Another Man's Treasure

The very moment that God saves us, we are instantly and permanently declared righteous. Don't slip into, by the way, a medieval theology either, that the church needs to be purged up sins in some kind of fiery purgatory before she can ever hope to enter heaven. Ladies and gentlemen, the church is already purified.

It is already ready for heaven. We are fit for heaven and bound for heaven. All of that is because of what Jesus has accomplished, not what we've accomplished.

But that doesn't mean that there are no demands on how we live while we're here on earth. Though we can't do it perfectly, and though it doesn't affect our salvation, God calls us to holiness. We're looking at this in our current series here on Wisdom for the Heart.

The series is called In Pursuit of Holiness. Here's Stephen Davey with today's message, Another Man's Treasure. About 300 years before the birth of Christ, a Greek author penned the phrase, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

About 100 years ago, an English author used that expression in one of her novels and it just sort of took off and it's been a perfect description ever since of who we are. Another more contemporary version of it, in fact I think of it when I think of some things and think of garage sales among them, is the phrase, one man's trash is another man's treasure. You go into any home, go into a living room, go into an executive office, and you'll see displayed what that person considers valuable. You want to put it up, you want to display it, you want to put it out, you want to be able to see it. You come into my office, as I'm sure many of you are, and you're going to see pictures of my family, my wife, my children, and if you come to my office, you're going to see a lot of books and books and books. And then you're going to see some collections of little knick-knacks that you wouldn't even know what they are because they're not labeled, they're just sort of laying around, a pebble from Israel, coins from countries where the Lord has allowed me to speak, a sword from Japan, back in the day when you could carry something like that on the airplane if you can believe it, and the baggage overhead, and not anymore.

But a handheld clay lamp dating centuries back. At any rate, those things that have value to me, we tend to purchase, and we certainly tend to display what we consider valuable. You can learn a lot about a person by what they value, can't you? In his first century inspired letter, the apostle Peter is going to make that very point. In fact, he's going to make it a principle of eternal significance. Let me show you where, go back in your letter, first Peter to chapter 2, let's go back to where Peter introduced to us the concept of the church being made up of living stones connected to the living stone, our Lord. Now what follows next, and where we left off, is a series of quotations from the Old Testament.

And we're going to have to dive in to understand what they mean. The first quote Peter delivers is from Isaiah 28 verse 16, and let's pick it up there at verse 6 of 1 Peter chapter 2. For this is contained in scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, and he who believes in him will not be disappointed. Paul, or Peter, is referring here to Jesus Christ, the living stone, and now he shifts and he calls him the cornerstone.

Placed in Zion, Zion is Israel, the nation, a reference to the promise, the land of promise. The Lord in his first coming came and offered his kingdom to the nation Israel. They rejected him, and it was all according to the plan of God.

He didn't begin to wring his hands and wonder what to do next. It is a rejected Messiah. It was according to his plan, and that earthly literal kingdom was postponed, and it has been postponed now for nearly 2,000 years until he returns and reigns on earth. Now the first time Jesus came 2,000 years ago, the nation Israel rejected him and what he offered. Peter refers to that rejection in his second quotation, which he quotes from Psalm 118. Look at verse 7, where Peter now quotes the stone which the builders rejected.

This became the very cornerstone. Peter is referring to the national rejection of Christ by the builders, that is, the leaders of the nation and certainly the nation along with them and, by the way, any and every other nation including the Roman Empire at the time. Now Peter goes further to quote again from Isaiah, this time from chapter 8 and verse 14, and he kind of delivers a fresh warning for those who read this prophecy about Christ. Notice verse 8, Peter describes him as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. In other words, those who reject Jesus, who don't build their lives upon him, who don't attach their lives to him, they will end up tripping over him. They're going to end up stumbling. In fact, it's in the present times, they're going to continually stumble through life, thus ruining their lives. This originally happened, of course, at the first coming of Christ. The nation didn't build their future into his offer of the kingdom. In fact, they were offended.

He became an offense to them, literally scandalized by his offer. If you're old enough in the faith, you know what that was like. Their reaction was, I mean, who do you think you are?

