Church at the Cross : Sunday Messages - podcast cover

Church at the Cross : Sunday Messages

Church at the Crosswww.churchatthecross.com
Church at the Cross is helping people and places encounter Jesus. Worship Gatherings: Sundays at 9 and 10:45am Location: 3000 William D Tate, Grapevine, TX 76051

Episodes

The Spirit’s Presence and Prayers | Romans 8:26-27

Summary: Scripture: Romans 8:26-27 Key Takeaways: Romans 8:1 Romans 8:2–4 John 14:15–17 + Presence Isaiah 41:10 Isaiah 43:1–5 Psalm 23:4 Psalm 34:18 + Prayer 2 Corinthians 12:7–10...

Feb 19, 202438 min

Future Glory | Romans 8:18-25

Scripture: Romans 8:18-25 Key Takeaways: + Cry Out Genesis 3:17-19 +Look Forward 1 Peter 1:4 The firstfruits of an incoming harvest were, literally, the first batch—and they were a foretaste of what was to come. Currently, the spirit is making us internally alive (v 10); giving us gradual, internal freedom from the effects of sin and death, making us slowly more like Christ (v 29). But this is only the firstfruits—just a taste of the complete, total freedom from the effects of sin and death in o...

Feb 12, 202437 min

Adopted: Too Good + So True | Romans 8:12-17

In this sermon, Minister of Care, Scott Berry, focused on our identity as adopted children of God. He highlighted our identity as conquerors empowered by the Holy Spirit and heirs through adoption, emphasizing the significance of engaging with the Word of God and walking in step with the Spirit. Key Takeaways: + We are killers - We fight by the Holy Spirit - Word of God - Walking with the Spirit + We are adopted + We are heirs...

Feb 05, 202431 min

Flesh or Spirit? | Romans 8:5-11

Text: Romans 8:5-11 As we continue in Romans, Pastor JR Vassar examines the profound contrast between living according to the flesh and living in the Spirit. Key Takeaways John 3:6 Galatians 5:19–21 Galatians 5:16–17 • Focus on Jesus • Devote time to the Word and Prayer Romans 12:12...

Jan 28, 202443 min

Accepted and Free | Romans 8:1-4

Text: Romans 8:1-4 Notes: + In Jesus you have all the acceptance you will ever need. - John 12:42-43 - 1 Corinthians 4:3-4 "To please God… to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness… to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son- it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is." — C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory. “We all automatically gravitate toward the assumption that we ...

Jan 22, 202442 min

Why Study Romans | Romans 8:1

Text: Romans 8:1-2 In Pastor JR Vassar's sermon on Romans 8:1-2, he emphasizes humanity's vital need for reconciliation with God, exploring universal guilt and the transformative power of faith in Christ. The book of Romans acts as a catalyst for reshaping lives and evoking profound spiritual responses. + Why are we studying Romans? + The greatest need we have is to be put in the right with God. + We want to experience the new life we have in Christ. + We are concerned about the condition of thi...

Jan 14, 202440 min

Spirit-Empowered Community | Acts 2:41-47

Notes: Text: Acts 2:41-47 “Beethoven has the real goods, the stuff from Heaven, the power to make you feel at the finish: something is right in the world. There I something that checks throughout, that follows its own law consistently: something we can trust, that will never let us down.” – Leonard Bernsetin, Composer +Spirit-Empowered Community is a place where people grow +Spirit-Empowered Community is a place to invite “The kingdom is to be in the midst of your enemies. And he who will not su...

Jan 08, 202435 min

Vision for Life as a New Creation | 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

Notes: Text: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 +A follower of Jesus is no longer a prisoner to death. +A follower of Jesus is a new creation. +A follower of Jesus is sent. “Plainly, if Paul’s conclusion is to be drawn, the ‘for’ must reach deeper than this mere suggestion of our advantage: if we all died, in that Christ died for us, there must be a sense in which that death of his is ours; He must be identified with us in it: there, on the cross, while we stand and gaze at Him, He is not simply a person doi...

Jan 02, 202437 min

Pictures Pointing Forward | Week 3: Christ, God in Our Midst | Exodus 25:1-9

Notes: Text: Exodus 25:1-9 “The central miracle asserted by Christians is the incarnation. They say that God became man.” – C. S. Lewis + Image of Tabernacle in the Encampment of Israel +The Tabernacle was a Place of Glory +Image of Book Immanuel +The Tabernacle was a place of Grace +Image of Ark of the Covenant +Jesus is the Truer and Better Tabernacle + In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. – John 1:1 ESV +Jesus is the Place of God’s Glory +Jesus is th...

