1 Peter 2:4-10 (NIV)

4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 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.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 Pedro 2:4-10

4 Acercándoos a él, piedra viva, desechada ciertamente por los hombres, mas para Dios escogida y preciosa, 5 vosotros también, como piedras vivas, sed edificados como casa espiritual y sacerdocio santo, para ofrecer sacrificios espirituales aceptables a Dios por medio de Jesucristo. 6 Por lo cual también contiene la Escritura:

He aquí, pongo en Sion la principal piedra del ángulo, escogida, preciosa;

Y el que creyere en él, no será avergonzado.

7 Para vosotros, pues, los que creéis, él es precioso; pero para los que no creen,

La piedra que los edificadores desecharon,

Ha venido a ser la cabeza del ángulo;

8 y:

Piedra de tropiezo, y roca que hace caer,

porque tropiezan en la palabra, siendo desobedientes; a lo cual fueron también destinados.

9 Mas vosotros sois linaje escogido, real sacerdocio, nación santa, pueblo adquirido por Dios, para que anunciéis las virtudes de aquel que os llamó de las tinieblas a su luz admirable; 10 vosotros que en otro tiempo no erais pueblo, pero que ahora sois pueblo de Dios; que en otro tiempo no habíais alcanzado misericordia, pero ahora habéis alcanzado misericordia.

Peter’s audience is composed by Christian Jews and gentiles, in their diaspora and being persecuted by the Roman Empire.

1. Christ as the Cornerstone of all believers and the church. Christ was rejected by the Jews, but precious to God. He is our foundation and guidance.

La audiencia de Pedro está compuesta por judios cristianos, y gentiles expatriados y siendo perseguidos por él Imperio Romano.

1. Cristo es la Piedra Viva de todos los creyentes y la iglesia. Cristo fue rechazado por los judios, pero precioso para Dios. Él es su fundación y guía.

2. Every believer is becoming a “living stone” placed by God in a relationship with all other believers.

2. Cada Creyente es una “piedra viva” puesta por Dios en relación con todos los otros creyentes.

3. Together we are called to display and demonstrate his character and love. KOINONIA is the most powerful and practical way to present the gospel. We are the house where God lives.

3. Juntos somos llamados a desplegar y demostrar su carácter y amor. KOINONIA es la manera práctica más poderosa de presentar él evangelio.Somos la casa dónde Dios vive.

4. In Christ we are the people of God, upon whom he has demonstrated his mercy.

4. En Cristo somos él pueblo de Dios, sobre quienes Dios ha demostrado su misericordia.

CONNECT WITH GOD  (Select one of the below practices to begin your small group time this week or select a practice from a previous week.)

Hospitality: Prayer (5 minutes)

• Read the prayer below by William Temple. Read it at least three times. Focus your mind and body in stillness, and on your own breath, welcoming God’s own presence in your life. 

O God of love, we pray thee to give us love:

Love in our thinking, love in our speaking,

Love in our doing, and love in the hidden places of our souls;

Love of our neighbours near and far;

Love of our friends, old and new;

Love of those with whom we find it hard to bear,

And love of those who find it hard to bear with us;

Love of those with whom we work,

And love of those with whom we take our ease;

Love in Joy, love in sorrow;

Love in life and love in death;

That so at length we may be worthy to dwell with thee,

Who art eternal love.

Rest: Prayer and Journal Practice (10 minutes) Follow the steps below in your journaling time. Begin and end with prayer.  

• Pray expectantly and with a posture of openness. 
• Slowly read Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16. 
• Journal by writing or drawing. There is no prompt. Let your response flow—whatever it is.  
• Pray once more and ask God to lead you throughout your week in reflection and discernment as you remember Psalm 31. 

CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER 

Read 1 Peter 2:4-10 and Matthew 16:17-18.

• Read the passage alone and together.  
• Journal or draw for 5 minutes: What do you know about stones? What observations or curiosity do you have about Jesus being called a living Stone, rejected by humans, yet chosen by God? 
• Jesus called Peter the “rock” on which he would build the church. Do you think that you have a special calling to be a living stone, like Peter? 
• Share with one another.  

CONNECT WITH SCRIPTURE (Read the passages and review the sermon outline. Then select the best questions or customize the questions for your group.)

• Read the main points from the sermon outline.
• What connections have you noticed between 1 Peter 2:4-10 and the bible passages from the previous weeks’ messages? 
• Who is the living Stone in verse 4? What are some reactions/responses to the living Stone in verses 4-8? 
• What do you think is impactful about Peter describing the exiled churches as “living stones” who “are being built into a spiritual house”? 
• How does Peter describe their (and our) identity in Christ in verses 9-10? 
• Reflecting on the main points of the message, what are the themes you will continue to wrestle with in the coming days?  

CONNECT WITH GOD’S MISSION IN THE WORLD  (Choose one of the prompts below.)

• Watch the Video from Fuller Studio and Dr. Sebastian Chang Hwan Kim: https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/introduction-to-1-and-2-peter/
• What can you learn from the witness of the Korean Church? 

• Read and Respond to the quote below:

“Despite the inclination of Western Christians to view themselves as rejected or ostracized, we rarely face situations today in which our own congregation is our exclusive source of community and positive participation in the world. Certainly, some Christian communities, especially in other parts of the world, find themselves in situations like those addressed in 1 Peter: scorned and in precarious social and political positions. However, many of us live with a vastly different experience, in which our status in our political environments is secure and our identification with Jesus and Christianity more broadly empowers rather than endangers our status.” –Brian S. Powers

PRAYER

Pray this prayer together: “Jesus of the outsider, you call me to be chosen, but also to be rejected, to be built into a spiritual house of love and welcome, but also of spiritual sacrifices, for your love’s sake.” (Everyday Connections, Reflections and Practices for Year A)