Crossroads - Weekend Messages

We often believe that an outward change of circumstances will propel us into happiness, so we chase after those external changes. While we may like the new reality once we arrive at our desired destination, we’re often left unfulfilled, and as a result, we continue on the treadmill of happiness-seeking. Yet, Jesus taught us that there is a place where true satisfaction is found, and once our deepest hungers are satisfied there, we naturally experience God’s abundant life.

In the beginning of the famous teaching that we call “The Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus speaks of the blessed person. Some Bible translations have rendered the word “blessed” as “happy,” as in, “Oh, how happy is the person who…” Wanting happiness is a very normal human desire. Almost no one seeks out unhappiness. But Jesus’ discussion of the happy person sounds crazy to our contemporary ideas and plans. Actually, it sounds downright insane. Yet, upon further reflection, we realize that Jesus, as always, is onto something that we know little about. 

The apostle Paul writes his friends back in Philippi to encourage them in his present state which includes chains, prison cells, and guards! Not the greatest of days for Paul, he underscores that NOTHING can stop the Gospel and God’s plan in our lives. Even when things are dark and not exactly what we want, we have a choice to believe that God is still working and active. All He wants from us is to do the next right thing and to trust the process! He is always working. Even when we can’t see it, He's working. Let’s GOOOO!

Some friendships blossom under challenging circumstances. In instances where it might seem that issues would keep people apart, God is not limited by our usual distinctions. Jesus’ unique friendship with a religious leader named Nicodemus is a shining example of this. Jesus’ critics within the religious hierarchy of His day could have thwarted this friendship. But Jesus makes room for this religious leader’s questions and a friendship is born.

Are you living like a friend of Jesus—or merely a follower at a distance? Draw close. Receive His love. Reflect His friendship in a world that consistently promotes isolation and hyper-independence from God and others. 

When Jesus sees people, He doesn’t see problems. Instead, He sees potential. Often, we may be astonished by the people Jesus calls. But as we see Him transform their lives, the reason they were chosen begins to make sense. This is true of a woman we know as Mary Magdalene. While her initial encounter with Jesus was a miraculous deliverance, Mary blossomed into one of Jesus’ most cherished friends. 

In Luke 19:1-10, we meet Zacchaeus, a man seen as a manipulator and traitor by his community, but seen differently by Jesus. Where others saw someone worth rejecting, Jesus saw a heart worth saving. This story reminds us that a friendship with Jesus isn't based on reputation or performance, but on grace and transformation. Our Savior doesn’t just tolerate people, He pursues them with a boundary-breaking love. Join us as we discover a Friend who draws near when others walk away and sees your heart when others see your past.

One of the most astounding things about Jesus is His choice of those He associated with. In a world where there is so much “ladder-climbing” and so many people seeking to increase their status by associating with the right people, Jesus flips the script. The people He chose to be His friends often were people that others wished didn’t exist. In this weekend’s message, you will see Jesus’ friendship with a tax collector named Matthew.

What a friend we have in Jesus! That’s the title of a famous hymn from the history of the church. As good as the song is, those words are an even better reality–that we can actually be friends of God. This weekend we will begin looking at the unique friendships of Jesus. First, we will see Jesus’ unique friendship with two sisters who couldn’t be more different. But both are friends of Jesus.

Feeling burned out or spiritually dry? Jesus doesn’t ask us to strive, He invites us to abide. In this message, discover what it means to stay connected to Christ and bear fruit that lasts. You weren’t made to do life on your own... you were made to abide in the Vine. Let’s talk about connection, pruning, and living a truly fruitful life.