Church Alive

Church Alive!

Sermon Text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 (NIV)

 4As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For in Scripture it says:

 “See, I lay a stone in Zion,

 a chosen and precious cornerstone,

 and the one who trusts in him

 will never be put to shame.”

 7Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

 “The stone the builders rejected

 has become the capstone,”                        

 8and,

 “A stone that causes men to stumble

 and a rock that makes them fall.”

 They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

 9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once 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.

I.        Introduction:

II.      Join The Church: A Great House

A.      Come To Christ: The Living Stone

1.       Rejected By Men

2.       Selected By God

3.       Esteemed By God

B.      Connect With Others: A Spiritual House

1.       Constructed From Living Stones

2.       Called To Be Holy Priests

3.       Creating A Spiritual Building

C.      Commit To God: A Pleasing Sacrifice

1.       Offering Sacrifices That Are Spiritual

2.       Offering Sacrifices That Are Acceptable

3.       Offering Sacrifices To God

4.       Offering Sacrifices Through Christ

III.   Make The Choice: A Great Stone

A.      The Reward Of Faith: Choosing A Corner Stone

1.       A Stone That God Selected

2.       A Stone That Can Be Trusted

3.       A Stone That Is Considered Precious

B.      The Result Of Unbelief : Choosing A Stumbling Stone

1.       A Stone Rejected By Unbelievers

2.       A Stone Causing Men To Stumble

a)       The Message Disobeyed

b)       The Unbeliever Destined

IV.    Become The Chosen: A Great People

A.      Precious People

1.       Believers Are A Chosen People

2.       Believers Are A Royal Priesthood

3.       Believers Are A Holy People

4.       Believers Are A Prized Possession

B.      Praising People

1.       Praise Declared By Men

2.       Praise Ascribed To God

C.      Privileged People

1.       Privileged To Be The People Of God

2.       Privileged To Receive The Mercy Of God

V.      Conclusion: