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Crossway Christian ChurchIn the Beginning AgainOften when we think of Noah, we envision decorations of animals and a giant boat in a child’s nursery. But as we heard in Genesis 7, this wasn’t a children’s story, but a wrathful judgment against sin in the world. In our passage this morning, we see what happens after the devastation and destruction of the flood. Noah and his family have been spared, and these next steps are crucial in the redemptive history of mankind. Despite our rebellion, God is merciful and faithful to his promises.2025-06-2241 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe FloodThe story of the flood is treated as myth by most who do not uphold the Bible as the Word of God. But the nature of the text implies that it is recounting real, true history. But it is not history for history’s sake, and we do not just study the account of the flood for its factual nature. Rather, we know that it is written so that we might not fall as others did. This morning, we are shown how to pass through the waters of God’s judgment. To do this, we must understand the nature of what...2025-06-1542 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Faithfulness of GodGenealogies are not often thought of as holding a great deal of intrigue for readers. Names and lists of people do not advance characters or provide any sort of action. Yet, for those who read closely, there is much to learn from them. Today, we get to hear of the genealogy from Adam to Noah, and how God is faithful to his word through them.2025-06-0845 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Devil's ChildrenMovies often present people as the embodiment of the devil, or at least possessed by him. His presence is easily noticed: the sly look, the bodily distortion, the glowing flames and the maniacal laugh. Dead giveaways all. But real life is harder. We read last week of the promise from God that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent. But what of his seed? Today, we read of it, from an unexpected place.2025-06-0139 minCrossway Christian ChurchSin and SalvationGenesis 3 is another fundamental text in the Christian religion. It chronicles the sin of Adam and Eve in the perfect garden, as they turned against God and listened to the voice of the serpent. Yet, this sin is not a one-time event, something that was huge and large and unrepeated. The basic essentials of this sin are repeated by us every time we sin. And still, God’s love persists, and his mercy shines. As we consider this chapter, let us be reminded of the nature of our sin, and the greatness of God's mercy2025-05-2546 minCrossway Christian ChurchGod's Good CreationAs people made in the image of God, we understand what it is like to create something. We get to determine how our creation is structured and ordered. In our passage this morning we continue on with God’s creation story and we see how our perfect maker ordered his creation, and we get to see the results. God's creation design is a good thing.2025-05-1946 minCrossway Christian ChurchIn the Image“He’s the spitting image of his father” is not as common of a phrase as it used to be. It is from an old expression, sometime in the 17th century, when people would say “it is like he was spat out of his father’s mouth.” Biologically incorrect, but when it comes to man being made in God’s image, it’s not far from the truth (cf. Genesis 2:7). But what does it mean that we have been made in God’s image? Genesis affirms without hesitation that God’s likeness is the basis of all human identity as they image God to th...2025-05-1141 minCrossway Christian ChurchIn the Beginning“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” is one of the best-known phrases in all of the Bible. Today, the chapter is used mostly to battle evolution and fuel arguments over the age of the earth. But, if we focus our attention, we find that Genesis 1 has much more to offer us than that. It gives us the plan of God for all of creation. And what is more, patterns for what happens when that plan is rolled back by sin. How then are we to understand Genesis 1?2025-05-0440 min
Crossway Christian ChurchAbsolute AuthoritySome things are hard to top. Achievements in sports and music are sometimes so amazing, that trying to top them seems nigh impossible. Certainly, the resurrection of Jesus is greater than anything anyone has ever done. But Matthew doesn’t leave his gospel with the simple, if amazing, pronouncement that he has risen. Rather, he desires to show us the amazing and absolute authority of this risen Christ and shows us what it means for us.2025-04-2741 minCrossway Christian ChurchHe Is RisenWe gather, as we typically do, to praise God for the work of Jesus Christ our Lord. That work has found its pinnacle in the death and resurrection of Jesus. But today is set aside as a special remembrance of that resurrection, which is our full hope and promise of glory. Today, as we consider Matthew’s account, let us consider these 5 things about the resurrection of Jesus.2025-04-2042 min
Crossway Christian ChurchJesus Is BetterToday is a day we gather to remember the heinous and brutal murder of our Lord and Savior. We call it Good Friday, but what is it precisely that makes it good? To remind ourselves again that this death is indeed good, we turn to the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews has one overriding emphasis: to show that Jesus is better. And tonight, let us see how his death, as a better death, makes this day good.2025-04-1833 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Death of JesusSealing something as historical “fact” is fairly difficult for most things. We have to rely on what many today might think of as secondary and unreliable reports: eyewitness accounts and other events that are impacted by what happened. Details are always hard to establish. But, if there is one fact of antiquity that is assured, it is this: Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and died. But that bare telling of fact doesn’t help us understand what it all means. What does the death of Jesus mean for us?2025-04-1348 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Mockery and Worship of JesusBullies are nothing new. Many of us have experienced their insults and abuse. Such acts are nothing new, as