A Community with a Purpose
“Spiritual growth is inevitable when we sacrifice our resources for the good of others.”
1 Peter 2:5-10 (NLT)
And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. As the Scriptures say,
“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,
chosen for great honor,
and anyone who trusts in him
will never be disgraced.”
Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.”
And,
“He is the stone that makes people stumble,
the rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
“Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.”
Reflection
What does a healthy church community look like? Jesus Christ is the cornerstone that determines the integrity of His church. All our beliefs, attitudes, and deeds are judged by the plumbline of His word for uprightness. Peter gives us some guidance on how to live out the “Me Healthy, We Healthy” credo the church needs in order to fulfill its purpose.
You are living stones. Every church member is part of the body of Christ. Imagine a building made from rocks that have not been sculpted to line up with the cornerstone. The structural weakness would cause it to collapse. We must have Christ at the center of our lives in order to build a solid community.
You are His holy priests. With Christ’s redeeming work on the cross, we no longer need a mediator to approach God on our behalf. We have the honor of cultivating a relationship with our Creator and performing some of the priestly duties that will impact the world—representing God to the people and representing the people to God.
You offer spiritual sacrifices. Costly devotion to God with our time, money, and talents. Spiritual growth is inevitable when we sacrifice our resources for the good of others.
You can show others the goodness of God. God is not willing that any should perish, so it is our privilege to be the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone until the day He calls us home. The church is where every lost and lonely soul should see the goodness of God. As with any effective ministry, the work neither begins nor ends inside a building…it begins in our hearts and homes, and extends outward to those who need God’s grace the most.
Action Step
Think about the spiritual sacrifices you make for the kingdom of God. Ask God if there is anything you need to change, or if anything is standing in the way of your obedience in this area.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for calling me out of the darkness and into Your family. I pray that You continually give me opportunities to show others Your goodness and grace. Amen!
And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. As the Scriptures say,
“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,
chosen for great honor,
and anyone who trusts in him
will never be disgraced.”
Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.”
And,
“He is the stone that makes people stumble,
the rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
“Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.”
Reflection
What does a healthy church community look like? Jesus Christ is the cornerstone that determines the integrity of His church. All our beliefs, attitudes, and deeds are judged by the plumbline of His word for uprightness. Peter gives us some guidance on how to live out the “Me Healthy, We Healthy” credo the church needs in order to fulfill its purpose.
You are living stones. Every church member is part of the body of Christ. Imagine a building made from rocks that have not been sculpted to line up with the cornerstone. The structural weakness would cause it to collapse. We must have Christ at the center of our lives in order to build a solid community.
You are His holy priests. With Christ’s redeeming work on the cross, we no longer need a mediator to approach God on our behalf. We have the honor of cultivating a relationship with our Creator and performing some of the priestly duties that will impact the world—representing God to the people and representing the people to God.
You offer spiritual sacrifices. Costly devotion to God with our time, money, and talents. Spiritual growth is inevitable when we sacrifice our resources for the good of others.
You can show others the goodness of God. God is not willing that any should perish, so it is our privilege to be the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone until the day He calls us home. The church is where every lost and lonely soul should see the goodness of God. As with any effective ministry, the work neither begins nor ends inside a building…it begins in our hearts and homes, and extends outward to those who need God’s grace the most.
Action Step
Think about the spiritual sacrifices you make for the kingdom of God. Ask God if there is anything you need to change, or if anything is standing in the way of your obedience in this area.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for calling me out of the darkness and into Your family. I pray that You continually give me opportunities to show others Your goodness and grace. Amen!
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