Palm Sunday: Living Stones

“As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: Behold I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” – I Peter 2:4-6

This Lesson is one of eight compiled for Holy Week 2019. Eight individual stories where God used inanimate rocks or stones to further His Kingdom for His Glory. Inanimate Objects. Rocks, water, bread. All things which are dead or at least NOT living. All things that without action upon it by something living remain sedentary, unchanged, lifeless. Enter Jesus.

Stones are everywhere. They come in millions of sizes, shapes, and colors. Some are beautiful and others are plain. There are some that are too big to lift and others that you can kick mindlessly with your shoe. No matter their differences, all stones have one thing in common.

They are lifeless.

We as human beings come in a variety of sizes and colors. Each of us are wondrously unique – made in the Image of our Creator. And yet, like stones, we too are lifeless. Scripture tells us, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 1:13-14, ESV).

Prior to Christ’s arrival we were dead in our sins and without hope for this life and for the life to come. So, when Peter informs us that we are “living stones” we should embrace this reality with joy. The verses in I Peter tell us that Christ, the cornerstone, has emanated His life into us. He has done this through His own death and resurrection. By dying for our sins, He has given us eternal life. By having contact with Christ, our chief living stone, we not only receive life for today and for eternity but have life and hope to now pour into the lifeless and stony hearts of those around us. This is our mission, our calling, and our passion.