The weekly sermon preaching from Cornerstone Gospel Church, Frankston http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon&seed_title=Sermon+Homepage en-au © 2012 Cornerstone Gospel Church Preaching Jesus Christ: The Firm Foundation Cornerstone Gospel Church Pastor Lionel Letcher of Cornerstone Gospel Church in Frankson, Victoria, Australia preaches through the Bible, verse by verse. Jesus, Exposition, Preaching, Bible, Christ, Teaching, Sermon, Conservative, Theology, God Cornerstone Gospel Church webmaster@cgc.org.au clean Mark 6:1-6 God has patience towards humanity. He is not willing that any should perish, but is long-suffering towards us. We see in our text Jesus returning to His hometown to again preach His message, and again He is rejected. The people of the town wonder how He could teach with such authority, especially since His birth had been under such a scandalous circumstance. 35:54 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fnot-willing-that-any-should-perish&seed_title=Not+Willing+That+Any+Should+Perish Sun, 13 May 2012 10:25:00 +0000 Mark 5:21-43 Notice the contrast between the crowds in chapter 5. On one side of the sea the people wanted Jesus to depart. On the other, a great crowd gathered and thronged around Him. We see from later recounts that the reason for the throng was usually selfish – they were just coming to get something from Christ. This passage speaks of two different healings, for two people who could not have been more different. The first, Jairus, was a ruler of the synagogue; the second was an unnamed woman who would have been ostracised from the community as she was deemed unclean. So it is for us in our lives today. Regardless of our status and position, we all have the same need which can only be resolved in the same way: we all need salvation from our sins, and that only comes through repentance and faith in Jesus. We cannot buy our salvation as some teach. We cannot earn our salvation through works as others teach. We must all humble ourselves, regardless of our position in life, and come to Him broken, asking for His forgiveness. The question is where are you in the picture? Are you in the throng, hanging around Jesus and seeing what He will do for you; or are you seeking Him, pressing through the crowd to get a hold of Him? Are we seeking to touch the Lord, or waiting to be touched by Him? 45:03 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Freaching-out-to-jesus&seed_title=Reaching+Out+To+Jesus Sun, 06 May 2012 10:24:01 +0000 Mark 5:1-20 There seem to be two extremes in the “church” around the understanding of the spiritual realm. We see many who discount anything to do with spirits, and many others who claim ridiculous activities being given by the Holy Spirit. These views also influence the understanding of demonic activity. Ironically, most of the information circulating in christendom around demons is demonically inspired. It is important for us to gain an understanding as to what is the Biblical portrayal of demonic activity. Firstly we know from the kingdom parables we have just studied that there is demonic activity that goes on around us. There is a strategy in place against Christ and His Church. Let us be clear, however. There is no biblical support for the theory that Christians can be possessed by a demon: logically, why would (or could) a demon inhabit a believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit? 52:30 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fdemons-in-the-church&seed_title=Demons+in+the+Church Sun, 29 Apr 2012 08:21:48 +0000 Mark 4:35-41 Tests of our faith can arise out of the everyday experiences of our life. When Jesus told the disciples to cross over the Sea of Galilee, it was nothing out of the ordinary for them. As fishermen their livelihoods had been dependant upon their ability to sail boats. They would have experienced the storms before, so it is poignant that they were afraid for their lives. We also need to remember that this experience occurred on the same day that Jesus taught them the parables we have just read. What we see it the disciples being tested on the teaching they had learnt during the day. In rebuking the disciples for their lack of faith Jesus was pointing to them the state of the soil of their hearts. Are trials bad for us? The world would have us think so. However James exhorted us to “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4) Where the world tries to avoid pain, suffering and trials, as Christians we can rejoice in the trials for by them God will increase our faith and our trust in Him. 49:50 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fthe-voice-of-authority&seed_title=The+Voice+of+Authority Sun, 22 Apr 2012 08:20:04 +0000 Mark 4:26-32 In understanding these parables of the Kingdom, we need to remember the idioms that Jesus explained to the disciples. The seed is the Word of God and the soil is the hearts of men. We also need to remember that all these parables in Mark 4 were spoken on the same day, so the precepts that were learnt in the earlier ones would have been fresh in the minds of the hearers for the later parables. How are we sowing the seed of the word in the world? Are we sowing the seed into the hearts of those who God has brought into our lives? We must not stoping with sowing the seed once the seed has sprung up. As part of making disciples, we must continue to plant the seed of the word in the life of believers. 