Let us turn our attention to a study of I Peter, which we have entitled ‘The God Of All Suffering’.  In our text of I Peter 2:6-10, Peter says, “Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”

It is in these verses Peter points the suffering people to meditate upon ‘Christ The Chief Cornerstone’.  In a time of suffering oh how we need a sure foundation.  On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

In verses 5-6 we find ‘Christ Is The Cornerstone Who Gives Hope’.  Hope is confident expectation in a time of troubling uncertainty.  We are told here of a stone that is in the middle archway.  This stone holds the suspended arch up.  Paul said in Colossians, ‘that by Him all this consists’. (Are held together)  Peter said this was an ‘elect stone’. (Chosen by God)  The stone was ‘precious’ which means to hold in high honor or to place a high value upon.  What hope it gives us in a time of trouble to know we have such a foundation upon which to stand.

In verse 7 we are told that ‘Christ Is The Cornerstone Who Is Hallowed’.  It is here Peter contrasts the believer and the unbeliever’s relationship to the stone.  To the believer the stone is precious.  We esteem Him highly.  We place a high value even a priceless value on our relationship with Him.  We proclaim with Christ, ‘Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.’  The unbeliever has found the stone ‘disallowed’.  The word means to put to the test and decide it doesn’t meet the standard of ones trust.  Because the unbeliever has disallowed Christ the stone, God the Father hath exalted Him to be the head over all.

In verse 8 we are told that ‘Christ Is The Cornerstone Who Is A Horror’.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry God.  Peter tells us that Christ hath been ‘appointed’ as a ‘stumbling stone’ or ‘rock of offense’.  The word, ‘appoint’ means to ordain or cause to happen.  These two stones have the idea of a ledge of a rock that appears upon a path and trips those who pass by.  We get our word scandal from this stumbling stone.  God will place in the path of the unbeliever a scandalous trap for him to trip over and be ashamed with embarrassment. 

In verses 9-10 we find ‘Christ The Cornerstone Who Gives Honor’.  Peter tells us in verse 10 that before salvation we were ‘not a people’.  This means non-existent, of no value, a zero with the rim rubbed away.  Now we are the people of God.  Oh, what a standing is ours.  Before we had no ‘mercy’ but now He hath shown us ‘mercy’. (To withhold from us what we deserve)

In verse 9 we are told of the great honor Christ be bestows upon His people.  We are a ‘chosen generation’.  This word means to pick out of a group of people.  We are a ‘royal priesthood’.  The word ‘royal’ refers to Kings.  He has made us Kings and Priests.  We are the high ups politically and religiously.  We are a ‘holy nation’.  We have been set aside for service of deity.  Peter tells us we are ‘peculiar’.  This means to create something and draw a circle around for to denote ownership.  Each child of God is a unique, as if he was the only one of his kind, creation.  He made us that He might ‘shew’ forth or display us for His glory in this dark hour.  I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name.  On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.