Verse 6 is a quote from Isaiah 28:16. We need it in our jobs. The wider world too needs us to intercede on its behalf, to be the bridge connecting its need to the One who can provide for every need. Betsy Perkins Scripture passage:  Luke 1:26-45                                                        First Baptist Church, Delavan WI Do you remember back when people would mail out birth announcements after the arrival of a new baby? RENO. No one can be a lone ranger in the Christian life, it is by definition, something we do together. They are cut stones, hewn to precise dimensions for the construction of a building. The healthy things 1. Living Stones Church is all about Jesus and what He … God made a covenant, an agreement with them. (1 Peter 2:2-10 NIV). God had chosen the people of Israel out of all the people in the world. When we are experiencing suffering as a result of our faithful witness to Christ, we hear Peter’s words. What the ancient pagan world wrongly viewed as irrational and foolish is, in actuality, the underlying truth of all of reality. We are building a culture of faith. Peter’s encouragement to the early Christians is not vague optimism. It not only forms the base upon which the rest of the stones will be laid, it also orients how the rest of the stones will be arranged. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. And there is no better way to follow the guide of Jesus, our Cornerstone, and to lean on Him, our Capstone, than to come together to His table and celebrate communion. It is because Jesus Christ Himself is the “living Cornerstone” of God that all those who are united to Him participate in His resurrection life. But there is an additional reason that Peter encourages the early Christian churches toward increased growth and endurance in this letter. By using this stone imagery, Peter is conveying to his churches that Christ is the firm, foundational anchor point in the midst of their trials and suffering. We are building a culture of faith. For Christ was chosen by God and is precious to Him. First, he says that because of the resurrection, they had been given new birth into a living hope – they have brand new life, bright with hope that cannot fade or spoil or die away, the hope of salvation. During the history of Israel, God first promised King David that his son would build a Temple in Jerusalem where God would dwell among his people. SERMON Living Stones (1 Peter 2:4-12) It is not often that you get a sermon beginning with an oxymoron, although it is not a true oxymoron for the purists amongst us. In our families. Contact Jesus stood in that Temple shortly before his death, he looked around and said the crowd, “Do you see all these things? Living Stones Temple has made it easier and more convenient for you to listen to the word given by God and relayed by Pastor A.B. Another way in which we serve as a bridge between people and God is to link those who don’t know God, don’t know how to find God, with a path to be reunited with God. We are chosen to be living stones that align ourselves with the Living Stone, who imitate Christ. In the 7 verses we are looking at this morning, 6 of them, nearly all, contain a quote or an allusion to texts from the Old Testament. Verse 8 is a quote from Isaiah 8:14. Stones are just an object, they’re dead. These are all names that are applied to Israel in the Old Testament. … The references to Jesus as a living stone, and to us his followers as living stones, actually look forward to the quotation from Isaiah that Peter offers shortly afterwards. Share; Sermon Notes. The 2 words are similar in Hebrew as well – stone is eben, son is ben. Pure spiritual milk a. crave - a natural, instinctive...read more Jesus, too, had been dead, killed and put into a tomb, but he was resurrected to new life; a Living Stone. Speaker: Bryan Wilkerson- Senior Pastor May 3, 2020. Therefore, Peter went on to say, therefore become who you are in that new life, by imitating God to be holy and to be loving, and draw from the living Word, from Jesus, to give you the strength to grow and mature in your faith. Tweet. First Baptist Church, Delavan WI Living stone sounds like a contradiction – we don’t usually think of stones as living, not in the way that plants or animals or humans are living. Verse four describes Jesus (as the Living Stone) as being both chosen and precious to God and being rejected by men. Why or why not. You are welcome at Living Stones Church, Reno on Sundays at 9am and 11am at 445 S. Virginia St. Their corporate identity and mission are both are rooted in 2 promises God made that have to do with a Stone and a Son. This is the Rock of Truth. This is the key to Peter’s encouragement. First, in verse 4, there is Jesus Christ the living Stone. Tweet. Get sermon