1 00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:02,500 It's wonderful to be here with all of you. 2 00:00:02,900 --> 00:00:06,200 It's a great day because it's the Lord's day and we have an 3 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,000 opportunity to worship God today in spirit. 4 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,800 And in truth, as always is the case, I do consider it a 5 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:15,200 privilege to speak, concerning the word of God. 6 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,500 And I hope that what we have to consider for a little while this 7 00:00:18,500 --> 00:00:22,500 morning would be encouraging to you and edifying to you in some 8 00:00:22,500 --> 00:00:25,400 way before my introduction. Though, I'm just going to put 9 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,700 the verses on the screen and will read these at this time. 10 00:00:28,700 --> 00:00:32,700 First Peter chapter 2 To beginning there in verse 4. 11 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:39,200 Coming to him as to a living Stone rejected indeed by men but 12 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:44,100 chosen by God and precious. You also as living stones are 13 00:00:44,100 --> 00:00:48,000 being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to 14 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,900 offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus 15 00:00:51,900 --> 00:00:54,900 Christ. Therefore, it is also contained 16 00:00:54,900 --> 00:00:59,400 in the scripture, behold, I lay in Zion a Chief Cornerstone 17 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,600 elect precious and he who believes on him, will by no. 18 00:01:03,700 --> 00:01:07,600 Means be put to shame, therefore, to you, who believe 19 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,200 he is precious. But to those who are 20 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:14,600 disobedient, the stone, which the builders rejected has become 21 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:19,300 the Chief Cornerstone. Now, here's the reason for the 22 00:01:19,300 --> 00:01:21,800 lesson. I usually have a reason, and 23 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,200 sometimes people have a question about a passage or whatever, or 24 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:29,200 there's usually, a reason that I just decide to present something 25 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:31,400 from God's word. And here's the reason for this 26 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:35,900 lesson, Last Sunday in between Services after lunch. 27 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,500 Several of us were in a bookstore and as I was walking 28 00:01:39,500 --> 00:01:41,300 through, I always go and bookstore. 29 00:01:41,300 --> 00:01:44,100 I always go to the religious section and I was going to the 30 00:01:44,100 --> 00:01:46,100 religious section. And as I came around the corner, 31 00:01:46,100 --> 00:01:48,700 there was a book. They're right on the end and the 32 00:01:48,700 --> 00:01:54,300 title of the book was, saving God from religion and I didn't 33 00:01:54,300 --> 00:01:57,000 read the book, but I did pick it up and read a little bit about 34 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,700 the book, read the back of it. And then I got home and I 35 00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:04,100 googled the title of the book. And evidently it was written by 36 00:02:04,100 --> 00:02:07,600 a man who did not believe in organized religion. 37 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,200 And, you know, really, that is a very prominent position today 38 00:02:12,700 --> 00:02:16,100 where people want to have a relationship with God but you 39 00:02:16,100 --> 00:02:18,800 don't have to be practicing anything religiously. 40 00:02:19,300 --> 00:02:22,000 And it really is a very common theory today. 41 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:25,800 And in this book, what he was saying is he was saying, I don't 42 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:30,200 believe in organized religion. And if you do and you limit God 43 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:32,900 to organized, religion, your kind of mission Whole point. 44 00:02:32,900 --> 00:02:38,700 So he writing is, though, he was enlightened on the subject wrote 45 00:02:38,700 --> 00:02:41,500 this book. And he was saying that you don't 46 00:02:41,500 --> 00:02:46,200 have to practice Christianity to have the Lord Jesus Christ or 47 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:50,300 God in your life. And, you know, shortly after 48 00:02:50,300 --> 00:02:53,800 that, I thought about these passages of scripture and Jesus 49 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,600 Christ is referred to us as precious. 50 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:01,500 He is the precious Cornerstone. Now, I'll just say this by way 51 00:03:01,500 --> 00:03:04,100 of introduction, will get back to these things in detail, just 52 00:03:04,100 --> 00:03:08,500 a moment. But Jesus was the foundation and 53 00:03:08,500 --> 00:03:12,400 those religious leaders those Builders, as Peter calls, them 54 00:03:12,500 --> 00:03:14,800 religious leaders that rejected Jesus. 55 00:03:15,100 --> 00:03:19,200 They rejected the Cornerstone, they rejected the foundation 56 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,900 because they didn't believe that Jesus was worthy to be the 57 00:03:22,900 --> 00:03:26,300 foundation upon which the house of God would be built. 58 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:30,300 So they rejected Christ But what we're going to find in these 59 00:03:30,300 --> 00:03:35,800 passages though is the preciousness of the foundation 60 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:40,800 and that's Jesus is equal to the preciousness of the structure 61 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,400 built on that foundation and that's the church. 62 00:03:44,700 --> 00:03:47,300 And at the end will prove that these two are one. 63 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:51,200 They are together and you can't have one without the other. 64 00:03:51,500 --> 00:03:54,800 So as we begin, let me just say Jesus. 65 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:57,900 Christ is the Cornerstone and those that are saved. 66 00:03:57,900 --> 00:04:00,600 Are his chosen? People by way of an 67 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:04,300 introduction, let me say also. in the beginning, portion of 68 00:04:04,308 --> 00:04:08,900 First, Peter chapter 2 and the first three verses You've heard 69 00:04:08,900 --> 00:04:12,200 me preach on this in times past, when I have said that when you 70 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,400 obey the gospel you come from, the Waters of baptism, you 71 00:04:15,408 --> 00:04:19,100 become a Christian, your life just begins and it doesn't end 72 00:04:19,100 --> 00:04:20,899 there. It's the very beginning you 73 00:04:20,899 --> 00:04:24,700 become a child of God. You are born as a child of God 74 00:04:24,700 --> 00:04:27,600 spiritually speaking and when you do that you have a 75 00:04:27,608 --> 00:04:29,800 three-fold responding obligation. 76 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,700 Number one, we all have a responding obligation to God and 77 00:04:34,700 --> 00:04:38,000 that is that we serve him with every fiber of our being, he 78 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:40,200 Nerves to be served. He wants to be served. 79 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:43,200 He wants to be worshiped. He has commanded that we do so 80 00:04:43,300 --> 00:04:46,600 so when I come from the Waters of baptism, I have a responding 81 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:50,200 obligation number one to God. Number two, we also have a 82 00:04:50,207 --> 00:04:52,400 responding obligation to each other. 