Draw near to the Cornerstone

Sunday service, Michael Ngubane, 17 Dec 2017

1Peter 2:4-10

4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 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. 6 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.”
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”
8 and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

What is the implication of being a child of God? The prodigal son squandered everything and landed up with the pigs in a stinking state. He sought to fill his stomach with the pig’s food and it was then that he decided to return to his father. In his stinking state he returned and went back home and he was accepted, clothed and given a ring implying royalty. This was his rightful place. The son had the longing to be accepted by his father and be privileged to become a servant in the home to escape the misery from whence he had come. But see the inexpressible love of the father, when he said, “You won’t be a servant but will take your rightful place as a son.” Remember the great grace that you have received. Jesus desires that we all take up our position as children of God. You need to come to Him, a living stone chosen by God and precious. Here is this Stone that was hewn out of the Rock, that our whole being should be built on. Jesus comes into a hopeless situation and He brings life. Peter begs us to draw nigh to this living Stone.

There are those who accept Him and others who reject Him. There are those who have no interest in Him. There are those in the congregation who don’t draw nigh and it doesn’t matter to them. Here Jesus tells us to draw nigh to Him Himself. Jesus through His blood is calling to us and He reveals His love for us so that we understand who we are and find out who we really are and the place chosen for us. Maybe you, Christian, get stuck because you don’t know where you should be. We read in John 15:15-16, “No longer do I call you servants but I have called you friends and have made it known to you. You haven’t chosen Me but I chose you and your fruit will abide.” Jesus says the servant doesn’t know what the Master intends. We are friends that are close to Him. Do you understand where God has placed you and me. We also read in John 14 and 15, “Whatever you ask the Father in My Name I will do for you. Abide in Me and I in you and you can ask for whatever you wish and the Father will do it for you.” Some ask and it doesn’t happen because they have the wrong label. You ask while you are in the family of Satan and you don’t have the cloak of the Lord Jesus.

If we seek the dwelling of the Lord, there will be sacrifice and devotion. While we are in this temple there will be a sacrifice we offer as we read in Romans 12:1, ”I urge to present your bodies holy and acceptable before God.” Some say God doesn’t worry about the outward appearance of a person and they dress in whichever immodest way they want, going to great lengths to reveal their body to others, and attract attention. But our appearance must portray His holiness.

He who believes in this Stone will never be disappointed. There will be no confusion that you are separated for Christ. You who are stumbling over this Rock, come back from your wayward ways. Come, so that you will find rest from all your sins. He will unburden you and take that burden you are carrying. He will bring you life.

He says we are a holy people called into His holy light. We mustn’t live like other people. Here is our rightful place. We must be separated unto Him. We are loved and it is not our doing that we are in this position. We are a chosen people. We are His elect. We belong to God and it should be evident in our attire. Even our tongue should show that we are loved of God. We should respect each other and listen to the next person.

If you have experienced His love, you will be filled with zeal to testify about Him. Maybe you say you try but maybe you are still wearing the tag of Satan. If your heart is filled with the things of God, you will speak of it. Satan will fill the gap if you are not with the Lord Jesus. If you are full of suspicions, Satan will fill you with things you haven’t even thought of. You must be complete in the Lord. The flesh wars against the soul. Paul admonishes Timothy to abstain from the lusts of the flesh that will keep him from Christ. There are Christians that feed the passions of the flesh and oppress their spirit with these things. Come back child of God! Come back to your position and be restored to Him. Check on your friends. Do they pray and read the Bible? What is your conversation with them? For some it is just the topic of boys and girls. You are outside of that fold. That’s why you are disappointed and depressed because you have been in the wrong company and your end is hell. Draw near to Him, the Cornerstone that is precious.

Choir


 

German translation
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