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: Heart Religion

As we continue with our study of Colossians, we need to lay the foundation for the next section. Christianity is Heart Religion. It involves a pervasive transformation. That begins with the salvation brought about by the Second Adam.

Romans 5:12-21
Colossians 2:6-23
2 Corinthians 5:14
1 Corinthians 15:20-22,15:44-49
Ephesians 2:3,5:22-33

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• Why should we not simplify the concept of salvation?
• What is Heart Religion?
• What is the alternative?
• How did the first Adam mess everything up?
• What does it mean that he was a Corporate Head?
• How can his mess be fixed?
• How did the Second/Last Adam fix it?
• How can I benefit from this?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

New Member Course: The Inspiration of Scripture and What We Believe about Salvation

This four-part course is presented to new member candidates for the purpose of demonstrating the importance and aspects of membership in a local church. This session discussed the source and infallibility of scripture and what salvation really means.

2 Timothy 3:15-17
Galatians 1:8-9,3:10,2:16
John 10:31-35,14:6,14:21-24
1 Thessalonians 2:13
2 Peter 1:19-21
Acts 15:13-17,28:23,4:12
Matthew 22:29-33
Ephesians 5:6,2:8-9,3:8-9
Romans 1:16,3:20,11:6

Paul Sereda
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Colossians: A Full Orbed Life

Paul's prayers in Colossians are so important to study because they show us what God wants us to be like and how to live a full orbed life of fruitfulness.

Colossians 1:1-12,3:12-4:1
Isaiah 6:5
Matthew 5:21-22,5:27-28
James 1:19-20
1 Peter 3:7

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• What attitude did Paul assume his hearers had about their salvation?
• What are the things Paul is praying for?
• What does it mean and how does it look in a person's life when they are filled with a knowledge of His will?
• What are the practical ways this was illustrated, and what are ways this should work out in our lives?

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

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

More Concerned for Your Salvation Than You Are

Are you concerned about your salvation and your future eternal well being? There is someone who is more concerned about you than you are! And He has done some amazing things because of His concern.

John 6,5:28-29
Ephesians 1:3-6
2 Timothy 1:9

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• How did God the Father show His concern for our salvation in times past?
• What was His will for His Son?
• How has the Father shown concern for your salvation in your lifetime?
• What is the Effectual Call?
• Why should all of this give you hope, joy, and a sense of security?

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

Mark: Barabbas and Us

As we continue in our study of Mark, it is shocking and thrilling to come to the realization: "I am Barabbas"!

Mark 15:1-15,11:1-14:11
Acts 2:36-41
Isaiah 53:7-8

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• How did Jesus suffer during this scene?
• What impact does that have on you?
• Why can we say "I am Barabbas!"?
• How does his experience highlight our experience of Christ's love and sacrifice?
• How can I nurture joy, awe and thankfulness everyday based on my Barabbas like experience of Christ?
• How should this affect how I serve the cause of Christ in the world?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Insignificant... Beloved... Significant

Sadly the prevailing worldview of our culture today has no answer to the problem of insignificance... but thankfully Christianity does, and in a glorious manner!

Psalm 8
Isaiah 40
John 14:1-3,17:24

Sermon discussion topics for parents to use with their children:

• In what ways are we insignificant?
• In what ways are we Beloved?
• In what ways does God's love make us significant?
• Why do secular people have no answers to the problem of insignificance?
• How does Christianity provide the answer?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

The Holiness of God: Part 2

God's holiness includes the idea of His moral purity. The moral excellence of God has huge implications for all people, and shines an amazing amount of light on the wonder of the cross and of salvation.

Luke 5:1-11
Matthew 8:20-22,8:27-29
Job 34:10
Habakkuk 1:13
Malachi 3:2
Hebrews 10:19-23
Isaiah 6:1-8
Revelation 6:15-17

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• What does it mean that God's holiness can be called His Moral Excellence?
• What was Isaiah's first impression when he saw God?
• Why does God get angry at little sins?
• Why does the holiness of God make sense of the cross?
• How does it make the cross and the benefits of the cross so glorious?
• How can we boldly approach a throne that Isaiah feared?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Appreciating Salvation: Co-Crucifixion and Co-Resurrection

We really appreciate our salvation when we know just what a great deliverance it is. A deliverance from the reign, power, and enslavement of sin. Just how does Christ free us from this is the focus of this message. We will look at the wonderful truths of co-crucifixion and co-resurrection with Christ!

