King's Cross Church South Bay

We come to the 8th commandment: “Do not steal.” Yet as we've said all along, the 10 Commandments are not so much a set of rules as they are a glimpse at God's DNA being poured into his people. So what is the opposite of stealing? How does that reveal the heart of God, even as it reveals what is broken about my own heart? Lots of groups agree "stealing is bad", but what could be beautiful enough to...

There is so much here when we begin to look at this command stated in the positive. However, while our society talks a lot about these things, churches are sometimes sheepish here. That is tragic since God is the One who designed us for intimacy - physical and spiritual. This commandment is not just for married couples. It equally applies to singles, young and old, and all walks of life. So, why i...

"Do not murder." Sounds easy enough, right? But then, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus starts driving this down into our hearts. He calls out "everyone who is angry with his brother" and tells us to "love our enemies." Even just a quick glance at social media will tell you that our society is living the opposite. It seems like character assassination is the given of our culture - and all too ofte...

Don’t assume this is a message just for the kids - it’s primarily a commandment for adults! Even though our family histories are often complicated and filled with problems, God's vision for family - especially calling us into His family - brings challenges, benefits, and great encouragement for us, as well as practical considerations for our immediate family life. "See what kind of love the Father...

There’s a lot of confusion about this one: Isn’t legalistic religion bad? Didn’t Jesus cancel this one? Won’t I lose too much if I really do this? Vacations and Holidays do the same thing, right? As with the other nine, this commandment is meant for our good, and we shouldn’t explain it away so easily. Redeemed people are better off living the way the Redeemer intended. The Rescue came before the...

We come to the third commandment: taking God's name in vain. What's the big deal? Despite how it sounds, this is not primarily about bad words or even saying "OMG." The problem is that speaking of God hollowly (e.g. “in vain") arises from thinking of God hollowly... which leads to hollow lives. How can we have the fullness of life as Jesus promised (John 10:10) if we treat the weightiest thing as...

We come to the second commandment: "no graven images." That seems so... ancient. Why would that matter to us now? Well, in a day filled with headlines over statues being torn down, maybe it is much more relevant than it would seem at first glance. With political debates erupting over art and imagery, our society seems to know instinctively that the way to change a culture is to “capture our imagin...

Keeping "First Things First" is exceedingly difficult and surprisingly controversial. It rapidly exposes what we value most and especially what we value wrongly. Discussion Questions: Fear, shame, and guilt can be effective ways of changing our behaviors, but only for a time! Can laws and rules change heart-motivations? Why would God give us these laws? A new heart changes behavior, yet the flesh...

The 10 Commandments is not merely a list of commands or even principles to be applied - instead, we see the very character of the God we worship. But how is that any help? What is the use of "the Law"? Considering some protesters are currently calling for the defunding of the police, that seems a very relevant question to ask. So, before we go through the 10 Commandments one by one, let's answer t...

We are starting a new series on the 10 Commandments called, “The Law of Love.” After God rescues his people, he brings them to the mountain to give them "the Rules" - but to what purpose? There's a lot of debate in our society to that end, including whether or not they are relevant at all. And yet this week, throughout America and even the world, people have taken to the streets yearning for more...

This has been a heavy week. In addition to the pandemic, there have been heartbreaking images of tragic injustice. Our world is broken and our souls cry out, "Where are you Lord?!” That is exactly what the people ask in Exodus 17: "Is the Lord among us or not?" They are worried they will die of thirst, so they bring charges against God. But how God responds... is simply incredible. It's not just t...

God rained bread down from heaven to provide for his people in the desert. If you have found it hard to remember where God is providing currently, this is a great reminder... and a hope for our horizon. Let's run to Jesus, who said "I am the bread that comes down from heaven", and remember how he is providing for us. Discussion Questions We’re all tired of quarantine, yet they spent 40 years in th...

