by avministry | Aug 7, 2022 | Sermons
1 Peter 2:6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion
a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no means
be put to shame.”
1 Peter 2:7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who
are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief
cornerstone,”
1 Peter 2:8 And “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble,
being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
I. TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE, JESUS IS A “CORNER STONE”.
1 Peter 2:6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in
Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious …”
1 Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is
Jesus Christ.
Matthew 7:24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them,
I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
Matthew 7:25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew
and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
1 Peter 2:6 “… and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
Someone has said, “Often on the rock I tremble, faint of heart and weak of
knee, but the mighty Rock of Ages never trembles under me.”
1 Peter 2:7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; …
1 Peter 2:7 “… but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders
rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”
II. TO THOSE WHO DISBELIEVE, JESUS IS A “STUMBLING STONE”.
1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence,…
John 8:19 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”
John 8:41 “…Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; ”
Matthew 15:12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that
the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”
John 6:59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
John 6:60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is
a hard saying; who can understand it?”
John 6:61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this,
He said to them, “Does this offend you?
John 6:66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him
no more.
John 6:67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
Matthew 11:3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
Matthew 11:6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence …
YouTube wrote:
“Our team has reviewed your content, and, unfortunately, we think it violates our
hate speech policy. We’ve removed the following content from YouTube:
What did Pastor John MacArthur say.’
“There is no such thing as transgender. You are either XX or XY. That’s it. ”
1 Peter 2:8 “A stone of stumbling … even to them which stumble at the word …
Matthew 21:44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever
it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
C. H. Lenski says, “It should read, A stone of stumbling and a rock that knocks
their brains out.”
Lyrics Scandalon by Michael Card:
He will be the truth that will offend them one and all
A stone that makes men stumble
And a rock that makes them fall
Many will be broken so that He can make them whole
And many will be crushed and lose their own soul
Within the wall—66,000 people die every day in a lost condition
Every 10 seconds —- 26 people die in our world
And of those 26 people —- 2 are Buddhist — 4 are Hindu —- 5 are Muslims
8 are secularists — 7 are of the Chrisitian faith of which 3 are Protestants
Every 10 seconds at least 20 individuals die without Christ never having escaped
the gates of hell
by avministry | Aug 1, 2022 | Sermons
1 Corinthians 10:4 And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that
spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
1 Peter 2:4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but
chosen by God and precious,
1 Peter 2:5 You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will
build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
I. COMING TO THE LIVING STONE.
1 Peter 2:4 Coming to Him as to a living stone…
II. REJECTING THE LIVING STONE.
1 Peter 2:4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, …”
John 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
III. RECEIVING THE PRECIOUS STONE.
1 Peter 2:4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but
chosen by God and precious,
IV. BECOMING A LIVING STONE.
1 Peter 2:5 You also, as living stones,
John 5:21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the
Son gives life to whom He will.
2 Peter 1:4 “… become partakers of the divine nature”
Granite may crumble, but this is LIVINGSTONE!
David Livingstone was a living stone because of the Living Stone.
V. BUILDING OF LIVING STONES.
1 Peter 2:5 You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house…”
1 Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion
If everyone was a church member like you what kind of church would we have?
1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
Ephesians 2:19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are
God’s building.
1 Peter 2:5 “… a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, …”
by avministry | Jul 24, 2022 | Sermons
1 Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that
all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,
1 Corinthians 10:2 All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
1 Corinthians 10:3 All ate the same spiritual food,
1 Corinthians 10:4 And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that
spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
We have a rock concert of Christian hymns and praise songs
Rock of ages, cleft for me
O then to the rock let me fly to the rock that is higher than I
On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand
Before the rocks cry out, I just have to praise Him
The Lord liveth and blessed be the rock
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
There is a Rock concert in the Scriptures:
1 Samuel 2:2 “No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is
there any rock like our God.
2 Samuel 22:2 “… The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
2 Samuel 22:32 “For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except
our God?”
Psalms 18:46 The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation
be exalted.
Psalm 28:1 To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock:
Psalm 61:2 “…Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
Psalm 62:2 He only is my rock and my salvation;
Psalm 62:6 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be
moved.
Psalm 62:7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, and
my refuge, is in God.
Psalm 95:1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of
our salvation.
1 Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that
all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,
1 Corinthians 10:2 All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
1 Corinthians 10:3 All ate the same spiritual food,
I. CHRIST IS THE SPIRITUAL ROCK OF OUR SALVATION.
1 Corinthians 10:4 And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that
spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them
in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Luke 24:44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you
while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written
in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.
Numbers 20:7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
Numbers 20:8 “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation
together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you
shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation
and their animals.
II. CHRIST IS THE ONCE SMITTEN ROCK OF OUR SALVATION.
Exodus 17:6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you
shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.
And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
John 7:37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out,
saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;
Numbers 20:9 So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded
him.
Numbers 20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before
the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for
you out of this rock?”
James 1:20 For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
III. CHRIST IS NEVER TO BE THE TWICE SMITTEN ROCK OF OUR SALVATION.
Numbers 20:11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his
rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals
drank.
Romans 6:9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more.
Death no longer has dominion over Him.
Romans 6:10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life
that He lives, He lives to God.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that
He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by
the Spirit,
Numbers 20:12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not
believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall
not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
James 2:10 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one
point, he is guilty of all.
