At the beginning of the passage, Peter urges the believers to have the kind of eager desire for spiritual food for the desirable growth, just like a baby craving for milk.
Q: How strong is our desire for God’s word?
In verse 3 it says that “now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. This suggests that an initial act of tasting has been experienced, thus, the believers are urged to long for more and additional spiritual food. To illustrate, once we were a wretch and we came to know God and he saved us, that is his Amazing Grace, since we know that God is Good, why not to have more of him?
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
Christ is the life-giving Stone. Peter portrays the church as a living, spiritual house with Christ as the foundation and cornerstone while each of us, the believers, we are the stones making up the church. There is a community. One stone cannot stand alone but it requires every stone to come together. We are one body. Looking at Daniel 1, God puts different ones of us together, coming with different strengths, quality, personality, and even weaknesses, there is a beautiful symphony when we identify each other and work as a body and to support each other. Remember, no man is an island.
Praise God! He actually sees each of us (the stone) as precious and important in building up his church. If God sees the values in us, why can’t we see the values in ourselves?
Recalling in Matthew 16, Jesus told Simon Peter that “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it”.
Q: So, what is the stone that really counts in the building of the church?
A: Christ ALONE!
Those who refuse to believe in Christ have made the greatest mistake of their lives. They have stumbled over the one person who could save them and give meaning to their lives, and they have fallen into God’s hands for judgment. He who says he is, yet many rejected him. Sometimes I wonder, what is the ultimate thing that can cause a non believer to believe? I personally think it is not as simple as just convincing the person.
Verse 9-10: We have worth because of what God does, not because of what we do!
As Christians, we are called to separate ourselves from sinful desires and live a life that is above reproach. Do not be discouraged, at the end of the day, the way we live our lives can actually win some of the unsaved critics to the Lord’s side. We gotta show them Christ by our life. I remembered once a pastor told me a story of salvation where this brother who was studying in US then came to Christ not because of hours of preaching or 10 eyes on him (pressure), but merely because of the genuine love that the bros and sis around gave him despite being a non believer. There is no double standard. It is easy to say we gotta love, sometimes circumstances or things happening in our life can pull us down, but are we going to let that overwhelm us for Christ’s sake? Lets learn together!
Submission to Rulers and Masters
We are called to freely submit to God and to earthly authorities (as long as such submission does not conflict with the law of God). Liberty is not the license to do as we please. Genuine freedom should be used to serve God to the max, it is a freedom exercised under the law.
However, sometimes I find it hard to fully abiding the law not as in I go against it, but I do question the legibility of the law. For example, in my country, there is this super powerful law (some of you may know) which has been greatly misused especially by the rulers in action to detain anyone they “think” poses a threat to the country, especially at times when there is no single Act or Law to halt or detain a person. We know that there are loopholes in the legislation especially due to the weakness of those who have authority exercising it. But yet I praise God that in my country, we have religion freedom. If we are to be persecuted, it should be for obeying God, and not for breaking moral or civil laws.
At the closing part of the passage, Peter encourages loyalty and perseverance even in the face of unjust treatment. Again, let our life shines for Jesus, we should use our life to influence lives, by setting good examples.
I am amazed by verse 20-21 that we were called to follow Christ’s steps, that there will be sufferings. Again, many could not understand ain’t a life after accepting Christ should be smooth, no persecution, and honeyly sweet? We gotta remember that we are sinners but his grace found us. If we would question the little that we suffer for Christ’s sake, what more would Christ complain (if He would ever :P) of what He has undergone? He never sinned, yet he suffered the unbearable pain and even death for you and me! It may sound ridiculous, but I think our goal should be to face suffering as he did – with patience, calmness, and confidence that God is in control of the future.
“For we were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls”.
Love came down and he came to rescue. He swallowed all the insults, accusations, pains and even death to free us from the eternal damnation. If he ever retaliated, that should end my sharing here. Praise the Lord He didn't!
A: Christ ALONE!
Those who refuse to believe in Christ have made the greatest mistake of their lives. They have stumbled over the one person who could save them and give meaning to their lives, and they have fallen into God’s hands for judgment. He who says he is, yet many rejected him. Sometimes I wonder, what is the ultimate thing that can cause a non believer to believe? I personally think it is not as simple as just convincing the person.
Verse 9-10: We have worth because of what God does, not because of what we do!
As Christians, we are called to separate ourselves from sinful desires and live a life that is above reproach. Do not be discouraged, at the end of the day, the way we live our lives can actually win some of the unsaved critics to the Lord’s side. We gotta show them Christ by our life. I remembered once a pastor told me a story of salvation where this brother who was studying in US then came to Christ not because of hours of preaching or 10 eyes on him (pressure), but merely because of the genuine love that the bros and sis around gave him despite being a non believer. There is no double standard. It is easy to say we gotta love, sometimes circumstances or things happening in our life can pull us down, but are we going to let that overwhelm us for Christ’s sake? Lets learn together!
Submission to Rulers and Masters
We are called to freely submit to God and to earthly authorities (as long as such submission does not conflict with the law of God). Liberty is not the license to do as we please. Genuine freedom should be used to serve God to the max, it is a freedom exercised under the law.
However, sometimes I find it hard to fully abiding the law not as in I go against it, but I do question the legibility of the law. For example, in my country, there is this super powerful law (some of you may know) which has been greatly misused especially by the rulers in action to detain anyone they “think” poses a threat to the country, especially at times when there is no single Act or Law to halt or detain a person. We know that there are loopholes in the legislation especially due to the weakness of those who have authority exercising it. But yet I praise God that in my country, we have religion freedom. If we are to be persecuted, it should be for obeying God, and not for breaking moral or civil laws.
At the closing part of the passage, Peter encourages loyalty and perseverance even in the face of unjust treatment. Again, let our life shines for Jesus, we should use our life to influence lives, by setting good examples.
I am amazed by verse 20-21 that we were called to follow Christ’s steps, that there will be sufferings. Again, many could not understand ain’t a life after accepting Christ should be smooth, no persecution, and honeyly sweet? We gotta remember that we are sinners but his grace found us. If we would question the little that we suffer for Christ’s sake, what more would Christ complain (if He would ever :P) of what He has undergone? He never sinned, yet he suffered the unbearable pain and even death for you and me! It may sound ridiculous, but I think our goal should be to face suffering as he did – with patience, calmness, and confidence that God is in control of the future.
“For we were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls”.
Love came down and he came to rescue. He swallowed all the insults, accusations, pains and even death to free us from the eternal damnation. If he ever retaliated, that should end my sharing here. Praise the Lord He didn't!
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