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1 Peter 2:1-10
There is something about stone. It is long lasting, you can rely on it. When the Bible talks about us being “living stones” in the building of Christ, that is a pretty special thing.
Keep this in your mind as we go through the message. Take a building that is functional and works well. Then think of this building as being in progress. Maybe it is building that is being added on to… whatever the case, imagine the raw products are their waiting to be used. There is also a dumpster standing by to take the materials that are either rejected or waste. The backdrop of all of this is the building in progress.
The more stuff you put in the dumpster the less the profit is. You are throwing away more of your materials with each piece that is being thrown into the dumpster. The waste also needs to be taken to the dump and there is a cost to leaving it there.
The benefit of having a trash bin is that at the end of the job you have a product on one hand and the waste on the other hand. Both things are unique at the end of the day.
This allegory isn’t perfect for how things are in the kingdom of God, but there are a number of things that we would like to look at.
God doesn’t create waste. He doesn’t see people as waste. We dare not look at people as less important or waste to be tossed away.
Jeremiah 7:31-32
Jeremiah 32:35
It’s always interesting to see what is holding a house up. There are members holding up the rest of the framing. They must be put in correctly, even to the foundation beneath the post.
There are so many little things that make a house useable. Flashing, roofing, electrical, etc… There are many “stones” that make up a house. Pieces of material that are employed in the structure of the building. Maybe it is something that we can’t even see, but it is important.
Ephesians 2:19-22
Mathew 25:14-46
How many times do we put the Lords talent to the side? Or perhaps we use that talent selfishly? What we do with what we have is important, look at how the lord responded in the parable. He took the little that the man who wasn’t using the talent favorably and gave it to the one who was managing his talent well.
Maybe we have only been given one talent… what are we doing with that talent? We don’t want to end up having decided to be of no use to our Lord. Rather we want to choose to be worthwhile, useful, obedient, accepting the gift of God.
Ephesians 2:8-10
God’s side of the equation is grace. Our side of the equation is reaching out and accepting that grace. We are God’s workmanship, a living stone that can be used for God’s work.
Hebrews 11:1-40
A living stone in God’s building. Are we moving ahead in faith? Are we moving ahead one step at a time?
Where are we walking? Are we walking towards the valley of Hinnom? Are we walking away from God? Are we a useful, living stone in the building of God’s kingdom?
We are people of influence, we are influenced and we are influencing others. What is influencing us and what is making a difference in our lives? The path that we are taking is leading somewhere.
1 Timothy 6:10
Mathew 6:24
How useful are we being in God’s economy? It is not God’s will that any one of us should end up “in the dumpster.” God doesn’t want us living there in this life, nor does he want us to live there in the next life – for eternity.
God’s will for us is that we would commit our lives to useful service in his building.