1 Peter 2:4-8

Review:  You know how wonderful God is because you have experienced His caring and love for you in life.  That is why you should get rid of the negative traits in you and focus on His Word.  He cares for you because He created you and gave His Son to save your soul.  This was all foretold by the prophets, who studied relentlessly and learned that their words were not meant for them but for future generations as guided by the Holy Spirit.

"Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,

you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

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, to 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."

` 1 Peter 2:4-8

Remember earlier we had talked about how the prophets had studied and researched trying to understand how God would come and what His purpose was?  They learned that it was for the salvation of our souls and that their words were to be for the people in the future who would be alive when Jesus came.  They also understood that it was God's Spirit that was leading them, what we now commonly call the Holy Spirit.

Here you can see references to Isaiah 28:16, Psalms 118:22, and Isaiah 8:14.  Each of them well-known to the Jewish people of that day.

The author writes to them that Jesus was chosen for a job as a priest.  Jesus was a living stone and, though rejected by men, was placed by God as the cornerstone.  It is on Jesus that everything rests.  We also are chosen to be priests under Jesus.  All of us, even those who reject Him and His gift of salvation.  Those who accept God and believes in Him have no reason to be ashamed.  Those who reject God and Jesus' actions for us find that the rock that should support them is now causing them to stumble.  Life is harder without Jesus in the end.

In a movie titled, "Knight and Day" Tom Cruise plays the part of a very awkward assassin/spy.  His character is trying to save the life of an innocent bystander, but going about it all the wrong way.  She naturally freaks out and tries to run away.  He sets out her options for her.  He explained that she could either go with him or on her own.  Then he pointed out that with him, her chances were higher and he showed this by raising his hand to the level of his shoulders.  Then he pointed out that without him, her chances were lower, and he showed this by lowering his hand to the level of his waist.  He repeated it several times while showing her chances of survival with his hand.  "With me, without me... with me, without."  It was an amusing scene but it got the point across.

We are the same way.  We can't live without Jesus.  Our only chances are with him.  The odds are more black and white than they were in the movie.  With Jesus is 100% survival.  Without Jesus is 0% survival.  With Him, without Him.  Which do you choose?