Living Stones • Ps Luke de Jong • Church Online: 12 July 2026

Acts 2 gives a picture of a healthy, vibrant people who did not just go to church, but became the church. All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, meals, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer. The goodness of God came to them, flowed through them, and the Lord added daily those being saved. God’s plan for Christians is not a building, a barn, a couch, or a sixty eight minute Sunday, but a people so alive together that others look in and say, “They got something I want.”

The image of living stones carries the weight of that call. A brick on its own is not that grand, but a brick joined to other bricks can become something that stands, speaks, and lasts. The Colosseum, the Pyramid of Giza, and the Great Wall all show that stone upon stone can carry a story for generations. Scripture keeps picking up that same picture, from Jacob’s stone at Bethel, to Moses striking the rock, to Jesus calling Simon “Peter,” the rock, and promising, “I will build my church.”

Peter presses that reality further in 1 Peter 2. Christ is the living cornerstone, rejected by people but chosen by God for great honor. Believers are living stones, not lounging stones, not lamenting stones, being built into God’s spiritual temple. Zoe life is not mere existence, but life in its fullness, practical and eternal, where God’s people are connected to Christ and connected to each other.

The church is more than a building because God no longer fills one holy place like in the Old Testament. God now fills a people. His presence makes the church what it is, not great songs, good systems, or a good venue. Peter also calls believers holy priests, which means no one gets to be a spectator. Worship, prayer, hospitality, mercy, reconciliation, serving, and witness become priestly life before God and before the world.

The call to be a holy nation means normal is not the goal. Christians are called to be different because Jesus is building his church through living stones. That calling gets weakened when believers look for a perfect church instead of a presenced church, when convenience replaces conviction, and when the comfort of a lie feels easier than the cost of truth. The enemy sells independence, but God calls his people to interdependence. Coals cling together and keep the flame aglow, but separated coals die out. The church becomes living stones as God’s people love him with their hearts, serve him with their lives, and let Christ build what hell cannot conquer.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Be the church, not attendees Acts 2 shows believers whose faith had movement, meals, prayer, generosity, and shared life. The church became attractive because God’s goodness was not only received, it flowed through the community. A Christian life reduced to attendance misses the depth of what God designed his people to carry together. [03:47]
• 2. Living stones need one another A single brick is not much on its own, but joined with others it becomes a structure that can stand and speak. Peter’s image does not leave believers as isolated spiritual units, but places them together around Christ the cornerstone. God builds a spiritual temple by connecting his people to Jesus and to each other. [15:13]
• 3. Presence matters more than perfection The perfect church does not exist, and hurt can tempt a person to paint Jesus’ whole church with the brush of one painful moment. Peter’s vision is not a flawless people, but a people joined together because God lives among them by his Spirit. Living stones are not qualified by their perfection, but by the presence of Christ. [26:25]
• 4. Conviction must outrun convenience The body of Christ is not designed for spectators who only show up when it works easily. Gifts are given to be used, and service becomes priestly when it flows from conviction rather than comfort. A legacy of faith is formed when God’s house becomes more than an optional appointment. [31:06]
• 5. Truth costs, but lies bind The enemy has always tried to turn God’s truth into a question and independence into an attractive lie. God calls his people to interdependence, but isolation slowly drains purpose, wisdom, and authentic community. The truth may cost something, but only truth sets people free.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:54] - God’s Plan To Be The Church
• [01:56] - Acts 2 Devotion And Community
• [04:33] - Living Stones
• [06:21] - What’s Mine Is Yours
• [08:31] - Jesus Builds His Church
• [10:38] - Christ The Living Cornerstone
• [13:24] - Not Lounging Stones
• [15:13] - One Brick Becomes A Structure
• [20:10] - God Fills A People
• [22:17] - Every Believer Has A Priestly Calling
• [23:37] - Called To Live Different
• [25:03] - Perfect Church Or Presenced Church
• [29:12] - Convenience Or Conviction
• [34:29] - Truth, Lies, And Community

1. What specific actions and attitudes characterized the early church in Acts 2:42-47, according to the sermon? [01:56]
2. How does Peter describe believers in 1 Peter 2:4-5, and what metaphor does he use to explain their role in God’s plan?
3. What contrast does the sermon highlight between Old Testament worship (God filling a building) and New Testament worship (God filling a people)? [20:10]
4. According to the sermon, what are the dangers of prioritizing convenience over conviction in living out faith? [31:06]

1. Why do you think Peter uses the metaphor of “living stones” to describe believers, and how does this contrast with being a “dead brick”? [15:13]
2. The sermon states, “The church is not a flawless people, but a people joined together because God lives among them.” How does this redefine what it means to pursue a healthy church community? [26:25]
3. What does it mean practically for believers to be a “holy nation” and “royal priesthood” in everyday life, as described in 1 Peter 2:9?
4. How might the enemy’s lie of independence (vs. God’s call to interdependence) weaken a believer’s purpose and community? [35:30]

1. Acts 2 describes believers sharing meals, resources, and prayer. What is one tangible way you could intentionally deepen your connection with others in your church this week? [02:52]
2. The sermon warns against being a “spectator” in church. What gift, skill, or act of service could you offer to your church community, even if it feels uncomfortable? [30:06]
3. Reflect on a time when you prioritized convenience over conviction in your faith (e.g., skipping community, avoiding service). What step could you take to realign with God’s call to interdependence? [31:31]
4. Peter says believers are “living stones” built together. Is there a relationship in your life where you’ve been holding back from vulnerability or support? How could you take a step toward strengthening that connection?
5. The sermon compares believers to “coals” that stay aflame together. Are there areas of your faith where isolation is draining your passion? How could you intentionally engage with others to reignite it? [37:35]
6. What is one lie about independence or self-sufficiency you’ve believed that has hindered your ability to fully invest in Christian community? How can you combat that lie with truth this week? [35:58]