Acts: Here's Why!

In the book of Acts, the Church was being established. We here at Crossroads believe that the present day church should follow the pattern of the church originally established by Christ and His appointed apostles. We will watch these Apostles in action, and we will see answers to such questions as: Why does the church meet on Sunday? Why the Lord's Table? Who are to be the church's leaders? How is the church supposed to work? These are important questions, especially in a day when there seems to be a free-for-all approach to how we are to do church! God has not left us to flounder... He has given us lots of direction. And, if we follow that direction, we will be blessed!! Isn't it always that way!!

Acts 20

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Colossians: Jesus, Image of the Invisible God

If you asked Paul to summarize his whole life in one word it would be Jesus. He would summarize his life by naming another person. This message from Colossians will explain why.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Hebrews 1:1-4
Colossians 1:12-18
Philippians 3:8,2:6
1 John 1:18
Romans 1:19-20,8:31-32
Psalm 19:1-4
John 1:1,8:57-58,10:30,5:18,12:45,14:9,1:14,1:18

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• What one word would Paul use to summarize his life and more?
• How has humankind attempted to know the invisible God?
• Why have those attempts failed?
• What are the various ways God has revealed Himself to us?
• Why is Jesus the ultimate way?
• What does it mean that He is the image of God?
• Why does this make His rescue mission so amazing?
• What one word can summarize your life?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Acts: Idolatry Economics 101

What do Demetrius the silversmith from the first century, the NCAA, and some large corporations all have in common? What do Paul the apostle, the state of North Carolina, and the legislature of the Island of Bermuda all have in common? The answer to both questions is - a lot. And, understanding that answer tells us how relevant the Bible's message and teaching from Acts is for today. Well, what do they have in common, and why is all of this important for today's Christian?

Acts 19

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Colossians: Joy Inexpressible

A deep, substantial, ocean current of joy and thankfulness should predominate in every believers life... How to get there is not hard! Paul tells us how in Colossians.

1 Peter 1:3-9
Colossians 1:9-14
Romans 1:20-21
Philippians 3:1,4:4,4:6,4:10
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Ephesians 2:1-3
Nehemiah 8:10

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• How is Joy as the Bible describes it more substantial than how the world speaks of it?
• Where does a Christian's joy come from?
• What is the dominion of darkness?
• How were we qualified and transferred out of it?
• Why was the rescue mission deadly?
• How does knowing these realities impact people?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Acts: What is Demon Possession?

In Acts 19 severe spiritual battle breaks out, to the point that Jewish exorcists are physically attacked by a demon possessed man. What are we to make of all this? Was demon possession only in the past? Why was it so prevalent then but doesn't seem to be today? Can people be demon possessed today? Can Christians be? How can a person be delivered? Is this stuff still going on today? We will seek to tackle these issues through our study of the Bible.

Acts 19

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Colossians: Strange Bedfellows

Suffering and joy make for strange bedfellows... how does this relationship work? Paul put them together in his prayer for the Colossians.

2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10
Colossians 1:9-12
Matthew 5:11-12
James 1:12-13
Romans 5:3-4
Hebrews 12:2
1 Peter 4:13-14
2 Corinthians 6:10
1 Thessalonians 1:6-7
Romans 8:18
Acts 5:40-41,16:25,13:50-52
Hebrews 10:32-34
Habakkuk 3:17-19

But Paul lays a harder duty on us even in promising a great gift to us, when he puts before us an ideal of joy mingling with patience and longsuffering. The command would be an impossible one if there were not the assurance that we should be 'strengthened with all might.' We plainly need an infusion of diviner strength than our own, if that strange marriage of joy and sorrow should take place, and they should at once occupy our hearts. Yet if His strength be ours we shall be strong to submit and acquiesce, strong to look deep enough to see His will as the foundation of all and as ever busy for our good, strong to hope, strong to discern the love at work, strong to trust the Father even when He chastens. And all this will make it possible to have the paradox practically realized in our own experience, 'As sorrowful yet always rejoicing.' One has seen potassium burning underwater. Our joy may burn under waves of sorrow. Let us bring our weakness to Jesus Christ and grasp Him as did the sinking Peter. He will breathe His own grace into us, and speak to our feeble and perchance sorrowful hearts, as He had done long before Paul's words to the Colossians, 'My grace is sufficient for thee, and my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Alexander Maclaren Expositions of Holy Scripture

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• Who are the strange bedfellows?
• Why do they seem so strange?
• What future realities should our joy be based on?
• What present realities?
• What practical impact should this have on our lives both now and in the future?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Colossians: Endurance and Patience

These are two traits every Christian desperately needs and Paul prayed for himself and others in Colossians. They are the very traits our culture seems unable to produce... in fact it produces the opposite.

Colossians 1:1-12

1. Endurance and Patience, in the context of persecution, trials, the spiritual battle and the second coming:
   • Matthew 10:22
   • Luke 21:19
   • Romans 2:7
   • 2 Timothy 2:12
   • Hebrews 10:36
   • James 5:7-11
   • Revelation 14:11-13
2. These are qualities we are to desire and get:
   • 1 Timothy 6:11
   • Titus 2:2
   • Romans 12:12
   • 1 Corinthians 13:4,7
3. Why we need these:
   • 2 Timothy 2:10
   • 1 Thessalonians 5:14
   • Luke 8:13-15
4. How to get them:
   1. Pray: Colossians 1:11
   2. Know your Hope:
      • Colossians 1:4-5
      • Romans 8:25
      • 1 Thessalonians 1:3
   3. Trials:
      • Romans 5:3-4
      • James 1:3-4
   4. The Bible: Romans 15:4-5
   5. Jesus’ example: Hebrews 12:1-4

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• How were endurance and patience described in the sermon?
• Why is our culture so bad at helping us develop these traits?
• Why does the Bible say these are so important?
• How can we get them?
• Why are trials so important in all of this?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA