Crossroads - Weekend Messages

Honor. A word and concept we often hear–but it can feel heavy, complicated, or even be misunderstood. Yet, the Bible shows us that God has a lot to say about how we honor and care for one another. As we continue in The Law of the Heart series, we’ll see the commandments begin to shift from our relationship with God into our relationships with others. Join us as we explore what it means to live as people of honor, how honor starts at home, and how choosing honor in all relationships helps to form us into the likeness of Jesus.

Everyone knows that rest is needed for survival. God created humans to rest every single day. It may seem like an inefficient use of our time, but most people use at least one-fourth of every day for rest. But what about finding rest in your waking hours? That is a different story. Our culture is littered with issues from a lack of rest in our hearts and souls. We hear about burnout, stress, and all sorts of other very real maladies. Yet, our Lord knew the human capacity for self-sabotage. Within God’s law, God instituted the sabbath as a way to help His people find rest in Him. The Lord Himself modeled this rest on the seventh day of creation. Join us this weekend as we explore the commandment to keep the sabbath holy.

Names are so incredible because they carry identity, history, and meaning, and God’s revealed name is a declaration of who He truly is. The third commandment isn’t just about avoiding misuse of God’s name in speech, but about how we “carry” His name in every part of our lives as people who belong to Him. As those who have taken on God’s name through relationship with Him, we are called to honor it fully with our words, our hearts, and our actions.

God is committed to making you into a breathtakingly beautiful being. But in order for Him to fully do that, you must give yourself completely over to Him. This holy submission will require each of us to submit our ideas of who God is to His revealed nature in Scripture. When we worship the real God—not a substitute–we don’t lose anything… We gain everything! 

Have you ever wondered why laws exist? It’s not something that we regularly think about. But at its most basic level, laws provide a framework for a society. The children of Israel, newly delivered from the bondage of Egypt, needed structure so that they could flourish and blossom. On Mount Sinai, God met with Moses and handed him the Ten Commandments, which is the cornerstone of the entire Mosaic Law. What is interesting is where the law of God began. It began with the human heart and God’s place within it. We are excited to begin a brand-new series this weekend as we look at the very first commandment.

It’s Resurrection Sunday! We love to celebrate Easter as a society. As fun as the celebration can be, the lived reality of the resurrection for the follower of Jesus is infinitely more astounding. Jesus’ conquering of sin and death through His death and resurrection has such far-reaching implications that it is staggering to consider. Yet, there is no greater way to celebrate the finished work of Jesus than by worshipping the Lord Himself.

Palm Sunday has always been an important day in the life of the people of God. It marks the official beginning of Holy Week, which commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and it also sets the stage for Jesus’ death and extraordinary resurrection that we celebrate on Easter Sunday. Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies. This Palm Sunday we will look at the end of Psalm 118, where we see some of these prophecies.

When Adam and Eve allowed their own desires to drive them, they made the tragic decision to take what God had forbidden. That single choice fractured the relationship between God and man and reshaped the world we live in. Yet hope was not lost! Even at humanity’s lowest point, God’s faithfulness was already greater than our failure.

It has been said that people have the freedom of choice but not freedom from the consequences of those choices. This is a very sobering idea. It reminds us of the power of our God-given agency to make choices. It is amazing to have freedom of choice, but with that freedom comes tremendous responsibility. We must think consequentially. Our present human condition is the direct consequence of Adam and Eve’s decisions. Unfortunately, sin has dire and severe consequences. Join us as we see the issues that arise from the fall of humanity in the Garden of Eden.

Genesis 3 is such a pivotal chapter in the Bible. This is where everything changes. Where brokenness enters the story. Where fear, shame, and hiding take center stage. We also see the heart of a God who continually pursues. The Fall didn’t begin with loud rebellion, but with quiet suspicion, putting more trust in doubt than in God’s Word. Today’s passage reveals that in the midst of our hiding, God comes looking. He meets us with His unrelenting grace and doesn't leave us as we are, because He loves us too much to let us stay there. Join us as we unpack God’s resounding Grace in the Garden.

