Redeemer Modesto Sermon Audio

1/3/2021 1 Peter 2:18-25 As Christians, we believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God. It was written by men, but those men were directed by God. The Bible was written over thousands of years by authors that did not have anything in common except the voice of God. Even though we believe it is the word of God, often times we have a hard time submitting to what it says. Often this is because someone has taught it wrong or used portions of it out of context for their own gain. Sometimes it is because we have interpreted it through the lenses of our common day vantage point and misunderstood what it is truly saying. But sometimes we have a hard time submitting to what it says because it says hard things – things that seem foolish to us.

As we start, take time to read the text and pray. What we celebrate at the Christmas season is Jesus – Peter tells us that Jesus is a ‘living stone, rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious. As we come to Jesus, it is hard to understand who is He, and what it means to be relationship with him. One of the ways in which we realize that God invites us to know him is that he sets up metaphors that help us understand who he is, and who he wants to be in our lives. One of these metaphors is found in this section of 1 Peter, namely a ‘cornerstone’. A cornerstone is a rock that became the foundation for the building – it not only was strong enough to anchor the building, but it also was the stone that aligned the rest of the building. In our time together today we want to look as three questions.

12/13/2020 Text: I Peter 1:22-2:3 Holiness Over Circumstances Key Thought: If you are needy, you act one way, but if your needs are met, you act another. One of the great debates in religion is “what do I need to do to purify my soul?” Some think it is confession and hail Mary’s. Some think it is purgatory. Some think we are already pure, perfect just the way we are. Some wonder why we need our soul’s to be purified? In this section, Peter talks about this issue, but his take on it might be different than you think. It might be easiest to understand by answering three questions: Why do we need to purify our souls? What purifies our souls? What is the outcome of purifying our souls?

Key Thought: If you know the gospel, going into the refiners fire (suffering) doesn’t turn you into ashes, it turns your faith into something more precious than pure gold. Have you noticed that everyone in this world suffers? Suffering is relative to each individual, but no one escapes it. I remember watching the Bill Gates documentary “Inside Bill’s Brain” and wondering if a billionaire suffers. Sure enough, you hear the story of his broken relationship with his partner Paul Allen that never got set right, even while Paul was dying of cancer. You can’t escape suffering, and Peter knows it – it is a constant theme mentioned over 15 times. But what Peter reveals is that suffering is a like a fire that either turns you into ashes or refines you into something more precious than gold. Like an athlete that sacrifices and suffers in training (the dietary restrictions, the muscle cramps, the time and energy), yet turns that suffering into a gold medal. Unlike the athlete, the suffering that the scatter

Key Thought: Hold fast in circumstances by holding fast to the identity God gave. No doubt as Peter writes this letter to the scattered churches that he is cognizant of their circumstances. Peter refers to the recipients as scattered (exiles) and mentions suffering at least fifteen times in this letter making it the major theme. Peter is also known as the Apostle of hope; while John predominantly wrote about love and Paul wrote predominantly about faith, Peter writes about hope. The circumstances that the church was in because of the Romans persecution of the Christians was of great concern, but as you notice with a reading of the letter, it is not the main theme. While he validated their suffering, he didn’t focus on the circumstances. The main theme is the hope that is found in Jesus and the new identity that Christians have been given in him. As we look at these next few verses we will see the identity given, the identity lived out, and the identity looking forward. The identity refers to the pe

11/15/2020 Text: 1 Peter 1:1-2 Title: The Circumstances of 1 Peter Key Thought: Jesus is not surprised about the circumstances you are in, but predestined them for his glory, your joy, and the edification of the community. Tap the link at the .pdf for teaching notes!

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Key thought: When we engage in partnerships, we should first remember that God engages in a partnership with us. Four questions to ask when engaging in partnerships: 1. Do we remember our truest identity as ‘child of God’? 2. Do we remember our endgame? 3. Who will influence who? 4. Do we remember that God engages in partnership with people like us?

Key Thought: Living out our faith full of compassion and conviction leads to Christ-likeness. Scripture: Exodus, Matthew, Ephesians, Judges 17-21, Luke 15, John 1:14

Pastor Jim teaches on James 2:14-26 and talks about how Christians are called to be a light during this season.

2 Samuel 9

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