4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 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.
Our Theme for the next three weeks is The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People
Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 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.
What does a living stone look like? An excellent place to begin is in the Old Testament, as Israel was complaining that they had no water in the wilderness. Exodus 17:5-7 records, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go on before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also, take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel and because they tempted the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
The Bible is its own best commentary and brings interpretation to difficult passages. Paul unfolds the prophetic meaning of this situation found in Exodus 17. He interprets it for us in 1 Corinthians 10:2-5 when he says, “all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them, God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.”
Remember that many of the occurrences that happened in the Old Testament were a type and shadow of things to come, according to Hebrews 7:19-10:1.
This occurrence at Massah, was a picture of the New Covenant as revealed by Jesus in John 7:38-39, “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
In the New Covenant, the saints of God, eat and drink of Christ. John chapter 6 lays out in no uncertain terms the New Covenant. Our new life in Christ begins with “eating and drinking of His body and His blood.” In other words, the Sacrifice of Christ’s Body and the shedding of His Blood is the foundation of the New Covenant. Unless we receive by faith all that the sacrifice of His body and blood has accomplished for us, we have no part in Him. By the Spirit of the Lord, we take into our self His sacrifice. It becomes who we are, His life manifested through our newly created life by the Holy Spirit.
Consider Jesus’ words to the Jews and to His disciples that followed Him. Beginning in verse 26, Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” 30 Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'” 32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” 35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” 41 The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” 42 And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore, everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” 52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” 53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven — not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” John 6:41-58
What is the sum of what we are learning today? This “living stone” was sent from heaven. He is the Rock of God, and He is the Rock of ages. He is the stone that the builders rejected, but God made to be the head of the corner. The “cornerstone” of the new creation is in the Spirit. Precious as Peter declares.
The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. 23 This was the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:22-24 – 22
Listen to Peter as he preaches after a significant miracle:
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 4:8-12 NKJV
Next week we will develop Peter’s teaching further as we look at how each believer is a “living stone” as well, built together as a “spiritual house.” The “house of David” was promised to David by Jehovah through Nathan the prophet in 2 Samuel 7. One of the keys of the kingdom promised by Jesus in Matthew 16:18.