Whether we like it or not, to fail is to be human. YouTube is filled with compilations of home videos showing human failures–cars crashing, people doing illogical things, animals making messes. You name it, and there is a video of failure. But there was one most epic fail–Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. This weekend we will begin a new series in Genesis 3 to help us understand ourselves and our failure-drenched world. The Bible shows us exactly how we got here and why things are as they are.

In this message, we explore the seventh day of creation and see that Sabbath is part of God’s original vision for a good and flourishing world. God’s rest reveals faith that the world can be sustained without our constant striving, hope that points us toward the coming renewal of all things, and love that delights in what has already been given. From the beginning, Sabbath was never meant to be a burden but a gift rooted in joy, trust, and grace. Practiced over time, it becomes a way of living where our souls learn to breathe again and our lives are gently reoriented around faith, hope, and love.

What does it mean to be human? How shall we live? What is our role in the grand design of all things? These are the big questions that we ask ourselves. How we answer these questions is so important because the answers become the fuel for how we live our lives. God, our glorious Creator, had some very specific intentions in mind in creating humans. As we look at the sixth day of creation, we will learn about ourselves in transformational ways.

God’s creation and the order in which He created it has deep significance for us today. The birds of the air and the fish of the sea all teach us about God’s unique character and qualities. What God speaks into existence, He also sustains. What God calls good, He also calls forward. If creation itself has purpose, so do you.

As we continue in the All Good series, day four reveals that the sun, moon, and stars are more than beautiful lights in the sky. They were made to guide our days, mark the seasons, and reveal God’s intentional order and design. Just as these lights are used to shine in the darkness, God also uses His Light to illuminate the darkest places of our lives. In this passage, we’ll discover how His design points us to a better way of living. We were never meant to worship His creation. Instead, creation was designed to guide our hearts into wholehearted worship of the Ultimate Creator.

We see in the creation account that God is ordered and precise. Ever-wise and all-knowing, on each successive day of creation He places the next necessary piece in place. Before God could create humans and the animals that would inhabit the world, He needed to create the places that they would live. On the third day of creation, the Lord organized the land and water so that He could inhabit them with unique life.

Have you ever looked up at the sky and felt astonished? We all have. Whether it is admiring a gorgeous sunrise or sunset, seeing the innumerable stars on a clear evening, or just feeling soo small amidst the vastness of the heavens, the sky is always an echo to us. As we move into the second day of creation, we discover that the sky is more than beautiful. It was intentionally designed by God to reveal His order, His authority, and His glory.

Life often feels confusing, chaotic, and dark. To truly understand our lives, we must first be rooted in the truth that we were created by God. Before anything existed, God was already there. And when He began to create, the very first thing He spoke into the darkness was light.As we begin the All Good series, we start where everything starts. Day one of creation reveals not only God’s power, but His heart. The God who creates is the God who sustains. The God who speaks light into the darkness is the same God who still brings clarity, purpose, and hope into our lives today. From the very beginning, God’s declaration over His creation rings true. It is all good.

The question is not whether we leave a legacy, but whether it reflects Jesus. As we step into a new year together, God is inviting our church into a Year of Transfiguration. It is a call to allow Jesus, by His Spirit, to continually transform our lives by faith, for hope, and into love. This vision for 2026 invites us to become who God says we already are in Christ. As that new reality takes shape, it begins to change our lives and the world around us. Individually and collectively, we are being formed to reflect Jesus more clearly. Let’s step into A Year of Transfiguration together and discover what God will do.

During the Christmas season, we take time to focus on the fact that God is with us, but as soon as the season is over, many of us are onto the new year and new beginnings. This story from the book of Luke is a reminder that the presence of God is with us in every season of life and we can find Him in His word. 

