GIVE YOUR NEED, GET GOD’S GRACE

As Christians, we've been born again by the word of God. Raised to a new life in a new family. Belonging to God as beloved children because of the work of the Son. Prayer is the means by which we call upon our Father. A special channel through which we connect with God and enjoy personal communication with him. But if we’re honest, for all we know about how good prayer is for us, we just don’t do it. Philippians 4:4-7 comes to us not to pile on the guilt, or charge us to offer better, more-disciplined prayers, but to provide us with a simple model for receiving God’s grace through prayer. One in which we give him our need and he gives us his peace. Because God is near to us through Christ, we don’t have to “be anxious about anything,” but can come to him with everything. Trusting that he hears us, loves us, and is ready to meet us in our weakness.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

IT’S THE WORD THAT DOES THE WORK

Of all the means of grace, there's one that does the heaviest lifting. One all the others point back to, respond to, and revolve around. One that does the primary work involved in making us more like Christ: the word of God. When it comes to God's appointed means to change us, it's the word that does the work. Above all else, 1 Peter 1:22-2:3 teaches us the work the word performs is to give life. Spiritual life. True life. Eternal life. The life in which we take up the means of grace. And the conviction, renewal, power, understanding, and help to live that Christian life. All of this comes through hearing, reading, and receiving the word of God. In Jesus Christ - the incarnate Word of God who has done the work to save us. In the gospel - the good news of his salvation. And in the Scriptures - God’s written words which reveal who Jesus is and all his gospel means.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

A TRUE BUFFET OF GRACE

This Sunday we began a sermon series on the means of grace. We’re turning the page on the book of James which taught us that "wisdom is the way” to wholeness in our lives. If wisdom is the way to spiritual wholeness, then the means of grace are the vehicles that get us there. The means of grace are HOW we change. The God-appointed activities to make us more like Christ. As we engage in them, they function like conduits by which heavenly grace comes to us here upon the earth. They are practical, tangible, visible, and experiential connecting points to our lives in this world that cause, empower, and enable us to live them out God’s way. 

Throughout this new series, God's word will call us to open our hands and receive his grace as we give ourselves to: 1) Our worship on the Lord’s Day, 2) The Word of God, 3) Prayer, 4) Fellowship with one another, 5) The Sacraments of Baptism and, 6) Communion, and, 7) the grace of Generosity.  God works in us through each of these grace-bringing activities to make us more like Christ - who is Wholeness Himself. We began with the Lord's Day, which is a true buffet of grace. An opportunity for us to experience all the means with an intensity and impact that just doesn’t happen the rest of the week. We were challenged to see every Sunday as remarkable and call it the best day of the week. Because each Sunday is a day for resting in grace. A day for remembering and rejoicing in grace. And a day that orders our lives according to a rhythm of grace. 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

BIBLICAL COUNSELING WITH PASTOR JAMES

This Sunday, we capped off our journey in James - a book filled to the brim with Spirit-inspired, God-breathed, timelessly-true wise counsel from Pastor James - by approaching the book from a counselor's point of view. Guest preacher, Pete Payne from our sister church in Westminster, CO not only taught us about counseling, but showed us how to counsel by applying the letter of James to real-life scenarios: Getting to the root of anger in a brother’s heart, helping a sister to see what’s really causing her conflicts, patiently encouraging the grumbler at the church potluck, coming alongside the suffering saint to remind them to “count it all joy” when they encounter trials - again and again and again.

All the while, impressing upon our hearts that in every situation we encounter - every trial, every conflict, every weeping brother, rejoicing sister, or grumbling friend - God is at work. He set the meeting. He planned the interaction. And in all these moments, he’s given us the amazing privilege of speaking his words to one another. Pointing out when there’s something that just shouldn’t be, and holding out the freedom that comes from living under “the law of liberty.” Our Wonderful Counselor himself, stands ready to inject his grace into every situation and make each intersection of his people a redemptive one.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

god’s means of caring for us

Last week, we heard about patiently enduring the trials in our lives. Waiting upon God to bring forth the slow fruit of suffering and bring in that Day when suffering is no more. But what do we do while we wait? Practically speaking, what do you do when you’re suffering or sick? Drink herbal tea, take medicine, go to the doctor, lay in bed all day? How about anxious, depressed, overwhelmed? Do you withdraw from those who care for you? Internalize every problem? Scrutinize every thought and action? When you're pained by the danger a straying brother or sister is facing? When your personal comfort is far from ideal, what’s your first reaction? Is it to fix the problem yourself? Is it to resign and accept it as your lot? Is it to fight and resist with everything you have, hating even the thought of it? OR, is it to pray? Casting yourself upon the power and mercies of God. Inviting others to join you in doing the same. In this final passage of James, God's wisdom counsels us to make prayer our first response. To bring him into everything, because prayer is God's means of caring for us in the midst of anything. His gracious instrument to shape our hearts and make us whole.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

