A Rock to Build On

A Rock to Build On
1 Peter 2:1-10
March 19, 2017

All right. We're launching in the 1st and 2nd Peter. These are quite short letters that they were written by none other than the very famous Peter. Peter, of course, is one of the disciples that was closest to the Lord, and perhaps, Peter is the one that we remember the most. I love Peter, he was bodacious and got himself in trouble because of that, but that's why I love him. Because we can relate to Peter, I just love his all-out living. You know what I'm saying? I just love his bodacious, go for it all, and just live to the full. That's Peter's Spirit and I just love it.
He was a fisherman by trade. His brother, Andrew, and he, were fisherman together. Andrew was also a disciple. They were partners with James and John, who also became then, disciples of Jesus. Much of what takes place in Jesus's ministry, actually takes place around the Sea of Galilee, especially, the Northern City of Capernaum, which is where they really had their fishing business at the beginning.

The life of Peter, I was mentioning this on Wednesday, is a fascinating study. I would love to just go through the Scriptures and study the life of Peter. There's so much that you can learn from Peter's life. Just an absolute so many things. It would be a fascinating study. All the things -- Yes, he had failures, and some of his failures were famous, but so were his victories. Some of his failures were famous, he rebuked the Lord. Can you just imagine what kind of bodacious spirit it takes to rebuke Jesus? But that's what he did. This is when Jesus said that he was going to be handed over to His enemies and be crucified. Peter would not have it, turned to Lord and rebuked him, "No, no, it shall never be." He got a sharp rebuke himself, if you remember the story and
When Jesus said that all of the disciples would fall away, Peter famously announced that if everyone else should fall away, he would not. Jesus said, "Peter, this very night, you will, you'll deny me three times. Before the rooster crows in the morning, you will have denied three times." That's exactly what happened. In fact, on the third one, the third denial, so as to make it more convincing, he did it with cursing. "I tell you, I don't know the man." Fisherman apparently know how to curse. He just started off with some cursing. Because who would expect? Who would expect a follower of Jesus Christ to curse? And so, it was very convincing.

When Jesus was walking on the water, it was Peter who asked if he could come after him on the water. Jesus said, "Peter came." Remember the story. He saw the wind and the waves and he became afraid and began to sink. "Lord, save me." And Jesus took hold of him. Remember the story? The Lord rebuked him, corrected him is a better word there. "Oh, ye of little faith why did you doubt?" But still I look at, hey, Peter's the only one that got out. The rest of them were saying in the boat, "That's bodacious." You know, Peter.

So much so that after the resurrection, it was Peter that gave that famous speech on Pentecost. A thousands came to faith in Christ. He became a pillar of the church. One of the key leaders. In fact, when the infamous Saul, enemy of the church, completely changed his life. He went from enemy and persecutor, to falling in love with Jesus and becoming one of the greatest advocates for the Gospel. Who did he want to speak to first? But none other than Peter? So much is his reputation as a pillar in the church, that whenever we think of Heaven, all of the kind of the stories and humor and jokes about heaven, have Peter there. He's the one standing at the Pearly Gates. That's got his reputation of being that pillar, so much so that even our jokes involve Peter. Like for example.
Like for example, one day a Pope and a politician, both died on the same day and appeared at the Pearly Gates and there was Saint Peter. The pope was surprised, however, because the politician, as he arrived at the Pearly Gates, received an amazing reception. There was a band of angels and they were shouting hallelujah. They hoisted the politician up on their shoulders and gave him a heroe's reception in heaven. Peter looked at the Pope and could see the look on his face and said, "Is there something wrong?" And the pope said, "Well, this isn't exactly how I envisioned it." And he said, "You have to understand." Peter said, "You have to understand. We've had Popes show up here before, but politician? [laughs], we've never had one of those show up."

If you're a politician or know one, I apologize for that.

