Building the Church on the Living Stone-
Jesus Christ

1 PETER 2: 2-10

2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4  As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him

1 Peter 2:  2-4 (NIV)

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.  

1 Peter 2: 5 (NIV)

For in Scripture it says: I Peter 2: 6-8  NIV

6 “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.”

They stumble because they disobey the message-

1.  which is also what they were destined for.

2. 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.

3. 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.

As Christians, we aren’t meant to live in isolation.

We are called to be part of a larger spiritual community that is being built up and strengthened by God

1Corinthians 12:12-13;24-26

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 

13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one 

Body Jews or Greeks, slaves or free and all were made to drink of one Spirit.  

  1 Corinthians 12:12-13

 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But

 God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to 

the part that lacked it, 

25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the

  members may have the same care  for one another.

26 If one member suffers, all suffer 

together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Acts 2:42-47

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 

43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 

45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 

46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes

Four Characteristics of the First Church

Acts 2:42-47

They continued steadfast in devotion to four things:

 1. The apostles’ doctrine

 2. Fellowship

 3. Breaking of bread

 4. Prayer

Acts 2:42

“..And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Acts 2:47

16 ”All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 

2 Timothy 3: 16

CHRIST IS THE CORNERSTONE

The Church is the Church only when it exists for others...not dominating, but helping and serving.

—Dietrich Bonhoeffer—