Crossway Weekly Sermons: Recent Episodes
Crossway Baptist Church
The most fundamental tenet of our faith is that Jesus died for our sins. The entire truth of the gospel (that theologians refer to as the redemption, forgiveness and remission of our sins) is based on the understanding of Jesus’s death and resurrection.
Jesus said He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfil it (Matthew 5:17). The religious laws in the book of Leviticus provided a pathway for God’s plan to redeem mankind through Jesus. Why is His death so significant and central to our faith? How should this understanding impact the way we live today?
The Bible is holy and its words are inspired by God, that is, ‘God breathed’. It is an accurate record of some of the oldest documents ever penned, preserved over time and recording God’s redemption plan for humanity. We are blessed to be able to hold in our hands a genuine miracle.
Robert Chapman (1803-1902) wrote of the Bible,
This Book contains: the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It’s the traveller’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christian’s charter. Here, paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labour, and condemns all who trifle with its contents.
This week, we begin a new series looking at the core strengths needed by disciples of Jesus.
As we mature as believers, the ability to hear and discern God’s voice is an important strength for us to develop. In the Bible we see God using all manner of ways to communicate to His people, from Scripture to prophetic words, dreams, visions and even a burning bush. God’s methods of communication are not limited, we simply need to be attentive to Him in everyday life. Prayer and Bible reading are the starting point, along with a simple question, ‘What are you saying to me today, God?’
Whilst all the promises of God are “Yes" and “Amen” in Christ, many of God's promises require believers to maintain faith and obedience. The Bible teaches this clearly and provides multiple examples and biblical principles of this. This does not mean we have to earn God’s favour. By keeping to God's principles, we are simply being obedient and faithful in our walk with Him. As Pastor Dale teaches, “Your faith is the key that unlocks God’s faithfulness.” The Bible contains many promises of God, our part is to be obedient to His calling and His principles.
We each have a choice. We can keep our discussions general, or we can fearlessly resolve to set ourselves apart, committing to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, loving others as we love ourselves.
On Vision Sunday, Pastor Dale explained that although the church in Australia has been in decline for seven decades, it is our vision to turn that trend around and see Australians putting their faith in Jesus Christ, in visible numbers. If we do nothing, we join the declining trend. If we live in the light of God’s promises, we become part of our country’s renewal. Are you part of the declining trend, or part of the solution?
Our theme at Crossway for 2023 has been prayerfully discerned as being “You Promised.”
This is a theme that we will be pressing into over this year, as we seek out God’s word and share together all the many different ways that God has made and kept his promises to us.
These promises are both to his church, and to each individual disciple. We will also look at the promises that He has made to us that are yet to be fulfilled, and that we can eagerly anticipate in the coming age.
In Scriptures there are over 31,000 verse, and almost a quarter of all these verse are in some way a promise from God. The challenge that we need to be willing to embrace is what are we going to do with the promises of God, and how will they affect how we live out our everyday lives?
Throughout the New Testament Scriptures, we see accounts of Jesus healing all types of diseases; severe pain; demon possessed; seizures; the paralysed; and he healed them all (Mt 4:24). Jesus later sends out 72 disciples telling them to do what they have seen him do. When they returned, they had stories of the miraculous being done through them, in Jesus’ name (Lk10:17). For many people who call themselves Christian (or Followers of Christ), believing that a miracle will actually happen when they pray, is a bridge too far for their faith level. Yet there are many scriptures that teach us to pray the prayer of faith. It is worth noting that, whilst there are many promises that we can claim for ourselves as ‘born again - children of God’, most of the miracles spoken of in the Gospels occurred during the spreading of the Gospel, that is whilst telling people about Jesus.
Levi’s close encounter with Jesus was a spontaneous interaction of grace and redemption. Levi (who later became known as the disciple Matthew) was a despised tax collector, hated by his own Jewish community. Yet Jesus saw through his pain and rejection to bring him into a place of forgiveness, restoration and purpose. Our past mistakes do not stop us from knowing Jesus, nor do they define us. How have you encountered Jesus in your life? How can we be instruments of grace to help others encounter him too, especially those who are marginalized by society?
At times it may feel like we are living on cruise-control and just going through the motions. Finish school? Check. Find a job? Check. Earn money? Check. Start a family? Check. Drive within the speed limit? Check? But the life that God has for us is far more than that. Jesus came so that we may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10b). Life is better with Jesus, and it begins when we first encounter Him.
At times it may feel like we are living on cruise-control and just going through the motions. Finish school? Check. Find a job? Check. Earn money? Check. Start a family? Check. Drive within the speed limit? Check? But the life that God has for us is far more than that. Jesus came so that we may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10b). Life is better with Jesus, and it begins when we first encounter Him.
Suffering is one of the most perplexing issues a human can grapple with. For those who put their faith in Jesus, how can we reconcile the experience of suffering with our loving God, and how does knowing Him help us endure difficult and painful times?
In Australia we have been accustomed to a level of freedom that has attracted many to our shores. In 2017, Melbourne was voted the most liveable city in the world for the seventh consecutive year – a status that has slipped in recent years. Attitudes to Christian values have shifted; new legislation has been introduced and the freedom to express and share our faith has changed. How then should we live, and is there still room to live the Christian faith?
We all know that choosing joy is not always as simple as it may sound. If you look at your life circumstances right now, it might be easier to spot where trials and tribulations are than it is to find joy. But we need to remember that joy does not happen in an instance, nor does it exist in the absence of trials. In his letter to the early church, James teaches the believers - then and now, to consider it pure joy in times of trials. The good news is that the joy of the Lord is in us. It may not come out naturally, but we do have it within ourselves. When we choose joy in times of trials of many kinds, we will have a rich experience in life, faith and God.
There may be times in life when we feel distant or disconnected from God. The challenge in these moments is to seek out ways to reconnect with Him. This may involve coming in repentance to God for things that are not in accordance with His ways (1 John 1:9). Other times we simply need to press in closer and spend more time in God’s word and in prayer, seeking out God and His will (Romans 12:1-3). Occasionally it can even be that God has already shown us the next step, and we simply need to be obedient, step out in faith and do it!
Weariness, burnouts and powerlessness can be a part of our up-and-down journey as believers. The world and society offer a plethora of self-help solutions, but our Creator is the only one who knows how best to refresh us. He refreshes us not just for ourselves, but so we can minister more effectively to others. Refreshment from Him does not mean we will simply go back to the way we used to live, because frankly, that way of life did not work. As Pastor Heather suggests, the King of kings deserves a greater offering than that. Time of refreshing starts by repenting. When we change our mind, our behaviour and the way we live, time of refreshing will flow.
Time and time again we see biblical figures showing their imperfection. For example, in the story of David, although there is conquest and success (David and Goliath), there is also failure, self-sabotage and regret (David and Bathsheba; Amnon, Tamar and Absalom). However, no one is called by God because they are perfect. We all face the challenge of how to love well the people we love most, in spite of our imperfections.
Despite David’s personal failures, he left an incredible legacy that matched the calling of God upon his life. David rose to become an accomplished poet, musician, warrior, military leader and ultimately king. But it wasn’t just about what he accomplished, God referred to David as a “man after God’s own heart” – i.e. he was remembered for his integrity, godliness and faithfulness towards God. The biblical account states several times that “for the sake of David” and despite the mishaps of his decedents, God continue to bless them and they continued to rule for another 350 years. His name is mentioned 990 times in the Bible, more so that anyone person apart from Jesus. In fact Jesus himself was referred to as “the Root and Offspring of David” (Rev 22:16).
How can we live our lives and make the right decisions to leave a good legacy?
On any given day, we all spend time in two or more of the following: listening to news, hearing an idea conveyed through music, reacting to social media, receive and send emails or texts, and conversation with colleagues, friends and family. Life is full of these types of voices, and it is not limited to verbal communications. It could be a message conveyed through an action, or our own interpretation of unfolding events. Both individually and accumulatively, these moments produce the voices we listen to and can frame the context of how we make choices. “Life is a reflection of the voices we listen to; past and present”. The voices we listen to will significantly sway the self-talk and the filter through which we interpret life and make choices.
Throughout the Old Testament David was known as a man after God’s own heart. From humble shepherd to noble king, he was a man of God’s own choosing, and yet, he was mortal and prone to temptation. As king, David made some ungodly decisions, starting with remaining in Jerusalem when kings would go off to war. Layer upon layer of temptations and poor choices lead David deeper and deeper into sin, until all he had done displeased the Lord. We are no different to David. No matter how far we are in our faith journey with God, facing temptation is inevitable, and there are things we can do to help us make good choices.