we see today. Jesus, weakened and eventually crucified, was ripe for such abuse, and his enemies took great pleasure in handing it out. Yet, for all their bluster, and for all the pain they inflict, they speak a startling amount of truth. Today, let us look at how Jesus is mocked, that we might marvel all the more as we anticipate his victory.2025-04-0642 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe VerdictIn our passage this morning, we encounter a great injustice. We see the trial of Jesus before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. This is the trial that will definitively decide Jesus’ verdict and sentencing. We see three reasons that Jesus was crucified, and behind it all we see that Jesus, though innocent, was convicted so that sinners, though guilty, may be freed.2025-03-3036 minCrossway Christian ChurchBetrayal and Cover UpJesus is on his way to his execution; Judas is facing the reality and outcome of what he has done. We also see the chief priests tying up loose ends. This sets up what happens in the rest of the book of Matthew, and it highlights something for all of us. All of our attempts to remove our guilt on our own will fail. We need something different.2025-03-2341 minCrossway Christian ChurchTwo TrialsHistory is filled with trials that seemed only to mock justice. Nor is this a feature of some bygone era, less enlightened and more open to the whims of the powerful and elite. We suffer from these very things today. The trial of Jesus is perhaps the most famous example in history of such a show-trial. Today, we get a closer look at Jesus before the Sanhedrin, and Peter before the world, to see how each handled the trial that was before them.2025-03-1642 minCrossway Christian ChurchBetraying JesusWe talk about sin quite a lot here at Crossway, and for a simple reason: Scripture seems to talk about it a lot. In the end, sin is nothing but a betrayal of God. It is simply acting as though God’s commands and desires for us are not good for us, and that we know better. We betray him as our creator, designer, and as God. This betrayal leads to our death. In our passage, as Jesus steps in for us, this betrayal leads directly to his death. Let us look at three acts of betrayal this morning, so th...2025-03-0941 minCrossway Christian ChurchFacing TemptationTemptations will find us. While it is certainly best to flee from it, there is no way to escape it in this world. What do we do when times of doubt and the allure of sin press hard against us? Jesus was as we are, tempted like us, but without sin. If this is so, and we take it seriously, then watching carefully how he handles his temptation would prove an immense help. Let us see how Jesus faces the most severe temptation anyone has ever faced. When we do, we find that we should:2025-03-0339 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Directions of the Lord's SupperThe Lord is particular in how he is worshipped and approached. Simply having a good heart will not do, for the Lord is keen to have his people follow his instructions and directions. This instinct is very much true in the Lord’s Supper and the Passover it is based on. Today, as we come to think about Jesus’ institution of the Supper, we are reminded of directions; not in how we take it, but the directions the Supper points toward as we take it.2025-02-2441 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Worth of WasteWe have all wasted money in our lives on something. Sometimes it is just a poorly thought through purchase, or something that we regret. No one does this better than the government, whose stories of waste are legion. Our story today is one that speaks of waste – an almost unthinkable expenditure of perfumed ointment which could no doubt have helped many in need. But Jesus saw great worth in the act, and so ought we today.2025-02-1637 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Sheep and the GoatsI have only failed two tests in school that I remember. One was an algebra test in 9th grade. The other a Physical Chemistry exam in college. The first was a surprise, the second expected. Neither was pleasant. Being judged and failing never is. In the end, though, these tests were not that important. Most tests aren’t; but there is coming one that will be, though. Jesus will sit on his throne and he will judge between the sheep and the goats. What are the sheep like, that we might be counted in their number?2025-02-0940 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Lord of OpportunitiesAndrew Carnegie was one of the wealthiest men who ever lived. He was industrious, clever, personable, and had great financial sense. But he was far from a self-made man. He was born at the right place, got involved in the right business, and took advantage of the opportunities given to him. We ourselves have been given a great opportunity; the Lord has left us with a great treasure to invest. What will we do with it?2025-02-0241 minCrossway Christian ChurchFive Foolish LadiesThere is a crater in Turkmenistan that burns constantly. Because of this, it has a very ominous appearance, it has earned the name The Gates of Hell. While that is a bit of an overstatement, the continual burning is more reminiscent of hell than anything here on earth. Things that burn eventually go out. Including torches. The five foolish women in our passage know this, yet fail to act. Are we headed for their fate?2025-01-2641 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Signs of His ComingIn 1533, a German preacher promised the New Jerusalem would come in Strasbourg. It didn’t. In 1844, an American farmer promised the return of Christ. He didn’t show. Charles Russell promised Jesus’ return in 1878, 1881, and finally in 1914. All were wrong. Recently, Harold Camping promised it in 1994, 2005, and 2011. Yet, here we are, still awaiting the return. We might be tempted to ask again with the disciples “What is the sign of your coming?” Today, we get to consider Jesus’ own answer.2025-01-1939 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Fall of the TempleWhen I was a child, I had two great and abiding fears: aliens and Armageddon. While I am no longer afraid of aliens, I am still somewhat afraid of Armageddon. Not the event itself, mind you, but the amount of stress and importance people place in figures and signs and