Welcome to Christ Reformed Church on this beautiful but cloudy and warm, beautiful Lord's Day. Amen. I'd like to just draw your attention to the few announcements that we have on the back. The first and foremost amongst them is that we are taking up the Lord's Supper. I see that for the most part, we are all heavily involved here in Christ Reformed Church. But to those who are not members here, We do ask that you, prior to taking of the Lord's Supper, that you speak to either myself or one of our elders. We do ask, again, that you be a baptized member in good standing of a Bible-believing Protestant church. But all that to say, as is our usual following our service, we do have a fellowship meal. Please come if you are able to stay for that. Secondly, Tuesday, June 3rd, that is this Tuesday, we are having our men's and women's Bible study at the Parsonage. I'd like to encourage all of you to come if you are able to. This will, however, be the last time the brothers get together at the Parsonage for a study. We will have subsequent men's night outs and fellowship times, so please keep your ear to the grindstone for that. Thirdly, Saturday, June 7th from 2 to 5 p.m., Carissa Poe is having her graduation party at her home. All are welcome to come and be a part of that celebration. So if you are able, please come and encourage her and bless her as she finishes a pretty huge milestone, as did Isaac. Fourth, Saturday, June 21st, so the date was changed. But everyone is asked to gather together to come here to clean the church. It'll be a good time. It was moved from the 14th primarily because there are other community events going on that Saturday. So please come Saturday, June 21st at 10 AM as we serve one another and clean the church. Finally, as you already know, Casey and Kayla are having their baby very soon. And so we want to encourage them and love them. You notice at the back of the sanctuary, there is a beautiful pink bag. Please deposit a gift card or a card in general so as to bless them. With that being said, let us take a moment of silent prayer to prepare our minds and our hearts for worship. Amen. Grace and peace to you from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Would you please stand with me as we read from God's word in our call to worship from Psalm 92, verses 1 and 2. The word of the Lord says, it is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to your name, O Most High, to declare your loving kindness in the morning and your faithfulness every night. Let us pray. Gracious Heavenly Father, we again, we thank you and we praise you for this beautiful Lord's Day. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for the means of grace whereby we hear the preaching of your word and we observe the work that you have done for us to remind us of our eternal life and election and the security of our election through the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. And we pray, Heavenly Father, that we would listen attentively, that we would sing to the best of our abilities, and that, Heavenly Father, you would fill us with the joy of your salvation. We pray, Heavenly Father, that we would enjoy the worship of your good and precious name, and then we would enjoy together the sweet fellowship that we have as this community of believers through Christ our Lord. We ask these things in your precious name, we pray. Amen. Would you please join me now in our hymnal, hymn number 94, How Firm a Foundation, hymn number 94. new saints of the Lord. It is made for your faith. It is excellent work. What more can he say than to you he has said, to you who for Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed, For I am your God, and will still give you aid. How strength can you help you and cause you to stand? I'm compelled by my mind just to live, pause, and tell. And to the deep waters I call you to go. The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow, for I will ♪ Through fiery trials your pathway shall guide ♪ ♪ My grace, O sufficient, shall be your supply ♪ ♪ The flames shall not hurt you, I only desire ♪ ♪ Your trust to consume ♪ ♪ In vow to obey all my people shall prove ♪ ♪ My sovereign eternal unchangeable love ♪ ♪ And when God prepares shall their temples adore ♪ ♪ My weapons they shall still in my wisdom be lost ♪ ♪ The soul that on Jesus has weeped for repose ♪ ♪ I will not, I will not desert to his foes ♪ Amen. Please be seated. Good morning. You'll turn to the Canons of Dorrit insert in the bulletin. We continue in the Rejection of Errors section. Let us confess our faith this morning. The true doctrine having been explained, the Synod rejects the errors of those who teach that all men have been accepted onto the state of reconciliation and onto the grace of the covenant. so that no one is worthy of condemnation on account of original sin, and that no one shall be condemned because of it, but that all are freed from the guilt of original sin." What paragraph do you have? Article 8 and Article 9. No, we're in the Rejection of Errors, paragraphs 5, 6, and 7. Actually, next week we start the third and fourth. I apologize. Okay, so the People's section says, For this opinion is repugnant to Scripture, which teaches that we are by nature children of wrath, Ephesians 2, 3. Paragraph 6, Who use the difference between meriting and appropriating to the end that they may instill into the minds of the imprudent and inexperienced this teaching that God, as far as He is concerned, has been minded to apply to all equally the benefits gained by the death of Christ, but that while some obtain the pardon of sin and eternal life and others do not, this difference depends on their own free will. which joins itself to that grace that is offered without exception, and that it is not dependent on the special gift of mercy, which powerfully works in them, that they rather than others should appropriate unto themselves this grace. People section says, for these, while they feign that they present this distinction in a sound sense, seek to instill into the people the destructive poison of the Pelagian errors. And then paragraph seven, We reject the doctrine of those who teach that Christ neither could die nor needed to die, and also did not die, for those whom God loved in the highest degree and elected to eternal life, since these do not need the