All In, with Kirk Crossing: Recent Episodes
Sean Farver
Kirk Crossing is a church in Jenks, OK pastored by Sean Farver. These podcast episodes are our Sunday morning messages.
In Romans 13.1-7, Paul adds to his teaching about our transformation in Christ by talking about our relationship to governing authorities. While it might have been the temptation of some […]
In Romans 12.9-21, Paul offers a long list of commands or requirements for those who are in Christ. They fall into one of two categories: how we are to relate […]
Having turned from what God has done for us, Paul addresses what God requires of us. His first command is that we not think more highly of ourselves than we […]
Paul makes a major shift in Romans 12 from orthodoxy to orthopraxy. Orthodoxy, meaning biblical beliefs or theological truths and orthopraxy meaning behaviors, practices or actions. He will spend the rest […]
In the final section of Romans 9-11, Paul summarizes the situation with Israel’s rejection of Jesus and also offers glory to God by speaking in terms of a ‘mystery’ and […]
In Romans 11:11-24 Paul begins addressing the future of Israel. John Stott notes that in 11:1-10, Paul tells us that Israel’s hardening is not complete (there is always a remnant saved […]
As we begin Romans 11, Paul begins moving from the past and present of Israel’s condition to the future. Before he gets there, however, he lays the groundwork for the […]
Romans 9-11 is very ‘thick’. Paul is unfolding a very detailed response to the fact that while gentiles are receiving and accepting God’s salvation through Jesus Christ, his fellow Jews […]
In the second half of Romans 9, Paul continues his discussion prompted by questions related to Israel’s rejection of God’s salvation through Christ. Having established that the true people of […]
Romans 9-11 contains the next ‘section’ of the letter. Having presented a detailed description of our condemnation, justification, and restoration, Paul addresses some of the bigger questions regarding the way […]
In Romans 8:31-39, Paul brings his discussion about what God has done for us through Christ to a beautiful conclusion. He concludes that we can and should rest assured that […]
In Romans 8:18-30, Paul teaches us that the Holy Spirit makes us groan with hope and also intercedes for us. Since sin entered the world, the creation itself has been groaning […]
In Romans 8, Paul makes the stunning and confident declaration, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” This is true because it is the […]
In Romans 7:7-25, Paul answers two more questions related to the Old Testament Law: is the law sin & is the law death? His resounding answer to both is ‘By […]
In Romans 7, Paul takes on the issue that has been building in the letter to the Romans for several chapters: what about the Law? The Law was the most […]
In the second half of Romans 6, Paul continues arguing why justification/salvation by grace does not create a situation where it’s ok for us to continue sinning. In the first […]
Paul confronts the false idea that believers can continue in sin because grace abounds. He makes clear that those who belong to Christ have died to sin. This transformation rests […]
We saw Jesus enter Jerusalem ‘triumphantly’, we sat at the table with Him as He explained the meaning of His sacrifice, and we saw Him arrested, tried, tortured, crucified, and […]
Jesus didn’t ride into Jerusalem on a war horse. He didn’t come to do battle against the Romans. But he did come to make war. Through his sacrificial death, he triumphed […]
Paul finishes chapter 5 by comparing the consequences of Adam’s disobedience with Christ’s obedience. Through his sin, Adam brought guilt and condemnation on the whole human race. Through His obedience, […]
In Romans 5:1-11, Paul teaches about some of the blessings or benefits that those who have been justified through faith now enjoy. First, Paul says we have peace with God. […]
In the second half of Romans 4 (13-25), Paul continues to consider the faith example of Abraham. In the process, he teaches us about the necessity, nature, and content of […]
In Romans 4:1–12, Paul advances his argument that people are justified through faith, not by works, by appealing to the witness of the Old Testament Scriptures, particularly the witness of Abraham […]
Starting with Romans 3.21 (“But now…”) Paul transitions from talking about how God’s wrath is being revealed for sin and how all human beings stand condemned before Him, to talking about […]
In Romans 3.1-20, Paul concludes his extended argument that all of humanity lives under condemnation for sin. It doesn’t matter whether one is a Jew or a Gentile, all deserve […]
In Romans 2.12-29, Paul continues his dialogue with an imaginary, first-century Jewish opponent. Based on his twenty-plus years of preaching the Gospel, he knew how both gentiles and Jews responded […]
As Paul continues helping us understand the wrath of God which is being revealed against all unrighteousness, he turns in Romans 2.1-11 to engage in a dialogue with the Jewish […]
In Romans 1.24-32, Paul answers the question as to ‘how’ God’s wrath for sin has been and is being revealed against all unrighteousness. The answer centers on the phrase, “God […]
In Romans 1.18-23 Paul begins a lengthy ‘interruption’ of his message about “the righteousness of God” being revealed which will continue until chapter 3, verse 21. Before he returns to […]
Romans 1.16-17 are some of the most important verses in all of Romans. As Paul transitions from the introduction to the body of the letter, he announces the theme about which […]
Romans is one of the most important and influential writings in the New Testament. It brings us face to face with some of the biggest issues and questions of life […]
In this last message of the series, the story of Jesus’ birth points us to one last way in which God is with us. He is with us through the […]
This part of the birth story of Jesus powerfully illustrates God’s providence. God’s providence, his governing of all things in the universe, is yet another way He is ‘with us’. […]
In the second message of this series, the story of Jesus’ birth continues to help us understand how God is ‘with us’. While the Lord revealed Himself and was present […]
Long before Jesus was born, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah to the king of Judah at a particularly difficult time. The Assyrian empire posed a threat to the very […]
In our final passage of the series, Paul lays out the responsibilities that the Thessalonians have as members of the church. At first glance, it seems like a random collection […]
In the next section of 1 Thessalonians, Paul shifts the focus from what Jesus’ return will mean for those who have already passed to what it means for those still […]
In the next section of 1st Thessalonians, Paul addresses the topic of what the return of Jesus means for those who die in Christ before the time of that return. […]
In chapter 4 of 1st Thessalonians, Paul begins to give his instructions for the church in light of Timothy’s visit to them. He begins by calling them to the sanctified […]
As Paul transitions from the first half of his letter (greetings, thanksgiving, and reconnection with the congregation) to the second half of the letter (instructions), he lays the groundwork for […]
As Paul continues to express his gratitude for the faith of the Thessalonians, he goes a bit deeper on a few topics he raised in the opening of the letter. […]
As Paul continues his encouraging letter to the Thessalonian church, you might expect that after describing how well they were doing that he would simply go on to tell them […]
1st Thessalonians is a letter Paul wrote to a church which he founded but also had to leave very abruptly. He was driven out of town by those who opposed […]
In this message, guest preacher Justin Schell traces the story of John Mark through the New Testament and church history to show how various people of faith helped shape his […]
Not only is it critical that we ‘show’ the Gospel through a visible faith, it is critical that we ‘tell’ the Gospel. Our God has spoken, revealing Himself in His […]
The book of James will not allow us to get by with a faith that is merely private and internal. He reminds us very powerfully that genuine saving faith is […]
The Church must continue to share faith with younger and younger generations. Because of cultural shifts, generational tensions, and inner-church dynamics, this can often seem like an impossible task. Ezra 3 shows […]
Having just finished our series on David, it’s fitting that we spend time meditating on a Psalm that bears his name. Psalm 16 is a deep expression of trust in the […]
The final portrait of David in 1 & 2 Samuel shows both his fallenness and his great faith. Allowed by the Lord, but incited by Satan, David undertakes a census […]
The dramatic story of David and Absalom is recounted over six chapters in 2 Samuel. The story represents a major part of the fulfillment of the Lord’s words through the […]
Up to this point, David has been ‘ascending’ in the biblical story. He has been a model of faith and faithfulness. He has become the recipient of God’s covenant promises. He has become […]
The story of David’s kindness to Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9 is both powerful and moving. David, the new king of Israel, does a profoundly counter-cultural thing in that he […]
2 Samuel 7 represents the highpoint of the Lord’s revelation to David; the Lord’s purpose in raising him up and how his life and legacy will be a part of the […]