We all face circumstances that may lead to a sense of disappointment with God. From a sudden illness to an unexpected death, relationship breakdown, career disappointment or family challenge, difficult or hurtful circumstances test us, and can leave us with a sense of anger, frustration and despair.
When confronted by these moments, we are called to trust God’s plan even in our pain, to be willing to be obedient, and to submit to His plan to enable us to move forward.
Fill in the blanks: My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to _____________; slow to ______________ and slow to become ___________________. (James 1:19)
David and his army were in need of food and refreshment. He approached Nabal, a wealthy pasturer, for assistance. David reminded Nabal that his army did not take advantage of his shepherds and had in fact protected them. Nabal rudely reviled David, who reacted angrily and was about to attack his household. Abigail, Nabal’s wife, intervened and interceded for her husband to prevent this.
Saul was anointed by the Lord to lead His people, Israel. However, when Saul decided not to listen and to obey God’s instructions, the Lord rejected Saul as king (1 Samuel 15). The Lord then instructed Samuel to anoint David to become the new king. After David defeated Goliath, Saul became afraid of David and David remained as Saul enemy for the rest of his days. Saul, who was once anointed and filled by the Spirit of the Lord, was blinded by the power and influence given to him. What is it that we can learn from the difference between Saul and David?
“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the o_______________ a______________, but the Lord looks at the h_____________.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
Out of the obscurity of shepherding sheep in the outback, David was anointed as future king. He appeared to be the most unlikely candidate compared to his seven older brothers. Yet, God chose David and he grew to be known as “the man after God’s own heart”, despite his shortcomings. What can we learn from his anointing?
The narrative of David and Goliath is a well-known account of the underdog winning over impossible odds. Yet there is more to the story. David recognises the situation for what it is: an illegitimate assault against the army of the ‘Living God’. Despite his youth, lack of military experience and rudimentary equipment, David introduces Goliath to the ‘Giant Slayer’ – God Almighty. No matter what your giant looks like, “if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11)
In the New Testament, we read the Day of Pentecost as the moment when the Holy Spirit appears as tongues of fire, enabling the disciples to speak in tongues. Nowadays, there are different views on when the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs in the life of a believer. Some believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit happens after a person has put their trust in Jesus and it is evident through the spiritual gifts. Others hold that the baptism of the Holy Spirit happens at the time of conversion. Pastor Dale explains that regardless of which view we favour, both groups agree that believers should continue to be filled with the Holy Spirit and become witnesses of Jesus.
The Apostle Paul describes the battle between the flesh and the spirit -- a common experience of Christians. We want to do what is right, yet we struggle to do the right thing to grow more in the image of God. The Scriptures provide insight and a pathway for us to “walk more in the Spirit and not fulfil the desires of the flesh.”
The Apostle Paul describes the battle between the flesh and the spirit -- a common experience of Christians. We want to do what is right, yet we struggle to do the right thing to grow more in the image of God. The Scriptures provide insight and a pathway for us to “walk more in the Spirit and not fulfil the desires of the flesh.”
Jesus became every bit like us so we may become every bit like Him. Jesus was so in synch with the Father that He was able to tell His disciples, “if you know me, then you know the Father” (John 14:7). In the same way, we are called to become more like Jesus. As His followers, we understand that this begins with the redemptive work of Christ and our salvation through repentance and the forgiveness of our sins. This is only possible through the Holy Spirit revealing Christ to us, opening our spiritual eyes and heart to Him and making it possible for us to believe. We can be confident the Holy Spirit will progressively reveal more and more of Christ to us as we remain plugged in to God’s gift of the Holy Spirit (Phil 1:6).
Every person is made in the image of our wonderful Creator, and it is God’s desire that everyone of us will come to a recognition of who He is at some point in our lives. For some of us this can take a considerable amount of time in the wilderness before we finally meet Jesus. Yet no matter what our life circumstances, pathway, or choices, God will passionately pursue us to draw our hearts to Him. Even after we come to know Jesus, He will continue to pursue us in deeper relationship with Him. Our part is to look for Him, listen to Him, learn how He is communicating with us, and put into practice what He is calling us to do.
