Crossroads Church

One does not have to look far to find division all around us. So why would Jesus highlight that following Him will bring division? Why does He encourage us to pay attention to the times? And why is he giving legal advice to settle up with an accuser before going before the judge? As always Jesus is looking beyond the surface symptom, to the root and what is shaping our hearts.

How we live when no one is looking matters. It reveals who we really are and what we really believe. Jesus reminds his disciples to be ready for the return of the Lord at any moment. To live each day as though the Lord may return. To live each day with our eyes fixed on Him.

Jesus is not afraid to talk about anything, including money. How we steward our resources is a good barometer of who we are. The Kingdom of God is generous, and following Jesus should shape the way we spend, give, and share our resources. What we have, we have been given, so how do we live a life that is rich toward God?

So often we live for the applause, approval, or affirmation of others. This can limit our willingness to follow Jesus with all of who we are because we are afraid of how people will respond when we do. Jesus reminds us that we live for an audience of one. When we acknowledge Him, He sees us, cares for us, and is with us.

Warning signs are made for a reason. They are meant to catch your attention from dangerous conditions that affect us all. As Jesus speaks with the Pharisees, He reminds them and us of the dangers of doing good works just to be seen as good, of pointing out the flaws of others to make ourselves feel better, and saying one thing while living another.

The longer you stay in the dark, the more your eyes adjust to the shadows. Jesus reminds us that what our eyes take in matters. Are we focusing on things of the dark or on the light? What we consume consumes us to be lights for His good, we must fix our eyes on the true light of the world.

It is not uncommon to break a habit by running to another habit. Jesus reminds us that when He comes into our lives and breaks the power of the enemy, that will not stop the enemy from coming back stronger against us. We must pay attention to what we are paying attention to and allow the Spirit of God to fill us.

A divided kingdom will not stand, and neither will a divided heart. As Jesus is again questioned for doing the miraculous, He reminds those around Him that the Kingdom of God is at hand. To follow Jesus is to follow Him fully, not half-heartedly.

Often prayer can be viewed as a chore or a last resort. Jesus tells a story that highlights the necessity and opportunity to bring our prayers before a loving Father. When we remember who God is, it changes both our posture and persistence in prayer.

How do you pray? The answer to this question is one that has the potential to change lives because to pray is to change. One of Jesus’ disciples approached Him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray…” What followed is one of Jesus' most famous teachings and a practice that keeps our lives centered on God.

Busy is a word often worn like a badge of honor. But often, we allow ourselves to be “busy” with things that don’t matter. When Jesus came to visit his friends, one friend spent all day distracted with a good thing but missed the greatest. Another friend spent her time at the feet of Jesus. Jesus reminded them and us that one thing is necessary.

We find ourselves in the space between the coming of Jesus and the return of Jesus. In light of this, how are we to live today? As we close out another year, reflecting on what has been, we look toward the horizon of a new year, while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, always being ready for His return.

In a weary and broken world, hope has come. Immanuel, God with us, breaks through the dark of despair, bringing the dawning light of His unending Kingdom. We join with the angles and all creation as a weary world rejoices as Earth receives her King.

The promised Messiah had come at last, but Jesus also promised to come again. His coming is a day we long for, His forever Kingdom established. His perfect peace realized. The restoration of all things accomplished. This hope leads us to the prayer: Maranatha, come, Lord Jesus, come!

The coming of Immanuel, God with us, not only gave validity to our human experience but was necessary to defeat sin and death. God is His great love, sent Jesus to restore that which was broken. Announcing His Kingdom reign, Jesus promised to return after His death, restoring, renewing, and resurrecting for all eternity those who have placed their hope in Him. The return of Jesus gives us hope tha...

The light has come, and the darkness has not overcome it. From the beginning, the great adversary has sought to destroy the work of God. That first Christmas caused a rumbling in the Kingdoms of the world. King Herod, always grasping at power, would go to great lengths to keep it. Evil does not welcome good. Darkness flees from the light. We see this battle continuing even today. So what did Jesus...

In a quiet town, the King of Kings would come and dwell among us. For centuries, the people of God had waited for this moment. Waiting is a central theme to this season we find ourselves in. But often, in our waiting, we can become discouraged by what we see around us, by our own experiences. While Jesus has come, we await His return, holding on to the promise of a living hope, of a risen and comi...

The story of the good Samaritan is one of the most well-known stories of Jesus. In our familiarity, we can forget just how radical this story is. We all have people we would love to walk by, but we cannot ignore the way of the Kingdom and Jesus call to love your neighbor as yourself.

The 72 return after seeing incredible things, but Jesus reminds them that the most incredible thing is that their names are written in the Book of life. God in His kindness has revealed Himself through His son, and we must never forget the wonder of the gospel and what it means for us as individuals and as a community.

Jesus sends out the 72 as the mission continues to grow. Jesus reminds them and us that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. The disciples are sent into the world, but they are not of the world, they are ambassadors of the Kingdom. They are to go where they are sent, even into hostile environments, and this is our call still today, the question is, will we answer it?

As people begin to follow Jesus, He reminds them of the cost. There is no halfway with Jesus, it is all or nothing, and what we must remember is that He alone is worth it.

The work of Jesus cannot be contained or restrained, but not all will welcome the Kingdom. Jesus reminds the disciples and us that we are to stand firm in our faith with courage, while not forgetting His loving kindness and mercy.

No one wants to be overlooked. As the disciples argued about who was the greatest, Jesus reset their expectations and reminded them of what true greatness requires.