2 Samuel 6.1-15 tells a very difficult story. Despite the good intentions and excitement of David and the people of Israel, the Lord struck down a man because they were […]
In the final stretch-run to becoming king, David had to navigate a number of very difficult situations. Through this time, David continued to ‘pass the test’ of faith. When he […]
In 1 Samuel 24:1-22, we see that David and his men are being pursued by Saul and his army. While David and his men are hiding in a large cave, […]
In the fourth sermon in this series, we look at the friendship between David and Jonathan. After Saul’s attempt to kill David, we find David running for his life and […]
In 1 Samuel 18.6-16, we discover that David has a very unique and dangerous enemy. This enemy is not a combatant on the battlefield, this enemy is much closer and […]
In the second message of this series, we come to the story of David and Goliath. This is possibly the most famous story about David in the Bible. David is […]
David is a towering figure in the story of the Bible. Shepherd, warrior, poet, musician, king. In many ways he seems unlike us, but he’s more like us than we […]
In the final message of the series we wrestle with Jesus’ command that we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Of all the teachings […]
This week’s upside down and backward truth is that we find our lives by losing them. Matthew 10 is a very challenging chapter in which Jesus sent out twelve of […]
This week’s ‘upside down & backward’ truth is that we rejoice is suffering. This is a very difficult sounding truth because no one would rightly say that they enjoy suffering. As […]
In the third message of this series, we encounter the upside down and backward truth that we are strong when we are weak. In 2 Corinthians, Paul had to defend his […]
The second counterintuitive truth of this series is that we die in order to truly live. In the natural way of thinking, death follows life. But in God’s kingdom, life […]
The Bible contains many teachings which seem counterintuitive. For example, we live by dying with Christ. We lose our lives in order to find them. We are strong when we […]
In the final message of this series, we ask the question, “Is Jesus Lord?” If he’s not a liar or a lunatic, it must be that he is Lord. It […]
Was Jesus a lunatic? In John chapter 6, Jesus made the proclamation that “whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” He added, “for my flesh […]
Many people today think of Jesus as nothing more than a good, inspiring, moral teacher who lived a long time ago and influenced the thinking and behavior of many people […]
Is Christianity to be rejected because it claims ultimate or absolute Truth? Is it to be rejected because it claims to provide the only means of salvation possible for human beings? […]
The next big question we’re considering is the following: Is Christianity hypocritical? Aren’t Christians just a bunch of hypocrites? This is an important question since it concerns what we might […]
Is Christianity a religion of repression? For many people, Christianity (among other religions) is mostly about rules. These rules, many people would say, are repressive and harmful to human flourishing because […]
Earnest questions about Christian faith are questions we should take seriously. The questions we ask reveal God-given and God-seeking desires which arise from both our intellect and our heart. So, […]
Earnest questions about Christian faith are questions we should take seriously. The questions we ask reveal God-given and God-seeking desires which arise from both our intellect and our heart. So, […]
In the final message of this series, we learn that discipleship is ‘the way of discipling’. The book of Hebrews (10.24-25) echoes a consistent message in the New Testament: that […]
In this week’s message, we’re reminded that the way of discipleship is the way of the Gospel. In Romans 10, Paul helps us understand that the proclamation of the Gospel […]
In this message, we rediscover why service is a central aspect of our life on ‘the Way’. Jesus had to correct the thinking of his disciples who saw their places in […]
In this message we learn that the ‘Way’ of discipleship is the way of righteousness. Just to be clear, we are justified (judged as righteous before God unto salvation) by faith, […]
The second aspect of walking on ‘the Way’ is to understand that it is the way of discipline. Doing anything well requires some amount of practice. From athletes and musicians […]
Being people of ‘the Way’ means that we are people who walk ‘the way of the Word’. God’s Word is foundational to our lives as we answer God’s upward call. […]
“This is the way.” This phrase is used periodically in the tv show, The Mandalorian, as a reminder to the Mandalorians that they have a shared manner and pattern of life […]
Regardless of where you are in your spiritual walk, you never move beyond the Gospel. But, what do we mean by the Gospel? There are plenty of ways to define […]
The final vision of the book of Revelation (in fact, the whole Bible) is breathtaking in its beauty and power. It is a vision of the restoration of all things. […]
Revelation 19 reveals that the baby whose birth we celebrate each Christmas is none other than the divine Warrior who will one day bring God’s judgment and justice to the […]
Revelation 12 is a vivid vision in which John sees Jesus’ victory at the cross become the beginning of Satan’s downfall. Though, on first reading it, it may sound strange […]
What does the book of Revelation have to do with Christmas? More than you might think. While we always look back in time to Jesus’ first advent (‘arrival’), we often […]
In the final part of 1st Peter, Peter concludes his teaching on suffering for Christ and gives the Church some final instructions. He concludes his teaching on suffering by helping […]
In this section of 1st Peter, Peter offers us some lessons/perspective on suffering. Not only does it not spell defeat for the Church, it actually teaches us some important lessons. […]
In the first part of 1st Peter, Peter reminds the Church of its nature and identity as God’s chosen people. In light of that identity, he then goes on in […]
In the final section of the first half of his first letter, Peter uses an abundance of Old Testament images to help the Church understand the core of its identity. To […]
Having established that the Church is people of God who have been given a ‘living hope’ through the resurrection of Jesus, Peter goes on to help us begin to understand how […]
In the beginning of Peter’s first letter, he identifies the people he’s writing to as ‘elect exiles of the Dispersion’. He writes to a church (actually a group of churches) that […]
This message is part of the 5th anniversary celebration of Kirk Crossing. It’s based on 1 Chronicles 29.10-22. In this passage, king David offers praise and prayer to the Lord […]
God, the Author of the mission, gave us the Scriptures, The Story of His mission, and ultimately His own Son, The Hero of the mission. In the final message of the series, we come to The Call. This is the point at which all of us who profess faith in Jesus Christ enter into the […]
God’s mission begins with God, Himself. He is the Author of the mission and it flows directly from His character. The Bible is, in many ways, the Story of God’s mission; it contains His plans, promises, and actions in fulfilment of His mission. Every story has a Hero, and Jesus is the Hero of God’s mission story. In John 3 […]
In the second message of this series, Justin Schell helps us see the thread of God’s mission throughout the entirety of Scripture (the story of mission). From Genesis to Revelation, God’s ‘Plan A’ (His only plan) is to gather a people for Himself from every nation, tribe, and tongue. This is the mission into which […]
Missions Month at Kirk Crossing is a time to focus on what God has called us to do ‘In The World’ for the sake of the Gospel. We can’t understand the mission of God unless we take the time to understand a bit more about God Himself. God has existed eternally in a community of […]
In the final message of the series, we come to the death of Abraham. Before he died, he did two important things. First, he had another wife who bore him six sons. From those six sons, several nations were born, fulfilling God’s promise to him that he would be the father of many nations. Second, […]
In Genesis 23, Abraham buys property in the Promised Land in order to bury his deceased wife, Sarah. This is significant because the normal custom would be for Sarah (and Abraham) to be buried with their ancestors in the land from which they came. By purchasing the property (the only property he actually ‘owned’ in the […]
In Genesis 22, God commanded Abraham to do the unthinkable; to offer his son as a sacrifice. Why would God do this? We’re told it was a test; a deliberate act on God’s part to surface the true nature of Abraham’s faith. Did he value God for who He is or did he value God […]
There is a 25 year gap between the first time that the Lord appears to Abraham in Genesis 12, promising Abraham that He will make a great nation from him, and the birth of Issac in Genesis 21. Which means that Abraham and Sarah had to wait 25 years for the Lord to fulfill the […]
After a spiritual high of seeing God’s righteousness and justice perfectly collide we see that Abraham has another spiritual low. In chapter 20 we see Abraham sojourn to Gerar where he tells King Abimelech that Sarah is his sister. Abraham is caught in this lie and his lack of trust in the Lord is revealed. […]
In this part of chapter 18 of Genesis, the Lord draws Abraham deeper into his identity as the one through whom the Lord will bless the world. The Lord reveals his plan to bring judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham, realizing that his nephew Lot (a member of the covenantal family) lives in Sodom, intercedes […]
In the opening part of Genesis 18, Abrahan receives a visit from three men. He recognizes them as important and rushes out to meet them and offer them hospitality. This is, in fact, a visit from Yahweh, Himself. Abraham provides a hastily-prepared feast to honor his guests which comes on the heels of his obedience […]
In Genesis 17, God once again moves his covenant relationship with Abram forward. The covenant will now put requirements on Abram including a continual walk before God, living righteously, and instituting circumcision as the outward ‘sign’ or mark of the covenant. In addition, the covenant will extend beyond Abram to his offspring, indefinitely. Finally, God […]
In Genesis 16, Sarai and Abram make a bold plan. In chapter 12, faced with the obstacle of a famine, Abram decided to move his household to Egypt. That plan didn’t exactly show a great deal of trust in God. Now, continuing to be faced with the obstacle of Sarai not having given birth, they […]
In Genesis 15, Abram raised his ‘fear’ to the Lord that, despite his increased wealth and status in the land, the Lord had not yet provided an heir. He also asked the Lord how he would “know” that he would possess the land. The Lord moved his plan of redemption forward by making a covenant with Abram, assuring him of […]
After being kicked out of Egypt, Abram and his family go back to the land that the Lord had called him. The Lord richly blesses Abram and Lot and it is not long before they have to separate due to their growing herds. However, after a war breaks out, Lot is kidnapped and Abram and […]
In the next part of the story of Abraham we see that his faith journey is one of ups and downs and twist and turns. A severe famine causes Abram to leave the land that the Lord had brought him to and head to Egypt. While in Egypt he and Sarai lie about their relationship […]
In the first message of the Faith Steps series, we’re introduced to Abram. Of all the people in the world, he is the one the Lord selected to use in moving his plan of salvation forward. The Lord called Abram to ‘go’ from his current home, land, culture, extended family, and even gods. The Lord promised […]
In this one-off message, we meditate on Psalm 66 and what it reveals about the Living God and our relationship with Him. We are reminded that He is the God who is glorious, saves, preserves and purifies, and is also whom we serve and profess to others. This message includes teaching interspersed with times of […]
The average adult makes 35,000 decisions a day. That is a lot of decisions and as Christians we want to process our decisions through the filter of wisdom. The book of Proverbs (along with Job, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs) is classified as wisdom literature and is meant to help guide God’s people to living a wise […]
In the final message of the series, we find a great wedding, a great birth, and a great legacy. Boaz is finally able to marry Ruth; we’re not given any details but it certainly would have been a great celebration. Ruth went from ‘foreigner’ to ‘servant’ to ‘wife’ – a remarkable transition in status and […]
In this part of the story of Ruth, Boaz follows through and brings the ‘case’ of Naomi’s property (and Ruth’s future) to the ‘other redeemer’ to see what his decision will be. It will be a ‘legal’ decision in that Boaz has arranged for the matter to be decided before a ‘court’ of elders. Once […]
In this part of the story of Ruth, Naomi and Ruth undertake a bold plan for Ruth to propose marriage to Boaz. It was risky since Boaz could have misinterpreted Ruth’s intentions in meeting with him under cover of darkness at the threshing floor (after he had gone to sleep!). He did not, in fact, […]
As we continue the story, we find Ruth showing initiative in going out to the fields to glean in order to provide for Naomi and herself. We’re given a glimmer of hope in that Naomi has a male relative of good standing named Boaz. Ruth ‘just happens’ to find herself gleaning in Boaz’ field (a […]
In the next part of the story of Ruth, we find a ray of hope, a remarkable kindness, and a painful reckoning. The ray of hope is that Yahweh has visited his people and given them food (ended the famine). This means he has not abandoned his people and that they have, one again, experienced his […]
The book of Ruth is set in a bad time which gives rise to a bad plan that, unsurprisingly, leads to a bad result. In just the first five verses, we learn that an Israelite man moves his family from Bethlehem to Moab because of a famine. Shortly after moving, the man (named Elimelech) dies. His […]
In the final message of the series, we see Jesus appear as the resurrected One. The story of how Jesus appears to the disciples on their way to Emmaus is a very important one because, if we’re a believer in Jesus, it’s our story too. Though the two disciples saw Jesus with their physical eyes, they […]
As the final week of Jesus’ life continued from his ‘triumphal entry’ into Jerusalem, betrayal began to take center stage. While Judas’ betrayal is the most famous (and the one that actually led to his arrest) there were two other moments of betrayal that are also important. Following Jesus’ arrest, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times despite […]
As we approach Easter and celebrate the greatest appearance of all time, the appearance of the resurrected Jesus, it’s good to remember that Jesus is still appearing today. To many, he is appearing for the first time and they put their faith in him. For those who already know him, he continues to appear to us in […]
In this final section of Ephesians, Paul teaches us how to stand in the midst of the spiritual battle which is taking place in the ‘heavenly places’ but also directly impacts our daily lives. He is very clear that there are demonic beings who serve at the direction of God’s enemy, Satan. They comprise a […]
In this section of Ephesians, Paul continues to answer the question, ‘in light of what God has done for us, what does He require of us?’ Pushing beyond the walls of the Church and beyond individual morality/ethics, he applies God’s Master Plan to our homes and our work life. God’s Master Plan calls for us […]
In Ephesians 5.1-21, Paul goes deeper into what our response to God’s grace in the Gospel looks like. In this section of the letter, he reminds us that God has moral and ethical boundaries in which we must live. The central image he uses to communicate his points is that of light vs. darkness. God’s […]
Ephesians chapter 4 ends with answering the question, ‘what does God require from us’ with holiness. Because of all that God has done for us we are called to take off our old sinful self and put on the new righteous of Christ. As long as we are holding onto our old self we can […]
The beginning of chapter 4 in Ephesians is a major turning point in the letter. Having described the glory of God’s eternal plan of salvation in chapters 1-3, Paul turns from the question, ‘what has God done for us?’ to the question, ‘what does God require of us?’ His first answer to that question centers on the issue […]
In this section of Ephesians, Paul offers a prayer for the church but, before he does, he goes on a lengthy digression. Just as he was about to pray, he took time to reflect on his call to ministry. He did that because as he wrote this letter he was in prison. His imprisonment, no […]
In Ephesians 2.11-22, Paul steps back to consider the bigger picture of what God, the Master Planner, has accomplished in Christ. While His electing and saving purposes are experienced by individuals, we become part of something bigger than ourselves. We must understand what that bigger thing is so that we can better understand who we […]
As Paul continues his letter to the Ephesian church, he answers the question of how God’s immeasurably great power has been used for the salvation of His people. Paul first describes our condition before we knew Christ. He says we’re dead. This death is a spiritual or living death that is characterized by walking in […]
After the greeting and introduction of the letter, Paul continues his message to the Ephesians (and to us!) with a prayer. Just as we desire good things for those we love, so the Lord desires good for us. This good that Paul prays for is spiritual insight so that we may fully live into God’s […]
In the first message of this series, we receive a call to bless the Lord who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. As an introduction to his letter to the Church in Ephesus, Paul lays out the nature of God’s blessing and, in the process, reveals that God is the […]
In this message, we are reminded that God sent us the most important thing of all. Not information, religion, or theology… God sent Himself. In Jesus, Heaven has sent us the presence of God, the glory of God, the grace of God, and the knowledge of God. Merry Christmas!
In this message we discover that Heaven has sent us new birth, making us children of God by faith. Because we have been given new birth, we have a new family, and new purpose, and a new identity.
