Crosstown OKC Sermons

Yahweh gave Abram great promises that he now guarantees with a covenant. Abram, having played a kingly role in Genesis 14, now is seen playing prophetic and priestly roles in Genesis 15. Yet the only perfect king, prophet, and priest is Yahweh himself who commits to keeping both sides of the covenant. Such a commitment all but guarantees the mystery of his own death in order to keep the covenant w...

The life of faith cannot be separated from the realities of life. Here we find Abram, our exemplar of faith, engaging in international affairs and bringing justice and rescue to the needy and the oppressed. He receives a blessing from the mysterious king of Salem, but refuses to be compromised by the sinister king of Sodom. Abram demonstrates the impact that the family of faith can have on the rea...

Leaving Egypt, Abram returns not only to the land promised to him, but specifically to the place where he had previously worshiped God. He fares much better in the subsequent challenge, succeeding in diffusing a conflict within his own family and restoring peace to all of them. Here we see how, as our exemplar of faith, Abram leads us back to the worship of God and to the power that such worship p...

God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12 marks the beginning of the grand story of salvation found in the Bible. The gospel claims that Jesus brings this story to its completion. To believe the gospel, we must exercise the same kind of faith as Abraham, daring to believe that God will do what he has promised.

Telling the Christian story requires us to be truthful to what the story is all about. The story clearly centers on Jesus, but many Christians seem to be confused about how Jesus is at the center of the biblical story. The prophet Isaiah promised that when the story of scripture reached its climax, there would be a beauty to it that would capture the hearts and imaginations of all those who heard...

The Christian mission to the world is based upon the victory that God has already won for the world in Jesus. As we live on Christ's mission together, we experience the joys of his kingdom and are formed into true disciples of Jesus. What God does through Jesus's disciples is then a clear sign of the salvation that is found only in Jesus.

The community of faith is the church of God, devoted to doctrine and communion, committed to teaching and fellowship, and known by its love for one another. A credible gospel community cares for one another in ways radically different than the world’s, showing union in the Spirit, worshiping in unison, confessing sin, caring for one another, praising joyfully, revealing to outsiders the grace of G...

The gospel of Jesus is the most consequential news that has ever been heard. When one believes it, they get a new perspective that colors everything they see from that moment on. Convinced of God's steadfast love in the cross of Christ, embracing this good news makes one a member and messenger of the hope of a new creation.

owing the Flood story, the Bible describes the spread of the nation-state and the dangerous concentration of human power. God intervenes to disrupt this development and to expose the confusion that comes from human attempts to consolidate power apart from his presence among them. The tower of Babel sets the stage for God's calling of Abraham and for his promise to redeem all creation through his p...

Noah's flood is one of the most well-known stories in all the Bible. But being captivated by its imagery we can easily lose sight of its message. God's interactions with Noah and his family are meant to teach God's people about the reason why he has delivered them from destruction. Brought into a covenant relationship with him by grace, God intends to bring order to his creation through his people...

God's promise after the failure of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden was that the seed of the woman would prevail over the seed of the serpent. Comparing the genealogy of Adam through Seth with that of Adam through Cain, we see the contrast between the two family trees. But God's promised victory seems to be on the verge of failure as the evil seed infiltrates the royal line and brings great trou...

Genesis 4 contains the first murder in human history. It did not take long after the Fall and the Curse for the children of Adam to be enmeshed in sin, pride, disobedience, and false worship. Cain killed Abel, but the Lord still showed him mercy. Lamech, the first bigamist, boasted in killing a young man. The offspring of the woman appears all but lost. But the Lord revealed hope to humanity by gi...

God put the man and the woman in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it. But they soon succumbed to the temptation of the serpent and disobeyed God's command. The devastating consequences of Adam and Eve's rebellion are not only the cause of all that troubles our world but also the pattern we are tempted to follow every single day.

Genesis 2 tells us about a garden that God planted in the land of Eden, and about the man and woman that he put there to manage it. This particular vocation given to Adam and Eve is a sacred duty, more like a priestly function than an agricultural one. So long as they, as God's chosen people, carry out their sacred responsibilities, they will enjoy the delights of God's kingdom and promote its joy...

he creation account in Genesis 1 is often suspected of being in conflict with the findings of modern science. Many attempts have been made to make peace between the two. The best way to do that is to see the unique contribution of the creation account and what it urges us to believe about God and his purpose for the world.

God made the world and everything in it. The Trinity was at work in creation, making all visible things out of nothing. God made a beautiful world for us to dwell in, and he made it all for the praise of his glory. The narrative was not intended to give exquisite details on debatable topics, but was meant to tell future generations who made them, for what purpose, and how he still pursues people u...

Christians in a particular church should find that their life together is the most meaningful relationship they have. Because they find their truest identity together in Christ, they can live as whole, healthy people. Whatever their circumstances, they can approach the living God in prayer, for help or for praise. Standing at the intersection of heaven and earth, even ordinary Christians are calle...

The brevity of life and the allure of prosperity can tempt the Christian to give up faith in the gospel. But we must remain patient, confident in the Lord's return. Those who do not give up will be the most blessed of all as they enter into the joy of the Lord's eternal kingdom.

Being rich is not wrong in itself. But pursuing riches at the expense of others, or at all cost, will come with a price. Giving oneself to the love of riches comes at the expense of an eternal treasure. Riches come with a warning to heed, but also a call to good stewardship and generosity toward God and his people.