Cornerstone Message Podcast

The start of a new series on the opening scene of the book of Revelation. Most people when reading Revelation are asking the question, "When?" Revelation focuses on "Who?" We'll address both questions in this series and discover that the answers to both questions are always relevant *now*.

When is a gift not a gift? Maybe it was given with a sense of obligation; the giver felt a gift was necessary or expected. Or maybe it felt more like manipulation, as though the giver was more interested in getting something from you than for you. These situations are unfortunate at best. When they carry over into our relationship with God, they can be tragic. In today’s addendum to the Advent season, we’ll see how to set aside guilt and entitlement in our relationship with our Heavenly Father and Gift Giver, and replace them with joy and gratitude that ends up being more enjoyable and productive.

To say someone is right out of central casting is to say they look the part. They’re exactly what you would expect. Muscle-bound superheroes. Menacing villains. But when God casts parts for his Kingdom, right from the start at the Nativity he made some unexpected choices. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you won’t get the part, or overlooking others because they don’t look the role. You just might be surprised at who makes the cut.

What if you missed out on what God wanted you in on? For generations, people had been longing for and looking for the advent of God’s kingdom, heralded by God’s anointed king. But when the kingdom came and the king arrived, many of them missed out on it entirely! How could this happen? God sent them an unexpected kingdom inaugurated by an unexpected king. Listen in and you won’t miss out on what God wants to do in, through, and around you just because he’s doing it in an unexpected way!

It makes sense, doesn’t it: If we’re doing what we should and trying our best to do what God wants, shouldn’t we expect that life will get easier? So what are we to make of it when we’re following Jesus wholeheartedly, and instead life gets bumpy?Today we’ll look at one person’s story. He does everything he should, but his life still gets very complicated. What are we to make of it when following Jesus takes us to unexpected places?

Few of us like it when our plans go awry. The delayed schedule. The unexpected expense. The shattered expectations. But what if you discovered that interrupted objectives often fall right in line with God’s perfect plan? In the Christmas story we see that very thing! Join us as we embark on a journey of discovery, seeing how An Unexpected Christmas can take us to the places we really want to go.

Do you know where you stand with God? What prompts doubts or gives you confidence when that question is asked? In the last section of the Apostles’ Creed we affirm “I believe in the Holy Spirit,” and then the creed seems to move on and wrap up with a short list of unrelated affirmations about everything from the church to forgiveness to the resurrection.But are they really unrelated? In reality, behind each affirmation in the last paragraph is a confidence-building fact that flows from the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in every believer’s life. See how in today’s culmination of the Essential Christianity series.

How and when will we face God’s judgment? In the Apostles’ Creed we affirm that Jesus will return from his rightful place at God’s right hand “to judge the living and the dead.” It seems reasonable to assume that standing before the God of the universe to give an account of ourselves from start to finish, inside and out, should fill us with a certain amount of trepidation. If it doesn’t, perhaps it should. The unbelievable thing is that it’s possible to know how this day will turn out for you long before it comes to you. Turn what would otherwise be a nightmarish scenario into a hope that fills us with eager anticipation, while fueling our desire to fulfill Jesus’ mission between now and then.

What does Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension mean for me? In the core of the Apostles’ Creed, we see Jesus face the worst the world can throw at him, and see him rise from the lowest of lows to the highest heights. The kicker? His story is our story. His victory is our victory. See how Jesus’ winning the ultimate battle gives his followers rock-solid confidence for whatever the world throws at us in part seven of Essential Christianity.

What does it mean when we affirm Jesus is God’s Son and Our Lord? In these few short words we are pulling together a power-packed tradition that goes back thousands of years and clearly identifies who Jesus is and why he is uniquely qualified to make a way for us back to God and to lead us in God’s ways. Don’t be confused; get clarity on who Jesus is and why it matters.