There is a progression and a purpose. In the progression, we all begin at the same point—the immaturity of a self-focused infant. Begin by considering a baby—not a toddler or a pre-school aged child, but a baby. When a baby wants to eat, the baby lets you know it—whether at 2 a.m. or at noon. The convenience of the parents is not an issue; the issue is “I am hungry!” When the baby becomes uncomfortable in its diapers, the baby lets it be known. When the baby does not feel well because of gas, the baby lets it be known. The schedule of the entire family must yield to the baby’s needs and desires. Enormous immaturity expresses itself through self-focus.
Every Christian who begins life in Christ is an immature baby. (One major difference in the spiritual infant and the physical infant is found in the fact that the spiritual infant must unlearn a former existence to learn a new existence.) Immature spiritual infants have a tendency to be self-focused. The more a person moves from self-focus to a family focus, the more that person moves from spiritual infancy toward spiritual maturity.
The purpose for all Christians is growth. Just as the rate of growth differs for physical infants, the rate of growth also differs for spiritual infants. God’s primary focus is not on the rate of spiritual development, but on spiritual development. The motivation that stimulates spiritual growth is “tasting the kindness of the Lord.” Progressively, the person in Christ grows away from a self-focus to a family focus. Spiritual maturity in an individual Christian typically occurs when the individual Christian becomes more concerned about the well-being of the spiritual family (the congregation) than personal desires. The challenge of spiritual maturity often involves determining the spiritually healthy balance between personal desires in a congregation and the well-being of the congregation.
Why? The spiritual person is profoundly impressed with the unselfish (often sacrificial) kindness of Jesus. The Christian constantly benefits from Jesus’ unselfish kindness. Increasingly, the Christian wishes to reflect (mirror) that kindness—increasingly the Lord becomes his/her example of how to behave in God’s family.
Where is the Christian going? What is his/her destination?
1 Peter 2:1-10 declares that the Christian wishes to become a “living stone” which the Lord Jesus will utilize as building material. Why? Jesus in his earthly existence was a “living stone” which God used as building material to achieve His objective. Did the Israelite leadership and priesthood see Jesus as a “living stone,” as a fundamental part of God’s building material? No! In fact, the majority of them rejected Jesus as being “fit” for divine building material! What “knowledgeable people” regarded as being unsuitable divine building material was used by God as the essential stone in the foundation of God’s building.
Christians also serve the role of priests in God’s building. Their responsibility is to offer up “spiritual sacrifices” (verse 5) acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Please note that what makes the sacrifices offered acceptable is Jesus Christ, not the person.
God’s stone, Jesus Christ, serves a dual role. For the person who believes in what God did through Jesus, every promise God made (promises we can see from Genesis 12:1-3 forward) is fulfilled. Everything God intended to do for sinful humans He did in Jesus Christ. What God did in keeping His promises resulted in God sending Jesus to be the Christ. Jesus Christ becomes (is) the foundation for the individual believer to trust God to do “what He says He will do.” However, for the person (in context, the Israelite) who refused to believe in what God did (does) in Jesus, Jesus became the “stumbling stone.” For the person who rejected God’s presence and work in Jesus, Jesus caused a spiritual falling.
The contrast is striking! The contrast is between a stone that is precious to God and a tripping stone that caused people to stumble.
Who were Christians to be? They were to realize they were selected by God to be a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people to be possessed (owned) by God. What were these people to actually do? They proclaimed God’s excellencies. Why? They did so for two reasons: (1) God called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. (2) They had become God’s people who received mercy.
Be careful! The dividing line was the willingness to trust God’s work in Jesus. It was not the worthiness of the individual, nor the accomplishments of the individual, nor the lineage of the person. It was the willingness to trust what God did (the making of an eternal Savior for all people) and is doing (forgiving, sanctifying, redeeming, dispensing mercy of grace, and providing propitiation in Jesus Christ).
What are we as Christians? We are built by God upon Jesus Christ to be God’s temple. We are to serve as God’s priests in God’s temple. Again, that may not say much to you, but it was a profound call to holiness to those to whom Peter wrote.
The key consideration was NOT whether you belong to the proper institution, but “Who are you? What is your calling?”
For Thought and Discussion
1. There are what two things?
2. The more a person moves from self-focus to family focus, the more he/she does what?
3. God’s primary focus is not on what but on what?
4. The motivation that stimulates spiritual development is what?
5. The spiritual person is profoundly impressed with what?
6. 1 Peter 2:1-10 declares the Christian wishes to become what?
7. Christians also serve as what?
8. What dual role does Jesus Christ serve as God’s stone?
9. Who were Christians to be? Why?
10. What was the dividing line?
11. As Christians we are built by God upon Jesus Christ to be what two things? What is the emphasis?
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 12