Deuteronomy 3:25 I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the
Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.’
Deuteronomy 3:26 “But the Lord was angry with me on your account, and would
not listen to me. So the Lord said to me: ‘Enough of that! Speak no more to Me
of this matter.
Deuteronomy 3:27 Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift your eyes toward the west,
the north, the south, and the east; behold it with your eyes, for you shall not
cross over this Jordan.
Numbers 20:22 Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation, journeyed
from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.
Numbers 20:23 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the
border of the land of Edom, saying:
Numbers 20:24 “Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter
the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled
against My word at the water of Meribah.
Numbers 20:25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor;
Numbers 20:26 and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son;
for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.”
Numbers 20:27 So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, and they went up to
Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.
Numbers 20:28 Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar
his son, and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and
Eleazar came down from the mountain.
Numbers 20:29 Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all
the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.
Matthew 17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
led them up on a high mountain by themselves;
Matthew 17:2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun,
and His clothes became as white as the light.
Matthew 17:3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice,
A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.
Deuteronomy 32:31 For their rock is not like our Rock,
I will call upon the Lord
Who is worthy to be praised
So shall I be saved from my enemies
I will call upon the Lord
The Lord liveth and blessed be the Rock
And let the God of my salvation be exalted
All Scripture Is From The (NKJV) or otherwise indicated.
by avministry | Jul 17, 2022 | Sermons
John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every
branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him,
bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered;
and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you
desire, and it shall be done for you.
John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be
My disciples.
I. IF WE ABIDE IN THE VINE WE WILL STAY FAITHFUL IN THE WORD.
John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you …
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
II. IF WE ABIDE IN THE VINE WE WILL STAY FAITHFUL IN PRAYER.
John 15:7 “… You will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
John 15:16 “… that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”
Prayer is how we talk to God and the Word of God is how God talks to us.
III. IF WE ABIDE IN THE VINE WE WILL STAY FAITHFUL IN WORSHIP.
John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him,
bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
Hebrews 13:15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise
to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
Spiritually, Jesus is our food, our daily bread
John 6:57 “…so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.”
Jesus is our water, He’s our fountain of living water
John 4:14 “…the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water
springing up into everlasting life.”
Jesus is our air — His Spirit is the breath of our souls.
Acts 17:25 “… He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;
John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made
that was made.
Psalm 145:3 (NIV) Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
What is worship?
Worship is saying back to God what is true about Him as revealed by Him
Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
IV. IF WE ABIDE IN THE VINE WE WILL STAY FAITHFUL IN FRUIT-BEARING.
John 15:2 ” … And every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear
more fruit.
John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be
My disciples.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints
and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
1). We must allow the Lord to repair the hurts of the past.
2). Bitterness must be cut out.
3). Un-forgiveness must be trimmed off the branch.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
V. IF WE DON’T ABIDE IN THE VINE WE WILL NOT STAY FAITHFUL.
John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;
John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered;
and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Matthew 7:20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the
kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied
in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
Matthew 7:23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me,
you who practice lawlessness!’
1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been
of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be
made manifest, that none of them were of us.
by avministry | Jul 10, 2022 | Sermons
Sermon Series: Sticks And Stones
John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every
branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him,
bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered;
and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you
desire, and it shall be done for you.
John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be
My disciples.
1. JESUS IS THE TRUE VINE AND HIS FATHER IS THE VINEDRESSER.
John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2. CHRISTIANS ARE THE BRANCHES CONNECTED TO JESUS THE VINE.
John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches …”
Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
John 14:20 “… I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”
Colossians 1:27 “Christ in you.”
Romans 8:10 “Christ is in you”
Colossians 2:7 [We are] rooted and built up in Him.”
Colossians 3:4 When Christ who is our life appears …
Philippians 1:21 “… To live is Christ, and to die is gain.
John 15:5 “… for without Me you can do nothing.
3. THE ABIDING LIFE IN THE VINE.
John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
John 15:5 ” … He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit …
Quote:
“To abide in Christ means to keep up a habit of constant close communion with
Him, to be always leaning on Him, resting on Him, pouring out our hearts to Him,
and using Him as our Fountain of life and strength, as our chief Companion and
best Friend. ”
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep
My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make
Our home with him.
Ephesians 3:17 “Christ may make His home in your hearts”
John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you.
4. CHRIST’S PURPOSE IS FOR ALL BRANCHES IS TO BEAR FRUIT.
John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him,
bears much fruit;”
John 15:2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every
branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
A fruitful tree is made to nourish others, to be a blessing to others.
A fruit tree exists to nourish others which is ministry.
5. THE FRUIT THE BRANCH CAN PRODUCE THROUGH THE VINE.
John 15:2 ” … does not bear fruit He takes away …”
John 15:2 “… every branch that bears fruit
John 15:2 ” … that it may bear more fruit.
John 15:5 “… bears much fruit …”
John 15:8 “… that you bear much fruit …”
John 15:16 “… that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain..”
To bear fruit is to see God produce Christlikeness in us.
John 15:9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
John 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I
have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives
do I give to you.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.
John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be
My disciples.
John 4:36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life,
John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you,
and that your joy may be full.
The Christian life is not one we have to do, it is one we get to do.