83 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,100 The Bible would say that we bear one another's burdens and so 84 00:04:56,100 --> 00:04:59,500 fulfill the law of Christ which is the law of Love. 85 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:03,200 Thirdly though we have a responding obligation to our 86 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:07,700 self that we might grow. And in the first three verses of 87 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:11,800 First Peter Chapter 2, Peter describes, there's a negative 88 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:16,400 side or an aspect and there's a positive side or aspect the 89 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,300 negative side. Is this, he said you got a cast 90 00:05:19,300 --> 00:05:26,100 aside, all the negative stuff like evil speaking Envy jealousy 91 00:05:26,100 --> 00:05:31,400 hypocrisy, all those things and you do away with those things. 92 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:35,300 But from a positive perspective, you have to feed on the word of 93 00:05:35,300 --> 00:05:36,600 God. You have to have a hunger for 94 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:38,200 the word of God, that you might grow. 95 00:05:38,300 --> 00:05:41,800 Row then in verse 3, the tone shifts to the Lord and speaks of 96 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:45,500 his graciousness or his kindness then. 97 00:05:45,500 --> 00:05:50,800 And it comes to verse four and Peter describes Jesus as a 98 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:55,000 chosen Stone. As we look at verse 4, and as we 99 00:05:55,000 --> 00:06:00,000 begin, the Bible says they're coming to him as to a living 100 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:05,800 Stone rejected indeed by men. But chosen by God and precious 101 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:09,100 in this verse we have a change of figures and As we break down 102 00:06:09,100 --> 00:06:11,400 this passage. Let's begin with this phrase 103 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:15,900 right here, coming to him. Now, a couple of foundational 104 00:06:15,900 --> 00:06:20,300 passages that show what this means about coming to him and 105 00:06:20,300 --> 00:06:24,800 Luke chapter 9, and verse 23. Jesus said this, anyone who 106 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:31,200 desires to come to me, must do what must deny himself must take 107 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:34,900 up his cross daily and follow me. 108 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,800 Second foundational passage is found in Hebrews chapter 11, and 109 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,300 verse 6. When the Hebrew writer says 110 00:06:42,300 --> 00:06:44,800 without faith, it is impossible to please him. 111 00:06:44,900 --> 00:06:49,400 For he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he 112 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:54,400 is a rewarder of them, get this that diligently seek him. 113 00:06:55,100 --> 00:06:59,100 So when Peters referring to coming to him or coming to 114 00:06:59,100 --> 00:07:03,900 Jesus, it's not specific to the first time one comes to Christ 115 00:07:03,900 --> 00:07:06,900 in obedience to the gospel. It's talking about something 116 00:07:07,100 --> 00:07:09,800 entirely different. It is actually talking about 117 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:14,400 this, a continual action, a continual Reliance on. 118 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:18,000 Jesus Christ in the Kingdom. Why? 119 00:07:18,500 --> 00:07:23,900 Because Jesus is a living Stone, and we are ever coming to the 120 00:07:23,900 --> 00:07:28,600 stone of life and energy. The Lord is the raised never 121 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:32,300 again to die Stone. That's Lord's day. 122 00:07:32,300 --> 00:07:38,600 I think it was Carl waited on the table and he said and he was 123 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:43,000 right. He said that Jesus when he rose 124 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:47,100 from the dead. He was he rose from the dead, 125 00:07:47,100 --> 00:07:51,700 never to die again and therefore has become the firstfruits and 126 00:07:51,707 --> 00:07:55,300 that's true. Now it doesn't mean that Jesus 127 00:07:55,300 --> 00:07:58,400 was the first one to ever die and raise again because there 128 00:07:58,400 --> 00:08:01,500 are others in the Bible before Jesus did. 129 00:08:01,500 --> 00:08:04,400 So they died and they rose again. 130 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:07,900 In fact Jesus himself raised Lazarus from the dead. 131 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,400 So what does it mean? It means this every one of those 132 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:15,900 other people that died and were risen from the Dead had to die 133 00:08:15,900 --> 00:08:17,900 again. Not Jesus. 134 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:20,300 He's not only a foundational Stone. 135 00:08:20,300 --> 00:08:24,900 He's a living Stone and we continually go to Jesus in a 136 00:08:24,900 --> 00:08:28,500 continual action and we rely on him in the Kingdom. 137 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,900 He is the source of life and energy. 138 00:08:32,100 --> 00:08:35,600 Let me give you some more passages, Isaiah 28:16. 139 00:08:36,299 --> 00:08:42,000 Therefore thus says the Lord God behold I lay in Zion a stone for 140 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:43,400 a foundation. Notice. 141 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,900 What Jesus is called? called he's called a tried 142 00:08:46,900 --> 00:08:53,800 Stone, a precious, Cornerstone, and a sure Foundation now 143 00:08:54,100 --> 00:08:59,500 interestingly You know, Peter who wrote this divinely inspired 144 00:08:59,500 --> 00:09:03,800 by the Holy Spirit, the word, Peter comes from the word pets 145 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:09,600 Roos and it means fragment or a part of a stone. 146 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,600 Now, we understand this to that Jesus is a different one though. 147 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:18,000 Jesus is this Stone here, a living Stone, the word Stone. 148 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:19,700 There comes from the word lethal dose. 149 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,000 And it means tremendous rock shaped out and fitted for 150 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,400 eternity. Why cause he's a living Stone? 151 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:30,500 He was raised never to die again and we find a source of energy 152 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:37,200 and strength through that. Now notice what Peter says this 153 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:43,100 Livingstone was rejected by men, you know this is figurative 154 00:09:43,100 --> 00:09:47,500 language here and really the language is this If somebody's 155 00:09:47,500 --> 00:09:51,200 building something you do and you you come to the stones and 156 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:53,400 you say well this one's worthy of being in it and this one 157 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,800 isn't and somebody's hastily making those decisions. 