In the sermon 'One Christ, Two Ways', Jason Dohm explores 1 Peter 2:4-10, emphasizing the dual nature of Christ as both a cornerstone and a stumbling block. Believers are likened to living stones being built into a spiritual house, while rejecting Christ leads to destruction. The sermon underscores the exclusivity of Christ's claims, drawing parallels from Jesus' teachings in Matthew 7 about the narrow and broad gates. Dohm illustrates how Jesus is the determining factor in choosing between the path to life or destruction. The sermon warns against pride and self-righteousness, emphasizing the necessity of repentance and faith in Christ alone for salvation. It concludes with an exhortation for believers to recognize the preciousness of Christ and for unbelievers to urgently respond to the gospel.

1 Peter 2 verses 4 through 10. Coming to Him as a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is also contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on him will by no means be put to shame. Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious, but to those who are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble being disobedient to the word to which they were also appointed But you are a chosen generation a royal priesthood a holy nation his own special people that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, who once were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Lord, I pray you blessing on Jason as he teaches us this morning. Lord, I pray Lord that you would penetrate our hearts. Lord, may we have this word in our hearts that we would not sin against you. The title of the sermon this morning is One Christ, Two Ways. Last week, Peter was offering words of comfort and encouragement.

If you think of the scope of the book of 1 Peter and what his objective is, when you read the book through a couple of times it becomes really clear he's preparing the people of God to endure persecution. And if I was preparing for persecution or if I was being persecuted, this is exactly what I would want to hear. This is exactly what I would need to hear. Peter steps back and he gives the people of God a panoramic view, a broad view of what God is doing. God is reaching into a world of sin and rebellion and redeeming a people and then He's taking these living stones and He's building them into a spiritual house, a temple of spiritual worship, where these people who were so defiled have become a holy priesthood and are able to offer spiritual sacrifices.

So now if I'm in persecution, instead of the persecution, the pressure being at the center of it, now that's moved off to the edges. And at the center is The work of God and this glorious vision of him taking rebels and making them sons, making them into living stones and then building them up into a spiritual house. Now in Our text this week, Peter briefly continues his words of encouragement. He finishes his thought of encouragement and comfort. And then he gives stern words of warning about rejecting Christ.

He's been talking about those who believe, those who actually have received the truth of the gospel, have repented and believed in the gospel. And now he's turning to those who will not and he's warning he's giving these stern words of warning about rejecting Christ as we go to our text let's begin in prayer father I thank you that you have made a way in Christ. That you have made a way that rebels, that sinners could be turned into sons and daughters. Be made into living stones. You could take people who are so defiled and make them what they could never become on their own.

God, I pray that You would send Your Holy Spirit upon us now to help us with Your Word. These warnings that you've given through your servant, Peter, would be so carefully attended by everyone who hears your word. May it be so in Jesus' name. Amen. Matthew 7, verses 13 and 14.

Jesus says this, Matthew 7, 13 and 14, Enter by the narrow gate, For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction. And there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life. And there are few who find it. Peter has learned at the feet of Jesus.

Peter teaches here in 1 Peter chapter 2 what Jesus taught there in Matthew 7. There are two gates each leading to a different way. One is a wide gate. Many go in through that wide gate. And it's a broad way and it's an easy way.

But the end of it is destruction. There's a second gate. It's a narrow gate and it leads to a difficult way. Very few enter that gate and travel that way, but it leads to life. This is what Peter is teaching.

It seems like the roads that can be taken in this life are endless, But that's really a mirage. That's not true. They're just variations of two different roads. There's only two roads. And so you'll enter a gate, and you'll put your feet on a road.

Most people will enter through that wide gate and travel that broad easy road right off the cliff into destruction. But some, a few, will enter through a narrow gate and they'll find themselves on a difficult way that it will lead to life. And the determining factor is Jesus Christ. That's what Peter's teaching. There are two ways and the determining factor about which gate you enter through, which way you travel, and whether you end up at destruction or life is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the gate. Jesus is the way. Listen to his own words where he's teaching the same thing with just a very small difference in how he's expressing it. John 10 verse 9, Jesus says, I am the door. I'm going to say the door is the same as the gate.

