Pastoral Notes for Sunday, January 31, 2021
Dear Cornerstone Family,
Last week in the new Sunday School class, Built to Last: Enduring Faith in Turbulent Times, we asked the question, “Where do you get your news?” We asked that question not to lobby for one news or media outlet over another. (I wouldn’t touch that with a 39 1⁄2 foot pole!) We asked that question to be reminded that the most important news in the world at all times is the gospel.
Here are the five key points we considered:
The gospel is news. In a culture that is focused on what we need to do to change the world, it is imperative that Christians and Christian communities emphasize that the most important thing for the changing of the world is not something we do but something God has already done. What does this mean for Christian identity and calling? It means Christian identity and calling arises not from what we do but from what God has done (news) in sending the Lord Jesus Christ into the world to be our Savior.
The gospel is good news. In a culture that is swallowed up with bad news, it is imperative that Christians and Christian communities emphasize the goodness of the gospel. What does this mean for Christian identity and calling? It means Christian identity and calling arises not from fear of the bad news about men and nations but the good news of the death, resurrection, ascension, and return of Jesus Christ.
The gospel is true news. In a culture that’s increasingly bombarded with perspectives, opinions, and even fabrication, it is imperative that Christians and Christian communities emphasize the truth of the gospel. What does this mean for Christian identity and calling? Therefore, Christian identity and calling arises not from the latest headline, hot take, theory, or conspiracy of the world but the true news of the gospel that works within, behind, and reigns over everything that takes place in the world.
The gospel is powerful news. In a culture that grasps for every type of worldly power—especially political power—for the changing of the world, it is imperative that Christians and Christian communities emphasize the gospel as the power of God unto salvation for the advance of the Kingdom of God (Rom. 1:16, Mark 1:15). What does this mean for Christian identity and calling? It means Christian identity and calling arises not from the gaining of worldly power but from the powerful news of the gospel entrusted to us for the changing of men’s hearts working through the agency of the Holy Spirit (Acts 17:8, 1 Thess. 1:5).
The gospel is enduring news. In a culture where change is increasingly considered the only certainty and shared virtue, it is imperative that Christians and Christian communities emphasize the gospel as enduring news that never changes and will last forever (Rev. 20-21). What does this mean for Christian identity and calling? It means Christian identity and calling arises not from ever changing worldly or cultural circumstances (good or bad), but from the never changing realities present in the enduring news of the gospel that lead to Christ’s victory in the end (Heb. 13:8; Phil. 2:9-10).
As 2021 gets off the dime, I hope these brief reminders serve to ground your life in what really matters—the good, true, powerful, and enduring news of the gospel.
Your servant,
Bulletin for Sunday, January 24, 2021
Pastoral Notes for Sunday, January 24, 2021
Dear Cornerstone Family,
Last week in our new adult Sunday School class, Built to Last: Enduring Faith in Turbulent Times, we considered the relevance of the prophet Jeremiah’s words to Israelites exiled in Babylon under the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. These Israelites grew up in a place where God was worshipped and where the law of the land—business practices, educational commitments, civic institutions, arts and media outlets—was (in principle) under the rule of God and His Word. But now, these Israelite exiles were waking up in a strange land, in a culture that was polytheistic, pagan, and antagonistic to almost everything they believed. In a word, they were experiencing spiritual and cultural whiplash.
In Jeremiah 29, the prophet speaks to their experience with clear and enduring instruction. My summary of Jeremiah’s words is this: Be in the world, but not of the world, for the good of the world, and the glory of God.
Let me break that summary down citing the specific verses in Jeremiah 29 for each point:
Be in the world – “Build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat their produce” (vs. 5). In other words, settle down, find a place to live, and (literally) put down roots that will bear fruit. You’re going to be here a while, so don’t live lightly. Live deeply into the place I’ve sent you.
But not of the world – “...Take wives and have sons and daughters... multiply there, and do not decrease” (vs. 6). As you settle down and establish a presence in Babylon, marry in the faith. In Deuteronomy 7, Israelites could only marry someone within the faith. To be unequally yoked, to marry a polytheistic Babylonian, was forbidden. So, as you settle in Babylon, be sure you’re not of Babylon. As God’s people, you are not separated out from Babylon or assimilated into Babylon. Instead, you are to be set apart (holy) within Babylon. In the language of Augustine, the City of God rising up from inside the City of Man.
