Cornerstone Simi Audio Podcast

As we near the end of the sermon series on I Thessalonians, Todd, Christian, and Spencer recap where we’ve been and then discuss Paul’s final instructions to the first-century believers. Paul clearly wants to reassure these believers that those who have died prior to the Second Coming of Christ are secure in their salvation and are not destined for wrath. But just as important is what we are still called to do while we wait for Christ’s return or our own home-going. Paul instructs us too to live in readiness and with preparedness for what is coming, even though we don’t know the time of Christ’s return, and we are to live and model Christ’s example, walking day by day in the character of Jesus. The pastors discuss the importance of encouraging one another and building up other believers in the faith, even in suffering and turmoil. This recording is such an encouragement at this particular time considering the current upheaval in our world. Listen closely and be encouraged!

Friend and bible scholar Bob Kreycik joins Todd and Christian this week to explain the meaning behind the phrase, Day of the Lord. Used multiple times in the Old Testament, we find it again in this week’s New Testament passage in I Thessalonians 5:1-3. Bob helps us understand that this reference in Paul’s letter is largely dependent on also understanding the OT references. The Day of the Lord is always spoken in reference to a day of judgment, including a literal physical judgment, a judgment by God towards those who have harmed His chosen people, for which He has great concern and protects. This introduction to the last chapter of I Thessalonians is a continual encouragement and comfort to all believers that all evil will be punished and ultimately vanquished.

This week Todd, Christian, and Spencer discuss at length the significance of the death and resurrection of Christ from the viewpoint of the believers in Thessalonica with their Roman-Greco understanding of death. Using I Thessalonians 4:13-18 as their text, the pastors explain how radical the resurrection of Jesus was to these young believers and that they too would one day be resurrected and join Jesus, and the promise (found in verse 17) that they would forever be with Him. The Apostle Paul speaks to these believers in a way that they can understand and he encourages them and instructs us to do the same in our time and context.

This week’s episode with Todd, Christian and Spencer returns to the passage in Thessalonians 4:1-8 where Paul instructs us how we are to walk with God which includes to “abstain from sexual immorality”. Those unfamiliar with the concept of Scripture being a Story that God is writing from eternity past to eternity future will particularly benefit from listening to this episode. The pastors recount the beginning of the story in Genesis, with man and woman living in perfection, then the entrance of sin (Genesis 3) and the devastation that sin has brought to mankind. But in God’s grace He brought redemption through the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus which gives us hope for a return to perfection in all things in the new creation. One of the most significant segments of this episode is the discussion of our principal identity - that of being created in the image of God - and not our sexuality. First and foremost, the “most central aspect of humanity is that we were made in His image, we have a respons

This week’s episode continues on the theme of holiness in a discussion with Todd, Christian and Spencer. But in this discussion they narrow their focus to the topic of sexual integrity and what it looks like to walk, or conduct oneself, to please God. In I Thessalonians 4:1-8, Paul instructs the believers to “abstain from sexual immorality…to control his own body in holiness and honor… and not to wrong his brother”... but what does this really mean? And how do we live this out in our current culture? The pastors gently and honorably discuss the nuances of today’s culture and the challenges we each face in striving to display God well to an unbelieving world. They engage in a fascinating discussion about what it means to steward our sexuality as a person who is created in the image of God. This is part two of an on-going discussion that you will find inspiring and life-giving!

Todd opens this week’s podcast discussion with Christian and Spencer with the question, “Why is the topic of holiness important?” Christian responds by explaining that our culture is largely egalitarian without an emphasis on class distinctions, so naturally it is difficult for us to fully understand the biblical definition of holiness, to be those who are “set apart” for God’s glory and purposes. But in reality, from Creation forward, mankind was always created in the image of God and consequently those He “set apart” were called to display God well and to be a people who He uses to bless the nations of the world. Using I Thessalonians 4:1-8 as their text, our pastors go on to explain that it is God’s will that we be sanctified, or set apart for holiness, but that this is a life-long process in the present day, but at the return of Christ our sanctification will be perfected! Using the geographic illustration of the city of Jerusalem, the pastors go on to explain what God meant by living “in” the world as

Todd, Christian, and Spencer conclude their discussion on biblical boldness in this final episode on the topic. Using the text from I Thessalonians 2:17 - 3:13 they again emphasize the difference between our common view of boldness and the biblical example of Paul and the believers in Thessalonica. For them, their boldness was a reflection of their total hope and dependence on Jesus Christ and His promised return and ability to bring justice to their suffering. Although this will never be “natural” for us our pastors teach us that we too can forgo the world’s way of being bold because Christ is on the throne!

Have you ever thought that you can actually be bold by living out of your weakness? In today’s podcast with Todd, Christian, and Spencer they discuss this reality using the text in I Thessalonians 2:13-16. Again using the family as a backdrop, the Apostle Paul is encouraging the believers as their brother, that they actually can boldly proclaim the gospel out of their weakness and suffering. And not only speak the gospel but also live it out so that God is glorified through their lives. Remarkably, Spencer states that “suffering is a legitimate means of advancing the gospel”. Though Todd and Christian also agree that this posture does not come naturally! Listen in on this dynamic conversation, and consider how this truth can change the way you live for Christ.