Sermon Tone Analysis

TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE WHEN PUTTING SOMETHING TOGETHER

People who religiously follow instructions

People who throw the instructions away before starting

I am a very big instructions person.

So much so that even if the instructions are wrong I will keep going cause that's what the instructions said.

[GRILL STORY, END OF INSTRUCTIONS]

YOU SEE SOME INSTRUCTIONS LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE YOU ARE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

ONLY TO CHANGE THE RULES AT THE END.

This is what the world is like.

When you look to culture for your instructions you end up with pieces in the wrong place.

When you follow social media for your instructions you will be left laking what you really needed.

When you look to society for your instructions, they may even say to just throw away the instructions.

Trust your feelings.

Go where you feel you should go, put it together how you feel it needs to be put together.

Shape your life based on what you feel today and if it changes tomorrow so be it.

But I came to tell you today that Jesus has the real instructions for your life.

He has the real plan.

one that will never leave you lacking.

But right now we are living in a world that tells you the opposite.

Tells your kids the opposite.

We are even living in a time where there are churches and believers who have bought into this lie.

It has infiltrated churches, small groups, christian books and podcasts.

That Jesus is no longer the cornerstone you should align your life to.

They may not say it out loud or explicitly.

But they live it.

They breathe it.

and they want you to buy into it.

Church we have to stand up for the fact that Jesus is meant to be the cornerstone for our lives.

Not because it's one of the best options, or an option that could help your life but because He is worthy of it.

Because it is THE option.

Who or what is the cornerstone of your life?

The apostle Peter was one of the boldest most outspoken people in the Bible especially after the resurrection.

If you remember, Peter is the one who denied Jesus.

But peter let his past fuel him into his future.

He took that past and used it to make him even more bold.

In fact he preaches the very first church sermon ever at the very first church gathering ever.

At it his sermon goes like this "yall killed Jesus.

you were wrong.

God raised him.

You should follow him" and 3000 people get saved.

Afterwards he goes on to write 1 & 2 Peter and in 1 Peter chapter 2 he writes about putting Jesus as the cornerstone of your life.

He wants them to know who they are following.

What it really means to follow Jesus.

He wants them to be real followers.

Like when people move to the south you gotta become southern.

You want to be a real tennessean then you have to be ready to wear a hoodie and shorts in the same day sometimes because the weather is as bipolar as your neighbor.

You really wanna be southern you gotta get ready for college football season.

If you have not been in a southern state in the fall you have not really experienced fall.

If you prefer unsweet tea we will pray for you because that's not really southern.

So Peter is looking out for these people and wanting them to know what it means to really follow Jesus and here is what he says.

1 Peter 2:4 (NLT) — 4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple.

He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.

Peter wants them to know that if you are going to follow Jesus then you need to understand that He alone is the Cornerstone. of what?

Of everything.

A cornerstone was the first stone laid.

When you were building a new building it was the reference point. in fact, many older buildings you can see in the corner a large brick that is a different color sometimes and often inlaid or engraved with the date the building was built, who built it etc.

This stone would be used as a reference point for the rest of the building.

Every stone laid would reference that stone to make sure it was on track.

To make sure it was level.

To make sure it was in the correct position so that the entire building could be even, level, settled correctly.

able to withstand weight, and weather and time.

You are building your life on something.

The question is what are you building your life on?

Because only one foundation is able to truly keep you steady.

Your favorite social media influencer wont be there for you when your life crumbles.

Your favorite tv show cant put your marriage back together.

Your favorite politician cant bring your kids back to the faith your raised them in.

Only Jesus can be the foundation that changes everything.

ARE YOU LOOKING TO THE WORLD FOR SOMETHING ONLY JESUS CAN DO?

We have an entire generation that is looking to the world to do what only Jesus can do.

They are looking for hope, for identity, for purpose, for meaning.

And these are things that only Jesus can truly bring.

YOU SEE WHEN JESUS IS YOUR CORNERSTONE IT CHANGES THINGS.

When Jesus is my cornerstone it changes who i date, why I date, how I date.

It changes where I go, what I say, what I do.

It changes my priorities, it changes my influences.

It changes who I allow into my life.

It changes who I allow to influence my life.

It changes everything.

Because im trying to line up my life with the cornertone.

And anything that throws me off has to be cast aside.

You've got to understand as well that people will not like that you have Jesus as your cornerstone.

They wont.

It will cause conflict.

It will cause some struggle.

it will create some friction.

Because people may not understand why you wont do what they do.

Why you do things they dont do.

Why you value things they dont value.

Why you dont value what they value.

Why your standard is higher.

But we are not here for the approval of man but to hear "well done good and faithful servant"

JESUS ISN'T JUST WANTING YOU TO BUILD YOUR LIFE ON HIM WITH HIM AS THE CORNERSTONE.

HE WANTS TO BUILD SOMETHING WITH YOU!

1 Peter 2:5 (NLT) — 5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.

What’s more, you are his holy priests.

Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.

You are living stones that Jesus is placing carefully to build something that cannot be shaken.

That cannot be moved.

Building something that can change everything.