We become the sons and daughters of God when He breathe his spirit into us. Because of this we need to know and learn how to live as His sons & daughters, and leave behind our orphan mentality; when one lives in fear, self-sufficiency and self-sabotage. When He breathe His Spirit into us, we receive an invitation to connect to Him. Through His grace and truth, He will show us our wrongdoings and His Spirit will guide us step by step on how to work them out.
Jesus tells the disciples that he is the good shepherd who lays down his life for his friends. Only Jesus knows the specific life journey that is best for each one of us. While we may vainly attempt to navigate our lives to avoid suffering, in reality our lives often contain more complexity and disappointment than we anticipate. However, if we believe that Jesus has our life in his hands, and if we submit to and trust in him despite our circumstances, even the darkest times can be a pathway to life transformation.
In John 9, Jesus heals a blind man on the Sabbath and incurs the disapproval of the Jewish religious leaders. They invoke religious law against the miracle, and focus on the Law instead of leading people to Him.
Jesus had an intimate relationship with His Father in heaven and regularly withdrew, prayed, and spent time alone with God. He knew what it was to be guided and prompted by the Holy Spirit. Scripture does not indicate whether He knew the outcome in advance when He followed those promptings. Similarly for modern-day believers, often God does not reveal the reason for the Holy Spirit’s prompting ahead of time. He usually prompts us to take the first step, and then the next, and so on. The Bible provides many examples where the first step is simply being obedient to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus throughout the gospels made numerous varied “I am….” Statements about himself. Over the next few months, we will be exploring a number of these statements and how they apply to us. Today we look at the statement “I am the Light of the world.” Jesus made this statement in the backdrop of a 7-day festival where Jerusalem was lit up each night for this period during this celebration which would have given an even more dramatic impact to the first century hearers of these words.
God’s name discloses who He is and what He is like. He is the I Am, the eternal, unchanging one, infinite and glorious in every way, and above and beyond all created things. Here we look at Jesus as "Bread of Life" - our sustainer.
There’s a T-shirt that reads ‘Life’s Short – Play Hard!’. While this may reflect a dare to dream, go-hard-or-go-home approach to life, it doesn’t give the full picture. Life is short, therefore we cannot afford to take even the breath in our lungs for granted. Instead we can respond to God’s goodness to us with both gratitude and a generosity of heart.
Every one of us has unique gifts, talents and abilities. We are each positioned in a social framework that connects us to the many people within our various communities. God has given us an amazing opportunity to dream of a grand God plan that uses who we are and who we know to see innovation, impact and influence for his glory.
When Jesus chose his twelve disciples, he did not seek out the scholarly or the ‘wise’ of his time. Jesus chose ordinary people – fishermen; a tax collector. Most were unschooled and uneducated, yet after spending time with Jesus, they were empowered to change the world. Jesus gave us all an example to imitate, demonstrating that ordinary people can create the greatest impact for His Kingdom. If we too spend time with Jesus and are willing to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us then we are qualified. He can and will use each one of us for his greater purpose.
Every one of us wants a place where we can connect with other people, be ourselves and be accepted for who we are, regardless of where we are at on the journey of life. Church should be such a place, where anyone can come along as they are and experience the love of Jesus through others.
Jesus Christ is our cornerstone. Through Him we have relationship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. At Crossway, our priority is that nothing matters more than Jesus; that He is front and centre of our lives. We want to follow His example and to worship Him.
In Galatians 5, Paul writes about what it means to live by the power of the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out, a new way of living with the guidance of the Holy Spirit came to be. It was not about the tongues of fire, but the fact that the Holy Spirit was poured out on everyone – and is available to us too. Believers need to practice making room for the Holy Spirit to lead, and to learn to respond to His leading. Living by the Spirit does not happen in an instant. It happens one step at a time, and over time it will become our way of life.
The life of believers has always involved finding freedom. God brought the Israelites out from Egypt to free them from slavery. Jesus came to save us from sin. There is not one person in the world more committed to our freedom than Jesus. In Galatians 5, Paul talks about the freedom that can only be found in Jesus and teaches how we, as Christians, are to use that freedom, serving one another through love. Living by the Spirit enables us to experience His freedom in full.
God does not always answer our prayers. Why is this and what can we do?
A challenging message from Stuart.
King Hezekiah asked God to extend his life, and God granted him 15 more years. Although he had lived a godly life up to this point, he disobeyed God. During the extended period of his life, he became the father of Manasseh, who became a very evil king.
