Text: John 3:14-18
Our culture often uses images and symbols to convey a multitude of messages. We communicate through hand motions, simple glances, emojis, and gifs. However, long before we existed, God conveyed a profound message through the cross at Calvary. In one verse of Scripture, Jesus summarized the meaning of the cross and offered a personal promise to all who believe. We invite you to listen today and make sure that you have received this good news and believed in Him.
Text: Hebrews 12:1-3
In a culture of comfort, ease, and consumerism, it is very difficult for us to grasp the shame of the cross. We wear the cross as jewelry around our necks as a fashion statement, place it as decoration on the walls of our houses and offices, and even in the church we sing stirring and moving songs that describe the cross in beautiful terms. While these have their place, the old, rugged cross had no such glamorous appeal. It was truly a symbol of suffering, pain, and shame. This message shows how the shame of the cross was greater than we can imagine, and so, too, is the work Jesus accomplished on it. We invite you to listen today to be encouraged and equipped to walk in victory over shame.
Text: Acts 2:21-24
Long before a cross was lifted on the hill of Calvary, there was a cross living in the heart of God. Even before the foundation of the world, God had a plan to bring about our salvation and grant us eternal life. This plan was directly promised by God, regularly portrayed throughout the Scriptures, and ultimately fulfilled when Jesus laid down His life as a sacrificial substitute in our place. God’s wonderful plan is not simply a fact to grasp or dots to connect in study. It calls us to personally examine our lives, examine what He’s done, and consider our response. We invite you to listen today and come to the cross.
Text: Luke 18:1-8 (ESV)
Have you ever been burdened to pray for someone or something, but you eventually were distracted or discouraged, and the burden soon became an afterthought? If so, you can relate to this parable of Jesus. In this message, Jesus explains and illustrates what true dependence and desperation look like. In doing so, He calls us to get back to prayer and to truly pray in faith, believing that our Father is good and delights in answering the prayers of His children who fully depend on Him.