1 Peter 4

Living For God

10/02/2016

We continue our study in 1 Peter.

We have been promised salvation and called to live a holy life, Chapter 1. 1 Peter 1:5

We have been informed that we, as believers, are now considered God’s chosen people. 1 Peter 2:9

We are to live “honorable lives.” 1 Peter 2:15

We were also taught to how to live while under authority in Chapters 2 and 3. 1 Peter 2:13; 1 Peter 3:1; 1 Peter 3:7

In Chapter 3 we also read about “Suffering for doing good.” 1 Peter 3:17

1 Peter 4:1-3 We need to steel our hearts to be willing to suffer physical pain for our faith.

Until we are “anxious to do the will of God”…We will never move forward.

“You cannot rebuke a devil that you continuously grant access to your life.” - T.D. Jakes

“When Christ calls a man He bids him come and die.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

How many of those people in our pasts mock us for our choices? GOOD! You are in line with Scripture! 1 Peter 4:4

They may mock you but remember God is protecting us by His strength, they will have to answer for that. 1 Peter 4:5-6

We need to continue to be that light for them. We need to continue to display the Good News. We need to show the impact that God has had on our lives. We need to continue to be anxious to do the will of God. 1 Peter 4:7-9

There are many Spiritual Gifts, but Peter only uses a couple for examples here. 1 Peter 4:10-11

The Vision of this church is: “To transform the spiritual landscape of Lolo, Mt. and beyond by fulfilling the Great Commission.”

How are we doing as a church?

How are we doing as individuals?

How are we living for God?

1 Peter 4 Cont’d

Rejoice In Your Sufferings

10/09/2016

This sounds like such a contradictory concept. Our flesh is so against this line of rationale.

Be happy while suffering? 1 Peter 4:12-13

Why do Christians get so shocked when they face troubles?

Can I suggest that our focus is not on the right thing? Ephesians 6:12-13 Our spirits can take us far beyond what our flesh will want to endure. Mark 14:38; Romans 5:1-4; James 1:2-8

Why are these passages so important to understand as we go about our daily lives?

They are important because they help us get our mind right. James 1:4

Don’t be in such a hurry to get out of your trial that you don’t learn anything from it.

Let that trial work on you, as you study it.

See, when we understand the passages in Ephesians, the passage in Romans and the passage in James, we can face the day to day trials that come our way with a different attitude.

When we have prepared for the spiritual battle, the battle of the flesh is easier. 1 Peter 4:14-16; Acts 5:40-42

Christian, we have to get it right, in here! At church! 1 Peter 4:17-19

Hey, we owe it to each other to knock the dust off, stick a band-aid on and send you out for more. We need to be showing off our battle scars!

We need to armor up and live Acts 5:41. How different would life be?

Mark Roman is a life-long student of science, evolutionary theory and eventually Creationism. Listen in as Mark walks us through an overview of the theory of Evolution and then Creationism. He'll then walk through powerful examples of how society has eroded as we have talk our youngsters that life really has no meaning outside of the here and now.

1 Peter 3

Instructions For Living

09/18/2016

Are we living “honorably?”

1 Peter 3:1-2

Wives, daughters, you need to hear this! 1 Peter 3:3-6

Now for the husbands. 1 Peter 3:7

“Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.”

Are you giving your wife honor?

1 Peter 3:8-12

Are we living honorable lives?

Here’s a better question… What do you lose by living an honorable life? 1 Peter 3:13-17

But here is the exciting part of today’s message. 1 Peter 3:18

Christ suffered. He suffered in a bad way. But He did so because He wants to do what?

Bring us “safely home to God.”

We have seen over and over in 1 Peter about how God’s intention is that we get to spend eternity with Him!

We read about an “inexpressible joy” or being “truly glad” while suffering because of what?

A “wonderful joy” that comes from being saved!

We serve a living Savior! 1 Peter 3:18

Where did He go from His burial? 1 Peter 3:19-22

Scholars have differing ideas on what vs. 19-21 mean.

But if you cut out all of the discussion of whether Jesus went and preached or not, there is one fact that remains undebated… He is alive! And He is seated “in the place of honor next to God.”

Amen?

Amen!

1 Peter 2

God’s Chosen People

09/04/2016

Welcome:

Last week we discussed that we have been called by God to a life of holiness. 1 Peter 1:16

Today, we are going to look God’s Word, and what it says about who we are.

We are “God’s Chosen People!”

I am not speaking about a replacement theology type of “Chosen” that title was given to the nation of Israel, but we are a new people who get to partake of the promises God gave to them because of Christ’s death on the cross. Ephesians 2:11-15; 1 Peter 2:1

The NLT says to “get rid of.” The NIV says to “rid yourselves of.” The NKJV says to “lay aside.”

1 Peter 2:2-3; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter 2:4-5; John 14:12

We are “God’s Chosen People!” 1 Peter 2:6; Matthew 21:44; 1 Peter 2:9-10

We are “God’s Chosen People!” 1 Peter 2:11-12

1 Peter 1

A Call to Holiness

08/28/2016

We are living: “A Call to Holiness.” (NLT); “Living Before God Our Father” (NKJV); “Be Holy” (NIV)

1 Peter 1:13-16 We are told that we “must live” as “obedient children.”

I want to encourage you, young folks, of a life that you can have. An Enoch life. Genesis 5:21-24 Enoch epitomized the passage in 1 Peter and so much so that God swept him up. 1 Peter 1:15-16

Have you ever heard the saying that we should take everything to the Lord in prayer before doing it?

