COME TO THE STONE 1 PETER 2:4-8

Steve Shepherdhttp://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?

SermonID=137917&Sermon%20Come%20To%20The%20Stone!%20by%20Steve%20Shepherd

1 Peter 2:4 NET So as you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen and priceless in God's sight, 5 you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to

God through Jesus Christ.

6 For it says in scripture, “Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and priceless cornerstone, and whoever believes in him will never be

put to shame.” (Isaiah 28:16) 7 So you who believe see his value, but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone, (Psalm 118:22) 8 and a stumbling-stone and a rock to trip over.

(Isaiah 8:14-15) They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

A stone. How about a headstone on a grave?

The largest cemetery in the United States is Arlington National Cemetery, situated on the

Potomac River in Virginia. It covers 612 acres, and more than 240,000 members of

the armed forces are buried there.

Among the many famous and distinguished people buried in the cemetery are

presidents William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy; a number of supreme court justices, including Chief Justice Earl

Warren, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., and Thurgood Marshall; explorers Robert Peary

and Matthew Henson, etc.

As Mr. Smith was on his death bed, he attempted to formulate a plan that would

allow him to take at least some of his money with him. He called for the three men he

trusted most: his lawyer, his doctor, and his preacher. He told them, "I’m going to give

you each $30,000 in cash before I die. At my funeral, I want you to place the money in my

coffin so that I can take it with me."

All three agreed to do this and were given the money. At the funeral, each approached

the coffin in turn and placed an envelope inside. While riding in the limousine back from the cemetery, the preacher said, “I

have to confess something to you fellows. Brother Smith was a good member all his life, and I know he would have wanted me

to do this.

The church needed a new baptistery very badly, and I took $10,000 of the money he

gave me and bought one. I only put $20,000 in the coffin.” The physician then said, "Well, since we’re confiding in one

another, I might as well tell you that I didn’t put the full $30,000 in the coffin either."

“Smith had a disease that could have been diagnosed sooner if I had this very new

machine, but the machine cost $20,000 and I couldn’t afford it then. I used $20,000 of the money to buy the machine so that I might be

able to save another patient. I know that Smith would have wanted me to do that.” The lawyer then said, “I’m ashamed of both of you. When I put my envelope into that coffin, I put

in my personal check for the full $30,000.”

Today, we want to think about the living....THE LIVING STONE! Obviously, thinking about headstones of those who

have passed is not a pleasant thing to think about.

BUT THERE IS A LIVING STONE WHOM WE MUST CONSIDER, THINK ABOUT,

DWELL ON, AND LIVE FOR!

HE WAS REJECTED BY MEN

Let’s see what is significant and important about this stone.

1- He was rejected by men2- He was chosen by God

3- He was accepted by saints

1 Peter 2:4 NET So as you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen and

priceless in God's sight…

7 So you who believe see his value, but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the

cornerstone, (Psalm 118:22) 8 and a stumbling-stone and a rock to trip over. (Isaiah 8:14-15) They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to

do.

A young woman teacher with obvious liberal tendencies explains to her class of small

children that she is an atheist. She asks her class if they are atheists too. Not really

knowing what atheism is but wanting to be like their teacher, their hands explode into

the air like fleshy fireworks.There is, however, one exception. A

beautiful girl named Lucy has not gone along with the crowd.

The teacher asks her why she has decided to be different. “Because, I’m not an atheist.” Then,

asks the teacher, “What are you?” “I’m a Christian.”

The teacher is a little perturbed now, her face slightly red. She asks Lucy why she is a

Christian. “Well, I was brought up knowing and loving Jesus. My mom is a Christian, and my dad is a Christian, so I am a Christian.” The teacher

is now angry. “That’s no reason,” she says loudly.

“What if your mom was an idiot and your dad was an idiot. What would you be then?” Lucy paused,

smiled and said, “Then, I’d be an atheist!”

Obviously, there are plenty of people in our world who reject God and atheists are just one group. There are others! There are those, however, in

every sphere of society that reject God and Christ! Many more reject Christ than God. And

we know that if a person rejects Christ, they also reject God the Father.

