Crossroads Church

As the disciples followed Jesus, they were being trained for more than just observing Jesus, they were being trained to do the things He does. Having witnessed Jesus proclaim the Kingdom with words and action, now Jesus sends the 12 disciples out to do the same.

A desperate woman who had struggled for years grabs hold of Jesus as a final attempt to get well… and it works. We watch as Jesus heals and restores life bringing peace where once there was none, bringing wholeness where once brokenness reigned.

There are people in our lives that we are tempted to give up, but with Jesus, the impossible is always possible. Encountering a man who had roamed literal graveyards possessed by a demon, Jesus set Him free. But not only did He set the man free, Jesus sent the man on a mission; to declare how much God had done for him.

Fear can be crippling, causing us to be unable to see a way forward. As Jesus and the disciples encounter a storm, they quickly forget just who Jesus is, allowing their fears to overtake them. But we also see that when our fear is greatest it is best to run to Jesus.

When you turn on a light switch it lights a darkened room. But you wouldn’t turn on a light only to cover it. Jesus reminds us that He has come to bring light and that all who walk in Him are to shine brightly as well. But what does it mean to shine for Him today?

Everyone loves a good story. Jesus often taught in parables to help make His point. The passage we look at today tells the story of different soils and why the soil of our soul matters.

Overwhelmed with gratitude a woman wipes the feet of Jesus with her tears and hair. Instead of recognizing the beauty of this moment, many felt the scandal of it. Instead of withdrawing from the situation, Jesus leans in with all those around Him, reminding them the one who has been forgiven much, loves much.

Although it is five letters, doubt can often be treated like a four-letter word. Doubt is normal and when we doubt we must learn where to direct our doubts. John the Baptist finds himself in prison and wondering if Jesus is really the “One?” So, John sends his friends to the source, Jesus himself, and they ask Jesus, “are you the one?” How Jesus responds speaks to just who He is and why that matte...

In a moment of death, Jesus brings life as the people continue to be amazed. Jesus overcomes a seemingly impossible situation while displaying both his power and compassion.

Jesus spoke of the Kingdom, and now He beings to show what His rule and reign look like. A man’s daughter is ill and comes to Jesus for help. While the man displays great faith, Jesus speaks healing.

Knowing the right thing and doing the right thing are two different things. Jesus calls us to not only know who He is, but build our life on the foundation of following Him. Following Jesus gives us a foundation that does not shift even when things around us do.

Have you ever had a day where nothing seemed to be going right, and then one small thing happens and you lose your mind? No matter how hard we try to mask what is going on in our hearts, it will show up. What we root ourselves in determines the fruit of our lives. Rooting ourselves in the wrong things will lead to wrong fruit.

It is hard not to compare our actions and our lives to others. We fall into this trap all the time feeling like we are never measuring up or that others are never measuring up to our standards. But this is a dangerous way to live that leads to bitterness, resentment, and judgment of others. The truth is we all live well below the standard we were meant to, and yet by the grace of God, there is ano...

We live in a world divided and people have drawn hard lines. You have lines, spoken or unspoken you have drawn. So how do you love those outside the lines? How do you love with no expectations? What does it look like to be merciful as God is merciful?

We all have people who test our limits. People who raise our blood pressure, frustrate us, and are not interested in our well-being. So what does it look like to love someone whose love will not be returned? How do you treat others as you wish others would treat you, not as they do?

What if everything you were running after wasn’t worth chasing? Jesus began with blessing and turns to woe. Warning us about what truly matters and warning us that we are in danger of distracting ourselves to death.

The betrayal, the trials, the crucifixion, and the tomb all remind us that by His wounds we are healed. As we reflect on the events of Good Friday we remember he meets us in our hurts, our failures, our pain, and he alone brings healing.

As Jesus enters Jerusalem the crowds swell and the people cheer. Days later the cheering turns to jeering and the week would end with Jesus on the Cross. Many who encountered Jesus heard his words but did not understand, they saw him without seeing him, they were stirred but their lives were not shaken to core. How do we keep from missing Jesus, allowing him to shake us and shape us?

When Jesus came back from a night of prayer he chose 12 ordinary men to change the world. These 12 would be enlisted by Jesus to proclaim the Kingdom of God. While we might expect the Son of God to enlist the extraordinary, we should find hope in His call to the ordinary.

Rest is something we all long for but often feel we never have enough of. In Jesus’ day, the Sabbath was weekly time to rest, but for some this routine had become just that, routine and ritual. Jesus pushes on the idea of Sabbath and in so doing reminds us He offers a better rest.

Jesus disciples did not act like other Rabbi’s pupils. The reason for this is that Jesus was and is not like other Rabbi’s.

With Jesus there are no “chance” encounters, their are no accidental run ins, and there are not happen stances callings. Deemed an enemy of his people, Matthew, would have been convinced that Jesus could not possibly be talking to him, and yet Jesus calls Matthew and in doing so Jesus makes it clear that the Kingdom is for everyone who changes direction to follow Him.

A group of fierce friends brought a paralyzed man before Jesus in the most unorthodox of ways. After breaking down barriers, social norms, and even a roof, these friends bring that man to Jesus. In turn Jesus brings renovation to the mans life. But as is often the case with Jesus, the results far exceed our own expectations.

Unclean. A word that would cause people to alter course quickly. The unclean were to be avoided because to assocciate with them would make you unclean. But when Jesus encountered the unclean He did not alter course He altered lives, including how we view the unclean, the outcast, the untouchable. Jesus’ humanity reminds us of the image we bear and validates our own human experience. But when the u...

After a long morning of fishing and no success, the last thing Peter wanted to do was cast out his nets again. But as Jesus got in Peter’s boats, it was clear, Peter’s plans were about to change. Because Jesus asked him to push out again, he did it. And Peter would not stop casting nets the rest of his life, although what he was aiming to catch would be very different.