Merry Christmas, Crossroads! It is amazing to think that this is the 50th year of Crossroads Christmas celebrations. The reality that God is with us has never changed since Jesus was born some 2,000 years ago. And yet, we still celebrate and stand in awe of the tremendous love and grace of God. How good and glorious Jesus is! How much hope we have! How excited we are to gather and celebrate Jesus!

God’s plans are always perfect. As the all-knowing, all-seeing, and all-powerful Creator and Sustainer of everything, God always knows exactly what needs to happen and why. But we must admit that oftentimes as humans, we struggle to understand the ways of God. As we look upon scary and sometimes strange circumstances, we often cannot comprehend how God is working. Yet God is always working. 

There is no name like the name of Jesus. Scripture reminds us that every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! As we continue in our series of the Incarnation of Jesus, today’s passage reveals how the glory of Jesus is found in His humility. Though humility doesn’t come naturally for many of us, it’s the way of Christ. Jesus laid aside His rights, became obedient even to death, and revealed the very heart of God to us. When we follow His example and take on His mindset, we find that our lives can begin to reflect His. Join us today as we behold the beauty and power found in Jesus–the Name Above Every Name.

The invitation “come and see” shows up at three powerful moments in the gospels, and each one reveals something essential about who Jesus is and how He changes lives. Jesus first speaks these words to two who are hungry for truth. Later, a once-skeptical disciple uses the same phrase to draw someone else to the Messiah. And finally, a transformed Samaritan woman shares those words with her community after encountering the Savior who knew her story and offered her living hope. As we look at each moment, we’re invited to ask deeper questions: Have we personally experienced Jesus? Are we sharing His hope with a world searching for meaning? And do we believe He can transform our lives in the same way He transformed theirs? This message explores faith, evangelism, spiritual transformation, and what it truly means to encounter Jesus. Come and see what happens when we respond to His invitation.

As we begin our final teaching series in our Year of Legacy, it is important to remember that any legacy that a church has is completely dependent on the incarnation of Jesus. Without Jesus coming on a rescue mission, not only is there no church, there is no salvation, and there is no hope. But what joy we have in the incarnation of Jesus! The reality that God is with us and is for us changes everything.

Treasures on earth spoil and rust, but Jesus is the treasure of heaven, which never fades and always lasts. In this passage, Jesus gives us the principles behind the powerful practice of fasting and its benefits for the way in which we view and move through the world.

Worry–a word and feeling that we all are familiar with. Our minds begin to race through what-ifs and what-mays, and our hearts become anxious about tomorrow’s unknowns. Though worry is familiar, in Matthew 6:25-34 we see Jesus offers a different perspective and a better way of living. This is a life marked by trust instead of tension, faith instead of fear, and confidence in the One who holds it all together. In today’s Teaching of Jesus, we’ll explore His invitation to experience peace that isn’t tied to perfect circumstances. Join us as we discover the freedom of seeking God’s Kingdom first–and living beyond worry. 

What if Jesus asked you to love the very people who’ve hurt you most? That’s exactly what He did. Following Jesus means choosing a love so radical it breaks the cycle of hate and mirrors the heart of God. It has often been said that Christianity is not a religion. Instead, it is a relationship that blossoms into an all-encompassing way of life. In every age and culture, following Jesus is a radical experience. He invites us and empowers us to transcend all of the whims and peculiarities of our day and age. Today’s message will focus us on one of Jesus’ most profound and challenging teachings.

In a world that never stops demanding more—more work, more approval, more performance—our souls grow weary. But Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11 is radical: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” This message explores what it means to truly follow Him, not just as believers in our heads, but as true disciples whose hearts, minds, and lives are being shaped into Christlikeness. We’ll discover that rest isn’t passive; it’s found in surrender, in walking with Jesus, and in embracing the rhythms of life He invites us into. The world exhausts, but Christ restores—and ALL are invited to lay their burdens down and find life that refreshes from the inside out.