Dec 18, 202336 min

Pictures Pointing Forward | Week 2: Christ Our True Bread & True Drink | Psalm 105:37-43

Notes: Text: Psalm 105:37-43 “Hearts on earth say in the course of a joyful experience, “I don’t want this ever to end.” But it invariably does. The hearts of those in heaven say, “I want this to go on forever.” And it will. There is no better news than this.” – J. I. Packer + Awkward Christmas Photos + Forever Life + Full Life...

Dec 11, 202340 min

Pictures Pointing Forward | Week 1: Christ Our Passover Lamb | Exodus 12:1-13, 21-28

Notes: Text: Exodus 12:1-13, 21-28 Typology exists when there is a historical correspondence between events, institutions, and persons found in the OT and the NT. I argue that typology does not merely represent correspondence but a correspondence intended by God. - Thomas Schreiner “J. Barton Payne identified 1,239 prophetic predictions in the Old Testament that involved some 6,641 verses, or 28.5 percent of the total corpus of the older testament...Payne also found 127 personal messianic predic...

Dec 05, 202337 min

What the Gospel Creates | Colossians 1:3-14

Notes: Text: Colossians 1:3-14 “To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul’s paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily satisfied religionist, but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart.” – A.W. Towzer +The Gospel creates a secure community that loves +The Gospel creates a witnessing community that multiplies +The Gospel creates a wise community that pleases God +The Gospel creates a thankful community with one allegiance “You cannot know anything ab...

Nov 27, 202343 min

Who Will Rescue Me? | Romans 7:5-6, 14-25

Notes: Text: Romans 7:7:5-6, 14-25 +Who is the “I”? +There are many in the Church who fit the description of the “I”. +There are true believers in the Church who are still trying to live the Christian life by the law and not by the Spirit. - Repent of grieving and neglecting the Holy Spirit. - Acknowledge the Holy Spirit and cultivate a relationship with him. - Surrender to Him daily. - Engage in activities in your life that open you up to his presence and power. + It’s not the script of the law...

Nov 20, 202341 min

Giving Up on the Law | Romans 7:7-13

Notes: Text: Romans 7:7-13 “…these motions of sin are irritated, provoked, and increased, through the law’s prohibition of them; which is not to be charged as a fault on the law, but to be imputed to the depravity and corruption of man; who is like a mighty torrent of water, which rises, rages, flows and overflows, the more any methods are taken to stop its current, or like a filthy dunghill which when the sun strikes powerfully on it, it exhales and draws out its filthy stench; which nauseous s...

Nov 13, 202342 min

New Relationship, New Purpose, New Existence | Romans 7:1-6

Notes: Text: Romans 7:1-6 “Men quietly got in touch with Him... and found themselves doing things they couldn’t do, thinking thoughts they couldn’t think, and loving people they couldn’t love. They were a surprise to themselves and others.” - Mastery, E. Stanley Jones + Christianity is a new relationship with Jesus + Christianity is a new purpose + Christianity is a new existence New Master New Husband Effectiveness in the mission of Jesus...

Nov 06, 202338 min

The Joy of Belonging to Jesus | Romans 7:1-4

Notes: Text: Romans 7:1-4 “ On your exceedingly great mercy rests all my hope. Give what you command, and then command whatever you will.” - Saint Augustine, The Confessions +License ( Antinomianism ) +Legalism +The Principle The law is binding on us while we live +The Illustration Marriage +The Application You died to the law and are now belong to Christ +Jesus motivates us by His love and likeness +Jesus always supplies what He commands + Jesus always forgives when we fail Him +Jesus will neve...

Oct 30, 202339 min

Finding Freedom Through Spiritual Disciplines Pt. 1 | Romans 6:11-23

Notes: Text: Romans 6:11-23 + Vision + Intention + Means “There is no need to despair; hundreds of these adult converts have been reclaimed after a brief sojourn in the enemy’s camp and now are with us. All the habits of the patient, both mental and bodily, are still in our favor.” Screwtape Letter, CS Lewis • Solitude • Scripture...

