DO YOU EXPECT THE MIRACULOUS WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Theologian Ekhard Schnabel explains that “miracles demonstrate that the resurrected life and work of Jesus continue in the life and work of the church”. This happens through the Holy Spirit, who is constantly at work among us. The questions we’re left with then are, “do you have eyes for the ‘everyday’ miracles of God?'“ and “do you expect and pray for God’s Spirit to perform the miraculous among us?”

To learn more about what the Bible teaches about miracles and what implications that has for your life, listen to last Sunday’s sermon from Acts 19:11-12.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE

On Sunday, we had the joy of hearing the preached word from our own Kevin Ing.

Leadership development is a high priority of the pastoral team at Cross of Grace (2 Tim. 2:22). Where God has gifted and called, we aim to give opportunities for the formation of those gifts, whether they be teaching, serving, leading ministries, etc.

Kevin comes with a robust educational background, having earned his Masters of Divinity from Westminster Theological Seminary (CA). But the most important thing the Lord gave us on Sunday was not a sermon from a learned individual, but the preaching of the Gospel from a man who loves what Jesus has created in the local church and wants others to be able to appreciate the reconciling effects of the Gospel in the church as well. Listen to his sermon from Ephesians 2:12-22 to hear more.

LISTEN TO THE SERMON HERE.

Below is a reproduction of the chart used near the end of Sunday’s sermon:

Paul’s third and final missionary journey is one which bears a striking resemblance to Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem in Luke’s Gospel. It’s one that’s characterized overall by self-denial - something that Jesus modeled during His life and ministry and something that He requires of anyone who would follow Him. As Paul follows Jesus in his life, but also this journey, we discover what it looks like to leave ourselves behind and just how much we gain in Christ by losing ourselves.

Listen to the sermon here.

PAUL’S GOD IS GOD ENOUGH TO BE GOD OF ALL

Francis Schaeffer once said, “As Christians, we must understand that there is no word so meaningless as the word god until it is defined”. In Acts 17, before a crowd of some of the greatest thinkers of his age - who defined god in various different way - Paul defined the God of Christianity. What was perhaps most startling to his hearers was his assertion that his God was and is their God, whether they accepted Him or not. He had created them and they would stand before His judgment. And this God proves His claims because this God, the One true God, has backed up His claims by being raised from the dead.

The same God who Paul proclaimed to the Areopagus is the same God who reigns over every one of us today. How would you define God? Is the God of the Bible the God you have believed in? Hear more by listening to last Sunday’s sermon.

Listen to the sermon here.

NOBODY AND NOTHING CAN STEAL YOUR JOY

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas find themselves in prison after enduring a severe beating, an unjust condemnation, harassment from a demon and facing general opposition to their proclamation of the Gospel. Yet what their fellow prisoners and jailer heard resounding from their cell at night was not groaning … but joyful singing. That very night, the same joy they possessed in Jesus was shared with their jailer and his entire household. It’s clear - nothing could steal the joy that Paul and Silas possessed. Do you find yourself struggling for joy? Do you long for the kind of joy that endures even the deepest trials and sorrows? Then listen to last Sunday’s sermon and rediscover the joy of Jesus.

Listen to the sermon here.

SHEPHERDS AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART

On a very special Sunday, pastor Eric Turbedsky, senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Orange and West Regional Leader of Sovereign Grace Churches, was present to preach at and mark the occasion of Jeff Schlieder’s ordination.

However, his sermon wasn’t a mere formality - it was a helpful and sweet reminder of why God gave local churches pastors. Pastors who have been called and appointed by God are reflections of Jesus’ kingly reign, His compassionate care and His saving grace. Listen to the short sermon to hear more.

Listen to the sermon HERE

THEY’RE UNSAFE IF THE TRUTH IS UP FOR GRABS

Most of us, at the very least, tend to shy away from disagreements. Many are tempted to avoid them at all costs. Still others will boldly enter disagreements, but do so standing on their own opinion, perspective or experience. It’s the latter which often makes engaging with those who disagree feel unsafe in the first place! In the church, we know we will inevitably disagree with one another if we’re living in close fellowship together. So how do we deal with disagreements? Listen to last week’s sermon from Acts 15, which tells of two historic disagreements, and learn how a shared commitment to the Gospel turns disagreements from a threatening danger into a redemptive opportunity.

Listen to the sermon HERE.

On Sunday, Jason Roenicke preached from Acts 13-14. These two chapters represent the first missionary journey of the Apostle Paul. They also represent the initial fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that His disciples would be witnesses “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). But taking the message of the Gospel would be met with adversity and hot opposition, as became abundantly clear for Paul from the outset. Persevering in the mission, then, requires courage. Where does this courage come from? What does courage look like? Where do we go to find courage that will sustain a lifetime of witnessing to the name of Jesus in a world that’s opposed to Him? Listen to Sunday’s message to learn more.

Listen to the sermon here.

PRAY NOT BECAUSE YOU SHOULD, BUT BECAUSE YOU CAN

2021 is likely to bring more of the same as 2020. In the last message that was preached in our advent series before the new year, we were reminded that our hope can’t rest in a better year. It must rest in the gifts given at Christ’s first coming and the securing of all God’s promises in Christ at His second coming. But during the in between, what does it practically look like to hope in Christ? Acts 12 and, in fact, the book of Acts as a whole teaches us that prayer is the single greatest tool - and often the single most underutilized tool - that we as Christians have at our disposal.

Listen to this week’s sermon here.

RECEIVING HOPE IN BETWEEN TWO ADVENTS

1 Pet. 1:3-9 describes both the gifts God has given in Christ and the promised gifts yet to be received. At His first coming (or “Advent”), Jesus came bearing new birth, forgiveness from sin and the gift of His Spirit, all of which we receive through faith in His name now. Yet, there are still gifts - namely an eternal inheritance, which we have yet to receive, but which God has promised to us when His Son returns (the second “Advent”). So as receivers of these gifts and promises, how do we live in the in-between? In the face of a 2021 that’s likely to look a whole lot like 2020, how do the gifts and promises of the two advents inform how we live in between the two advents? Listen to the final sermon in our 2020 Christmas series to learn more.

Listen to this week’s sermon here.