6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. 

Peter describes the spiritual house being built by God. The people who trust in Jesus now become the building God is constructing. Peter acknowledged the church is chosen and built by Him. Did you ever think that you are here as part of God’s temple?  Jesus is looked on differently by believers than those who reject Him and do not believe in Him. The very one who saves and is precious, is the very one who brings destruction to others.            

Remember that Peter was present as part of the special conversation in Matthew 16:15-20 15 “…. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. 

Why not let Peter himself interpret the theology of the church? Because Jesus is the cornerstone upon which the people of faith place their trust. Jesus said, “I will build My church”, not Peter, not any pastor or evangelist. God is building His church using us. Each time someone else receives Jesus another stone is taken from the pit of sin and cemented by grace into the building of God. It may look to us that the church is a pile of rubble and ruins, but God sees the total structure as it grows. 

We also are like living stones, not only specially chosen, but the very ones God uses to build His house which is His Kingdom. We are His temple in two ways; individually as believers in Jesus Christ who is the living stone, but also our collective bodies house a living God.  

The hymn writer says “We serve a living savior who is in the world today.  I know that he is living whatever men may say. I see his hand of mercy I hear his voice of cheer and just the time I need Him he’s always here. He lives. He lives. I know He lives for he lives within my heart.” 

Our faith is in Christ. We are like the stones as part of His building. Together the people of God are stones to complete the building in which God is honored. We each are bricks and mortars based on faith. Together we represent God to a world.  We cannot do it alone or by ourselves.             

Peter's readers were spread out to around seven providences and needed the reminder; they are not alone. There is a unity of God's people that transcends all local churches, individuals, assemblies and fellowships. We belong to each other because we belong to Christ. We must not permit our differences to destroy the spiritual unity that is based on faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  There will be doctrinal difference in some matters among churches, but there is someone greater that allows us to look beyond our differences to carry out the job God calls us to do.             

Thought for the Day:    We as believers are founded on the cornerstone, Christ. We are chosen and built by God, the Father. We are individually and corporately part of God's temple gifted and inspired by God, the Spirit. We are blessed to be studying the blueprint - the inspired Scriptures.

Prayer:  Father, as I study Your Word refine me to be the part of Your temple that You desire for me.