death of Christ. And the people's section is, for they contradict the apostle who declares, Christ loved me and gave himself up for me. And likewise, who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemns? It is Christ Jesus that died, mainly for them, and the Savior who says, I lay down my life for the sheep. And this is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. So again, today we do conclude the second head of doctrine and its rejection of errors section. And next week, as I mentioned, we will start the third and fourth heads of doctrine, which are the T and the I in the tulip. The T dealing with total depravity and the I dealing with irresistible grace. And what we have seen so far regarding salvation is that God from all eternity decreed whom he would save. Those whom he would unconditionally elect or chosen are the very ones that Christ died for? That answers that question, for whom did Christ die? All of his elect ones, all of his sheep, all of his people, by the substitutionary or vicarious atonement of Jesus Christ. And this is effectually saves them, not just makes it possible for them to be saved. Now in paragraph 5 we see one of the most astounding errors of Arminianism. They deny that anyone anywhere is by nature guilty of original sin or a child of wrath. They declare that all men are free from this guilt of original sin and this implies then a relation of friendship on God's part toward all men. They claim that God loves everyone, none excepted. And the canon replies that this is repugnant to the scriptures. In paragraph six, we see that the Arminians teach that God applies to all equally the benefits gained by the death of Christ. Now, they do recognize that some obtain these benefits and some do not. And here's the difference. They say that some cooperate with God by using their so-called free will, and then they obtain these benefits. It is not dependent on some special gift of mercy which enables them to do that. And of course the canon renounces this as the poison of Pelagianism. Remember Pelagius, that British monk who opposed Augustine in these doctrines of grace. That false teaching which exalts man and denigrates the sovereignty of God. And then in paragraph 7 we encounter another astounding error from the Arminians. They claim that Christ's atonement is neither possible, nor necessary, nor real. They deny the atonement. They deny the vicarious, substitutionary atonement taught in the Bible, and they replace it with the so-called governmental theory of the atonement, which basically says, well, the love of God could be magnified and the righteousness of God maintained without a vicarious or substitutionary atonement. So if the sinner, just looking at the cross, believes in God's love, God will forgive them and treat them as if they had never sinned. But the Reformed, in the canons here, reject this idea and hold to the necessity, absolute necessity, of the vicarious or substitutionary atonement of Christ. And I would refer you to Heidelberg Catechism questions 12 through 19, where we see that laid out very well. Our sins incurred infinite guilt, and we need someone, a substitute, both human and divine, to make satisfaction or propitiation for us in our place, in our stead, to satisfy God's wrath. That person is Jesus Christ. Buxomus said, the atoning death of Christ is the revelation of the love of God in the highest degree. God does not love us because Christ died for us. But God, because he loved us in Christ from eternity, sent his son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to die for us. So let us rejoice in this true substitutionary atonement which Christ has fulfilled for us as we celebrate that today in the Lord's Supper. Amen? Please forgive me for handing out the wrong canon. With that being said, would you please turn with me in our hymnal to hymn number 32, Great is thy faithfulness. There is no shadow of turning away. Great is thy faithfulness Great is thy faithfulness Morning by morning new mercies I see and winter and springtime and harvest, sun, moon, and stars in their courses above, join with the nature in ♪ All I have needed, I have provided ♪ ♪ It is thy faithfulness born unto me ♪ ♪ Forever singing the peace that endureth ♪ is You join me in a word of prayer. Gracious heavenly father. by your grace and your mercy, your electing ministry. We thank you, Heavenly Father, that we, your people, which your word says we're at one time not a people, are now your people. We are now brothers and sisters in Christ. We ask, Heavenly Father, that as we gather this morning and every other Lord's Day, we pray that we would be reminded that we are no longer individuals or just families, but we are individuals and families as a part of the body of Christ. We are body parts, as it were, according to your word, of this one body under our head, Jesus Christ. We ask Heavenly Father that we would not take that for granted. Not only would we not take it for granted in that, Lord, we could somehow skip or miss out on the sweet fellowship that we have through Christ, that we would somehow ignore the fact that we are called to gather together on a weekly basis to worship you in spirit and in truth, that we are to bear one another's burdens and remember to bear one another in prayer. And Lord, that we have the ministry of encouraging one another. We pray, Heavenly Father, that we would not take that for granted, that our sweet fellowship would extend beyond Sundays and twice a month, Tuesday evening studies. That we would be a people, Lord, who enjoys a fellowship that extends beyond our time together. That we would see the importance of checking in with one another. That we would, in fact, be our closest confidants. That we would not hide things within our hearts as to what's going on in our lives but that we would feel free to be able to share with those whom we trust, who you have given to us, that we might pray for one another. We ask, Heavenly Father, in that spirit that you would be with those amongst us and those who were kept home providentially who are sick. We pray, Heavenly Father, especially this morning for Doris, We ask Heavenly Father that if it be your will, that you would heal her body, but we also lift up Rick. We ask Heavenly Father that you would be with him, that you would continue to strengthen him, that he