Here's my here's my favorite one. My favorite one is when this fellow shows up at the Pearly Gates and here is Peter. So, Peter explains to him, "Now listen, there's a point system for getting in. It's going to take a thousand points to get in. You have to tell me all the good things you've done and I'll tell you how many points that's worth." They said, "Okay. All right." And he said, "I was married to the same wonderful woman for 40 years and I was always faithful, never even had a lustful thought in my life." And he said, "Wow, that really is wonderful, that's worth three points." "Three, three points. Okay. I see."

"I was faithful -- I faithfully attended church and I served in a soup kitchen for the homeless for 20 years of my life." And he said, "That that's wonderful, absolutely wonderful, that's worth one point." "One? One point? Man, at this rate, it's going to take the grace of God to give me in." He said, "That's worth a thousand points. Come on in." That's my favorite story right there. Because no man is going to be able to qualify on his own to get in there. I love that story.

Well, back to our regularly scheduled message. Peter is writing this book, he says to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout the regions of Asia Minor there. In many ways, that really becomes like one of the themes of this book, because he's writing that we should understand that we've been born again into the kingdom of heaven and that there should be a distinction between the life that we used to live in the world and the life that we are now living as the Kingdom of Heaven. Our citizenship is now in heaven. We're living like strangers and the exiles here.

I. Long for the Pure Milk of the Word

That's what the wonderful Hebrews 11, with this great chapter of the heroes of faith, says about these great heroes of faith. They lived as strangers in exiles, because their citizenship was in heaven. Their hopes, their dreams, their aspirations, their heart, it was fixed on heaven. This is important because we need to understand that we ourselves must fix our hope. There must be a great division between our life that we used to live and the one we are now living in Christ. That's what we see.

Let's look at 1st Peter 2:1, we'll cover the other verses during the Wednesday service. If you're missing the Wednesday service, you're missing those verses. Chapter 2:1, therefore, putting aside all malice and gyl and hypocrisy and envy and slander, like newborn babies long for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation since you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

Then coming to him, as to a living stone rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God. You also, as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood. Speaking now here to all of us, Jesus Christ is speaking to you to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone and he who believes in him will not be disappointed.

This precious value then is for you who believe, but for those who disbelieve, the stone which the builders rejected, this has become the very cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. For they stumble because they're disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were appointed. But you, you are the chosen race. You are a royal priesthood. You are all holy nation. You are a people for God's own possession that you may proclaim the excellent seas of Him who has called you out of darkness into this marvelous light for you once were not a people, but now you are that people of God.

You had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. This is just absolutely loaded with wonderful truths for us. Let's go back over these verses one of the things we need to grasp out of this is telling us to long for the pure milk of the word. Now, this is why He is bringing this up. Several times now, He reminds us that we've been born again. We've heard of that phrase, Jesus is the first who told it to us. But Peter, he brings it several times out in this letter. He reminds us, you've been born again because of its significance of what it represents and he's connecting being born again to the living and abiding Word Of God.

This is right out of 1 Peter 1 verse the note should say verse 23. You have been born again, not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable. That is, through the living and abiding Word Of God. Several times He makes His connection, you've been born again. Now, this is key, really important. Now, that phrase comes, if you remember, from John 3 when Nicodemus very highly regarded, highly respected Jewish leader came to Jesus at night and he said, "Teacher or rabbi, we know that you have come from God". Now, that's an interesting admission, we, Jewish leaders, we know that you have come from God for no one can do the miracles that you do unless God is with him.

Jesus, He just gets right to the point and this is John 3:3. Jesus answered, "He said truly truly I say to you that unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. This is where the famous phrase come from. Now Nicodemus doesn't understand it, he doesn't get this at all and he says, "How can this be? How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb now and be born, can he?". Of course Jesus if you remember the correction, "You are a teacher of Israel and you don't understand these things.

The significance of being born again, we must not miss the significance of it because to be born again suggests a very, very important significant truth and that is that before one is born again, there is a death. This is important because it's not that you don't just add a Christian layer to your life, you don't just put a little bit of Christian paint, a little bit of Christian covering over things. That's not the way it works, there is a death that must happen. Is very significant so far greater than just a little bit of paint. It's a whole different life.

