Crossroads Church

All of us want purpose and meaning in our lives, but it’s easier said than done. We’re stuck in the daily grind—get up, hit the gym, finish the project, run errands, make dinner, and binge a bit till we crash and do it all again tomorrow. Today we’re going to talk about how God has hardwired you for deeper meaning that is only found when we look outside of ourselves.

The reality is that we are more broken than we think we are. But the good news is that God loves us more than we can imagine. He offers us grace that is too good to be true, yet it is.

We live in a culture that is obsessed with right now. We obsess over youth, crave the latest product or experience, and mortgage tomorrow for the enjoyment of today. But when it comes to building the meaningful, impactful life we all crave, our short-term focus isn’t going to cut it. Today we’re going to talk about what happens when you let God give you a long term vision for life.

Our Netflix watch lists give us away—we are a culture that longs for the supernatural and mystical. We can’t seem to shake the idea that we were made for more than the rut of the nine to five, takeout dinner, and binging Black Mirror. Today we’re going to talk about the powerful, fully alive, supernatural life God made us for.

Our brains are wired to conserve energy, which is great for survival but terrible for long term growth and progress. (It also explains why the gym is empty again by the end of January.) If we want to become the people God designed us to be, it requires that we see the patterns in our lives and take action. Today, we’re going to talk about how to spend the limited energy and time we have on things that will bring a return.

We live in a world ruled by fear. We may call it “concern,” or “worry,” or “being prudent,” but the reality is that all of us are bound by fear in some areas of life. While fear is a useful tool, it is a terrible master, and one that God never meant us to live under. Today we’re going to talk about how to get free of fear—not by meditation, or positive thinking, or better planning, but by consistently giving those fears to God himself.

Approximately 1 of every 5 Americans currently struggles with some type of mental health issue. Shocking as that fact is, it means that we need more than just medication. As a culture, we need better awareness and a different perspective on mental health. Today we’re going walk through a basic checklist for the kind of mental health God wants for us, no matter where we are or where we’ve been.

New year, new me. So we make resolutions, make a trip to the gym, and hope that things will go different this year. Yet here’s the thing—if you want to see real change this year, it starts with your mind. Today we’re talking about the three keys God uses to transform our minds.

So much has happened since the start of 2018, it's easy to forget most of it. Let's take a moment to review just a few of the highlights from 2018.

This time of year is familiar. We know the story and the characters. We know our traditions, hopes, and past hurts. This season is so familiar that it is easy to miss the point—that God himself broke into our world to fulfill his promises. The story of Christmas is one of irrepressible hope for all of humanity—us included.

Year after year, our culture promises us happiness—especially at Christmas—and every time we’re left empty and disappointed when the gift has been opened or the experience is over. Yet the peace that God offers is resilient, patient, and able to endure the hardship and chaos of life.

It’s the holiday season, Christmas cheer is everywhere, and if we’re honest, it often feels like a giant conspiracy to bum us out. Impossible expectations, relentless schedules, and a shopping list that just won’t quit, to name a few. Yet in the midst of this chaos, God offers a different message: “Cheer up! I have come to bring you new hope.”

Few things can bring greater blessing than authority used well, and few things can cause greater pain than when it is used poorly. We’ve all experienced both—so how do we handle it? Today we will talk about how we mourn that pain and still submit to authority like Jesus.

“I want it my way.” It’s our default perspective on life, and it’s hardwired into our culture. Bosses, parents, the government—these authorities become an inconvenience at best. Yet God calls us to a different outlook. Today we’re going to talk about how God uses the earthly authorities in our lives to accomplish His plans for our lives.

“Authority.” For many of us, it’s a four letter word. We assume that any authority in our life exists to push us down and oppress us. But the truth about authority is the exact opposite. Today we’re going to talk about how God actually designed authority to be a benefit to us.

All of us wrestle with doubts about significance, meaning, and purpose for our lives; that voice that says, “If you weren’t here, would the world really be any different?” Today we’ll talk about the absurdity of generosity—how by engaging generously in what God is doing in the world, we can be confident that our life matters.

Every empire has ambition. Ambition to endure, to make itself great, to spread and conquer, and so on. Yet eventually, each empire eventually fades away and all its ambition comes to nothing. Today we will talk about how to leave a lasting legacy with our lives by building them on the eternal empire of Jesus.

Like ancient Rome, we live in a culture of violence and aggression. Our entertainment, sports, social media—even our political and news structures—are all built on a constant cycle of violence and destruction. The way you get ahead in cultures like these is to destroy those around you and those ahead of you. Yet the empire of God is entirely different—it is founded on the sacrifice of Jesus, a sacrifice that brings healing and restoration.

No matter who we are or where we come from, we all put our hope and security in something—a god, a job, our possessions, our achievements, political party, or a thousand other things. Put simply, everybody worships something. Yet history shows us that if we worship something other than God himself, it will inevitably disappoint us.

Ancient Rome (like the USA today) attracted people from across the globe, creating the potential for a “melting pot” of diversity, community and collaboration. Yet our human default is still to isolate ourselves, to be suspicious, and to separate ourselves from those who aren’t like us. But Jesus called his followers to be different—to cross boundaries, welcome strangers, and truly become a family that reflects all of his creation.