might minister to his wife. We pray for others, Lord. We pray for Jeff's dad, John, and we ask Heavenly Father that you would be with him, that you would minister to him. And although some of us may not know him, We pray, Heavenly Father, that we would pray on his behalf. We ask, Heavenly Father, however, that as this body of believers, we would be used by you to encourage one another, and not just those who we are familiar with, those we are comfortable with, but that, Lord, we would begin to reach out to those that we may not know as well, that we would humble ourselves Admit that although it may be awkward at first, you may very well bless us with deep, meaningful fellowship with people we don't know as well, which is the beauty of being the body. We don't love simply those who love us, but those who are perhaps difficult to love. That we might have and enjoy a fellowship through Jesus Christ who simply put love the unlovable in us. We pray Heavenly Father that that would be to the glory of your precious name. We lift up in a very difficult time in our country's history and redemptive history for a special strength, a mercy to be given to those amongst us who are married or looking to be married. We pray Heavenly Father that you would help us love our spouses well. That we would have the type of marriages that although fall short of the glory of God, that does in fact sin against Christ and our spouse. That because of childhood difficulties, being raised up to believe certain things, there are struggles within the context of marriage And we pray, Lord, that as we live life together, that we would have the type of marriages that easily forgives, that learns what it means to communicate what it is going on beneath the surface and into our hearts and into the deep recesses of our hearts so that we can know one another well. we can pray for each other and encourage each other. We ask Heavenly Father that those amongst us who are wanting to be married, we simply ask that you would help them remain pure, both in their actions and in their minds, in their hearts. Help them, oh God, to be pure of heart and not to stumble by the wickedness that this world platter, but we also ask, Lord, that those amongst us who are married would not give way to sexual immorality either. We pray, O God, that you would protect us, that you would help us love one another well, that you would keep us pure. Finally, Lord, we pray that you would be with our beautiful covenant children. We understand, Lord, that raising children is a ministry that you have called us to. It is a blessing to have children and to raise them in the admonition of the Lord, and yet we are under no illusions that at times raising children is difficult. It can be heart-wrenching. It can break our hearts. And yet at the same time, be one of the most beautiful things that you give us that we can witness the work that you do in our children's hearts and minds. We pray Heavenly Father that as their parents, we would never lose sight of the fact that we are called to pray for our beloved, no matter what age they are. We pray Heavenly Father for our marriages in the sense that as we're raising these children with different opinions as to what to do to encourage them or minister to them, that the issue we see rising up between us would not become some source of tension for our spouses and I. We pray Heavenly Father that you would give us wisdom and grace. We're going to mess up. We pray, Heavenly Father, that when we do, we would be quick to not only apologize to our spouse, but our children, that they may see transparency in a work that you are doing in us, that you might be glorified. Lord, help us minister to our children. You are their great shepherd. We thank you for them. We pray, Heavenly Father, that this community of believers would see it their responsibility to love our children as well, albeit different than their parents. We pray, Heavenly Father, that you would be glorified and honored when we ask these things in your precious Son, Jesus Christ's name we pray, amen. I'd like to encourage you now to please stand with me for the reading of God's word. We find ourselves first in Psalm 118. Psalm 118. We'll read together verses 22 to 29. Psalm 118, verses 22 to 29. beginning in verse 22. The stone, which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I pray, O Lord. O Lord, I pray, Send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you from the house of the Lord. God is the Lord and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. You are my God and I will praise you. You are my God, I will exalt you. Oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. And may God add a blessing to the reading of his word. And now would you join me in the gospel of Luke chapter 12. Luke chapter 12, we'll read together verses 49 to 53. Luke chapter 12, verses 49 to 53. Verse 49. I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled. But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished. Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on, five in one house will be divided. Three against two and two against three. Father will be divided against son and son against father. Mother against daughter and daughter against mother. mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. All flesh is like grass, and all of its glory is like the flower of the grass. The grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord abides forever. In all of God's people said, amen. Please be seated. join me in a word of prayer once more. Gracious heavenly father, we thank you and we praise you this lord's day and we thank you heavenly father that as we look upon your word we'll be reminded that we are a community who has been bound together by your electing and merciful purposes. We pray, Heavenly Father, that we would strive to be a church and a group, your body, that looks nothing like the world. We handle conflict differently than the world. We love differently than the world. We pray and communicate and love differently than the world. We ask Heavenly Father that you would bless us this morning as we look upon your word, that it would be a lamp unto our feet, showing us the way in which you have called us to go. We pray, Heavenly Father, that we would submit to it willingly and for your name's sake. For it is in that name we, your people, pray. Amen. Turn with me, if you would, to 1 Peter chapter two, verses four through 10. Verse, 1st Peter, chapter 12, verses 4 through 10. I'm sorry, 1st Peter, chapter 2, verses 4 through 10. I'm gonna get it right sometime this morning. Perhaps it'll be when we're eating. 