Acts: Finding Order in Chaos

Ever been in a situation where things seem out of control? Where God doesn't seem to be in charge anymore? Where the frustrations, disappointments, delays are dismaying? Leading to questions like: Why God? Don't you love me anymore? Is following God worth it? The Apostle Paul was found in a situation in Acts where such questions could come to press in. We will look at how he responds to such a situation.

Acts 24

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Anticipating Heaven: Why We Should Think About Heaven

Do you think about eternity often? Probably not... but why not? Are you excited about going to heaven? If not really... why not? We will explore these questions and seek to anticipate Heaven!

Luke 12:13-34
Mark 8:36-37
John 14:6,3:16

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• Why should we think about eternity?
• Why should Christians think about Heaven?
• Why don't we think more about Heaven?
• What impact do our culture, technology, and relative wealth have on us?
• How does one get to Heaven?
• What does it mean that the way to Heaven is a Person?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

How Should I Live: Love in an Unloving Atmosphere

Today people are angry, short tempered, and hostile to those who disagree with them... As we ponder how we should live as Christians, how can we be loving in this atmosphere and not be just like the world?

1 Corinthians 13
Philippians 2:14-15
Romans 1:21-22,1:24,1:26

Having shown the nature and tendency of charity or Christian love, in respect to our receiving injury, and doing good to others — that it "suffers long and is kind;" and also with respect to the good possessed by others as compared with that possessed by ourselves — that charity "envieth not;" the apostle now proceeds to show, that in reference to what we ourselves may be or have, charity is not proud — that "it vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly." As, on the one hand, it prevents us from envying others what they possess, so, on the other, it keeps us from glorying in what we possess ourselves. Paul had just declared that charity was contrary to a spirit of envy, and now he declares that it is equally contrary to that spirit which specially provokes men to envy others, and which they often make a pretense or apology for envying them, viz. that they are puffed up with their honors and prosperity, and vaunt themselves on their possession of these things. When men have obtained prosperity, or are advanced, and others observe that they are puffed up and vaunt themselves in it, this tends to provoke envy, and make others uneasy at the sight of their prosperity. But if a man has prosperity or advancement, and yet does not vaunt himself or behave in an unseemly manner on account of it, this tends to reconcile others to his high circumstances, and make them satisfied that he should enjoy his elevation. As already observed, when men envy another, they are prone to excuse and justify themselves in so doing, by the pretense that he does not make a good improvement of his prosperity, but is proud of it, and puffed up on account of it. But the apostle shows how Christian love, or charity, tends to make all behave suitably to their condition, whatever it may be: if below others, not to envy them, and if above others, not to be proud or puffed up with the prosperity. Jonathan Edwards The Spirit Of Charity Is An Humble Spirit

But so soon as he had transgressed against God, these noble principles were immediately lost, and all this excellent enlargedness of man's soul was gone; and thenceforward, he himself shrank, as it were, into a little space, circumscribed and closely shut up within itself to the exclusion of all things else. Sin, like some powerful astringent, contracted his soul to the very small dimensions of selfishness: and God was forsaken, and fellow creatures forsaken, and man retired within himself, and became totally governed by narrow and selfish principles and feelings. Self-love became absolute master of his soul, and the more noble and spiritual principles of his being, took wings and flew away. Jonathan Edwards The Spirit Of Charity Is An Humble Spirit

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• What in our culture causes us to be angry, irritated, short fused?
• What are some of the ways love is described in the passage?
• How can we be like this to everyone?
• Why is love so important?
• How does this teaching cause us to seek God more fervently?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Embrace and Excel

There are cultural givens (presuppositions the culture holds) that have damaged our views of children, family, and the exalted calling of motherhood. But the Bible can restore us to its givens and restore the family as God has purposed it to be.

Psalm 127-128
Matthew 20:25-28
1 Chronicles 25:5

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• Describe these cultural givens: Live is primarily about me; children are to help me fulfill myself; children are a liability.
• Describe these Biblical givens: Life is primarily about serving others; children are a blessing from the Lord; motherhood is an exalted calling.
• How do the Biblical givens help us understand the role of mothers?
• What should you do with this Biblical perspective?
• How should it impact or change your life?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Mark: Who Do You Serve?

Who do you serve? What is Greatness? These are important questions that Jesus answers in surprising ways in the book of Mark.

Mark 10:32-45
1 Corinthians 1:18-24
Luke 18:34

Let us mark this well. There was nothing involuntary and unforeseen in our Lord's death. It was the result of his own free, determinate, and deliberate choice. From the beginning of His earthly ministry He saw the cross before Him, and went to it a willing sufferer. He knew that His death was the needful payment that must be made to reconcile God and man. That payment He had covenanted and engaged to make at the price of His own blood. And so when the appointed time came, like a faithful substitute, He kept His word, and died for our sins on Calvary.

Let us ever bless God that the Gospel sets before us such a Savior, so faithful to the terms of the covenant--so ready to suffer--so willing to be reckoned sin and a curse in our stead. Let us not doubt that He who fulfilled his engagement to suffer, will also fulfill His engagement to save all who come to Him. Let us not only accept Him gladly as our Redeemer and Advocate, but gladly give ourselves, and all we have, to His service. Surely, if Jesus cheerfully died for us, it is a small thing to require Christians to live for Him. J.C. Ryle The Gospel of Mark

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• Why did Jesus have to force Himself to go to Jerusalem?
• Have you ever had to force yourself to do something like this?
• Why was the disciples' attitude so wrong?
• How can we be like them today?
• What is greatness in Jesus kingdom?
• What is one of the questions God will ask you on the Final Day?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

The Holiness of God: Part 1

The Holiness of God is such an important doctrine and reality to understand. It will help us all appreciate God's specialness and majesty as well as how wonderful it is that He has provided a way for mere creatures to come to Him and be adopted by Him.

Exodus 19:10-24,15:11,3:2-6,20:18-21,33:17-23
Psalm 50,104:1
1 Samuel 2:2
Hosea 11:9
Revelation 15:4
Judges 13:22

From this it already appears that it is not correct to think of holiness primarily as a moral or religious quality, as is generally done. Its fundamental idea is that of a position or relationship existing between God and some person or thing.

It is this holiness of God which Otto, in his important work on Das Heilige,... includes such ideas as "absolute unapproachability" and "absolute overpoweringness" or "aweful majesty". It awakens in a man a sense of absolute nothingness, a "creature-consciousness" or "creature-feeling" leading to absolute self-abasement.

...the response to it: "Mere awe, mere need of shelter from the 'tremendum', has here been elevated to the feeling that man in his 'profaneness' is not worthy to stand in the presence of the Holy One, and that his entire personal unworthiness might defile even holiness itself." Louis Berkhof Systematic Theology

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• Why is it so important to understand God's Holiness?
• What significance is the fact that the basic idea of holiness is to separate?
• Why is God's holiness also understood as God's specialness and His aboveness?
• How did God teach these things to Moses and the people of Israel at the burning bush, at Mt. Sinai and when Moses saw God pass by?
• What are the implications of all of this for us?
• What will it be like to see God for the believer?
• For the unbeliever?
• For you?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

1 Peter: Persecution and Sanctification

All Christians suffer some kind of persecution. Peter has been describing how we are to handle that experience. In this text he has an interesting application: how does suffering persecution help us overcome sin??

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1 Peter 4:1-6,5:1,3:14-17,2:20-21,3:9,2:23
2 Timothy 3:12
Acts 5:41

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• What is the mindset we are to arm ourselves with?
• What affect does such an arming have on the person in terms of their relationship with sin?
• Did people party in Peter's day like today?
• What is the draw?
• What is the danger?
• How did suffering persecution help them resist that draw?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

1 Peter: Precious Blood

Peter says the blood of Christ is precious...more precious than gold and silver. The angels and saints in heaven as well as God the Father Himself certainly see the blood as precious. Do you? This sermon examines the preciousness of Christ's blood.

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Hebrews 9:1-15
1 Peter 1:13-21,1:7
Matthew 20:28

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• If you died tonight and God said "why should I let you into heaven?" what would you say?
• Why is the blood of Jesus precious?
• Why do we need His blood?
• Why will the blood be precious to us on Judgment Day?
• Why will it be precious when we are in heaven?
• Is the blood precious to you now?
• Why should this precious blood motivate us to live holy lives?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

The Translatable Gospel

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Acts 2:1-10,2:22,2:36,5:42,8:1,8:5,8:13-17,9:19-22,10:1-17,10:44-45,11:19-26,15:1-9

Pastor Lon Snyder
Riverwood Chapel
Kent, OH

Opening Doors with Prayer

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Colossians 4:2-4

Pastor Lon Snyder
Riverwood Chapel
Kent, OH