United in Christ

What does it mean for us to be united in Christ? Especially as a corporate church body? Christ breaks down the barrier that separates us, no matter if the division is race, gender, wealth, power, or religion.

Ephesians 2,1:3-7,1:11
Romans 9:4-5

Chris Bowser
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

A Prayer of God's Peace, God's Work

This simple prayer reveals a lot about God and our relationship with Him.

Hebrews 13,2:3,3:12,4:7,6:1,12:24
Philippians 4:7,3:12
Acts 11:36,4:28
Romans 5:1
John 10:11
Titus 2:13
Jeremiah 13:31
Ephesians 2:10

Yes, blood is always a ghastly and a terrible thing. It is so, I suppose, because we recognize in it the destruction of life. Is it not so, also, - though we may not be able to define the emotion, - because we are compelled, in our consciences, to admit the effect of sin, and we are staggered as we see what our sin has done. All through the great school of the Jewish law, blood was constantly used to instruct the Israelite in the guilt of sin, and in the greatness of the atonement necessary for putting it away. Charles Spurgeon The Blood of the Testament

This is an "everlasting one"; it commenced from everlasting, as appears from the everlasting love of God, which is the rise and foundation of it; from the counsels of God of old, which issued in it; from Christ's being set up from everlasting, as the Mediator of it; from the promises of it which were made before the world began; and from the spiritual blessings of grace in it, which were given to God's elect in Christ before the foundation of it: moreover, it will endure for ever; nor will it be succeeded by any other covenant: and the blood of Christ may be called the blood of it, because the shedding of it is a principal article in it; by it the covenant is ratified and confirmed; and all the blessings of it come through it, as redemption, peace, pardon, justification, and even admission into heaven itself; and Christ, through it, was brought again from the dead, because by it he fulfilled his covenant engagements, satisfied divine justice, and abolished sin, yea, death itself. John Gill John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• Why does the author offer this prayer?
• How do we obtain God's peace?
• How powerful is God?
• Why was it necessary for the shedding of blood?
• Why is God considered a covenantal God?
• What heart aches have you experienced that drew you closer to God?
• How may God be working in you through your difficulties to fit you perfectly together to do His will?

Matt Courtney
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Against Anger and Vengeance

Jesus' new normal changed how we should deal with anger, revenge, and retaliation.

2 Chronicles 24:20-22
Acts 7:59-60
Romans 12:14-21,5:6-10
Matthew 5:10-12,5:14,5:38-42,23:34-35
Psalm 137:7-9
Luke 6:27-28

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• Give an Old Testament example of how God's people sought revenge.
• Give a New Testament example of how God's people are to seek revenge.
• What changed?
• What did Paul mean by Heap coals of fire on your enemy's head?

Scott Graubard
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Love Gives

True love gives to its beloved. Jesus gave everything for us and the impact of this on us, when we grasp it, will be immense.

Luke 2:1-21
2 Corinthians 8:9
John 1:1-2,15:12-14
Galatians 2:20

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• How was Jesus rich?
• In what way did He become poor?
• How are we poor?
• How has Jesus made us rich?
• What does it mean that love gives?
• How does all of this impact how we view Christmas?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Hebrews: Are We People of Faith?

Are you a person who is known for your joy, courage, confidence, and peace even in the face of trials, discouragements, challenges, or pain? Are we people of faith? That is what would make us such people. We are studying the Faith chapter in Hebrews and will explore how we can become people of faith.

Left-click to Listen Now
Right-click to Download

Hebrews 11:23-29

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

2 Peter: The Profound Impact of Knowing God

Following the exposition of 1 Peter we are moving right into 2 Peter. What would motivate a man like Peter to introduce himself as a slave of Jesus Christ. How could a person so deeply give up all rights and privileges to offer himself and all he is to Jesus? This illustrates the profound impact knowing God has upon a person... the theme explored in this message.

Left-click to Listen Now
Right-click to Download

2 Peter 1:1-4
1 Corinthians 7:22
1 Peter 2:16
Ephesians 4:20-24

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• What type of knowing did Peter refer to when he talked about knowing God?
• How does a river boat captain and a family relationship illustrate this?
• How did Peter illustrate the profound impact knowing God should have in the first few words of this letter?
• What are some of the great and precious promises of God?
• How have these promises impacted you?
• How can we live out a desire to know God practically in our life?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Death is Gain: Heaven is God's Home

Heaven is God's home! He lives there and it has all the powerful realities of being at His place where He reveals Himself most fully. Consequently it is a place of Glory, Love, Peace, Holiness and Joy!

Left-click to Listen Now
Right-click to Download

John 13:31-14:6
Isaiah 63:15
Psalm 33:13-14,23:6
Revelation 22:4-5
Luke 2:9,9:29-31
Acts 9:3,7:55
Exodus 40:34-35
Genesis 28:16-17

Heaven is a part of creation that God has built for this end, to be the place of his glorious presence, and it is his abode forever; and here will he dwell, and gloriously manifest himself to all eternity.

And this renders heaven a world of love; for God is the fountain of love, as the sun is the fountain of light. And therefore the glorious presence of God in heaven, fills heaven with love, as the sun, placed in the midst of the visible heavens in a clear day, fills the world with light. The apostle tells us that "God is love;" and therefore, seeing he is an infinite being, it follows that he is an infinite fountain of love. Seeing he is an all-sufficient being, it follows that he is a full and over-flowing, and inexhaustible fountain of love. And in that he is an unchangeable and eternal being, he is an unchangeable and eternal fountain of love.

There, even in heaven, dwells the God from whom every stream of holy love, yea, every drop that is, or ever was, proceeds. There dwells God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, united as one, in infinitely dear, and incomprehensible, and mutual, and eternal love. There dwells God the Father, who is the father of mercies, and so the father of love, who so loved the world as to give his only-begotten Son to die for it. There dwells Christ, the Lamb of God, the prince of peace and of love, who so loved the world that he shed his blood, and poured out his soul unto death for men. There dwells the great Mediator, through whom all the divine love is expressed toward men, and by whom the fruits of that love have been purchased, and through whom they are communicated, and through whom love is imparted to the hearts of all God’s people. There dwells Christ in both his natures, the human and the divine, sitting on the same throne with the Father. And there dwells the Holy Spirit — the Spirit of divine love, in whom the very essence of God, as it were, flows out, and is breathed forth in love, and by whose immediate influence all holy love is shed abroad in the hearts of all the saints on earth and in heaven. There, in heaven, this infinite fountain of love — this eternal Three in One — is set open without any obstacle to hinder access to it, as it flows forever. There this glorious God is manifested, and shines forth, in full glory, in beams of love. And there this glorious fountain forever flows forth in streams, yea, in rivers of love and delight, and these rivers swell, as it were, to an ocean of love, in which the souls of the ransomed may bathe with the sweetest enjoyment, and their hearts, as it were, be deluged with love, and that forever! Jonathan Edwards, Heaven a World of Love

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Galatians: The Fruit of the Spirit Is Peace...

Left-click to Listen Now
Right-click to Download

Ephesians 2:11-22,4:1-6
Hebrews 10:31
Colossians 1:19-20
Romans 5:1,12:18
John 16:33,14:27
1 Thessalonians 5:13
2 Timothy 2:22
Philippians 4:6-7
Galatians 5:20-23

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

The Priorities of the New Man

Left-click to Listen Now
Right-click to Download

Colossians 3:15-17,1:9-10

Kim Costanza
Cranberry, PA