You're the son of a carpenter. You think you're the coming, reigning son of David? You're out of your mind, which is why the apostle Paul clarified that the cross is a stumbling block and an offense. You don't talk to us about the Messiah and then he dies on a cross. That's ridiculous.

To this day is the stumbling block. It is the offensive thing related to him being the Messiah. Of course, we turn the page and we know he rose again. Our covenant friends, those who don't believe in a future national Israel or a rapture of the church, or for many of them even a literal thousand-year kingdom, which is so clearly spelled out in Revelation 20, they would argue that Peter's use of Old Testament passages like these, which are originally delivered in the Old Testament concerning Israel, which Peter now uses to describe the church, especially as he will in verse 9. I'll tell you. I'll prophesy.

We're not going to get there today, by the way. That will come true. They would say, well, that means then that God is finished with Israel and the church has just replaced her. Not only is that an exegetical leap from this use of prophecy by Peter to illustrate some of the blessings of those who believe, and now it happens to be those who believe in the church.

It spiritualizes away all of the prophecies in the Old Testament related to Israel and it denies so many passages where the literal promises, I guess, won't come true after all. Promises regarding the return of Israel to their land, which will take place in the tribulation period. What we see today, some evangelicals believe is sort of a partial return, but the return we think of prophetically is during the tribulation when we're told by the prophets that every ship will set sail.

They're going to come back like you just can't imagine. Promises regarding a coming king. Promises regarding the establishment of the nation in the land. Promises of a coming literal kingdom and the reign of a literal son of David in a literal Jerusalem.

I guess we'll just spiritualize that all the way. Let me add that if the church replaces Israel, then the church erases a glorious promise of a repentant Israel following a future seven-year period for us still future we call the what? The tribulation. By the way, if I can just sort of pull over for a moment, one of the primary purposes of the tribulation is to prepare Israel for the second coming of Christ who comes to rule and to reign. He comes with us to set up that kingdom. Beloved, the purpose of the tribulation is not to purify the church by making her suffer.

In fact, that troubles me because that is so American. Don't read the Bible, beloved, like an American. Read the Bible like a Chinese underground believer. Read the Bible like a North Korean today. Read the Bible like an Iraqi believer or a Turkish believer or a Sudanese Christian who is suffering horribly. Are they to understand that the blessed hope and the word of comfort is to be rescued from suffering only after you really suffer, this time not from unbelievers but from the hand of God? You got to suffer the wrath of God and then you get to be rescued.

It's tragic. Don't slip into, by the way, sort of a kind of medieval theology either that the church needs to be purged of sins and some kind of fiery purgatory before she can ever hope to enter heaven. Ladies and gentlemen, the church is already purified.

It is already ready for heaven. Jesus Christ has paid the penalty of all our sin, past, present and future. We're not waiting to go through suffering so that we can somehow be worthy of heaven.

We are worthy because of the blameless perfection of our savior, Jesus Christ. The church is ready. In fact, we're already clothed in his righteousness, Philippians chapter 3 verse 9. The purpose of the tribulation is not to purify the church, it's to purify Israel and through suffering bring her to repentance as a nation. See, the prophecies of purifying judgment on Israel and their national repentance is going to be fulfilled just as carefully as all of the prophecies were fulfilled related to the coming of the Messiah the first time.

We haven't been left to wonder what's going to happen before and when he comes the second time. Listen to this prophecy, which will also be fulfilled in the regathering and repentance of Israel. Zechariah, again, speaks for God and God says through him, I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication so that they will look on me whom they have pierced and they will mourn for him as one who mourns for an only son. They're going to look upon him whom they have pierced. In other words, they're going to look in repentance and welcome him back. And by the way, what did he choose to keep in his glorified body?

The marks of his piercing and his wounds. They will crown him the second time as their sovereign. And then Zechariah goes on in chapter 14 to say, and the people will live in the land and Jerusalem will dwell in security or safety. As far as I can tell, that hasn't happened quite yet, has it?

Is Israel living in the land in safety and security? No, not yet. Has they welcomed back their Messiah whom they pierced and is he reigning in Jerusalem? I don't think so. Not yet. So then, is God finished with Israel?

No, not hardly. In fact, when Jesus returns and sets up his kingdom headquartered in Jerusalem, we call it the millennial kingdom, it lasts a thousand years. Be with him, Revelation chapter 20. The apostles were given a promise that's sort of shoved under the carpet.