158 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,900 You know I thought about I thought about my old, buddy, 159 00:09:59,900 --> 00:10:02,200 Darrell my father-in-law. And I remember what he said. 160 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:05,900 One time about building fireplaces before he was a 161 00:10:05,900 --> 00:10:08,900 painter. He was a brick, man, who was in 162 00:10:08,900 --> 00:10:11,200 The Brick trade and he would tell me about building 163 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:12,700 fireplaces. He would say, you know what we 164 00:10:12,700 --> 00:10:15,700 would do, we would go, and we'd have all the materials will be 165 00:10:15,700 --> 00:10:18,600 delivered to the job but what we would do is we take a look at 166 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,900 the bricks and we very hurriedly, and very quickly 167 00:10:21,900 --> 00:10:25,200 decide which one was not worthy of being in the fireplace. 168 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:27,600 This one has some blemishes, this one's got a hole in it. 169 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:29,600 This one over here. He has a chip in it. 170 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:32,900 This one over here has a bad color and they would make the 171 00:10:32,900 --> 00:10:36,700 decision quickly as to, what was worthy of being in the structure 172 00:10:36,700 --> 00:10:41,600 and what was not, that's the language that's being used here. 173 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,400 When it comes to Jesus. In fact, the word, they're 174 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,400 literally means to be cast aside rejected. 175 00:10:48,500 --> 00:10:52,500 And just as it was so that building a fireplace, you didn't 176 00:10:52,500 --> 00:10:55,000 spend a whole lot of time examining each one. 177 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,600 You just briefly made the choice. 178 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,000 That's what the religious leaders did when it came to 179 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:03,500 Jesus, when they rejected him, they said, wait a minute, he's 180 00:11:03,500 --> 00:11:06,700 not worthy of being the foundation on which the house of 181 00:11:06,700 --> 00:11:09,600 God will stand. So we're just cast him aside 182 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:16,700 rejected by men unworthy. But notice what the Bible says, 183 00:11:16,700 --> 00:11:21,900 Peter says, even though he was rejected by men, he was chosen 184 00:11:21,900 --> 00:11:27,300 by God and he was precious. You know, the word precious is 185 00:11:27,300 --> 00:11:30,400 an interesting word, it means to be held in high honour or 186 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,400 priced. And, you know, I when I think 187 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,300 about this, I think about the Jewish Passover. 188 00:11:37,700 --> 00:11:42,000 And I think about the lamb. That they had to have for the 189 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:45,800 Passover and it was one lamb for one house. 190 00:11:46,900 --> 00:11:51,600 And it had to be a lamb that was without spot and without blemish 191 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:53,500 sounds like something else, doesn't it? 192 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:59,300 It had to be precious and the reason it was called precious is 193 00:11:59,300 --> 00:12:03,900 because it was of high value because those that were precious 194 00:12:04,100 --> 00:12:07,200 or those that were without spot and without blemish, they were 195 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:11,200 the ones that were used in the in the breeding process. 196 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,900 So they were precious and held in high honour or very expensive 197 00:12:15,900 --> 00:12:18,900 and Worth a lot. The reason for that is it 198 00:12:18,900 --> 00:12:24,400 represented future life? Jesus in like, fashion is also 199 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,700 precious the precious lamb of God because he also represents 200 00:12:28,900 --> 00:12:33,600 spiritual life Lamb, that was precious literally. 201 00:12:34,900 --> 00:12:39,300 Physical life Jesus from a spiritual perspective, spiritual 202 00:12:39,300 --> 00:12:41,900 life. And because there is power in 203 00:12:41,900 --> 00:12:44,900 the blood, you know, we used to sing that song all the time. 204 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,300 There's power in the blood. The reason there's power in the 205 00:12:48,300 --> 00:12:52,200 blood is not only is their life-saving in the blood but 206 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,400 there's also I'm talking about spiritual life, but also because 207 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:58,200 there is future Life In The Blood. 208 00:12:58,700 --> 00:13:01,500 Notice what he says in verse 5 now. 209 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:05,600 Peter says you also as living stones Um, so now the tones 210 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,500 going to change just a little bit, he went back here and he 211 00:13:08,500 --> 00:13:10,700 talks about how Jesus is a living Stone. 212 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:17,400 And then he says this, you also as living stones are built up a 213 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:21,400 spiritual house. A holy priesthood to offer up 214 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:26,000 spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 215 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:30,800 So who is it talking about? It's talking about Christians. 216 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:37,600 It's talking about Christians. They are living stones in 217 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,400 Ephesians chapter 2, beginning there in verse 20 listen to 218 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:44,300 this. Having been built on the 219 00:13:44,300 --> 00:13:46,800 foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. 220 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:51,800 Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Cornerstone in, whom the 221 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,900 whole building being fitted together, grows into a holy 222 00:13:54,900 --> 00:13:59,100 Temple in the Lord in whom you are also being built together 223 00:13:59,100 --> 00:14:02,500 for a Dwelling Place of God in the spirit. 224 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:10,700 Here Paul says this. You are living stones in 225 00:14:10,700 --> 00:14:13,200 Ephesians 2 and verse 20. That we just read, we find that 226 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,600 these living stones are in a spiritual house. 227 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:22,000 Now, the spiritual house, a temple, the church makes up the 228 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,200 superstructure. I'll get back to that in just a 229 00:14:24,208 --> 00:14:27,200 moment. Christians are the temple, both 230 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:31,100 individually and collectively in first Timothy chapter 3 and 231 00:14:31,100 --> 00:14:33,100 verse 15. Listen to what Paul said. 232 00:14:33,100 --> 00:14:37,400 They're writing to the young evangelist Paul said, but if I I 233 00:14:37,408 --> 00:14:39,100 am delayed. I right. 234 00:14:39,100 --> 00:14:42,100 So that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the 235 00:14:42,100 --> 00:14:47,100 house of God which is the Church of the Living. 236 00:14:47,100 --> 00:14:51,300 God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 237 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:56,900 Now, what else are? We were a holy priesthood. 