Let me give you a great verse at Romans 6:3-4. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death, speaking of the Holy Spirit. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father so we too might walk in newness of life. He's describing right there what it means to be born again. First, there is a dying, and then there is the being born into the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

That's why He says in 1 Peter back to 1 Peter 1:3, blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It connects them right there together. The point is that there is a great division. If there is a death and then being born again, that's like a big division, a big distinction between the old and the new.

Can you tell the difference between the old life and the new life? Is it just a paint layer? Is it just a little bit of paint over your life or is there like there's a difference? See, the thing is God can change your nature. The very nature you were born with which had all kinds of problems, that nature. He can change. Can the nature of a man change? Is it possible to have newness of life to the point that a man's nature can actually change? I was thinking about this and I was remembering many years ago when we were raising our girls, we had this rabbit. It was a pet rabbit and very tame, loved hanging out with his rabbit and it had the most interesting feature.

I would sit in my recliner and read a book and he the rabbit would climb up on my shoulder, turn around and sit on my shoulder and read that book with me. Then when it was time to turn the page, he would pat like this and I would turn the page. The kids absolutely loved that rabbit because he could read. Then we had this dog named Coco and this was like a cocker spaniel poodle mix and the girls would just dress Coco up in girl clothes and put bows in her hair and play dolls and talk to Coco, which is part of the family.

Here's the thing, here's the whole point of bringing this up. Can the nature of a rabbit change? No. A rabbit will always be a rabbit. A dog will always be a dog. A dog is a dog, a cat is a cat, a horse is a horse unless of course it's that horse. Here's my point, can a person change? We understand an animal can but can a person change? This is important, that's what it means to be born again. You're born again by the Spirit, by the living and by aiding Word Of God. It is His power. The reason that we say that a man can change, a person can change is because the power of God resides within him and the Holy Spirit is able to change a man's life.

Let me give you some great Scriptures John 3, same discussion with Nicodemus 6-7, that which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit. If you're born again, you are born again by the Spirit of the Living God, and that which is born of Spirit is Spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you you must be born again for He will give you a new heart. Ezekiel 36, this is one of the reasons why He said you are a teacher of Israel. In Ezekiel 36, He said. "I will give you a new heart and I will put a new Spirit within you. I will remove that heart of stone and I'll give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you and I'll save you from all your iniquities".

A. Keep growing in the word

I can't tell you how many times in my years of being a pastor that someone has said to me, "Look, this is just who I am" and what do they mean when they say that? What they mean by that is, look, this is just who I am, this is just in my DNA, this is how God made me to be, it's his fault and I cannot change. Well, here's the thing, maybe that's who you are now and maybe that's who you were, but that's not who you have to be. God is able to make a man different.

I tell you, my father, an alcoholic, abusive man, never thought growing up that he had ever even allow his shadow to cross the threshold of the church. Abused my mother in front of me, but gave his life to Jesus Christ in this very church, and I baptized him with my own hands.

Can a man change? He did it when he was 75 years old. Sometimes it takes a while, but as long as there's a breath left in you, there's a hope of change. This is important for us to grasp and then he's telling us there's a division in your life. We need to see the significance of the division, the separation from the old, the whole line making all things new. That's why he's telling us now, he's telling us in Chapter 2 here to keep growing in the word.

Peter wrote that you were born again through the living and abiding Word of God. You were born again through the living an abiding -- How does faith begin? God implants His word. Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. God speaks and it stirs up a soul. Here in verse 2, he continues, he says since you were born again by the living and abiding word of God, like newborn babies now, you should long for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in respect to your salvation.

You've been born again? You've been born again through newness of life. You've got to keep growing. You've got to keep growing and drinking milk and taking food is a great spiritual analogy here because you cannot grow if you don't receive that which nourishes the soul, so it's a great point for you. You have to keep growing, you have to keep being nourished. Jesus made this connection in Matthew 4 where Jesus said, "It is written, man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

There needs to be a spiritual food, soul food we might call it. But there needs to be a spiritual food nourishing to the soul. Jesus makes the connection. In fact, remember when Jesus was speaking to that Samaritan woman at the well and the disciples had gone to get food and they came back and Jesus was speaking to this woman. He was bringing her to faith, really. Then they said, teacher yeath, I have food that you do not know about. The food is to do the will of my father.