So how do we face death? We can face death with courage and conviction. "Every man dies but not every man lives"
The Kings of Israel and Judah were a motley crew. Some trusted God, but many rebelled and turned against him. In this five part series we learn some of the lessons that we can apply in our lives.
Is the Bible a collection of myths and legends? Tim shows how Luke takes great care to record historical detail. How do we know that the copies of the Bible we have today are reliable? There are many thousands of manuscripts available. The discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls in 1947 included a copy of the complete book of Isaiah which was older by a thousand years than other manuscripts. It affirmed the integrity of the later copies. Tim also explores science and faith. Watch or listen to this message to find out more.
Whilst evangelism is a gift, the command to go and make disciples applies to us all. As people pray, so God's work spreads. Be transparent in your faith, and let Jesus be real. A disciple is one who obeys. Teach people to obey. Knowledge plus obedience brings transformation. Obedience is the heart of discipleship. What will I do to obey Him today?
Finishing well in the Christian life is a matter of endurance and perseverance. Never give up!
In the weeks leading to Christmas we explore the message of Christ's first coming with a fresh perspective.
We receive power when the Holy Spirit works in our lives. In Acts the Holy Spirit came like fire, or an "indoor cyclone". He enabled Peter to speak the word of God boldly. The evidence of the book of Acts is that when the Holy Spirit comes He brings power for change, for healing, power for courage and boldness.
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Be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18) Keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit. The disciples in Acts were baptised in the Holy Spirit.
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Eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, for the common good. (1 Cor 12:31, 14:1)
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Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. He is not an "it", He is a person. When we sin, we grieve Him. Ephesians 4:30 Don't break His heart.
When we walk by the Spirit we will not fulfil the vices of the sinful nature. We need not to live by rules, but in relationship with God. There is no law against the fruit of the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is "another Advocate" - just like Jesus, but in different form, who helps us live like Jesus.
The Holy Spirit leads us in God's ways. He lives in us. He is the Advocate, who pleads on our behalf to the Father and Son. He comforts and encourages us. He is our helper enabling us to live for God.
Belonging makes a difference to the way we act. Being committed to the family of God is like a tree planted by water. We flourish and become fruitful.
Belonging means we are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of his household.
Psalms 42 and 43 are psalms of lament. Tim shows us how they speak powerfully into our everyday experience.
In this message, Stuart shows the crucial importance of prayer, using examples from history and around the world.
In this series Heather Packett, Steve Fogg, Andrew Hill and Tim Piesse explain the message of the Old Testament prophets.
In this four week series we learn how to invest in our families with Margaret Spicer, Dale Stephenson, Mike Stevens, Tim Piesse and Carey Nieuwhof.
In this message series we learn how to invest in our families with Margaret Spicer, Dale Stephenson, Tim Piesse, Mike Stevens and Carey Nieuwhof.
In this message series we learn how to invest in our families with Margaret Spicer, Dale Stephenson, Tim Piesse, Mike Stevens and Carey Nieuwhof.
In this message series we learn how to invest in our families with Margaret Spicer, Dale Stephenson, Tim Piesse, Mike Stevens and Carey Nieuwhof.
In this message series we learn how to invest in our families with Margaret Spicer, Dale Stephenson, Tim Piesse, Mike Stevens and Carey Nieuwhof.
Andrew Hill challenges us to make Jesus Lord of our lives. Are we willing to allow him to be in charge?
In this message Gavin helps us overcome some challenges we have when thinking about being baptised.
Tim explains how we can be rich towards God and Dale provides some practical ways to do that.
In this message, Tim unpacks what it means to engage in service and challenges us to step outside of our comfort zone.
Life happens. There will always be things that trip us up. Tim helps us understand how we can be derailed in our discipleship journey and what we can do to stop that happening to us.
In this message Dale Stephenson helps us get to grips with culture. Is Christ for culture or against culture? Can culture be redeemed?
In this series we encounter three dimensions of life in Christ. Dave Lawton and Heather Packett explore what it means to love God, Dale Stephenson unpacks what it means to love people, and Tim Piesse explains what it means to make disciples.
In this series we encounter three dimensions of life in Christ. Dave Lawton and Heather Packett explore what it means to love God, Dale Stephenson unpacks what it means to love people, and Tim Piesse explains what it means to make disciples.