times. Eschatology, or the study of the end of the world, should be filled with hope and good for Christians, yet it can be unnecessarily dividing. Today, we will begin to wade into these waters, as Matthew and Jesus lead us. Yet first, Jesus speaks of the fall of the...2025-01-1245 minCrossway Christian ChurchWoe!I use many words when parenting my children. “No!” comes up quite often, as does the sometimes more exuberant “stop!” I have, at times, used the exhortation “whoa!” when trying to calm my children down. I must admit, though, that I don’t think I’ve ever used the word as Jesus does here. The Pharisees and Scribes are in a pitiful state, filled with hypocrisy and self-assurance, they are fit only for hell. But what about us? What are we fit for?2025-01-0538 minCrossway Christian ChurchAnti-PhariseesControversial opinions are stock and trade of our lives now. The angrier and the crazier the idea, the more clicks it gets, the more money is made, and the more notoriety the talking head gets. But not all controversial opinions are wrong or bad. Jesus, in Matthew 23, will say much that is controversial, both then and now. Taking aim back at those who have sought to trip him up, he takes the Pharisees to task. Yet, we would be foolish to think that he is not also speaking to us. If we are not to be like them, then what...2024-12-2936 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Lord, the Son of DavidI have a bit of a reputation as a Scrooge when it comes to Christmas, but I truly do love this season. However, as a preacher I find it difficult. There are only so many birth passages, and having preached for well over a decade now, I’ve gone through most of them. Yet, by God’s grace, today we may well have stumbled onto an odd and sneaky Christmas passage. Today let us hear about the unique Lord and Son of David, who has come to save his people.2024-12-2235 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Greatest CommandmentThe word “goat” was most often used, outside of just describing a grass-feeding animal, as one who was a victim, blamed for something they didn’t do. It has taken on a rather distinct and somewhat opposite meaning now: the greatest of all time. People love to debate things like this; especially at the close of the year rankings and lists are all the rage. Commandments seem like an odd thing to rank, but today we get the definitive list. But what does it mean to love the Lord with all you are, and your neighbor as yourself?2024-12-1538 minCrossway Christian ChurchScripture and ResurrectionToday we start our celebration of Advent – of Jesus’ coming into the world. His incarnation as a child led to this very week in his life, his advent into Jerusalem. As we continue our study through Matthew, our text today speaks of the Sadducees as the leadership in Jerusalem continue the questioning of Jesus by asking him about the resurrection; or, rather, by mocking it. But Jesus has an answer for them, and one for us as well.2024-12-0140 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Elders of the ChurchEvery election we are subject to the same effusive language: This is the most important election ever. None of this language is new, but it is almost as old as our democracy. Yet, soon, we will face an election in our midst that is even more impactful on your daily lives than that for the presidency: the election of our two more elders. As we approach that date, it is good to provide some common answers to questions as you think about their qualifications.2024-11-1744 minCrossway Christian ChurchA King's PartyEveryone loves a good party, and for all the grief the Old Testament gets for being filled with blood and vengeance, the people of Israel were called upon to throw parties often. Celebrations and feasts were a central feature of Israel’s worship of God, which was fitting: the Lord is a joyous God, and that joy that extends naturally to his people. In our passage this morning, Jesus says that the Kingdom is like a party; but a party that not all are excited to attend. What can we take away from that parable?2024-11-1035 minCrossway Christian ChurchParable of ProblemsNo one ever wants to hear their doctor say the dreaded C-word: cancer. At the same time, we understand that not all cancers are the same. Some are very treatable and have almost no effect on your quality of life; others are debilitating and almost always fatal. Good doctors will not just inform you of the disease, but its prognosis as well. Jesus, the good physician, has notified the leaders of Jerusalem of their problem. In this parable, he is telling them the full extent of it. Their problem is not just with some prophet from Nazareth, but with God...2024-11-0335 minCrossway Christian ChurchQuestions of AuthorityThe world is filled with authorities. Your boss, your governor, your president. For each of us, escaping authority is an unthinkable dream. We all have someone to answer to. Yet, when it comes to the gospel, we don’t often talk about authority. Gift, grace, compassion? Sure! Authority, demand, obedience? Well, we might whisper something about them, as the fine print of a sermon. For what does authority have to do with the Good News of Jesus? As it turns out, much.2024-10-2740 minCrossway Christian ChurchFigs and FuryMost, if not all other world religions are based on principles. Islam’s center is not Muhammed, but action. The same can be said about Buddhism and Judaism. Moses and Buddha might be important, like Muhammed, but the principles of the religion extend beyond them. Not so with Christianity – we are a religion that centers not so much on principles as on a person. As we have seen what kind of King Jesus is, the incident with a withered fig tree helps to show us what kind of person Jesus ISN’T.2024-10-2033 minCrossway Christian ChurchChristians and AmericaIn our last installment on the Church and Politics, we consider how Christians handle themselves in our American context.2024-10-2055 minCrossway Christian ChurchA Humble KingPolitical turnover in the past was chaotic. No matter how good the former King was, there was no indication as to what the next ruler would be like, or what his policies would be. While the father might have been a good and conscientious king, that was no promise that his son wouldn’t be a bumbling idiot and mean to boot. For many in Jerusalem, while they perhaps had heard of Jesus, they didn’t know much about him. In his introductory and triumphal entry, they learn something important about him: humility.2024-10-1344 minCrossway Christian ChurchOur Primary PoliticMany folks in America are "really" political. What of Christians? How political should we be? Maximally, as it turns out!2024-10-1352 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Church and GovernmentsIf we live in a new Kingdom, not of this world, how then are we to interact with the governments of this world? While we are to submit, we also must necessarily subvert.2024-10-1351 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Politics of the GospelHow political is the gospel? As it turns out, it is political through and through2024-10-1354 minCrossway Christian ChurchA Humble RequestWe are in the political ad season, with every candidate promising that they’ll look out for your interests and, at the same time, telling us the other won’t. “I care about you” is the theme of them all, and for good reason. All politicians know one inevitable human fact – we care about ourselves, and often to the detriment of the good of others. Jesus here tells his disciples that this cannot be so for them. But that inevitable human fact is hard to shake. That is why you need to learn humility.2024-10-0637 minCrossway Christian ChurchGaining Eternal LifeThe Bible is a wonderful book. Written over the course of a millennium, in different languages through the eyes of different cultures and people, it hits on a variety of subjects. Money, sex, anger, power, war are huge issues, but it also tackles smaller ones – friendship, speech, time-management, philosophy, even at times giving us a look at simple personal correspondence. Yet, there is one driving question that lingers in the background, one thing that is the Big Thing in the Bible – how do we gain eternal life? Jesus is presented with that very question and gives a surprising answer.2024-09-0841 minCrossway Christian ChurchFamily InstructionsMarriage is uniquely important in the Bible. In Genesis, we find in the opening two chapters three basic points: God has created everything that is not himself; Humans were made in his image; and humans are given into marriage. That’s quite a place of importance for marriage! The fact that God calls his people his bride, that Jesus is the bridegroom, and one of the few pictures we have of heaven describe it as a wedding feast shows that the emphasis in Genesis is not lost. Today, we see the importance that marriage has in Jesus’ eyes, but also the...2024-09-0141 minCrossway Christian ChurchForgiving the SheepEveryone has rules. Very few people are true anarchists, and even they are probably kidding themselves. We may differ on what they are, but we all believe that some things are right and some wrong; and doing justice is nothing more than to right the world’s wrongs. But where does forgiveness fit in? What should we forgive, or how much? Today, we follow Peter’s question, and Jesus’ quite difficult answer, and see what it means for us2024-08-2545 minCrossway Christian ChurchDisciplining the SheepDiscipline, no matter the form, is difficult stuff. No matter how we need to be disciplined, the fact that we must work at it indicates our deficiency in some way. At times, that is just working on the basics of the Christian life, becoming more like Christ in our thoughts and actions. But at other times, more outside help is needed. As we continue to think through how we are to live together as community, Jesus today commands that we be loving one another through discipline. But what does that look like?2024-08-1843 minCrossway Christian ChurchProtecting the SheepVeterinarians are not novel and new things; ever since there has been a need to keep working animals upright and pulling, there has been a need to have people to keep them that way. Quickly, animal care spread from animals that do work for us to the animals that provide for us. The church is both the sheep and paradoxically the vet at the same time. We are to keep each other whole and healed, and work hard to prevent sin and its sickness from spreading.2024-08-1141 minCrossway Christian ChurchChildlike FaithThe Olympics are in full swing, and it is hard not to think of both the triumphs and failures of the past. There are many times that teams, with much more individual talent have failed their ultimate test. USA Basketball, loaded with some of the most talented players in history, were humiliated when they took only a bronze medal in 2004 – the precise opposite of the “Miracle on Ice” of 1980. We know well that it is not just individual talent, but how that talent works together that matters. Jesus has instructed us on our own individual morality in the Sermon on the Mo...2024-08-0437 minCrossway Christian ChurchLoyalty to JesusWe think that we would love to get whatever it is our hearts desire. To have a genie grant us wishes, or the power and money to get what we want. Some think that this is precisely what Jesus holds out to us, especially in passages like the one before us. “Nothing will be impossible for you” is quite the promise – but what does Jesus mean by that? And what role does our faith play in this great promise? More than you may think!2024-07-2838 minCrossway Christian ChurchA Picture of GloryHumans will endure much, so long as they know what they are enduring for. Athletes like Michael Phelps will stretch their bodies to the limit to win medals and accolades. Ernest Shackleton and crew endured a year in the Antarctic just to survive. Jesus has made it clear that disciples will have to suffer in this world to gain their lives back in the next. What will sustain us through this suffering? Nothing but the most spectacular glory.2024-07-2134 minCrossway Christian ChurchHow to Be a DiscipleWe are fallen, which means that, on this side of Adam and Eve’s transgression, we will sin. But it also means that we will just flat out get stuff wrong. Mistakes will be made, errors endured, failures felt. It just so happens that, whether a simple error or a sinful transgression, mistakes are wonderful opportunities to learn from. Peter has made a terrific blunder, but the Lord, in his kindness, never overlooks a good opportunity. He will use Peter’s sinful outburst as a chance to teach what true discipleship looks like, for Peter’s sake and ours.2024-07-1433 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Great ConfessionThere are questions and conversations that you will remember forever. Whether from someone who pushed you to be better, or saying “I do”, those moments define a good portion of our lives and who we are. Peter’s defining moment is before us today; yet it is not his alone. All of us share in this moment, for there is no other question that is more important. Who do you say Jesus is?2024-07-0744 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Danger of Signs and LeavenBre and I attempted to teach our children some sign language when they were really young. It is an excellent way to get them to communicate with you before they can talk, and it has been useful beyond those early days. We had a limited vocabulary, however, and sometimes when I sign I need to make gestures that, to be frank, are not always understood. Or never understood. Turns out signs must be understood to be helpful. Today, the Pharisees and Sadducees want a sign from Jesus, but they won’t get one. Instead, Jesus pleads with his disciples to se...2024-06-3032 minCrossway Christian ChurchFed AgainIt is probably fair to say that we have all experienced déjà vu at some point in our lives. That odd feeling that whatever we are experiencing we have already experienced before. Today, perhaps, we might feel that way. Just a month ago, and less than a chapter ago, Matthew recorded for us the feeding of the 5,000. Now, in a passage eerily similar, he records the same feat, this time for 4,000. Why do this? What can we learn from this passage that we haven’t learned before?2024-06-2329 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Lost Sheep of Israel“Never take no for an answer!” It’s one of the most popular cliches used in our culture. Be persistent to get what you want, keep working and selling and eventually it will happen. Yet, it is also clear that sometimes such thinking is taken too far, and tragedy results. There is one person with whom persistence is of the upmost importance: Jesus. He loves persistent faith! Today, we have a story of such persistence, even amidst great suffering and much silence.2024-06-1641 minCrossway Christian ChurchSola ScripturaTraditions are fine things. We have a few of them in our house, which we love and follow. But we know that these traditions will one day end or need to be amended. All tradition ends this way. But Scripture, as we all confess, stands above this. God’s word to us is timeless, perfect, and undimmed by time. We do well to confess that it is unerring and good for us in all it says; but we must do more than that! Today, Jesus must deal with the Pharisees and their love of tradition, but it is not just th...2024-06-0939 minCrossway Christian ChurchJesus Walks on WaterFrank Abagnale was a con artist. He was known to forge checks to gain money, pretend to be a doctor, airline pilot, and social worker. When caught by the FBI, they began to uncover how most of the frauds went down, save one: how did he pass the Louisiana bar exam? Easy, he said: I studied! Frank had always shown himself bright and capable. It is one thing to believe what someone tells you – but you ought always believe what they show you. Jesus’ past two miracles show us precisely who he is, the very Son of God.2024-06-0236 minCrossway Christian ChurchJesus ProvidesThere are a number of ways that an event can be seen as major in the Bible. Sometimes much that comes after depends on them; sometimes it is the amount of text given over to the event. But there are some events that are shown to be important because they are repeated multiple times. The feeding of the 5,000 is a wondrous miracle, but doesn’t take a lot of text, and nothing explicitly flows from it. But all the Gospels tell us of it, and do so differently, helping us to see that much good can come from studying the na...2024-05-2637 minCrossway Christian ChurchA Faithless KingNuance can create confusion for people. A distinction is typically, and rightly, drawn between faith and faithfulness; the first being a constant trust and reliance on Jesus, the second walking rightly before him. Matthew, however, wants to make sure that we don’t drive too large a gap between them. To have true faith is to be faithful to the call that Jesus makes on your life. This is why he writes to us about the life of Jesus, that we might walk as he walked. Today, however, he gives us the anti-picture of Jesus: Herod, the unfaithful king. How sh...2024-05-1937 minCrossway Christian ChurchFamiliarity and ContemptWe have all heard the saying that “familiarity breeds contempt.” The more we get to know people, the more of their issues and problems you are privy to. The people of Nazareth have the same issue with Jesus. His teaching is immaculate, but they are too knowledgeable of his people, indeed they think, of him to trust him. Let us learn from their mistake today!2024-05-1234 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Kingdom and WorksTreasures are lost and found every day. Many of us have stories of such losses; fewer have stories of such finds. And while we might not find great artwork under our mattresses, or buried in our backyards, we have placed before us the greatest treasure we could ever hope for in the Kingdom of Heaven. But what does it take to make it ours?2024-05-0541 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Kingdom and the WorldParables are a rich way to teach the truths of the Kingdom to all. Memorable and illustrative, they nevertheless provide a good deal of material for us to think through. Today, Jesus gives us three parables to consider, focusing on how the Kingdom of God relates to the world. Let those who have ears to hear, hear!2024-04-2843 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Parable of the SowerAppetizers are designed to simply whet the appetite for the real entrée. Often, though, we make full meals out of them. Last week we looked at the nature of the parables as something of an appetizer for them. While it was a full meal, it is hoped that meal simply made us hungrier for the rest! Today, we start by looking at the parable of parables, the parable of the sower.2024-04-2137 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Purpose of the ParablesThe Gospels, as pictures of the life of Christ, run in a general chronological pattern. From his birth to the beginning of his ministry, to the triumphal entry and the eventual and fateful crucifixion and resurrection, the main timeline is kept intact. But the individual events are often compiled for the author’s own reason, as Matthew has done in his 13th chapter. But why teach in parables, when Jesus was so capable of teaching in other methods which were clearer and more straight-forward? The disciples ask the same question of him, and we look at his answer today.2024-04-1437 min
