Watchmen of the Wall

Living Stones

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 2:4-6

“Ye also, like lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

Under the inspiration of the Spirit, Peter called believers in Christ “living stones.” The New Testament contains several different Greek words for rock. Christ referred to Peter as "the rock upon which he would build his church” in Matthew 16:18,* but Peter referred to believers with a different word. He used lithos, which can refer to small or large stones.** Interestingly, lithos is also the original term used for the stone rolled away from Christ’s tomb. Wouldn’t it be something if our lives became living stones exposing the empty tomb—the proof Jesus lives? What if people were convinced we worship a living Savior simply by watching the effervescent life of the Spirit in us?

Most unbelievers still confuse Christianity and “religion.” They charge us with walking on crutches of ancient rituals and laws. They have no interest in becoming what they observe us to be: walking mummies, bound in tight bandages of lifeless religion. We are people of eternal life—but they often see us as the earthly dead.

One of the primary reasons God leaves us on earth after we receive the Savior is to demonstrate flesh-and-blood proof that Christ lives. We are set-apart from dead religion because we have a living Redeemer. As living stones, do our lives expose an empty tomb and a living, thriving, personal God? Are we proof Christ lives? Do people walk into our churches and see us as living stones gathered in a spiritual house? If so, we’ll never have to beg for visitors. People are desperately searching for signs of life. They will practically beat down our church doors if rumors of life erupt. Eternal “life” doesn’t begin when we die. It began the moment we were reborn.

To really live we need passion for Jesus and purpose to serve Him. Passion and purpose fulfill more of our human needs than health or wealth. Plenty of healthy and wealthy people feel dead, meaningless, and hopeless. We represent hope to people who may have given up on finding real life. We are stones rolled away, giving them a glance into an empty tomb. We provide evidence that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. Do yourself and your neighbors a great big favor. Don’t wait for death to really live. Tell God you want to be a neon sign of life—lingering proof of the resurrection. For “as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4,).

How can you show proof of a living Savior to non-Christian friends and loved ones? Do you have a friend who needs to see Christ living and active in your life? Share what God is doing in your life and commit to be a living stone before your friend.
Get rolling, Living Stone, and show a little proof!

Lord Jesus, I want to be a living stone that exposes the empty tomb. By the power of Your Spirit, make my life so effervescent that the lost can look at me and see evidence that You are alive! Strip off the bandages of dead religion that hinder this testimony. Open my mouth to share the work of a living and active Savior in my life. In Your powerful name, Amen.

Written by: Beth Moore