ideas from Rick Ferguson by Living Stones In A Spiritual House (3 Of 3). December 24th, 2020 3:30 -m – 4:30 pm. And these “living stones”—oppressed by the world and suffering for Christ—they are the ones who are being built up by God into a “spiritual house.” This of course is the language used by Jesus himself to speak of the temple of God. Living Stones Church Reno Just as infants need the nutrients in milk in order to grow and develop well, so Christians need spiritual food that is fundamental for spiritual growth and endurance; especially in the midst of hostile environments. Become Living Stones. How do you think “outsiders” feel when they visit? We are spending 6 weeks of Sundays studying Peter’s letter to the believers in churches in Asia Minor, and if you recall he began the letter addressing it to: God’s elect, strangers scattered in the world, who have been chosen. This is the context in which today’s text was written. He is Risen from the Dead is a sermon about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That Temple was destroyed by the armies of Babylon, but God promised that it would be rebuilt when the Jews were allowed to return from exile. So as Peter writes about living stones, the people would think about the stones of the Temple and hear the promise of the Temple to be rebuilt. For though the Cornerstone was rejected by humans, He has been chosen and raised by God. Phone: 262-728-6280 Please also opt me in for Exclusive Offers from Patheos’s Partners, "People are a bit embarrassed by the relationship between King and H. P. Lovecraft although ...", "For good King books that assist in visualizing the supernatural realm--or at least they did ...". Get updates from The Christian Revolution delivered straight to your inbox. In other words, the Church, empowered by Christ and the Holy Spirit, has the same kind of close (if not closer) access to God that the priests of ancient Israel did. During the tribulations they suffer, Peter provides encouragement that is grounded in the One who defeated Death itself. What is a “living stone”? Church and ministry leadership resources to better equip, train and provide ideas for today's church and ministry leaders, like you. In essence, this one stone shapes the direction and structure of the whole building. A cornerstone is the stone which is placed in the foundation of a building, in one corner, to set the line/angle for the whole structure. He talks about how Christ as the Living Stone was rejected by humans. Then he quickly names them chosen. Sunday School 9:00 AM, All are invited to drive by, walk by, stop by to hear and see a celebration of the birth of Jesus. You are welcome at Living Stones Church, Elko on Sundays at 11am online or in person at 700 Moren Way. For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a … Live Broadcast. This was especially true for the earliest Christians. Speaker: Bryan Wilkerson- Senior Pastor May 3, 2020. God’s plan is about coming to Him, the Living Stone. But from God’s perspective—from the perspective of the resurrection—it is the very foundation of His people. What is a “living stone”? Part of being this people of God meant growing in one’s salvation in the midst of suffering; indeed, even through suffering on behalf of Christ. 212 South Main Street, Delavan WI, Copyright ©2020 Delavan 1st Baptist Church 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Jesus’ life was marked by favor from God and persecution at the hands of men. Church Address. Sunday Service Schedule. In the original context in Isaiah, the “cornerstone” is a figure for justice. Verse 9 alludes to parts of Deuteronomy, Exodus, and Isaiah. Peter calls him a stone because of prophecies in the Old Testament: "Behold I am laying in Zion a stone" (Isaiah 28:16). So God promised to send his Son, who would finally be able to truly fulfill that role of priest. So far he has done this by linking them to key parts of Israel’s history: their exodus from Egypt, their journey through the wilderness, and also to their status as the covenant people of God. We are sons; we are stones. “Chosen to be part of God’s sanctuary vibrant with life,” as Eugene Peterson puts it. Sermon: Living Stones. 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. But again, the theme of supreme irony is in play here. We are reminded that we are a royal priesthood, sharing close connection to God through Christ our Mediator. Christ is not only the Mediator, He is the living cornerstone; the foundational, orienting rock upon which the Church is built. Unless of course you like the lone ranger gig, and don’t want to have to be fit together with others who also trust in God, but may think differently, dress differently, look differently, speak differently. 