In the second message of the series, John, the writer of the fourth Gospel, mentions that God sent a man named John (John the Baptist) to be a witness to the light (a witness to who Jesus is). While this may seem to be a rather mundane historical detail, it is actually quite significant. John […]
In the first message of the series, we learn that John’s ‘heaven sent’ story is a bit different from Matthew & Luke’s stories of Jesus coming to earth. While they focus more on the historical events, John goes back before the creation of the world. By starting his Gospel with “In the beginning,” John is […]
In the final message of the series, we look at how to grow in gratitude in seasons of blessing. It may sound odd to talk about needing to grow in gratitude in seasons of blessing but it is necessary because times of plenty are often the times we’re in the most danger of forgetting the […]
In the second message of this series, we look at the second aspect of growing in gratitude through every season of life: learning to be thankful in the midst of difficult circumstances. The old saying, ‘whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ may be true, as far as it goes, but it’s based on the […]
Thankfulness isn’t simply a good idea, it’s a necessity. Thankfulness and gratitude keep us centered on the Lord, push back against negative things like selfishness, bitterness, and anxiety, and also shape our character in Christ. In the first message of the series, we learn that growing in gratitude through every season of life begins with […]
In the final message of the series, we learn that a disciple lives life with the end in mind. That doesn’t necessarily mean that we stand on a street corner with a sign that reads, “The End Is Near.” It means that we live our lives in light of the fact that Jesus will one […]
In the fourth message of this series, we learn that a disciple is part of a missional movement in which God’s kingdom is growing by His power and for His glory. Matthew 10 is Jesus’ great teaching about the source, nature, and outcome of this great mission. While we as disciples may not all have […]
In the third message of this series, we see that Godly community means that we take sin seriously and forgive graciously. Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18 highlights the need to examine our own lives for sin and to lovingly hold others accountable. As well, we are called to forgive as graciously as Jesus has forgiven […]
In the second message of this series, we learn that a disciple belongs to the Kingdom that is not of this world; the Kingdom of life, dominion, growth, and value. The first words of Jesus’ public ministry recorded in Matthew’s gospel are, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Renewing the kingship of […]
In Jesus’ ‘Great Commission’ he instructed his followers to go into all the world and make disciples. Their disciple-making activity was to be comprised to two main activities: baptizing (conversion through evangelism) and teaching those converted to “observe all that I have commanded you.” Both works are needed to fulfill the Great Commission. What is a […]
In the final message of this series, Pastor Andrew Brunson shares his story of imprisonment for his faith in which he was nearly broken but through which the Lord rebuilt him. He teaches us three things that will help us build courage as we face resistance or even outright persecution for being followers of Christ. […]
In the final message of the series, we look at what happened when Paul and Barnabas went to the city of Lystra in Asia Minor. First, Paul was enabled by the Holy Spirit to do a great healing. A man, lame from birth, was enabled to stand and walk under his own power for the first […]
In this week’s message, we look at the second stop on Paul’s first missionary journey. As the story unfolds, we learn additional reasons that the Gospel has proven to be unstoppable. First, it is God’s ‘Plan A’. It is not a new religious novelty but the long-term plan of God to bring salvation to the […]
In the first message of this series we’re introduced to the main reasons as to why the Gospel has proven to be an unstoppable force, even though it has faced numerous obstacles. In the very first part of the Apostle Paul’s first missionary journey, it’s very clear that God’s mission is God-initiated, God-orchestrated, and God-empowered. […]
In this final message of the series, we look at the scene itself. We forget that the Ten Commandments weren’t delivered in a classroom or as part of a quiet meditation. They were spoken by God in the midst of the ‘divine storm’ which accompanied His presence. It was an event that would certainly be […]
In this message we look at the 10th Commandment: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” While all the other commandments have an external or observable quality to them, this one […]
In this week’s message, we look at the command, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” With nothing like the modern science of forensics which we have today, the ancient world relied on eyewitness testimony even more than we do. It was essential, then, that people be honest (and certainly not malicious) in […]
In this week’s message we look at the command, “You shall not steal.” Like many of the other commandments, this seems so simple but runs much deeper than we might think. The prohibition of stealing covered a wide array of things in the ancient world from stealing material items to livestock to people to bad-faith […]
In yesterday’s message we looked at the Commandment, “Do not commit adultery.” We saw that this Commandment was a foundation that God build several building blocks for our moral and civil life together. We saw that Adultery goes against God’s design for marriage. Adultery goes against God’s design for the family. This Commandment is the […]
In this week’s message we look at the 6th commandment: “You shall not murder.” On the one hand, this commandment is not difficult to understand (nor should it be!). When we look a little deeper, however, we find that we are more guilty of breaking it than we might think. There are several words for […]
The fifth Word/Commandment of God to His people is to honor their father and mother, so that they might live long in the land. At first glance, one may think that there are other more important commands which could be given. Upon closer examination, it turns out that the issue of honoring one’s father and mother is […]
In this week’s message, we reflect on God’s Word regarding keeping the Sabbath. This commandment feels a bit different from the rest in that the Lord isn’t addressing a singular moral, spiritual, or relational issue. He is making a claim over time itself, and how we mark it, think about it, and use it. Time is […]
In this week’s message we look at God’s third word to His people: “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” Names are a big deal, particularly names in the ancient world. Far from being simple identifying labels, a name stood for […]
In this first message of the series we’re introduced to the importance of the ten “words” (commandments) that God spoke to his newly rescued people in Exodus 20. Far from just a simple set of rules, these commands would mark the beginning of his re-creation of them as his people, a holy nation set apart […]
In the forth message of this series, we learn that ‘Holiness is God’s Will.’ The word Holy means to be set apart and the process of becoming Holy is Sanctification. This is a life long process and becoming Holy requires us to partner with God in order to grow in our faith. Listen along as […]
In this third message of the series, we learn that ‘Faith Is God’s Will’. Faith is a huge topic in the Bible but a helpful way of thinking about it is that faith is both belief in God and what He’s done and also ongoing trust in God. Trust is where faith goes from being […]
In the second message of the ‘Your Will Be Done’ series, we look at the first aspect of God’s ‘revealed will’: obedience is God’s will. From the beginning of the Bible story to the end, obedience to God’s commands are directly connected to one’s love for God. It is always God’s will that we obey […]
In this first message of the series, Your Will Be Done, we look at the nature of God’s will as it’s revealed in Scripture. Theologians often talk about God’s will as having two distinct aspects. First, there is God’s “Hidden Will” or “Will of Decree”. This is the aspect of God’s will whereby He sovereignly […]
This final message of the How Are You? series reflects on the truth that ‘You are loved.’ While the word love means many things to many people in many situations, it is ultimately God who defines and demonstrates what love truly is. In this message, we learn that God’s love is compassionate, like a father’s love for his […]
In this week’s message, we consider the truth that ‘You are forgiven.’ Drawing on Yahweh’s revelation of Himself to Moses, Psalm 103 celebrates the Lord’s compassion, graciousness, and long-suffering by which we receive His forgiveness. Psalm 103 reveals that forgiveness is rooted in God’s character; it is not something He offers begrudgingly but, rather, generously. […]
In this week’s message, we look at the final part of Psalm 139. In it, David makes his main request to the Lord which reminds us that we are always heard. His prayer offers us a kind of template or pattern we might find helpful in our own prayers to the Lord, especially when life […]
In the third message of this series, we focus on the truth that ‘You are wonderfully made.’ We are not purely material beings or simply here by accident; we are miracles of God’s creative power. This truth has several implications for our faith and for our sense of well-being. First, being made gives us great […]
Loneliness is a major issue when it comes to our mental health. In fact, it can lead to anxiety and depression as well as physical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, a weakened immune system and even Alzheimer disease. What makes this even more alarming is that 36% of Americans have said that […]
“How are you?” Perhaps no question is more frequently asked and inadequately answered. A quick internet search will tell you that many of us are not doing that well. Conditions ranging from worry and anxiety to stress, loneliness, depression, and various forms of mental illness are an everyday reality for many people. While mental health […]
In the final message of this series, we discover that following Jesus is not just an earthly, this-life pursuit. Because of the resurrection, we are following Jesus not just for our days on earth but into God’s eternal kingdom. When the women discovered the empty tomb, they were confronted by the supernatural power of God […]
In Mark 11.12-26 Jesus curses a tree and curses the temple. His cursing of the tree, causing it to wither from the roots up, is symbolic of his judgement on the religious establishment in charge of the temple in Jerusalem. Like the tree, the temple appears to be fruitful from a distance because of its […]
In the third message of this series, we look at Jesus’ teaching regarding the true nature of goodness and the necessity to hold loosely to earthly wealth in order to follow him. A man rushed up to Jesus and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” The answer he received […]
The second lesson in our series about self-denying, cross-bearing, Jesus-following faith centers on our need for walking in righteousness. Jesus’ disciples displayed attitudes and perspectives that had the potential to harm the faith of new believers. In addition, Jesus made it very clear that his disciples must take decisive measures to avoid stumbling into sin […]
What does self-denying, cross-bearing, Jesus-following faith look like? It begins with utter, ongoing dependence on the living God, not ourselves. Jesus’ disciples learned the hard way that they didn’t possess spiritual power in and of themselves but needed to depend on the Lord’s power through prayer. In this message, we learn several key aspects of true […]
In this final message of the series, we visit the last place on Kirk Crossing’s faith map: Show. As we live our lives of faith ‘In The World’, it should be the case that God’s glory shows through us. This ‘showing’ is the result of our words, actions, choices, and lifestyles. We are the living […]
In this message, we focus on the ‘GO’ aspect of our faith life ‘In The World’. The last words that Jesus spoke in the Gospel of Matthew are what we call ‘The Great Commission’, His instructions to the disciples to ‘go’ into all the world making disciples and teaching them to walk in obedience to […]
In this week’s message, we begin the ‘In The World’ part of Kirk Crossing’s faith map. The story of the Bible reveals that the Lord is on a mission; a mission to make Himself known, call and redeem His people, and be with them forever. The Church (of which Kirk Crossing is a small part) […]
In this week’s message, we visit the sixth location on Kirk Crossing’s ‘faith map’: Contribute. Ministry, fellowship, care, mission, etc. don’t just happen. They are the result of the many ways the Lord calls His people to contribute to the life of the church. The early church was an example of ‘practical unity’, generosity, service, […]
In this week’s message, we continue looking at Kirk Crossing’s faith map. Specifically, we consider the second aspect of growing In Community: Connect. We saw that the connection that we have together is a bond of unity and that unity comes from God, is essential to community and is a witness to the world.
