Cornerstone exists because of Jesus. We are a people who have been transformed by the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, God has forgiven us and adopted us into his family. Now, we have a whole new life.
Through the gospel, God redeems us, forgives us, and adopts us into his family. The good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection makes each one of us a new creation and gives us a new identity: children of God. This is why we can never think of the church as an organization or a building. The church is actually a family—God’s family, filled with redeemed sinners that are now his children.
Through the gospel, God forgives us, adopts us into his family, and makes us his disciples. This means that the church is not just any family. We are a family formed by God—and sent out with a purpose.
The church is a family that ministers to one another, cares for one another, and builds one another up. Each member of the family is a child of God who is uniquely gifted to bless the family and to be a light in our city.
Just like a vine grows best with a good trellis, our church family grows best with good programs. Our programs and ministries are tailored to support the community and mission God has given us.
Sermon
1 Peter 2:1-6
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February 11, 2018
Peter helps us understand community more deeply by explaining the church as the new temple, where God’s presence dwells and where people can encounter him. God takes individual believers and builds them together on the cornerstone of Jesus, such that they become interdependent with one another. It’s in these interdependent relationships, built on Jesus Christ, that we can experience the richness of God’s presence in a unique way and live out what it means to be the church.
1. Does Jesus function as the cornerstone of your life? What other cornerstones are you tempted to build on? 2. Has your relationship with Jesus translated into a relationship with the church community like Peter describes? Why or why not? 3. Are you living life interdependent with other Christians? What can you do to pursue deeper relationships with the “stones” God has built around you in the church? 4. Peter says that God’s presence can be found in the church community. How have you experienced that? How can that motivate you to pursue deeper relationships in the church?
Brian serves the church by overseeing preaching and Sunday morning services at Cornerstone.
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