Holding Salvation in His Arms

Jesus warned us not to rest on a shaky foundation. There are many shaky foundations that people build their religion on that utterly fail when most needed. That's why it's important to remember that Salvation is a Person. And He will never fail!!

Luke 2:21-38
Philippians 1:21,1:23,1:1,1:18,2:21,4:13
1 John 2:1-2
Hebrews 4:14-16
Acts 7:56,7:59
Matthew 25:34

The belief of the testimony, or record, concerning the Son of God, our Saviour, is the porch of the building, through which we pass into the audience-chamber and meet the Living Inhabitant, full of light, and life, and love. Andrew Bonar The Gospel Pointing to the Person of Christ

Faith is not so much a disposition of the mind toward the truth, as a disposition of the heart toward Christ, produced by means of the truth. Sievewright

The faith which is most blessed is faith which deals most fully with the Person of Jesus Christ. The truest repentance is that which weeps at the sight of His wounds and the love which is most sweet is love to the adorable Person of the Well-Beloved. I look upon the Doctrines of Grace as my Lord's garments and they smell of myrrh, aloes and cassia. I look upon His precepts as His scepter and it is a rod tipped with silver. And I delight to touch it and find comfort in its power. I look upon the Gospel ordinances as the Throne upon which He sits and I delight in that Throne of ivory overlaid with pure gold. But oh, His Person is sweeter than His garments, dearer than His scepter, more glorious than His Throne! He, Himself, is altogether lovely, and to love HIM is the very heart's core of true religion! Charles Spurgeon Number 1281

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• What are some of the shaky foundations people build their religion on?
• What does it mean that Salvation is a Person?
• In what ways is having a faith in the person of Christ important in terms of sin, trials, death, and the final Day?
• How can we nurture a love for Christ?
• How does He divide?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Colossians: Walking in Him

Paul tells the Colossians, and is ultimately telling us, to walk in Christ and explains this by being rooted, built up, established, and thankful... we will explore these two verses which are a great summary of what a Christian's life is to be about!

John 15:1-8
Colossians 1:24-2:7

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• What does it mean to walk in Jesus?
• What does it mean to be rooted in Him?
• What does it mean to be built up in Him?
• What does it mean to be established in the faith?
• Why is thanksgiving a quality control?
• How can we do these things?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Colossians: On Old Stumps and Stubborn Mules

Paul is telling the Colossians that Christians are to be grounded and steadfast to the end... no matter what... never quit! How do we get so deeply rooted?

Colossians 1:9-23,2:6-7
John 10:25-30
Romans 8:30,8:38-39
Philippians 1:6
Ephesians 1:13-14
Philippians 2:12-13
Matthew 10:22
Luke 8:13
1 John 2:19
1 Timothy 4:16
Luke 6:48
1 Corinthians 15:58

For faith is not like mere opinion, which is shaken by various movements, but has a firm steadfastness, able to withstand all the machinations of the hell. John Calvin The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• What are the questions raised when the warning passages are read?
• What are some of the answers?
• What is Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility, and how do these realities fit into this discussion?
• What do old stumps and stubborn mules have to do with Colossians 1:23?
• How do we get this deep, persevering faith?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

What's This Race All About?

We are running a race of faith. We aren't just running to run; we are running to win the prize, the prize being fellowship with Christ. Fix your eyes on Jesus!

Hebrews 11:1-12:4,5:7-9
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
2 Timothy 4:6-8
Acts 20:24,26:14-18
Jeremiah 1:5-10
Matthew 11:28-30,28:20
John 14:6,10:14,10:27
Psalm 23:1-4
Colossians 1:18
Romans 8:34
1 Peter 2:21-25
Jude 1:24-25

David Ruhl
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Acts: Explaining Our Faith

It is becoming very difficult to share the gospel with this present generation. There is less common ground to begin with than was true in the past. How do we get started? If you have struggled in sharing and explaining your faith with modern folks, you will this section of Acts to be very helpful. We will be studying how Paul addresses the people of Athens who were very much like our culture today. As we hear him reason with them, we will be better equipped to share our faith today.

Acts 17

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Colossians: The Dynamic Gospel

There is a powerful, living, transforming dynamic when the gospel comes to people with power. The Colossians experienced it and Paul thanks God for it and them.

