Wednesday Devo
Scripture:
1 Peter 2
6 As the Scriptures say,
“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,
chosen for great honor,
and anyone who trusts in him
will never be disgraced.”
7 Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.”
8 And,
“He is the stone that makes people stumble,
the rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
10 “Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.”
6 As the Scriptures say,
“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,
chosen for great honor,
and anyone who trusts in him
will never be disgraced.”
7 Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.”
8 And,
“He is the stone that makes people stumble,
the rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
10 “Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.”
Commentary:
2:8 In stumbling, unbelievers fulfill the prophecy in Isa. 8:14, where the stone God has established becomes the means of their falling. Their stumbling, however, is their own fault, for they are tripped up because of their refusal to obey the “word” of the gospel. They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. Some understand this to teach that God has predestined not who will disobey but only what the result of disobedience will be for those who disobey (i.e., that those who disobey will stumble). It is more likely that Peter teaches that God appoints all that will occur (cf. note on Eph. 1:11). In teaching this, Peter does not deny human responsibility, for he emphasizes that people are guilty if they fail to believe (they “stumble because they disobey”).
2:9 a chosen race. God’s grace rather than human choice is the ultimate explanation for why some people come to faith and others do not. God has elected (“chosen”) some to be his people, therefore no one can boast of being included. Peter views the church as a new Israel, for he picks up what is said of Israel in Ex. 19:5–6 and applies it to the church. The church is a royal priesthood and God’s holy nation. As God’s chosen ones, Christians are to proclaim the excellencies of the one who summoned them from darkness and ushered them into his marvelous light (cf. Isa. 43:20b–21).
2:10 Peter alludes to texts in Hosea that refer to Israel (Hos. 1:6, 9, 10; 2:23) and sees them fulfilled in the church.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2408.
2:9 a chosen race. God’s grace rather than human choice is the ultimate explanation for why some people come to faith and others do not. God has elected (“chosen”) some to be his people, therefore no one can boast of being included. Peter views the church as a new Israel, for he picks up what is said of Israel in Ex. 19:5–6 and applies it to the church. The church is a royal priesthood and God’s holy nation. As God’s chosen ones, Christians are to proclaim the excellencies of the one who summoned them from darkness and ushered them into his marvelous light (cf. Isa. 43:20b–21).
2:10 Peter alludes to texts in Hosea that refer to Israel (Hos. 1:6, 9, 10; 2:23) and sees them fulfilled in the church.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2408.
Questions:
- Culture tells us that we are brilliant and strong and perfect just the way you are. The problem is, Peter says in verse 8 that those who reject Jesus and refuse to obey him will "meet the fate that was planned for them." Youch! Those who reject our Savior and King will experience the fine for their rebellion. Everything we have in Jesus we can't claim any credit for! It was His free gift of grace. And what effect should this have on us? We must starve PRIDE and feed HUMILITY. We are to remember that God rescued us out of darkness and that we needed His mercy because we were once sick sinners in need of a Savior. We know we don't deserve or earn God's love, mercy and grace. How might our moods, attitudes, words and behaviors change in or day to day lives if we lived with all this at the forefront of our minds?
- Humility isn't thinking less of yourself... it's thinking of yourself less. It's taking your eyes off of you and keeping them on serving the Lord and others. In fact, one of the best ways to keep yourself in a place of humility is to sacrificially love and serve other people. Jesus Himself came not to be served, but to serve. How often are you saying no to you and yes to others? Where is your level of sacrificial service?
Pray:
- That you would keep a humble heart.
- That you would look for opportunities to serve.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.
(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
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