Pet Rocks

Lay down your rock

Hand out or had the ushers pass out stones to each person in the church.

ILL>>> Pet rock, rock hound, quartz, silver, arrowhead

An elementary school , recently had a problem with students throwing rocks. The principal made an announcement over the intercom warning students that anyone caught throwing rocks would be taken home by him personally. Later that day, during afternoon recess, a teacher admonished a kindergartner for throwing a rock.

"Didn’t you hear what the principal said this morning?!" the teacher said in disbelief.

"Yeah," replied the proud lad, grinning from ear to ear. "I get to go home in the principal’s car!"

Jim Taylor in Currents tells the following story about his friend, Milton:

One morning Milton woke up at five o’clock to a noise that sounded like someone repairing boilers on his roof. Still in his pajamas, he went into the back yard to investigate. He found a woodpecker on the TV antenna, "pounding its little brains out on the metal pole." Angry at the little creature who ruined his sleep, Milton picked up a rock and threw it. The rock sailed over the house, and he heard a distant crash as it hit the car. In utter disgust, Milton took a vicious kick at a clod of dirt, only to remember--too late--that he was still in his bare feet.

I. People need the church

John 8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.

A. A place where people care about you

ILL>>> Care measurements, Care contacts, Can we say, “Cuthbert we care about you?”

B. A place where people are contacted regularly

ILL>> Human contact is life or death to us all.

C. A place where people can commit to serve

Think for a moment how quickly technology is transforming our world. I think in my own life what has come to pass; inventions like the Microwave Oven, VCR’s, DVD’s, and the personal home computer. People can live their whole life without talking to a neighbors or family.

In today’s society the reality is not as important as the relationships.

The people are more important than the place.

People are looking for a sense of community or belonging. Something to hold on to.

You see relationships have an amazing potential to transform our lives for better or for worse. “It takes people to make people sick, and it takes people to make people well.”

Throughout the History of the church great revivals led by the power of the Holy Spirit created and began within the spirit of community.

Psalm 133:1 says; “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!”

In the book of Acts we read; “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their numbers daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:44-47)

The very nature of God fills this longing for community. This spiritual bond of brotherhood found in being a Christian.

Today I want to share with you two spiritual elements that people need from Christ.

These are life or death issues for the church.

Only these things will bring us into unity with one another and help us grow spiritually.

So what are these two vital elements that people need from Christ.

II. People need Christ

3Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5“Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”6This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.

A. We need the truth from Christ

(John 14:6 KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

1 The truth was - she deserved death

a. by law

The truth was that this woman was a sinner, she had been caught in the act, she had violated God’s law and deserved death.

(Deu 22:22 KJV) If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.