SPIRITUAL STONES

TOPIC:  STONES

The Bible is full of stories about stones: Jacob used a stone as a pillow, Joshua set up memorial stones, David chose 5 smooth stones to fight Goliath, Elijah took 12 stones to build an altar and many, many more.

Today, I have 4 stones with me that I want to share. The text is 1 Peter 2:2-10; Rev. 2:17

PETER USES STONES TO TEACH US

The Bible is full of stories about stones. Peter the rock uses the images of stones to teach truths about Jesus and our relationship to him.

Peter’s name means “pebbles”.  Greek origin meaning "rock". Peter is derived from the Greek Petros, meaning “rock” or “stone.”

1) The Living Stone

“As you come to him, the living stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ Jesus.”

God is building a spiritual house, not with bricks and mortar, but with living stones, with people who come to Christ like you and me. That means…  TOGETHER, WE ARE A HOLY TEMPLE!

We are like living stones among the Cornerstone Jesus to be a spiritual house – a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices

to God with Jesus daily.  The stones are all build by God Himself.

If we want to influence our friends and family members to follow Jesus, then we must KNOW who we are and BE who we are in Christ. We are God's holy temple and God's special people, designed to be living displays of His greatness, so let's live that way. Put your name on one of the stones.

 

2) The Cornerstone – Jesus

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”   -  1 Peter 2:6 

In fact, most churches have a cornerstone into which individuals place things of importance to the church when it was built.

A. Ancient cornerstones were the 1st stones of a building laid. It had to be cut and placed to absolute perfection because all the walls of the building would get their angles from that one stone. It had to be a great, strong stone because a great portion of the building would rest on it.

B. V. 6 – “See I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trust in him will never be put to shame. (Isaiah 28:16)  Without the Cornerstone we all fall apart just like a building.  

 

3) The 3rd stone represents “the capstone.”

Psalm 118:22 – “Now to you who believe, this stone is precious, But to those who do not believe, the stone the builders rejected has become the capstone.”

A) In some circles the capstone is also known as the “keystone”. It is the stone in the center of an arch that holds the arch in place by withstanding the pressure from both sides.

B. If a capstone is too large, the two sides of the arch will fall outwards. If it is too small, the arch would cause the stone to be crushed by the pressure and the arch would fall in on itself.  Take away the capstone everything will collapse. He is important and precious.

 

C. God has made us each unique, like stones; but it is Jesus, the capstone, the keystone that hold us all together building relationships, beginning ministries, growing a church. If we have no one willing to work with children and youth, we will have none. If we have no place for families with children, we won’t reach them. The arch of our church needs every stone, uniquely shaped to fit into its place in the arch with Christ at the center.  Notice Jesus is the Door. 

 

4) The Stumbling Stones

This 4th stone represents “the stumbling block.”

Isaiah 8:14 – “A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” – They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. “But you are a chosen people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light”. - 2 Peter 2:8,9

In ancient times the hallways of castles had stumbling blocks placed in them at random places. These stumbling blocks were raise stones put in the hallways so that invaders in their suits of armor would trip and fall as they chased those defending the king and castle. Those who lived in the castle knew where the stumbling blocks were; but the invaders didn’t; therefore, the defending army and king could attack those who fell when they were down.

From Stumbling Stones – Jesus asked to remove the stone away from Lazarus tomb so that Lazarus can come out.  They are stumbling stone to the miracles of God. As they rolled away the stone Jesus shouted out “Lazarus” came out of the tomb with his grave clothes. They removed the grave clothes and freed him instantly. Our grave clothes are little things that hinder our lives from living an abundant life in Jesus.

 

5) The White Stone

God promised you Revelation 2:17  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who  receives it

The White Stone had a special meaning in Ancient Greece.

The stone’s inscription gives the believer “a new name,” indicating acceptance by God and his title to glory

 

a. RECEIVE FREEDOM FROM ACCUSATION

When a person was pressed with charges and went to trial they where sometimes entitled to be bailed out of jail by a family member. That person would buy a white stone (pebble) from the court and would give it to the person on trial as a special token. The White stone had to be given to the accuser. As the stone was received the case was closed and there would be no more legal right to go back to court because of the same charges.

b. 2. RECEIVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE YOUR LEADERSHIP

White stones where cast to vote in political elections. Leadership was elected in a democratic process (Greeks invented democracy). In a public ceremony stones where placed in boxes choosing the people that where chosen to lead.

The Bible tells us that the crowd in Jerusalem was presented with an option of giving liberty to a prisoner. The choice was between Jesus and Barrabas (Luke 23:17-21).  Jesus lost the popular vote but won God’s election.

c. 3. RECEIVE SUPERNATURAL VICTORY

In the original Olympic games athletes where rewarded with a crown of leaves and a white stone with their name on it. Time would consume the glory of the victory as the crown would dry out but the stone remained as a reminder of the past exploits.

Romans 8:37 “... in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Jesus gave us supernatural victory and as we read in Revelation 2:17 “To him that overcometh... I will give him a white stone...”

 

PRAYER

Thank you Heavenly Father for choosing us to be living stones for your kingdom and spiritual house of priesthood.

Thank you that we can trust Jesus as the Chief Cornerstone and the Capstone of our lives. 

We as stones need to be build up and clean up for His glory and to be put in place to serve His Kingdom and Glory.

We are looking forward for the White stone from Jesus that our names are written on it to reward us as faith conquerors in Christ.

In Jesus Name! Amen!

BENEDICTION

Numbers 6:24-26
New International Version
²⁴ “The Lord bless you and keep you;
²⁵ the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”

MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY