It's Christmastime at Cornerstone!

One of the great Christmas blessings that we have during this time of the year is to experience the fruit from months of hard work and preparation of well over 100 of our brothers and sisters here at Cornerstone. Yes, I am talking about our Christmas production, "A Royal Cornerstone Christmas".

Rather than take the enormous amount of space that it would require to thank them all by name, rank and serial number (they ARE an army!), what I would rather do is to reflect back on the story that these loving, hard working, tirelessly dedicated people shared through their craft of singing, drama and pageantry.

The story of "Everyman" truly is the story of the human condition: the reality of Death's pending appointment and the search to fill the God-shaped vacuum in each of our lives with something or someone other than the Creator. Surely, each of us who know and love the Christ of Christmas know people like this, possibly a co-worker, a neighbor, or even perhaps in our own families, whether immediate or distant.

Everymans come in all shape and sizes, from every economic status, from both genders and in every possible ethnicity. They are your employers or employees, your next-door neighbors; the people you pass on the street and highway. Believe it or not, one of them (or maybe more) may even sit next to you during Sunday services. Do not forget this nugget of truth: Everyman's plight was not just a worship of recreation, friends, family and riches...he also thought that his own good deeds might be able to get him through Heaven's gates. Churches are filled with people that only give intellectual ascent to the reality of Jesus, only to believe that, in the end, their good works will somehow merit favor with God.

Beloved, what was shared this past weekend to well over 800 people was more than just an evening of fine dining and music; so much more than the spectacle of pomp and pagaentry and talent. It was more than an evening of carols and the celebration of good over evil.

It was a mirror.
A mirror for all of us, believer and non-believer, in which we should take a look:
Friendship, family, riches, good deeds...all end where death doth reign.

It was a message.
A message for those who love Christ to proclaim:
Death ends where Christ doth reign!

There has been a Gift given for everyman that gives us hope beyond the grave. This Gift was announced by angels and wrapped in LOVE as it was delivered in a filthy cattle stall. This Gift lived a perfect life. This Gift stretched His arms out on a tree to show you and me the extent of His love. This Gift came back from the grave after 3 days so that we could have the ultimate gift...an eternity with the Gift Giver.

This isn't a gift you can purchase at a store, from a catalog or over the internet...it's already been purchased for you. All you can do is share it with someone else. More than carols of the season, more than good food and fellowship, more than sentimental memories of days gone by, it is by far the most significant gift that anyone could ever conceive of receiving.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16 (NIV)

Everyman, Everywoman, Everyboy and Everygirl, it's Christmastime at Cornerstone...and time to share the gift.

JOY TO THE WORLD!