Colossians 1:1-18,4:12,1:23,1:27
1 Corinthians 13:13
1 Thessalonians 1:3,5:8
Hebrews 11:1
1 John 2:9-11,3:10,3:14-15,4:20

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• Why is the gospel characterized as dynamic?
• What are the three effects the gospel had on the Colossians?
• Why does faith in Christ make all the pieces fall into place?
• Why is love for the saints such an important effect of the gospel?
• What is the Christian's hope, and how does it impact his/her faith and love?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

How Should I Live: Keeping One Thing Crystal Clear

As we study How Should I Live it is absolutely important that we are clear that salvation is not merited, but a gift! And our response is not a works righteousness but faith working through love and gratitude.

Romans 3:9-31
Matthew 21:28-32,7:22-23
Luke 12:21,18:19
Isaiah 64:6
Proverbs 4:19,11:5,12:26
Psalms 146:9,134:3,143:2
Jonah 2:9
Ephesians 2:8-9
Titus 2:14

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• Who goes to heaven?
• Who goes to hell?
• How did Jesus turn the usual answer to these questions upside down?
• What are the realizations a person must come to in order to be saved?
• Salvation is a gift, a great gift, and expensive gift, a gift given by grace, a gift received by faith... explain how these were described in the sermon.
• What is the objective and subjective response to this gift?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Put to Death Your Flesh

Are you feeling like you want to love God, but can't seem to make Him the top priority in your life? This is your call for action: to walk in the Spirit you must put to death the sinful desires of the flesh. Are you ready to suffer in order to accomplish this?

Romans 8:1-17,11:20-23,6:11-12
Genesis 19:12-29
Mark 7:20-23
Galatians 5:16-23,2:20
Hebrews 7:25,12:1-2,11:1
2 Peter 2:6-10
Philippians 1:6
Ephesians 5:8,2:4-6
2 Corinthians 5:10-12
1 Peter 4:1-4
Luke 9:23-24

Sean Byham
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

How Should I Live: Jesus' Priority

How should I live out my Christian faith.. so many opinions, issues... what does Jesus say?

1 Corinthians 13
Matthew 22:34-40
John 13:34-35
Galatians 5:14
Romans 13:8-10,2:10
James 2:8
1 Peter 4:8,3:8
1 John 3:11,3:10,3:23
2 John 5
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
John 15:12-13
Matthew 7:12,5:43-44
1 John 4:7-11

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• Why is it challenging to know how to live out our faith?
• Why do folks tend toward legalism or lawlessness?
• What did Jesus say was the most important thing?
• Do I ask constantly, Am I loving this person?
• Why does it help that God does this?
• What role does the Holy Spirit have in helping us love?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Free to Love

Does any medical procedure or ritually performing any works bring anyone closer to God? Or are these just stumbling blocks on our journey? Can the Holy Spirit's presence be earned? Paul says these efforts avail us nothing! Only the grace of God grants us the freedom to love through faith.

Galatians 5:1-6,3:1-5,3:13-14,4:6-7,6:2
1 Corinthians 15:10
Romans 14:7,8:14
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
1 John 3:18

Sean Byham
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

The Gospel in the Old Testament: The Bronze Serpent

Jesus pointed to a bronze serpent on a pole — that Moses was instructed by God to make in the Old Testament — as a teaching tool to help us understand what an wonderful thing He did to save us!

Numbers 20:1-21:9
John 3:13-18
2 Kings 18:4
Revelation 2:1-5
1 Peter 2:7

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• Why is complaining against God so bad?
• Why was the serpent both a chastisement and a gracious thing?
• How does this point to Jesus?
• Why are people still in danger of perishing?
• Why did the bronze serpent need to be destroyed?
• What does this teach us?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Acts: Be Bold

We live in an increasingly hostile environment to the Gospel, and yet, it is a time in which people need desperately to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. How do we not be intimidated but rather be bold in sharing our faith? Well, we have a thrilling account of the early church and how they handled, by God's grace and power, a similar situation. In Acts we will look at how they found grace and power!

Acts 4

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

The Gospel in the Old Testament: A Justified Patriarch

Christians are justified through faith in Jesus... in the Old Testament so was Abraham... in fact he is our role model for exercising audacious faith.

Genesis 11:27-12:20,13:14-16,14:22-15:6
Galatians 3:5-9,3:15-18,3:26-29
John 8:51-59
Romans 3:21-24,4:1-5,4:13,4:16-25

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• Why is Abraham so important?
• Why will only true children of Abraham be saved?
• What was so audacious about Abraham's faith?
• Why do we need to exercise such faith?
• Why is it hard to follow his example?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Redemption Accomplished

The plan of redemption was established even before the creation of the world. The Cross was the completion of that plan. Therefore, work out your salvation with fear and trembling to do the good works God has called you to do.