I don't think I'm stretching things to say that. Jesus says, I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved. He'll travel that narrow road that leads to life. I am the door.

If anyone enters by me, he will be saved. He'll travel that narrow road that leads to life. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved. Then a few chapters later in John chapter 14 verse 6, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

Jesus is the door. He's the gate. He's a narrow door. People want a broad door. Jesus is a narrow door, and he leads to a narrow and difficult way.

That leads to life. The claims of Christ and therefore the claims of Christianity are so very exclusive. They're so exclusive. The world hates this about our faith. The world hates this about Jesus Christ because he insists on naming the terms.

He will not allow you to name your own terms. This is not our faith. God insists upon being God. Jesus as God insists on naming the terms. And so our faith is so very exclusive.

And Peter in our text this week is bringing us face to face, nose to nose, with these exclusive claims. You know what I say? Good. We need to be brought face to face and nose to nose with very exclusive claims of the faith. Why?

So that we can't just put them on the back burner. This is what we would do. If the claims weren't quite so exclusive, if the gate wasn't quite so narrow, the way wasn't quite so difficult, we would just shelve the decision, we would put it off in time. But the claims are so exclusive, so outlandishly narrow that it forces you to come nose to nose with it and decide whether you'll enter that gate and walk that way or whether you won't. And you'll enter another gate and walk a different way that leads to destruction.

Friends, if you don't feel the urgency in Matthew 7, in 1 Peter 2, I don't mind saying there's something wrong with you. If you don't come face to face, nose to nose, with the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ and feel an urgency in your soul to resolve this matter and pick a gate so that you don't pick one by default, then there's something wrong with you. You're slumbering when you ought to be wide awake. There is one Christ. Messiah means anointed one.

God has anointed one man for this task. It is the man and God, Jesus Christ. There are two ways depending on whether you will receive His exclusive claims or whether you will reject them. This is just what Peter is teaching in 1 Peter chapter 2 verses 7 and 8. In verse 7, looking right at the words of the text, in verse 7, Peter briefly continues these words of encouragement.

He says, therefore to you who believe, he is precious. To believers, Jesus Christ is precious. Now please don't miss this. Jesus isn't just a stay out of hell card. He is not.

Those who trust in him do stay out of hell. That's not what he is. Simply a stay out of hell card. He is a person to be loved and worshiped. He is worthy that you would bow down and worship him and spend your life, every drop of life that God would give you, pursuing Him, loving Him, worshiping Him.

Jesus Christ is to be valued above all other things. Listen to Paul in 2 Timothy 4 verse 8. In 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 8, Paul has just talked about how he's coming to the end of his race and then he says this, finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing." So Paul, coming to the end of his race, talks about Judgment Day, and he says that a crown of righteousness has been laid up for him. And it's going to be awarded to him on that day that he finishes his race, he stands before the Lord. But he says, that's just the result.

That's just the output. Listen to the end of the verse again. Not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing. In other words, Jesus Christ has appeared. He is God in flesh, Emmanuel, God with us.

And he is the express image of God. And he is the greatest demonstration of the love of God for people. And Paul saw it. Paul loved the appearing of Jesus. And so a crown of righteousness is laid up for him in that day.

The crown of righteousness isn't the thing that leads, it's the thing that follows. The thing at the center is that Paul, having come face to face with the incarnation, God with us, he said, I love that. And so the crown of righteousness is waiting for him. Yes, God is to be worshiped. But Jesus is his express image.

And he is the demonstration of God's love for us. And so repenting and believing the gospel isn't just intellectual ascent that keeps us out of hell. So if you hear these things and you've just wanted to free yourself from judgment because you've felt a sense of need in your heart but there's no affection for Christ there. There's a problem. To those who believe He is precious.

