In Sermons:

A Tough Promise To Keep Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Feb 7, 2016

This message looks at the story of the Vow of Jephthah, what he could learn looking back, and what we can learn looking ahead.

A Tough Promise to Keep Have you ever made a promise you regretted? Given your word and then realized the price was way too high but couldn’t find a graceful way to back out? Happened different times in the bible. Herod had John the Baptist arrested because John wouldn’t stop harping ...read more

Scripture: Judges 11:29-40

Denomination: Wesleyan

What The Hell Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Jan 31, 2016

This sermon looks at the question: How can a loving God send people to hell?

Long before I knew about God’s grace I knew about Gods’ wrath. Long before I had encountered a loving God I knew about the fires of hell. Some of those images came from culture and some came from art. All in all I think I prefer Larson to Michelangelo, but I’m that kind of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 16:19-26

Denomination: Wesleyan

Dying To Give Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Jan 24, 2016

This message looks at why Ananias and Sapphira had to die after giving half of the price of their field to the early church.

It’s one of those bizarre stories in the Bible that make you scratch your head and say: Huhh? And it’s one of those stories that people sometimes ask me about, it really seems more fitting in the Old Testament than as one of the first stories about the early church in the New ...read more

Denomination: Wesleyan

Peeking Into The Closet Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Jan 10, 2016

This is a four week series looking at some hard stories from the bible. In our first week we examine why we need to look into the closet.

Skeletons in God’s Closet, intro They are lurking in of our closets, things that we wished we had never done, words we wished we had never spoken. Families have them, churches have them and individuals have them. Because we all make mistakes. We all have skeletons in our closets. Some are ...read more

Scripture: Job 11:7-12

Denomination: Wesleyan

Christmas Is All About Wonder Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Dec 23, 2015

This is the Christmas Eve message for this series and looks back to Isiah's prophecy that Jesus' name would be called Wonderful

That is the question isn’t it? Doesn’t anyone know what Christmas is all about? And if you’ve been at Cornerstone through December you know that we’ve been trying to answer Charlie Brown’s question. The is the fiftieth anniversary of this iconic Christmas special ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 9:6

Denomination: Wesleyan

Christmas Is All About Hope Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Dec 22, 2015

This message was used for our Blue Christmas, Silent Night Service.

What Christmas is all About Silent Night. Start with clip from opening of A Charlie Brown Christmas Contrary to what Linus thought, Charlie Brown was in good company, there are all kinds of folks who feel the same way about Christmas. They are confused because they don’t feel jolly, they ...read more

Scripture: John 11:31-35

Denomination: Wesleyan

Christmas Is About Our Reaction Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Dec 19, 2015

This message looks at how various folks in the Christmas Story responded to what was happening.

Last week we celebrated Christmas with our children’s presentation, which I’m sure Marilyn and her crew would testify is kind of like herding cats. And that was part of the process that led Charlie Brown to ask in frustration, “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-14

Denomination: Wesleyan

Christmas Is About The Story Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Dec 6, 2015

When Linus answered Charlie Brown's question: Doesn't anyone know what Christmas is all about? He point his friend to Luke 2:8-14. But is Christmas all about that one portion of scripture?

For millions of people over the past fifty years the only exposure they have had to the bible happened each Christmas as Linus read Luke chapter 2 verses 8 to 14 from the King James version in response to Charlie Brown’s questions: Doesn’t anyone know what Christmas is all about. And ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-14

Denomination: Wesleyan

What Christmas Is Not All About Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Nov 29, 2015

In this message we look at what Christmas is not all about using the cast from Charlie Brown's Christmas as illustrations.

Wow, it’s been fifty years. Sure doesn’t seem like it. December 9th will be the 50th anniversary of the first showing of Charlie Brown Christmas. And while most of us grew up watching the animated special there were a number of hesitations about the show when it was aired. As a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:8-14

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Scandal Of Grace Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Nov 14, 2015

We celebrate the salvation of the thief on the cross, but it seems a little unfair. And that is the Scandal of Grace

They held his hands firmly against the un-planed timber and placed the rough iron spikes over the junction of his wrists. The roman centurion lifted the mall and drove the first spike home with one swing. The man bucked and twisted in agony as the metal pierced his wrist like white hot fire, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 23:32-42

Denomination: Wesleyan

Grace In An Awkward Situation Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Nov 8, 2015

When Peter denied Christ Justice would demand that Christ would deny Peter, but that wouldn't be Grace.

Grace in an Awkward Situation I knew something changed between us, all the talk we made was small, but what do you say to someone when they’ve heard you say it all. It’s an awkward conversation in a most peculiar way. How did we get from saying I love you to I’ll see you ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:66-72

Denomination: Wesleyan

Grace At The Table Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Nov 1, 2015

There can be debates an disagreements over who should or shouldn't be permitted to receive communion, but let's go back to the Last Supper to see who took part.

Grace at the Table It was the summer of 1980. I had just completed my first year of university and for the summer I volunteered with an organization called the Shantymen Christian Association, now referred to simply as SCA. In an article written for the Toronto Star in the 1970s the author wrote: ...read more

Scripture: Mark 14:17-26

Denomination: Wesleyan

Grace At An Unlikely Time Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Oct 25, 2015

Grace can find us even in our moments of despair. Elijah's story shows us how God met the prophet in the valley.

There's a new Prime Minister in Canada and when you woke up Tuesday morning you were either ecstatic or disappointed, but however you feel about the new Prime Minister the Bible tells us that we have an obligation as Christians to pray for Prime Minister Trudeau and may I suggest for Mrs. Trudeau ...read more

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-4

Denomination: Wesleyan

Grace In An Unlikely Place Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Oct 18, 2015

We know in theory we can find grace anywhere, but in practice can find it in a brothel?

Grace in an Unlikely Place If you are like most people, then your family tree probably has some folks in it that you’d rather not talk about. Not just the nuts and saps that collect in most trees but people that when you are drawing your family tree you are tempted to use the white out. We ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 2:1-7

Denomination: Wesleyan

The Story Of Grace Series

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Oct 11, 2015

Grace, something we talk about and preach about, but where do we get this theology of Grace?

For most of us, sometime over the next two days we will celebrate the Feast of the Dead Bird, better known by many as Thanksgiving Dinner. And as a part of that tradition at some point before we actually begin to consume food someone will ask “Uncle Bob would you return thanks?” or ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-9

Denomination: Wesleyan