Text: 1 Peter 2:6-8
Title: "Jesus Christ is Precious"
Subj.: The preciousness of Christ.
Intro: "That in al1 things Jesus Christ might have the preeminence." That is the desire of my heart, that our Lord might have the first place in my preaching, my teaching and in my life. Of course, it is not always easy to transfer the desire of our hearts to the actions of our lives, but the end result is certainly worth the effort.
My intention for tonight was to speak to you on the subject of Jesus Christ as the Rock. In searching out that theme I arrived at Peter's letters. Now if anyone knows something of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Rock, it is Peter, the little stone!! But as Peter spoke to me of the Rock another reoccurring word caught my attention. The Word is "precious."
Peter says, in his first book, "That the trial of your faith is much more precious than gold" (1:7). In his 2nd book he speaks of "like precious faith" (1:1), and "exceeding great and precious promises" (1:4). But it is in speaking of his beloved Saviour that Peter employees the remaining three mentions of the word precious.
Will you join me in 1st Peter 2:6-8, as Peter reveals to us, through the Holy Spirit, the truth that "Jesus Christ is Precious."
Text: 1 Pet. 2:6-8 — "Jesus Christ is Precious" — prayer
I. JESUS CHRIST IS PRECIOUS BECAUSE HE IS THE SUBJECT OF THE BIBLE (v6a)
A. "It is contained in the scripture"
1. What is contained in the scripture?
a. God's revelation of Himself
b. God's revelation of His purpose/plan
c. God's revelation of Jesus Christ
Note: This verse is clearly speaking of Jesus Christ, and is taken from the O.T. book of Isa., 28:16. Isa., then, was also speaking of Jesus Christ, whether he was fully aware of it or not. All other subjects in the Scriptures are secondary to this one great theme; "that in all things He might have the preeminence" (Col. 1:18).
God Himself confirmed this theme on the Mt. of
Transfiguration when He said, "This is my beloved Son, in Whom I Am well pleased, hear ye Him" (Matt:17:5)
The Holy Spirit, the Author of the Scriptures, confirmed this theme when it was said of Him that He came to glorify Christ (Jn. 16:14).
Jesus put this theme into practice when He "began at Moses and all the prophets,...expounding unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself." (Lk. 24:27)
And not only is Christ the Subject of the Word of God—He is the Word itself (Jn. 1:1).
Application: What do you look for when reading the Scriptures? If your primarily purpose in reading the Scriptures is other than seeking for Jesus Christ, then you are missing the boat—and the blessing—and the very purpose of God's Word.
I. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is the Subject of the Bible
II. JESUS CHRIST IS PRECIOUS BECAUSE HE IS THE CENTER OF GOD'S PURPOSE AND PLAN (v6b)
A. "Behold"
1. God's attention is centered on Christ and so He wants our attention to focus on Christ ("behold" = pay attention, give heed to what I am about to do!)
B. God's actions are centered on Christ ("I lay in Zion")
1. God set something or some One in the midst of the chosen nation, the Aaronic priesthood, the unique Nation of Israel, but they did not pay attention.
2. God has done the same for us; even identifying us using much of the same terminology as applied to the Nation of Israel (see v9). Jesus is set in the midst of the golden candlesticks (church), and where two or three are gathered in His name. But are we paying attention to His presence?
App: If Jesus Christ is the center of all that God is doing, who should be the center of all that we are doing? Is our motive and desire in all that we do to be like Christ, or is it to live up to someone else's expectations? You just become like Jesus Christ, and you will surpass everyone's expectations!
I. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is the Subject of the Bible
II. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is the Center of God's Purpose/Plans
(How then is Christ set before us here?)
III. JESUS CHRIST IS PRECIOUS BECAUSE HE IS THE CHIEF CORNER STONE (v6b)
A. Chief Corner-stone
1. Determined by God ("I lay")
a. Sovereignty of God
2. Laid (sent) by God (not man)
3. Positioned by God (type, prophecy, time, place, etc)
a. In Zion = Jerusalem, the seat of divine and of human government. Here was laid the cornerstone of the House of David. Here was laid the cornerstone of the church
of God. This was one and the same Stone. The cornerstone was positioned at the corner to bind both sides of the wall together. Christ binds the O.T & the N.T. He binds the Jew & the Gentile with the cords of history. He binds the Christians, one to another. But most important of all, Christ binds man to God.
The corner-stone was also positioned to support all that was above it (Isa. tell us, "and the government shall be upon His shoulder").