He's showing us the great connection here in our life as well as the question. The question is, what are you receiving? What are you spiritually drinking? What are you spiritually feeding upon? Peter says that you should long for the pure milk of the world because by it, you will grow in respect to your salvations. Pure. He emphasizes it’s the pure. It has a purifying effect upon your life. Now, I’ve been in the ministry a long, long time. I have known many people who absolutely will not eat vegetables. They won't eat real vegetables. They prefer Doritos and ding dongs.
You know what ding dongs are? When I was growing up, ding dongs were a big deal. Ding dongs, I do love saying ding dong, they were like cakes and they were like -- they looked like hockey pucks. How many people remember ding dongs? Oh man, they were addictive, like chocolate cake with some kind of frosting that was firm and it was filled with this cream gooey cream filled thing and the chocolate cake was amazing and it's to die for.
But here's the thing. You eat six ding dongs and just make the point. Here's the thing, it tastes really good. Ding dongs really taste good. They really do. Do not buy me ding dongs.
Okay, invariably someone like buys me over a tempting with these ding dong. Now, I have turned over a new leaf. Where was I? Oh yes. They taste great, they really taste great. But they'll make you sick. They are not good once you take them in. Like, oh, I can't believe I ate the whole thing. It's really bad.

He's giving us this analogy because the same is true with the junk food of the world. It's an analogy. He makes an analogy. Is there not a lot of things you can bring into your soul that the world offers that's nothing but poison to the soul? The question is, what are you taking in? What are you bringing in? He says long for the pure milk because the stuff of the world, that junk, it is not going to just make you sick, it’ll kill you. The living an abiding Word of God is filled with the heart of God, the Wisdom of God.

The very life of God is poured out through the living and abiding where you bring in the pure milk of His Word and it will change you. It has a tremendous powerful effect upon your life, and that's why what happens here is a very important thing because here, we are we're like serving a meal. I love the fact that we eat together, but the spiritual meal is the most important thing because the spiritual meal that we have is the spiritual vegetables and verse by verse, the spiritual food that nourishes the soul.

We need that. I've often said that a pastor is like a chef, preparing the meal. You don't slap a raw piece of meat on the plate, you prepare that meal. That was about a picture for you, wasn’t it? You prepare that meal, you put some gravy on it and a little bit of spice is good too. A little bit of dessert, no problem there. Jeremiah 3:15 says, I will give you Shepherds after my own heart who will feed you on knowledge and understanding.

B. You have tasted the kindness of the Lord
Then notice back in first Peter, he says, because you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. Verse 3, long for the pure milk that you may grow in respect to salvation since you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. He's good if you tasted how good, patient and kind, loving, but you want to taste that again and again and again, it taste the taste. Psalms 34:8, oh taste and see that the Lord is good, how blessed is the man who takes his refuge in Him.

Isaiah 55 verses 1 and 2 whoo -- I love that word right there. It's the great Jewish word. Whoo, it means what I'm about to say now is really important, listen carefully, packed in whole. Everyone whole everyone who thirsts. Here's the thing, the soul is thirsty. We all have a soul that's thirsty, it's hungry, it longs, it wants, it desires, and that's why people get so messed up because they are thirsty. Their soul hungers, there's something inside.

There's something inside the human soul that craves something, want something. We want meaning in our life, we want significance, we want to live, and there’s something like it just haunt us. What messes people up is that they go in and they because you're so thirsty, they drink things that are poison, that taste good, it taste good, but boy doesn't settle in the soul. Whoo everyone who thirsts, come to the waters and you, you who have no money, that's so good because you speak into the bankruptcy of the soul.

