Christ 2r Culture Podcast

Each year we hear of people that miss Christmas with their families. Some are overseas serving in the military. Others are stuck in airports because of weather or flight delays. While some miss Christmas for obvious reasons, others miss Christmas in more subtle ways. Join us as we learn how some of the famous Christmas characters from the first Christmas story missed Jesus' birth and how we can miss it as well.

The book of Hebrews tells us that what God has done for us through Jesus is greater than anything he did in the past. Jesus is so great, God can not improve what he has already done for us through Jesus in the future. How does that relate to the Old Testament sacrificial system? Join us as we learn how Jesus changed sacrifices for sin and the good news of how he changed it.

In C.S. Lewis' novel, Prince Caspian, there is a famous scene where Lucy rushes to Aslan the lion, falls between his front paws and buries her face in his mane. Aslan the lion represents Jesus. When Lucy is resting in his mane, she says these famous words. "Your bigger!", says Lucy. Aslan says, "That is because you are older, little one… every year you grow, you will find me bigger." C.S. Lewis' point is the more we grow in Christ, the bigger Christ becomes. In the first message of this Christmas series, we study the opening verses of the book of Hebrews to help us see that Jesus is greater and bigger than we can comprehend.

Washington grows egos better than Iowa grows corn. Most politicians are not humble public servants but men and women laced with pride desiring to wield power and like social media addicts, they dream of headlining the news. Is climbing over people the path to true greatness? Is being in power and control the way to know you are significant? In this study, Jesus tells us the path to true greatness.

We often hear we can do anything if we just try hard enough. We know that isn't true. For example, it is impossible to lick our elbows. It is impossible to wiggle one ear. It is impossible to sneeze with our eyes open. There are many things impossible for us to do, but they are not impossible for God to do. In this message we look at how God made us a part of the kingdom of God through Jesus, something that was impossible for us to do for ourselves so God did it for us through Jesus, his Son.

Today we have Disney Land, summer camp, and school sports. We love children. It wasn't always that way. In the ancient world, children were considered a nuisance and bother. In a world without birth control, unwanted children were left in the fields to die of exposure. Into this anti-child world, Jesus came. He came with a different attitude toward children. He loved them. He held them. He was never too busy for them. As we continue our study in the Gospel of Mark, we learn why Christians are to love children, like Jesus loved them. We also learn how unless we become like a child, we will never enter the kingdom of God.

Between 42 to 45 percent of marriage will end in divorce. Divorce touches everyone either in their immediate family or in their extended family. Divorce is so common that it has become something people celebrate instead of hide. Today it is popular to host a divorce party when your marriage is ending. Just as people celebrate the beginning of their marriage with a party, a divorce party is celebrating the end of a marriage with a party. Is the end of a marriage something to celebrate? What does Jesus think about divorce? Join us as we continue our study in the Gospel of Mark and see what Jesus has to say about this painful topic.

Today we often hear about people being radical. There is radical Islam that wants to kill to spread their faith. There are the radical members of the Democratic Party who are pushing for a socialist country. While radical often has a bad connotation, there are times when being radical is appropriate. If you are diagnosed with cancer, it is often better to take a radical approach instead of a casual approach. Just as it is wise to take a radical approach to cancer, Jesus tells we need to take a radical approach to cutting sin out of our life. Join us as we learn the dangers of habitual sin.

Albert Haynesworth was considered one of the top picks in the 2002 NFL Draft. He was drafted first round to the Tennessee Titans. While he had a bright career in front of him, there was a fatal flaw inside of him. That flaw burst onto the public scene in a game between the Tennessee Titans and the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas was winning. Andre Gurode, the Dallas center, was on the ground after a play when Haynesworth attacked him. He tore off his helmet and with cleated shoes stomped on Gurode's face nearly missing his eye but leaving him with deep cuts on his face that required 30 stitches. After the game, when Haynesworth was asked why he attacked the Dallas center he said, "I am a prideful guy. I hate to lose." That was the beginning of Haynesworth's decline in the NFL. He eventually became known as the worst free-agent draft in NFL history. This man was an amazing athletic talent, but pride destroyed his life. Pride isn't just deadly for football players. It is especially deadly for Christians. Join me as we f

Today we usually hear stories of bad fathers. We hear stories of fathers neglecting their children and using their children for their own selfish gain. As we continue our study in the Gospel of Mark, we meet a great father. We meet a dad who tirelessly gave of himself to caring for his sick son, his only child. This dad frequently risked his life to save his son's life. As part of this father's tireless commitment to care for his sick boy, he tracked down Jesus' disciples and begging them to cure his son. Join us as we learn what the disciples did, and what we can easily do, that shuts down the strength of Jesus working in our lives.