Ephesians 2:1-10,1:4
Genesis 1:1
John 3:19,3:16
Romans 4:25
Hebrews 1:1
James 2:17,3:24
Revelation 3:19-22

Sean Byham
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

2 Corinthians: What Does Works Have to Do with It?

How can the Bible say we will be judged by our works... when it also says we are saved by grace through faith and not of works? This is an important question for many reasons, but most importantly because we are all going to appear before the judgment seat of Christ. In our study of 2 Corinthians, we will take up this topic.

2 Corinthians 5

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Mark: Lessons from a Fig Tree

Jesus curses a fig tree then uses the event to teach us about... Fruitlessness, Faith, and Forgiveness... in the masterful way only He can teach from this passage in Mark!!

Romans 4
Mark 11:12-26
Luke 13:6-9,3:8-9
1 Corinthians 13:2
James 4:2-3
1 John 5:14-15
Matthew 18:19-20
Acts 10:20

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• Why did Jesus curse the fig tree?
• What three lessons did He teach from this event?
• What should we learn about fruitlessness?
• What should we learn about Faith?
• What did He mean when He spoke about moving mountains?
• What should we learn about Forgiveness?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Mark: Blind, But Seeing a Lot

Mark tells us of a blind man who saw very clearly before he was actually healed... more than most see today... and we are called to be like him.

Isaiah 11:1-10
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Ezekiel 34:20-24
Mark 10:46-52
Matthew 1:1
Luke 1:32
Romans 1:3-4
Ephesians 2:8-9

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• Why was Bartimaeus named?
• Why was he so tough and unwilling to keep quiet?
• What does it say about Jesus that He heard him over the crowd?
• Why did Jesus ask him that obvious question?
• Why is the statement that "everyone will be in Bartimaeus' position someday" true?
• Why does everyone have to come to Christ like him?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Mark: I Believe, Help My Unbelief

Here is a man from Mark we can all relate to: one who says "I believe, Lord, help my unbelief".

Mark 9:14-29,6:7
John 11:40

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• Why were the apostles not able to heal this young man?
• Why is the prayer "I believe, help my unbelief" one that we all can relate to?
• What was Jesus' response to such a prayer?
• How can we nurture a strong faith and resist unbelief?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Mark: Making Progress?

Are you making progress in your faith? Does Jesus agree with your assessment? Mark tells us He challenged the disciples in this area and still does today.

Mark 7:31-8:26
1 Corinthians 1:22-23
2 Timothy 3:7-9
Romans 8:22-23
2 Corinthians 5:1-2
Ephesians 6:16

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• Why did Jesus heal these two men differently than most?
• What was Jesus' concern for the progress of the disciples' faith?
• How is our faith?
• Are we making progress?
• Are we making the connections?
• How can we nurture our faith?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Mark: The Relentless Pursuit

Mark tells us of a woman who pursued Jesus with a determination that she could be healed with one touch of His cloak. There is much for us to learn from her and about Jesus who embodies in Himself even now all we need for salvation and life.

Leviticus 15:19-33
Mark 5:24-34,4:31
Romans 11:33

Faith brings an empty hand, receives everything, and can give nothing in return. No grace is so important to the Christian's own soul. By faith we begin. By faith we live. By faith we stand. We walk by faith and not by sight. By faith we overcome. By faith we have peace. By faith we enter into rest. No grace should be the subject of so much self-inquiry. We should often ask ourselves, Do I really believe? Is my faith true, genuine, and the gift of God? J.C. Ryle

There is a lesson here which all true Christians would do well to remember. We are not to be ashamed to confess Christ before men, and to let others know what He has done for our souls. If we have found peace through His blood, and been renewed by His Spirit, we must not shrink from avowing it, on every proper occasion. It is not necessary to blow a trumpet in the streets, and force our experience on everybody's notice. All that is required is a willingness to acknowledge Christ as our Master, without flinching from the ridicule or persecution which by so doing we may bring on ourselves. More than this is not required; but less than this ought not to content us. If we are ashamed of Jesus before men, He will one day be ashamed of us before His Father and the angels. J.C. Ryle

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• What excuses could this woman have given to not get up and go to Jesus?
• When the Bible says that living faith acts/does things... how was this shone in her life?
• What does this passage teach us about Jesus... specifically, what does it mean that He embodies in Himself all we need for salvation and everlasting life?
• Why is faith easy in one sense, and how is that illustrated in this event?
• How is faith hard... and how is it illustrated?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA