Played: 256 | Download | Duration: 00:30:42

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In this series, we have been challenged to live out the Gospel and pass it on to the next generation of leaders.  In Sunday's text, Timothy encounters a problem with negative people whose attitudes and actions were resulting in division and worse - defection from the church.  In the context of offering a solution, Paul uncovered one of the secrets to successful discipleship and life in general.  The secret is to seek to understand and apply God's word (the Bible) to everyday life.  We are going to explore the nuts and bolts of how to do this well so that we can live faithfully

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Played: 260 | Download | Duration: 00:30:36

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Played: 292 | Download | Duration: 00:30:27

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Played: 23 | Download | Duration: 00:34:16

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We talked last week about how God is building each of us into living stones, part of His temple – the body of Christ.  This morning we want to explore why and how we do that. As we move through life it is easy to be distracted. It is easy to become discouraged. It is easy to lose sight of the goal.  So this morning we want to spend a little time considering the prize waiting for us.

(Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV)  "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

(Psalms 16:8-11 NIV)  "I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

(Acts 2:23-31 NIV)  "This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to ...

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This morning as we celebrate the special offering to the Lord, it is good to be reminded that giving is only one of the many ways in which we can offer sacrifices to God. In 1 Peter we are called to be living stones, built into a spiritual house for God.  Peter’s statement is not about a physical house, or even about our doing things for God.  Peter is reminding us that one of God’s purposes for us is to glorify His Son, the living Stone, by being living stones in the Carpenter’s hand.



Digging Deeper

1.  Read the parable (teaching story) Jesus gives in Matthew 21.33-46, Mark 12.1-12 and Luke 20.9-19. See if you can identify whom the various characters in the story represent. What is the primary teaching that Jesus is trying to convey in this story?  
 
2.  Read the following passages and answer these questions:  What does each passage tell us about the cornerstone?  What happens to those who build on the cornerstone?  To those who don’t?  What does it mean to build on the cornerstone? (Psalm 118:22-23; Matthew 21.42-44; Mark 12.10-11; Luke 20.17-18; Acts 4.8-12; Ephesians 2.19-22; 1 Peter 2.7-8).

3.  Read 1 Peter 2.1-10. List the different pictures (figures of speech) Peter uses to describe those who believe in Christ (example “newborn babes”). What does each of them illustrate about God’s people?

4.  In 1 Peter 2.5 Peter calls upon us to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices to the Lord.  What are some ways in which we can and do offer spiritual sacrifices to God?  What will you offer Him this coming week?

Scripture

1 Peter 2:2-10 NIV)  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 ...

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We looked last week at deciding God’s will for our lives.  This week we consider His call on us with respect to our Raising Up a Generation capital funds campaign.  So the question we must consider, each of us, is what is God asking me to do next week on commitment Sunday? This morning we consider how God’s people have responded to his call in the past, and what we can learn from them.



(Exodus 35:4-9 NIV)  Moses said to the whole Israelite community, "This is what the LORD has commanded: 5 From what you have, take an offering for the LORD. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the LORD an offering of gold, silver and bronze; 6 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 7 ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; 8 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 9 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breast piece.

(Exodus 35:20-29 NIV)  Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses' presence, 21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. 22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD. 23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows brought them. 24 Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the LORD, and everyone ...

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God’s will. For many of us, trying to figure out what God’s will is for our lives is a very difficult task.  That’s because so many of the decisions we make are not addressed in specific ways: what job do I take, where do it live, whom do I marry, and so on.  Yet this morning we are reminded that the most difficult part of doing God’s will is not deciding what His will is; rather it is deciding that we will submit to His will, no matter what it takes or costs.

(Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV)  "May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

 (Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV)  "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

(Hebrews 10:5-10 NIV)  "Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, O God.'" 8 First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them ...

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As we consider the future of CrossPointe Church, we are naturally drawn
to our children and young people. Because we know, not just in the
church, but throughout our country the young people are the future.
Since we are called to change the world, one neighborhood at a time, we
must begin with the children God has given us: as families and as a
church.

Played: 26 | Download | Duration: 00:07:41

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