1st Peter, chapter 2. And I'd like to begin this morning by reading our pericope, which is our little section of scripture, beginning in verse four, coming to him as to a living stone rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious view 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. 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. 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 and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble being disobedient to the word to which they were also appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. who once were not a people, but are now the people of God, who have not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. May God add a blessing to the reading of this word. This passage of scripture, under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, to our servant, our brother, the Apostle Peter, I'd like to take a moment, if we may, to consider how it is in the world people find their source of identity, that is, their value, their worth. There are many, and this is not exhaustive. It is, however, supposed to get our minds working as to what the world tells us gives us value, our worth. The first amongst them, in no particular order, is that you are what you do. You are what you do. The idea here is what you work, what you do for work, how well you perform in that job establishes your value and your worth in the world, and in particular, your own mind and in your own heart. This is the identity based solely on your performance, your busyness, your activities, your employment. This means in no uncertain terms, climbing the corporate ladder with job promotions and pay raises. This mentality spills over into having to win. How many activities you are a part of. the types of jobs and activities your children have. You see this mentality, ironically, even within Christianity, that I must be recognized for my service, or how much I give to the church, or how much I know. In other words, through what it is that I do, I find value. I find value in people recognizing what I do and how much I do. Secondly, the view that you are where you are from. This is the idea of pedigree, your background, your family life, what neighborhood you currently live in and the neighborhood you grew up in. the kind of car that you drive to make or break who you are as a person. In other words, when you're driving past and you're in your Ferrari and you're driving it with the notion deep down in your heart that people are looking at me because of what I have or the kind of house I grew up in, it gives me value. It gives me worth. Thirdly, your identity comes from your sexuality. Whether or not I identify as a man or a woman who I'm attracted to. Again, this is just an introduction. There are many others. The idea here is not that there is anything wrong with enjoying your work. or getting pay increases or moving up the ladder in your job. There's nothing wrong with knowing the culture that you come from, enjoying the house you grew up in, valuing living in a nice home. The issue, and it's at a heart level, is somehow believing that because I climb the corporate ladder, because I'm given more and more pay, that I must therefore be a great deal of value and worth. The issue is having these things and seeing them for what they are, blessings that come from God according to his mercy and grace, the ability to have children and to raise them and the admonition of the Lord isn't somehow about us. It is about a grace from God given to you. The ability to have a job, to learn how to do well at working that job, isn't the result somehow of our initiation or our abilities in and of themselves, but rather from the Lord, our God. Peter's point here is that as a Christian, our identity does not come from the things that we do, or the money that we make, or how big our home is, but rather from whom we belong. From whom we belong. If Christ has purchased our salvation that God the Father has called us to have, And if God, the Holy Spirit, has regenerated us and is sanctifying us, our identity cannot be found in anything other than Jesus Christ. See, what Paul, or Peter, rather, is talking about is the simple notion that being a Christian and yet idolizing something that I'm supposed to get from a task that he has given, that is supposed to give God glory is an idol. And it's incongruent with our confession to follow after and believe in Jesus Christ. Why? Because Christ is our all and all. He is the one with whom our life was given and designated as to worshiping his name. And being a Christian, we must grow to see that any pursuit that is separate from our worship of him does not glorify him. Peter establishes this mentality at the very beginning of this letter. In chapter one, verse one, he talks about how God's elect, that is, those who believe in Jesus Christ are strangers in the world, that we are to have, therefore, nothing to do with the world and the world's mentality of what success is. He says at the end of verse one, the beginning of verse two, the Father chose us and the Spirit sanctifies us. That speaks to our affections. What is it that we're desiring to pursue? In verses 12 through 16, God the Father summons us to stop conforming to the evil desires we followed when we were first in the world. In verse 16, that's because of his work in us, we now strive to be holy. In verses 17 through 19, because of the work of God in us, we go about living for him with reverent fear. The verses 18 through 19, Jesus redeemed us from our empty ways of life. What is it that Peter is calling us to understand here? Again, that when Christ rules in our hearts, our motivation to do certain things, our value of things, of even ourselves changes to being about Christ, how it is that we can serve him, how we can serve one another in this community which he has placed us in. The passage this morning looks to describe the basis then for our community as believers. The basis for our community. how we relate to one another, how we love one another, and