54:20 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fsowing-the-seed&seed_title=Sowing+the+Seed Sun, 15 Apr 2012 04:18:25 +0000 Matthew 21:33-46 In the parable of the vineyard owner, Jesus begins by quoting Isaiah 5:2 and the proceeds to deeply humiliate the religious leaders by promising the vineyard/Israel to unclean gentiles. Which Paul discusses in Col 1:26-27 then citing examples of humility in Luke 3:15-22 at Jesus’ baptism then seeing how both Humility & Humiliation meet at the cross and some other stuff about God’s covenant with Abram (Gen 15: 7-18) and how it shows that God alone will keep his promise 89:24 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Ftopical%2Fhumility-humiliation&seed_title=Humility+%26amp%3B+Humiliation Sun, 08 Apr 2012 05:40:42 +0000 Mark 4:21-34 Mark makes the point that Jesus taught them as they were able to hear it, which was in parables. The intention was to teach the multitude at a level that they could understand. Privately however He went into more detail and explained everything. How do we reconcile this with the quote of Jesus a few verses previous that the reason for the parables were to hide knowledge from some? The knowledge of God that we are given is not to be kept and hidden. It is to be shared far and wide. If we do not share it however, what little knowledge we have will be taken away. Our hearts will become hardened to the truth of God. 38:38 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fare-you-a-hearer-of-the-word-of-god&seed_title=Are+You+a+Hearer+of+the+Word+of+God%3F Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:32:24 +0000 Mark 4:1-20 As believers we can often get caught up in the ‘cares of the world.’ When this happens our focus moves from God and His glory to our own selfish motivations and desires. We are called to have an eternal focus, but too many Christians have a greater focus on the current world. We also need to be careful that we do not forget about the current world. Our understanding of eternity should shape how we operate in this world. One major area that can show our focus is our finances. We must not be controlled by money, however we should also not be blasé about wealth. We are called to be stewards of the resources that God gives us. It is not about how much money we do or do not have, but about how we use it. We do you draw your pleasure? Is God enough for you? Are you satisfied with the provision that God has given you? Where is your mind during Church and prayer? Is it on God, or does it get distracted on other, worldly things? This is not a test of your salvation, is an indication of how our walk is progressing. As Christians we should all be bearing fruit–not through our own work, but through God working in us. We need to guard the soil of our hearts to ensure that we are always responding correctly. 57:23 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fkeeping-my-heart-tender-part-two&seed_title=Keeping+My+Heart+Tender+%28Part+Two%29 Sun, 25 Mar 2012 10:29:48 +0000 Mark 4:1-20 What kind of a hearer of the Scriptures are you? Jesus taught so many more people than the disciples who followed him. We have examples of thousands of people gathering together to hear Jesus preach. We also see that many of them did not endure through the trials of Jesus’ death. Our modern churches seem to be very similar. There are many who come to church on a regular basis but they fall away at the mere sign of trouble, or the cares of the world choke their testimony. What is the difference between two believers, one whom God is using dramatically and another who God is not? It is not intelligence or skill. It is the tenderness of their heart before God. It is their willingness to submit to the council of God’s word. It is the preparation of the soil of the heart that dictates how God can use us. So how have you prepared your heart? Is it tender and broken or hard and dry? 57:18 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fkeeping-my-heart-tender-part-one&seed_title=Keeping+My+Heart+Tender+%28Part+One%29 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 08:59:51 +0000 Mark 4:1-20 At this stage in Jesus’ ministry, the Pharisees are looking for any excuse to incite the mob to take Him down. For this reason Jesus started teaching in parables to cloak the meaning of what He was teaching. It is often taught that the soil into which the sower sows the seed is our hearts. It is however more than this. We also fulfil more roles in the parable than many often teach. We are not just the recipients of the seed, but also once saved we should be sowers ourselves. The sower simply sows the seed of the Word of God, and as Christians one of our callings is to be evangelists–preaching the Word of God to the unsaved. Additionally, many have taught that this parable is simply about salvation. Since we are not made perfect at salvation, we are being made perfect through the Word of God. As a Christian our response to the Word brought in correction can be handled in the same way that the salvation message is accepted or rejected by the unsaved. Sometimes a persons response can be an indication of their status with God–they haven’t truly been saved. But for those who have been saved we can respond incorrectly to areas in our life which are not essential for salvation. The modern methods of ‘evangelism’ have a lot to answer for. Rather than preaching the truth of the Word of God and the whole council of God, too many ‘churches’ have gone down the road of easy believism. They preach a prosperity gospel which promises everyone to be happy, healthy and wealthy. And then when the trial Jesus promised come along they run from their profession. It is not just the bad churches who have this issue. Many good churches are filled with stony-ground hearers. The question is how we react when the Word of God shows us an area than needs work in our lives. Do we resist the change, or are we submitted to His Word completely. 