Crossway Christian ChurchUntil We See HimPaul has finished the main body of the letter, the vast majority of his exhortations, and did it with quite a flourish. The resurrection is important to us, theologically as well as personally. We who await a better place than this, who know of bitterness and sadness here, are justifiably excited about a new and better home. Yet, it does us little good to just look up at the sky. Paul reminds the Corinthians that there is yet work to do here on earth, and much of it imperfect and filled with hardship.2024-04-0741 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Triumph of the ResurrectionOf all the days that Christians celebrate, today is the grandest of them all. Jesus Christ has risen from the grave, overwhelming death and justifying all who believe in him. Praise be to God! And, better still, this is a prelude of our own fate, of our own resurrection. So, let us consider the triumph of our resurrection and what it means for us!2024-03-3133 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Work of the CrossGood Friday is a blessed day if, for no other reason, that it shows off the oddity and irony of the cross of Christ. It is a wondrous exchange: Christ knowingly gives us his life and righteousness and takes our death and sin. We talk often about this, central as it is; yet that very comfortability can, if we are not careful, lead to a flattening of the gospel. Today, with the help of one short verse, let us think about its depth and beauty.2024-03-2929 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Nature of the ResurrectionPaul has argued for the basic necessity of the resurrection in the gospel, and its purpose in sealing our redemption and securing his reign. But we still have questions. What, precisely will our resurrection bodies be like? Will we be 20? Have perfect figures and muscles? The Corinthians ask these questions out of spite, but Paul has answers anyway.2024-03-2443 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Goodness of the ResurrectionWe can understand why the Corinthians might have downplayed the resurrection. They were quite immature, and their culture looked down on the physical aspects of the world. They didn’t see the good in it, and they hadn’t thought through the theological implications of it. Paul will remedy that for them, and us, today. Why should we care about Jesus’ and even our, resurrection? What hangs on it? In a word, everything.2024-03-1750 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe GospelThe gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the proclamation that saves sinners from hell, delivers them from the power of Satan, and gives them an inheritance free from corruption. Such proclamation, if done in the nature of the world, would likely come with many footnotes and small print, needless complications, and debate. But, in truth, the gospel is straightforward to confess, understandable, and relatable. Today, let us consider the nature of the gospel that we confess!2024-03-1044 minCrossway Christian ChurchOrder and WorshipFrom the very first words of the Bible, we are introduced to a God of order and carefulness. God is not a God of chaos, but of peace. When we gather to worship God, our worship ought to tell of that God; not just in the words we speak and sing, but in the very form and order of that worship. Here, Paul instructs the Corinthians to better picture the nature of God in their worship.2024-03-0342 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Gift of LoveToday, we come to a chapter in 1 Corinthians that can easily be misunderstood if we do not observe the context. It is a very beautiful passage, very famous passage about love. It contains wonderfully crafted prose that resonates with us, and we will see that when it is applied to the local church, it is even more meaningful. The main point of the text is this: the Christian life is marked by love.2024-02-1836 minCrossway Christian ChurchGifts and the SpiritMany people today take personality tests, helping them to understand themselves, and even the people around them, better. These same types of tests have been used, certainly erroneously, to assess what gifts God may have given to people. What special advantage has God given to you in the Spirit? How are you to use this for the church? Paul is trying to clarify for us the nature of gifts of the Spirit in Corinth, certainly something that we can gain from! Let us consider Paul’s thoughts this morning.2024-02-1141 min
Crossway Christian ChurchUnity and the Lord's SupperEveryone likes to be complimented, to know that the job they are doing is being appreciated and seen. Last week, Paul started his comments by commending the Corinthians for their willingness to stick to the traditions. This gives the issues raised there a minor feel, as though they were a blip. This week however, no such commendation was given; Paul explicitly denies that he is doing anything of the such. The Corinthians’ disunity, demonstrated in the Lord’s Supper, is a problem near to their understanding of the gospel and shows just how deep their factions went.2024-02-0444 minCrossway Christian ChurchCover Your Head!Tetris is one of the best-selling games of all time, and was ubiquitous for the people of my generation worldwide. The point was to arrange blocks as they fell into complete rows, making them disappear. This is not unlike biblical theology, where we take texts and problems and try to arrange them rightly. Sometimes, however, the blocks fall so fast and their arrangement so complicated, that we can feel quite overwhelmed. This is especially true for the most difficult passage in 1 Corinthians, where Paul deals with head coverings. Let us see if we can make some sense of this somewhat...2024-01-2844 