The next location on Kirk Crossing’s faith map is found in the ‘In Community’ region: it is Worship. While worship is a whole-life offering of one’s self to the Lord (Romans 12.1), the worship gathering of the Church is central to its identity, witness, pattern of life, and also offers a glimpse of eternity. Worship […]
The third stop on our map is our third area of growth In Christ: Wisdom. Wisdom doesn’t consist of quoting pithy sayings, nor is it just the product of experience. The simplest definition of biblical wisdom is applying the knowledge God gives to everyday life. It’s not enough to just have knowledge; we need to put what […]
In this message we look at the topic of knowledge and how it is a key aspect of our life In Christ. We are continuing our series ‘You Are Here’ in which we’re looking at Kirk Crossing’s ‘faith map’. One of the many symptoms of sin is that our knowledge of God and how to […]
Maps are very useful for helping us picture the world, identify locations, and know where we are. But a map only goes so far. To see and experience a place, we actually have to go there. At Kirk Crossing we have what we call a ‘faith map’. It’s a way of picturing the most important things […]
In this message we consider the hopes and fears of Herod. Why would we focus on such a despicable person? For one, you can’t tell the whole story of Jesus’ birth without him. More importantly, he was a man with profound hopes and fears. In fact, his hopes and fears shed great light on the […]
In this week’s message we look at the hopes and fears of Mary, Jesus’ mother. Mary is, perhaps, one of the most surprising people to be used by God and to become a hero of faith. A very young woman in the first century from a very small village seems an unlikely candidate to play […]
In this message, we consider the hopes and fears of Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father. Joseph was, by any measure, an ordinary guy with normal hopes and fears. An extraordinary circumstance arose, however, when Mary, his betrothed wife, was discovered to be pregnant before they had consummated their marriage. His hopes for a family legacy, his righteous standing […]
“The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” This line from the old Christmas song O Little Town In Bethlehem captures a profound truth: Jesus is both the fulfillment of every hope of the human heart and also the One who is able to drive away every fear. In this […]
In this final message of the series, we consider Essential #6 which centers on the doctrine of Christ’s return: Jesus Christ will come again to the earth personally, visibly, and bodily—to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). Every […]
In this message we look at the fifth ‘Essential Of Our Faith’ which centers on the doctrine of the Church: The true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ. The Church finds her […]
In this week’s message we look at the Doctrines of Sin and Salvation. The essential states: Being estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God’s free grace. God credits His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, and thereby […]
This week’s message focuses on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The ‘Essentials Of Our Faith’ states: The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior, indwelling our hearts. He gives new […]
The second essential in our ‘Essentials of Faith’ centers on the person and work of Jesus Christ. The essential states: Jesus Christ, the living Word, became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever. He died on […]
This message is the first in a series called Essential: The World-Changing Power Of Our Basic Beliefs. The outline for this series is the EPC’s Essentials Of Our Faith. Each week we’ll examine the Scriptural support for these most essential teachings of the Christian faith. The first essential of our faith centers on our understanding of […]
This message features a presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ based on John 6.25-40 and utilizes the ‘3 Circles’ tool for presenting the Good News. The ‘3 Circles’ tool can be found in the book Turning Everyday Conversations Into Gospel Conversations. In John 6, Jesus used the image of bread to communicate to his audience about […]
In this week’s message, we look at three objections Moses raised after the Lord called him to go into Egypt. The first was an objection based on credibility: “What if they don’t believe me?” The second was an objection based on ability: “I am slow of speech and tongue.” The third was an objection related […]
As we continue to look at Moses’ call to serve, we discover three aspects of his encounter with the Lord that help us answer God’s call to share our faith with others. First, like Moses, we have seen God’s glory. We haven’t seen a burning bush but, by faith, we’ve seen the glory of God in […]
In this week’s Scripture, we see Moses go from living in the heights of privilege in Egypt to the depths of fleeing for his life and starting all over again. Little did he know, the Lord was preparing him for a great work. Before Moses would undertake that work, the Lord would turn his heart […]
Ephesians 2.10 tells us that we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to good works which God prepared beforehand. In other words, God’s intent was not just to save us but also for us to do the works he planned for us before the creation of the world. The ‘good works’ we are called […]
Jesus concludes His sermon with an analogy comparing two builders. One is the wise builder who hears Jesus’ words and puts them into practice. That builder’s life will be like a house built on rock, able to withstand life’s storms, the pressure of persecution, and even God’s final judgement. The other is the foolish builder […]
In this part of the Sermon, Jesus continues his conclusion with the third ‘pair’ of things for us to consider: true and false disciples. Jesus reveals that, in the end, there will be those who have proven to be true disciples because they put into practice the things that God wills. On the other hand, […]
In this part of the Sermon, Jesus begins his conclusion. The conclusion begins with two pairs of things: two kinds of gates/roads and two kinds of prophets. As Jesus brings his sermon to an end, he calls for a response from us. First, he wants us to understand that there are only two ultimate destinations […]
In this part of the Sermon, Jesus delivers some of his most well-known words: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” While many people are familiar with this teaching of Jesus, fewer truly understand what he means. Jesus isn’t forbidding making any kind of judgments altogether, rather he’s forbidding his disciples to make […]
In this part of the Sermon, Jesus teaches us that wealth and possessions are far more than material or worldly concerns. Wealth and the pursuit of it can become a God-replacement; an alternative form of worship. It can become a master that demands our efforts and attention. God, in his grace, knows that we need […]
In this part of the Sermon, Jesus begins teaching the nature of true religious practice. As strange as it sounds, t’s possible to do religious things with a selfish motivation rather than a God-centered motivation. Jesus’ disciples must learn how to be genuine in all of their offerings to God.
In this part of the Sermon, Jesus challenges disciples to learn a different way of responding when affronted or offended. Instead of retaliating in kind, he teaches us to not give in to vengeance but, instead, to love our enemies.
In this passage, Jesus continues his message on true righteousness. Once again we learn that there’s more to God’s law than simply refraining to do bad things. While everyone agrees that adultery is sinful and tragic, far fewer would see lust that way. In addition, Jesus reaffirms that marriage is not, ultimately, a legal reality […]
In this passage, Jesus continues his teaching on righteousness with the first of six examples. Each of the six helps us understand a common misunderstanding or incomplete understanding of the law that many in Jesus’ day lived with. Jesus not only corrects those misunderstandings but also reveals the spirit and intent of the Law. Kingdom […]
In this part of the Sermon, Jesus introduces the importance of righteousness and righteous living for people in the Kingdom. Some might think that because we focus on God’s grace in saving us, Jesus was not as concerned about how we meet God’s righteous demands. Nothing could be further from the truth. Unless, Jesus said, […]
Jesus’ next lesson in the Sermon on the Mount has to do with disciples’ posture in the world. We are not called to withdraw from the world but are called to engage it. Jesus calls us both salt and light. Both these images teach us about how we are to relate to the world for […]
Jesus began the greatest sermon ever preached talking about blessing. Every culture and every person who has ever lived have some idea of blessing which they carry around with them. Often, our sense of blessing is tied to material goods, key relationships, and important experiences. Speaking to a crowd of people under the oppression of […]
The last deeper dynamic of membership we cover in this series is ministry. The Lord is clear that everyone who is a part of the Body of Christ also has a ministry. This ministry is a ‘grace’ given by God for the purpose of “building up” the Church so that we are unified in our […]
The next dynamic in terms of membership in the Church is accountability. Accountability is something we desire for others but rarely for ourselves. In Galatians 6.1-5, Paul teaches us that accountability is at the heart of Christian community because we all bear a mutual responsibility to safeguard not only the standards of God’s community, but […]
The next dynamic in terms of what it means to be a member of the Church is submission. Our culture often views the subject of submission as taboo or even a dirty word but this is not how God views the subject. As part of God’s created order we all have authorities in our lives […]
What does it mean to truly belong to the Church, the Body of Christ? Most of us have a sense of belonging in terms of relationships and most churches have a formal membership process. But is that what belonging truly is? There is actually far more to it. In the Bible, there are two foundational […]
