LIVING HOPE

“THE LIVING STONE”

Pastor Brandon Hovey | 10.21.2012

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.” 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, “and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” (1 Peter 2:4-8)

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR US TO BE “BUILT INTO A SPIRITUAL HOUSE”?

The Temple Trajectory in Scripture

• Jerusalem Temple: The “spiritual house” of the Old Testament was the Jerusalem temple. This is where the presence of God was located on earth.

• Prophetic Hopes: The temple was destroyed in 587 B.C. and the Jews were sent into Babylonian exile. During this time Israel’s prophets looked forward to a new temple in Jerusalem.

• Jesus: When Jesus came to earth he claimed to be Israel’s new temple. (John 2:19-21) In Jesus, God’s “tabranacling presence” (John 1:14) was on earth.

• Church: According to Paul because the church is united to Christ through the Spirit, “we are the temple of the living God” (2 Corinthians 2:16) “with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone”. (Ephesians 2:21) The new temple is us!

>>>>>>>THE CHURCH IS THE NEW TEMPLE!<<<<<<<

“Peter believed that all God’s promises to Israel had been fulfilled in the Messiah, Jesus himself,

and there therefore all who belonged to Jesus had now become the people of God, the true temple. The one true God was now living in them! The Temple had been rebuilt—not in Jerusalem but all round the world! That is the great truth on which everything else in the letter will depend.” N.T. Wright

THEREFORE:

1. Jesus is our Precious Cornerstone: “For in Scripture is says: See, I lay in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame. Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.” (vs. 6-7)

• To make Jesus our precious cornerstone is to “trust” in him. Trusting in Jesus means to make him our life foundation. It is to make him precious, valued and treasured. Do you value Jesus above anything and everything else? Is he your cornerstone, your life foundation? Is every thing else in life “expendable” because he is precious?

2. We are a Connected Temple: “As you come to…him…you also, like living stones, are built together into a spiritual house [or temple]”. (vs. 4-5)

• The living stones of God’s new temple are mutually supportive. They are interdependent—to come to Christ means to come to others. How well are you embedded in the wall of Hope Covenant Church? Are you a spectator or player? What are some ways you could become better connected with other “living stones”?

3. We are an Expanding Temple “You, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house…so that you may declare the praises [or mighty acts] of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (vs. 5, 9).

• God’s new temple is a glorious skyscraper, extending over the entire world. God has called us to extend the temple boundaries and spread God’s presence by declaring his “mighty acts” to those around us through worship and evangelism. Are you helping expand God’s temple among your family, church, neighborhood, city, country and world? Are you a signpost to the “precious cornerstone”? Do your lips and lifestyle declare the mighty acts of God most clearly seen in the gospel story?

COME TO HIM \ BE BUILT INTO HIS TEMPLE

GOING DEEPER QUESTIONS

For the Week of October 21
1 Peter 1:4-10 | Pastor Brandon Hovey

These questions are designed to help you go deeper with the sermon during your week-to take a closer look at the Scripture and find fresh ways to live out the main points of the sermon. Going Deeper questions also are used for discussion in all of our Grow Groups at Hope.

Getting Started

What insight or principle from this weekend’s message did you find helpful, interesting or challenging? Explain.

If you asked random people in downtown Phoenix what they thought about the church what would they say?

What are the three most precious things in your life? Why are they precious?

A Closer Look

How is Jesus and his church the new temple and why does it matter for Hope?

C.S. Lewis said, “in each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out”. What does this mean? Why do other believers need your friendship?

Read Exodus 19:5-6 and 1 Peter 2:9. Why do you think Peter applies language that describes Israel to the church?

Peter calls the church a “holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to

God”. (v. 5) How do Romans 12:1 and Hebrews 15:15 help us understand what “spiritual sacrifices” are?

Digging Deeper

Are you ever tempted to be a lone ranger Christian? If so, explain.

Why is it liberating to smash up our old cornerstones and build on the true cornerstone?

How has God brought you “out of darkness and into his wonderful light”?

Why is it important to be embedded in the wall of the church, connected to other believers?

How do we individually and corporately “expand the temple boundaries” to our families, neighborhood, city, nation and world?