As you come to [Jesus], a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
and
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies 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.
Sermon Questions:
1. Do you ever hesitate to identify as a Christian? Why/when?
2. What do suppose the non-Christians you know think of the Church?
3. Why would Jesus draw the low, the weak and the foolish (in the world’s eyes) to his Church?
4. Is it good news to you that you cannot have Jesus without his people?
5. If you talk about Christianity with others, are you focusing and making much of Jesus and his mercy?
6. What needs to change for you/us to better proclaim the excellencies of the one who called us from darkness to light?