how being in Christ informs who we are and our value in him. Begin verses four through five here in talking about our community of believers, we are built up by a living stone into a spiritual house. Would you follow along with me in verses four and five? He writes, coming to him as to a living stone rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious. You also as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, the holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The issue as we begin our march through these seven verses in first Peter chapter two, is that our being in Christ, we don't just begin to follow after him as individuals or as alone, but in following Christ, we become and join a community of believers and together as the body of Christ, we follow after him. In other words, the issue is that because of what Christ works in us and puts a desire in us, we can no longer be freelancing or somehow the lone ranger with a mentality of a regenerate mind following after Christ. An example of this calling that the Christian has to be in community, that to be an encouragement to that community, but to be encouraged by that community is found in Hebrews chapter 10, verses 24 to 25. The author of Hebrews writes, Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching. See, what the author of the book of Hebrews is trying to, or is describing to us, is again, The believer isn't somehow a lone ranger, but that we have been called to become a part of a community of believers that proclaims the word of the Lord, that offers rightly the sacraments, that puts the church members who are going astray under church discipline so that we might glorify God. Because in our being a community and a part of the community, we grow and we love and honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The idea, very simply, is that because we are living stones who are being brought together by a living stone, by the cornerstone, is that in our being together, in our loving one another, we remember not only what Christ Jesus has done for us on the cross, but we love and encourage one another in the pursuit of that righteousness. Peter is arguing here in verses four through five is that we come to the living stone that is the resurrected and ascended Jesus Christ who is rejected by most and through him we also become living stones. He says, We are being built up into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood. Verse four, it says, coming to him as to a living stone. This word coming here in verse four is not a word that depicts our free will in choosing to come to him. It is actually the result of his coming to us, calling us And in so doing, we now follow after and continue following after Him. What it's getting at, rather, is our initial coming or being drawn, but also our continual coming, our remaining in Christ, due to our being chosen and being precious in His sight. We're now, through Christ, living stones, a spiritual house. What that means is that because we are so connected to Christ who has life through him, we have life also. Galatians chapter 2 verse 20, Paul writes, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. You notice here that Peter draws a comparison between Christ as the living stone and our being living stones, which he says, verse five, these living stones are being built into this spiritual house. The spiritual house here refers symbolically to the Old Testament temple as the house or dwelling place of God. The church, however, now indwelt by the Holy Spirit, is then the true temple of God. He says in 2 Corinthians 6, verse 16, and what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said, I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be my people. And because of what Christ has made us to be collectively, we are now a holy priesthood. What Peter is talking about here and calling us a holy priesthood is that every believer in Christ is a priest in that we have equal and immediate access to God and we now serve him personally. In other words, we no longer need a mediator. We have access to him. personally. Christ's once-and-for-all sacrifice of propitiation, meaning Christ satisfies the wrath of God for our sins, fulfills the Old Testament sacrificial system and renders it obsolete. Hebrews chapter 2 verse 17, therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren that he might be merciful and a faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of his people. In other words, our sacrifices are no longer physical sacrifices. They were in the Old Testament. They are now done as spiritual in the way that we worship Christ and live for Christ due to his word and his sanctifying work in our lives. The question is, do we see what Peter is telling us here? Peter is telling us here is that because of this work that Christ has done, making us his people and drawing us unto himself, why would anybody want to go at pursuing that life alone? Why wouldn't people who are called to this who are regenerated by the Spirit of God want to live in such a way that they cut other Christians off or they don't value the role another Christian is supposed to play in their life, that we don't open ourselves up to being encouraged or to be prayed for because we simply want to walk this walk on our own. Why would a Christian who is a part of this living breathing house that God is creating of his people want to go at doing it alone. We are living stones creating a spiritual house. And by the way that we live, the way that we conduct marriages, the way that we forgive, the way we encourage and love our brethren, It is an indication together as a community that God has in fact worked in us in such a way that life is no longer about me and what I desire, but it's about the brethren, to the glory of Christ, our Savior. And secondly, verses six through eight, as a community, we have a message that divides. Verse six, 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. Therefore, to you who believe he is precious and to those who are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble being disobedient to the word to which they were also appointed. Verses four and five, Peter describes to us this community that is being brought together for the glory of God, our father, because we have been made alive through Christ and his redemptive work. Now we're talking about this community that we belong to should unashamedly understand that our message divides. It divides. The issue here that Peter is writing to is an eschatological, excuse me, promise. Eschatos meaning the end of days. The point here is that like Christ, as a community of regenerated believers, that we in the power and strength of our God can endure the rejection and shame that the world may pour out upon us. That's the issue. That's essentially why we need one another as believers. We are called, as it says here, to preach the hope that is within us. The issue there is that we're not looking to shame people or condemn people as it were. We are, however, called by the Lord to preach a message that does include and is based on people's understanding that they must repent of their sins and to believe in Jesus Christ. And that is something we do as a community of believers. 1 Samuel 2, verse 30, it says, therefore the Lord God of Israel says, I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before me forever. But now the Lord says, far be it from me for those who honor me, I will honor and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. It's interesting this Hebrew verb, lightly esteemed, literally means disdain. It means disdain. When we're honoring God because of a work that God has done in us, through the way that we live, the way that we convey the hope that is within us, there will be some who reject God, but those who look to honor God, It says God will honor. Those who love God and serve God will be honored by God and those who won't will be disdained by him. Matthew 21 verse 44, and whoever falls on this stone will be broken, but on whomever it falls, it will ground him to a powder. The issue is that if someone stumbles over a rock that they get hurt, But if that stone falls on them, it'll crush them and kill them. That is the language of judgment. What Peter is using here goes back to Psalm 118, verse 22. It says the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. It goes back to Isaiah chapter 28, verse 16. The prophet Isaiah says, therefore, thus says the Lord God, behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tired, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. Whoever believes will not act hastily. Jesus here, and what Peter tells us, 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. is Jesus Christ. The point here is that like a stone mason who perfectly cuts the stone that will rest, all the other stones upon stabilizes the entire building, the structure. And so Christ brings the truth that every believer must believe by whom we grow is the chief cornerstone of this building to the glory of God that he is creating of believers. The importance of this is such that if someone denies what is clearly taught in scripture, they are no longer considered a believer. In Luke chapter 12, verses 51 to 53, it says, do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you not at all, but rather division for from now on five and one house will be divided, three against two and two against three, father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. The issue as a community of believers is not that we are going out looking to antagonize people. It's not that we're looking to start arguments or to live in such a way that we anger people and then we provoke them to feeling more anger. It's that we simply want to live life, and by doing so, you will naturally anger those who have rejected the chief cornerstone. You will cause offense. And when you preach the message in addition to the way that we are called to live, you will make people feel angry towards you. And it could very well come from those very people you love very much. But will it cause us to somehow retrieve and back off? We're somehow going to grow to be so intimidated by these people's feelings of anger against us for simply living in such a way that glorifies God or by pointing them to the hope that is within us, that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, that we must repent of sins. We must submit to his word. Are we going to back off as a community Again, not that we're looking to antagonize anyone, but this community is called regenerated believers to let us continue to remind one another that God is going to give us all that we need as we proclaim that message. That's why we need one another. The fact of the matter is, is that sometimes Being a brother or sister in Christ means something beyond telling one another what they want to hear, but pointing one another to the difficult truth that sometimes following Christ will mean being opposed because of what we believe. And yet in that, we are also called to remind one another that the Lord our God will give us what we need when we proclaim that message. He will protect us. He will guide us. Thirdly, verses 9 through 10, because we have been chosen, we are now who Christ says that we are. It says, verse 9, but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people. that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, who once were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Verses four through five, we talk about how Christ has made us this community. Verses six through eight, we talk about how this community's message will offend Finally, now verses nine and 10, in this community, we are who Christ says we are, and our identity is found in who he says we are. You notice he says, verse nine, that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a special people. Peter, again, is utilizing terms from the Old Testament that God used to describe the chosen people of Israel. But why do we suppose that he did that? Because according to the electing purposes of God, the true church and true Israel are now one people and always have been one people in God. Exodus chapter 19, verse six, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation There are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel. Isaiah chapter 61 verse six, but you shall be named the priests of the Lord. They shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles and in their glory you shall dose. The issue here is that because we are, we are gods elected by God, saved by Christ, regenerated by the spirit, how will we now as a community of believers live the lives that God has