Romans 5:12-6:23,3:9-18,8:7
John 6:44,6:64-65
2 Corinthians 4:3-4,5:17
Colossians 3:1-3,3:9-10,1:13
Ephesians 2:4-9,1:3-6

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• What are some examples of the fact that sin is a power?
• How did Christ break this power over us?
• When did He do it?
• When did this victory enter into our lives?
• What are the practical implications of this doctrine that we are to work out in our lives daily?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Hebrews: Grace to Serve God with Reverence and Godly Fear

Christians have a great God and a full and rich salvation. The author of Hebrews opens these themes up in the passage we will study. The personal applications are given to strengthen us and encourage us on our pilgrimage to heaven!

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Hebrews 12:12-29

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Appreciating Salvation: Grace

We will never appreciate salvation until we grasp what Grace is. And grace is actually hard for us to grasp. In this message we will seek to open up just how marvelous this amazing grace is!

Ephesians 2:1-10,1:3-7
Nehemiah 9:17
2 Corinthians 12:9
Romans 3:19-25,4:4-5,5:5-11,5:1-2

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• What is Grace?
• How can it best be explained?
• How is it that God has so much grace?
• How has God extended His grace to us?
• Why is it impossible to earn salvation?
• What if God treated us as we deserve, what would happen to us?
• Why is Grace so essential if we are to be saved?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Appreciating Salvation: Redemption

We cannot fully appreciate salvation until we grasp the deep significance of the concept of Redemption. The rescue mission Jesus accomplished has profound implications on how we view God, ourselves, and life itself. What an amazing thing it is to be redeemed!!

Romans 3:21-26,6:23,7:14,6:16-18,8:23,8:31-35
Ephesians 1:7
Colossians 1:14
1 Peter 1:18-19
Hebrews 2:14-15
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Titus 2:14
Matthew 20:28

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• What did the word redeemed mean to the people in the first century?
• What was the Kinsman-Redeemer?
• How has God redeemed us?
• What were we held captive to?
• What does it mean I was bought with a price?
• How should that affect us??

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Appreciating Salvation: Propitiation

We will more deeply appreciate our salvation when we understand why Jesus is called our propitiation. These important words shed a world of light on how good God has been in providing such a rich salvation.

Romans 1:18,1:32,3:9,3:19,3:21-26,5:9
Genesis 9:5-6
Hebrews 2:17,2:14
1 John 2:1-2,4:9-10
1 Thessalonians 1:10

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• What does propitiation mean?
• Why can God not just forgive us of our sin... why did Jesus have to die?
• How is Jesus our propitiation?
• What are the implications for us when we sin that Jesus is our propitiation?
• Why is it important that God sent the propitiation and how does this make the God of the Bible so different than the old Greek gods?

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.

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Hebrews 11:23-29

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Appreciating Salvation: What We Are Saved From

Often we do not appreciate our salvation enough because we do not really understand what we were saved from. This is a momentous salvation and our danger that we were rescued from is almost indescribable in its greatness. So to be delivered from that which Jesus said we should fear more than

Romans 1:18-32,3:9-20
Matthew 1:21
Proverbs 6:16-19
Luke 12:4-5
Hebrews 10:31

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• What is our biggest problem according to the Bible?
• What does Jesus say we should fear more than anything else?
• What happens if we take the matter of sin lightly?
• What is God’s wrath?
• Is it God losing His temper?
• Why does understanding this make us appreciate salvation all the more?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

Hebrews: Can True Christians Lose Their Salvation?

Hebrews 6:4-6 It is impossible for those who were once enlightened... if they fall away... to be renewed to repentance. Some very sobering and powerful and quite frankly scary words. Will we get to heaven? Will we endure to the end? Can true Christians lose their salvation? What about people who once seemed to believe but later reject the faith? These are some of the important concepts we will be discussed in our continued study of Hebrews.

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Hebrews 5:11-6:12

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA

1 Peter: Inquiring Minds

Just how special is it to be saved through Jesus? How blessed are we to be on this side of the cross and resurrection? Well Peter says that the prophets searched diligently to try to grasp all the riches WE have in Christ. And the angels were looking over the prophets shoulders as well trying to grasp it!!! Amazing stuff!!!

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1 Peter 1:1-12
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Ezekiel 36:25-29
Hosea 1:10-21,2:19-20,2:23
Psalm 22:1-2,22:6-8,22:12-18,16:9-10
Isaiah 53:1-12,9:6-7,11:1-9

Sermon discussion questions for parents to use with their children:

• Why were the prophets searching their own prophesies?
• What were they looking for?
• Were angles really looking over the prophets shoulders?
• Why does Peter think this is all so important?
• How should we view our salvation in light of this?

Pastor Todd Jaussen
Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church
Greenville, PA