In fact, this promise really ought to end the debate. Jesus promised this when he spoke of setting up his kingdom to his apostles. He said this, the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne and you also will sit upon 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Matthew 19, 26. In that one statement which kind of charges my imagination like a thousand volts of interest, Jesus references a literal kingdom, a literal throne, 12 literal thrones with 12 literal apostles ruling uniquely over 12 literal tribes of a literal Israel. In fact, Peter preached about this.

Early on in the history of the church, even in the early church, they were asking the question. He's preaching about the restoration of Israel. Acts chapter 3 and verse 21, he speaks of their restoration, and I'm quoting him, which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times. Beloved, God's promises and purposes and prophecies related to the nation of Israel have not been canceled out by the church but postponed for the creation of the church.

That parenthesis, that postponement has lasted now some 1900 years and I'm glad it lasted through your lifetime and mine so that we as Gentiles primarily could be grafted in with the people of promise. Now, when you put the timeline together, when the church is completed, Romans 11, the church is going to be raptured with Jesus and taken to the Father's house, 1 Thessalonians 4. Then the Lord will turn in judgment and yet mercy toward the world in general and Israel in particular, Zechariah 13. And a multitude among each of the tribes are going to believe the gospel and repent and come to Christ by faith, Revelation chapter 7. And then at the end of that seven-year period of time, the tribulation, they will welcome Jesus back as he comes with us to set up the kingdom, Zechariah chapters 12 through 14. God has not taken back his covenant promises to the nation that began in Genesis 13 with Abraham. God hasn't changed his mind.

His calling, his election of Israel is irrevocable. Paul writes to the Romans. So with all that in mind, what Peter does here with these quotations is answer those questions in some degree and send those believers scattering to the passages of the Old Testament, no doubt. But he adds his commentary.

He inserts little commentative statements in between these quotes that inform us of a couple of things. Number one, some things never change. And one of those things that never changes is the person of Jesus Christ who remains the cornerstone. He remains the cornerstone. From the Old Testament book of Isaiah, which Peter quotes, to this letter from Peter, the cornerstone is the Messiah, the Son of Man, the Son of God, Jesus Christ. To some people, Jesus is worthless. To those of us who believe, he is precious. Notice verse 7, his precious value that is for you who believe. To unbelievers, Jesus is unwanted, worthless, and we expect that opinion, and Peter's reminding them indirectly, expect it. But to us, he is his treasure.

He's a treasure. In fact, what Peter does here also is describe the different impact the Lord has on the lives of people based on their value of him. In other words, even though to some people he's trash, to us he's treasure, Peter adds here, your valuation of Jesus is going to determine your eternal destiny. If I could outline my final comments along two points and kind of bring this together, the first point would be reception and vindication, and the second point would be rejection and condemnation.

Go back to verse 6 again. Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, an elect chosen stone, this is the plan of God, a precious cornerstone. The cornerstone was the key stone in the construction of stone buildings during Peter's day. It served as the building's squaring or plumb line. That is, it would be used to measure and determine all the angles of the building. They would play off the angles of that cornerstone, so it had to be square, it had to be straight, it needed to be perfect. Because if it was off kilter, they're measuring everything else in that building according to the lines created by that cornerstone.

So it had to be flawless if they wanted a good building, if they wanted the angles to be right. Peter ties the cornerstone back to Christ in this chapter. The apostle Paul, by the way, did the same thing. He called Jesus the cornerstone in Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 20. And to us who believe, Peter writes, what do we think about this cornerstone? Verse 7, he is to us precious.

That word can be translated costly, valuable. Would you notice what happens to those who consider Jesus valuable, the last part of verse 6? And he who believes in him will not be disappointed. You ought to circle that.

I love that. Will not be disappointed. Do these first century believers and believers around the world of this day ever need to hear this? You will not be disappointed in him, in that flawless, perfect, gracious cornerstone. He will not fail you. He's faithful. He's rock solid.

It's as if Peter is saying you never need to wonder, you will never be disappointed in your cornerstone. He's solid. He's sure. He's faithful. He's unchanging.