We come to the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14. This is the iconic image of the book. Exodus literally means "the way out" - and here is God making a way for his people where there was no way. That's a message we need to hear right now. Discussion Questions: It’s understandable that the Israelites “feared greatly” when Pharaoh’s army showed up (v.10). However, read Exodus 4:29-31. How is that...

This is the last of the 10 plagues. However, unlike all the ones that came before, this one has a feast accompanying it - and God commands them to remember it forever. Nonetheless, it feels incredibly violent and graphic. What is God doing here? Do we worship a God of violence or One who heals the violence of this world? And if he is really healing it, how in the world does this final plague becom...

We finally come to “the Plagues” from the book of Exodus. We're not saying that COVID-19 is a plague of judgment from God. But the story does make us think about who we are when we’re at a breaking point… and more importantly: who God always is, even when we've become hard-hearted. Discussion Questions In Exodus 5, Pharaoh asked, "who is God that I should obey him?" How might the plagues (Exodus 5...

Discussion Questions JRR Tolkien coined the term "eucatastrophe" - meaning a "good catastrophe." Considering all the downward trajectory that a catastrophe normally entails for us (the difficulties, the suffering, etc.), what sort of event could be the positive equivalent? Aside from our faith, what events changed your life in that way? God warns Moses that going to Pharaoh will not be easy (Ex.4:...

God calls Moses, and Moses says "please send someone else." He starts complaining. He makes excuses. He is frustrated with God for calling him to a very difficult place. If you have a complaining heart like Moses, especially in times like these, how does God heal a complaining spirit? What hope does He offer? Discussion Questions Sermon-Based Discussion Questions “The Call” | Exodus 3:10-14; 4:1-3...

Discussion Questions Share some of the challenges that have surprised you during this period of "safer at home" and "social distancing.” What has God been teaching you through these new mandates? God's people repeatedly looked back on their slavery in Egypt as if it was better than their freedom in the desert (Exodus 14:12; Numbers 11:5;14:2-4). New adversity seemed to make them re-narrate their p...

Jesus calls his disciples to give their lives away for the cause, just as he is doing. If this is more than a figurative principle, how is this good news for the world or the disciples? Discussion Questions: Share about a sacrifice you made; it could be magnanimous or a small one you make every day. What did you trade or lose and what was gained? Throughout John, Jesus talks about “his hour” (his...

Today we see our political leaders attempt to cultivate their own image, and here Christ gives us this image of his leadership - God on a donkey. What do we do with that? Jesus is exposing the stark difference between the king we want and the king we need. How might he so change our hearts that the king we need becomes the king we joyfully serve? Let's look at the so-called 'triumphal entry' of Je...

This week we come to John 12. As the disciples gather with Jesus, Mary worships Jesus in such a lavish way that the disciples become shocked and even angry. We live in a culture of shock and outrage, so we may be numb to that reaction. But it is Jesus' counter-reaction that is so jarring. What they find shocking, he finds beautiful. What are these ardent followers of Jesus missing that is so impor...

We come to the fallout of that miracle: his rivals want Jesus dead. And they are openly plotting his demise. They accurately assess that Jesus is a threat, but not in the way they expect. In this passage, the high priest himself says it would be expedient that one man die for a nation, but he assumed that would end the threat of Jesus. He had no idea that Jesus dying in our place would be the powe...

John 11 is the famous account of the raising of Lazarus. In the midst of this incredible display of power is something very surprising: Jesus is angry. Why would he be angry at his friend's funeral - especially if he knows he's about to fix the situation? What was it that “Deeply Moved” Jesus, and what did he do with his anger? Discussion Questions Tell a quick story about when one of your parents...

Ever wonder what God's heart might look like at a funeral? (After all, unlike us, he could fix this.) In these next two Sundays, Jesus shows us: tears and anger at his friend's funeral. Why does it matter that 'Jesus wept'? What does it reveal about God's heart toward us and the broken things of this world? And what hope does it give us in the face of the worst things that could ever happen to us?...