For the good of the world – “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (v. 7). The word translated “welfare” is the Hebrew word shalom, meaning complete well-being. Shalom is fullness of peace; the kind of peace that pervades every dimension of life—spiritual, material, physical, and relational. Notice, he says “seek” the welfare of Babylon. That is, work for the shalom of the place you live (even if that place is godless Babylon). Also, “pray to the LORD” for Babylon. That is, acknowledge that Babylon is God’s Babylon and, ultimately, only he can bring about the shalom she needs.
And the glory of God – Three times in Jeremiah 29 God says, “I sent you” (vs. 4, 7, and 14). Despite how it may feel, Israel’s exile is not a parenthesis in God’s plan. God sent Israel to Babylon. They are on mission there to accomplish his purposes to show forth His glory.
In the days ahead, let’s help each other follow Jeremiah’s instruction. Let’s be the elect exiles we are. (1 Peter 1:1) Let’s refuse to reduce the kingdom of God to political parties or ideologies, but rather live for the good of the world as citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:19-20). Let’s refuse to fall prey to petty divisions over temporal matters, for that’s a losing battle every time. Instead, let’s rejoice in the battle already won on the cross and resurrection and give our energies for the kingdom that is not of this world (John 18:36). In other words, let’s be Christians. For that is who we are.
Your servant,
Bulletin for Sunday, January 17, 2021
Pastoral Notes for Sunday, January 17, 2021
Dear Cornerstone Family,
Today is the beginning of our winter Sunday School quarter at Cornerstone. Our Children’s Ministry Coordinator, Meredith Suits, has been hard at work recruiting teachers and making preparations for our children’s Sunday School. She’s also reviewed our COVID-19 plans and protocols and made some minor adjustments in order to more smoothly conduct ministry in a safe way this winter. If you have any questions about children’s ministry or Sunday School in particular, do not hesitate to reach out to Meredith at elementary@cstonepres.org or 865-250-3579.
Speaking of Sunday school, please join me today in the chapel for the new class we’re starting for adults, Built to Last: Enduring Faith for Turbulent Times. In this three-week course, we will rehearse the key foundations of the Cornerstone vision, making specific application for how our philosophy of ministry is designed to meet the challenges and opportunities of our cultural moment. This class will instruct, inspire, encourage, and strengthen your faith as together we answer God’s call on our lives in this generation. Don’t miss it!
In other matters, I want to say (again) how thankful we are for your faithful giving to Cornerstone. You dug deep this past year and gave sacrificially to the work of ministry. Though we’re only halfway through our budget year— our budget year runs from July 1 to June 30—the steadiness of your support so far has helped us meet our needs and increase the reach of our ministry in several key areas! Please take a look at the mid-budget-year financial report below. As always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Susan Bumpus in our church office at office@cornerstonepres.org.
FINANCIAL UPDATE 2020-21 July-December
Actual Budget Over/Under
Total Giving $535,307 $485,862 $49,445
Total Expenses $499,754. $443,950 $55,804
Difference $35,553 $41,912 ($6,359)
Finally, let me note one important area where your contributions are helping us increase the reach of our ministry. Early last year, the Personnel Committee began prayerfully discussing how to better support the needs of our growing women’s ministry. Since the beginning of Cornerstone, the women’s ministry has been led by able volunteer leaders—women who sacrificially gave of their time and energy to serve the women of Cornerstone. As Cornerstone has grown, the ministry to women has grown, and the workload of women’s ministry has grown precipitously. It’s grown to the point that the volunteer team leaders, the Personnel Committee, and the elders all agree—it’s time for a part time Women’s Director.
To that end, on Tuesday night this past week, the elders met and approved the hire of Mrs. Martha Brooks to be our first Women’s Director of Cornerstone. For the last two years, Martha has done excellent job serving as a volunteer co-leader of our women’s ministry with Mrs. Julie Kesler, and we are looking forward to seeing how Martha’s presence on staff will advance the ministry to women and help us further realize our vision—to glorify God in the gospel together as disciples who make disciples.
Bulletin for Sunday, January 10, 2021
Pastoral Notes for Sunday, January 10, 2021
Dear Cornerstone Family,
It’s been argued that no word picture in the whole of Scripture better encapsulates God’s redemptive mission than that of a shepherd. Let me show you why.
Remember Abel in Genesis 4? He is the first shepherd mentioned in Scripture. We don’t know much about him, but we know what’s important: he was the first person recorded in the Bible to bring a pleasing sacrifice to God (Genesis 4:4). Hmm, a shepherd that brings a pleasing sacrifice to God...does that sound familiar?
In Exodus, we’re introduced to another shepherd, Moses. He was tending Jethro’s flock on Mount Horeb when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a burning bush, calling him to shepherd God’s people out of bondage in Egypt (Exodus 3). Hmm, a shepherd who frees God’s people from bondage...does that sound familiar?