IS BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE TRIAL

James 5:7-12 returns to the theme of suffering that began the book. The believers addressed in the letter are experiencing oppression at the hands of “the rich” in their community (5:1-6). The wise pastor that he is, James knows that they, and we, can lose perspective when we’re in the thick of trials. We become disoriented in the moment of suffering, lose sight of what God is doing, and struggle to believe anything good is coming from this. God’s wisdom calls us to maintain a patient perspective to endure the challenges we face. To believe that the best treasures in suffering come at the end. To fuel our endurance, strengthen our faith, and lift our gaze above the weeds of difficulty we’re walking through, James offers much-needed perspective. Calling us to look within to examine the ways we’re prone to sin in our suffering. Encouraging us to look backward toward the faithful brothers and sisters who give us examples of patient endurance down through the ages. Declaring that we must look forward to return of the Lord and establish our hearts in the hope of his coming. We can take heart that all our suffering has an end-date, because Christ will come to make all things new, set everything right, and wipe away every tear from our eyes.

Below, you can find a list of recommended resources to 1) Encourage you by the examples of godly men and women who have gone before us, and 2) Establish your heart in the hope of Christ’s return.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

FIND THE LIST OF RECOMMENDED RESOURCES HERE

The preaching of God’s word stands at the heart of our Sunday gatherings. Each and every week, the Father welcomes us to hear the gospel of his Son in the power of the Spirit. As the word goes forth from an ordinary wooden pulpit - and the very ordinary and imperfect pastors who stand behind it - God does an extraordinary work. Filling our hearts with faith, hope, and confidence in his promises. Assuring us of his love. Comforting us in sorrow. Convicting us of sin. Building up the household of God that is Cross of Grace and making our church an increasingly beautiful place to be.

We had the privilege of sitting under 53 sermons in 2024. Which ones did God use to shape your life and year?

HERE’S WHAT OUR PASTORS HAD TO SAY

Jeff

• Ephesians 6:1-4 - Parenting - As someone in the thick of life with little ones, the truth that “children are a blessing from the Lord and not a burden to our lives” is a much needed reminder that bears frequent repeating. This sermon gave me fresh ambition to embrace the amazing responsibility of raising up children in the fear and admonition of the Lord and to enjoy my kids as God’s good gifts.

• Galatians 5:14 - Neighbors - This sermon answered the question “why do we exist as a church?” in ways that were deeply soul-stirring and eminently practical. We exist to spread the joy of Jesus to our Santa Ana neighbors, and to do this, we must be neighbors to them. The kind of people who know them, love them, go out of their way to serve them. The kind of people they would be sad to see leave. This is the kind of message that’s worth revisiting again and again, year after year.

• Isaiah 36-39 - Complacency - This sermon spoke to where we’re so many of us likely find ourselves: not on the verge of quitting the difficult race of the Christian life, but just wanting to stop for a little while. Tempted to slow down, presume upon grace, and coast through life instead of running hard after God all the way to the end. The categories for complacency offered in this sermon were helpful lenses to look at my own heart and examine where I’m prone to settle for “bare minimum Christianity.”

Kyle

• Acts 2:42-46 - Ordinary - This sermon served as a sweet reminder of the fact that there’s nothing impressive about us as a church, but that what IS impressive about us is our Savior. 

• Isaiah 6:8-13 - Holiness - This sermon captured my attention and “drove the nail” into my conscience of the importance of holiness both as a Christian and as a Christian leader. 

• Isaiah 40:1-31 - Comfort After Collapse - This sermon itself was God’s mercy, declaring, in the midst of my own compromise and sinfulness, just how eager God is through His Son to welcome me back into relationship with Him. 