There is affection in the heart. There's love growing in the heart for this Jesus. In verse 4, it says that Jesus is chosen by God and precious. That's last week's text. Jesus is chosen by God and precious.

And If you believe, you agree. You love His appearing like Paul loved His appearing. In 2 Timothy 4 verse 8, you agree with God. That's what it means to believe. The Jesus that was such a threat that you never wanted to be governed by, there's been a change of heart.

And now you say, he is precious. There's affection in the heart. This is not a dry, sterile, mechanical faith. There is love in the heart, brothers and sisters. There must be love in the heart.

It is a sign of saving faith. It's not the exact same thing as saving faith. But wherever there is saving faith, there is affection in the heart for Jesus Christ. So this gives us something to probe our hearts by. Do I just like the fellowship at church?

There are good people to be with. Do I just like the thought that I'll be saved from judgment. Or is there a warmth in my heart? Is there an affection towards the Lord Jesus Christ? Is He precious to me?

Verse 7 continues, but to those who are disobedient. Then Peter quotes Psalm 118 verse 22, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. He just talked about the chief cornerstone in verse 6, the end of last week's text, and now he picks it up again. He's talking about the chief cornerstone again in verse 7. And how it relates to those not who think he's precious, but to those who are disobedient, who have not believed.

So he's setting up a contrast in verse 7 between those who believe and those who are disobedient. And Peter says you're one or the other. You're either believing, you either have a saving belief, saving faith in Jesus Christ having transferred all your weight from trusting in yourself to trusting him. You're either that or you are disobedient. There are two things that I should say about Peter talking about the disobedient.

The first is the depth and breadth of the actual Greek word that Peter used. Here's the primary meaning of this word. To not allow oneself to be persuaded. To not allow yourself to be persuaded. To refuse or withhold belief.

You're refusing to believe. You're withholding belief in Christ to refuse belief and obedience. In other words, there are heels dug in. Do you hear that definition? There's a strong reaction against belief.

You're refusing to believe. The exclusive claims of the Gospel. This is why the NASB and the ESV, the New American Standard and the English Standard version renders it, those who disbelieve. So those who are disobedient are those who disbelieve. Actually both of those things are wrapped up into this Greek word, so both are good translations.

You have a hard time picking an English word that gives the breadth of the Greek. The second thing I should say about disobedience is that verse 8 expands and clarifies it. Verse 8 says that they are disobedient to the Word. That is the nature of the disobedient. Disobedience.

That's what they are being disobedient to, the word of God. How so? God commands all men everywhere to repent. That's Acts 17, verse 30. This goes back to the exclusive claims of the gospel, the exclusive requirements of the gospel.

He commands all men everywhere to repent. You are not coaxed. Please, please come. You're not coaxed towards inviting Jesus into your heart. You are commanded to repent of your life of rebellion and wickedness.

Did you get that? I'm doubting so I'm going to say it again. You're not coaxed towards inviting Jesus into your heart. You are commanded to repent of your rebellion and your wicked life. God is setting the terms, not man.

Now should you invite Jesus into your heart? Yes you should. But the nature of it is that you are commanded to turn away from your rebellion against God. Because God says you've been living in rebellion to Him if you've not yet repented and believed the gospel. And God says you've been living a wicked life no matter how well you've thought of yourself, No matter how many comforting thoughts you've thought regarding yourself.

God says you've lived a wicked life unless you've repented and believed the gospel. Jesus is again called the chief cornerstone. Remember we talked about the chief cornerstone last week. It's the first stone laid, it bears the weight of the building, and it unites all the parts. So every part must be aligned to the chief cornerstone.

If it's a well aligned part, it's lined up with the chief cornerstone. If it's not, then it isn't. And this is what Jesus Christ is. He's the first stone laid in this spiritual house that God is building. He bears the weight of the whole building.