238 00:14:58,700 --> 00:15:03,100 Now, under the law of Moses in the Old Testament, the spiritual 239 00:15:03,100 --> 00:15:07,800 Temple was the nation of Israel and they had one special chosen 240 00:15:08,100 --> 00:15:11,000 group to officiate from the tribe of Levi. 241 00:15:11,900 --> 00:15:14,800 Under the New Testament though. All Christians constitute a 242 00:15:14,808 --> 00:15:18,500 priest Hood where every worshiper has access to God 243 00:15:18,500 --> 00:15:21,800 through Jesus Christ. Hebrews chapter 9, verses 11 244 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:26,600 through 28 and together not separately, we constitute a 245 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:30,000 priesthood. Now may I say This to we are a 246 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:34,800 kingdom of priests. Therefore, we have access to God 247 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:36,900 through Jesus Christ, our high priest. 248 00:15:37,500 --> 00:15:41,900 And may I just say this as a little aside, because we are a 249 00:15:41,900 --> 00:15:45,800 kingdom of priests and we're all the same in that and all have 250 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:47,900 access to God, through Jesus Christ. 251 00:15:48,700 --> 00:15:51,700 If you sin, you don't have to call somebody on the phone and 252 00:15:51,700 --> 00:15:54,400 pray for you. I don't have to call somebody in 253 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:56,300 the middle of the night and have them pray for me. 254 00:15:56,500 --> 00:16:00,200 Because I've sinned as a kingdom of priests, that means all 255 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:02,900 Christians are priests. We pray to God through Jesus 256 00:16:02,900 --> 00:16:04,900 Christ. I have access to God through 257 00:16:04,900 --> 00:16:06,900 Jesus Christ. We are part of that. 258 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:11,700 We are all a holy priesthood and what do we do together? 259 00:16:11,700 --> 00:16:14,700 Not separately. We offer spiritual sacrifices. 260 00:16:14,900 --> 00:16:18,900 How do we do that with our lips? Our lives and our worship. 261 00:16:20,100 --> 00:16:24,100 Our lips, our lives and our worship. 262 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,400 And Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 15. 263 00:16:29,900 --> 00:16:32,800 Therefore by him. Let us continually offer the 264 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,600 sacrifice of praise to God. That is the fruit of our lips 265 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:41,500 giving, thanks to his name. I want to say something about 266 00:16:41,500 --> 00:16:46,400 what we say with our lips. And we don't hastily come before 267 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:47,000 God. We do. 268 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:51,000 So reverently and respectfully and may I say this too. 269 00:16:51,900 --> 00:16:54,200 And again you've heard me say this to you in the past when 270 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,100 you've been here as long as I have, you've heard a lot of 271 00:16:57,100 --> 00:17:00,500 things that I've said over the years and I have always said and 272 00:17:00,500 --> 00:17:05,099 I still believe that if the only time that you pray is when we 273 00:17:05,099 --> 00:17:08,700 assemble or when you're going to eat or maybe even when you're 274 00:17:08,700 --> 00:17:13,000 going to go to bed at night. That's not enough, that's not 275 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:15,900 being instant in prayer, being ready to pray. 276 00:17:15,900 --> 00:17:19,500 All the time, we have a wonderful relationship with God. 277 00:17:19,500 --> 00:17:23,300 Let's use the blessing and we, as a kingdom of priests can go 278 00:17:23,300 --> 00:17:25,200 before God. And you know what, we get to do. 279 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,800 We get to sing praises or say praises to God. 280 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,300 And what else? Giving thanks to his name. 281 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:37,700 And they also suggest. That God is worthy of your 282 00:17:37,700 --> 00:17:43,000 prayers and your praise, and your Thanksgiving, even if you 283 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:45,700 have a lot of bad stuff going on in your life. 284 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:50,700 Even if the circumstances of your life are really negative 285 00:17:50,700 --> 00:17:55,600 and awful, God is still worthy to be praised when something bad 286 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,400 happens. He's worthy to be praised. 287 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:01,600 When something bad or negative happens in your life, he's 288 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:07,700 worthy to be thanked for all that your been blessed with and 289 00:18:07,700 --> 00:18:12,300 just maybe to just maybe we spend a lot of time and maybe 290 00:18:12,300 --> 00:18:17,400 too much time asking for Relief instead of asking for strength 291 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:21,600 to get through and endure and just maybe we don't thank him 292 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,200 for the trial that life has brought our way. 293 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:26,600 It's made us better and stronger for the future. 294 00:18:27,500 --> 00:18:29,300 Regardless of your circumstances. 295 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:31,800 Oh, we praise God with our lips. We do so. 296 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:34,500 Absolutely. And we give thanks to his name 297 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:36,700 and I'm going to say one more thing about this that we're 298 00:18:36,700 --> 00:18:41,000 good, go to our next passage. When you say praise God, those 299 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,600 words, praise God. You have to mean those very 300 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:46,200 words. It's not something that you just 301 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:49,200 say flippantly and passing, what, praise God, I know people 302 00:18:49,300 --> 00:18:52,900 you do to that as part of their vernacular as part of their 303 00:18:52,900 --> 00:18:56,700 regular speech, they're always saying, praise God, praise God. 304 00:18:56,700 --> 00:18:58,600 Praise God. You know, it's a wonderful thing 305 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,300 to praise God. But ask yourself if you're 306 00:19:01,300 --> 00:19:04,600 saying praise God all the time, are you really praising God? 307 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:06,300 Or is it just something that you say? 308 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,300 Because if it's something that you say, with no meaning, you 309 00:19:09,300 --> 00:19:12,100 can take something that is wonderful and make it in 310 00:19:12,100 --> 00:19:15,300 significant because there's no meaning or feeling or heart 311 00:19:15,300 --> 00:19:17,400 behind it. So is God worthy. 312 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:20,600 Absolutely of our praise and our Thanksgiving. 313 00:19:20,700 --> 00:19:24,200 But more than that, how about Romans chapter 12 and verses 1 314 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:27,100 and 2. Paul said, I beseech you, 315 00:19:27,100 --> 00:19:31,700 therefore brethren By the mercies of God, that you 316 00:19:31,700 --> 00:19:37,200 present, your bodies, a Living Sacrifice, holy acceptable to 317 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:42,100 God, which is your reasonable service and do not be conformed 318 00:19:42,100 --> 00:19:46,100 to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 319 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:50,000 That you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect 320 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:55,000 will of God. So, not only do we come to him 321 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:58,500 and honor him with our lips of praise and thanksgiving. 322 00:19:58,700 --> 00:20:05,200 But Even our bodies, Our sacrifice a Living Sacrifice to 323 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,400 God. You know, that's more than just 324 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:11,800 worship. We have come together today and 325 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:15,000 worship. But this is more than just 326 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,700 worship, you're presenting your bodies a Living Sacrifice, that 327 00:20:18,700 --> 00:20:22,600 means in your daily life. Your daily Walk of Life. 328 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:26,700 Now how do you gonna do it? I like passengers that give us 329 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:30,700 specifics and practical ways to do what the word of God tells 330 00:20:30,700 --> 00:20:31,500 us. We must do. 331 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:36,600 So what Paul says is he said you present your body as a Living 332 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,900 Sacrifice be holy acceptable to God. 333 00:20:39,900 --> 00:20:42,100 And you know what? It's not something that you 334 00:20:42,100 --> 00:20:45,300 deserve extra credit for because Because F actually it's your 335 00:20:45,300 --> 00:20:47,900 reasonable service, you know why? 336 00:20:47,900 --> 00:20:49,900 Because that's how got great God is. 337 00:20:49,900 --> 00:20:53,600 It's your reasonable service. Then don't be conformed to this 338 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,200 world. This is how you're going to do 339 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,500 it but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 340 00:20:59,500 --> 00:21:02,000 There's no other way to do that than to the word of God. 341 00:21:02,900 --> 00:21:05,600 That's how you constantly renew your mind. 342 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,000 It's your in the word of God, all the time, you're studying 343 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,200 the word of God. You're reading the word of God 344 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,900 and it's changing how you are. And then you can show that you 345 00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:19,000 have proven that you what is acceptable and perfect will of 346 00:21:19,100 --> 00:21:23,100 God now. What else? 347 00:21:24,100 --> 00:21:29,100 Jesus is our high priest, okay? He's our high priest. 348 00:21:29,700 --> 00:21:33,000 As we mentioned, just a moment ago, we are members of the 349 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:38,200 church are a kingdom of priests in verse in First Peter chapter 350 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:39,700 2. Now, in verse 6, notice 351 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:42,500 therefore, it is also contained in the scripture. 352 00:21:42,500 --> 00:21:47,900 Behold, I lay in Zion a Chief Cornerstone elect precious and 353 00:21:47,900 --> 00:21:51,600 he who believes on him will, by no means be put to shame. 354 00:21:51,700 --> 00:21:54,700 Mmmmm. So notice this phrase here also 355 00:21:54,700 --> 00:21:58,300 contained in the scripture I'm talking about in the Old 356 00:21:58,300 --> 00:22:00,900 Testament and in the New Testament. 357 00:22:00,900 --> 00:22:03,600 And what do we find? Well, first of all, we find that 358 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:05,800 Jesus Christ. What's contained in? 359 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:11,300 The scripture is the foundation. He's the foundation. 360 00:22:12,700 --> 00:22:18,300 Isaiah 28:16 once again. Therefore thus says the Lord God 361 00:22:18,300 --> 00:22:23,300 behold I lay in Zion a chief stone for a foundation. 362 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:27,900 A tried Stone, a precious Cornerstone, a sure Foundation, 363 00:22:28,100 --> 00:22:32,000 another passage Romans 9 + 33 as it is written. 364 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,500 Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone, and a rock of 365 00:22:35,500 --> 00:22:40,200 offense and whoever believes on him will not be put to shame. 366 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:44,500 All right, Jesus is Cornerstone. What is that? 367 00:22:45,100 --> 00:22:48,800 We know what that is. A Cornerstone is something that 368 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:54,000 unites two different walls. It brings them together, two 369 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:56,900 different walls. It's the Jesus is the chief of 370 00:22:56,900 --> 00:22:59,100 the corner. He's the Chief Cornerstone. 371 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:03,600 Now, the two walls were Jew and Gentile and this is really 372 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:08,300 beautiful here, because in Ephesians chapter 3, it tells 373 00:23:08,300 --> 00:23:12,000 us, as I paraphrase that it always existed in the mind or 374 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:17,400 plan of God that both Jew and Gentile alike would be in one 375 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:21,600 body, the church and all of those Old Testament prophets. 376 00:23:21,900 --> 00:23:24,000 They were not given the right, they were not given the 377 00:23:24,008 --> 00:23:26,800 blessing. They were not given the favor in 378 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:31,000 describing, what the mystery was in fact in Ephesians chapter 3? 379 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:35,600 It says, the mystery was that Jew and Gentile alike would be 380 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,200 in the church together as one body. 381 00:23:38,300 --> 00:23:43,100 As one of God's people, all one in Christ, Jesus. 382 00:23:45,300 --> 00:23:49,500 And the Jew and Gentile would be in one body and it would be made 383 00:23:49,500 --> 00:23:53,900 known through the church. Also we find that it was laid in 384 00:23:53,900 --> 00:23:55,400 Zion. This is the foundation. 385 00:23:55,400 --> 00:24:02,100 Again, Jesus was true was tried and laid in Zion, that's the 386 00:24:02,100 --> 00:24:06,600 foundation. Now we also find in Ephesians 387 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:09,600 chapter 1, beginning in verse 18, let me just read a few of 388 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:12,700 these passages to you. This is very beautiful and that 389 00:24:12,700 --> 00:24:15,400 Jew and Gentile are the great people of God. 390 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:20,700 Now in Ephesians chapter 1, beginning in verse 18, Paul said 391 00:24:20,700 --> 00:24:23,800 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that you may 392 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:25,900 know what is the hope of his calling. 393 00:24:26,300 --> 00:24:29,800 What are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints 394 00:24:30,300 --> 00:24:33,300 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward 395 00:24:33,300 --> 00:24:35,600 us? And Believe according to the 396 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:39,000 working of his mighty power which he worked in Christ. 