Crossroads Baptist - Sermons

Advent Part 4

Romans 7:18; 8:39

God’s love is His steadfast, self-giving commitment to our highest good and His glory, shown supremely in Jesus Christ. It is undeserved, sacrificial, faithful, and unchanging.

Worldly love is conditional affection driven by self-interest, emotions, or benefit, given as long as it satisfies personal desires.

1. His love took my shame and delivered me from my sin.

2. His love gifted me with His Holy Spirit.

3. His love provides for me in my weakness.

4. His love sovereignly works good in and through my life.

5. His love provides me with His protection.

6. His love provides security because I know that His love is an everlasting love.

Advent 2025Part 3Biblical joy is deep gladness rooted in knowing, trusting, and delighting in God - not in circumstances. Worldly happiness is temporary pleasure or contentment based on external things like possessions, achievements, or circumstances, rather than on lasting spiritual truths or God. Happiness is contingent on external, and joy is an eternal spiritual condition. How do we have full joy?1. Know that only Jesus is the source of joy. 2. Let the Lord cleanse you from "joy suckers."3. Abide in Jesus. 4. Commit your life to spiritual fruit production. 5. Live in the Father's love for you.

Advent 2025Part 2Biblical peace is a state of being that is rooted in God's sovereignty, His unchanging character, and His faithful love and care for us.

Worldly peace is simply an emotional reaction to whether we fell safe, in control, or comfortable in our circumstances.

Shalom means far more than just "peace." It refers to wholeness, completeness, harmony, well-being, and flourishing in every part of life. Are we asking God to give us what He has already provided us with through Christ?1. God's peace is possible even when He calls us out of our securities into an unknown future. - What is unknown to us is not unknown to God. 2. God's peace is possible even when we feel inadequate, because He equips those He calls. 3. God's peace is possible even when we face giants, because we see them through the greatness of God. - Our peace is in the knowledge that nothing is greater than God.4. God's peace is possible even when we are under attack, because God is present, protecting and in control. - We can live in peace because we trust the Lord's Sovereignty and His love for us. 5. God's peace is possible even when our emotions try to overwhelm us, because he guards our hearts and minds.

Advent 2025

Part 1

Advent means - Arrival...

We will focus on

- Hope

- Peace

- Joy

- Love

Biblical hope is the confident assurance of the promises and provisions of God.

Worldly hope is the desiring wishful outcomes.

Hope is light to us:

1. God showed up in our darkness.

2. God's hope came to deliver us from the consequences of our past rebellion.

3. God's hope provides light to navigate out of the darkness we walked in and lived in.

Hope is an anchor to us:1

. God's hope provides stability in every season of life.

2. God's hope extends through this temporal world and is anchored in the bedrock of Jesus.

Thanksgiving Celebration 2025

Acts 4:8-13

1. Testifying is seeing the opportunities and pointing others to Jesus.

2. Testifying is giving God the credit and clearly sharing the gospel.

3. Testifying is trusting in the equipping of the Holy Spirit and to boldly proclaiming truth.

4. Testifying is displaying a life that has been marked by Jesus.

The Call to DiscipleshipPart 13Matthew 28:18-20Biblical discipleship is investing God's Word and Christ's character in the life of another.The Gospel saves us from our sinThe Gospel saves us for GodThe Gospel saves us into the local churchThe Gospel saves us to be on mission for GodAs disciple makers we should be focused on conversion and conformity1. Making disciples requires all of us.2. Making disciples requires us going.3. Making disciples requires salvation.4. Making disciples requires teaching to obey.5. Making disciples is accomplished by and through God.

The Call to DiscipleshipPart 12Titus 3:8-11Biblical discipleship is investing God's Word and Christ's character in the life of another.1. Listen to what is worthy of trust.The benefit of listening and following biblical truths - - It leads to life and blessing- It brings protection and guidance- It keeps you from sin and regret- It draws you closer to God2. Insist that true belief leads to change.3. Devote yourself to godly works that lead to the best life."Good Works"---God-honoring workHow do we devote ourselves to good work?- Prepare your mind- Walk by the Spirit- Keep eternity in view4. Avoid time wasters.5. Don't let divisive people hinder your future.

The Call to DiscipleshipPart 11Titus 3:1-7Biblical discipleship is investing God's Word and Christ's character in the life of another.1. Live ready for every good work.It requires-

- Submission

- Obedience

- Seeing the bigger picture

Every good work - refers to being ready for work God has planned each day.

2. Live showing Christ's character.

It requires-

- Gentleness

- Mercy3. Live remembering your former condition.

What does it produce-

- Gratitude towards God

- Compassion for others

- Dependance in Christ

4. Live in the fullness of what Christ provided.

We have been-

- Saved

- Washed (purified)

- Regenerated

- Renewed

- The Holy Spirit has richly poured out on us5. Live with your future inheritance.

To be justified means-

- To be declared righteous by God

- legal term - declared "not guilty"

The Call to DiscipleshipPart 10Titus 2:11-15The gospel trains us in both knowledge and practice What we have been given1. The gospel trains us to live with gratitude.How the gospel trains us to live with gratitude* The gospel reminds us that we didn't get what we deserve.* The gospel shifts our focus from what we lack to what we have received in Christ.* The gospel frees us from entitlement.* The gospel reorients our hearts towards worship.Gratitude changes our perspective2. The gospel trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions.Decisively reject its authority or influence in your life.3. The gospel trains us to live differently.4. The gospel trains us to live with eternal hope.What Biblical Hope Produces* Perseverance in suffering (Romans 5:3-5)* Purity in living (1 John 3:3)* Joy and peace through the Spirit (Romans 15:13)5. The gospel trains to know that we have been redeemed and purchased for a kingdom work.

The Call to DiscipleshipPart 9Titus 2:9-11Our daily desire should be to reveal the beauty of the Gospel

Biblical discipleship is investing God's Word and Christ's character in the life of another.

1. Don't let status, feeling, or circumstances determine respect and submission to others.

2. Be a delight and blessing to others.

3. Filter your desire for opposition and resistance.

4. Be trustworthy and show faithfulness.

5. Remember our life's purpose is to display the beauty of the gospel.