Jesus can bear the weight of the whole building. Remember I referenced a commentator last week speaking of a chief cornerstone that was 69 feet by 12 feet by 13 feet. Massive, able to bear the weight of the whole building and uniting the parts of the building. In verse 6, God said, I laid that stone. Now this is going to be very important in verse 7.

In verse 6, through the prophet Isaiah, God said, this is my chief cornerstone. I laid that stone and I'm building on that stone. But in Psalm 118 verse 22, which is what Peter now quotes in verse 7, Peter speaks of builders who have found God's cornerstone lacking. Isn't that right? Isn't that what it says?

It's a rejected cornerstone by these builders. These builders have looked at the chief cornerstone that God said, I laid that stone, I'm building on that stone. They looked at it and they said, that's a defective, lacking cornerstone. It's shocking to think of it in those terms, isn't it? God laid that stone himself.

God said he's building on that stone. But these builders say, that stone's not good enough. We reject that stone. You must know if you reject Jesus, that's what you're doing, and that's what you're saying. God's chief cornerstone is deficient, it's lacking, I reject it.

What God has done is deficient. God is lacking. This is why rejection of Christ is ultimately the sin that cost you your soul. The other sins can be forgiven. The sin of rejecting Christ can never be forgiven.

We aren't voting for Chief Cornerstone. God lays the Chief Cornerstone of his house. God builds on his own Chief Cornerstone. We're not voting for chief cornerstone. Many people want philosophy to be the chief cornerstone, want worldly wisdom to be the chief cornerstone.

And they're going to build on that, having found what God has done deficient. Many people want education to be the chief cornerstone and they're building on it. Many people want social justice to be the chief cornerstone and building on it. Many people want government, on the right and on the left want government to be the chief cornerstone and their building on it. Many people want the Constitution to be the chief cornerstone and their building on it.

Many people want free market capitalism to be the chief cornerstone and they're building on it. And while some or all of these things may have their place, depending on how you define them and how it matches up with the Word of God, never ever can any of these things be the chief cornerstone. Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone. God has laid him as the chief cornerstone. He is building on that chief cornerstone.

And as Paul says in 1 Corinthians Chapter 3, which we looked at last week, no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid. It is Jesus Christ. Jesus himself quotes this psalm. So we see Peter doing again. We can see that Peter had learned at the feet of Jesus, as he's quoting the same Old Testament prophecies that Jesus himself had quoted.

Jesus quotes Psalm 118 verse 22 in Matthew 21. And it was worthwhile to go there and look at it. So turn to Matthew 21. And I'll give you the context as you're turning to Matthew 21 to look at Jesus's quotation of Psalm 118 verse 22. So when Jesus quotes this, it's right on the heels of the parable of the wicked vine dresser.

Do you remember that parable? There's an owner and he leases out his vineyard to some wicked vine dressers and he keeps sending his servants. And they won't listen to the servants and they won't give the owner what's his due as the owner of the vineyard. So they won't listen to the servants and they won't give the owner his due. And so at the end Jesus just asks, what will happen to these vine dressers?

And the chief priests and the elders who had come to confront Jesus have to admit God will come and destroy, the owner will come and destroy those wicked vine dressers. So his quotation of that is right on the heels. The other thing that I should say to put it in context is Psalm 118, which is being quoted, is about the triumphal entry. And Matthew 21 is the triumphal entry chapter. So when you read Psalm 118, you say, wow, this is just like Jesus coming into Jerusalem to the praises of the people, down to the words that they will say.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. That's Psalm 118 also. So this psalm refers always and only to Jesus Christ. Now let's look at Jesus quote this in Matthew 21 I'll read verses 42 through 44 Jesus said to them have you never read in the scriptures The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone will be broken, but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." The builders are the chief priests and the elders that Jesus is speaking directly to in Matthew 21. And because they have not done anything, they have not obeyed God with their privileges, the nation is being taken from them, the vineyard is being taken from them and given to a nation that will bear the fruits of it. So these are the builders or the Jewish leaders and they're rejecting Jesus in this week of his life. And that explains the prophecy of Psalm 118.