1 John 2:22 NET Who is the liar but the person who denies that Jesus is the Christ ? This one is the antichrist: the

person who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Everyone who denies the Son does not

have the Father either. The person who confesses the Son has the Father also.

1 John 4:1 NET Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if

they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know

the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is

from God, 3 but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is

coming, and now is already in the world.

In the early 80’s, Steve Shepherd, the author of this lesson, decided it was time to search for a different church to serve. He just felt like the people were not responding to his

ministry as he felt they should so he started sending out resumes. One church seemed to

respond well. It was the First Christian Church in Cabool, MO. A small town of 2000

people but the church was very solid.

He went and preached what he thought was one of his better sermons. The service and day went well and he returned home later than evening. He was told they would vote on him the next

Sunday and the elders would give him a call. The next Sunday afternoon he expected that phone call and it never came. He waited and waited.

Finally, on Sunday evening he called one of their elders to find out what was going on.

SILENCE SPEAKS, YOU KNOW.

He said the elders were very disappointed with the vote. In fact, it was the lowest vote he’d ever received. He recalls it was only 66

percent. However, those elders blamed themselves because they had him come to

preach that trial sermon while their preacher, whom they loved, was still there. In fact, they

were giving him a "going away" party that Sunday afternoon. WELL, NO WONDER

THAT DIDN’T WORK.

No matter what or who, it’s hard to take rejection, isn’t it? And how do you think God and Christ feel about people on earth whom

He has created and blessed when they totally ignore them or reject them?

HE WAS REJECTED BY MEN.

HE WAS CHOSEN BY GOD

1 Peter 2:4 NET So as you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen and

priceless in God's sight,Many years ago, this ad appeared in an

English publication for six men to go to China: Six courageous young men are needed at

once to go to China for the Chinese Industrial Co-Ops which trains technicians for a democratically industrialized China.

They are to take the place of George Hogg, brilliant 31-year-old Oxford graduate, who died of tetanus in Northwest China beyond

reach of medical aid. If willing to risk disease, endure discomfort, eat only Chinese food, talk Chinese, he may apply immediately at the Anglo-Chinese Development Society. Anyone not prepared to take similar risks

need not apply. Over 600 young men applied!

It’s somewhat surprising to me that 600 young men applied for that job, however, people will

apply for a job that pays big money before they will apply for many other jobs;

LIKE GOING TO THE MISSION FIELD!

And, of course, as we know, not everyone who volunteers for a job or a service, gets chosen.

We’ve all probably been turned down a time or two.

Baptist preacher, W. A. Criswell once wrote: I can’t describe the excitement I felt that day when

Brother Whaley, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Memphis, Texas, began his two week revival, assisted by his energetic music leader,

the young John R. Rice. “I’m going to invite everyone of you who feels called to full-time

service to come forward this morning,” Brother Whaley said at the close of his message. “Give

God your life right here, right now.”

The music played. The people sang. And suddenly, I was moving out into the aisle, walking

down to the platform, and standing directly in front of John R. Rice and Pastor Whaley. As I

stood alone at the end of that sawdust trail, what did happen was disappointing to say the least. No one even looked in my direction. Brother

Whaley had jumped down from the platform and was rushing to embrace another man who had

responded to the invitation.

Our guest preacher’s blood brother was a hard dirt farmer, who lived in New Mexico. “All my life I have run from God’s call,” the elder Whaley said as tears streamed down

his weather-beaten face. “But today I’m going to quit running. Pray for me.”

Criswell said: I stood near the platform alone and feeling really quite awkward.

I was twelve years old. The elder Whaley must have been close to seventy. He was thin and haggard. His skin

was wrinkled and burned from too many years of following the plow beneath the open sky. He walked with a severe limp,

and his arms and hands trembled.

That Sunday morning, everybody gathered to hear the preacher’s brother preach his first, and probably his last, sermon. He

stood before us creaky and rheumatic. His voice was weak. His body bent. Never once

did he look up at us. It was impossible to hear him past the front row, but the

congregation strained to listen. It was moving, and, at the same time, it was tragic.

