Crosstown OKC Sermons

Paul and his companions traveled into Macedonia, concluding that God was calling them to preach the gospel there. They came with good news, although the message they announced kept causing trouble. The preaching of Jesus and the resurrection was the turning point, providing the help that many were seeking, while also upending the world’s greatest powers that held the world in its evil grip.

Paul and Barnabas’s missionary journey had been a success, in spite of the hostilities they faced from non-believing Jews. But now it was Jewish Christians who were causing a problem, teaching that Gentiles had to become Jews in order to be fully incorporated into the true people of God. This issue had to be resolved in order for the mission of God to continue.

Paul and Barnabas continue the 2nd portion of this first missionary journey, where we see the message go out more to the Gentiles. Opposition is increasing and accelerating. Will the apostles cave and stop their mission? Or will they continue to preach the gospel? This passage shows us how through adversity, the message continues boldly, and breakthrough takes place with a mass conversion of Genti...

As the church in Antioch flourished, it became apparent that God was urging the believers there to take the good news on the road. Paul and Barnabas are sent out on the first Christian missionary journey. As they proclaim the good news of Jesus, they see the kingdom of God joyfully received by many while they are also forced to confront the powers of darkness that will not give up easily.

It is not a surprise when the church grows and is effective in ministry. But it is also not surprising when the church is persecuted and hindered in its gospel work. Regardless of how the world responds to the church and its mission, Christians are urged to persist in prayer, assured that no earthly power will be able to stop the advance of the kingdom of God.

When the message of Jesus arrived in the important city of Antioch, a great number of the Gentiles there became believers. Barnabas was thrilled when he saw this evidence of God’s grace, and he sent for Saul to help him teach these new believers. Soon these disciples of Jesus came to be known by a new name because of their devotion to Jesus and his kingdom.

Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus, the world is being transformed. The risen Christ is the world’s true king, and he will see to it that justice is done for all. Everyone who wants to share in the saving realities of his kingdom is invited to join in the work of his kingdom.

Coming to faith in Jesus is a drastic transformational event: those who encounter Jesus are no longer the same. And the change from death to life demands a change from passivity to activity – to take action to proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God, no matter the place or the cost, trusting the Spirit of God, the power of God, and the wisdom of God – not our own.

When Saul of Tarsus travelled to Damascus to arrest any Christians he could find there, he experienced something that would radically transform his life forever. Somehow, he came to believe that Jesus of Nazareth was raised from the dead and was, in fact, the Messiah. In these defining moments of his life, Saul of Tarsus finally began to understand the message he had been given to proclaim all ove...

After a successful ministry in Samaria, God led Philip into contact with a very unique person from Ethiopia. This man had a lot going for him, but he knew that something was missing, and he hoped that he might find what he was looking for in the worship of Israel’s God. When Philip told him about Jesus, everything began to make sense, and the Ethiopian returned to his homeland filled with joy.

When the Christians in Jerusalem were scattered by persecution, Philip went to Samaria and “proclaimed to them the Christ.” Astonishingly, many of the Samaritans believed and were baptized. When they received the Holy Spirit, even the most elite among them recognized the presence of a superior power to any other they had known before.

Christians can easily forget that what Jesus has done for them is to bring them into the realization of the great Jewish hope. By tearing down the barrier between Jew and Gentile, Jesus has made God accessible to everyone on equal terms. Those who approach God through Jesus are now being joined together as God’s eternal dwelling place and a sign of hope to the world.

Just as Jesus appears to have reached the climactic moment of his life, he tells his disciples that he is going to leave. Where could he possibly be going at such a crucial moment? Jesus explains that he is going to the true temple of God where he will make preparations for them to join him when he later returns for them.

God will never give up on his creation. He promises to renew it in such a way that all of its past glories as well as its past pains will be forgotten. And God has begun that work of new creation with the incarnation of Jesus who has overcome all that threatens the world from reaching its intended goal.

Jesus entered Jerusalem with all the fanfare of the one who expected to establish the long-awaited kingdom of God. But then he cursed a fig tree and caused a scene in the temple courts. His strange behavior is explained by his prophetic ministry, pointing forward to the kind of temple that would be necessary for an everlasting kingdom of peace to be established.

God is not distant from us. He desires to dwell with us here on earth. And when we are with God, all is well. That’s why the psalmist declares that the one thing he asks of the Lord is to always be in God’s house. And because God is completely trustworthy, the psalmist is confident that his prayer will be granted.

With church growth come increased ministry needs. The ministry of prayer and preaching is paramount to a church’s life. It does not detract from the need to minister to physical needs, nor vice versa. In fact, diaconal ministry is essential to maintain church unity, and to support the pastoral ministry of word and prayer.

As the apostles gave evidence of the resurrection of Jesus, the world began to take notice. The general public thought highly of them, but Israel’s elite became jealous and wanted to have them eliminated. Yet they could only wait to see if the apostle’s power and plan would last or eventually run out of steam.

The early church was beginning to earn respect. The apostles were giving powerful witness to the resurrection of Jesus, and God’s grace was evident in the way the members took care of each other like family. But when Ananias and Sapphira attempted to undermine the sacredness of the church, they paid for it with their lives.

Sufferers need the sovereignty of God. He does wonders. His hand worked out salvation through the evil works of sinful men. His people can come to him with praise and petitions to proclaim his name with all boldness. And God answers!

After healing a disabled man, Peter and John used the opportunity to proclaim Jesus and his resurrection. The Jewish authorities were greatly annoyed at this and took them into custody. Followers of Jesus today are inspired by the boldness of Peter and John, who, in the face of hostile threats, speak truth to power and summon everyone to trust in the only one who has the authority to save the worl...

When Peter and John brought healing to a disabled man who was begging for money at the gate of the temple, the crowd was astonished. Peter was eager to explain that this had become possible because God had glorified his servant Jesus. Peter then urged his audience to believe in Jesus themselves and so to become participants in the blessings of the future age that had already broken in on the prese...

Peter’s proclamation of Jesus at Pentecost resulted in many people becoming convicted of their rejection of him. Peter urged them to repent and to be baptized in his name and about three thousand people did so. The church of Jesus was born and brought hope day by day to everyone around them.

After claiming that what was happening at Pentecost was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, Peter began to show how Jesus of Nazareth was the Lord who would save all who called upon his name. Peter spoke of how Jesus was rejected and crucified but argued that this was all part of the divine plan. By raising Jesus from the dead, Jesus offers the hope of life to everyone whose destiny could otherwis...

When God’s Spirit came upon the followers of Jesus on the day of Pentecost, they began to speak in the languages of the people who were gathered in Jerusalem for the annual festival. It was an astonishing moment. Some of the people wondered what it could mean while others mockingly dismissed it. Peter pointed to an ancient prophecy from Joel to explain that God’s great promise to Israel was now be...