Cornerstone Video Podcast

Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. When we read the Beatitudes, it is easy to miss how radical Jesus' words really are. Many of us have heard them so often that they sound familiar, but to Jesus' first audience, they would have seemed completely upside down. In a world where power, strength, status, and success appeared to determine who won and who lost, Jesus declared that the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers, and even the persecuted were blessed. His vision of life stood in sharp contrast to both the values of the Roman Empire and the assumptions of everyday people. This week’s sermon invites us to consider whether Jesus is actually the one who sees reality correctly. If Jesus is truly the Son of God, then his teachings are not simply good advice; they are the words of the one who understands life better than anyone else. What appears upside down to us may actually be right side up, while the values of the world may be the ones that are inverted. Je

Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Every preacher is playing for second place. The greatest sermon ever preached was delivered by the greatest preacher who ever lived. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) has shaped history, influenced cultures, and continues to transform lives today.  Many of Jesus' most famous teachings come from these three chapters: being the salt of the earth, a city on a hill, loving our enemies, and treating others as we want to be treated. Yet before Jesus teaches people how to live, he begins somewhere even more important. When Jesus sat down on a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee and began to speak, he saw a diverse and often overlooked crowd. They’d heard the world declare who was blessed: the wealthy, powerful, healthy, and successful. Jesus turned those expectations upside down. He announced that the poor in spirit, the mourning, the meek, and the struggling were the blessed ones, not because of their circumstances, but because they were

Hannah Buchanan

Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. This year we are beginning a journey called “Blueprint: Building Lives of Faith, Hope, and Love.” We all want lives that are steady, resilient, and able to withstand life's challenges. Jesus teaches that this kind of life is built on a solid foundation. When our lives are founded in him, we can stand firm even when storms come. The challenge is that many things compete for that foundation: money, power, pleasure, reputation, and control. Yet Jesus says that true stability comes not from simply hearing his words, but from putting them into practice. Through sermons and Bible studies, we learn God's teachings, but transformation happens when those teachings shape the way we live each day. C.S. Lewis paints a beautiful picture of this process, describing God as a builder transforming a small cottage into a palace, "running up towers" and creating something greater than we could ever imagine. That is God's desire for each of us. As we follow J

Hannah Buchanan

Rev. Matt Tuggle | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. For many of us, the fall season brings its own sense of renewal. New schedules, routines, and rhythms create opportunities to reflect on where we are and where we want to grow. As we begin a new school year, Philippians 1:6 reminds us that God is always at work. Long before we were aware of it, God was pursuing us through His grace, and He continues that work today.  In the Wesleyan tradition, prevenient grace reminds us that God knew and loved us before we knew Him, justifying grace assures us of forgiveness through Jesus Christ, and sanctifying grace points to God’s ongoing work of transformation and healing in our lives. God is not finished with us, and the good work He has begun is still unfolding. This promise is not only personal but communal. God is at work in us and among us, shaping His church and inviting us to participate in His mission. As we journey together this year, we are called to build our lives around the things that en

Hannah Buchanan | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Throughout Scripture, God calls ordinary people by name and invites them into His purposes. Abraham was called to leave what was familiar. Moses was called to confront Pharaoh. Samuel was called as a child. Esther was called to risk her position for the sake of her people. Jesus invited the disciples to follow him, and that same invitation extends to us today.  Following Jesus means more than believing the right things or checking a box. It means becoming attentive to where Jesus is already at work and being willing to join him. Sometimes that means a major decision; sometimes it means a simple act of obedience. The challenge is learning to hear God's voice in the midst of the noise of our lives. We may hear from God through Scripture, prayer, silence, or the wisdom of a trusted friend or spiritual mentor to help us recognize His leading. We don't have to know the entire path before taking the next faithful step. Ultimately, God’s call is a

Alex Johnston

Rev. Dr. Abe Smith | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Expectations shape how we experience life. When reality matches what we hoped for, we often feel satisfied. When it doesn't, disappointment, frustration, and even suffering can follow. In Matthew 16, Peter correctly identifies Jesus as the Messiah, yet moments later rebukes him for talking about suffering and death. Peter wasn't confused about who Jesus was; he was struggling because Jesus wasn't meeting his expectations. He wanted a Messiah who would bring immediate victory and change, while Jesus modeled a path of sacrifice and the cross. This sermon reminds us that unmet expectations often reveal deeper desires for control, approval, comfort, security, or validation. When our expectations become requirements for our happiness, they can rob us of joy and peace. Jesus invites us to a different way of living centered not on controlling outcomes but on following him. As we focus less on the gaps between our expectations and reality and mo

