From time to time, someone will ask me what is my favorite book of the Bible. While there are many that I like, I think one of my favorites is the little book of Peter. Years ago I attended a weekly Bible study in which the leader spent a whole year on the five short chapters of this book! These are some of my favorite words from it:
As you come to him, the living Stone -- rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him -- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:
See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.
-1 Peter 2:4-6, NIV
These words describe Jesus, "The Living Stone" whom God has chosen to be the "precious cornerstone" on which the whole church is built. In that day and time, the cornerstone was the first stone of the foundation. Once it was put in place, all of the other stones were lined up according to it. In the same way, Jesus is the cornerstone of the church's foundation. 1 Peter even describes all of us who make up the church as "living stones" whom God is building "into a spiritual house." Together, as followers of Christ, we are the living, breathing, spiritual house of God.
This Sunday we will be breaking ground on our new multipurpose building. For a number of years, we have envisioned what God is calling us to build. Through your generous pledges we should have sufficient financial resources to complete this new structure. This Sunday we will break ground. Next summer we will finish the building. My hope is that this new building will be a place where people can come to find a spiritual home.
I hope you will make plans to join us this Sunday following the 11:00 a.m. worship service!
Prayer for Today
Gracious God, we thank you for Jesus -- the Rock on whom our faith is built. Help us to be the living stones that point others to the cornerstone of our faith -Jesus the Christ. Amen.
