Jesus Christ and the Church

by Richard St.James

Jesus Christ and the Church

1 Peter 2:4 “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”

1. The Stone of Daniel
2. The Living Stone
3. The Lively Stones
4. The Corner Stone

1. The Stone of Daniel

During “the times of the Gentiles” [Luke 21:24], the Jews were DISPERSED to “the four corners of the earth” because they had rejected the Messiah at His first coming [which is called the First Advent of Jesus Christ]. God brought judgment for this rejection of His SON. The Roman emperor [Titus a GENTILE] destroyed Jerusalem in 71 A.D. and cast Israel out of THE LAND. They have been out THE LAND for the last two thousand years [until 1947].

Now, when the Messiah comes the second time [which is called the Second Advent of Jesus Christ], He will “gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” This impending scenario is located in the Book of Isaiah [and other places, Ezekiel 36:19, Zephaniah 3:10] in chapter eleven, verse twelve: “And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” [Isaiah 11:12]

Now, there is this “stone” that we need to look at … which is in the book of Daniel. “Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.” [Daniel 2:34-35] The “stone” in the book of Daniel chapter two … is the very same “stone” that is here in First Peter. The STONE “that smote the image” is Jesus Christ!

2. The Living Stone

Verse four: “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,”

• This “stone” is living.

• This “stone” is meat … food for us.

• This “stone” is drink for us.

The “living stone” which is “spiritual meat” is identified in First Corinthians chapter ten: “And did all eat the same spiritual meat;” [1 Corinthians 10:3].

Also, in the next verse [right here in front of us … in First Corinthians] we see the “living stone” is now … the “spiritual drink”: “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” [1 Corinthians 10:4]

Note this next thing, how peculiar it is. This “living stone” though “spiritual meat” and “spiritual drink” … is “disallowed indeed of men” or is rejected of men. Who rejected HIM?

• He was rejected by the builders [by Israel] in Matthew twenty-one in verse forty-two: “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?” [Matthew 21:42]

• He was rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes [by Israel] in Mark eight in verse thirty-one: “And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” [Mark 8:31]

• He was rejected of this generation [by Israel in that day] in Luke seventeen in verse twenty-five: “But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.” [Luke 17:25]

What lesson can be learned from this? We can learn this. What is “disallowed” by men … is allowed by and is most precious to God. To disallow something … is to reject something. Men will always get it wrong. God always get it right. What men disallow … are the pure things of God. Don’t you agree? Come on now! Get it right. Cat got your tongue?

Well, whether you agree, or disagree, it will really not matter in the end. In the end, the only thing that will matter is God’s opinion. My question to you is this, will you allow HIM and “gather” to HIM?

Now, the BOOK “draws a bead” on you and I … in a direct shot to our heart. What does the BOOK say to us in Isaiah chapter fifty-three, verse three? It says this: “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” [Isaiah 53:3] What can we more say?

3. The Lively Stones

Verse five: “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

From the day of Pentecost until the day Jesus Christ comes to catch up the believers in this age together with HIM in the clouds, “to meet the Lord in the air”, this “spiritual house” is being built ever so precisely with one “lively stone” … one at a time … till the whole house is complete. God is the wise master builder. Each believer is a spiritual stone. This “house” is the “church” which is revealed in the New Testament.

Now, this whole thing was a mystery to all the prophets until God revealed [or made known] the mystery to the Apostle Paul by the Holy Ghost. This is what the book of Ephesians [in chapter five, verse thirty-two] shows us: “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” [Ephesians 5:32]

Verse five [by the logic of faith] reveals to us that:

1. The Church is the Spiritual House [“are built up a spiritual house”]

2. The Church is the Priesthood of Believers [“are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood”]

3. The Church is the Bride of Christ [Revelation 21:9] “And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.”

4. The Church is The Body of Christ [Colossians 1:24] “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:”

4. The Corner Stone

Verse six: “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.”

Jesus Christ the Messiah … Who is Jehovah … Who is the Lamb of God … Who is the SON of God … Who is God come in the flesh … is the very “cornerstone” in this “spiritual house” which is the CHURCH in this age, and which CHURCH is the bride of Christ will co-reign with HIM in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The King Of The Hill

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The First Epistle of Peter

1 Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

1 Peter 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1 Peter 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

1 Peter 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

1 Peter 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

1 Peter 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

1 Peter 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

1 Peter 2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

1 Peter 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

1 Peter 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

1 Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

1 Peter 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

1 Peter 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

1 Peter 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

1 Peter 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

1 Peter 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

Jesus Christ and the Church