time in your Christian walk with Jesus is just his radiant visit beautiful Savior, but then tough days come, and they don't. They last a long time.

Sometimes you may find yourself struggling to find that same zeal in the faith that you once had. You are now mature your expected to work through this and be victorious because of the Scripture because of your faith, so the thing we hold precious what will it do to us. It is more of an act of our will, than it is our emotions see the lesser precious things.

It's emotional. The loved ones the children near we can feel that one was struggling and it seems that Jesus is not helping like we had hoped he would. Emotions begin to betray us if we're not careful, so he says, but to those who are disobedient.

In contrast to those who willfully come to Christ willfully have him as Lord and Savior.

In contrast with those who are disobedient people will face consequences for disliking Christ.

They will face consequences for not accepting, whom he says he is the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone against own metaphor for the Christ Messiah, God's son by the time Peter wrote this letter, the Jewish nation had finalized as a nation.

Their rejection of Jesus Christ. Yeah, there were Jews that were Christians and they were still Jews coming to Christ. But as a people in their synagogues at the temple. They had rejected Christ completely and these were different days. Now Christ and the church God and the Holy Spirit was now centerstage as far as the light of the world and whether it be in Jerusalem this rail of the Diaspora Jews dispersed throughout Gentile lands. He was rejected. We read about it next chapter 18.

For example, Luke is writing about Paul's experience in current three were accepted. Verse five when Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the spirit testified to the Jews that Jesus is Messiah, but when they opposed him, and blasphemed.

He shook his garments and said to them, your blood be upon your own heads.

I am clean from now on I will go to the Gentiles. They had rejected as a people. The chief cornerstone. They had forfeited their calling as builders of righteousness. This is not against the Jewish people. It is a fact. It is a fact not only of biblical history with world history there, refusing the chief cornerstone has brought upon them much unnecessary sorrow, perhaps more than any people that have ever been because not only are they battling the world, but the Satan behind the world that is determined to destroy them to prove God's promises are not sustainable. Satan will fail. Of course, in that endeavor, but because he is insane with his own ambitions. He doesn't believe it. Verse eight and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, they stumble being disobedient to the word, which they also were appointed.

So he continues to develop it. A stone of stumbling a rock of offense, what would have been the most crucial component of the structure that chief cornerstone that symbolic stone of their faith became the cause of injury and not salvation.

Second Corinthians 216 to the one we are in a roamer of death, leading to death and to the other the aroma of life leading to life to the unbeliever the message and the Christian himself is a message of death and judgment. If they remain unbelievers, but to those who have become believers. The message of the cross is life. It is light. It is a sweet smelling aroma. This is what it always comes down to one of the other and in your most difficult times.

As believers, that is what we claim to that we believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the son of God, that he died and rose again that he is coming again that he has given me is Holy Spirit to preach the truth concerning God and salvation in the state of man. This is what makes us believers amongst other things, not an exhaustive list, nor is it intended to be, they stumble being disobedient to the word.

That's what it says. Look at verse eight.

A stone of stumbling in a rock of offense, that means things got ugly, they stumble being disobedient to the word how many of you wish the sermons here.don't answer this where 10 minutes so whole variety of go-ahead answer. Tell me more. But you see, there are many places like tennis elbow, but his wrist, elbow from looking at their watch every two minutes Wednesday 10 minutes gone, and because the words not preached, nor is it desired. This is a tragedy.

This is not something we going to be critical of them were better than them. That's not that's not it at all.

What in here our own Bible is loaded with these sorts of exhortations concerning God's word but they just dismissed, they stumble being disobedient to the word hell is packed with those who treat God's word as though it was is not God's word. That's how they got there and by the way, hell is never booked up. There's always room for more.

It is in the business is endless and that's what concerns us when we say we love Jesus that is precious to us that what is precious to him must be precious to us to and if it is just our lives in the circle of our loved ones. We are missing it.

We have we been hijacked, it must go beyond the church doors the home. It has to get out into the world is and how does it do that you handle my CDs from you and I when we are with the world. When up on our best behavior were not Christian behavior. We do as best we can and if it but but if we're just honest and abrasive and unlikable and grumpy, especially involving time can't win can't win friendship when you can't win friendships with the lost out in the world. You don't get opportunities to opportunities to preach the truth greatly diminished. We are so glad you tuned in today to study the book of first Peter on cross reference radio cross reference radio is the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia, and we are blessed to bring you God's word with each broadcast. If you'd like more information about this program or want to listen to additional teachings from Pastor Rick please visit our website cross reference radio.com.

We also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast so you'll never have to miss a program. Just search for cross reference radio iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast. We hope you tune in again next time to join us as we continue our study through the Scriptures right here on cross reference radio