When we realize how bankrupt the soul is without God, then we recognize what he is saying is a great truth. You who have no money, come buy needs, come buy wine and milk without money, without cost. Oh your Lord is generous. Way why He said, why do you spend money for what is not bread? Why do you spend your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen, listen carefully to me, He says, eat what is good and delight yourself in abundance. What a great word is that? We need to make sure that we don't take the Lord for granted in this and forget just how good the kindness of the Lord tastes. Don't take it for granted, because many people do. You know when the Israel was going through the desert, God provided manna for them as their daily provision. It was a miracle, every day, it fell like dew in the morning. They could go out and gather enough for one day.

They were told only enough for one day, which kind of reminds you of the, "Give us our daily bread." Does it remind you of that? I am the bread of heaven, Jesus spoke. There's so much significance to that manna, but it was a miracle. Everyday, they took it for granted, every single morning, a miracle of God and they take it for granted. It tasted good, it tasted sweet. The Scripture describes it as like, "It tasted like coriander seed with honey." In other words, it tasted like krispy kreme doughnuts. It was really tasty but good for you, that's the difference. It sustained two million plus people in the desert 40 plus years.

It was good, it tasted good, good for the manna, miracle everyday. They took it for granted and started grumbling, "We're tired, we're tired of this manna." Grumbling, the condition of the human soul, you see it right there. "We're tired of this manna." It was to mean, "Don't you remember when we had the good food back in Egypt? Don't you remember the good old days, the good old days when we were slaves in Egypt? Don't you remember the licks and the garlics, and their fishes and all the -- Oh my goodness, we were living the life, weren't we? When we were slaves and oppressed by the Egyptians, remember that? The life we were living. This manna stuff, what is this manna? We're just bored. Give us some meat."

"You want some meat? You grumbling complaining people? I'll give you some meat." Instead of teaching them a lesson, He gave them so much meat, quails is what they ate. They had so much meat that they were snorting it out their nose. That's what it says, you can look it up. How do you snort quail out of your nose? You throw it up, you had so much, you just gorged on it but just felt like throwing it up. They took it for granted, so He says, back to chapter 2 of 1st Peter, "Lay aside malice and guile." What is malice? Malice is a mean spirit. Lay aside guile, hypocrisy, slander, envy. All these, lay these aside and have your soul refreshed with the pure milk. All the ugly things that are going on around us in the world. I'll tell you what, there's some ugly things happening in this world today, very ugly.

He said, "Don't you be ugly. Don't get involved in the ugly stuff. You long for the pure milk of the word, your soul is refreshed, your faith is alive." Never lose the arr of how good the Lord is. How does the word of God read to you? There was a man who came to Jesus and said, "What is the most important of all things that God's ever written or said?" And Jesus said, "What's in the word? How does it read to you?" I love that question, "How does it read to you?" Because that's important, some people they read the Scriptures just as armour meant for their next argument. How does it read to you? The word of God is sweet, it's sweeter than the honey and the honeycombs, the Scripture says.

It's the living and abiding Word of God, and it was sent that you might taste the goodness of the Lord. And then it continues on, where it changes the analogy and it says, "Now, therefore build your life now on this rock, verses 4-5, coming to Him as a living stone, precious in the side of God, you also are like living stones." You are being built up, you drink the pure milk of the word and you will grow in respect to your salvation. Here He says, "You are like living stones and you are being built up like a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, for a holy purpose." Notice that there's a distinction where you're going to build your life.

You're in the kingdom of heaven now, God is building you up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, there must be a distinction between the old and the new where you're going to build your life. That's why He says, He makes His point, "You are living stones." Now, there's a lot of history here with Peter. This means a lot to Peter personally because he had the name of Simon, and Jesus changed his name to Peter which means "a little rock." This means a lot. Remember that story, at one point Jesus, He asked the disciples, "Who do the people say that I am?" They said, "Some say you're John the Baptist, others say that you're Elijah, other people say you're Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

And Jesus said, "But who do you say that I am?" What a great question. "Who do you say?" This is like the question that rings to the ages, this is perhaps the most important question you'll ever answer. Who do you say that He is? Here's the good news, it's an open book test. It gives you the answer in advance. God tells you, "He furnished His proof, this is My son, this is My beloved son." He announced it, He told you in advance, "This is My beloved son." It's an open book test. I told you, "And I furnished proof," Acts 17, "I furnished proof to all men when I raised Him from the dead."