The foundation corner-stone not only supported the weight, and bound the sides together, but it was also the gage or standard for building the structure true and level. It is the stone to which all other stones are brought into conformity.
App: What stone are you being conformed to? Is Jesus Christ your standard or gage of conduct? Whatever is consistently influencing your life is conforming your life!
B. A living Stone (v4)
Jesus said, "...because I live, ye shall live also" (Jn. 14:19). What God has set as our standard is not a cold, stone tablet inscribed with laws, but a new and living way written on our hearts. From this Cornerstone flows new life; but men love darkness more than life. Men attempted to stone this living Stone, but Jesus moved through the midst of them. Man attempted to use a great stone to seal His tomb, but the living Stone could not be held. And even when Moses smited the living Stone in the desert, and the Jews crucified the living Stone on the cross, all that poured forth was living water. This cornerstone, set by God pulsates with eternal life!
C. The Head of the corner (v7b) (from Ps. 118:22)
Note: Seems to be a contradiction in terms. The Head doesn't belong in corner! He belongs front and center! But God exalted Christ by making Him the Head of the corner.
1. Rejected by men as not even fit to be part of the building, Christ was set in the place of prominence by God.
a. We, too, are rejected of men, but that's OK, for Jesus said He would build His church: a place where the foolish can go for fellowship and instruction; where the weak can go for strength and encouragement: where the pauper can be a joint-heir with Jesus: where the orphan belongs to a family, and the widow has her needs met.
To the disobedient, this Cornerstone becomes:
D. "Stone of stumbling" (v8) = means of accidental fall (from Isa. 8:14)
1. What men cast aside they and others often stumble over!
E. "Rock of offense" (v8) = a trap set to trip one 1. The trap they set for Christ became the means of their own imprisonment. How often men tried to trap Jesus, but they were caught in the web of their own making.
Note: The Living Stone is precious, and the gage of life to those that believe. To those that do not believe, the Living Stone becomes the means to their fall (into eternal hell).
Application: How often do we refuse to take to heart, or to "cast aside" some clear truth of the Word of God, which then becomes the very trap that we fall into?
I. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is the Subject of the Bible
II. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is the Center of God's Purpose/Plans
III. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is the Chief Corner Stone
IV. JESUS CHRIST IS PRECIOUS BECAUSE HE IS ELECT OF GOD (v4, 6b)
A. "Elect" - chosen, selected
1. Jesus Christ was chosen before the foundation of the world to redeem and renew man.
2. If we are "in Christ," saved, we are elect or chosen of God
a. How precious it is to be chosen of God in Christ Jesus!
I. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is the Subject of the Bible
II. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is the Center of God's Purpose/Plans
III. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is the Chief Corner Stone
IV. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is Elect of God
V. JESUS CHRIST IS PRECIOUS BECAUSE HE IS PRECIOUS TO GOD (v6b)
A. "Precious" - honorable; costly; of great worth
1. He Himself always honored God, being, therefore, precious to God. He is the beloved, precious One of the eternal Father. He is precious because He is the second Person of the Godhead. And we are precious to God because we are in the Son.
I. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is the Subject of the Bible
II. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is the Center of God's Purpose/Plans
III. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is the Chief Corner Stone
IV. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is Elect of God
V. Jesus Christ is Precious Because He is Precious to God
VI. JESUS CHRIST IS PRECIOUS TO THOSE THAT BELIEVE (v6c, 7a)
A. Because He is attainable and available ("on Him")
1. We do not seek the supernatural, the Saviour seeks us. At a point in time we have One to trust
B. Because He is life changing ("not ashamed")
1. "Confounded" = 'to be put to shame' in the sense of being defeated or deceived in some hope.
a. What do you trust Christ for? Will He fail? Can He fail? Then just rest in Him!
C. Because He is trustworthy ("believe")
1. We have a Cornerstone to lean on, a Guide-stone to depend on, and an unmovable Rock to depend on.
Concl: I wonder what you have at home that you consider precious? Is it precious because of its beauty? Jesus Christ is the fairest of ten thousand. Is it precious because of its rarity? Beside Christ there is none other. Is it precious because of its age? "Before Abraham was," Christ said, "I Am." Is it precious because of its worth? Christ is the pearl of great price. Is it precious because of its relationship to you? Christ sticketh closer than a brother. My friend, Is Jesus Christ precious to you tonight, or have you left your first love? Maybe it is ever so slightly that you are starting to turn away from Christ, or maybe when God calls to you all He sees is your back. What a shame to leave something Precious, the Lord Jesus Christ, for the empty promise of this world.
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