Sharper Iron — The Imperishable Inheritance: Newborn Stones Built on Christ

https://kfuo-od.streamguys1.com/recast/sharper-iron/20210409112953-SI_Apr_09_2021.mp3
Download Audio File

Rev. Rick Jones, chaplain and vice-president of spiritual life at the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch in Minot, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 1 Peter 2:1-10.

The life of the Christian flees from all lies and evil and toward the truth of God’s Word. He has given us new birth into His kingdom through His Word. As a mother’s milk sustains her newborn infants, God’s Word nourishes and strengthens us. Our Lord has shown us that He is good, for though He was rejected by men, God chose Him as the cornerstone for His Church. We are built together as living stones in Him to be His temple and holy priesthood. Echoes of Peter’s life and confession come through as he writes concerning Christ and the Church in this way. He quotes freely from Isaiah and the Psalms concerning Christ crucified and risen as the foundation for our faith and a stumbling block for those who do not believe. Because of what Christ has done, Christians now are God’s chosen people. He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light to proclaim His excellencies.

“The Imperishable Inheritance” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistles of 1 and 2 Peter and Jude. The life of the Christian Church right now is life in exile. We endure attacks from various trials and from false teachers. Such suffering makes us long for the eternal home that will be ours at the resurrection of the dead. In Jesus, we have this promise of eternal life that can never be snatched away. These three epistles strengthen us to hold fast to Christ in the midst of suffering and to give witness to the hope that is ours in Him.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

1 Peter 2:1-10

A Living Stone and a Holy People

2 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”[a]

8 and

“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

1 Peter 2:7 Greek the head of the corner

English Standard Version (ESV)