Chosen. Precious. Honor.
“For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’ So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’ They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.” 1 Peter 1:8-9
Chosen. There’s something about being chosen. Most of the time, it’s a privilege and something that we all yearn for. It means to be special, one-of-a-kind. But it also depends on what we’re chosen for. For us as the people of God, we are given the value of being God’s own. We are God’s chosen people (1) to live in him and for him; even the next verse in 1 Peter 2 talks about us being a chosen race (2). Before Christ, that privilege was only for the Israelites and the Old Testament shows time and time again how they were to be God’s and God’s alone. But for the One to whom it is referring here– this Jesus, the Son of God, the Chosen One, who God was not ashamed to claim (3)-- being chosen was not an easy thing. For he was selected to be the Passover Lamb for all mankind. Even as his own creation jeered at him on the cross, even while themselves calling him the Chosen One (4), Jesus continued to suffer so they (and we) could have a sure salvation in him – our cornerstone.
Precious. This is the other way Jesus is described, here and a few verses back (v. 4). It’s not a choosing out of stale indifference. For us as the people of God, we are precious in his sight. When he talks to his people in Isaiah, he is very clear: he has redeemed us, he has called us by name (it’s very personal!) and moreover we are precious in his eyes – and he says, “I love you!” (5). It’s no small thing to be loved by the Creator of the universe. We are precious because he loves us. But for Jesus, he is precious because of who he is. There is no other one who could’ve taken his place. Only God is completely holy and blameless to be the sacrifice that makes us holy and blameless (6, 7). The reason his blood is precious (8) is because without it, we’re doomed. His precious blood is our only chance to be with God and to be called his own.
Honor. So, this honor is for us who believe. This is who we are in God. Because Jesus, chosen and precious, gave up everything to bring us to God (9), we have the honor of being chosen and precious. It’s another word that God uses to address his people in Isaiah 43 (5) - we are honored by him. He didn’t have to do any of this for us. He wasn’t obligated to free us from our own filth when we ran off and left him (10). But instead, he waited patiently for us, and even while we were a long way off, he ran to us. He didn’t remind us of the sin we’ve committed, but in our repentance, he gave us a new identity: his own. He honored us with his best robe, ring, shoes, and a feast. We don’t deserve his kindness and forgiveness. But he honors us with it because he loves us.
The honor is for us who believe – we should be proud to claim him as our loving Father. It’s nothing that we have done. We know it’s only because of Jesus, to whom all honor and glory belong. This Jesus, our Lamb, is slain no more. He sits on the throne above all things. And for now and to eternity, we will join with the myriads of thousands saying, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (11)
Jesus was chosen to be our Passover Lamb so we could be God’s chosen people. He is precious because he is the only one who could deliver us, those who are precious to him. We are honored by him and will spend our forever honoring him.
1- Colossians 3:12
2 - 1 Peter 2:9
3 - Luke 9:35
4 - Luke 23:35
5 - Isaiah 43:1-4
6 - Hebrews 9:25-26
7 - Ephesians 1:3-4
8 - 1 Peter 1:19
9 - Ephesians 5:2
10 - Luke 15:12-13
11 - Revelation 5:11-13
