WEDNESDAY

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:4-10

So, in case you were getting tired of the Body of Christ metaphor, in today’s passage, Peter switches it up for you. Different author, different illustration, but the same central idea. Maybe by now we should be getting the message! Instead of the Body of Christ in which each of us is a part, with Jesus as the head, Peter talks about how we are living stones that make up a temple in which Jesus is the cornerstone. Notice that we are not just chunks of rock used to build something, but living stones that make up a community, a chosen people, a royal priesthood! This is not about building stuff, it’s about building people—a people. As you reflect today on this new imagery, notice both the familiar themes that surface once again, but also the new nuances that Peter suggests in this illustration:

• What do you notice about the way Peter makes Jesus so central and foundational to understanding the kind of community God is trying to build?

• What do you think it is about this kind of Jesus-centered community, where people use their gifts humbly and love sincerely, that creates resistance in some people or causes others to stumble?

• What role does embracing grace and mercy seem to play in the way this community functions? Why do you think that is so important here?

• To what extent do you think of yourself as “God’s special possession” (verse 10)? How do you think things would be different for you if you were to embrace that more fully today? Talk with God about that in prayer.