Hannah Buchanan | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. When we hear the word worship, we often think primarily about music. But throughout Scripture, worship is much bigger than singing. Worship is our response to who God is and what He has done. The Psalms are filled with invitations to praise, give thanks, celebrate, bow before, and honor God because He alone is worthy. The English word worship comes from an Old English word meaning "to ascribe worth." Every day we assign worth to something. We give our attention, energy, affection, and devotion to what we value most. While those things can include work, family, success, or comfort, our default is often to place ourselves at the center of our lives. Corporate worship invites us to make a different choice. Rather than remaining spectators or consumers, God calls us to become participants. Singing together is not simply about enjoying music or evaluating a performance. It is a spiritual practice that shapes our hearts, reminds us of God's faith

Rev. Billy Rainey | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide At the beginning of his public ministry, Jesus stands in the synagogue and reads from Isaiah 61, proclaiming good news to the poor, freedom for captives, sight for the blind, and liberty for the oppressed. Then, he makes a startling declaration: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). In that moment, Jesus announces that God's promised kingdom has arrived in and through him. The good news is more than forgiveness of sins or the promise of heaven after death, though it certainly includes both. The good news is that through Jesus, the kingdom of God has broken into our world. God's reign is bringing healing, restoration, justice, peace, and hope to a broken creation. Jesus invites us to live in the tension of the "already and not yet": the kingdom is present now, but it has not yet come in its fullness. As followers of Christ, we are called to be people of living hope, acknowledging the brokenness around us whi

Hannah Buchanan

Hannah Buchanan

Hannah Buchanan & Rev. Paul Rasmussen

Hannah Buchanan |  In this week’s sermon, we examine the baggage that we all carry. Just as travelers bring suitcases on a journey, we bring beliefs, habits, expectations, wounds, and experiences into every relationship. Some of what we carry is helpful, some is unhelpful, and some can be harmful. Looking at the family of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, we discover that even the family God chose to bless the world was far from perfect. Across generations, they passed down both gifts and struggles. They inherited faith, trust in God, and a sense of God's calling, but they also passed down favoritism, rivalry, division, and dysfunction. Their story reminds us that every family hands something down. The same is true for us. We all inherit patterns, messages, and ways of relating to others. Some help us love God and love others well. Others hinder healthy relationships. Still others can cause real harm if left unexamined. The good news is that through Christ, we are adopted into the family of God. We are not d

Hannah Buchanan | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. When we hear the word "boundaries," many of us think of limits, restrictions, or even selfishness. Yet throughout Scripture, boundaries are not obstacles to love but conditions for love to flourish. From the beginning, God brings order out of chaos by establishing boundaries, separating light from darkness, land from sea, and sky from water. In the same way, healthy boundaries provide protection, clarity, and responsibility in our relationships. A boundary marks where one person ends and another begins. It helps us recognize what we are responsible for and what we are not. When we try to manage someone else's thoughts, feelings, or choices, conflict and resentment often follow. As we read and study Scripture, we find that God establishes boundaries not as punishment but as an invitation into a healthy relationship. At the same time, humanity repeatedly crosses those boundaries, resulting in brokenness and separation.  The good news of the G

Alex Johnston

Rev. Billy Rainey | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. Pentecost is more than a moment in church history; it is an invitation to a way of life. After the dramatic arrival of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, the early believers responded not only through miraculous signs and radical generosity but also through simple, intentional practices. They devoted themselves to Scripture, prayer, fellowship, and breaking bread together. The power of Pentecost was expressed through everyday faithfulness. Acts 2:42-47 paints a picture of a community transformed by the Holy Spirit. The early church experienced God's power, practiced radical generosity, and built deep relationships through fellowship and shared meals. While the miracles inspire us, the passage reminds us that life in the Spirit is often shaped through simple, faithful practices. One of the clearest examples of this is table fellowship. Throughout Luke and Acts, God works powerfully around tables as people gather to pray, share their lives, and enc

Rev. Chelsea Peddecord | Click/tap here to view the Sermon Reflection Guide. In James 1:2-4, James writes to believers facing persecution, division, and hardship and tells them to “consider it joy” when they face trials. He is not saying suffering is enjoyable, but that God can use trials to build endurance and deepen our faith. Just like an athlete develops strength through training, spiritual endurance is formed when we continue trusting God through difficult seasons. The Christian life is a journey of endurance through both joy and suffering. Scripture reminds us that God is faithful in every season, even when life feels painful, uncertain, or overwhelming. Job endured by continuing to bring his honest prayers to God, and Joseph endured long seasons of hardship before seeing God bring redemption from it. The good news of the Gospel is that suffering is never the end of the story. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and the support of the church, God gives us strength to keep taking the next step of faith.

Rev. Matt Tuggle