Crossway Christian Church

Here we are thinking about the use of our time and resources this summer. We begin by thinking about the fundamental part of our lives as Christians, namely, our ongoing relationship with God.

In this passage, we find Jesus asking this question, "What is the kingdom of God like?" This question brings together the story of the healing in the synagogue and the parables that follow. Luke puts these things together because he wants us to see this emphasis on the kingdom. Jesus has come to establish the kingdom of God.

God is speaking, God is calling to us, but have we made ourselves impenetrable to his voice? Jesus looks at those who have insinuated themselves from hearing God speak, and says 'You'd better listen carefully. You need to repent, for all of the reasons you think you're safe and in no danger from the judgment of God are wrong.'

Jesus' saving work will divide humanity. It will be divided by thoses who experience salvation because of their faith in Christ and those who put not faith in Christ. Therefore, we must not reject him.

Ever since Jesus was raised from the dead and ascended back to the glory of God in heaven, his disciples have been wondering. 'When will he fulfill his promise and return?' This is not just the great theological hope of all real believers, but the great motivating hope of all mature believers. What should we do in the mean time? We are to be ready for his return and that readiness is most clearly...

As we hold the glorious calling in our minds, we feel the weight of the life we've been called to in Christ. As we feel the weight of that calling, we ask, "Who is fit for this task? How can I do this?" Hebrews give us practical encouragement. And, we're told not just what the life of those in the community of Christ should look like, but how we should actually go about living that way.

What does it mean if the resurrection of Christ is true? What difference should it make in our lives? We want to think through what life is meant to be like under the Shepherd of the Church, the Lord Jesus who died and was raised back to life.

Good Friday—a day we set aside to remember the death of Jesus on the cross. And most the important question we can ask today is, “Why did Jesus die on the cross?” If you read books and newspapers or watch documentaries today, you’re likely to get all kinds of answers. But the Bible itself is clear and consistent when it comes to answering this question: Jesus died on the cross to save sinners. Thi...

As we are trying to better understand who we are as the People of God, our source of understanding in these weeks has been from God's Word in the book of Hebrews. We really don't want to hear about sacrifice. Our thought is, it is unpleasant, it denies us of something we want or too much work and, it must call us to make choices. But, that is what we are called to do and Jesus Christ is our exampl...

God is the one who makes us Christians, he chooses us, redeems us, and sanctifies us. Because of Christ's work we have access to God and a great High Priest over the house of God. In response, we are called to live a life of worship, truth and community.

The book of Hebrews reminds us who we are as the Community of Christ. The author reminds the Christians then and us today that the old covenant was just a shadow of the truth and that the true substance of God's plan of salvation has come in the person of Jesus Christ. Over and over in the book of Hebrews we are told, Jesus is better.

A study in the letters to the Hebrews - Jesus came as a human, to die so that in dying he defeated death and delivered his chosen from the fear of death. Jesus was not only the perfect sacrifice but became our High Priest. He is a merciful High Priest who is able to remove our fears, share in our sufferings and supply our strength.

What do you worship? Whom do you serve? That's the real question behind these verses. That's the underlying current that runs deep beneath the waters of Jesus' teaching here. We need to be on guard against the sin of covetousness.

Jesus set his face towards Jerusalem, he purposed in his heart to begin going to the cross just as God his Father planned. He set himself with fierce determination to go to his death that he might rescue sinners from death. That's what the cross is all about. It's about him bearing God's wrath. Just as Jesus was intent on fulfilling God's will, so Satan was intent on stopping him. Jesus must prepa...

The clear theme of Jesus' instruction here is exposing and condemning hypocrisy. He does this in light of two groups among the Jewish religious leaders, the layers and the Pharisees. But this problem isn't long gone. Hypocrisy is still a problem for God's people today. It reveals that some who say they are part of the Church aren't what they claim to be, and it reveals that those who are really pa...

Jesus says that wickedness is seen in rejecting the Word of God when it's before you. Here we find a warning for ourselves today. Are we listening to the Word of God? Are we willing to sit under and hear from God or do we expect something else? How do we hear his Word? In this passage Jesus is pretty clear in answering that question.

In these verses, we see the power of God on display through Jesus. Luke is writing to to his friend, Theophilus, to remind him to cut the chute and pull up the anchor. He's telling him, "Look everything you heard about Jesus, everything you first believed about Jesus is true." And for us today, that which we need to believe again is the power Jesus wields in our life.

Jesus wants his disciples to be a people of prayer. In this passage, he encourages us to pray by telling us who God is. And he wants to show them that indeed, God is a Father to his people - a loving and generous Father who delights to pour out his gifts of blessing on his children.

Here Jesus himself tells us how to pray. It's a passage that returns us to basics, yet at the same time refreshes our souls with the reminder that God both commands and invites us to pray.

In Luke's Gospel, this is an important passage on the nature of discipleship itself. Regardless of your gifting - or your gender, for that matter - this is a crucial passage on understanding what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Specifically, it's about making sure that we have right in our minds, our hearts, and our priorities the one thing necessary to grow and mature as Jesus' disciples.

Most people recognize this story, but it is also very often misunderstood. Context is essential. This story is in fact given by Jesus to show a lawyer, a deep deficiency in his own heart, and his need of saving grace. This parable is really about the gospel itself.

Prayer is one of the most precious privileges of the Christian life. But what happens when God fails to heed our prayers? Where does the problem lie - with God or with us?

Jesus prays, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth" (17:17). What does it mean to be sanctified? In praying for believers to be sanctified, Jesus is praying that they be holy; that they be set apart.

What is the gospel? And, why is it important that we get these truths right, and if we are already Christians, why is it so important that we keep talking about this Gospel? Here we find the answers we are looking for.

Here we have the Christmas story with a new spin. We'll think about the same story - the birth of Jesus as the Savior of the world - but we'll look at it from a different perspective.