397 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:42,800 When he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand 398 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:47,300 in Heavenly places, far above all principality and power and 399 00:24:47,300 --> 00:24:51,000 might and dominion and every name that is named not only in 400 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:55,300 this age but also in that, which is to come Okay. 401 00:24:55,400 --> 00:25:00,600 Now verses 22 and 23. And he has put all things under 402 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:04,900 his feet and gave him to be the head, over all things to the 403 00:25:04,900 --> 00:25:09,700 church, which is his body. The fullness of him who fills 404 00:25:09,700 --> 00:25:14,700 all in, all in John, chapter, 14 and verse 6, when Jesus says, no 405 00:25:14,700 --> 00:25:19,600 man comes to the father, except by or through me the only way 406 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:21,900 you can go through. Jesus Christ is to be in his 407 00:25:21,900 --> 00:25:25,000 body. The Bible says that his body is 408 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:28,800 the church, so the structure that's built on the Patient. 409 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:32,600 Does matter, does it not? It's the body of Christ. 410 00:25:33,100 --> 00:25:35,200 We must come to God through Jesus Christ. 411 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,400 The only way you can do that is through his body, the way you do 412 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:43,300 that is to be in his church, but there's more Zion was to be and 413 00:25:43,300 --> 00:25:47,100 indeed the place where the stone was tried and laid, Hebrews 5. 414 00:25:47,100 --> 00:25:51,200 And 8 9 though, he were a son, yet, he learned obedience by the 415 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:54,400 things which he suffered. And having been perfected, he 416 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:58,000 became the author of Eternal salvation, get this to all 417 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:00,000 those. Those that obey him. 418 00:26:00,100 --> 00:26:02,900 What are we talking about? We're talking about that in 419 00:26:02,900 --> 00:26:09,100 Jerusalem, it would all happen. When Jesus died on the cross, 420 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:13,500 the Old Law, he took the Old Law of Moses and he nailed it to his 421 00:26:13,500 --> 00:26:16,400 cross and we are no longer under the Old Law of Moses. 422 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:23,100 But in Zion, in Zion in Jerusalem on the day of 423 00:26:23,100 --> 00:26:27,300 Pentecost, because of Jesus, what Jesus did with his death 424 00:26:27,300 --> 00:26:31,200 burial and resurrection. And when the Holy Spirit came to 425 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:34,400 those Apostles to preach that very first gospel, sermon with 426 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:38,800 the opportunity to respond. Jew and Gentile alike. 427 00:26:39,100 --> 00:26:43,100 Now have access to one body, that's the church. 428 00:26:44,300 --> 00:26:49,600 And that would be God's people. What a great Eternal blessing, 429 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:53,300 that is, and that opened the door of One Faith. 430 00:26:53,300 --> 00:26:57,200 What else is Jesus called? He's called the elect. 431 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:01,400 And that literally means from the Greek word to be picked out 432 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:05,400 and chosen. He is precious as we mentioned, 433 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:09,000 just a moment ago to be held in honor a great value. 434 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,400 He is dear to us. Okay. 435 00:27:11,900 --> 00:27:15,200 Also though in verse 6, as we just read a moment ago, listen 436 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:19,100 to this, he who believes on him Him will by no means be put to 437 00:27:19,100 --> 00:27:23,500 shame or the King James says confounded, it was important for 438 00:27:23,500 --> 00:27:27,000 the Apostle Peter and it's important for us today, you 439 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:32,000 know, they were suffering, great persecutions as being a 440 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,500 Christian. And I just want to make a point 441 00:27:34,500 --> 00:27:39,700 about a little comparison here. These Christians were 442 00:27:39,700 --> 00:27:42,000 undergoing, tremendous persecution. 443 00:27:42,900 --> 00:27:44,900 Oh about four years or so Scholars. 444 00:27:44,900 --> 00:27:48,300 Tell us before the destruction of Jerusalem, by the way, that's 445 00:27:48,300 --> 00:27:51,200 why the Hebrew letter written Hebrew Christians was to 446 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:54,400 encourage them because the day approaching was the destruction 447 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:58,500 of Jerusalem and they would have some horrible persecutions and 448 00:27:58,500 --> 00:28:02,300 the persecutions were so great, that many of them turn their 449 00:28:02,300 --> 00:28:06,600 back on Jesus and went back to the laws of Moses because after 450 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:08,700 all there was no persecution if they did that. 451 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:13,200 So, the writer of Hebrews is telling them, don't do that, 452 00:28:13,300 --> 00:28:17,000 hang in there, keep in there every step of the way as you see 453 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:19,600 that day approaching the persecution is coming upon them. 454 00:28:19,700 --> 00:28:22,100 Well, guess what, Peter is writing to the same kind of 455 00:28:22,100 --> 00:28:24,800 people that had tremendous persecutions. 456 00:28:24,900 --> 00:28:29,700 So let me just say we don't have persecutions like that today. 457 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:32,300 Okay. And even with covid and all 458 00:28:32,300 --> 00:28:35,100 that, we were not persecuted, you've heard me say we were 459 00:28:35,100 --> 00:28:38,000 inconvenienced. There may come a time though. 460 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:42,800 When we're Persecuted in life. There may come a time, we pray 461 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:44,700 that's not the case, but it may happen. 462 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:47,200 It may be that we are persecuted. 463 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:51,400 Like they were persecuted very strongly but even if we're not, 464 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:54,900 here's the similarity as they had tremendous persecution. 465 00:28:55,000 --> 00:29:00,800 The Christian today, has trials But there's a great promise. 466 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:04,700 I Love This Promise. The promise that Peter is giving 467 00:29:04,700 --> 00:29:08,100 is this, whether it's great persecution or whether it's just 468 00:29:08,100 --> 00:29:12,500 a trial, we will never be put to shame for trusting Jesus. 469 00:29:13,700 --> 00:29:18,500 A, we will never be put to shame for trusting Jesus. 470 00:29:20,300 --> 00:29:24,100 You know, sometimes we want to have the trial removed. you 471 00:29:24,100 --> 00:29:28,600 know, what Peter also says, the trying of your faith Is more 472 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,100 precious than gold that perishes. 473 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:35,600 When you have a tremendous trial in your life is doing some 474 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:37,700 positive things if you would just look. 475 00:29:37,700 --> 00:29:41,600 And I will do the same and I'll just look be honest with it. 476 00:29:42,500 --> 00:29:45,600 Sometimes these trials are making us better and stronger 477 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:47,500 for the future. In fact that's what patients is. 478 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:50,000 Let it have. It's perfect work. 479 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:52,800 And it's difficult. Sometimes it's hard. 480 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:54,000 Sometimes, but you know what it's doing. 