CrossBridge Church Westbury, NY

WHEN TRIALS COME // Part 2 of 3 Facing Suffering from the Inside, Looking Out: The Suffering Believer

Facing Suffering from the Inside, Looking Out: The Suffering Believer

Romans 8:26-39

Maybe you're here today and you're angry at God. Things haven't gone the way you wanted, planned, or thought. You may even be asking, "Why did God allow this to happen to me, or to my family and friends?" In today's text Paul is speaking to the believers at the church in Rome. As their pastor, he is addressing their present sufferings that they are experiencing. Daily sufferings such as: sickness, injury, natural disaster, financial loss, poverty, hunger, and death.

In our text, Paul is writing to give them a message of hope. He's teaching the believers that God's comfort is founded in His character. God wants to impart His character to us. And no true believer would want it to be any other way. Perhaps you are here this morning and you are suffering. We are encouraged to persevere life's difficulties and sufferings until the very end. The good news is that there is hope. Christ is our hope. Let's look together at Romans 8 and find the hope and encouragement God's Word has for us.

-Pastor Terry

WHEN TRIALS COME // Part 1 of 3 Understanding Suffering from the Outside Looking In: The Suffering Church

Trials and suffering are a part of life. Too often our focus is on the actual difficulty that we're going through instead of learning to respond to that difficulty in a way that honors God. Today we're beginning a series on suffering called "When Trials Come". In this three part series we'll look at: The Suffering Church, The Suffering Believer, and The Rejoicing Sufferer. How can we stay faithful to God when suffering overpowers us? How can we have hope and rejoice in the midst of suffering? These are questions that we hope to answer in the next few weeks.

In today's text we see the church at Smyrna going through severe suffering brought on by the devil. But as they suffered God taught them three truths: the purpose of their suffering, the length of their suffering, and the fate of their suffering. Let's look at the passage in Revelation today and learn what God has in store for us.

-Pastor Terry

Audio available after Sunday, July 24.

LUKE // 47. Jesus Reveals the Majesty of God.

Luke 9:28-36

This week in our text of Luke 9:37-45 we see the saga of Christ continue to unfold. We get an amazing opportunity to see the majesty of God revealed in the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is amazing to consider that the God who created the universe came to earth as a man and lived side by side with us. Not only did He live side by side with us but He shows us compassion, love, and power as He carries out the will of God.

I hope you are encouraged to live each day this week with the majesty of God in the fore front of your mind as you seek to share His love with our community and our world.

-Pastor Nate

LUKE // 46. The Glory of Christ

Luke 9:28-36

In our text last week we were given instructions by our Lord Jesus Christ how to live a Christ-centered life. The scripture showed us that a true unashamed disciple of Jesus is one whose life focuses on Him, denying self, and taking up his or her cross daily and following our Lord.

In today's text we find these words: ”He (Jesus) took with Him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray.  And as He was praying, the appearance of His face was altered, and His clothing became dazzling white.” What were the disciples seeing? What did this mean? Days earlier they heard Jesus tell of His future rejection, crucifixion, and resurrection.  After seeing  the transfiguration of Jesus, seeing His glory, they were hopeful.  What does this mean for us?  Let's look together at Luke 9 and see what the scripture is teaching us.

-Pastor Terry

LUKE // 45. The Life of a Disciple

Back in the 70's we saw an explosion of "self-help" books hit the bookstores, many of them topping the New York Times best seller list. The teaching of building up ones self-esteem spread like wildfire, even within our own churches. You can turn on a radio station almost any time of day and listen to someone teach you how to love and accept yourself unconditionally.  I am good.  I can do anything.  I deserve this or that.  We literally have fallen in love with ourselves.

But in today's text we find these words..."If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Jesus wrote these words to all who would be one of His disciples (a true follower of Christ). A true, unashamed disciple of Jesus Christ is one whose life is centered on Christ, taking up the cross daily, denying self, and following our Lord with eternity in view. Do we live this way? Are we following Christ every day or do we live for self?  Let's look together at today's text and learn more about being a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

-Pastor Terry

LUKE // 44. Who Do You Say That I Am?

Luke 9:18-22

In today's text we're going to look at two questions that Jesus asked the twelve apostles. The first question was, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" They had a brief discussion about this question. But the second question He asked them had huge implications. It was a life-and-death question. Jesus asked, "But who do you say that I am?" There are other crucial spiritual questions, but perhaps none more important than this one.

This question cannot be answered simply by accumulating more information. This question cannot be answered by knowledge alone. When one answers this question there will be a risk and a radical trust involved.  Either we commit ourselves to Christ or we separate ourselves from Him, His identity, and His mission. This crucial question in today's passage is for us as well. "Who do you say that I am?"

-Pastor Terry

LUKE // 43. The All Sufficient Savior

Luke 9:10-17

Today's text is one of my favorite stories from the Bible, the feeding of the five thousand.  It's such a wonderful display of the sufficiency of Jesus Christ. He displays His sufficiency by means of His power and His provision. These verses teach us that God's provision for us is sure and abundant, in spite of our lack of faith and understanding. We'll see in this text that Jesus presents a challenge to His disciples: "You give them something to eat."  We're talking thousands of people! But this challenge causes the disciples–and the crowd–to look to God to provide the needed meal.

We'll see in today's message that Jesus graciously provided for the people what they could not provide for themselves, modeling for us a great example of faith and action toward God that we should strive for ourselves. Everything depends on Jesus, for He is the all-sufficient One.  Let's study Luke 9:10-17 together today.

LUKE // 42. The Commission

Luke 9:1-9

As we return to our study of the Gospel of Luke today, I want us to be reminded of something.  Luke wrote this book to assure his readers of the certainty of the things which they have been taught and to realize that the rejection of Jesus by the Jews, as well as the acceptance of the Gentiles into the Kingdom of God, was all a part of God's plan.

We'll see in today's text, Luke 9:1-9, that the disciples are being commissioned to proclaim the Kingdom of God, to preach the Gospel. This text is actually about two kingdoms:  The Kingdom of God (light) and the kingdom of Satan (darkness).  We can only be a citizen of one of the kingdoms and Jesus is sending His disciples out to proclaim this message.  Choosing the Kingdom of God means utter reliance on Him and obeying His commandments.  Choosing the kingdom of Satan leads to death.  Let's look together at this passage today.
 

-Pastor Terry

Living Life by the Power of the Gospel

Has your life ever been hard? Have you ever dealt with troubled people? Life in a broken world presents many difficulties which often include relational and situational problems. Many times people make unwise and sinful choices which potentially hurts, hinders, or inconveniences you or others. When you are hurt, hindered, or inconvenienced by someone else’s sin or folly, how do you respond? Are you easily angered, frustrated, put off, or otherwise irritated? When you see others who are making poor personal and life choices, how do you respond?

The gospel provides a better way to respond to life’s difficulties. In Christ we can now demonstrate compassion, show kindness, offer support, and forgive. Individually and as part of the body of Christ, God can use you to make a difference in your home, neighborhood, and the lives of those who hurt in your community.

-Dr. Kevin Carson

Unity, Humility, and the Christ-Follower

Philippians 2:1-11

I’m sure you have noticed that there is a great deal of disunity in the world today. We have political, economic, racial and relational disunity. Perhaps the most tragic of all of these is the disunity that is found among Christ-followers. The very people whom Christ called to Himself, those whom he instructed to be light in a dark world often find themselves at odds with their fellow brother or sister in Christ. So what are we to do when we find ourselves in a contentious position with another believer? Paul says we are to be united together, but how? Lets look at Philippians 2:1-11 and see what God’s says about Christians living in unity with one another.  -Pastor Matt