Oct 16, 202341 min

Free from Sin; Enslaved to God | Romans 6:15-23

In this sermon, Pastor JR explains how every Christian is free from sin as a fact, but not every Christian lives in that freedom as an experience. Notes: Text: Romans 6:15-23 + Conversion is a Total Transfer of Loyalty + Conversion is a Total Transformation of Life + Every Christian is equally free from sin as a fact, but not every Christian lives equally in that freedom as an experience....

Oct 10, 202341 min

Grace-Driven Practices | Romans 6:12-14

Notes: Text: Romans 6:12-14 + What is the Promise ? · You Belong to Christ and Christ Belongs to You. + What are the Practices? • Mortification • Vivification...

Oct 01, 202344 min

Buried and Raised with Christ by Baptism | Romans 6:1-11

In this sermon, Pastor JR reminds us that baptism and faith go hand in hand. It signifies our union with Jesus. Our sins become Christ's, and His grace, life, and salvation become ours, transforming our identity and inaugurating a new life filled with power and promise. Notes: Text: Romans 6:1-11 + Baptism is empty without faith and faith expresses itself through baptism + Baptism signifies and assures our union with Jesus 1 Corinthians 1:30 “And if they are one flesh and there is between them a...

Sep 25, 202345 min

Union with Christ | Romans 6:1-5

In this sermon, Casey Schutza answers what it means to be united with Christ, in his death, life, and resurrection. Text: Romans 6:1-5 Notes: + We’ve been United to His Death + We’ve been United to His Life...

Sep 18, 202336 min

Abounding Grace | Romans 5:12-21

+ Jesus’ grace is more powerful than Adam’s Sin. • Grace outmatches sin • Grace overcomes sin Ezra 9:6 (ESV) — 6… “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. Psalm 38:4 (ESV) — 4 For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. Psalm 40:12 (ESV) — 12 For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cann...

Sep 11, 202336 min

The Ruin and Rescue of the World | Romans 5:12-21

In this sermon, we're reminded of the profound biblical truth that one man's actions had the power to mar the world, while only one man possesses the ability to redeem it, Jesus. We are all either in Adam, inheriting the consequences of sin, or in Christ, beneficiaries of His redeeming grace. Text: Romans 5:12-21 Notes: + One man ruined the world, and only one man can rescue it. Type = a person, institution, or event in the Old Testament that God intentionally designed to prefigure Jesus and his...

Sep 05, 202342 min

Eternally Secure as God's Justified Friends | Romans 5:6-11

In this sermon, the profound truths of God’s love come to life as Pastor JR explores the comforting security of our belonging to Jesus. Romans 5 underscores that God's declaration of righteousness and friendship is unchanging. Text: Romans 5:6-11 Notes: “ Q : What is thy only comfort in life and in death? A: That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ, who with His precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins, and red...

Aug 28, 202344 min

Rejoicing in Suffering | Romans 5:1-5

In this sermon, Pastor JR Vassar unpacks how God's work shapes us, leading us to find peace in Christ, access His grace, and embrace confident joy in the hope of being transformed into Jesus’ likeness through our trials. Text: Romans 5:1-5. Notes: + GOD IS ALWAYS DOING A WONDERFUL WORK IN OUR SUFFERINGS SO WE CAN REJOICE Mark 4:16–17 "When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, my grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply; the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design, thy dross to consume,...

Aug 21, 202339 min

Peace, Grace, Joy | Romans 5:1-2

Join us as we jump back in our Romans series! In this sermon, Pastor JR Vassar explores the transformative power of God's grace as outlined in Romans 5:1-2. The sermon emphasizes the peace we find through Christ, our access into grace, and the confident joy in the hope of being transformed into His likeness. Dive deeper into these powerful truths and the implications they hold.

Aug 15, 202345 min

The Rich and the Poor

In this sermon, Stephen Osborne, CATC Elder, explores how to navigate the complexities of wealth and poverty biblically. He encourages us to look to Proverbs to teach us how to seek balance and contentment in God's provision.

Aug 07, 202327 min

Spiritual Hunger

In this sermon, we are reminded of the importance of prioritizing the presence of God in our lives. Pastor JR highlights hindrances to intimacy with God, such as insecurity, indifference, inaction, inattentiveness, and insubordination. Emphasizing the need to gaze upon God's perfections and inquire about His will, the sermon encourages listeners to seek a more profound encounter with God and cultivate a hungry remnant dedicated to experiencing His presence and bringing renewal in our lives....

Aug 01, 202336 min