Me! Or… should I say, “Us”?
It has been a common observation that our culture is enamored with the individual. The “me” generation. “I” am the center. “I” am the point. “I” am what counts. Of course, most of us are properly appalled when we see this attitude in others, and are greatly horrified when we see it in ourselves. Yet, still it persists. We think of “me” way, way too much.
The Scripture reorients our thinking in two crucial ways. First, we find the “True Center”, the real focus of all life is Jesus Christ—the world does not revolve around me, but around Him. One of the most common evangelism tools in the 20th century was the Four Spiritual Laws. Part of that tool was a comic that asked, who is on the throne of your heart—who is at the center? Me? Or Jesus?
It has been a common observation that our culture is enamored with the individual. The “me” generation. “I” am the center. “I” am the point. “I” am what counts. Of course, most of us are properly appalled when we see this attitude in others, and are greatly horrified when we see it in ourselves. Yet, still it persists. We think of “me” way, way too much.
The Scripture reorients our thinking in two crucial ways. First, we find the “True Center”, the real focus of all life is Jesus Christ—the world does not revolve around me, but around Him. One of the most common evangelism tools in the 20th century was the Four Spiritual Laws. Part of that tool was a comic that asked, who is on the throne of your heart—who is at the center? Me? Or Jesus?
The second adjustment Scripture provides is that we find ourselves in Christ, not only as individuals, but as part of a community. The Bible is much more “community-focused” than what we would naturally assume. An emphasis on our communal existence—that God created us to be part of a group—and an emphasis on our communal redemption—that God saved us to be part of a group—runs through the Scripture. We do, indeed, have a personal, individual relationship with Jesus. But, the communal aspect is inescapably present as well. The work of Jesus brings us into a saving relationship with God… but, also, into a new, vibrant, living relationship with one another. Denying the one will greatly diminish the impact of the other.
When Peter writes to the church, he is, of course, writing to individuals. It is individual Christians who he is challenging to be holy. Each of us are called to follow Jesus in faith. We are individually to serve and worship the Lord. But! But, in Christ we also find ourselves in a body, in a new group, in new relationships with others. The redemption we have in Jesus grants us new life with God, but also a new life with others. We do not have one without the other. And, so, when Peter writes to the church, he is writing to a group, a collective whole.
The Apostle Paul often uses the imagery of a body to picture this communal aspect of our salvation. Each of us are part of a body of believers, working and growing together. Peter’s imagery is not as well known, but it is equally stimulating. Together we are: a spiritual house, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a chosen race, a people belonging to God. It is impossible not to feel the power of these descriptions as an individual—you, personally, are these things! Yet, it is equally impossible to understand them as anything other than communal—we together are all these things!
As we prepare for worship this week, we can reflect on these, both individually and communally.
Read 1 Peter 2:4-10
1. Who is the “living stone” mentioned in verse 4? How do you know that?
2. What does it mean that he was rejected by men? Chosen by God? Precious?
3. What is behind the imagery of a “living stone”? What would make a stone “living”?
4. In verse 5, what is a “spiritual house”? What might “spiritual sacrifices” be? What makes them “acceptable to God”?
5. How do the three Old Testament quotes connect? What is the link between them?
6. In verses 9-10, list out the descriptions of believers mentioned here. How are each shown at Hebron?
7. There is a purpose clause (an explanation of “why”) in verses 9-10. What is it? What would it look like?