1 Peter 2:4-10. We are reminded of the fact that we as the Church are “living stones” built up by God upon Christ’s foundation. The major difference is that now the temple of God is no longer a physical locale in Jerusalem where God’s presence is centered. Each person listening to Peter’s letter is offered that gift of New Life and Living Hope. For from humanity’s fallen vantage point, the way of the cross looks like foolishness. As living stones, we have new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Indeed, Peter may have picked it up from Christ himself. SUNDAY GATHERING (IN PERSON) AT 10AM. Sundays at 11 AM RB Hunt School (across from the Alligator Farm) 125 Magnolia Dr. St. Augustine, FL 32080. And so God builds us upon His firm cornerstone: the Crucified and Risen Christ. Christian faith and rationality are thus never opposed. You can add your own personal sermon notes along the way. The early Christians were viewed not only as treasonous (for they refused to worship the emperor and the gods that upheld the empire) but also as irrational because of this gospel. Living Stones Jul 6, 2014 - Rev Matt Tuggle / 2 Chronicles 7:14 Play Video: Play Audio: Download MP3: Are you willing to live differently? Each one of us needs to be obedient to God’s command to love. What does that mean? 2120 Ronald Reagan Blvd Cumming, Georgia 30041 . God’s true temple is not on a mountain top in Jerusalem but is a Christ community — past, present and future. 4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house c to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. A cornerstone is the first stone that is laid when a new building is being constructed. As priests we stand between God and someone in need and link them together like a bridge through prayer. God is keeping the promise of rebuilding the Temple, only it is no longer a physical building in a single place. Perhaps you were chosen for a job, or chosen by another boy or girl to be their special friend or chosen to be a spouse, or your raffle ticket was chosen for an awesome prize. A king that the Romans killed? No one should be blocked from the gospel and the opportunity to be reconciled to God. As integral parts of the building of God, we have security in Christ (John 6:37). The supreme irony of the cross and the resurrection of Christ is that the stone that the human “builders” rejected, is the stone that God Himself has made the foundational cornerstone of His people. But this time, Peter quotes Isaiah to show how Christ the Cornerstone not only serves as the foundation of the people of God, but also as the rock upon which those hostile to God stumble. “You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Again, Peter quotes from the Old Testament, this time from the Psalms. Access the video sermons on our YouTube channel! This “cosmic irony” is then extended by Peter to all those who are in Christ. • View Contact Information There is a key difference here though. Christ as the “Living Stone” was spoken of by the Hebrew prophets centuries ago. You were chosen. Peter is not only giving these churches hope, he is also giving them a history. As such, the Church’s foundation finds its roots deep in the history of God and his people. SERMONS; About Us. The living Stone is “precious” to those who believe (1 Peter 2:7), but some men reject the living Stone in order to build their lives their own way, not God’s way (see Psalm 118:22 and Luke 6:46–49). SUNDAY GATHERINGS | 9am & 11am. All these designations find their root in Christ as the “living Stone” and the “chosen and precious cornerstone” mentioned earlier in the text. The foundation of God’s building is His Son, Jesus Christ, the “living Stone.” The “living stones,” in turn, are believers who come to Jesus and place their lives upon this foundation. Welcome to Living Stones Church in Kona, Hawaii! He does this by placing them in the same category and story as the people of Israel. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, I realize there is a difference between a cornerstone and a capstone. In doing so, we ourselves become living stones in Christ’s image; the living building blocks of God’s people. The messages are depicted by the dates in which they were presented. In this way, Peter recalls Christ’s own unjust trial before the religious and governmental elite. Home In ancient Israel, priests were those special officials who had special access to God on behalf of the rest of the people. The references to Jesus as a living stone, and to us his followers as living stones, actually look forward to the quotation from Isaiah that Peter offers shortly afterwards. And it was. Living Stones Community Church. Living Stone 1 Peter 2:1-12 I. Nourishment A. And that’s important, because Peter is now going to talk about who they are, together, in Christ, and what their mission is together. