Crossway Christian Church

This passage is a beautiful, comforting passage. In it we hear about the love of God, the power of this God, and what he willingly, lovingly, and mercifully does for his people. It is a well known passage because it truly is a powerful passage. Psalm 22 is a vivid description of how the shepherd died for this sheep. Psalm 23 describes how the Lord lives to care for the flock.

It has been said of this Psalm that it was to be used as a song. But for what occasion, there is not complete agreement between Commentators. Some would say it was to be sung when the Ark of the Covenant came in or out of the Temple. Some would say it was sung at the dedication of the Temple, another thought of it as a song of triumph – of those returning victorious from war. It surely speaks of t...

The problems that have surfaced in Galatia are not problems that are limited to first century believers. The Galatians are essentially seeking assurance; they are seeking a way to make sure that they will be a part of God's people, considered fully justified, and escape the coming wrath. These are assurances that we long for as well. The question that confronts us all is how and where we are to fi...

We have, for several weeks now, considered the depravity of man in Sunday School. We at Crossway believe that mankind is enslaved in sin, what has historically been called "total depravity." The "total" here means "thorough" not "complete." We are not as bad as we could be, but we are sinful through and through. The biblical image of this varies; sometimes it is spoken of as death, but often as sl...

Why, if the promise is central to all of Scripture, and therefore the law cannot change or amend it, did God give the law? Or, perhaps a more relevant question for us today, what good is the law? Why should we take our time and read carefully through Leviticus, if Leviticus is not how we come to know God and his blessings? Today we address these questions, as Paul seeks to demonstrate why God gave...

While it should be clear that those who are building their identity on the law are not inheritors of the blessings of Abraham, being under a curse, Paul will start to turn to explain the law to the Galatians, beginning with its relationship to the promise. Paul was not intent to tell believers what to believe, and leave them in the dark as to why. Before turning fully to the law, however, Paul fil...

Paul has argued that the experience of the Spirit should have been enough to clue for the Galatians to know that they belong to the people of God. Why, then, is he so against the idea that some want more assurance? What if circumcision helps the weak in faith; what is so wrong with that? It this practice not a helpful way to encourage them in the faith, to keep them assured of their inheritance fr...

As Paul leaves his defense of the origins and authority of his gospel, he turns now to argue against the Agitators’ position; specifically, that circumcision is needed to be truly considered part of the people of God. While Paul will argue against such a position in a number of ways, the first argument is from experience. While we have looked at a portion of this argument last week, this week we w...

Galatians 3 begins Paul's main argument in the letter. This argument starts not with an appeal to Scripture, nor an appeal to pure logic, but rather to experience. The Galatians had clearly received the Spirit during Paul's missionary journey to their area. Today, before we look into the importance of this event within the epistle, we will study the background and NT evidence about the importance...

On the eve of the celebration of the birth of the Lord, we turn finally to speak about the peace that this child will bring us. The world is much confused about peace – viewing it typically as a trite statement about the absence of strife and war. But biblical peace is much more than that; it is a peace that outweighs personal circumstances and pursues good. As the angels announced to the shepherd...

There is much to be joyful in the world. We live in a time of unknown prosperity; financially, technologically, medically. We should have untold amounts of joy in our lives. Yet, we instinctively realize that this is not the case. We, like every culture and human that has come before us, taste of grief, loss, despair, and pain. Even as we know joy, we also feel its inevitable loss. But we are to a...

Last week we focused on the role of Prophecy, it highlights the nature of the gospel we believe and is reliable because it is an act of God and gives hope to those who have faith. This week we reflect on Faith. Not all that God’s Word says about faith because that would be a message series. Rather, we will look at the faith of Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father.

There are many things that vie for our attention this time of year. Schedules, trips, presents, family get-togethers. The one thing, though, that we need to focus on is often the one thing that we push to the background. That is precisely why we celebrate the advent throughout December: that we may drink deeply at the mystery and wonder of the Son of God becoming human for our sake. To that end, w...

There are many times when people place faith against logic and reason. Faith, they say, is outside of logic. We walk by faith, not by sight. Perhaps this is true; but often times, we are told to think through our faith, to reason out what we are to know and how we are to act. As Paul confronts Peter, he does not ask for Peter to simply believe him, but rather to think through his faith, seek to un...

It is vital to know what is of central importance in your life. What is the one thing that you are unable to give up? What is the one thing that holds everything you know and believe together? For Christians, as it certainly was for Paul, Galatians 2:15-16 seems to be that answer. These verses contain the central and core confession of Christians, it is here that we find, above all other things, w...

Many times, we enter into the middle of conversations and don’t know all the background we’d like. Galatians 2:11-14 is one of those times. To best understand what is going on, there are some questions that need answers. While these questions are important, and do greatly affect our understanding of the passage, they cannot be answered with compete certainty. Therefore, the following points, while...

Paul now reports to the Galatians, and us, of his longest and to that point most important trip to Jerusalem. The threats facing the Galatians are not new; Paul has seen them before. Here, he informs the Galatians of this fateful trip to Jerusalem, provoked by God, so that Paul might show them the threats and dangers the gospel has already faced.

Part of the attack on the gospel that happened in the Galatian churches was pointed at the apostleship of Paul. If Paul was not an apostle from God, then his gospel could be doubted. Paul does not defend his apostleship to ground his authority, but the truth of his gospel. Paul asserts that he received the gospel directly from God, not from man. To defend this claim, Paul turns to his own testimon...

While we are instructed to walk by faith, not by sight, we instinctively know how difficult such walking is. Our reality is often shaped by what we see and know. We are drawn to the things of the world, not necessarily because they are more precious, but often simply because they seem more real. Paul seeks to win the Galatians back to the true gospel, to a faith that is based on a proclamation, no...

In the book of Galatians, there are three primary actors. We have already been introduced to Paul and the Galatians. This week, we are introduced to the Agitators, those who pervert the gospel of Christ, and are leading the Galatians away from his grace. Before we can understand the perversion of the gospel, however, we need to understand the true gospel.

In this Psalm, King David beautifully records heartfelt words regarding his trust in the strength and power of the almighty God. Throughout history, God has faithfully delivered his people, he has relentlessly defeated his enemies, and has called mankind to trust in his mighty power.

In the book of Galatians, there are three primary actors. We have already been introduced to Paul, the apostle commissioned by God, who preaches God’s gospel to the nations. Today, we are introduced to the Galatians. The Galatians are shown to be models of how not to proceed in the faith. Paul, skipping his normal thanksgiving, dives directly into the problems confronting the churches. If we are t...

There is a problem in the Galatian churches. Paul senses that they are being swayed away from the truth of the gospel by those who would have them accept circumcision in order to be thought of as the people of God. For Paul, this is a concession that nullifies the cross of Christ, and threatens the Galatians with condemnation. Rather, Paul sees the gospel as something that is done fully by God for...

The book of Joshua has much to say to us today. While primarily focused on the promise-keeping God, and his faithful servants, it was likely written at a time when those promises were somewhat in doubt, and servants to the most high God were few to be found. Therefore, the book isn’t just about building up faith in God, but about how the people of Israel were to maintain their relationship with th...

It has been said that the best description in all of the Old Testament of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion is found in Psalm 22. The Psalm is written by David centuries before the crucifixion took place. Any personal suffering, pain, abandonment, hopelessness or illness that David personally ever felt could not produce this Psalm. It is unmistakably the account of a crucifixion. Crucifixion was not prac...