Jason

• 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 - Spiritual Gifts - Great reminder to pray boldly for the gifts and celebrate them among us, because God delights in giving them. 

  • Due to technical difficulties, we don’t have the beginning of the sermon audio. Read the introduction here and follow along with the recording for the rest of the message.

  • For more info on the spiritual gifts, check out this short guide.

• Isaiah 7-9 - Courage - Courage is a quality of a Christian not often talked about. To see it exemplified in Scripture and the God who is its the source was of great encouragement to press into it even when the danger is real. 

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Which sermons did the Spirit use to make an impact on your life last year? To jog your memory, here’s a list of all the sermons we heard in 2024. Go back and listen to one or two. Catch up on any you missed. Share the sermons that God used in particularly powerful ways with us on Slack or sending an email to the church office and let us know how his word shaped your life, changed your heart, and blessed your walk with Christ last year. We’d love to celebrate his grace alongside you!

In addition to the web links below, you can find every Sunday sermon on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

• 1/7/24- Ephesians 5:15-21 - Wear your new clothes everywhere

• 1/14/24- Ephesians 5:22-33 - Marriage is a picture of the beauty of the gospel

• 1/21/24- 1 Corinthians 4:1 - What is a pastor?

• 1/28/24- Ephesians 6:1-4 - Children are a blessing from the Lord, not a burden to our lives

• 2/4/24- Ephesians 6:5-9 - Every Christian is a slave of Christ

• 2/11/24- Ephesians 6:10-20 - Spiritual Warfare: We are new people in an old, embattled world

• 2/18/24- Ephesians 6:18-24 - Prayer: The armor of God and the blessings of God need God to work

• 2/25/24- Revelation 19:1-10 - From beginning to end, marriage is intended for your joy

• 3/3/24- Revelation 12:1-17 - Know Satan’s Story. Know Satan’s Strategies. Know Christ’s Victory.

• 3/10/24- Matthew 26:26-29 - Communion Homily - The Past, Present, and Future Tense of Communion

• 3/17/24- 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 - Spiritual Gifts: Earnestly desire all the grace that God has to give

• 3/24/24- 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 - Membership Series: Our Gospel & Doctrine

• 3/31/24- Matthew 28:1-10 - Easter Homily - The old has really gone and the new has truly come

• 4/7/24- Philippians 3:7-9 - Membership Series: We are joyful

• 4/14/24- Romans 8:32 - Membership Series: We are generous

• 4/21/24- Psalm 119:89-96 - The Mighty Word of God

• 4/28/24- Acts 2:42-47 - Membership Series: We are ordinary

• 5/5/24- Galatians 5:14 - Membership Series: We are neighbors

• 5/12/24- Isaiah 1:1-31 - We need to be an uncompromising church

• 5/19/24- Isaiah 1-66 - How the story of Isaiah fits together

• 5/26/24- Isaiah 2:1-22 - Live now in light of then

• 6/2/24- Isaiah 6:1-7 - Why does God take our sin so seriously? Because he is uncompromisingly holy.

• 6/9/24- Luke 19:28-44 - Jesus is the King of Peace

• 6/16/24- Isaiah 6:8-13 - God wants us to be at home with holiness & really live in his house

• 6/23/24- Isaiah 7-9 - God with us puts courage in us

• 6/30/24- Isaiah 13-23 - The whole world needs the whole gospel

• 7/7/24- Isaiah 24-27 - There is a real heaven, and you can’t get it without getting God

• 7/14/24- Isaiah 14:12-16 - Behind every collapsing culture is the influence of the Original Compromiser

• 7/21/24- Isaiah 30-31 - Turning to Egypt is never the right decision, but trusting in God is always the right decision

• 7/28/24- Isaiah 35:1-10 - The uncompromising path to uncompromising life will be worth it in the end

• 8/4/24- Isaiah 36-39 - Don’t let your weariness or your confidence keep you from running hard after God

• 8/11/24- Isaiah 40:1-31 - Comfort after Collapse: We may grow weary, but the King never does

• 8/18/24- Isaiah 41-48 - God vs. Idols: God alone is worthy of our trust because God alone is: The Creator of the heavens and earth, the Redeemer of all mankind, and the Author of all history

• 8/25/24- Isaiah 49:1-7 - The most uncompromising thing about us is our uncompromising need for Christ

