"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." So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," and "A stone of stumbling,and a rock of offense." They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."1 Peter 2:4-9
I am a reformed member of the dog haters club of America South Orange County Chapter. It all started when my son Kai wanted a dog for Christmas. Then my neighbors invited me over to introduce me to their little Bijon puppy because they wanted my family to have her. Of course my initial reaction was an obstinate “No way!” All I could think of was whining, barking, destroying my home, dog doo, hyperactivity, slobber, having to walk it, having to spend money in order to feed it, veterinary bills, etc. But soon with a little of my wife’s unique persuasive skills, coupled with my son Kai’s begging and pleading, I reluctantly agreed to go over and see the dog. Of course, I already decided that there was no way in the world that we would own a dog. That is until I saw her, this little white puppy named Maggie with big brown eyes, long floppy ears, eager to love and please, looking like a living white shag carpet, and having this seeming perpetual wagging tail and big grin on her face. What can I say; I melted at the sight of that little bowser. So, I gave in, the dog moved in, and in the days that followed spending time with little Maggie: watching her, walking her, playing with her, snuggling with her caused her to become very precious to me. I guess you could say I fell in love with that little dog.
To call something precious according to Webster’s Dictionary is to say that it is of great value or highly esteemed and cherished. Who is the most precious above all? To God the Father, to the Apostle Peter, and to a band of Christ lovers (including myself!) for over 2000 years, Jesus is precious! There is nothing in this world more precious to me than Jesus Christ! My life is a continuing and insatiable quest for Jesus to become more precious to me day by day. It is my purpose, my passion, my longing, my battle cry, my compass, and the central theme of my ministry to spread a passion for the preciousness of Christ to all the nations.
Is Jesus precious to you?
The Apostle Peter shares three things about the preciousness of Jesus. The first is His intrinsic worth: “Jesus is precious” (1 Peter 2:4, 6). The second is His worth to those who believe: "To you who believe Jesus Christ is precious" (1 Peter 2:7). The third is the gladness of those to proclaim His worth:"that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him..." (1 Peter 2:9). Because Jesus is precious we are to tell the world about his preciousness. Your power to give a passionate witness about Jesus to unbelievers will grow in direct proportion to how precious Jesus is to you .
JESUS IS PRECIOUS
In verses 4,6 Jesus is likened to a precious stone. The word Peter uses (Greek: entimon), means worthy of honor, esteemed, and of the highest value. Jesus preciousness is spoken of in terms of the Father’s heart towards Him (verse 4) as well as His intrinsic value in Himself (verse 6). How is Jesus precious? Peter does not tell us how precious Jesus is. No wonder. How we even begin to comprehend the infinite worth and value of Jesus. Words cannot begin to communicate Jesus' preciousness. Never the less, we can try. How is Jesus precious? Let me give you a few thoughts to consider.
1. Jesus is precious because He is of Infinite and Ultimate Value Paul calls Him the indescribable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15)His worth is far greater than all earthly treasures put together. He is precious because of who He is. "For in him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9)
2. Jesus is precious because He is One of a Kind
There are many “gods” in the world, but there is only one Jesus. Yes, there are many “Jesus’” being preached in the world, but there is only one true Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who “came to save His people from their sins.” In all of Heaven there was only one Jesus Christ, who was able to be the Lamb of God and take away the sins of the world. There was not another in all Heaven, who was qualified to be our savior. Jesus is unique- He is the only Savior; the only door and the only way into Heaven; the only hope of salvation. His Name is the only Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved! (Acts 4:12). Spurgeon says, Jesus is so precious that He cannot be matched! There is none like Him! The fairest of the fair are unlovely and deformed when compared with Him! You shall find none that can be compared to Him, even if you ransack time and space... If you search eternity, and ransack immensity, there shall never be found one fit to be second to Him, He is so precious.
3. Jesus is precious because He is so Glorious
He far excels all of His creation for holiness, and power, and wisdom, and beauty. He is perfect in every way. There is not the least flaw in His Person, or in all of His marvelous works. In fact, Jesus is the standard of excellence and splendor in all of Heaven and earth. The brightness of His glory is above the brightness of the sun when shining is his strength (Acts 26:13). His glory lights every man that comes into the world (John 1:9). His glory was seem by the apostles (John 1:14) and shines into the hearts of His people (2 Corinthians 4:4), and enlightens them to the way of repentance, and faith in His work of redemption. And His glory will lighten New Jerusalem in the eternal age (Revelation 21:23), so that there shall be no need for the light of the sun! Jesus is most glorious.
4. Jesus is precious because of His Impact and Influence
There has never been a man that has influenced more people, and more nations, throughout the past 2,000 years than the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus is the most influential man ever born into this world. He has touched the lives of millions, and brought millions of men and women, and boys and girls, out of their bondage of sin and death, and has given them forgiveness of their sins, and new lives of true love, true holiness, true peace, and true happiness and joy. And more importantly, He gave them eternal life with Him in glory! Yes, He is influential in the salvation of all of His people.
TO YOU WHO BELIEVE JESUS IS PRECIOUS
Notice what happens when we connect verses 4, 6, and 7. In verses 4 and 6 Christ is chosen and precious in the sight of God. Now in verse 7, he is therefore precious to us who believe. Jesus is not precious because we make Him precious. Hed is precious and the Spirit of God graces us to see how precious He really is. Thus, believers are chips off the Old Block as it were. We choose what our Father chooses. We feel to be precious what our Father feels to be precious. The personal attractions of Jesus are all inviting and irresistible! His love wins us. His glory charms us. His beauty attracts us. His sympathy soothes us. His gentleness subdues us. His faithfulness inspires us. He is the "altogether lovely One!" says Octavius Winslow. He becomes to us, as Jonathan Edwards puts it, "an admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies."
Jesus prayed for us in John 17:26 that “the love the Father has for Jesus may be in us.” As Jesus is precious in Himself, as Jesus is precious to the Father, Jesus is meant to be precious to us. When you see Him in all of His excellencies how could He not be anything else but precious to you? Do you see Him? Do you really see Him?
Peter speaks of this experience of seeing Jesus in a way that goes beyond physical seeing to spiritual seeing and its wonderful effect upon all who see Him. “Though you have not seen Him (Physically), you love Him (He is precious to you), and though you do not see Him now (Physically), but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” (1 Peter 1:8). Seeing the preciousness of Jesus causes us for inexpressable joy to beleive Him, trust Him, and love Him. How precious is Jesus to you? Where does he come in your scale of desires?
Jesus once told a parable that describes how precious it really is to inherit the Kingdom of heaven. And since he himself is the King of that Kingdom and the One who makes it valuable, the parable applies to Him also. He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it" (Matthew 13:44-46).
Notice well: the man does not sell all that he has begrudgingly; he does it joyfully. The reason is because he sees how precious the treasure is. He knows that, whatever he pays for that field or that pearl it's a steal. Jesus is worth so much more than anything else in all the world, which every loss endured to have more of him, can be endured with joy. Is Jesus your treasure?
Dear Christian what would life be like without Jesus? How essential is Jesus to our satisfaction and happiness? What would this world be like to live in without Jesus? What if Jesus hid Himself from us? What would we do in this world without Jesus? How would you face your days? How would you handle life’s difficulties? What if there was no door of fellowship, friendship, and companionship between you and Jesus? I pray it can be said of you dear reader:
TO YOU, JESUS IS PRECIOUS!
To be continued...
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