A Stone of Stumbling
A Sermon on 1 Peter 2:6-8
Originally preached March 11, 1962
Scripture
6Wherefore 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. 7Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders …
Sermon Description
Why does the Apostle Peter tell us that Christ is a stumbling block? This is may seem like an odd statement, but in this sermon on 1 Peter 2:6–8, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains why it is important to understand. He says that Christ is a stumbling block because those that are said to be wise and powerful stumble over His message. The Pharisees who were said to be the righteous were shown to be hypocrites when Christ came. Those who trust in their own works stumble when they are told that nothing they can do will ever save them. Christ crushes our pride and self-trust in order that we might trust in Him alone. It is no different today than it was in the days of Jesus. Fallen people trust in their own wisdom, but Christ shows the wisdom of this world to be foolish and vain. It is only by trusting in Christ, the stone that the builders rejected, that anyone can be saved and made right with God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon focuses on 1 Peter 2:6-8 which discusses believers and unbelievers' attitudes towards Jesus Christ.
- Believers view Christ as precious while unbelievers view him as a stumbling block and rock of offense.
- There are only two possible attitudes towards Christ: belief or unbelief. There is no neutral ground.
- Unbelievers are described as "builders" who believe they can build a perfect world through human means. They reject Christ due to pride in their own knowledge and abilities.
- The builders reject Christ for the same reasons the religious leaders rejected him during his earthly ministry. They reject him because he does not conform to their preconceived ideas.
- The builders stumble over Christ's virgin birth, what he does not do that they expect him to do, what he actually does do, and his demands for obedience and holiness.
- Rejecting Christ is the supreme tragedy and folly. Although the builders may reject Christ, they cannot get rid of him. He will return as judge and either be their salvation or condemnation.
- The sermon concludes with an appeal to the listeners to believe in Christ, submit to him, and cease rejecting him.
Other Sermons
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.