1 Peter 2:4-10 NIV
[4] As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— [5] you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [6] For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” [7] Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” [8] and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. [9] But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. [10] Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Dear God, what I see Peter emphasizing to the new Christians and early church in this passage is the importance of community and coming together to build a church—with Jesus as the cornerstone. They weren’t to do it alone. They needed each other to grow closer to you and then be salt to the world.
I visited a new church plant yesterday. At one point the pastor said that their emphasis is going to be Jesus, Bible, and then Community. He has a couple of graphics on each corner of the stage that he said will remain there. He mentioned that they would try to avoid the organizational traps of becoming inward focused and thinking more about their programs that about the people within and outside of the church. Yes, I thought, that is good. Of course, it will be hard, but it is good.
I currently am responsible for an organization that gets bigger and bigger, but one of the things I have to ask myself is, do we do more and more? Are we helping more and more people or are we just growing in inefficient areas. I think churches and all groups can struggle with this concept and trap. I know the pastor from yesterday wants to avoid it and I do as well.
Father, help me to keep Jesus as our cornerstone at work and as the cornerstone for my individual life. Help me to be a voice within my church that will help others to make Jesus our cornerstone there as well.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen
Emails to God 