Later, God sends Samuel to Jesse’s home to anoint the next king of Israel (1 Samuel 16). Jesse’s sons come before Samuel, and one by one they are rejected. Finally, Samuel asks, “Is this all your sons?” Jesse responds, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping sheep.” Well, by now you know—he’s the one! The shepherd boy, David, becomes the next and greatest king of Israel. Hmm, a shepherd king who loves and leads God’s people...does that sound familiar?
Yes, all this background and more leads us to Jesus’s statement in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd.” Like Abel, but better than Abel, Jesus offers himself as a pleasing sacrifice to God on our behalf. Like Moses, but better than Moses, Jesus leads us out of the bondage of sin and into the freedom of salvation. Like David, but better than David, Jesus rules over us with truth and grace and secures us a home with Him in the New Heavens and the New Earth.
It makes sense, then, why Peter would employ the language of shepherd to speak of the role of elders and deacons. Though it’s clear that church officers are mere men, their relationship to the flock is to be conducted under and patterned after the Chief Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ. From the beginning, Cornerstone has sought to be a church that cares for its members through an active shepherding ministry. Upon membership, each family unit is assigned a shepherding elder and deacon. The shepherds are tasked with the responsibility to care for both the spiritual and physical needs of those under their care.
As you’ll probably recall, we brought on three new elders and six new deacons in the fall of 2020. In order to incorporate these brothers into the work of shepherding, new elder and deacon teams were formed and a redraft of the whole congregation was conducted in November. If you’re a member of Cornerstone, you’ve received an email (and maybe a phone call, too) from your new elder and deacon shepherds in the last few weeks. Over the next year, it is our earnest hope and plan to be in regular (at least quarterly) touch with every member of Cornerstone. When your shepherd reaches out in the future, please know they do so in love for you! They genuinely want to know how you’re doing, how they can pray for you, and if we can serve you in any way.
Though we will strive to be faithful in our shepherding, we will undoubtedly fall short. (Please remember that your shepherds are sheep, too!) We ask for your grace and patience as we stumble forward in this work. Pray that in the year to come our shepherding would increasingly be reflective of the Good Shepherd’s never-failing care of us.
Your servant,
Bulletin for Sunday, January 3, 2021
Pastoral Notes for Sunday, January 3, 2021
Dear Cornerstone Family,
Sometime after Christmas, but before New Year’s Day, I pull out the album Recovering the Satellites (1996) by the American alternative band, The Counting Crows, and listen to their smash hit, “A Long December.” Given the year we’ve had, I found myself resonating with the opening line of the song more than ever:
“A long December and there’s reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last.”
In looking to the year ahead, the lyrics express both hope and reticence at the same time. The writer recognizes that there’s reason to believe things could be headed in an upward trajectory, but there’s enough uncertainty and question that he’s not yet ready to bank on it. “Maybe this year will be better.” Maybe not. Who can say for sure?
As Christians, our hope for the future is more certain than, “Maybe this year will be better.” As we looked at last week from Psalm 11, we know the end of the story. All who are upright in heart will behold the face of God (1 John 3:2). Our destiny is face-to-face, never ending fellowship with God in perfect love and holiness. Now, ponder this: no matter what happens in 2021 that future is ours in Christ Jesus right now.
Read that sentence again. Did you catch that? That future is ours now! Yes, I know we’re still waiting for that future, and we don’t know how long it will be until Christ returns and the fullness of the kingdom comes. But I’m telling you that by faith, you can lay hold of that future today. And when you do, that future becomes to you a present reality.
As I write that sentence, I’m experiencing that very reality. My heart wants to jump out of my chest with hope! I’m sensing the solid joys and lasting pleasures of my eternal future in Christ even now as I write this. It’s as if I’m standing in that eternal future now, experiencing the joy and peace that Christ has won for me.
Friends, this is what the life of faith looks like. Notice, I said the life of faith. Faith is not mere knowledge or feeling or action, though it incorporates all those things. Faith is a principle of life at work inside the true believer. It is, as Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, a new birth that produces a new life empowered by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25).
As we gather for worship on the first Sunday of 2021, let’s reject reluctancy born of worldly hopes– “Maybe this year will be better.” Instead, let’s set our hopes higher—to the certain future of a new heavens and a new earth, where every tear is wiped away, and every joy and lasting pleasure are secured, and each day is better than the one before. Yes! Let’s let that future lead the way in 2021... and always.
Grace & Peace,