Cornerstone West Los Angeles » Sermons

The gospel is of first importance because it is the center of God’s plan for all of creation. So what is the meaning of the gospel, and how do we see its majesty?  Application Questions:  1. In what way is the gospel “good news”? How are both words necessary to understand the meaning of the gospel?  2. What makes the gospel majestic to you personally? How might you explore the majesty of the gospe...

In one of the most challenges passages in 1 Corinthians, we find a deep lesson in a difficult package. Paul’s commands to the Corinthians contain a rich and even beautiful understanding of how men and women complement each other in ministry. If we take time to listen to the passage closely and put it in conversation with the rest of Scripture, we find a better way for men and women in the church. ...

How do we think about the Spirit and the church? Church is a place to expect the Spirit to move, typically through others around us—and not just Sunday services, but smaller gatherings throughout the week. Yet this isn't excess, emotionalism, or spiritual experience for its own sake—it's done in order, because it's done in love. Application Questions:  1. Do you expect God to be at work when you a...

Paul gives the Corinthians a better way for church: one not focused on flashy spiritual experience but on genuine spiritual substance. Spiritual gifts are not meant for showing off but for building up, which puts a culture of love at the heart of the church community. Application Questions: 1. Do you have any experience with prophecy or tongues? Is it positive, negative, or both? 2. Do you treat s...

The hope of the gospel is the hope of rest. We were designed by God, as finite beings, for rest. But what we often think of as rest is not God's design. Christ shows us the nature, need, and hope of rest. Application Questions: How is rest in Scripture different that what you imagine? In what ways is your soul weary? How does the future hope of eternal rest speak to your life now?

Paul pushes us even further in our understanding of love when he tells us it “never ends.” This is more profound than we realize, showing us how love is the foundation and culture of heaven, transforming our lives now on earth and pointing us to the never failing love of Christ. Application Questions:  1. When you think about heaven, what comes to mind?  2. How can heaven as a world of love guide...

This passage is famous as sweet and inspiring, but the more we listen to it, the more we are confronted by the size and importance of love. Love is what we want and need, but also what we don’t have on our own. Jesus does have it, and enough for us that we can be transformed to love like he does. Application Questions:  1. Why do you think this passage has become so sentimental for so many people?...

Guest Pastor Jim Newheiser preaches on Christian ambition and God's will.

As the recipient of the free gift of God by grace, through the atoning work of Jesus, you are the body of Christ. This identity provides us with a greater appreciation of our unity and diversity, a greater belonging through our interdependence, and a greater understanding of God's love and care for us. Application Questions:  1. In what ways are you tempted to feel that you are not a part of the b...

What are your spiritual gifts? Do you know? How do you find out? How do you exercise them? If we've each been given special gifts by God for the benefit of those around us, these are important questions we all need the answers to. But before we can answer any of these questions we need to know: what are spiritual gifts in the first place? Application Questions:  1. What have you previously underst...

Like the Lord’s Supper, baptism is powerful but often neglected. In Romans 6, Paul shows us how baptism connects us deeply to important spiritual realities, that can help us navigate life even decades after our baptism. Application Questions:  1. How have you thought about baptism in the past?  2. What stands out to you about baptism as a picture of the gospel? 3. If you haven’t been baptized, wha...

When Paul instructs the Corinthian church on the Lord’s Supper, he does more than correct their errors. He explains what the Supper means for us, and how that meaning draws us closer to Christ and to one another. Application Questions:  1. What is your experience with the Lord’s Supper? How were you taught about it? What role has it played in your spiritual life? 2. What stood out to you most abou...

One of the most confusing passages in the Bible is on one of the most confusing topics in our world: gender. The Bible’s approach to gender celebrates the differences between man and woman without denigrating either. Paul encourages the Corinthians to embrace, not deny, those differences in their own lives. Application Questions:  1. Our world has different approaches to gender. What are some that...

Paul gives the Corinthians 3 commands to guide and direct their lives: Flee Idolatry; Seek the Good of Your Neighbor; Do All Things for the Glory of God. What it means to follow Christ is to worship Him and Him alone, love others, and live your entire life for God's glory. Application Questions:  1. Where do you see idols in your life that compete with your devotion to God? 2. How would you flee f...

We have all been incredibly blessed. While life is hard and difficult at times, it is also filled with inordinate blessings. But when we forget where those blessings come from our hearts are led away from the giver and chase after a never-ending list of false hopes. To follow Christ we have to remember where our blessings come from and trust him when they seem more scarce. Application Questions: ...

God has called us all to spread the gospel to those he has placed in our lives. But we can often view that calling as a chore we need to complete before getting back to the things that bring us joy. When we understand how God has created us, the hope he has promised us, and the purpose he has given to us, we begin to see that our greatest joy is actually found in living for others and sharing the...

In the Resurrection Jesus has defeated death- but where did death come from? We see in the beginning of Genesis that in the beginning Adam and Eve doubt God's goodness and His Word. In response to their sin they run from God and hide, but God chases after them, and invites them home.  Application Question:  How impactful has the Resurrection been for you this week?

On the first Easter, Jesus has to convince his own disciples that he really rose from the grave. His real resurrection transforms their lives, and can transform ours as well. Application Questions:  1. How would your life change if you truly believed Jesus rose from the dead?  2. How can you relate to the disciples, who struggled to believe in the resurrection?  3. What led them to believe? How mi...

Paul transitions from talking about food sacrificed to idols, and takes focus on the rights that he has as an apostle to ask for financial support from churches. Instead Paul refuses to exercise this right because his highest priority is to not let anything be a stumbling block to the spread of the gospel. Application Questions: 1. What does Christian freedom look like in your life? Where do you s...

The value and importance of knowledge is undeniable when it is put to use to help us in how we live our lives. But the way in which it is done is the most significant thing. Paul shows us a better way to apply our knowledge through sacrificial love.   Application Questions: 1. In what ways are you tempted to let your knowledge "puff you up?" 2. How does being known by God change the way you view w...

The story we tell ourselves about marriage determines how we think about our marital status. But God places our marital status (both single and married) within the larger story of his redemptive work and promised return, reframing how we think about every different season in our lives. In light of God's grace, and his promised return, singleness becomes a beautiful blessing that uniquely displays...

In the context of a discussion of sex, marriage, and singleness, Paul tells the Corinthians that their circumstances are not as important as their relationship with Christ, and following Him. Instead of concerning themselves with improving their circumstances in this world their concern should be about how to honor the Lord in the midst of their circumstances. Application Questions: 1. In what way...

Paul’s specific counsel to the Corinthians on divorce is built on a rich understanding of marriage. Marriage is a covenant union, with self-giving love at its center. This changes how we approach marriage, divorce, and much more. Application Questions: 1. What are common things you hear in our city about marriage and divorce?  2. Why does Scripture insist that marriage is a covenant? How is that g...

Paul begins a long section on marriage, singleness, and spirituality for a divided church in Corinth. In this first section, we clear the table of some misconceptions about marriage so we can take a look at the heart of marriage, not just for married people but for everyone: love. Application Questions: 1. Have you ever thought that marital status was connected to spiritual maturity? Why or why no...

Why did God create us sexual beings? What is the purpose of our sexual desires? What is the purpose of sex within marriage? The Corinthians were confused about the ultimate purpose of sex, and so are we. But, just as in every area of life, God brings clarity and peace out of the confusion through his Word. Application Questions: 1. How does the way you've previously thought about sex differ from t...