Do you remember learning to swim? I learned to swim as a young child in a pool. The scary part of the pool was the deep end where I couldn't touch bottom. Taking a swim in the deep end was petrifying. The only way I would swim in the deep end was if an adult was with me. They could help me. If an adult was with me, I knew it would be ok. In a similar way, Jesus just told the crowds what it would take to be his disciple. Everyone who is a disciple of Jesus needs to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. That is scary. Those who follow Jesus need to be willing to give up their life! That is scarier than swimming in the deep end of the pool! Wouldn't it be nice it there was a way Jesus could help them so they knew that even if they lost everything for Jesus, it would be ok? As we come to the transfiguration, that is exactly what Jesus does.

If someone was to ask you what they needed to do to become a Christian, what would you say? Across the country pastors are inviting people to become Christians, but how do we know they are giving the right invitation? In this message, we look at the original gospel invitation given us by Jesus. Surprisingly, most of today's gospel invitations do not look anything like the original one given us by Jesus.

In the 1300's, Italian poet wrote his famous work called The Divine Comedy. His poet described a trip to Paradise through Hell and Hades. He described hell as an inverted cone with nine levels of torment, the worst torments taking place on a frozen lake and administered by the devil himself. Is this an accurate description of Hell? How do we separate fantasy from reality? In this message, we explore Hell using only the Bible as our guide as we learn to love Jesus more as we get a better understanding of the eternity Jesus saved us from experiencing.

Most of us are saving for retirement. In this parable, Jesus teaches us a better way to plan and save for the future. This short first-person sermon was delivered at the CrossWinds Church picnic.

In 2004, the first Escape Room opened in Boston. Since then, they have spread like wild fire across the country and around the globe. Escape room come in themes. Some have a space theme. Others have a prison theme while others have a pirate theme. The goal of the escape room is to work with your friends to solve puzzles and crack codes and escape the room. While escape rooms are a recent cultural crazy, they have been popular for years in the church. There is one people have tired to escape from for years, that is hell. In this message, we evaluate the different ways people have tried to escape an eternity in the Lake of Fire to see if they work.

President Trumps Presidential campaign and the Russians. They issued 2,800 subpoenas, 500 search warrants, and interview over 500 witnesses while having an unlimited budget and resources. Putting aside your personal conclusions on the outcome of the investigation, imagine what it would be like if you were a subject in the investigation and had everything in your life exposed? While we may not be the focus of Robert Mueller's investigation, one day people will be investigated and exposed to a much great degree by Christ. Join us as we learn about Christ's final judgment and how to prepare for that great day.

The idea of God sending our good, kind, loving people to hell for eternity simply because they haven't trusted in Jesus feels repulsive. Hell for everyone who doesn't turn to Christ is considered the most difficult part of the Christian faith for people to understand. How can God be so ruthless? In this message, we discover why people we consider good end up in hell.

"I just don't believe the Bible any more." In front of me was a student that used to attend our youth group. When he went to Christian college, his professors spent time most of their time showing him all the places they felt the Bible couldn't be trusted, and gave him little evidence for why the Bible is right and can be trusted. In this message, we look at what the Bible says about itself. We learn why we can trust the Bible and make it the foundation for truth in our life.

Rejection of Jesus comes in many forms. There is outright rejection that we can see in the Pharisees. They were open enemies of Jesus. Rejection of Jesus also comes in subtler forms. At this point in the gospel of Mark, the disciples were teetering on the edge of practical unbelief in Jesus not because they openly rejected him but because they were too familiar with him. Join us as we learn the danger of practical unbelief in the lives of people like you and me.

Life is hard. It is filled with pain. When we face hard times, knowing someone genuinely cares and will go out of their way to help is extremely important. As we continue our study in the Gospel of Mark, we see that Jesus is full of compassion toward people who suffer, like you and me.