I took my father’s advice – many times over in fact. One summer I lived with my sister and worked construction in Phoenix, Arizona. Mostly I worked on roofs. Sometimes I would work with another man putting up block or brick fences. Sometimes we would work with stone – heavy, heavy stone. I remember thinking there was not much to the stone other than it being a big and heavy rock. However, when we set them in place, they made something. When they were brought together, something useful, beautiful took shape. It was quite amazing. It made me realize that the stone that was so heavy and didn’t seem to do much of anything by itself was actually very important. Each individual stone was an important part to the whole.

I know sometimes we think that about ourselves. We are insignificant. We hold no great individual value to this world. What impact have we made? Who would care if we were here today but gone tomorrow? What difference does it make?

And I think if we measure ourselves up to humanity – this is what we come up with. “I’m not significant – I’m not in any way valuable to this world. The world could get along without me just fine. I could be replaced.” Maybe we felt this way when about three years ago now hundreds of thousands of people filling the St. Peter’s square so they could catch a glimpse of the new Pope. Now, there’s a significant man, we might think. We are not that significant. All of Christendom will be looking to him. He has value, status and prestige. Or, perhaps we feel the same way when we see all of the press coverage over the candidates for the president of the Untied States. Now those are significant people. Everyone knows them and they will have an impact on our country. We seem insignificant compared to them.

In the text for today from 1st Peter chapter 2 we hear what the Lord calls us and see what He thinks about us. It becomes clear that according to man – we are not significant. However, according to God, we are the most precious valuable thing ever created. You and I are so valuable and precious to God. The text says, “As you come to him, the living stone – rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, a royal priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Rejected by man? Yes. Less than valuable to man? Yes. Insignificant to man? Yes. How about to God? Rejected by God? No. Less than valuable to God? No. Insignificant to God? Absolutely not! Every one of His “living stones” are valuable. We individually are His creation. We individually make up the spiritual house and the royal priesthood. We may think that by ourselves we are insignificant much like I thought of those stones when I was doing work on that house. But God sees us differently. He sees us as “living stones” that make up His kingdom – that further His kingdom – that are His very one creation that is so precious and loved.

You see, this is how our Lord loves us. He loves us because of who we are – living stones. I want you to notice something. Jesus is not telling us in this text “to be” living stones. He’s not telling us to work hard and to live your life worthy of being called a “living stone”. No, not at all. Rather, He is telling us this is what we are. This is a condition of the believer. This is what the Lord puts on our hearts in faith and in baptism. At your baptism God placed His name. We were baptized into His precious name when that water and the Word came together right on our foreheads. He made us who we are – baptized children of God. We are “living stones” because of what Christ has made us to be.

God is building with His living stones. He is building His Kingdom with you and me. I think this says a lot about what He thinks of us. He loves us enough to build His kingdom with us. If you have ever been a part of the building process you know that there are some materials you just don’t want to build with. Maybe it’s not the right material. Maybe it’s not strong enough. Maybe it’s just too ugly to build with. We don’t want to build with it. Maybe we can’t build with it.

Our Lord builds with us. Why would He do that? This material that He is using is flawed. I’m flawed. I’m the chief of sinners. And I think when we search ourselves we will discover this about each and every one of us. “How could you use me Lord? Look at what I have done. I’m not smart enough. I’m not good enough. I did this or I did that.” And it’s all true. You and I alike are not worthy to be God’s building material. We have not kept the commandments. We put other things before God. We make whether or not it feels good as the measure of what I’m going to do or how I’m going to do it. Our families come second to me. Our church comes way down on the list because we think someone else will be there to take care of it and I don’t really have the time to bother with it. We are flawed building material folks. But yet, you are the ones God chose to build with. That’s the most flattering complement ever given. Our Lord still chooses you.

But you know, because on our own we are flawed material, He doesn’t build with us alone. He Himself became the chief stone – the cornerstone – the load baring stone. You see, this is how He makes you and me adequate building material. He gives us the strength to stand up. He gives us the means to keep the spiritual house up and going. If the load baring stone were not there – the spiritual house would fall. But since it is, the other material, you and me, though flawed, has been made so strong by the firm and strong foundation of our Lord Jesus. This is what we have been made by our Lord. Flawed material, sinners who are useless in and of ourselves, made into living stones that are forgiven and are used to build spiritual houses for those who don’t know the cornerstone – Jesus Christ.

The text says it, “We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.” That’s what God has made us to be – because He chose us. He came to us and chose you and me to be His people. And because of that we are significant. Maybe not by man’s standards – but by God’s we are His perfect creation and He loves each one of us individually as His very own children.

And I promise you something else. Because we are valuable to God, we are more valuable to man than you could ever imagine. As God’s instruments He uses us to share and witness to the faith. He uses the worst of building materials and tools to make the best spiritual houses out of more and more people that He brings to the faith through you. God uses you to share that Good News. We don’t always think so – But I promise, you have impacted someone’s life – someone in some way you didn’t even realize. The Lord has done so through you. No matter who you are.

I can say this about my own father for instance. He was one of those who thought of himself as a common average everyday sort of guy. He went to work, he came home, and then went to work again. But when you put his life in perspective of God’s framework of building with average or flawed material – he certainly made an impression. He made an impression on me and my life and where I am today. He made an impression on my siblings and so many others that I have talked with since the day he died. And folks, I know it’s not just my dad. I know it’s you and it’s me as well. Don’t give up being one of our Lord’s living stones. He uses all His material. He uses it all and makes a difference for others with it all – with you.

We work hard, folks. Sometimes we get praise for that, sometimes we don’t. That’s a part of living in man’s world. But in God’s world, we are blessed every day by and through what we are. We are blessed by our Lord who gave His life for us and to us and now calls us by a different name. He calls us “son” and “forgiven” and “loved.” He also calls us His living building stones. As we work in His kingdom, He works even harder through us and in us. May God richly bless you this day of building the kingdom of God. Amen

The peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.