And What Peter and Jesus are teaching is that you are either a living stone being built into a spiritual house on this chief cornerstone, the Messiah, the one anointed by God, Or you fall on this stone and are broken. Or this stone falls on you and grinds you to powder. There's one Christ. There's two ways. There's a narrow gate and a narrow way that leads to life.

There is a wide gate and a broad easy way that leads to destruction. Jesus begins here in Matthew 21 with Psalm 118 talking about the chief cornerstone. But then he speaks beyond Psalm 118. Then he starts talking about people who fall on the rock and they are broken or the rock falls on them and they are ground into powder. And here when we go to Daniel 2, which let's go to Daniel 2 right now, you'll see, you'll agree that Jesus actually is speaking of Daniel 2 after he quotes Psalm 118.

He immediately speaks about Daniel 2. So turn to Daniel 2. In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar has had a dream. And where we're going to read, Daniel tells him his dream and the interpretation of it. So what is so miraculous about this isn't even that Daniel knows the interpretation, is that he knows the dream.

Because Nebuchadnezzar has said he won't tell anyone the dream. He's requiring that the interpreter tell him the dream, not having been told it. Tell him the dream and the interpretation and Daniel is actually able to do it. This is Daniel 2 beginning in 31, we'll read through 35. Daniel chapter 2 verse 31, Daniel says to Nebuchadnezzar, You, O king, were watching, and behold, a great image.

This great image whose splendor was excellent stood before you, and its form was awesome. This image's head was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You watched while a stone was cut without hands, which struck the image on the feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors. It was ground into powder just like Matthew 21.

The wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." Now go to look ahead to verse 44, same chapter but fast forwarding to verse 44 and 45 and in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms. And it shall stand forever Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure." Jesus Christ is the stone that is cut out of the mountain without hands. In other words, He is not fashioned by human hands.

He owes nothing to the work of man. So he is the stone cut out of the mountain without hands. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and it will not be handed off to other people. He will always be the king of this kingdom throughout all eternity. And all kingdoms that have been raised up against this will be ground into powder.

Jesus in Matthew 21 is laying claim to Daniel 2 and he says, I am that rock. I am that rock cut out of the mountain without hands. And every kingdom raised up against me, this rock will fall upon it and it will grind it to powder. It will be like chaff that the wind blows away. This is the reality of the universe.

There are many kingdoms, but there is only one everlasting kingdom, and Jesus Christ is the King of it. And those who fall on this rock will be broken, and those on whom this rock falls will be ground into powder. In verse 8, Peter has been calling Jesus a living stone, that's verse 4, and he's been calling Jesus the chief cornerstone, that's verses 6 and then again in 7. Now Peter in verse 8, Peter quotes Isaiah 8, 14 to call Jesus two more things, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. So So far this rock has been beautiful things that are precious.

Jesus has been a living stone that becomes a source of life for all the other living stones. Jesus Christ has been the chief cornerstone, the first stone laid that can bear the weight of the whole building and that unites all the parts of the building. But now in verse 8 Jesus is called to other things. A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. And this is quoted from Isaiah chapter 8.

This is the last place we're going to go. We've been traveling a lot. But let's go look at Isaiah chapter 8 because in context it's even richer than as he quotes it in 1 Peter 2. What he quotes is certainly adequate in 1 Peter chapter 2, but it's even richer when you go and look at the setting in Isaiah 8 that Peter is actually quoting out of. Isaiah 8 will read verses 11 through 15.

And it speaks of Jesus, the Messiah, as a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. Isaiah chapter 8 beginning in verse 11, For the Lord spoke thus to me, to Isaiah, with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Do not say a conspiracy concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. The Lord of hosts, him you shall hallow. Let him be your fear and let him be your dread. He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." So here we see, we'll keep reading when I stop and comment just briefly, Jesus Christ is two different things depending on whether you will trust Him.