“How shall we now live?” This is one of life’s biggest questions. In light of the finished work of Jesus, we must ask this question of ourselves. Following Jesus means that we allow Him to lead and direct our lives. We want to be about His Father’s business, just as He was. We desire to glorify God as He did. Jesus did not leave us in the dark about how we should live. He explained it to us simply in His “Great Commission.”

For most people who grew up outside of the church, their first exposure to the Bible was seeing someone hold up a sign with John 3:16 written on it. Almost anytime there is a large group of people together, someone brings a sign with the most famous Bible verse. But why is this verse so well-known? Because within this verse, Jesus explained something so beautiful, profound, and insightful that it has changed the course of human history. Let’s dig into possibly Jesus’ most famous teaching.

Is prayer optional or essential? In Matthew 6, Jesus answers an honest question from His disciples about a discipline practiced by every deeply-rooted believer: prayer. But He begins with an expectation, not a suggestion: “When you pray.” From where and how we pray, to the heart posture behind it, Jesus shows us that prayer is not just a ritual but a lifeline. As we walk through the Lord’s Prayer together, we’ll see how prayer can move from duty to d

Happy birthday Crossroads. We celebrate 50 years of ministry today. What the Lord has done! And what the Lord is doing! We cannot be more excited to celebrate all that Jesus is up to through the Crossroads family of faith. To both commemorate the Crossroads legacy and to continue our “Teachings of Jesus” series, it seemed proper to focus on what Jesus said was the greatest commandment.

Life comes with many challenges. Because we live in a fallen world, we recognize that pain and suffering are inevitable. People hurt us, things go wrong, and sometimes we can feel overwhelmed by it all. In today’s passage, Jesus says it’s not a matter of if offense comes, but when. He also reveals what it means to be someone who forgives often, stays grounded in humility, and keeps showing up—even when it’s not easy or glamorous. Join us in today’s Teaching of Jesus which unpacks how to walk by faith, let go of offense, and trust God with the weight we were never meant to carry.

Jesus is a master teacher. There has never been a teacher in history who has had a greater impact than Jesus. One of His favorite ways to communicate was by using stories and metaphors. He would take the common, everyday situations of people’s lives and weave them into His teachings to help people understand the kingdom of God. This is on display in one Jesus’ most cherished metaphors: the invitation to be salt and light.

We often believe that an outward change of circumstances will propel us into happiness, so we chase after those external changes. While we may like the new reality once we arrive at our desired destination, we’re often left unfulfilled, and as a result, we continue on the treadmill of happiness-seeking. Yet, Jesus taught us that there is a place where true satisfaction is found, and once our deepest hungers are satisfied there, we naturally experience God’s abundant life.

In the beginning of the famous teaching that we call “The Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus speaks of the blessed person. Some Bible translations have rendered the word “blessed” as “happy,” as in, “Oh, how happy is the person who…” Wanting happiness is a very normal human desire. Almost no one seeks out unhappiness. But Jesus’ discussion of the happy person sounds crazy to our contemporary ideas and plans. Actually, it sounds downright insane. Yet, upon further reflection, we realize that Jesus, as always, is onto something that we know little about. 

The apostle Paul writes his friends back in Philippi to encourage them in his present state which includes chains, prison cells, and guards! Not the greatest of days for Paul, he underscores that NOTHING can stop the Gospel and God’s plan in our lives. Even when things are dark and not exactly what we want, we have a choice to believe that God is still working and active. All He wants from us is to do the next right thing and to trust the process! He is always working. Even when we can’t see it, He's working. Let’s GOOOO!

Some friendships blossom under challenging circumstances. In instances where it might seem that issues would keep people apart, God is not limited by our usual distinctions. Jesus’ unique friendship with a religious leader named Nicodemus is a shining example of this. Jesus’ critics within the religious hierarchy of His day could have thwarted this friendship. But Jesus makes room for this religious leader’s questions and a friendship is born.

