This Rejected Stone is the Lord's Doing - Santosh Poonen - January 27, 2019
http://rlcfchurch.org/this-rejected-stone-lords-doing River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The sermon emphasizes that God's work is focused on wholehearted individuals, not entire nations or families, drawing parallels to the call to leave behind one's former life for Zion, the true Church of God. The speaker distinguishes between Babylon—a religious system mixed with worldly concerns like money and power—and Zion, urging believers to discern this difference. True discipleship requires a complete allegiance to Christ, rejecting worldly attachments.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
God calls a remnant, not whole nationsGod looks for wholehearted people rather than entire nations, calling individuals out of worldly systems just as Lot left Sodom.
Recognizing the Babylonian religious systemJeremiah prophesied about New Covenant shepherds, contrasting true spiritual gatherings with Babylon, which mixes religious talk with money, business, and power.
Drawing lines against worldly religiosityThe church must stand against the spirit of Babylon and false apostles who possess religious language but lack true submission and surrender to Christ.
Honoring God's appointed spiritual authorityThe speaker shares his testimony of being called to leadership by God rather than human ordination, urging believers to support God-given authority rather than rebel.
This is the Lord's doingThe speaker introduces Psalm 118, focusing on the declaration that the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone is the marvelous work of the Lord.
Seeing God's hand when rejection hits square in the faceWhen painful rejection or job loss happens, our natural reaction is to blame others, but faith requires us to see God's hand and call His work marvelous.
A testimony of faith amid difficult newsEven when a church family receives devastating news, true faith produces a song of triumph rising through the tears, recognizing God is at work.
Fixing your eyes on Jesus against the devil's tricksThe devil uses difficult circumstances and trials to make believers doubt God's love, but we must keep our eyes fixed firmly on Jesus.
His loving kindness is everlastingThe psalmist calls all nations to give thanks to the Lord because His loving kindness is great and everlasting towards His people.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in manEven if completely forsaken by family and friends, taking refuge in God is far better than relying on human help or earthly princes.
Cutting off the enemies of the fleshJust as armies surrounded the psalmist, lusts like fear, anxiety, worry, and bitterness surround us, but we can cut them off in the name of the Lord.
Disciplined severely but not given over to deathSevere discipline through difficult circumstances and daily frustrations is proof of God's love, and though we face trials, we will not die but live to declare His works.
