1 Peter 2:4-5 “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 Jesus Christ.”

This is illustrating one of the purposes of our salvation, mentioned in the first part of 1 Peter. All of the preceding is required to be made into “spiritual houses.” Without being chosen by God, sanctified by the Spirit, and purified by the blood of Christ, we cannot be made into “spiritual houses” that offer sacrifices pleasing to the Lord. Also, it is only by Christ and through Christ, that we’re even able to make pleasing sacrifices to God. Again the fact that he was chosen and precious to God in the face of this was planned. Christ’s sacrifice was not a knee jerk reaction to our sin.

Chuck Smith references the story of Moses hitting the rock and says this concerning Jesus as the Stone:

Even so, we perishing in the wilderness of sin, ready to die, Jesus smitten for us, the water of life flows forth and we drink and we are saved. We have life. That’s why the second time when they cried to Moses for water and he went in to God and God said, “Speak to the rock and it will bring forth water”. But Moses in his anger went out and he said, “Must I smite this rock again to give you water?” And he smote it the second time, and God said, Moses, that was a mistake that you’re going to have to pay for.

You see, the rock once smitten never needs to be smitten again. Jesus doesn’t have to die again. He doesn’t have to be crucified again. Once smitten, all you have to do to receive the water of life is to speak to the Rock. Just call upon Jesus Christ.

I think it is interesting how he ties the Stone in 1 Peter that is obviously Christ with Christ as the rock in the Old Testament. All you have to do to receive the Living Water is speak to the Stone…

He elaborates on what exactly our spiritual sacrifices to God through Christ should be:

But in Psalm 51, “Sacrifice and offering you take no delight in but the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. And a broken spirit and a contrite heart thou would not despise”. So he speaks of a spiritual sacrifice, a broken spirit before the Lord.

Then in the book of Hebrews chapter thirteen, “Let us then offer unto God the sacrifice of praise, even the fruit of our lips unto him” (Hebrews 13:15). So the spiritual sacrifices that we offer to God are our praises unto Him. Coming before Him with a broken heart, offering our praises to God.”

Smith, Chuck. “1 Peter 1-2” C2000 Series. The Word for Today. Blue Letter Bible. 7 Aug 2005. 3 Mar 2008.

Application:

  • We are to continually draw near to God.
  • Realize that Christ was chosen by God to save us. He is precious to God.
  • Offer sacrifices of praise and a broken/contrite heart to God through Christ.
  • Realize that the giving up of ourself is the first sacrifice that must be made to God

“Among spiritual sacrifices the first place belongs to the general oblation of ourselves. For never can we offer anything to God until we have offered ourselves ( 2Cr 8:5 ) in sacrifice to Him. There follow afterwards prayers, giving of thanks, alms deeds, and all exercises of piety” [CALVIN]

Jamieson, Robert; A.R. Fausset; and David Brown. “The First Epistle General of Peter.” Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Blue Letter Bible. 19 Feb 2000. 3 Mar 2008.