Are you living like a friend of Jesus—or merely a follower at a distance? Draw close. Receive His love. Reflect His friendship in a world that consistently promotes isolation and hyper-independence from God and others. 

When Jesus sees people, He doesn’t see problems. Instead, He sees potential. Often, we may be astonished by the people Jesus calls. But as we see Him transform their lives, the reason they were chosen begins to make sense. This is true of a woman we know as Mary Magdalene. While her initial encounter with Jesus was a miraculous deliverance, Mary blossomed into one of Jesus’ most cherished friends. 

In Luke 19:1-10, we meet Zacchaeus, a man seen as a manipulator and traitor by his community, but seen differently by Jesus. Where others saw someone worth rejecting, Jesus saw a heart worth saving. This story reminds us that a friendship with Jesus isn't based on reputation or performance, but on grace and transformation. Our Savior doesn’t just tolerate people, He pursues them with a boundary-breaking love. Join us as we discover a Friend who draws near when others walk away and sees your heart when others see your past.

One of the most astounding things about Jesus is His choice of those He associated with. In a world where there is so much “ladder-climbing” and so many people seeking to increase their status by associating with the right people, Jesus flips the script. The people He chose to be His friends often were people that others wished didn’t exist. In this weekend’s message, you will see Jesus’ friendship with a tax collector named Matthew.

What a friend we have in Jesus! That’s the title of a famous hymn from the history of the church. As good as the song is, those words are an even better reality–that we can actually be friends of God. This weekend we will begin looking at the unique friendships of Jesus. First, we will see Jesus’ unique friendship with two sisters who couldn’t be more different. But both are friends of Jesus.

Feeling burned out or spiritually dry? Jesus doesn’t ask us to strive, He invites us to abide. In this message, discover what it means to stay connected to Christ and bear fruit that lasts. You weren’t made to do life on your own... you were made to abide in the Vine. Let’s talk about connection, pruning, and living a truly fruitful life.

In a world obsessed with climbing higher, Jesus points us downward. When His disciples asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Jesus responded by placing a child in front of them—and in doing so, He turned the whole idea of greatness upside down. In this message, we explore the radical call of Jesus to humble ourselves, trust Him like children, and remember that even as mature believers, we never stop needing a Savior. True greatness in God’s kingdom is not about power or platform, but about humility, surrender, and generational faithfulness. It’s time to stop striving and start trusting—and to live in such a way that the next generation sees Jesus clearly in us.

In John 9, Jesus heals a man born blind, which provokes the question of sin and suffering. This story illustrates the power of Jesus, not only to restore physical sight, but also to offer each of us a new perspective on life and divine purpose. As we embrace His perspective on life, Jesus then can transform our struggles into testimonies of His power and love.

In a world driven by deadlines and urgency, Jesus invites us to slow down and walk at His pace. As we continue in the A Life With Jesus series, we see that even He faced pressure from those closest to Him. Yet today’s passage reminds us that God’s perfect timing doesn’t bend to human demands. It may not match our ideal schedule, but it’s always right on time. Join us as we explore how Christ embodied obedience, patience, and purpose—and how these qualities can help shape our faith when the world says, “Go now,” but God says, “Not yet.”

What would your life look like without fear? Most of us are shaped by unspoken anxiety that quietly colors our thoughts, actions, and desires. But what if there’s a way to move from fearful to fearless? Beneath the weight that is holding you back, a deeper truth is waiting. Discover key truths from God’s Word that will help you move forward with freedom.

At just 12 years old, Jesus showed us what it looks like to seek wisdom and grow in spiritual maturity. This week, we’ll explore how Jesus’ time in the temple wasn’t just a moment of insight but a model for us. Learn how prioritizing God’s Word and pursuing divine wisdom can shape your life, relationships, and calling, allowing you to walk in the life Jesus has for you.