481 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,400 Its polishing us its refining us. 482 00:29:56,500 --> 00:30:01,000 It's the fire that hardens. The clay and not just melting 483 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:04,800 the wax. That's what the trial is, what 484 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:07,900 else? Here's a another great blessing, 485 00:30:08,200 --> 00:30:11,700 great benefit. It's proving to us, or putting 486 00:30:11,700 --> 00:30:15,900 on trial, our faith. And sometimes life has a way of 487 00:30:15,900 --> 00:30:19,700 putting our faith on trial, and when we do that, and when we 488 00:30:19,700 --> 00:30:22,700 persevere, you don't get to prove, we prove that our faith 489 00:30:22,700 --> 00:30:26,700 was, as it should be. It's exactly what it should be 490 00:30:26,700 --> 00:30:29,100 and you know what that is, that's more precious than gold 491 00:30:29,300 --> 00:30:32,600 another benefit when you hold up and you don't check it out and 492 00:30:32,608 --> 00:30:35,300 you don't quit, you don't back off and you're going through a 493 00:30:35,308 --> 00:30:37,500 difficult thing and everybody that knows you knows you're a 494 00:30:37,508 --> 00:30:41,600 Christian but she don't blame God and you don't quit guess 495 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:44,100 what? God gets the glory immediately. 496 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:49,100 He just appraised. Everybody knows that's why you 497 00:30:49,100 --> 00:30:53,500 stood strong in the face of adversity because your Christian 498 00:30:53,500 --> 00:30:56,200 God gets the glory. Secondly, Peter would also tell 499 00:30:56,200 --> 00:31:00,800 us another passage will have a reward in heaven one day too and 500 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:04,800 it will be worth it all but you will never ever be put to shame 501 00:31:05,300 --> 00:31:08,500 for trusting Jesus. All right. 502 00:31:09,500 --> 00:31:14,400 Now, we shift. If there's the foundation, a 503 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:20,900 Cornerstone is Jesus Christ. He's the elect, he is precious. 504 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:26,100 If there's a foundation, there has to be a super structure 505 00:31:26,900 --> 00:31:29,000 there. Has to be or else is just a 506 00:31:29,008 --> 00:31:32,500 slab. Just a foundation notice in 507 00:31:32,500 --> 00:31:36,500 First Peter chapter 2 and verse 7, therefore to you, who believe 508 00:31:36,500 --> 00:31:38,100 he's precious. But to those who are 509 00:31:38,100 --> 00:31:41,200 disobedient, the stone, which the builders rejected has become 510 00:31:41,200 --> 00:31:44,000 the Chief Cornerstone. So what he says, the being of 511 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,600 that passage is you who believe he is precious to you, who 512 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:52,000 believe he is precious. There is a superstructure. 513 00:31:52,900 --> 00:31:54,900 Now, what is that? What is a superstructure 514 00:31:55,100 --> 00:31:58,700 obviously, it's that which is built on top of something else. 515 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:02,900 That is the super structure that is built on the foundation. 516 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:08,000 Notice this too. If that's the case, then the 517 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:10,500 foundation and the superstructure are one. 518 00:32:11,900 --> 00:32:15,100 Okay, you get this. You go build a house. 519 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:18,200 You pour slab. Okay. 520 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:22,800 You poor slab. You build your frame, it you 521 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:27,000 build the walls. From that point forward after 522 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:30,600 the slab, is poured, in the structure is being built the 523 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:35,400 slab and the structure are now described as 101. 524 00:32:37,300 --> 00:32:40,500 The foundation and the superstructure are one. 525 00:32:40,500 --> 00:32:43,700 The same is true with Jesus and the church, the foundation of 526 00:32:43,700 --> 00:32:46,900 the superstructure are one. You can't have one without the 527 00:32:46,900 --> 00:32:50,900 other. Notice Foundation. 528 00:32:50,900 --> 00:32:54,300 Jesus Christ. Structure is the church. 529 00:32:55,800 --> 00:33:00,300 Now. Let me also say this too because 530 00:33:00,300 --> 00:33:02,500 this is important to, somebody would say well how really 531 00:33:02,500 --> 00:33:06,600 important is the church. And how important is it that I 532 00:33:06,608 --> 00:33:10,600 practiced Christianity in my life as a Christian, can't I 533 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:12,500 just have a relationship with Jesus? 534 00:33:12,700 --> 00:33:15,300 Can I just have that? Because after all Jesus was 535 00:33:15,300 --> 00:33:18,900 precious absolutely health and high-value died for my sins, all 536 00:33:18,900 --> 00:33:22,700 that's true. Notice, the foundation is Jesus 537 00:33:22,700 --> 00:33:24,700 Christ. The structure is the church. 538 00:33:24,700 --> 00:33:27,700 We've already learned that the foundation, orgy. 539 00:33:27,900 --> 00:33:32,400 This Christ was hand selected by God and His precious Helgen, 540 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:35,400 high value. If they're one, that means this, 541 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:40,800 that as precious as Jesus is, its equal to the preciousness of 542 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:44,300 the structure, which is the church, that means that the 543 00:33:44,300 --> 00:33:52,000 structure, the church is also equally precious All right, but 544 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:58,100 then Peter says this to those who are disobedient and In this 545 00:33:58,300 --> 00:34:01,500 passage here, the word disobedient is used against the 546 00:34:01,500 --> 00:34:05,200 word belief. Now a person might say, no, wait 547 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:07,500 a minute. What does belief have to do with 548 00:34:07,500 --> 00:34:10,500 obedience? One scholar said at this swept 549 00:34:10,500 --> 00:34:13,100 up, this is great. I just here's a direct quote 550 00:34:13,699 --> 00:34:18,400 because faith is more than intellectual assent Faith or the 551 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:21,800 absence of it is the eminent is evidenced in the life. 552 00:34:23,199 --> 00:34:27,300 It's evidenced in the life. In fact, the word belief or 553 00:34:27,300 --> 00:34:30,600 believe in the Bible literally means having the force to obey. 554 00:34:31,900 --> 00:34:36,000 Sometimes people say I'm a believer, I'm a Believer, but 555 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:39,400 being a Believer, doesn't just mean, I believe in God and it 556 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:41,600 doesn't mean I just believe in Jesus Christ. 557 00:34:41,699 --> 00:34:44,699 Being a Believer means that you had it has to force to obey. 558 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:47,300 That's what Jesus said in Mark 16:16. 559 00:34:47,500 --> 00:34:51,400 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. 560 00:34:51,500 --> 00:34:53,500 He that believeth not shall be damned. 