• 9/1/24- Isaiah 52:13-53:12 - You need an uncompromising substitute to be crushed in your place and heal your compromising heart

• 9/8/24- Isaiah 54 - The New Covenant: the unbreakable promise of uncompromising love

• 9/15/24- Isaiah 55 - God invites the worst, offers the best, and guarantees the result

• 9/22/24- Isaiah 58 - God is the goal and great reward of our worship

• 9/29/24- John 6:1-15 - What it means to be spiritually satisfied

• 10/6/24- Isaiah 61 - The grace of God is never in decline

• 10/13/24- Isaiah 65:17-25 -  One day, we’ll do nothing but live in God’s world, in God’s way

• 10/20/24- Proverbs 1 - Wisdom is how you do life in God’s world right

• 10/27/24- James 1:1-4 - God’s wisdom leads us down the path of spiritual wholness

• 11/3/24- James 1:5-11 - To get wisdom, all we have to do is ask

• 11/10/24- James 1:12-18 - God-given trials are the surprising friend of happiness

• 11/17/24- James 1:19-27 - On the path of wisdom, faithful hearing always travels side by side with obedient doing

• 11/24/24- Titus 2:11-14 - God has given you what you need to run well: past, present, & future grace

• 12/1/24- James 2:1-13 - Love your neighbor regardless of what they can do for you

• 12/8/24- James 2:14-26 - We are saved by faith alone, but true saving faith is never alone

• 12/15/24- James 3:1-12 - Resting between your teeth is the rudder of your entire life

• 12/22/24- James 3:13-18 - The world’s wisdom climbs to the top. God’s wisdom kneels to serve.

• 12/24/24 - John 1:14-18 - Christmas Homily - You need to see Jesus Christ

• 12/29/24- James 4:1-12 - To wisely respond to conflict, we must think rightly about ourselves

LET US KNOW HOW GOD’S WORD CHANGED YOUR 2024 HERE

YOUR LIFE IS NOT YOUR OWN

Following his charge to "humble yourselves before the Lord" (4:10), James offers 2 particular warnings against an arrogant heart. Contrary to the humble person who holds their desires with open hands before the Lord, the proud have a tightly clenched fist around their plans and their wealth. They fail to live well in God's world because they prove to be bad stewards of what God has given to them. Taking their time (4:13-17) and their wealth (5:1-6), and presuming upon them, trusting in them, and acting like these gifts are theirs to do with what they please. Into our proneness to treat what is God's like its ours, and to fight for control of our lives, enters wisdom. All our days have been numbered in God's book, so first and foremost, we ought to use them for his glory (Ps 139:16). All our wealth is a blessing to be received and used like a tool to build God's Kingdom, not a savior to trust in (Mt 6:19-21). We look to Jesus who lived every day of his life - and even went to his death - saying, "If the Lord wills it" (Mt 26:39). Who, though he was rich, became poor for our sake (2 Cor 8:9), and taught us "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). According to his grace, we can wisely spend our time and money for the glory of God and the good of our lives in his world. 

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

IT STARTS WITH YOU

James 4:1-12 is a passage that, on one hand, everyone wants to hear, given its practicality and impact upon our lives. But, on the other hand, it just might be a passage no one really wants to hear, given the finger it points at you and I. It’s a passage that contains timeless wisdom from God on the matter of relational conflict. James asks, "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you?" (4:1). To which he does not reply, "Your difficult circumstances," "the difficult, immature, and troubling people around you" or even "It's all Satan's fault!" Instead, he says, "Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?" (4:2). In other words, the problem is us. The root of conflict and the first step in resolving it, starts with us. We need this kind of biblical self-awareness in order to examine our own hearts, sympathize with the brothers & sisters we’re prone to battle it out with, and seek the grace we need to turn away from selfish desires and place others above ourselves.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

YOU’LL KNOW IT WHEN YOU SEE IT

All throughout James, we’ve heard that wisdom is the way to wholeness. The path to living in God’s world, God’s way. But in 3:13-18, we come to a fork in the road on the path of wisdom. Not all that claims to be wisdom is wisdom. Not all who claim to be wise are wise. So how do we know who to look to? How can we tell who we should follow after and imitate? How can we discern the “wisdom from above” from “earthly un-wisdom?” James tells us we’ll know it when we see it.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE