Sermon Transcript:Thank you guys, thank you guys for being here and trust that you've had a good week as we just celebrate various things in our community around the city. Well, we are in the book of First Peter last week we're in First Peter, chapter one today will be in the first part of First Peter, chapter two. It is the Peter, this is the guy that we think about who is the rock, he is the one who helped, you know, birth, the church, whatever tradition you come from, that we understand that to be true about him. And so we're learning about what he wants to say, to those who are scattered to those who are foreigners, to those who feel broken. We read last week in his intro, just that whole idea that he's talking to all these various churches around the cities of Asia Minor, which is present day, Turkey. And if we feel scattered, if we feel like we're foreigners, that we're living in an age and in a time that we do not control whether it's our own lives, or our own city, our own community, our own nation or world. That's who Peter was talking to. So we'll get right into it. First Peter, chapter two, beginning in verse one. And it says this right here, so get rid of all evil behavior, and how was he able to say that, keep in mind what we talked about last week, it was because of who Jesus is, and what he's done in our lives. You remember last week, we talked about Christ being the Living Hope. That's how we can sing that Christ has all of us in all of our heart this morning, is because for many of us around the room, we have a new identity, we have a new life, because of who Christ is, and what he has done. Jesus is alive, and he made us alive in him. And that makes all the difference. So when they say something like this, so get rid of all the evil behavior. That makes sense. Because when you're on a new path, when you're on a new journey, you put some things away, right? We've all done spring cleaning, where we put some things out of our house, we put them by the curb, and how long do they last by the curb in El Paso. Okay, now very long, right? Because we know we got to put that out of our house. I don't need that junk in my house anymore. Why? Because we're going to put some things on but we got to get rid of all evil behavior be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Now, how are they able to say that, because God has done something in our heart, but it's also able to say that because that's what we've been about. So if we're honest around the room, we'd have to say, man, there's been a time that I've been a deceiver, there's been a time that I've been jealous. There's been a time where I've been a hypocrite, and I've spoken unkindly, to those in my household, my friends, at work at school, wherever. So he's calling us right from the get go. I know you've been there. I know, as your pastor, you've been there. I've been there. He's saying, let's put that away. It's not that we haven't done that before we've done it. We're Guilty as charged. But let's put that away. How are we going to do that? Look at verse two. Because here's what's going on here. Like newborn babes, you must crave pure spiritual milk, so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. And I know as I go around the room, this is what many of y'all want, you'd raise your hands. And that's what I want. I want to grow into what God has for me. I want to experience this resurrection power that I hear about so often. He wants that for you and me, but what's going to be the linchpin what's gonna get us there? It says that we're gonna have to crave the spiritual milk like a baby, I'll give up just so you have this image in your head, right? You're like, I don't need a bottle anymore. Basta. I know how old I am. We've got a few babies scattered throughout here. They got bottles, not me. No, that's where we're at. We need that spiritual milk we need to grow and to be strong. Why? Because he goes on in this passage, he says, We've got to cry out for this nourishment, the spiritual milk window, the next slide will see this in the verses here. Cry out for this nourishment. Now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness. That's what happens when we come to church, or we experience love and fellowship with community or maybe somebody invited you into their home, or you're part of some sort of group. Are you new? Are you around other believers? You're like, Why do I feel strangely warm inside? Why do I feel kindness coming from this individual or how they served me or loved me? This love of Christ, that's what has happened. We need to not just acknowledge as well that's nice that I got that kindness from God right? through other people. God showed me kindness, but it's this whole idea that we have to cry out for this nourishment. And so let's see this next picture. So we can just make sure you understand that this baby's not happy. Why you ever done this before you hold the bottle, like right there. You're not trying to be mean, like you're fumbling around, right? Because I've been there. I've had the baby in my lap and then sometimes they really get going, they get to rock in and all that and so upset, but they're upset because they know there's something good and nutritious and that's being held back from me and so itGod is calling us to cry out for this nourishment, this spiritual nourishment that He has for us. And if we do, what do we end up being? Oh, look at the happy little