Crosstown OKC Sermons

The first order of business that followed Jesus’s ascension was the selection of someone to replace Judas Iscariot in the original twelve disciples. In replacing Judas, Judas’s infamous betrayal of Jesus and tragic end became a warning to the early Christians of the temptations of apostasy and where that path inevitably leads. But replacing Judas also brought hope that God’s kingdom which had begu...

The book of Acts really gets going after the disciples of Jesus witness his ascension to heaven. This was a critical event since Jesus’s presence in heaven meant that he was now the Lord of heaven and earth. Assured of Jesus’s command of everything, the disciples and first believers in Jesus rejoiced at what this would mean for them as they waited for the arrival of the Holy Spirit to empower them...

After Jesus had been raised from the dead, his disciples were given all the proof they needed that the kingdom of God had arrived. They were now to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit who would empower them to give evidence to the world that Jesus was Lord. Then they would be sent into all the world to proclaim this good news and to implement the reality of Christ’s reign.

The book of Acts is Luke's sequel to his Gospel. It reports some of the history of the first Christians and the early church. Having been given the gift of God's Holy Spirit, these disciples of Jesus began to leave their mark on the world, and to leave us today with hope for how we might do the same.

The achievement of Isaiah's Suffering Servant is good news for everyone to hear. Everyone is invited to follow his lead and share in his victory. Those who do so will be plunged into the wonders of God's new creation which can never be stopped and will forever bear witness to the greatness of God's name.

The shocking achievement of the suffering servant results in the fulfillment of God's long-awaited promise to his people. The chosen family now begins to spread throughout the whole earth because of the covenant relationship the family enjoys with the Creator God. Nothing can prevent God's people from the privileges of their inheritance since they are being shaped into the image of the victorious...

God's grace does not call us into a religion of perfection; God's grace calls us into a relationship of faithful obedience.

Lasting Transformation is found in the gospel, lived out in community and while being on mission.

The book of Genesis ends with the deaths of Jacob and Joseph, both of whom express interest in their physical remains resting in the Promised Land rather than in Egypt. Within the context of Genesis this is not surprising, because the emphasis is on God's promise, a promise which is not about "going to heaven when you die" but about Israel's fate in the land God promised to them. Assured of God's...

As Jacob nears the end of his life, he passes on the patriarchal blessing to Joseph and predicts the future for each of his twelve sons. We get a sense of what is coming in the rest of Israel’s history, replete with the surprising twists and turns that have characterized the lives of the three patriarchs in Genesis. Hope that Israel’s God will be faithful to his promise to his people lives on, alo...

Convinced that Joseph was still alive, Jacob moves his family to Egypt. The reunion of father and son is a touching scene, but a larger story in unfolding. Israel has arrived in Egypt where they will flourish and become a mighty nation and where God will begin to demonstrate his saving power through them.

The 4th part of the Genesis story is coming to a climax. Joseph sees his dreams come true. Judah’s character is transformed and we see redemption in his words and life. Joseph tests his brothers to see if their jealousy is gone and their honesty is real. As Joseph is revealed, we see the coming of peace and unity to the brothers, and of revival to the nation. There is real reconciliation and a new...

When ten of Jacob's sons went to buy food in Egypt, they came face to face with the brother they had betrayed and sold as a slave many years earlier. Although they did not recognize him, their encounter with Joseph would bring them face to face with the sin they had committed against him. Joseph set up a test which would give his brothers the chance to demonstrate that they were now willing to com...

When Pharaoh had a couple of disturbing dreams, Joseph was summoned to explain to him the divine message. Disaster was on the way, and someone wise and discerning would be needed to make a plan for survival. When Pharaoh promoted Joseph into leadership, not only did Joseph himself finally receive vindication, but the entire world would also be given hope for surviving the looming disaster.

It is easy to lose faith when troubles abound. Yet Joseph continues to demonstrate faithfulness to God and hope in him even in the deep pit. He knows that power belongs to God, and so do plans and dream interpretations. In a rare instance, he defends himself and proclaims his innocence. But he has not forgotten his dreams, and he receives assurance as he sees his interpretations of dreams come to...

Although Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, his chosen status had not been forfeited. God was with Joseph and would ensure that God's plans for Joseph would succeed. But there would be yet another test that Joseph would need to pass first in order for the blessing of God to flourish through his life.

Judah succeeded in getting rid of his brother, Joseph, by convincing his other brothers to sell Joseph into slavery. But Judah's next plot failed when he broke his promise to his twice-widowed daughter-in-law, Tamar, and she tricked him to get from him the justice she sought. In the providence of God, the wickedness of sinful humanity is not only repaid justly; it also offers redemption to those s...

Christians know that the story of Jesus ends with his death and resurrection. But how that story fits into the larger biblical story—even Jesus's disciples had difficulty understanding how it all went together. The burden of the New Testament is to explore this puzzle, giving followers of Jesus the inspiration they need to spread the good news of Jesus to all the world.

Jesus of Nazareth's life was cut short when he was executed by Roman crucifixion. But the Christian faith is built on the claim that the cross of Jesus, far from being a tragic defeat, was a momentous victory. To see this victory of Christ on the cross, we need to see it as the climax to the entire biblical story.

When Jesus began his public ministry, he proclaimed the arrival of the kingdom of God. What then would he say about who could be a citizen of the kingdom? By exposing the heart conditions that contradict kingdom values, Jesus shows that it is impossible to find the life of the kingdom apart from a devoted discipleship to him and his way.

God's plan to save his creation is carried out through a covenant he makes with his chosen people.