This is My son, this is My beloved son, listen to Him. Several times, you see that in the Scripture, "This is My son, this is My beloved son, listen to Him." Who do you say that I am? Peter who answered the question, "You're the Christ, you're the Messiah, You're the son of the living God." What an answer. What an absolutely wonderful answer. Let that be your answer as well. Jesus marveled at this, Jesus said, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, my Father in heaven did. I say to you, now you're Peter, Petros.

II. Build Your Life on this Rock

On this rock, Petra, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Some have taken that to mean that Peter here is being installed as the first pope, but Peter here, in 1st Peter, he is saying, "We're all living stones, built on that foundation of Christ as our rock."

A. You are living stones

You are part of something, you are a living part of something that God is building. You were never meant to be a spiritual lone ranger, you're part of something that God is building and He wants you to be an active part of it. That's why He says, in verse 6, this is contained in Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone and he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed."

That's a powerful verse right there. You build your life on this rock, this is what He's saying. You build your life on this rock, you will not be disappointed. You will never regret giving your life to Christ, you will never regret walking away from worldly things, you will never regret building your life on that rock. You will never regret drawing near to the Lord, you will never regret revival. You will not be disappointed. Notice what He says in the next verse, "This precious stone is for you." Verse 7, this precious value, this precious cornerstone is for you who believes.

What is He saying? He's saying, "Do you know who this is? This cornerstone, do you know who this is?" This is the cornerstone of all that God has planned for the ages. The entire plan of God for the ages is built on that cornerstone right there. Do you know who this is? This precious cornerstone, this precious value is for you. You know who this is? The entire plan of the ages rests on that stone right there. He said, "This is the stone which the builders rejected, but it has become the chief cornerstone."

Where did that come from? It's a prophecy out of Isiah, what had happened was, the nation of Israel was destroyed, Jerusalem, destroyed temple destroyed, they were exile in Babylon for 70 years. When they returned, the city is in ruins, the temple is destroyed, a mountain of rebel, they're going to rebuild it. Where are you going to begin? If you're going to rebuild, where do you begin? Cornerstone. You've got to start with cornerstone, because that is the stone on witch the rest of building rests. You've got to find it. And they looked, and they looked, and they found the stone but they rejected it, "No, this must not be it" and then they rejected it.

This is a prophetic example, its prophetic, because Jesus, the rock of ages on witch the plane of God was built, was given on to men and Israel rejected, the leaders of Israel rejected. They were so selfish and self-centered, they were blind, they were blind. Those who were psychically blind can see better than that, don't you remember that one? Don't you remember that one blind man, Batimayos, he was sitting by the road and he heard the commotion, "What is the commotion, what is the commotion?" Jesus is coming by.

"Jesus, son of David." He'd never been called son of David in his whole ministry. Here is the blind man, sitting by the road who knew more than all Jewish leaders. "Jesus son of David, have mercy on me.", "You be quiet, who do you think you are? You be quiet." He wouldn't be quiet, he yelled even louder "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me." Jesus, here is this word "Jesus, son of David--" he stops. "Bring that man, find him, bring him" so they go and get him. Jesus calls for you, he stood before Jesus. Jesus had such respect for this man, "What can I do for you?", "Give me my sight.", "And you should have it, all done".

B. This precious stone is for you
This stone, this stone is for you, for you who believe on this chief cornerstone, God will place living stones. You are a chosen race, he says, a royal priest today, holy nation, you are people for Gods own possession. You are who you are? If you know who "We" is, then you must know who you are. So many people, they struggle with who they are, they struggle with who they are.
Their own self-view. Would you hear what God says you are? Holy nation, a people for Gods own possession, a living stone built on the cornerstone of the ages of the plane of God. Do you know who you are? Your hopes, your dreams, your ambitions, your very life must be built on this rock, even born again to a living hope, to obtain a spiritual inheritance.