8 December 2006

Today we follow up yesterday's reading in chapter two of 1 Peter.

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God's sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture:
"See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."
To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,
"The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the the corner,"
and
"A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall."
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

Like the images of the living body that were used several weeks ago when we were using pieces written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, here we have the image of a building going up. It is made up of all those who follow Jesus - who is the cornerstone. Like that first stone, we are called to match up...to look like...to fit in line...to be a part of the whole life of faithfulness. In this building, it is important to know that this cornerstone is one that was not accepted. It was not going up in the fashion that was known by those who had much to say about how life was to be holy. It was rejected. And yet, we are being told that this cornerstone is the beginning of something new. In Christ, we are given a word of grace that makes us living stones to be used in the witness to the new age of God's grace alive among us. The invitation is not merely a simply yes or no - it is a life. The life is one that may be met the same way as the one we follow, Jesus...and that is rejection. But we are told that this way of new life will be a part of the pattern of life that will make a statement to the world of what is to come and is already at hand.

Connection: We are never left out there within this day alone. Living faithfully means that we live as people reminded of how we are connected to the one who has promised a new life within a new community. We need only begin living there.

Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and with our lives make a community in which the presence of our God will be available to all people. When we are about to stumble, bring forward those around us who will be there as your Spirit's strength and love and guidance. Amen.