given to us. What Peter is articulating to us is that the very reason that we are a community of believers is so that we can encourage one another to this end, that we are enculled We are in fact called to pursue righteousness. To understand that this world which pulls people in all kinds of different directions so as to encapsulate you is not the definition of our life. It doesn't give us value. It doesn't give us understanding. It doesn't give us worth. It is simply the world pursuing worldliness to its ungodly end. But as believers in Christ who have been saved by Christ, called by God to his purposes, what the world has to say no longer applies because we are under his grace and mercy. That the old things that we prescribed to and pursued and wanted and loved no longer define you, that we are in fact called as a community of believers to proclaim his excellencies in hopes that they would know him as we do. We're also called to love one another, to pray for one another, for the glory of his name. I don't know if I've shared this story with you, so if I have, I ask again for your forgiveness. But when Rachel and I were first married, we became friends with people that absolutely love and adore WWE wrestling. Anybody watched WWE wrestling? There's like two people and none of them want to put their hand in there. We became friends with these people. At the onset, I just want to say there's nothing in particular wrong with watching WWE wrestling, although some of these storylines are ungodly. Some of the clothing these people wear is ungodly. But they loved WWE wrestling. It used to be called, I think, WWF, the World Wrestling Federation. You sit down with these people and they knew every single storyline to every single wrestler on this show. In fact, they watched the show that came on before the show of these people who were trying to get on to the show. Wrestlers who are not yet pro trying to become pro and all of their intricate storylines and all the details of those things. They knew why one person was mad at somebody else They knew why two people were going to wrestle. They knew what happened with the one guy's brother that made the other guy mad. And now they've got to wrestle. They know why people are wrestling in the big championship. And they would sit there and they would listen. And their whole life was just entangled with this thing. That gave them pride. Be able to go out and to tell people all about it. Able to pry. Did you hear what happened to Hulk Hogan? Did you hear what happened with... I don't even know the other characters' names. Jim Bob Nugent, I think one of us named. Or something to the snake. It's entertainment. but it had become this thing that defined them. You say, tell me about your favorite verse of the Bible. You wouldn't necessarily have one. You say, what has the Lord done in your life? Tell me about the work that God has done in you. How has he drawn you closer? How have you seen him bless you in times of great difficulty and turmoil? And they could not tell me. but they could tell me all about World Wrestling Federation. And not just a few moments of it, but they could talk for hours. We are in the world, beloved, but we are not of it, amen? And the very reason that God has established the church, the means of grace, the preaching of his word, the sacraments, The fact that we have fellowship because we are a community proves to us that we need one another. This morning, we are blessed to partake of the Lord's Supper, which reminds us of what Christ has done and the fact that we need not only deeper relationship with him, but with one another as his community. Amen. Let's pray. Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word. We ask Heavenly Father that you would bless us this day as we reflect on the sacrifice with which you have loved us, your death, burial, and resurrection, and ascension, that you have drawn us to yourself, and more importantly, this community, body of believers, we pray, Heavenly Father, that you would help us. We pray that it would not be light upon our hearts that you have given yourself, that your own might live eternally We pray that we would be humbled by it. Pray, Lord, that you would help us to seek you in all that we do, all that we say, that we might glorify you. We ask, Heavenly Father, that we, your people, would know and believe that you are ever near us, that you help us, that you are sanctifying us, that you are drawing us close. And every time we read your word, we're reminded of what real intimacy is as you speak to us, as we meditate on what you say. We might glorify you. We ask these things in your precious son, Jesus Christ's name we pray. Amen. Beloved in the Lord Jesus, listen to the words of the institution of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. The Lord Jesus, on the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. And when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of me. And in the same manner, he also took the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. This do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me, for as often as you The Lord's Supper is a sacrament instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ himself. Until his coming again, it is to be observed as a continuing remembrance of the sacrifice of himself and his death. The physical elements of bread and wine representing the broken body and the shed blood of the Savior are received by true believers as signs and seals of all the benefits of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. They signify and seal the remission of sins and nourishment and growth in Christ and are a bond and a pledge of the communion of believers with him and with each other as members of his spiritual body the Church. As signs and seals of the covenant of grace, they not only declare that God is faithful and true to fulfill the promise of the covenant, but they also summon us to all the duties of the children of God and to call us to renewed consecration and gratitude for His salvation. In order that we may celebrate the Lord's Supper to our comfort, it is first necessary that we properly examine ourselves. true examination of ourselves consists in these three parts. First, let everyone consider by himself his sins and accruedness apart from Jesus Christ, so that he may be displeased