In this last message of the series we consider the fact that Jesus visibly ascended from the earth to return to His Father. Jesus had told his disciples several times that he would be going away. But it still must have shocked them when the moment came. It was necessary for him to go away, […]
In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul had to remind the church what was at stake with respect to the doctrine of the resurrection. Some in the church were actually teaching that there was no resurrection of the dead. And for Paul, this was a tragic state of affairs. In this message, we are reminded […]
John 11 is a dramatic chapter in which Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. While not a resurrection in the same way Jesus would be resurrected, it was a miracle that clearly foreshadowed it. Jesus’ indignation with the grief, pain, and loss he found when he arrived at the scene is an important part of […]
As we continue the story of God bringing life out of death, we learn that praise is an important part of our new life. As God raises us to new life, we understand that He is at the center of all things and that our rightful response to Him is worship and devotion. The Psalms […]
The glorious story of death turned to life continues with a special vision given to the prophet Ezekiel. In it, a valley full of dry bones are brought to life as Ezekiel declares God’s Word to them. While this is certainly a prophesy regarding God’s restoration of the people of Israel, it’s also something bigger. […]
While Jesus’ resurrection from death is the ultimate from death to life story there are several resurrection stories in the Bible. We are currently looking at a few of these passages and seeing what areas God is rising us from. This week we take a look at how God makes us rise in hope. In […]
When sin entered the world, death came along with it. Fortunately, that’s not the end of the story. Long before Jesus walked the earth, the Scriptures show us that God was at work, undoing the curse of sin and defeating the power of death. We rejoice because, ultimately, Jesus would rise…. and so will we! […]
The final church we meet in this series was found in the city of Laodicea. This is a church that received a very challenging message from Jesus. Like the city in which they lived, they considered themselves wealthy, well taken care of, and secure in life. Therefore, they were not faithfully looking to the Lord. […]
The next church Jesus addressed was in the city of Philadelphia. According to Jesus, this church had suffered and was in a state of weakness, at least from an earthly perspective. Jesus introduced himself as the one who holds the key of David. In other words, he is the one who grants access to the […]
The next message from Jesus is to the church in Sardis. Sardis was a city that prided itself on being virtually unconquerable because of its physical location. It was conquered, however, on two occasions when the watchman failed to detect encroaching forces. It’s likely that because they thought they were invincible, they became complacent. Jesus […]
The next church to receive a message from Jesus was the church in Thyatira. Unlike the church in Ephesus, they were excelling at love and in spiritual growth but were tolerating false teaching. A false prophet whom Jesus called Jezebel was leading some people in the church into idol worship. He named her after Jezebel […]
The next church Jesus speaks to in Revelation is the church at Pergamum. It was a large city, home to the worship of many different gods (and emperors), including Aesculapius, the god of healing. It was the city, Jesus said, where Satan has his throne. The church seems to have withstood an intense time of […]
There’s no way around it, Jesus’ words to the ancient church in Smyrna are difficult to hear. They are difficult because they confront the fact that the church will undergo a time of great distress. Some, in fact, will be called to give their very lives for the name of Jesus. He will not prevent […]
The first of Jesus’ letters in Revelation is to the church in Ephesus. Ephesus was the leading city of the region, the center of worship of the goddess Artemis. Her temple was a wonder of the ancient world and a great source of pride for the city. In addition, Ephesus was an important city in […]
In the first three chapters of the book of Revelation, Jesus spoke directly to seven churches. Each message begins the same way, saying “These are the words…”. What follows are words of both comfort and challenge. Before John tells us what Jesus said, he describes what he saw when he looked and saw Jesus standing […]
The beginning of a new year is a natural time to examine our hearts and faith. It’s a natural time to consider how we will follow the Lord in the year ahead. Join us as we reflect on Psalm 8 and consider some important truths about how God has made us and ask ourselves how […]
The end of the year is a natural time to reflect on how we’ve seen the Lord at work. There have been both joyous and difficult things that have taken place be He is the Sovereign One over everything. Join us as Psalm 90 guides our reflection on the nature and character of God. Join […]
Jesus was born into a time and place that, from the world’s perspective, was ruled over by one man: Caesar Augustus. As the most powerful and one of the most celebrated people in the world, Caesar cast a shadow over all the events we read about in Luke 2. Yet, it wasn’t at Caesar’s birth […]
The next song of adoration in the Christmas story is the song of Zechariah. Zechariah was informed by the angel Gabriel that he and his wife Elizabeth would have a child, even though they were quite old. He expressed doubt to Gabriel and was stricken with the inability to speak until the child was born. […]
Mary’s whole life was turned upside down with the news that she would bear a special child. The angel told her that her child would be an eternal king. She was now at the very center of God’s grand plan of redemption. So, how would she respond? Her’s is one of three songs of praise […]
While the Christmas season is familiar and even comfortable for us, it was anything but for the people who experienced the events around Jesus’ birth. They became aware, though, that God was doing something so amazing that they responded in faith and praise. Three times in the Gospel of Luke a song of praise bursts […]
In this series, we have seen that the foundational work of the Spirit is to glorify Jesus and point people to him. In addition, we’ve seen that the Spirit dwells in God’s people and also intercedes for God’s people. This final message explores how the Spirit transforms God’s people through a life-long process we call […]
In this week’s message we focus on another major work of the Spirit. The Spirit intercedes for God’s people. We need intercession because God’s saving work does not end with our conversion. God’s saving work ends with our glorification. Since we are not yet with God in glory we continue to live in the midst […]
In this second message of the series we learn why it’s so important that the Holy Spirit dwells in us (lives inside us). Because the Spirit lives in us, several new realities come to light. First, we have a new address. The indwelling of God’s Spirit means that we no longer belong to the realm […]
In the first message of this series we learn about the foundational ministry of the Holy Spirit. The single most important thing that the Spirit does is to glorify and point people toward Jesus Christ. The Spirit’s work includes a large number of other activities, but all of them support this foundational work. But how […]
I am the true vine. Jesus’ final ‘I Am’ statement speaks to the heart of the Christian life. As the vine, he is the true source of life, identity, and fruitfulness. As the branches, we must remain in him and he promises that we will bear fruit. We will bear the fruit of kingdom work […]
The next ‘I Am’ statement of Jesus is found in John 14.6: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” With these words, Jesus made it clear that he, and he alone, is the one who is able to reconcile people to the Heavenly […]
I am the gate and I am the Good Shepherd. These two statements hold powerful truth and promise for the people of God. While shepherding sheep might be mostly irrelevant to us, it was anything but to the people of the ancient near east. They depended on flocks and herds as a means of livelihood […]
I am the light of the world. This bold statement of Jesus is packed with power and meaning for us. Light and darkness are common themes in Scripture which contrast the fallen kingdom of the world with the righteous kingdom of God. Sin has left us in a place of darkness but God has shined […]
This week we look at the first of Jesus’ ‘I Am’ statements: I am the bread of life. In the Old Testament, God provided ‘bread’ to the Israelites in the wilderness which was called manna. It was his means of feeding and preserving His people in a region that did not have enough food to […]
I am. Two very small words with immeasurable meaning. ‘I Am’ is the name that God revealed to Moses when he appeared to him in the burning bush; the name he was to tell the Israelites when he went into Egypt to rescue them. It is the name in Jewish history and theology reserved for […]
In this week’s message we meet Josiah. Josiah became the king of Judah when he was just eight years old. Before him, Judah had some kings who ‘did evil in the eyes of the Lord’ and the nation was suffering the consequence. Not only had everyday life become more difficult but the Lord promised to […]
This week we meet Jeremiah. He’s one of the better-known names in the Bible but, surprisingly, few people know much about him. He was called to be a prophet during the reign of a good king, Josiah. But the messages the Lord gave him to preach were messages of judgment because Judah had strayed so […]
This week we meet Habakkuk. He was a prophet in Jerusalem who ministered in the time leading up to the city’s destruction. He was so distraught about how wickedness and injustice were rampant that he cried out to the Lord in is anger, pain, and confusion. The dialogue between the prophet and the Lord forms […]
The next person we meet in this series is Ahaz. Ahaz is one of the lesser-known people we’ll meet but he is still very important. As the young king of the people of Judah, his leadership and, more importantly, his worship focus would be either very helpful or detrimental to his people. Sadly, his worship […]
This week we’re introduced to Elisha, the Old Testament prophet who succeeded Elijah. Elisha was a busy prophet in a tumultuous time. His messages, miracles, and acts of mercy powerfully foreshadowed the ministry of Jesus. Of all the things that characterized Elisha’s faith and ministry, the one that stands out most is his constant awareness […]
The next real person we meet in this series is Gideon. The Lord used him in powerful ways to rescue His people and show His Glory, but that doesn’t mean that Gideon did everything right. Gideon teaches us that we can ‘hide’ in either our fear or our pride, neither of which exhibit the kind […]
The next person we meet in this series is Joshua. Joshua had seen it all, from the Israelite’s miraculous crossing of the Red Sea through the years of desert wandering. He was chosen by God to replace Moses as the leader of the people and was tasked with leading them into the promised land. So […]
This week we meet a woman named Rahab. Rahab is the the definition of an ‘outsider’ from a biblical perspective but the Lord’s power knows no boundaries when it comes to gathering His people to Himself. Rahab teaches us some important lessons regarding our own walk of faith. First, she teaches us that faith often […]
The next real person we meet in this series is Hagar. Hagar was the Egyptian servant of Abraham’s wife, Sarah. Since Sarah was unable to conceive a child, she implemented a plan for Hagar to bear a child for her and Abraham; the child they thought would fulfill God’s promise to give them an heir. […]
The Bible is full of real-life people who encountered God and responded to His power, work, and salvation. The first real-life person we’ll meet in this series is Noah. Noah is one of the more famous names in the Bible because of his role in the story of the flood. Since he lived so long […]
God’s gift of unity brings with it the prospect that as we live together in faith, the Lord will mature us. The Lord’s plan for our lives goes far beyond making certain life situations ‘work out’. His plan is that each of us will be brought to maturity in Christ. The word ‘mature’ in the […]
Unity brings responsibility. The wonderful gift of unity that the Lord has given us means that each of us bear a responsibility to help maintain it. In Ephesians 4.1-6, we discover three things we must do to maintain unity. First, we must honor our calling. The Lord has called each of us to salvation, sanctification, […]
Reconciliation is a major component of the unity which the Lord has given to us. In the early Church, the Gospel did what no one else could do (or even thought possible): it brought Jews & Gentiles together into one community. Paul says that Jesus broke down the wall of separation between the two groups […]
The Lord has placed His people in the midst of a world that is divided and growing more divisive by the day. Because of this, our unity is more important than ever. But what is unity? What role does it play in the Christian life and the life of the Church? In Ephesians 1, Paul […]
We need the Lord’s wisdom now more than ever. In a culture as divided as ours, it’s critical that followers of Christ remember to walk in the way that the Lord intends. We must live life in the way it is meant to be. Proverbs 3.1-12 offers us six ways to be that not only […]
In Romans 8.22-30, Paul gives us three encouragements to never give up on prayer. The first is that we always pray in hope. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit causes us to look forward to the age to come when there is no longer any sin, sickness, pain, toil, or strife. The Spirit reminds us […]
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. With these words, Jesus instructs us to pray that the testing of our faith would not tip over into temptation for us to fall into sin. Also, he directly teaches us to pray for protection from the evil one. ‘Test’ and ‘tempt’ […]
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” With these words, Jesus inseparably connects our relationship with the Lord and our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ. When we pray, we should not only be mindful of what the Lord has done for us (forgiven us; paid the whole […]
Give us today our daily bread. With those words, Jesus focuses our first request to the Lord on our most basic daily needs. This request for ‘daily bread’ (made on a daily basis) helps us grow in dependence on Him. This dependence on the Lord for daily needs is a small part of what the […]
Who we pray to has the power to shape what we pray for. Jesus taught us to pray “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” With this petition, we declare that God’s rule is the most important aspect of life. To pray, “your kingdom come” is essentially a […]
Jesus teaches us that before we get to the ‘what’ of prayer, we need to be concerned with the ‘Who’ of prayer. “Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name” gets us focused on ‘Who’ we are praying to before we get to ‘what’ we’re praying for. First, the God to whom we pray is […]
Prayer is one of God’s greatest gifts to His people and one of the greatest privileges we have. In this series we sit at the feet of Jesus as he teaches us how to pray. In this message, we first learn what prayer is not: it’s neither a performance or simply a procedure. Prayer is […]
In this final message of the series, we learn that true love brings joy. Though Jesus would experience a painful trial and death, he promised his disciples that they would experience profound joy; that joy came because of his resurrection! The would experience joy in seeing him again, knowing that he truly was the Lord […]
In this message we learn that true love is a love that provides. Jesus’ provision for his disciples comes through the work of the Holy Spirit, “another Advocate” sent to carry on His work. In John 14.15-31 Jesus reveals that our provision includes the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (God lives in side us!), the […]
In this message, we discover that true love is a love that comforts. As Jesus was soon to leave his disciples, he brought them comfort by offering three gifts. The first gift is the gift of a home, a place where we will dwell with him for all eternity. The second gift is a way […]
In this part of Jesus’ farewell address, we discover that true love is a love that suffers. Not all of Jesus’ suffering, though, was physical. It was also deeply relational. Jesus, with full knowledge of all that was happening, willingly suffered the betrayal of one of his closest followers. Yet, he still loved us to […]
Love is one of the most often used but least understood words in the world. While there are many definitions of love, the one that matters most for Jesus’ people is God’s definition. In the Bible, love is defined not be a feeling but a cross. The first part of the answer to the question, […]
In this last message of the series, we learn that we are a victorious people. Though there is one more tragic rebellion and setback for the people of Israel, the end of the book of Numbers points forward to the ultimate victory which the Lord would gain for His people: our liberation from sin and […]
In this section of the Book of Numbers we learn that we are a blessed people. Being blessed by the Lord is about far more than material possessions and circumstantial comforts. It’s about all that He intends for His people. In this message we learn that, as the Lord’s blessed peoples, we have His salvation, […]
In this part of the book of Numbers, we learn that the people of God are a challenged people. As we follow Him there are any number of things from opposition to disappointment to loss that can create discouragement. There is light at the end of the tunnel though! In this message we learn that […]
This section of the Book of Numbers reveals that we are to be a submissive people. This is evident in the fact that some among the ancient people of Israel refused to submit to the Lord’s ordering and leadership. This, in turn, meant that they were not submitting to the Lord Himself. While most people […]
As we continue walking in the footsteps of the ancient people of God, we learn that we are to be a faith-filled people. But what is faith? What does it do? How does it look? How do we know if we’re living with it? These are important questions! As it turns out, Numbers 13-14 tells […]
In the third message of the series, we discover that the people of God are not only a unique people and a worshipping people, but also a journeying people. We are headed somewhere and the journey is a huge part of how the Lord shapes and transforms us. As long as the ancient people of […]
In this second message of the series, we continue to walk in the footsteps of the ancient Israelites and learn about the next key aspect of our identity as the people of God: we are a worshipping people. Worship is central to the biblical story; sin, in many ways, is the failure to worship God, […]
In this first message of the series, we discover that the people of God are utterly unique and special, unlike any other people on earth. We are unique because we are known by God, ordered by God, and set apart by God. Being known by God is significant because it means that each person counts; […]
In this third message of the series, we learn that there is hope because of the work that Jesus came to earth to do. Joseph was sure he had made the right decision in divorcing Mary and moving on with his life, but the Lord had other plans. Would Joseph go along with the Lord’s […]
The second message in the Unto Us series is about the hope we have in Jesus’ Name. A name is more than a label, it represents the character, reputation, and identity of a person. For us, there is no greater Name. Matthew begins his gospel with a genealogy, a list of names that bear out […]
Every human being lives with hope. It seems as natural and necessary as breathing. But hope in what? The story of Advent is the world’s greatest hope because it meets the world’s greatest need. During Advent we are reminded that our ultimate hope is not in things or ideas or accomplishments. Our hope is a […]
In this final message of the series, Undré teaches us why busyness is such an enemy of gratitude. Busyness puts the focus on ourselves and takes it off of the Lord and His Word. Even being busy doing good, Christ-honoring things can cause us to miss the ‘better thing’ of actually spending time with Him.
This message takes up the second enemy of gratitude: discontent. What breeds that familiar sense of discontent that we all feel from time to time? Three major things are living with the wrong identity (‘consumer’ vs. child of God), living by comparison (measuring ourselves by what we see in other people), and living with diminishing […]
This message is about the first enemy of gratitude: entitlement. Entitlement is the mindset or belief that we are deserving of certain things in life, that life should go a certain way, or that we are owed something, simply because of who we are. Entitlement, in many ways, is the polar opposite of gratitude. Last […]
Living with gratitude is central to the Christian life. For believers, it’s never enough to simply be thankful ‘for’ things, we are thankful ‘to’ the Lord who gives all things and always works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8.28). It’s especially important to live […]
This final message in the series focuses on the need for leadership, particularly just leadership, in order to see ‘shalom’ established. Psalm 72 is a prayer that the king of Israel would be just that kind of leader. It upholds God’s and Israel’s highest ideals for their leaders. The bad news is that all earthly […]
In this message, the Lord instructed the exiles from Judah to ‘seek the shalom of the city’ to which He had carried them. They were to settle down, build houses, plant gardens, and work for the betterment of the community; ‘its shalom’ would be ‘their shalom’. As we continue this series and learn more about […]
We can’t talk about peace, especially as something we are to ‘do’ (Matt. 5.9) without talking about relationships and interactions with other people. Peace is not only an important part of who the Church is (those whom God has brought together, the new humanity in Christ) but what we’re called to pursue in our interactions […]
In this message, our series on peace turns from what God has done to give us peace to what is required of us to live in and make peace. In the Bible, there is a very close relationship between righteousness and peace. Righteousness is not only the ‘status’ God has given us by faith in […]
With the fall of humanity came the brokenness of shalom. Who could possibly restore it? Only God can do it but only a human being should do it (since we broke it in the first place). What can be done? The answer in the ‘big story’ of the Bible is not a ‘what’ but at […]
Why is peace so elusive? Why do we often only get small glimpses of shalom? To understand, we must go back to the beginning of the ‘big story’ that the Bible tells. All of our lives are lived under a larger story which has four chapters: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Last Things. No matter what […]
Peace. It seems to be in short supply in these days of upheaval. No one should know more about true peace than a follower of Jesus Christ and no one should be working harder to bring peace than a follower of Jesus Christ. But what is peace? It’s far more than the absence of conflict […]
This is the second part of the Glory Days series based on the book of Haggai. God raised up the prophet Haggai in order to confront His people who had failed to rebuild the temple after returning from their exile in Babylon. The messages in chapter 2 of the book turn from challenge/confrontation to promise. […]
This two-message series covers the entirety of the book of Haggai. Haggai was a prophet called by God to confront the people of Judah who had returned from exile but failed to complete the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. For too long they had focused on their own lives (‘houses’) to the neglect of […]
This is the final message in the Align series. Though no one knew God better than the prophet Jonah, his story reveals that it’s possible to know God well yet still have a heart that is out of alignment with his. In this part of the story, Jonah expresses his outrage over God’s choice to […]
In this part of the story of Jonah, the prophet is given another command to go to Nineveh and declare God’s message to the city. This time Jonah obeys, even if reluctant to do so. On the first day of Jonah’s proclamation, the city as a whole repents of its evil doing and seeks the […]
Message two in the Align series focuses on Jonah’s powerful and personal experience of God’s grace. We learn that, apart from grace, there can be no alignment of our hearts with God’s. Jonah’s experience of God’s gracious saving work teaches us three important lessons: 1.) Grace makes our story continue 2.) Grace runs as deep […]
In his day, no one knew the heart of God better than Jonah. Even so, the book that bears his name reveals that his heart was not fully aligned with the God he knew so well. When God said to go, he ran. When God said to preach, he objected. When God chose to forgive, […]
In this final message of the series, we look at how Paul closes his letter to the Philippians. The close of the letter is essentially Paul’s acknowledgement of the monetary gift he had received from the church. He expresses joy in that the church had been able to renew their concern for him but also […]
In this message, we learn how Paul expected the Philippian church (and us as well!) to grow in their capacity to live by faith. This means that we need a change of address (citizenship in heaven, not, ultimately, on earth), a change in character, and a change of mind (our thinking patterns). Along with these […]
The theme of this week’s message is Confidence. Paul wants the Philippians (and us!) to be confident that our salvation is based not on law keeping but only on faith. By faith we receive God’s free gift of salvation which is based on the sacrificial, substitutionary death of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. The gospel […]
In this passage, Paul holds up Timothy & Epaphroditus as examples of people who ‘conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ’. This passage is important because it offers us a window into the cooperative partnerships that have characterized gospel ministry from the very beginning. Paul wasn’t a ‘paper’ Apostle, he had […]
Having addressed the Philippians’ response to the external pressures they faced, Paul now turns to the internal conflicts taking place in the church. If they are to ‘conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ’ they must learn to live with one another in Christ-likeness. Just as Jesus humbled himself in becoming […]
In this section of Philippians, Paul addresses his imprisonment. While the Philippians were very concerned for Paul’s welfare and what this might mean for his ministry, he assures them that he is filled with joy because not only have his “chains” actually helped advance the preaching of the gospel (to people he wouldn’t ordinarily have […]
This message begins a new series called Like Stars. In Philippians 2.15 Paul tells the church that they will “shine like stars,” meaning that the church will not only be on display to the world but will shine the light of God’s truth, beauty, and goodness. This first message covers the letter’s opening and carries […]
Genesis 50.15-21: In this final message of the series, we hear Joseph’s final reflections on the journey the Lord has taken him on. His brothers fear that since their father is now dead, that Joseph will take his revenge on them. Instead, Joseph tells them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? […]
Genesis 45.1-28 – In this message we ask the question, “How big is the story you are living in?” For all the big things the Lord had done in Joseph’s life, none were as big as what He would do in reconnecting Joseph with his family. Because of the position the Lord had put him […]
Genesis 41.37-57 – In this message we find Joseph promoted to the heights of power in Egypt; his days of imprisonment, slavery, and betrayal over. As Joesph experienced profound blessings from the Lord, it is very important that we pay attention to how he responded. In fact, one of the most important questions we can […]
Genesis 41.1-36: In this part of Joseph’s story, he finally comes face to face with Pharaoh because Pharaoh has had two dreams which have deeply disturbed him. With no one in Pharaoh’s court able to interpret the dreams, the cupbearer remembers that two years before a young Hebrew slave had interpreted dreams which came true […]
Genesis 39.20b-40.23 – In this message we find that Joseph, though a prisoner himself, has risen to the position of overseer of the prison. God’s favor and purpose for Joseph continue to be worked out as God moves him onward and upward in His plan. While prison is not what Joseph wanted, we see that […]
Genesis 39.1-20a – In this third message of the series we find Joseph as a slave in the house of an Egyptian official named Potiphar. As Joseph had done in his families household, he rises to the position of overseeing this Egyptian household because the Lord is with him, favors him, and causes both him […]
Genesis 37.12-36 – This message continues with the life of Joseph and deals with the part of his story in which he is captured by his brothers and sold into slavery in Egypt. Even though Joseph’s story seems to be going backward and downward, we see that this, too, is part of how God is […]
Forward is the only direction the Lord leads us in life. There’s no such thing as going back. We experience his leading in two key ways. First, we experience His leading us onward through various kinds of circumstances and experiences, some good, some bad. He uses all these circumstances to shape our character, make us […]
This Easter message (4.12.20) focuses on the victory of the King. Jesus’ resurrection represents his victory over not only the forces that arrested, tried, and killed him but his victory over sin and death themselves. In Matthew’s gospel, the story of discovering the empty tomb is bookended by the story of the religious leaders’ plan […]
This message (4.5.20) focuses on the feast of the King, namely Jesus’ ‘last supper’ with his disciples in which he revealed the meaning of his death through the symbolism of the bread and wine. Not only did Jesus’ last supper fulfill the long-celebrated passover meal (he would be the ultimate and final passover lamb) but […]
This message (3.29.20) centers on the warning of the King. In Matthew 24 & 25, Jesus takes up the topic of the end of the age. While it’s a difficult message, ultimately it is a message of hope, not fear, for God’s people. Our takeaway from the warning of the king is that we should […]
Matthew 22.15-22 – Not only is Jesus a King of great power and grace, He is also a King with all wisdom. In answering every challenge posed to Him, he reveals his supreme wisdom in all matters: civil, theological, and ethical. He is truly wise to save and to rule. If our King is all […]
Who are the true subjects of the King? Those who accept the invitation of the King. In this message, we see how Jesus challenged the religious leaders and establishment, revealing that the only people who enter the Kingdom of God are those who enter by the gracious invitation of the King, not by good works, […]
This is the first message in the Fit For A King series and is based on Matthew 21.18-22. He was a king… but never led an army. He was a king… but never ruled a land. He was a king… but never lived in a palace. He was a king… but never sat on a […]
This is the final message in the ALL IN series. This message is part two related to the question, what does it mean to be In The World? Last week’s message focused on the character qualities that are important for each of us to have as we engage in gospel ministry In The World: obedience, […]
This message is the first to address the question of what it means for us as a church to be In The World. Having worked through what it means for us to be found In Christ and In Community, we now look at what God has called us to do in mission and service for […]
Message #6 in the series are part 2 of What does it mean to be ‘In Community’ at Kirk Crossing.
In this week’s message we start a two-week focus on the question of what it means to be ‘In Community’. At Kirk Crossing it means two overarching things: first, to know and experience the new-community fellowship of God’s people and, second, it means being actively engaged in worship, group life, serving, and giving. Acts 2.42-47 […]
This is the fourth message in the ALL IN series. This message is part 2 related to what it mean to be “In Christ” (one of our three main areas of self-understanding as a church here at Kirk Crossing). At the heart of this message is the idea that we are to be continually transformed […]
This third message in the ALL IN series begins to focus on what it means to be ‘In Christ’. One of the things we mean by being ‘in Christ’ is that we are to fully know and experience the new-creation life of Christ in us. When we trust Jesus by faith for our salvation, we […]
This is the second message in the ALL IN series. What does it mean to be ‘ALL IN’? The first half of the answer to that question came in last week’s message: to be ‘all in’ is to fully trust in Jesus Christ alone as Savior. There is no other source for what we need […]
This is the first message in the All In series. This series is about how we understand ourselves as a church at Kirk Crossing and includes the fact that we want everyone who attends here to find themselves ‘In Christ‘, ‘In Community‘, and ‘In The World‘. We are all to be fully experiencing the new-creation […]