If you trust in Him, you'll never be put to shame. He'll be a sanctuary to you. Look in verse 14. He will be as a sanctuary but a stone of stumbling. So to some he will be a sanctuary, to some he will be a fortress, he will be a place of refuge and to some who will not receive Him, who refuse to believe in Him, He will be a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both houses of Israel as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Now look at 15. And many among them shall stumble, they shall fall and be broken, be snared and taken. You See how the Bible in many different places says exactly the same thing. Jesus will be the rock that they'll stumble, they'll fall, they'll be broken on Him. Because they refused to obey the word because they refused to believe.

In Luke chapter 2, Mary and Joseph come into the temple to have Jesus circumcised And they are met by Simeon. Simeon is a prophet. God has told Simeon that he won't die until he sees the Messiah. And now at the end of a long life here come Mary and Joseph into the temple. Listen to what Simeon says in Luke chapter 2 verses 34 and 35.

Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, behold, this child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against. Yes, a sword will pierce your own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." Simeon prophetically looks at Jesus Christ as a baby, as an eight-day-old baby, and he says, behold, the rising and falling of many in Israel will be upon this Messiah." Jesus is these two negative things, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. But He isn't the problem. Does that even need to be said? Jesus isn't the problem.

It's that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. In other words, He is the occasion of the sin, but he is not the author of the sin. Jesus Christ is not making anyone reject him. Jesus Christ is not making anyone refuse to repent and believe in the gospel. But He is the occasion of sin.

The thoughts of many hearts are revealed when people come face to face with the exclusive requirements, the exclusive claims of the Gospel. Jesus is a stone of stumbling. Many people trip up on Jesus Christ. In an ultimate sense, if you're going to be tripped up, it will be on Jesus Christ. Why?

He offends them. He offends them. He offends you. If you won't repent and believe. He is a rock of offense.

Now, why would anyone be offended in Jesus Christ? What's not to like? He went about doing good. He healed the sick. He caused the lame to walk.

He gave sight to the blind. He gave hearing to the deaf. He raised the dead. He only preached the truth. What's not to like?

What is so offensive about Jesus Christ? Well, Paul clues us into this in Galatians 5, chapter 11. Listen to Paul in Galatians 5 verse 11. And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.

Now under the new covenant, the preaching of circumcision to Gentiles is the same as works-based righteousness. So Paul says, if I'm preaching works-based righteousness, why am I still being persecuted? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. It's the cross. This is why a man who went about doing good, raising the dead, healing the sick, is an offense.

It is the cross. The cross strips us of every ounce of self-righteousness. You can't keep any. If you're going to come to the cross for mercy, you can't keep any self-righteousness. The cross will not allow you to salvage one ounce of pride.

Did you know that? It forbids it. It demolishes it. It takes it away and stomps on your pride. Listen to Paul again in Romans 9 verses 30 through 33.

In Romans 9 verses 30 and 33, Paul writes, What Shall we say then that Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith. But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, as it were, but by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

As it is written, behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense, and whoever believes on him will not be put to shame." This was what the Jews stumbled upon. It was the cross. God offered a true righteousness, a real righteousness, by faith in the work of Jesus Christ. They would have none of it. We will earn our way.

We will make our way. We will work and work our work and you will have to pay us our wages. God says no. Your righteousness is as filthy rags before me. So Jews who were striving after righteousness, working, always working, never attained to righteousness because it could only be obtained through the cross.

But they wanted to salvage their pride. They were holding onto their pride. They wanted to think well of themselves and not believe what God had said of them, which is that all their work, all their righteousness, was like a filthy rag in his holy eyes. And that righteousness could only be obtained the way the Gentiles would obtain it by faith alone. The Gentiles could come without pretense.

They knew they had been pagan God haters. And so they weren't so, quite so attached to their pride and could repent. Some of them could. But many of the Jews were proud. And they wanted to think of themselves as righteous.