Guess what? He keeps his word and he will keep his word to Israel and he will keep his word to you. For those of us, Peter wrote earlier in this chapter, we've tasted, the Lord is good, we know the value of our treasure. Peter now ends these quotations regarding the cornerstone of Christ with a warning. For those who believe in Christ, there's reception, there's coming vindication. For those who do not believe, there's rejection and future and final condemnation.

So here's the warning. Look at verse 7. This precious value that is for you who believe, but for those who disbelieve, the stone which the builders rejected, this became the very cornerstone, the stone of stumbling, a rock of offense. In other words, instead of receiving Christ, the unbeliever trips over Christ. He stumbles over him. He falls over him. He's scandalized by him. He's upset about him. Get him out of my way.

He's ruining the path I'm on. The unbeliever who rejects Jesus Christ as cornerstone ends up in this analogy, by the way, both tripping over him and then being crushed in judgment by him. Notice the latter part of verse 8, they stumble because they are disobedient to the latas, to the word.

But you notice the problem isn't that they don't understand. The problem is that they don't want to obey. Peter ends, and to this doom they were also appointed.

It sounds at first like unbelievers are ordained to judgment apart from their own choice. But Peter just told us what their choice was. What's their choice?

They don't want them. They reject them to this day. Can I go back to the believer? I can't help but sense that Peter is actually sending an indirect encouragement as they read this. For those who believe you are facing, he would write to them and to believers to this day you are facing the rejection of your world. Take heart. You're following one who was rejected by his world.

I wrap it up with this. I've read an interesting incident in a seminary in the Midwest. I'll not mention the name of it, but the practice was to invite, I don't know if they're still doing it, but to invite lecturers to come and speak to the students while the students ate their lunch.

The community would be invited as well to come and listen to the lecturer, some renowned author, some renowned scholar. Some of them would be believers, some unbelievers. On one occasion they invited a liberal theologian who taught for years at Union Seminary and Harvard Seminary. When he came to speak he spoke on the topic of why a literal resurrection of Jesus wasn't true. Jesus merely lives on in the memories of those who believe in him as sort of a metaphor of redemption.

So none of it really matters and none of it's really true. I don't know why those guys spend their lives teaching in a seminary and studying the Bible to just disbelieve it all. But at any rate, he quoted scholar after scholar. He concluded that since there is no such thing as a literal historical resurrection of Jesus, he evidently was an eyewitness.

The religion of the church needed rethinking. He then, as was the custom, paused and asked for questions. And after about 30 seconds of silence, an older gentleman stood up near the back and said, Dr. Tillich, I have one question for you. He reached into his crumpled sack lunch and he pulled out the rest of his apple he hadn't finished and he took a bite. He said, my question is a simple question and he just was chewing as he was talking. I haven't read the books you quoted, Munch Munch, I can't recite the scriptures you've been able to do in several languages, Crunch Crunch, and he took another bite.

I don't know much about Niebuhr and Heidegger and other scholars you've quoted from. But what I want to know is this, tell me, was the apple I just ate bitter or sweet? Dr. Tillich answered, I cannot know the answer to that question, I haven't tasted your apple.

The white haired believer dropped the core of his apple into his paper bag and looked up and said calmly, neither have you tasted my Jesus. To those of us who have, he is precious, he is faithful, he is worth it, he is strong, he is priceless. What a great reminder this has been from God's word today. Thanks for tuning in today. We're glad you joined us for this edition of Wisdom for the Heart. Steven's passion is to proclaim the truth of scripture accurately, clearly, and practically. It's our desire that these daily messages, as well as the online teaching archive, will help you grow in your relationship with God.

Listen to what Leroy, who lives in Nebraska, recently told us. He says, I've been listening to Steven Davey for years, and the only way I can sum up the impact he's had on my life is by saying that I have been truly changed. I'm 68 years old, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to continue growing in my faith.

Each day, I anticipate heaven even more and look forward to meeting my Savior. Well, thanks Leroy. We were really glad to hear from you. And friends, we'd love to hear from you as well. You can send Steven a card or letter if you address it to Wisdom for the Heart, PO Box 37297, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27627. Our email address is info at wisdomonline.org. Thanks again for being with us. Join us next time for more wisdom for the heart.