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Critical Race Theory Examined and Analyzed, Masturbatory Worship and the Contemporary Church. Living Stones Temple has made it easier and more convenient for you to listen to the word given by God and relayed by Pastor A.B. Watch this sermon on a Roku or Apple TV! To listen or download, click on the sermon title . We are anchored to God’s Chosen and Precious Cornerstone, Christ Himself, who upholds us in our times of trial. One last time, Peter calls the prophet Isaiah as a witness to Christ as the cornerstone of God’s people. But for those of you who choose to trust, no matter what your experiences have been with rejection or exclusion, you are now claimed, chosen and fit together with others. And are you ready? This is my most recent one on 1 Peter 2:2-10 from just near the end of this past academic year. Delivered by the Rev. Sutton Jr. A Post After Some Time Away....And a Big... Christmas Hymns of Hope and Comfort: Of the... You know Joy to the World. Jesus is the Living Stone. In the original context in Isaiah, the “cornerstone” is a figure for justice. In 2 Samuel, God speaks through the prophet Nathan to tell King David that his son would build the Temple, the house for God, and he then says, “I will be his father, and he will be my son.” So as Peter writes about the Living Stone, the people also hear the promise that God would send his Son. ... they set the example from my childhood on, by actually living the surrendered Christian life. Signup for our mailing list. Home; About Us; Giving; Get Involved; Spanish Church; Sermons; Events Calendar; Contact Us It is because Christ as the once-for-all atoning sacrifice is the Mediator between God and humanity, that those who are in Christ can offer spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. A crucified Messiah? How many of you have been a part of that kind of choosing? But their verdict was not the last word. He reminds them of what EASTER means for who they are and what they should be doing. For God the Son willingly took on flesh and, in the words of Peter’s fellow Apostle, Paul: “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Matt Tuggle, Director of Family Ministries at HPUMC, asked us this weekend in Cornerstone. By putting your faith in Jesus Christ and in his resurrection from the dead, each of you have new life, I have new life. Brief History Of Baptists 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. See upcoming events, watch sermons, and get connected with ministries. We do that together when we pray for needs in our worship services or when we gather at Bible study. In the NRSV 1 Peter 2:5 reads a little differently, it says, “…Let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood.” In other words, there is a choice I need to make. Identity Politics vs. Transactional Politics. Home / Sermon Library / Living Stones. That’s why God is called the Rock of our salvation, because He doesn’t grow, He doesn’t change, He doesn’t learn, for He knows all things. As Peter sees it, the churches he writes to are not simply outposts of Christ’s Kingdom in the ancient Roman world, though they are certainly that. It is a hope that takes those who were at one time “not a people” as Peter says in v. 10, calls them into the marvelous light of Christ and makes them into “the people of God.”. Tune in Live . Living Stones Jul 6, 2014 - Rev Matt Tuggle / 2 Chronicles 7:14 Play Video: Play Audio: Download MP3: Are you willing to live differently? It was the priests who offered sacrifices to God, both for the atonement and for thanksgiving. Spanish prayer time. Far from being irrational, the proclamation of Christ crucified and risen displays the very logic of God’s reality. We know that Jesus also said, “Destroy this temple, and I will rebuild it in 3 days.” (John 2:19) We know now that he was not talking about the Temple building, but about his own body, which would be destroyed in death on the cross but restored to life in a resurrection body after 3 days. Since he is risen from the dead, it is the mission of His followers to bring His message of hope, forgiveness, and life to every kindred, tribe, and tongue on this planet. It is a hope in divine love that is stronger than Death itself. Events Amen. When I worked as a labor and delivery nurse in Chicago, new parents could order […], Sermon:  “Share Joy” December 6th, 2020                                                                                                    Rev. Peter speaks of “living stones” here. Living Stone Church 302 Church Ave. Oshkosh, WI 54901 (920) 903-7512 info@livingstoneoshkosh.org Office Contact. The imagery is important here. 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