You are the living stone; you are the appointed rock to cry out and praise Jesus!
You've Got Purpose- Fulfill It, You Living Stone
1 Peter 2:4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,
Jesus is referred to is a living stone chosen by God and precious; howbeit rejected indeed by men. God’s ways are not men’s ways. When we come to Jesus we are coming to a precious, chosen, and living stone. There is a sureness about coming to Jesus the precious corner stone. When you come to what God values and surrender to what God has called precious you can have your expectations raised.
1 Peter 2:5 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.
Surrender to Jesus makes you a living stone. You are a fulfillment from the prophecies of Jesus Himself. Do you know how sweet it is for God to reveal that you are a living stone.
Luke 19:38 saying: " 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" 39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." 40 But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."
Jesus had a prophetic utterance the stones would cry out. We have sung we don’t want a rock to rise up and praise in our place”. However it should be said we are the living stones being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The Jews did become silent and God found it necessary to raise up some living stones to build up into a spiritual house.
John 1:41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).
Peter knew the prophetic utterance from Jesus. It is what Jesus spoke to him the first day he met Peter. When Peter spoke that the believers where living stones he was writing from first hand revelation and intimacy with Jesus.
Ephesians 2:17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, 21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
In the purpose and plan of God, He grants you access to Himself! You are one of the stones that the Spirit of God inhabits! Can you get a glimpse that you are a fellow citizen with the saints. You are a member of the household of God. Christ in you the hope of glory. Jesus Christ Himself is the chief corner stone. It is hard to fulfill the purpose God has for you when you don’t believe what God has to say about you.
Those who know they belong in the house have a different expectation then a stranger or acquaintance. What does a son expect from a father? Is it different then a acquaintance expectation? Is it different than one who feels estranged? Jesus has preached a peace (oneness) that brings us near. What is your expectation of your heavenly Father?
1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.
Purpose can begin to be fulfilled when you see yourself from God’s perspective. When the chief corner stone made you a living stone you became a heavenly man! A heavenly man has a different perspective than the earthly man. To fulfill the purpose of God you must see yourself as a living stone and a heavenly being! Oh to see it from God’s perspective!
1 Corinthians 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption;
Can you see Jesus and what He has done for you? Jesus became wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. You lack nothing in Christ!
2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
When you gain the perspective of grace it will be the love of Christ that compels you! Fulfilling the purpose of God, through the love of Christ motivating your every action, you will change your world and influence those around you. Sold out to living no longer for self, but for Him who died and rose again. No longer regarding Christ after the flesh but seeing His powerful sacrifice as our source of redemption.
Who is the man who will no longer regard no one according to the flesh? When you begin to see man from the perspective of God it gives you grace to love the unlovely and to reach out to those who need a redeemer. Living stones see the heart of God. Jesus came to seek and to save that which is lost.
I Peter 2:6 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." 7 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," 8 and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Can you see your purpose? You are chosen, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people. Do you know who you are based on the authority of the word of God. God has given you a great standing and position but it is for a specific purpose. You have been changed so you can proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. It is time for the church to rise up with a praise on their lips for the chief cornerstone Jesus Christ. If the enemy of your soul can get the praise out of your mouth he can delay your purpose being fulfilled.
2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.
The Father reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ. The solution is strait forward! The Father was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. It is not enough to identify the problem; we must preach the solution. If we are going to walk in the full purpose and plan of God we must be reconcilers. We serve the God who will not impute the sins of men to them. Blessed is the man who sins are not imputed. Purpose fulfilled is walking as an ambassador of God. Knowing who you are in Christ gives you something of value to share; Christ in you the hope of glory.
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