Pearls, Sheep & Coins // This Is How We Change The World
Nothing worthwhile happens by accident—especially the most worthwhile thing: Helping people find the Father, a family, and a fulfilling future. Living each day with Kingdom-minded purpose takes intention and dedication. We must be clear about who we are and what we value if we wish to change the world. At Cornerstone, we know who we are. We rally behind our core values that give us clarity, purpose, and an identity.
This is how we change the world.
We all have preferences, and there is nothing wrong with that.
The issue is when preferences become our primary instead of people.
Just look at Jesus. He sacrificed his privilege and preference to pursue us.
We as a Church will do the same as we pursue people far from God.
Message Notes
Long Live the King
Jesus is our King, and everything we do flows out of that truth.
It’s not about us. It’s about him.
We’re here to make Jesus famous and be coworkers in helping the Lord’s Prayer come to fruition: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.”
Long live the King.
Unity is our Calling Card
Browns fans and Steelers fans. Dog people and Cat people. Republicans and Democrats. There are divisions everywhere, but they have no place in our Church.
In Jesus, we have a God who is “Yes!” and “Amen!” And we too will be known for what we’re for, not what we’re against.
Second-mile Generosity
The Church of Jesus Christ should be the most generous group of people on Earth. We will follow the example of our King, who held back nothing to rescue us.
Our time, talent, and treasure are cheerfully given to expand the Kingdom of God and to impact our communities.
Workers, Not Watchers
Our culture is obsessed with consuming. Consuming products, consuming content, and even consuming church.
But church is not meant to be “consumed.” It’s meant for Contribution. Fulfilling God’s purpose only comes from working on the field, not watching from the sidelines.
Pearls, Sheep & Coins
We all have preferences, and there is nothing wrong with that. The issue is when preferences become our primary instead of people.
Just look at Jesus.
He sacrificed his privilege and preference to pursue us. We as a Church will do the same as we pursue people far from God.
Pearls
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:45-46 NIVThe kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Matthew 13:44“The Kingdom is God’s reign
through God’s people
over God’s place.”
-Jeremy Treat
(The Kingdom of God in Eight Words TGC)
Step One: Repent
“Literally a change of mind, not about individual plans, intentions or beliefs, but rather a change in the whole personality from a sinful course of action to God.”
-Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
There are no “rich” people who can keep their possessions and enter the Kingdom.
Sheep
What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
Matthew 18:12-14 NIVSee that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
Matthew 18:10 NIVIf your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.
Matthew 18:15-20 NIV
Step 2: Reconcile
In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
We value people over the need to be right.
Coins
Step 1: Repent
Step 2: Reconcile
Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Luke 15:8-10 NIV
Step 3: Rejoice
In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, "Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!”
”My son, the father said, "you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”
Luke 15:28-32 NIV
We all have preferences, and there is nothing wrong with that. The issue is when preferences become our primary instead of people.
Just look at Jesus. He sacrificed his privilege and preference to pursue us.
We as a Church will do the same as we pursue people far from God.