Getting to the heart of what it looks like to love ourselves, will help us to see what it will take to love people. We desire grace upon grace. We desire for people to be patient with us and long for the reality that all other’s peoples lives to revolve around us. We desire utmost respect and honor. We want to feel and know that we’re important to other people. We desire the truth, and we don’t want to be deceived or lied to by people.

In other words, loving yourself means to give yourself the best of everything. And if thats what it takes to love ourselves, to love people is to invest into their lives and give them the best of everything. Thanks for joining us for week 2 of our Made For Mission sermon series.

Over the course of the next few weeks, we're exploring the refining of our missional focus as a church, in order to bring us to the heart of the biblical mandated mission of the church. In reality, our Biblically mandated mission is to love God, love people, and make disciples of Jesus. It is the most unoriginal mission statement there is because it’s literally been the mission of the church for over 2,000 years. This is what makes it helpful - it's clear, simple, biblical and memorable. In this message, we're looking at Matthew 22:37-38 where Jesus emphasizes the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. In other words, we exist to love God with everything we have to give, because in Christ God gave everything to us. To learn more about Crossroads, please visit www.crossroadsa2.org.

In the final message of the our series in the book of Acts, Pastor Nolan reflects on how Paul's heart bleeds to proclaim the Gospel, and he does so, even as he enters Rome in Acts 28, by initiating with intent, investing with patience, and inspires with perseverance the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Nolan preaches through Acts 27:1-28:16, and we see how Paul clings to the promises of God while enduring a violent storm at sea that threatens the lives of all the people on the ship as they travel to Rome where Jesus has told him he will testify to the Gospel before Caesar. Paul's unwavering faith is built on the promises of God, which is an encouragement to us to do the same.

The Gospel is the best news the world will ever know; yet, by design it demands a response. And the decision is life or death. Surrender to Jesus and allow Him to carry your sin and shame and inherit eternal life in the glorious presence of God Almighty in heaven, or deny Jesus and carry your sin and shame before the Holy Father and endure His wrath and the eternal punishment of hell. In this message, Pastor Doug continues in our series through Acts, preaching through Acts 25:1 - 26:32.

Paul faces a conspiracy of assassination - they are seeking to murder him. But through God’s providence (his purposeful sovereignty), Paul’s safety is secured and his mission continues, which demonstrates God’s unwavering commitment to His will and guidance in difficult circumstances. For Christians, this serves as a reminder that the presence of God’s providence assures us that He is always working for our prosperity and his glory.

In Acts 22:30-23:11, we’ll see that as the Apostle Paul continues to face adversity and persecution, he is unwavering in his faith and commitment to Christ. He remains bold and courageous in declaring the Gospel and the transformation of Christ, ultimately because Jesus stands with him and encourages him along the way. No matter the trials or pains, we can take courage because Jesus reigns.

In Acts 22, the apostle Paul testifies to the transformation he experienced in his supernatural encounter with the risen Christ, even after being beaten and imprisoned. This encourages us to fearlessly share the transformative power of Jesus to those who, like us, are in desperate need of hope and salvation. There is no one who is like Jesus or compares to Jesus. There is no faith like the Christian’s faith. There is no other hope but that found in Jesus Christ alone.

In this message, Pastor Nolan preaches through Acts 21:1-26 where we see the Apostle Paul receive warnings from brothers and sisters in Christ about the persecution that awaits him in Jerusalem and encourage him not to go. We learn through the life of Paul following Jesus is marked by pain and sacrifice, yet the suffering produces deeper joy and relationship with Jesus, and reaps an inheritance that doesn’t perish or fade.

In Acts 20:13–38, Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian elders exemplifies the characteristics of godly leadership, emphasizing the importance of calling, courage, and a profound love for the church.