It was a lesson that I will never forget. If you’re going to serve the Lord, you sure

better do it now. Don’t wait another day, or you’ll end up like that poor old farmer looking back at what might have been but now can

never be.Boy, isn’t this the truth? If you’re going to

serve the Lord in any form, you’d better do it now because you may not get another

chance.

Doesn’t this make you wonder a bit about Jesus leaving heaven for earth to seek and save the lost? Why did He do it? How could

He do it? And perhaps many other questions.

God, in essence, said, "Jesus, my beloved Son, I have chosen you and you alone to be the Savior of the world. You alone can bear

the sins of the world. GO!" CHOSEN BY GOD.

HE WAS ACCEPTED BY SAINTS

5 you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood

and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For

it says in scripture, “Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and priceless cornerstone, and whoever believes in him will never be put to shame.” (Isaiah 28:16) 7a So you

who believe see his value…

Elvis week happens in Memphis every year in August. (August 16, 1977 - 32 years in 2009)

Every year during that week surrounding the anniversary of his death, Memphis celebrates the music and life of Elvis Presley. In 2007 -

30th anniversary of his death, despite temperatures reaching 100 degrees, fans began lining up on Wednesday evening -

many waiting hours - to file up the drive of the estate and past his grave in a candlelight vigil.

Mike Meridian, a 46-year-old builder from Houston said: “We’re doing our best to keep cool. Elvis blows the wind our way every now

and again.”His wife, Shirley Roberts, said she had been

coming to Graceland to pay tribute every year since Aug 16, 1977, when Elvis died

aged 42. Near the line, hand-painted signs offered tributes to the man:

“I will always love Elvis.”

Inside the air-conditioned visitors’ centre, Elvis impersonators compared notes on self-made

costumes. Souvenir stands did a brisk business in commemorative T-shirts for the anniversary that featured Presley’s image and included a

note thanking fans “for 30 great years!”Graceland attracts up to 600,000 visitors each

year, making it the second most-visited residence in the United States after the White

House. AND HERE’S MORE ON ELVIS.

On April 25, 1994, the news section of Christianity Today, reported that some fans

of Elvis Presley were actually revering the king of rock and roll as a god.

Pockets of semi-organized Elvis worship had taken hold in New York, Colorado, and Indiana. Worshipers raised their hands,

spelled and then chanted Presley’s name, worked themselves into a fervor, and prayed

to the deceased star.

At the First Presbyterian Church of Denver, a Reverend Mort Farndu said that Elvis

worship was spreading. Followers believe Elvis watches over them. If someone

reports seeing Presley, the high priests at the Church of the Risen Elvis in Denver

holds Elvis worship services. They enshrined a look-alike doll of Elvis in an altar surrounded by candles and flowers.

Can you believe this? Can you believe how many people worship people in our world? People are

crazy about the people of Hollywood!But what about Jesus?

I want to know whatever happened to Jesus? Where is the world that worships Jesus?

I want to know! I’m positive God already knows and is saddened.

People come and go, even Hollywood stars,

even Elvis.

People may be good, admirable, honorable and all that good stuff, but there’s only one star of the universe! There is only one true,

Savior of the world!

There are about 306 million people in the Unites States and about 75 percent or 229

million claim to believe in Jesus Christ. That sounds pretty good until you find out how many of those so-called believers worship

on any given Sunday. I have read anywhere from 24 to 43 percent attend on any given Sunday in the US. Of course, this doesn’t

mean EVERY Sunday!

I’m not sure you would find even 20 percent of the US population faithful in their

worship. Still, I believe that there are those saints or believers in Christ who have truly accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord who are faithful and committed to Him.

ACCEPTED BY SAINTS.

Win some - lose some. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Some days people can be devout and other days, they can be

quite devoid of faith.

Acts 4:10 NET let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of

Jesus Christ the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead,

this man stands before you healthy.

11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, that has

become the cornerstone. (Psalm 118:22) 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for

there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.“

Jesus: Rejected by men. Chosen by God.

Accepted by saints.