Living Stones
1 Peter 2:2-10
Peter, in his first letter, tells us that we are to be living stones: “Come to [Christ], a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Living stones, what in the world does that mean?
I don’t think we as a people who live in a fertile land with hills and trees and grass can truly understand this passage, until we understand the land from which Peter writes. When I was in Israel, I was constantly amazed at the landscape. It was beautiful, but very different than anything we usually see. Jerusalem is a city built on a hill, with valleys on every side. As you look out to the Mount of Olives from the Temple Mount, you can see patches of grass, but you mostly see rocks and stones. You walk in sandals and the dirt gets under your feet and between your toes and you are constantly watching your footing.
The city itself is stone. All of the houses, churches, and even the city walls are made out of limestone. There is really no color to the city architecture; it just looks like stones piled on top of each other to create the city. In fact, in the early 1950s and 1960s, construction was all done with cinderblock because it was cheaper than using stone. But unfortunately the cinderblock ruined the look of the city; now there is a law that every building being constructed must look like limestone on the outside. Today in modern Israel, they are creating “fake” stone structures so that everything will continue to look like stone.
Peter, in writing this letter, looks around and sees all these stones. Imagine Peter sitting at a desk, looking out of a small window, and writing to encourage new Christians and followers of Jesus. Peter looks out that window and all he sees are the stones. Peter then looks down at his parchment and begins to encourage the Christians. “Come to Christ, a living stone.” Peter looks out, sees all these stones and knows that if they were alive in Christ, they would prove an amazing witness. They would rise up in power and strength and build wonderful things for the Lord, because they were the foundations of a building alive for Christ.
These stones that decorate the church remind us that we too are to be living stones. We are to take heed to Peter’s words and become living stones. We are to be so filled with the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit that we are alive and strong and hard and yearning to do Christ’s work in the world. These stones will be with us for the next few weeks. As we travel towards Pentecost and the birth of the church, these stones are a reminder that we too are to be alive and living stones of faith.
God has a plan for us. First Peter goes on to tell us that we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 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.” Being living stones embraces the knowledge that we are all special.
But the passage isn’t done. The scripture tells us that we are chosen “in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Being a living stone is proclaiming the mighty acts of Christ. It means getting involved in your faith. It’s not just sitting in a pew on a Sunday morning, but living out the faith because you are a living stone. Christians are to be hard and strong and alive through the power of Jesus Christ.
Peter says, “Let yourselves be built into a spiritual house.” As we come together, each of us a living stone, we are built into something greater through the power of Jesus Christ. We are special and important and Christ is alive in us and waiting for us to actually be a living stone. To take risks and live and breath everything through the power of Jesus Christ.
The stone is such a remarkable image because it seems so dead. It lays on the ground and does nothing. But when you look closer at a stone, you can see how alive it can truly be. Living stones built God’s city, Jerusalem. A living stone is hard and strong and stays in its place for hundreds and thousands of years, telling the story of where it came from. A living stone is waiting for the Creator to come along and build it into something beautiful.
Peter, the disciple known as the Rock says, “Come to [Christ], a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house.” Be a living stone this week. Rise from your pew. Leave this plain stone structure and allow God to work in your life and become a living stone. Listen to God, let yourself be built into a spiritual house and serve God in some way.
Worship Suggestion
Pass baskets of stones along the pews. Invite the congregation to take a stone from the basket as it is passed. Tell those present, “Hold it in your hand. Feel its curves and strength and how hard it is to the touch. Let this be a reminder to you that you too are to be a living stone for Christ.”