And you just cannot come to the cross that way. Friends, you cannot come to the cross that way. Because you'll say, what is this? I have no need of this. It is the sick who go to a physician.

If you're not sick, you'll never be healed of this great disease called sin. Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, requires that we accept God's assessment. What is that assessment? That he is a holy God who cannot even look upon sin, iniquity, unrighteous. And that we have lived all our lives on our best day.

We have lived in rebellion and have been full of wickedness. And that this chasm between a holy God and what we are can only be bridged by the work of Jesus Christ. The cross is the only solution to this problem. The cross is the only thing that can bridge this great divide, and this demands a response of us that we repent and believe in the Gospel. If you have never repented unto life, I'm not talking about feeling bad about sin, I'm talking about repentance unto life, Where you agree with God and say, there is no hope for this soul of mine unless the work of Jesus Christ on the cross is applied to it.

If you have never repented unto life, will you insist on being a good person all the way to hell? I am a good person. I am. I am. I am.

God says you are not. God says the things you are most proud of are like a dirty dish rag before him. And you'll cling to your comforting thoughts of yourself. And one day, you will stand before this holy God. And because he's really good, what you thought was goodness in yourself will be nothing but stench in your nostrils.

And you will smell sulfur, eternal fire, reserved for you. And it will be too late to repent. If you don't come to Matthew 7 and to 1 Peter 2 and have an urgency in your soul about whether he is a precious cornerstone to you or a stumbling stone and a rock of offense there is something wrong with you. Let's conclude. Let's conclude.

Unbeliever, don't let pride bring you before a holy God, and your whole life story has been, I'm good, I'm good, I'm good, and now you're in the presence of one who really is good and you can see the defilement of your heart and you're laid bare before him and it's too late to repent. It is the same as what happened in Genesis 3. There are many sins, but they all look alike at their core. They all say, I want to be like God. I want to be my own lawgiver.

That was the first sin ever in Genesis 3. Eve, I will be like God. He's given a law but I don't like it. I'll make my own laws. I'll be my own law giver and I won't really die.

At their core, Every sin is exactly alike. I will be my own lawgiver. I won't really die. So the first sin fits that profile. And every sin committed throughout history fits that profile.

They're the same at their core. I will be God. I will be my own lawgiver. And I won't really die if I disobey his laws. Believer, Christian, understand how this affects you.

I haven't said anything about this the whole time, but this has an impact on you. Because this means that a group of people can hear exactly the same words in exactly the same place in exactly the same time and one says, yes, I see it, he's precious and another says, I'm offended. This explains that. Listen to Paul in 2 Corinthians 2 verses 15 and 16. And you're part of this.

This is going to explain a lot of life. 2 Corinthians 2 verses 15 and 16, Paul writes, For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. There are only those who are being saved and those who are being perishing, you're the fragrance of Christ among all of them, both categories. To the one, we are the aroma of death leading to death. And to the other, the aroma of life leading to life and who is sufficient for these things.

Some people are going to see you, talk to you, relate to you and you'll be the fragrance of Christ and they're going to say that is precious Because Christ is precious or he's becoming precious to them. There are other people. You're living the same life. You're saying the same words. You're being the same person.

And your relatives are going to hate you. And why are they going to hate you? You're the smell of death. You are the smell of death. Don't be alarmed when that happens.

It just simply means you're the aroma of Christ. Praise God. We can pray that one day for those relatives who hate us today because we're the aroma of Christ that maybe tomorrow They'll say he's precious Let's pray Father I thank you for this tax and I pray you would press these things upon our soul. I pray that you would give unbelievers an urgency about repenting and believing in the Gospel. O God, may there not be one of us who would say, I'll do it tomorrow.

I'll consider these things tomorrow. Father, we thank you for the beauty of your word and the beauty of the gospel. You are precious. We do pray, God, that you would increase our love. Expand our ability to love you.

Expand the affection in our heart for a Redeemer who has reached into rebellion and wickedness to show mercy to some. We thank you in Jesus' name, Amen.