with himself and humble himself in the presence of God. Second, let everyone examine his heart as to whether he truly believes this certain promise of God, that all his sins are forgiven only for the sake of Jesus Christ. And thirdly, let everyone search his conscience whether he He is determined to show his gratitude to God the Lord all the days of his life by walking uprightly before him. It is my solemn duty to warn the uninstructed, the profane, the scandalous, and those who secretly and unrepentantly live in any sin not to approach the holy table where they would partake unworthily, not discerning the Lord's body and so eat and drink judgment to themselves. Nevertheless, this warning is not designed to keep the humble and contrite from the table of the Lord as if the supper were for those who might be free from sin. On the contrary, we who are invited to the supper come as guilty and polluted sinners who are without hope of eternal life apart from the grace of God in Christ. We confess our dependence for pardon and cleansing upon the perfect sacrifice of Christ. We base our hope of eternal life upon His perfect obedience and righteousness, and we humbly resolve to deny ourselves, to crucify our old nature, and follow Christ as becomes those who bear His name. You bow your head with me in a word of prayer. Merciful God and Father, we beseech you that in this supper in which we cherish the blessed memory of the bitter death of your dear son, Jesus Christ, you will so work in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, that with true confidence, we might give ourselves up more and more to your son, Jesus Christ, in order that our burnt and contrite hearts, through the power of the Holy Spirit, may be nourished and refreshed with his true body and blood, yes, with Christ himself, who is true God and man, the only heavenly bread. We pray that we may no longer live in our sins, but that Christ may live in us, and we in him, so that we may truly be partakers of the new and everlasting testament, the covenant of grace. Do not doubt that you will forever be our gracious father, never again imputing our sins to us, but providing us with our with all things necessary for body and soul, as your dear children and heirs. Grant us also your grace, so that we may take up our cross cheerfully, deny ourselves, confess our Savior, and in all our tribulation, with an uplifted head, expect our Lord Jesus Christ to come from heaven, where he will recreate our mortal bodies in the likeness of his glorified body, and take us to himself in eternity. He believes also, O Lord, to bless these elements of bread and wine so that, receiving them in remembrance of the passion and death of your dear Son, we may, by faith, be made partakers of his crucified body and shed blood with all his benefits through our spiritual nourishment and through the glory of your holy name. Amen. Lord Jesus, on the same night in which he was betrayed, He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it. He said, take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me. Saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood. This do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. The bread must be great. Is it not the communion of the Father with us? The double blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? Bow your head with me. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like eagles The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy towards those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear him. You did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us. How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Therefore, our hearts and lives shall show forth Your praises, O Lord, from now on. and for evermore. Amen. You please stand with me now as we sing hymn 488, Remember Not, O God. and glorify your name. Deliver us from evil, ♪ O come all ye faithful ♪ ♪ Joyful and triumphant ♪ ♪ O come ye, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem ♪ Now entering into our time of giving tithes and offerings. so We thank you for our brothers and sisters. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for the grace that you have given them. We thank you for the ways in which you have encouraged them and blessed them. I pray, Heavenly Father, that we would be encouragement to one another, that we would love one another well. I pray, Heavenly Father, that you would gird us up with strength this week that we need to endure. And I pray, Heavenly Father, that you would give us opportunities for us to proclaim the excellencies of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the hope that is within us. We pray these things in your precious, precious name. This is blessed but not in the bulletin. I'd like to ask our two graduates to come forward. High school graduates, amen. I'd like to Personally, thank both of you for allowing me the privilege, the pleasure of teaching you out of our catechism. That was a wonderful blessing. But I'd also like to thank you for all of your diligence and your work as you went through high school and all of the ups and downs that adolescents can bring, amen? But most of all, we thank God for you. And we wanted to take time to bless you and encourage you. So, let the mothers come up. We have something for you. We thank you for the blessing that they have been to us. We thank you for allowing us to see them grow, to make public professional faith. And we are encouraged at what you will provide them for the next season of their life. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for the fact that we are a community of believers who have been called to love them and to pray for them. And we ask, Heavenly Father, that all of these things would be for your glory, for it is in your precious name we pray. Would you please stand with me now as we sing our doxology which we can find in our hymnal on hymn 731. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him, all creatures, dearly. I just like to remind everyone that if you are able, please stay for our time of That being said, how the God of peace brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, the great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you what is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom we glory forever and ever. Amen.