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Glory of God and the Good of OthersSome things in this world are complicated because they need to be. MRI machines, the internal combustion engine, and the space shuttle are all tremendously complicated because they must be to do their job. There are, however, some things that are more difficult than they should be. Windshield wipers, IKEA furniture, and online recipes all seem needlessly complicated. So it is with Paul’s argument about meat in these last three chapters of 1 Corinthians. Why not just say “yes” or “no”? Primarily because Paul knew a good opportunity to teach when it presented itself. How should we handle ourselves in these situ2024-01-2144 minCrossway Christian ChurchOur God-Given RightsOur nation has sprung up from a declaration of rights. We are a people who love to claim their rights, to fight for their rights, even to say that we would gladly die for our rights. What if, for the good of others, God might be calling you to lay down your rights? Would you? Paul pleads with the Corinthians to see the good in setting aside their rights that others might flourish in the Lord.2024-01-1439 minCrossway Christian ChurchDoctrine and LoveDoctrine has gotten a bad reputation in some segments of the church. For many, seeing the fights that have split the church over every jot and tittle in the Bible, doctrine is just a divisive force; one that divides but can never unify. We think differently. Yet, we must know the limits of our theology and our doctrine. Even when we get them right, we can be very wrong.2024-01-0737 minCrossway Christian ChurchMarriage, Singleness, and BeliefChristians uphold marriage as a foundational part of the culture in which we live. We rightly understand how important marriage is financially for individuals, not to mention for the quality of life of children. 1 Corinthians 7 is the longest straightforward treatment of marriage in Scripture. What Paul has to say is both helpful and surprising.2023-12-3144 minCrossway Christian ChurchLet Us Prepare for His Coming!Each year, we prepare for the Christmas season through Advent. But what do the individual candles mean, and how are we to think of them as a collective whole? Today, let us consider the Advent season in full, and grow in our appreciation of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, come in the flesh.2023-12-2433 minCrossway Christian ChurchHoliness and the Work of GodChristianity, in its most basic form, is quite an easy thing to understand. God, out of love for us and pleasure in his justice, became a man so that he might die in our place, taking our sin and death and defeating them forever. We proclaim this, so that anyone who trusts and believes in that might have eternal life in him. See, easy! But how are we to live here and now? Do we follow the law? Well, sort of, but not really. How are we to determine what is right and wrong? Here, as in many places, Paul...2023-12-1735 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Love of DisciplineThere are many things in this life that we simply do not associate with one another. Pickles and ice cream; power and modesty; Christmas sweaters and class. These things simply belong in separate categories in our heads. Yet, there are many things that people generally feel do not mix well that are necessarily related. Discipline and love would rank high on that list. Discipline, even formal discipline, is a necessity within the church of Jesus, and is in fact a helpful and needed demonstration of our love.2023-12-1037 minCrossway Christian ChurchWords to Humble the ArrogantWhen diphtheria or scarlet fever hit a home in older days, simple disinfectant procedures were not good enough. No detergents were strong enough nor scrubbing sufficient enough to remove the harmful bacteria. The only tool left was fire – not to purify, but to destroy. In Paul’s desire to destroy the pride and arrogance of the Corinthians, he has appealed to the cross and Scripture. Still, if these appeals are not sufficient, he is prepared to use fire. Such fire can be seen in his very words today, where he instructs the Corinthians that if they really wish to avoid fact...2023-12-0340 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Wisdom of the CrossWhen most people consider the meaning of the cross, they think of it in terms of salvation: forgiveness for sins, cleansing, being made right with God. This is good! Such things are true and form the foundation of all Christian preaching of the cross. Yet, the cross has more for us than salvation; it is the very wisdom of God distilled, able to help and guide through all parts of life. This is Paul’s very point in our passage today.2023-11-1938 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Foolish and the WiseWe don’t place a great deal of worth on unity and community in the modern church. While this might be chalked up to many different influences, it nevertheless seems quite true. But what is also true, from even a cursory glance through the New Testament is that Paul doesn’t share that view. For him, unity is hard-baked into the gospel, as sure to be present among those who believe as the Spirit, as certain of an entailment as is forgiveness. We get of sense of why he saw things that way this morning.2023-11-1345 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Powerful Grace of the LordToday, we start a new study looking at Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian congregation. This was a congregation built out of new converts, ignorant of many of the right and good practices of God before Paul came, and slow to move in the right direction at times. They were split into factions, had immoral sexual practices, seeking honor and power in the world. Yet Paul is so certain of their right standing in the Lord. Why is this so? Let us take a look at his argument throughout this book today.2023-11-0643 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Righteousness and Judgment of GodIn this text, we see judgment pronounced on six specific nations for the sins that they’ve committed. As we look at this verdict, we get a glimpse at the character of God, specifically how the almighty Lord of the universe carries out judgment. The main idea of this passage is this: The LORD will judge the world in righteousness and