561 00:34:54,300 --> 00:34:57,500 The word belief, there is having a belief that has the forced to 562 00:34:57,500 --> 00:35:01,700 obey another words practically, I find out in the word of God, 563 00:35:01,700 --> 00:35:05,300 what Jesus has done for me, I find out in the word of God. 564 00:35:05,300 --> 00:35:09,600 What Jesus wants me to do in my life, I believe so strongly that 565 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:12,700 I'm willing to obey that begins with your obedience to the 566 00:35:12,700 --> 00:35:14,800 gospel. Be baptized for the remission of 567 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:19,000 your sins but not just that your life was transformed and you 568 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:22,500 begin as a baby in Christ and he start to serve God all the days 569 00:35:22,500 --> 00:35:26,600 of your life you believe. If so much, it has the force to 570 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:30,800 obey, that's what that means. Now. 571 00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:35,700 In verse 7. It says the stone. 572 00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:41,500 Which the builders rejected has become the Chief, Cornerstone. 573 00:35:42,900 --> 00:35:50,500 now, the stone that the builders rejected, They rejected Jesus. 574 00:35:52,500 --> 00:35:54,900 Because they rejected him as the foundation. 575 00:35:56,400 --> 00:36:01,800 Okay. But please get this. if you 576 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:08,900 reject the structure, and that's the church, You also reject the 577 00:36:08,900 --> 00:36:10,900 foundation. You know, why? 578 00:36:11,700 --> 00:36:18,700 Because the foundation and the structure are equally precious. 579 00:36:19,900 --> 00:36:21,500 And you can't have one without the other. 580 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:25,300 Great blessings to be a child of God. 581 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:29,800 Peter said even though the Jews the builders, they're rejected. 582 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:33,400 Jesus as being unworthy, by the way there's this is also very 583 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:35,700 powerful. Peter says God made him the 584 00:36:35,700 --> 00:36:38,700 Chief Cornerstone. In other words, God will not be 585 00:36:38,700 --> 00:36:41,200 thwarted. His plans will not be thwarted 586 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:46,300 and by the way, whether I believe it or not, Has nothing 587 00:36:46,300 --> 00:36:50,700 to do with whether it's true. If a person doesn't believe, it 588 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:53,500 doesn't mean it's not true, or didn't happen. 589 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:56,600 And just because the builders rejected Jesus, as being the 590 00:36:56,600 --> 00:36:58,800 foundation, does it mean that he isn't? 591 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:03,400 Because he is God selected him, God elected him and he is 592 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:07,000 precious. In Matthew 16 and 18, very 593 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:11,200 familiar passage and I also say to you that you are Peter and 594 00:37:11,200 --> 00:37:15,200 Upon This Rock, I will build my church and the Gates of Hell 595 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:20,000 shall not Prevail against it. So to have Jesus the foundation, 596 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,900 you got to have the structure and that's the church and 597 00:37:22,900 --> 00:37:27,300 remember once again, the preciousness of the foundation 598 00:37:27,700 --> 00:37:31,900 is equal to the preciousness of the structure in closing and I'm 599 00:37:31,900 --> 00:37:38,800 finished I know that a lot of times people, Want to remove the 600 00:37:38,800 --> 00:37:41,500 religious aspect of a person's life and a lot of times that's 601 00:37:41,500 --> 00:37:43,600 just because they don't want to be committed to anything. 602 00:37:44,300 --> 00:37:45,900 Well they don't want to have to do anything. 603 00:37:46,700 --> 00:37:49,600 I think that's really a sign of the times with the way things 604 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:52,600 are in general. People want the benefit without 605 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:57,100 the work, right? So they want we remember when I 606 00:37:57,100 --> 00:38:00,900 was going to the gym all the time years ago, and there was 607 00:38:00,900 --> 00:38:02,700 this supplement to take this, you can lose weight. 608 00:38:02,700 --> 00:38:04,000 If you take this pill, you could do this. 609 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:08,300 If you all these shortcuts and the idea was I want the benefit 610 00:38:08,300 --> 00:38:11,200 now, but I'm not willing to do anything. 611 00:38:12,500 --> 00:38:16,600 That is not a religious status. Not you scriptural position, 612 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:20,300 when it comes to your salvation, we got work to do. 613 00:38:21,300 --> 00:38:25,900 Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone. Jesus was tried and laid in Zion 614 00:38:25,900 --> 00:38:28,000 and Jerusalem. The church was established. 615 00:38:28,900 --> 00:38:32,400 And as precious as Jesus is, is, as precious as the church is, 616 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:34,800 there's no salvation outside the body of Christ. 617 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:40,700 So my question is this today? Are you a Christian? 618 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:46,900 Have you been washed in the blood of the Lamb, that precious 619 00:38:46,900 --> 00:38:50,800 blood, that gives spiritual life, the blood of Jesus that 620 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:54,900 will wash your sins away? The same blood of Jesus that 621 00:38:54,900 --> 00:38:58,500 once you contact that blood at baptism, Jesus will add you to 622 00:38:58,500 --> 00:39:01,000 his church. That's the super structure that 623 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:04,600 sits on the foundation. All one all at the same time, 624 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:07,800 you've never obeyed the gospel. Please do that today. 625 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:09,700 We will assist you in that we would love to do that. 626 00:39:10,500 --> 00:39:14,700 That come believing in Jesus with the forced to obey, repent 627 00:39:14,700 --> 00:39:17,400 of your sins, make a change in your mind. 628 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:21,600 I want to serve Jesus today. I want to change my life be 629 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:24,600 willing to confess the precious name of Jesus Christ. 630 00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:28,300 I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and be baptized 631 00:39:28,300 --> 00:39:30,200 in water for the remission of sins. 632 00:39:30,400 --> 00:39:34,000 Rise to walk in newness of life and Let Jesus add you to that 633 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:36,000 superstructure the in the church. 634 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:40,000 We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the 635 00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:45,800 Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you 636 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:48,900 would like any additional information or you would like to 637 00:39:48,908 --> 00:39:52,000 receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail. 638 00:39:52,700 --> 00:39:56,500 Please email us at info at search of Christ. 639 00:39:56,500 --> 00:40:01,300 Bakersfield.com, our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 640 00:40:01,300 --> 00:40:06,100 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. 641 00:40:06,700 --> 00:40:10,200 Please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our 642 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:11,100 honored guest.