48:52 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fthe-soil-and-the-seed&seed_title=The+Soil+and+the+Seed Sun, 11 Mar 2012 10:56:27 +0000 Mark 3:20–30 When the Pharisees were accusing Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebul, they were trying to denigrate him as much as possible. Beelzebul (or Beelzebub) was the god of the dung heap. The accusation was really just an outworking of their religious heart – because Jesus challenged their authority, He could not be the Messiah, for surely they were correct. Jesus’ response to the accusation was simple: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” As we look at what Jesus had done to this point, we can marvel at how the Pharisees reached this conclusion. Jesus had been healing and delivering people from their bondage, all in accordance to the Scriptures. The problem was their pride – since they were convinced that they were right and above the sinners and tax collectors, then they must have been closer to God. The call of Christ challenged their pride, for it is a call for all of us to humble ourselves before Him. In their attempt to keep their pride, they had to discount the undeniable, simple truth that stood before them. 44:35 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fthe-unpardonable-sin&seed_title=The+Unpardonable+Sin Sun, 04 Mar 2012 10:58:52 +0000 Mark 3:13-19 Jesus had a greater ministry than just to teach to the crowds. He also would withdraw to provide a more intimate teaching of His disciples. The purpose of this was to set in place the structure by which His message would go out once He had been to the cross. Jesus was aware that most of the crowds were simply shallow followers. Because of this Jesus took the time to impart deeper revelation into those who would take His message out and upon whom the growth of the church would be led by. 39:54 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fthe-selection-of-the-twelve&seed_title=The+Selection+of+the+Twelve Sun, 19 Feb 2012 06:16:15 +0000 Mark 2:23-3:12 There has been an upsurge of legalism witching the church in modern times. Legalism has always been a problem, even from the early church times. Why is this? What compels the church to put themselves under law when they should be preaching the Gospel of grace? Legalism is a powerful stinging force which seeks to fill areas of lack in a believers heart. It is usually rooted in pride and allows the adherent to minimize the areas of failing by pointing to the areas of compliance. It seems to be our natural bent to head towards legalism. The only way we can combat this is to be in the Word of God, communing with Him and learning His precepts. So what is the purpose of the law? The law is not for salvation, but to show us out need of salvation. It is intended to drive us to the knowledge of Christ and His salvation. The law is there to condemn us, that we may know our need of the Gospel as our salvation. 49:27 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fthe-onslaught-of-legalism&seed_title=The+Onslaught+of+Legalism Sun, 12 Feb 2012 07:29:30 +0000 Mark 2:18-22 It often seems we try to push our convictions upon others. Whether it is the amount of time we spend in prayer, or the number of chapters of the Bible we read a day, we have a tendency to think others should do at least what we do ourselves. Our life as a Christian is to be joyous. This will not come out of legalistic practices. We should be doing good works, but they should flow from a desire to please God in response to His salvation. This is the Fruit of the Spirit flowing out in our lives. When challenged on the fasting of His disciples, Jesus’ response was to point out that what He was teaching was incompatible with what the Pharisees were teaching. The Pharisees had distorted and reshaped the original teaching of the Torah and had introduced doctrines of man above those of God. Conversely, in the church today, we are not to try and make the church look like Israel. 54:09 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fthe-friends-of-the-bridegroom&seed_title=The+Friends+of+The+Bridegroom Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:50:06 +0000 Mark 2:18-22 Mark 2:17 is one of the key statements around the Gospel. Until we recognize our own need for a savior, we will not want anything to do with the One who came to save us. As Christians we are called to preach the Gospel to all men, and to those who respond we are to train them as disciples of Christ. Fasting is one of the topics in the Bible that gets abused. The world tells us that there are many benefits for your health to encourage fasting. As a Christian, we need to form our understanding about why we should fast from the Bible and not from the world’s opinion. Our fasting is to be to humble ourselves before God so that He could work in our lives to change and mold us. Our fasting should flow from a natural desire to draw closer to Christ and experience His love more. Too many people fast out of ritual and habit, which can lead to it being a pious ritual. This was the attitude that the Pharisees had in their fasting. They would go around looking ashen faced and disheveled to show to the world that they were fasting. Jesus condemned this attitude by stating that these people had their reward already. When Jesus was challenged over why His disciples were not fasting, His response highlights the reason for fasting. He responds that His disciples cannot fast while they are celebrating. But the time will come when the celebration will turn to mourning. At this time fasting will become not only appropriate, but needed. 49:16 clean http://cgc.org.au/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=Sermon+Podcast&seed=%2Fsermon%2Fmark%2Fthe-bridegroom&seed_title=The+Bridegroom Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:54:04 +0000