justice. As we work through this text, we will see eight aspects of God’s judgment.2023-10-3054 minCrossway Christian ChurchPaul's Perfect Paradigm of HumilityWWJD bracelets were all the rage at one time. Their intent was to get the wearer to ask themselves, “What would Jesus do?” The problem with this is that one’s answer was totally subjective. Two people could have two radically different views as to what Jesus would do in any given situation. A better question to ask, and one that drives us to the gospels rather than our preconceived notions, is “What did Jesus do?” That’s precisely the question Paul asks as he presents Jesus as the perfect example of humility.2023-10-2335 minCrossway Christian ChurchWhy We RepentThere are a number of things to point to when asking why the western Church is in the state that it is in. Many could point to the lack of quality leadership, preaching of Christ, love, or the insistence on drawing crowds. One of the factors in all of these things is the simple idea of repentance. People like to be forgiven, but hate repentance. It can be a distaseteful and ugly thing. Why ought we to repent? Let us turn to teh words of our Lord and hear him well!2023-10-1538 minCrossway Christian ChurchSin's Black HoleBlack holes are widely known and somewhat understood by people now; such was not the case 100 years ago. A completely unexpected outcome of a famous theory, they are monstrous in effect, crushing anything that comes to close to nothing, and stretching out that death forever. A better picture of sin could hardly be imagined. Today, we see how the Kingdom fights against this gravity, and the fate of those who pass beyond the point of no return.2023-10-0838 minCrossway Christian ChurchJesus, the Chosen ServantLast week we considered how our interpretation of the law impacted our view of God. This week, we have a chance to see how our view of prophecy effects our understanding of Jesus. Many throughout the ages have been called to serve God’s people, both inside and outside the Scriptures. But only one is God’s chosen servant, sent to bring all his promises to fulfillment. There is only one Jesus.2023-10-0133 minCrossway Christian ChurchGod and Good WorksControversies are unfortunate things. We are strongly warned to not dip our toes into such streams carelessly, lest we be swept away with envy and deceit. Yet, we cannot always avoid such things – sometimes we must take up the word and fight. So far in his ministry, Jesus has avoided such contentious confrontations, but he can no longer. What is at stake is not merely an interpretation of the Sabbath, but what we think of as the very heart of God.2023-09-2441 minCrossway Christian ChurchRepentance and SalvationWe are indeed grateful for the beautiful gift of salvation. But we often lose sight of the importance of salvation really and truly being a gift. We still judge people as being closer or further from the Kingdom based on their deeds, as though salvation was somehow dependent upon their goodness. Jesus forcefully reminds us that salvation is not for the good, the great, or the go-getters, but for those who repent and believe.2023-09-1738 minCrossway Christian ChurchDoubtDoubt is a persistent thing in most human lives; it can be good, sometimes bad, and often irrelevant to our lives. But for those of faith, whose entire life and salvation hang upon belief and trust, doubt is not only a source of anxiety and vexation, but can become a crisis and put people on the edge of devastation. What can we do to battle such doubts? Jesus is here, as always, to help us. Let us turn to him this morning.2023-09-1041 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Nature of Missions (Part III)Jesus is kind to us, even in the giving of difficult news. While the sermon on the mission opened with some encouraging notes, Jesus quickly and surely turned to the bad news, making certain that the apostles knew what was facing them. Yet he doesn’t leave them without some hope – hope that he places before them today. What can we hold onto, what can we pursue, to help us endure to the end?2023-09-0336 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Nature of Missions (Part II)While Matthew and Jesus have already spoken to us about the nature of missions, there is much more ground to cover. In this second part of our study through the Lord’s instructions about missions, we have placed before us the stark nature of what we are sent out to do, and the faith that is necessary to see us through.2023-08-2745 minCrossway Christian ChurchThe Nature of MissionsWhy do Christians spend so much time speaking about, giving to, and engaging in missions? Can not the word of God spread, like rain from the heavens, the message on its own, naturally and organically. Yes, indeed it does. But it happens naturally through the disciples of Jesus, not through a mystic movement of God’s word. Today, Jesus summons his disciples to engage in missions, and we would do well to eavesdrop on his comments to them, that we might hear again the importance of taking the good news of Jesus to this lost world.2023-08-2046 minCrossway Christian ChurchBaptized into ChristThis morning we have the great privilidge of baptizing two young men, Nate LaBo and Isaac Wallaker. Both young men not only are baptized today, but therefore have the opportunity to take the Lord’s Supper for the first time. While we often speak of the meaning of the Lord’s Supper, this is a good opportunity to speak about what baptism means, why we at Crossway handle it as we do, and how it relates to the Lord’s Supper. As we approach thinking about baptism, let us ask some foundational questions2021-08-0140 minCrossway Christian ChurchElder Installation for Doug WallakerSermon for Installation Service for our Preaching Pastor Doug Wallaker.2016-08-2926 minCrossway Christian ChurchGospel DistortionDoug Brubaker exposits the letter from the Apostle Paul to his brothers in Christ. His reason for writing is to rebuke the people infiltrating the church with a false message.2014-10-0536 minCrossway Christian ChurchStand Firm: EnemyIn Ephesians 6, we see that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare, and our enemy is very real. He is powerful and he is dangerous, and we would be wise to listen to what God has to say. Guest speaker is Deacon Doug Brubaker.2013-04-0730 min