This past Sunday I had the opportunity to preach at LHNC. We have been working our way through the book of 1 Peter. You can listen to my message here. I would also encourage you to listen to the first two messages in the series preached by Pastor Aaron & Pastor Curtis. (We also have a podcast on I-Tunes, if you look up Living Hope Neighborhood Church.)
Here are some of the points of emphasis from this Sunday's message...
1 Peter 1:22-2:10
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass. The grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation - if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 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. For it stands in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame." So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," and a "stone of stumbling and a rock of offense." They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
“We have a living hope in Jesus Christ that that compels us to live in holiness and harmony so that we might demonstrate and declare His excellencies.”
This supernatural rebirth has made it possible for us to obey the truth, to purify ourselves, and to love our brothers and sisters (v. 22-23)
The Cornerstone determines the design and orientation of a building is the most significant stone in the structure. The Cornerstone is the visible support on which the rest of the building relies for strength and stability. We are the building & Jesus Christ is Our CORNERSTONE!
Our unity affects our outreach
Our oneness affects our witness
John 17:21 = That they (believers, disciples) may all be one, just as You Father are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
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