Sermon Text 1 Peter 2:2 to 10
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LECTIONARY READINGS NOTES
Lections: Lections:Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 31:1 -5, 15-16; I Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14
Overview of all four readings: The first lesson from Acts tells of the stoning of Stephen. It comes at the end
of his highly provocative sermon in which he retells Israel’s history from Abraham forward. The reading from the
Psalter is a lament in which the psalmist prays for deliverance from his enemies. It provides one of the most well
known last sayings of Jesus: “Into your hand I commit my spirit” (Ps 31;5).
Both New Testament texts for this Sunday focus on the meaning of Jesus in the light of his Resurrection.
First Peter 2:2-10 there is a clear Christological focus on Christ as the rejected stone. Like other passages from
First Peter, this reflection is combined with moral exhortation. The Gospel lesson is take form John 14, what wellknown passage in which Jesus declare himself to be the way, truth, and life, and thus the only true access to
God.(adapted from “Preaching Through the Christian Year,” by Craddock, Hayes, Holladay, Tucker and The United
Methodist Worship Library: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary years A,B, & C).
Monday: Describe how you understand who or what Jesus is?
BACKGROUND SERMON NOTES We are called to live responsibly in the light of that good news. Then we are
comforted again by the reminder of God's election and call. This metaphor building and temple has much in
common with Paul's references to the "body of Christ," but Peter (nicknamed the "rock") uses architectural rather
than biological terms. Christ our Savior is a living stone, nay, the cornerstone in the new temple of God, and you,
his worshipers, are to be living stones in that temple, built around him. He has made you priests unto God. To you
who believe belongs the honor that is his, but to those who disbelieve he is like a stone in the path to trip over.
Tuesday: How important is your presence and participation in the church?
Background of the Sermon Text
2:2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation—
newborn infants to remind believers that they are living a brand-new life. The reminder that the world of faith is a
brand-new world for them leads to the image of the infant drinking milk, food both good and necessary.
crave. The unrestrained hunger of a healthy baby provides an example of the kind of eager desire for spiritual food
that ought to mark the believer.
spiritual milk. Probably referring to God's word (1:23,25). The author is speaking figuratively as an appropriate
nourishment for babies. Just as the promised land flowed with milk and honey for the children of Israel, so also
Christian believers receive milk as a foretaste of the fuller salvation yet to come.
may grow The Greek for this phrase is the standard term for the desirable growth of children. The words to
salvation, not in the KJV, are probably part of the true text, and the meaning is, "That [feeding] on it [the milk of the
word] you may grow up to salvation," salvation being a mature state.
2:3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
have tasted. The tense of the Greek verb used here suggests that an initial act of tasting is referred to. Since this
taste has proved satisfactory, the believers are urged to long for additional spiritual food.
2:4 Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and
living stone. in that it is personal and life-giving Stone, because Christ is the living and life-giving One.". A living
stone: the origin of what we may call "the stoneship of Christ" is to be found in his application to himself of Ps.
118:22 (Mark 12:10-11), "Have you not read this scripture: 'The very stone which the builders rejected has become
the head of the corner'" (Acts 4:11, where Peter repeats the application). Christians, therefore, participate in the life
of Christ. We have already seen how Christians are asked to live in imitation of God: “You shall be holy, for I am
holy” (1:16 NRSV). Now the implication is that Christian life imitates or partakes of the reality of Christ's own life. He
is a living stone, and Christians are living stones as well, full of life and life-giving.
rejected by men but chosen by God. Peter repeatedly makes a contrast in Acts between the hostility of unbelieving
men toward Jesus and God's exaltation of him (Acts 2:22-36; 3:13-15; 4:10-11; 10:39-42).
2:5 like living stones, let yourselves be built a into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
The verse, therefore, serves several functions. It underlines the close relationship between what God has done in
Jesus Christ and what God is doing in these Christians. It reminds the Christians that despite their apparent
disgrace in the eyes of the world they are precious in God's sight. It calls them, in somewhat different words, once
again to live out their calling, to be holy even as God is holy.
living stones. Believers are not literal pieces of rock, but are persons. In addition, they derive their life from Christ,
who is the original living Stone to whom they have come (v. 4), the "life-giving spirit" (1Co 15:45). These references
to stones may well reflect Jesus' words to Peter in Mt 16:18.
