1 Pet. 2:4-5 - We are the living spiritual house for a living Christ

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

vs. 4 - "living stone..." - Christ is a living stone, precious to God, but rejected by man. We do not think of stones as alive. A stone is just a rock. (Note: I have a friend who informed me there is a difference between a rock and stone. A rock is what you pick up, say in a mountain river. When you take that rock and place in your landscaping, it becomes a stone. A stone is a rock placed with purpose.) (Okay, then. Back away slowly...) But this stone, the corner stone of our faith is alive. He is risen! He is alive! See: Acts 2:22-24 - "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know-- this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power." , Acts 3:13-15, Acts 4:11 - "He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone."; 1 Pet. 2:6-7 -

With our modern technology for building structures, we seldom think of 'cornerstones'. Before concrete and steel there was stone. The cornerstone marked the starting or reference point for the structure. When we design buildings, whether a church or a factory, the architect sets a "0/0" (zero/zero) point. This is the starting point for a building, and it usually is a corner. Don't belittle the importance of a cornerstone. From that point all the dimensions in the building are measured. All dimensions are from the "0/0" point, so the building shape and size will remain true. If measurements are additive from column to column across the span of the building, errors will mount up.

Christ is our starting point for our faith. He is the anchor for our belief. When our life is lived in close relationship with Him, we will live according to His wishes, and can keep errors to a minimum.

vs. 5 - "being built up as a spiritual house" - We are a spiritual house, the church for Christ and the Lord. See: 1 Cor. 3:8-9,16 - ...You are God's field, God's building; 16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? See also: Eph. 2:20-22 - ... because you have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

We are each individually the house, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, Christ, and the Father. Collectively, and individually, we the believers are the dwelling place of the Lord. What a interesting collection of images -

1. We are family, children of God.
2. We are friends; no longer enemies.
3. We are the dwelling place, the home of the Lord - individually! Not just the church body, but each of us is where Jesus dwells.
4. We are the bride of Christ - a marriage.
5. We are a temple for the dwelling of God - I think this is referring to the corporate body, the collection of individuals.

We are all of these, and perhaps more. See Gal. 6:10. I sometimes visualize each of us as little spiritual Lego block being joined with other spiritual Lego blocks into a fantastic cathedral for the Lord. God lives in each one of us, and is worshipped in the edifice we form - the church.

"Holy priesthood" - What was the function of the priest? Is the priest a intermediary between us and God - there is no way for us to address God, come to Him without the priest? It's complicated. Through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit we have direct access to God. Through Jesus Christ we need no human intermediary. See 1 Pet. 2:9; Isa. 61:6; Rev. 1:6. In essence we are ourselves our own priest - no human intermediary is required.

When the Jews prayed to God, a priest was not necessary. See: Jer. 29:11, 12 - When the Jews sought God, He let them find Him without intervention from the priests. But when it came to the rituals, sacrifices and offerings, the priests were the conduit to God.
However, we are called to spread the message of salvation through Jesus Christ to those who do not know Him. How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? Rom. 10:14. Campus Crusade for Christ (now known as "Cru") had a saying, "Share the Good News of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, and leave the results to God." We do not save, only Jesus and faith in Him does that. In this sense we are 'priests' - conduits between mankind and God.

"... Spiritual sacrifices" - No longer are the sacrifices of the old covenant viable. Our sacrifices are now our bodies, our selves in service to the Lord. See Rom. 12:1 - Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice - alive, holy, and pleasing to God - which is your reasonable service.; See: Heb. 13:15; Eph. 5:2; Phil. 2:17.

***