Throughout the letter, Peter has addressed various forms of hostility Christians inevitably face. He sympathizes with those who are being persecuted by the world. He warns of the devil who prowls around like a roaring lion. In our passage this week he calls attention to yet another area of hostility: our own flesh.

Hope is a defining characteristic of believers. We are “born into a living hope” the moment we receive Christ and that hope, says Peter, is to constantly radiate from our lives. Even in times of hardship, the hope we have in Christ should arouse so much curiosity in others, they are drawn to ask us for the reasons behind it. In the sermon this week Pastor Billy explores these themes of having hope amidst hostility and blessing even when facing opposition.

In times of trials and temptations, fears and doubts can begin to fill our minds. We can sometimes feel alone, abandoned, and certain of coming defeat. In our passage this week, the apostle Peter reminds a suffering church that they have a savior who stands in victory over all these things.

In the sermon this week Pastor Billy examines the beauty of God’s design for marriage as it is laid out in 1 Peter 3.  We will consider the challenge, the calling, and the consequence of the Bible’s unique vision for marriage.

God has written the end of the story. We are not there yet. One day we will be. Pastor Billy explores the final element of the biblical storyline – restoration – in the sermon this week.

“Do hard things!” This might be helpful advice and a necessary antidote to the me-first, no-expectations comfort culture of our day. However, in the sermon this week Pastor Billy will challenge us to see the limits of our human abilities. There are some things we simply cannot do for ourselves. No man can save himself. No amount of grit, determination, or goal setting can earn anyone eternal salvation.  Redemption is something that must be done for us – not by us. The sermon will explore the implications of this gospel idea.

A Thrill of Hope…Redemption! Amid our sin and rebellion, God acts on our behalf to redeem us through Christ the King. The King gives us hope even under dire circumstances. Because we are his people, we have a true and eternal hope in Jesus. Let us daily put our hope in Jesus.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining…In the sermon this week Pastor Billy explores the second part of the biblical storyline: the fall. We will seek to go beyond mere description of what is wrong with the world and instead seek to understand the Bible’s diagnosis of what is wrong.

Thanksgiving might still be a few days away, but the Christmas season has already begun here at Cornerstone!  Pastor Billy kicks off the Christmas sermon series this week looking at the very beginning of the Christmas story, the story of creation.  In this sermon series we will look at the Christmas story through the lens of the grand narrative of the Bible which can be broken into four parts: creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.  Over the next five Sundays we will dig into each of these story elements.

Love God, Love Others. This is not only our vision here at Cornerstone, it is, according to Jesus, the two most important things we do with our lives. In the sermon this week, Pastor Billy explores the boundaries of this love. How far are we willing to go to love God and love others? Are we willing to be inconvenienced? Willing to be made uncomfortable? Willing even to suffer?  Looking at the example of Jesus we will consider the calling of those who follow in Jesus’ footsteps to be willing to enter into suffering.