They we laugh it off like, “that’s nuts! Why would you take everything to God?” It demonstrates a lifestyle of “walking in close fellowship with God.”

WHAT DO we know of holy? WHAT CAN we know of holy? If we don’t spend any time with Holy.

1 Peter 1:17-20

We need a healthy dose of reverence for the God who sent His one and only Son. Matthew 10:28; 1 Peter 1:21-23

If you are sitting here today and you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you do not get to partake in this promise of salvation, but you will still be judged according to what we just read.

God does not play favorites.

It is the precious blood of Christ that cleans you and covers you.

So when God looks at you, He sees the blood of His Son in your place.

1 Peter 1:24-25

We are told that we told that we are foreigners in this life.

Here we are also told that we are like grass and flowers that wither and fade.

Jesus called Himself the living water.

We are to water our lives with Him as our source, daily.

We are to grow and be beautiful plants of our Savior.

We are to live and walk in close fellowship with God.

We are to be holy, because He is holy!

1 Peter 1

The Promised Reward of Salvation

08/21/2016

Welcome:

1 Peter was believed to have been penned in the early 60s A.D. while Peter was in Rome. He died either 64 or 65 AD by being hung upside down on a cross.

Christianity at that time up to this had been called a “religio licita” or “permitted religion” since it was so close to Judaism in its origins.

Christians were tortured and put to death under Nero.

So, naturally those in the church became scared of what was to lie in store for them.

So Peter was not writing about some hypothetical persecution.

He knew what the churches were dealing with 1st hand.

In fact, he was a victim of the persecution that he wrote about.

1 Peter 1:1-12

Who were they? God’s choses people.

What were they? Foreigners.

Why would it be by God’s great mercy that we are born again? Isaiah 64:6; John 6:44

1 Peter 1:6; Hebrews 12:1-2

We have to embrace the suffering, the hardships, the lack, the fear, the confusion, the anger, the pain knowing that in the end, there is a greater reward than anything we could imagine!

None of us are walking in uncharted territory when it comes to conflict or persecution.

Jesus is our standard bearer.

He has already suffered, even to the point of giving His life.

So don’t give up!

Be encouraged!

Don’t become weary and give up!

Hebrews 12:3-4

Matthew 6:1

A four-part series on the Kingdom of Heaven by Pastor Chuck Keller of Cornerstone Church of Lolo, MT.

Kingdom of Heaven

How Much Do You Value It?

08/14/2016

Welcome:

We are in the 4th and final message in the series: “The Kingdom of Heaven.”

“The Kingdom of Heaven, How Much Do You Value It?”

Matthew 6:9-13

What is “Your kingdom”? Heaven.

What do we want with God’s Kingdom? To come

We are asking God to bring heaven down to earth.

Where would God’s kingdom dwell? On earth but where? In the church.

Colossians 1:13-14

Matthew 6:31-34; Mark 4:30-32

Let’s look at a couple of additional Scripture passages regarding the Kingdom of Heaven and how it applies to God’s church. Matthew 13:44; Matthew 6:45-46

“The Kingdom of Heaven, How Much Do You Value It?”

Matthew 8:11-12 warns us “church folk” of taking church for granted. Matthew 8:11-12

Luke 9:60; Hebrews 10:23-25; Matthew 6:10

“The Kingdom of Heaven, How Much Do You Value It?”

A four-part series on the Kingdom of Heaven by Pastor Chuck Keller of Cornerstone Church of Lolo, MT.

Kingdom of Heaven

Who’s Gettin’ In?

08/07/2016

John 3:1-21 – Jesus and Nicodemus

John 3:3-4

We’ll come back to this.

Here we have an intellect trying to wrap his head around how one becomes born again and look at what his rationale is… ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

Why do we do this as adults? 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

This is confirmed in Jesus’ responses toward children. Matthew 18:1-4; Matthew 19:13-14

So you may be wondering how this relates to Nicodemus? Matthew 11:25

Turn back to John 3 Vs. 6

It is so simple a child can understand.

They have the blind faith to trust what mommy or daddy or most grownups have to say.

Nicodemus’ reply was…

John 3:9 “How can this be?” (NIV)

John 10-21; Eph. 2:8-9

We have to realize that once we become born again, once we receive the free (to us) gift of God our lives should be different. Matthew 7:13-14

We don’t get to take days off from being a Christian! 2 Peter 1:3-11 a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (NIV)

God made it so simple yet sometimes so hard.

When is the last time you entered the world of a child?

When is the last time you wanted something so bad you did not care what others thought about you?

God wants you to have that kind of abandon when it comes to believing in Him.

Can we celebrate the fact that God has delivered us from our own path of death and destruction?

Can we celebrate that we are heaven bound?

A four-part series on the Kingdom of Heaven by Pastor Chuck Keller of Cornerstone Church of Lolo, MT.

Kingdom of Heaven

Who’s Gettin’ In?

07/31/2016

Welcome:

We are in the 2nd message of this 4 part series on the “Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 6:10

Let’s start with the things that God hates. Proverbs 6:16-19

Genesis 1:26 “We are the visible representation of an invisible God.”

Why do we not like those attributes? Because God does not like those attributes!

1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-7

How many of us saw bits of ourselves in any of these verses?

That should scare us to the foot of the cross!

“We are the visible representation of an invisible God.”

What are people seeing from the church?

Matthew 6:10; Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:57-62

“We are the visible representation of an invisible God.”