Crosstown OKC Sermons

At Jesus's dedication, Joseph and Mary met two individuals who had been waiting their whole lives for this encounter. Simeon and Anna both recognize Jesus as the one who is bringing Israel's long story to its promised end. But in spite of the hopes Jesus inspires, the reality is that those who believe in him will need to persevere in their faith through many challenges that Jesus will generate for...

When the shepherds came to see the newborn Jesus, their report of what they had been told about the child caused Mary to ponder the meaning of what was happening. Twelve years later, Jesus's words to her after they found him in the temple had the same effect. Because of Mary's reflections on her young son's life, she was the first to truly comprehend the message of Christmas.

In the second half of Mary's Song of Praise, she sings about the power of God unleashed on the world with the birth of her son, Jesus. In Jesus, God is subverting the oppressive powers of darkness as he establishes his kingdom in fulfillment of his covenant with his people. The kingdom of God is the inheritance of Christians today who are committed to live under its reality even as the kingdoms of...

We are blessing Mary when we are pondering the mercy of God that Christmas represents.

The first person to hear about Jesus was his mother, Mary. The angelic announcement of her miraculous pregnancy came with the call for her to not just hear this news but also to believe it. Without Mary's positive response, the story of salvation could not have reached its climactic moment.

The final scene in the life of Abraham is the story of how a wife was found for his son, Isaac. In his final words, Abraham reiterates his faith in the divine promise that had inspired the entirety of his life. As Abraham passes from the scene, the next generation takes their place in the great story of salvation, a further testimony to the faithfulness of God to bring every one of his promises to...

When God made his covenant with us, he swore an oath by his own self that he would guarantee it. His promise does not perish when people do. And here we see that Sarah’s death in fact leads to the firstfruit of inheriting the land, albeit through the purchase of a burial place.

Now that Abraham has seen God begin to fulfill his great promise to him, God puts Abraham's faith to the ultimate test. Will Abraham go on believing that God can do even greater things or will he find himself tempted to settle for less? On the other side of this test of his faith, Abraham's relationship with God deepens, and God's promise to Abraham does as well.

God's great promise to Abraham now begins to take shape with the birth of his son, Isaac. But the joy of the moment is tempered by the danger represented by his other son, Ishmael. Abraham would have to go on believing that the God who had entered into covenant with him would somehow bring resolution to the ongoing conflict between hope and despair.

For a second time, Abraham, in fear for his life, identifies Sarah as his sister rather than his wife. And for a second time, his deception puts everyone in jeopardy. Salvation comes only because of God's intervention, and the dangerous nature of Abraham's prophetic calling becomes clearer than ever.

The account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah warns of the judgment of God against all human wickedness. But in its context within the Abrahamic narratives, it also brings the Christian into the challenge of discerning what is just, of needing to learn the way of God more accurately. The reason for this is clear: God intends to bring his righteousness into the world through his people.

God's promise to bless Abram and also the world through Abram would be fulfilled through a very specific son of Abram and Sarai who had not yet been born. At his advanced age, it all seemed so impossible to Abram, but God gave him a sign to remind him of what he had been promised. Though believing the promise continued to be a challenge, Abram accepted the covenantal sign and continued to hope in...

After living for a decade in the promised land, Abram's wife became impatient with God and his promises to them. The resulting story is a tale of violence and oppression inflicted against a vulnerable Egyptian slave woman. But God intervenes to demonstrate that he will not let any injustice prevail against his mighty promises of freedom and redemption.

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.