Wednesday: How is your church being built into a spiritual house?
spiritual house. The house is spiritual in a metaphorical sense, but also in that it is formed and indwelt by the Spirit
of God. Every stone in the house has been made alive by the Holy Spirit, sent by the exalted living Stone, Jesus
Christ (Acts 2:33).
holy priesthood. The whole body of believers. The phrase defines the vocation of the church; it implies the
priesthood of all believers. As priests, believers are to (1) reflect the holiness of God and that of their high priest
Sermon Text 1 Peter 2:2 to 10
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(see 1:15; Heb 7:26; 10:10), (2) offer spiritual sacrifices (here), (3) intercede for man before God and (4) represent
God before man.
spiritual sacrifices. The NT refers to a variety of offerings: bodies offered to God (Ro 12:1), offerings of money or
material goods (Philippians 4:18; Hebrews 13:16), sacrifices of praise to God (Hebrews 13:15) and sacrifices of
doing good (Hebrews 13:16).
acceptable to God. Through the work of our Mediator, Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Believers are living stones that
make up a spiritual temple in which, as a holy priesthood, they offer up spiritual sacrifices.
Thursday: what does it mean to you that everyone is a priest not just the minister?
2:6 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.”
precious cornerstone. See Ps 118:22; Mt 21:42; Mk 12:10; Lk 20:17; Ac 4:11. This is an obvious reference to
Christ, as verses 6b-8 make clear. The cornerstone, which determined the design and orientation of the building,
was the most significant stone in the structure. The picture that Peter creates is of a structure made up of believers
(living stones, v. 5), the design and orientation of which are all in keeping with Christ, the cornerstone.
the one who trusts in him. Two attitudes toward the cornerstone are evident: (1) Some trust in him; (2) others reject
him (v. 7) and, as a result, stumble and fall (v. 8).
Friday: Have your ever stumbled or fallen in your walk with the Lord?
2:7 To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,“The stone that the builders rejected has
become the very head of the corner,”
The image from Isa 28:16 fits beautifully the epistle's picture of the household of God. All Christians are living
stones, built into the edifice. But the cornerstone is Jesus Christ. He is the cornerstone because the whole building
rests on him. He is the cornerstone because the building takes its design from him. No Christ; no building.
2:8 and “A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the word,
as they were destined to do.
what they were destined for. Some see here an indication that some people are destined to fall and be lost. Others
say that unbelievers are destined to be lost because God in his foreknowledge (cf. 1:2) saw them as unbelievers.
Still others hold that Peter means that unbelief is destined to result in eternal destruction. Again in v. 8 it is clear
that faith is not just a matter of believing; it is also a matter of obedience. Just as faithful Christians have been
chosen and destined for obedience (1:2), so also the unfaithful outsiders have been chosen and destined for
disobedience (see 1:14, 22).
Stumble God's faithfulness requires responding faith. Those who know who Christ is build their lives on him; those
who do not accept him stumble and fall. In a way people pronounce judgment on themselves.
2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the
mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Peter proceeds to apply title after title conferred on the old Israel to the church as the new Israel of God.
chosen people. As Israel was called God's chosen people in the OT, so in the NT believers are designated as
chosen, or elect.
royal priesthood. For a Jewish reader, to be a part of royalty was beyond one’s natural abilities because royalty was
inherited. Unless one was part of David’s genealogy, being a part of royalty was unthinkable. For such people, the
new-found privilege of being part of royalty would have been understood as a fantastic opportunity. So what we
have here is a distinct calling: the dual role of having an inherited privilege of ruling God’s people and of serving as
mediators between God and his people.
holy nation. See Deuteronomy 28:9.
people belonging to God. See Deuteronomy 4:20; 7:6; 14:2; Isaiah 43:21; Malichi 3:17. Though once not the
people of God, they are now the recipients of God's mercy (see Hosea 1:6-10; Romans 9:25-26; 10:19). God's
own people: The phrase means literally "a people for [God's] possession."
mighty acts of him. See Isaiah 43:20; Acts 2:11. Privilege implies responsibility: the new people of God must take
up the task left unfulfilled by the old like to declare the excellences (or wonderful deeds) of the God
2:10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people;once you had not received mercy,but now you have
received mercy
Which in time past were not a people: Hitherto they had been no people but mere "units in the medley of nations
that could all be classed as 'heathen.'" Now they are the people of God. Formerly they had been proudly and falsely
self-sufficient, but now they have become the humble recipients of God's mercy. So, says Peter in effect, are
Hosea's words fulfilled, "I will have mercy on her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not
my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God" (Hos. 2:23).
Saturday: How are you showing mercy? How is your church? What more can be done?