The Living Stone and Chosen People
(Isaiah 28:14–22; 1 Corinthians 3:10–15; Ephesians 2:19–22)
Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. Eph 4:31Jas 1:21Jas 4:111Pe 3:10Col 3:5-8Tit 3:3-5Eph 4:22-251Pe 4:4 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, Heb 5:12-13Eph 4:152Pe 3:181Co 3:1-2Mrk 10:151Co 14:20Mat 18:3Job 17:9 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. Psa 34:8Heb 6:5-6Psa 63:5Psa 24:8Zec 9:17Psa 9:10Sng 2:3
As you come to Him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen and precious in God’s sight, Psa 118:22-23Act 4:11-121Pe 2:7Isa 28:16Luk 20:17-18Mrk 12:10-11Zec 3:9Dan 2:34 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. Eph 2:20-221Pe 2:91Co 3:9Rev 5:101Co 3:16Isa 61:6Heb 13:15-16Heb 3:6 For it stands in Scripture: Isa 28:16Rom 9:32-331Pe 2:4Eph 2:20Zec 10:4Rom 10:11Mrk 12:10Isa 50:7
“See, I lay in Zion a stone,
a chosen and precious cornerstone;
and the one who believes in Him
will never be put to shame.” 1
To you who believe, then, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, Psa 118:22-23Act 4:11-12Mrk 12:10-11Mat 21:421Pe 2:81Pe 1:82Co 2:16Act 26:19
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,” 2
and, Isa 8:141Co 1:231Pe 2:7Rom 9:32-33Rom 9:22Jud 1:41Th 5:92Pe 2:3
“A stone of stumbling
and a rock of offense.” 3
They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Exo 19:5-6Deu 7:6Rev 1:6Rev 5:10Isa 61:62Ti 1:9Deu 26:18-19Deu 14:2 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. 4 Hos 2:23Heb 4:16Hos 1:9-10Rom 9:25-26Rom 11:6-71Ti 1:13Rom 10:19Rom 11:30
Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul. 1Jn 2:15-17Gal 5:241Pe 4:2Heb 11:13Rom 8:131Ch 29:15Jas 4:1Rom 12:1 Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us. 1Pe 3:16Mat 5:16Tit 2:7-8Php 2:15-162Co 8:211Th 4:121Ti 4:12Jas 3:13
Submission to Authorities
(Romans 13:1–7)
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to the king as the supreme authority, Tit 3:1Rom 13:1-71Ti 2:1-2Luk 20:25Pro 24:21Jer 29:7Mat 22:21Mrk 12:17 or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. Rom 13:3-4 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men. 1Pe 3:17Tit 2:81Pe 2:121Th 5:18Mat 7:261Th 4:3Jer 4:22Pro 9:6
Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Gal 5:13Rom 6:221Co 7:22Rom 6:18Gal 5:1Jas 1:25Eph 6:6Jas 2:12 Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers, 5 fear God, honor the king. Pro 24:21Rom 12:10Rom 13:71Pe 5:5Php 2:3Heb 13:11Pe 1:221Ti 6:1
Servants, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, 6 not only to those who are good and gentle, but even to those who are unreasonable. Tit 2:9-10Col 3:22-25Eph 6:5-71Ti 6:1-3Pro 3:32Gal 5:22Jas 3:17Pro 8:13 For if anyone endures the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God, this is to be commended. Mat 5:10-121Pe 2:201Pe 3:14-171Co 15:10Luk 6:32Jhn 15:21Rom 13:52Co 1:12 How is it to your credit if you are beaten for doing wrong and you endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 1Pe 2:191Pe 3:17Mat 5:10-121Pe 3:141Pe 4:14-16Luk 6:32Eph 5:10Mat 5:47
Christ’s Example of Suffering
(Isaiah 53:1–8)
For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: 1Jn 2:6Mat 16:24Jhn 13:15Eph 5:21Jn 3:161Co 11:11Pe 2:241Pe 4:1
“He committed no sin, Isa 53:9Heb 4:152Co 5:211Jn 3:51Jn 2:1Heb 7:26-27Rev 14:5Heb 9:28
and no deceit was found in His mouth.” 7
When they heaped abuse on Him, Isa 53:71Pe 4:19Heb 12:3Psa 37:5Act 4:291Pe 3:92Ti 1:12Act 8:32-35
He did not retaliate;
when He suffered, He made no threats,
but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
He Himself bore our sins 8 Isa 53:4-6Mat 8:17Rom 6:11Rev 22:21Jn 2:29Jas 5:16Heb 9:28Gal 3:13
in His body on the tree,
so that we might die to sin
and live to righteousness.
“By His stripes you are healed.” 9
For “you were like sheep going astray,” 10 but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Isa 53:6Ezk 34:6Luk 15:4-6Act 20:28Jhn 10:11-16Isa 40:11Psa 119:176Ezk 34:11-16