baby, right? Just have you can't see the smile, but you know it's there, right? Because they're so tiny that at that age, the smile goes right into the bottom. But because what has happened here, just like babies taste and see the Lord's kindness, that's what we are meant to do. One of my favorite songs is Psalm 34, eight it says, taste and see that the Lord is good. That's one aspect of what I do week in and week out, whether it's through word or through worship, or through testimony, or song or whatever that we're saying, Look, see, the Lord is good. First point I wants to see as far as we are to cry out for spiritual milk were to cry out for spiritual milk. It's just like what Jesus talked about in the book of Matthew and what's called the Beatitudes, those blessings. And we'd all raise your hands and say, I want blessing in my life pastor, it says this in Matthew five or six, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled, or they shall be satisfied, right? What is going on there? It's that illustration in the Bible in the scriptures that we know what babies need, we know what babies are like. And spiritually, we are called to be those kinds of men and women. Verse four says this, in that same chapter, 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. Now, one of the things I've got up here is I've got a block, okay, not a brick, but a block. And, you know, there's a, there's a little difference for those you guys that around construction. Now one of things you may or may not know about your pastor is, I didn't come from like, you know, some sort of spiritual lineage, a family or anything like that. And I'm sort of a contractor. And so I don't know what it was like, was you growing up, but when you're the son of someone who has an occupation or trade like that, you're out on the field with them, and you're learning what it is to build a house. And so one of the things that was so important was to have a cornerstone, but you just couldn't go out in the middle of a field and put up a cornerstone, I'm gonna show up the first picture here. So I primarily understood construction in the southeast. And here, we have some some desert, and we also do a lot of slabs. But what I grew up with in the southeastern part of the United States in the 80s, and in the 90s, is we dug footings, okay, and so you'd have somebody come out, and if they come out, you know, a lot of times on Monday morning, they had a really, really nice weekend. And it was hard for them to get moving, you know what I'm talking about here. And so that's what happened. And we would be with the guys and they would, they would dig the footing. And then immediately after that, we would pour the concrete. So if you go to the next picture there, you'll see that we would pour the concrete now, now this, this is a misnomer. Here, I could not find a picture of what it was really like for me to be out on the construction site in the 80s and 90s. First of all, I was six years old out there. Okay, so you see the guy holding little thing. My dad, he didn't give me any helmet. He didn't give me any sort of best, okay? It was when that thing starts swinging, you get out of the way. Okay. And if you fall into the concrete get out, it's like, no, no, I mean, you're gonna help me? No, no, because I'm gonna be busy over here. You fall in the concrete, you get out and a porta potty. I never saw one of those on construction sites, you find someplace to go. Okay. And so this is I could not find they did not take pictures of my participation on the construction site with my family as a child because they would have been taken to jail. Okay. Because because there was no there was no, there was no safety whatsoever. And I should have been at school a lot of times, but Dad would pull you out of school, if someone didn't show up. Because again, they'd had a really, really nice weekend. So you'll know what I'm talking about. So. So that's what what happened that we would be there for pouring the footing. We're still not to the cornerstone yet. If you know anything about building houses, eventuallythe concrete would harden, go to the next picture. And so then we would use these instruments. Okay, now what would happen with these is you had to make sure it was level now we didn't have the fancy ones with the lasers. Okay, now they have the ones where like one person can do is like, BB BB, and we'd have those. Okay, it was me standing there. Again, ignore the hard hats and pitcher somebody a lot shorter. Okay, and so and then you had to remember numbers all the time. She had to keep numbers up in your head. You had to remember the numbers from I don't know why we never bought a pad out. I'm not really sure. So you'll maybe know that if you got some families or uncle's that take you out on the jobsite and say I remember the numbers. You had to remember if it was level and then you had to remember the numbers to make sure it was square. You don't I'm talking about we would take a nail and so you have the concrete like this. And we would put nails into the four corners of the foundation and feelThen we make sure that it was the same distance tag, you know, why do we want to make sure it's the same distance. I know if y'all know this from school, that's how you know it's square. And so we would do that, then we were able to take this block, and we would have a concrete nail right in here. And we would put blocks on there. And we would make sure that the corners, all four corners, the cornerstones, were at the right place, and they were level. And oftentimes you didn't have to take a trial. And you would put the concrete here and you attack down just a little bit to make sure that the corners were square, and they were level so that the guys could come in. And even if it hadn't had too much drink, they could build the block foundation. Now I say all that to say that, we understand that we understand that this is this is rock, this is block, this is dead. But what the Scriptures say about all this is, wait a second, Jesus is a living cornerstone, how in the world does that work? This isn't alive. This isn't vibrant. This is dead concrete. But what the scripture say according to verse four, is that, that in coming to Christ, He is the Living cornerstone of God's temple. Now wait a minute, they would have understood the temple was that place that's built up that has rock you can go to one side of the wall today in Jerusalem, Israel, to the Wailing Wall, which is one part of the wall that got to the temple, they would have said, that's a temple. I know what a building is. I know what a building is when this gets all complete, but you're saying that Christ Himself is a living stone? How is it that rocks or stones live? We know it's true, because he didn't die and go into the grave. He rose again. And he's very much alive for you and me today. But he's building something in your life and in my life, and he's building a foundation. And it's different. It's hard for us to get in our heads because we understand sort of dead rock. But Jesus is telling us he is the living stone. Let's go on further though. Verse five. He goes on to say, not only is he the living stone, you and I are. Notice this jump this leap in verse five, you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you and I are His holy priest, through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God, many of y'all around the room like, I don't know about any of that second part, okay? I can get on board that Jesus is maybe a living stone, I get that He's the Son of God, King of the universe. But me, how am I a living stone? What's true, that's the second point I wants to see this morning. We are living stones, and God is building us up into his spiritual temple. Maybe you've heard this before that, when Jesus came, what he was essentially saying is, you don't have to go to a building, you don't have to go to Jerusalem, you don't have to go to a place to meet God. God now resides in the hearts of men and women. And so when you and I step into any thing, anything into our work into our community, into our homes, into our schools, we are now representative of the king. Why? Because of what God's done in our heart, and he's building us into His spiritual temple. Now, some of you are like, no, no Pastor, I get it, you've got to keep building these blocks all the way up. And then you put bricks on top of that, and eventually you get a house, I get that, because I think I'm on the real, real low rung of all this, okay, I'm just starting out, I'm not even sure I've got the first block or brick or cornerstone. But that's not what he's talking about. Here. He is saying that as soon as you come to Christ, you are endowed. You don't say what endowment is, but you are endowed, you are given you are receiving as Your inheritance all that God has for you and me in Christ Jesus. So that means when you and I don't feel very holy, when you and I don't feel like we're the holy priests, representatives, when you did, I don't think we have any sort of spiritual sacrifices to give to others, much less to God. That's not the point. God is declaring us righteous, even though we might not feel like it's very similar to what Chris was calling us to in that song. Whether you feel like it or not, he is near to you and me, in a very present help in time of trouble. The other thing I want you to see is it's not individualistic, when it says that God is building, go back to the previous slide, if you don't mind for a minute, when he says he is building His spiritual temple, this phrase right here are he said that it exists, that we are the temple of God as soon as we receive Christ, it exists together. So the building block is me and Allah, Sally and Chris, and Joshua and all these different people and Gabrielle and all these people who are around this room being built up together in love. That's the spiritual temple, which is amazing because it means that we are interlocked together, just like walk and just like brickthat is not individualistic. You're not sitting here singing and thinking, Well, me and God got to figure this out. Yes, God is in the picture. But guess what God has given you men and women alongside of you, to walk alongside you in this idea that God is building something here. And that's why we're always calling Do you want to be a part? Do you want to be a part of what God's doing at this local community at this local church? He's offering so much to you and me. Therefore, it leads us into the second point we are living stones, we're not dead stones. God's not done with us. In fact, he's just beginning with us. And he has all kinds of things that he wants to do in your life and in mind, and it's vibrant, just like he has life, that same life that's in Christ Himself is in us, Jesus Christ Himself, the hope of glory. Let's see this continue on the Scriptures. He says, verse six, as the scripture say, We're all in one passage here. 10 verses, Second Peter chapter.I mean, First Peter, chapter two, verses one through 10, as the Scriptures say, I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor. And anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced. Yes, you trust him recognize the honor God has given him but for those who reject Him, the stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. And he is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall, they stumbled, because they do not want to obey God's word. And so they meet the fate that was playing for them. Okay. So again, we understand that, that, that theologically, and practically, those whom Christ came to many rejected him in this day, and in his day, specifically, first his own people, right, just that holiday, he came as a Jewish man. And many Jewish people rejected him some believe, and he's talking now to mainly Gentiles to say, you know how it works. This is a stumbling block to many people, they stumble, because they do not obey God's word. And so they meet the fate that was planned for them. So people who reject Christ, they're not rejecting you and me. They're rejecting God himself, because we don't want to get our lives in line. Because we like what we like, we like our sin, that's what happens. And we'll meet whatever fate was playing for us. But you're not like that. So he's always given us the positives for you. And I going to the next slide, for you are a chosen people we talked about this last week, he uses that same language that he would have used for Israel to talk about the people of God, you are a royal priests. So I don't feel like that I know, the Royal priests is Pastor, I've seen priests and the callers and they have the tower. And they, they go behind the little doors, and they do the little things with. He's saying, listen, that system was broken down to where you and I are now mediators, conduits of God's grace. That's what it means that now the Spirit of God resides in the hearts of men and women, that we can now go out and do what God has for us. We don't need to go between between us and God. So we are all priests in that sense. We are a holy nation, a group of people who love one another. So Israel was existing in the Old Testament, but that was just to be a light to the nations. Now we are able to go to the nations and we are the nation's God's very own possession. You are God's. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He has called you out of darkness into his wonderful life. Isn't that so amazing that we get to now show people, God's goodness, once you had no identity, identity is a big thing. In our day and age, we had no identity as people we were just wandering around. Now we are God's people, once you receive no mercy, now you have received God's mercy is so amazing. This leads to a third point wants to see this point and that you and I can show the goodness of God. Now you might think, man, Pastor, I get it. Maybe it's just easier for you. It's harder for me, you've been walking with Jesus for a long time. And you know, you know a lot of different folks and maybe know a lot different things. And no, no, Hugh and I can show the goodness of God now, do not buy into the lie, that you have to somehow attain some sort of spiritual mark in order to start being about your father's business, you and I can get about the things of God immediately, immediately once we come to Christ. And in fact, we are compelled to do so. And if we don't, our hearts will grow dry. They will grow hard. We have a new identity we have received mercy. So now you and I can show mercy. And I know we struggled to believe that I think maybe in some distant future when I'm older when I'm stronger. Well, I've got a friend I want to introduce to you this morning who didn't wait to get about what God had for him. And so Joshua wants you to come up and adjustment Toronto and he's going to come on up here and and this guy's gonna bring on some souls and, and Josh, thank you so much for being here. You're going to you're going to hear his story about just how he's been able to show the goodness of God in recent days, in the midst of some greatgreat strife. So, Joshua, thank you for being here. So why don't you go ahead and just introduce yourself to us. My name is Josh. Joshua Medrano. Yeah. How long you've been coming to life church. So initially, I started about eight years ago, it has been on and off, went through some tragic stuff there and lost the job loss of friend to an accident. Andobviously, as we go on, a struggle with drinking and alcohol.As I talked to pressure grin, when I first started coming back again, he had put it in, in a sense of where I really didn't grow up in a traditional and religious home. Everything is still new to me.I'm still, you know, trying to jump into the pool of faith. But you know, that's how I initially kind of started with the struggles of those. Yeah. So tell us how long have you been baffled as we're sitting here in October? When did you actually get August 5? I'm sorry. 6/13, August 13? to about two months ago. Yeah, gosh, yeah. So just just months, and just diving all in for Jesus. Now, I appreciate you so much for being here. And I know, it's been a tough week, and I want you to talk a little bit, a little bit about that, and how you've been able to get through it. So again, you know, it was really hard for me, as you can tell, I'm a bigger guy. So growing up, I was a big kid. And it was very, you know, kids can be, you know, tough and mean. And I always felt, you know, alone in you know, out of it, because I wasn't really accepted, you know, at school, and then coming home was kind of tough, but there has always been a constant in my life. And that was my my oldest brother, Hector.He,he had he, you know, he got sick at a very young age and was unable to kind of, you know, get oxygen to the brain. And he, you know, got diagnosed with cerebral palsy and, and many other health impairments, but he was a main constant in my life. He never, you know, I got home, and he was always sitting in his chair. And, you know, I was always able to sit next to him and, you know, put on movies and be able to spend some good time without having to worry about, you know, what was going on at school, or what else was going on in my life as a kid.And he initially was the one that taught me like, what love was, you know, he never obviously could be questioning me, but you know, it just felt, you know, through his own spoken words that, you know, I was loved by Him.And, of course, as he as we grow, he went through some surgeries and procedures, try to, you know, correct his back, or, you know, if he was having trouble breathing,at a point, he had to stop eating, you know, used to mouth freedom, you know, as we grew. There are times where he was, you know, going through some hard times in the hospital, when those were the times where I sat in my bed and later and prayed, prayed to God, again, never really knew him knew, knowing anything other than maybe some basic stories, what have you. And sure enough, you know, you know, even even through the doctors told my mom, you know, this time, he's not gonna probably make it again, they had told her told my mom at a time that he wouldn't even be live past the age of three. You know, at that time, he's already 2025 30You would always come back. And I always knew, you know, God gave me another chance with him. But I, you know, again, I never came to church and never, you know, gave myself to God, you know, I felt selfish and seeing that now. And, like I said, again, as I struggled with my own demons, you know, I went to alcohol for that for that stuff. And I knew that wasn't right either. And so when I lost my my initial friend, he died in an accident. He was one of the first people to kind of show me that love and friendship as well. And one of the main stories I say about that is I remember, you know, getting getting into fun home for the weekend, and then getting stranded in the middle of nowhere. You kind of drunk out of it. And I called him and with no question, he came short slippers, pick me up. And then again, shortly after he had passed away, and I felt empty at that time, and that's when I decided to come. Yeah, that seems to come and then, but then kind of tell us, you know, where we're at today and and kind of what happened in the last 10 to 12 days, and just how we're here right now. So, October 15. I got a call from my sister at 6am. And initially, I knewthey'd never call me.He was rushed to the hospital, spitting out blood and not being able to breathe.And at that time, from again, from what I understand, of course, he hadgone without oxygen for 12 minutes.The human brain shouldn't be going on, shouldn't be going out with the oxygen for at least four minutes. So I initially knew, but I didn't want to accept it, obviously. And through that, through that time, you know, I was at the hospital every day. And I had reached out to the Pastor Brent for some prayers, kind of the first time I ever really reached out to him,and just asked, you know, if anything to help my brother, find peace, because, you know, he's been through pain all his life.And it was tough because I celebrated my birthday on the 19th.And I felt like I didn't have the right to celebrate it, from what was going on, but my family helped me, you know, celebrate it.And then, three days later, on the 22nd, last Sunday, he took his last breath at 1:05am.And I remember my parents coming in and told me and I, again, felt empty and alone, and, but I knew I had to come to church. And I came, I came in my shorts and some Crocs and T shirt, which was, you know, something a little about this churches, you can just come. I think that's what God loves is that you guys just come and no matter how you're dressed, and worship Him for at least the hour that we're here.And then, I mean, I just love you, brother. And one of the things that God was able to do was he was able to use you to really speak into the life of your family and really show the goodness of God I know, you know, again, to this day, your families on big church gum, you know, family, but I was gonna ask you, you know, in light of what we're talking about here, and I'm calling other people to show the goodness of God. Do you feel like like a royal priesthood? A holy person? Oh, no, Ithink I'm perfect at this. I know for sure. Yeah. But um, tell us, you know, and kind of closing, how were you able to share the goodness of God with your family and friends, and I think we have a picture of you at the podium there. And I know you were able to share a little bit about the but the love of Christ and your love for your brother. So share a little about what God allowed you to do this week, just two days ago, to finally we laid them to rest on Friday, the was, I'm sorry, the 27th.The 27th You know, that was something that was really hard for me. And again, be a little try to make it short. But you know, initially, first off, it was familyhad been spending the night at my mom's house since last Sunday. So I was there every day. My brother had rushed in. He's from Stanford, Arizona, seemed that he came within two hours once he found out and then he brought his nephews, home, his kids, my my nephews, being able to be around them and trying to keep my mind off of the things, you know, keeping me young,wanting to play fortnight or playing these games.They helped me initially again, and then moving forward towards the friends you know, I have, I didn't really get any real friends until like seventh grade. Mikey, Eric, Sean and Daniel, to name a few. Even though we you know, through the years, we don't stay connected, or you know, we're handling on our own demons or what have you. They've always been there when when I needed them, or if they need me, I tried to be there.And so they've reached out and obviously, you know, tried to put their things aside to be there for me. And of course, newer friends, like I said, growing up being teased and made fun of, it's really hard for me to trust people, something I'm working on. But my newer friends like Megan, Sabrina, Priscilla,Liz all,the Vall came to show support. Even a friend, Steve came from Austin just to show his respects.You know, just helping me trying to not feel empty. And of course, saving the best for last is the church. You know, again, I took a lot for me to come last Sunday after my brother passed. But I knew I needed to. And I know at that time, Pastor Brent was going through a message and I can't remember right now but it was something to do with even this is happening, you shouldn't stop loving.And that's something that my brother taught me was how to love and how to not judge people or how to you know, be patient and work with things whatever it may have youand even today, I had signed up for preschool that's something I love the kids such as Lucas and Adeline and Charlotte and you know, you guys have amazing kids. They feel my heart they feel my heart of joy becauselike them, I'm learning with them but they don't know that and like teaching, let's teaching them but I know I'm learning.As I try to, you know, learn from the beginning and learn now I'm trying to handle both. And like you saidUh, you know, it's crazy. It was my one of my friends had reached out. And I told him, you know, yeah, I'm getting a little overwhelmed trying to beat them. I want to be alone. But I want I'm going to church and we go and talk. And he said, just like you crazy because he's, he's not really a churchgoer, either, but he said, go through your spiritual solo, which was, you know, and you go over that. And so I thought that was crazy. And,again, Hannah, who's been courageous enough to start a young adult group that I've been trying to go to, she's helped as well, very, you know, you know, she doesn't judge me, you know, I might ask dumb questions, I feel like, but she's always there to answer. So that's been very grateful as well. And then just like today, you know, I know one thing for sure is God does come first, as you said, construction.With any good construction building, you need a good foundation. And that first foundation is God. And as, as if you make that strong, that building that you build will not tip over, even through the hardest of hurricanes. So good. Thank you so much. I want to I want to pray for you and even get into the fact that he bless others. You're not a public speaker, and he got up and I know, he shared this a long time.Yeah, I mean, it's like I said,when I was up there, I was trying to make amends again, with everything. Again, I grew up with a lot of anger and hate. And, you know, again, God has helped me this one is the the first I will be celebrating two years of being sober.Again, knowing, knowing that my brother is in the arms of the Lord helps me because I know, we carry the Lord everywhere we go. And I know I can carry my brother everywhere I go now. And, and again, I'm just happy that he's, he's at peace. He's healthy, you know, and he's with other loved ones that have passed. And I just want to continue to honor him, you know, through love and you know, just to be a better man than I was yesterday. And that's what I try to do every day.That's pretty cool. I'm gonna pray for all guests. Let's Let's pray. Father, I thank you so much for my brother, Joshua. And I just thank you for the courage that it took for him to get up here this week after already spending just so much time pouring out. And Father, I pray that you would just bless his efforts to continue to love You and to know you and to grow in you. Father, I pray for the words that came out of Joshua's mouth that they may penetrate hearts around the room in ways that I can't or even maybe didn't even come straight from scripture, but just came straight from one man's heart to a people. And I thank you that you're moving in this church, that you're not done with us, that you're not done with Joshua, and I pray God's blessing on him. I pray that you bless him even 10 times more tenfold, because of just his love that He has for you. And then he shows for others and of course we ask all of this in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. Amen and Amen.

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