Cross Church Winnipeg Sermon Podcast

Paul reminds us that all that matters in this life is that we know Christ and the mighty power of the resurrection at work in us. He says, I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

Paul teaches us what matters most, and it’s not our achievements or privilege. Paul says, Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fa

Paul holds up Timothy and Epaphroditus as examples of dependable servants of God. Timothy is an example for us of what it means to be a Christian of great worth. Paul says, I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth…And of Epaphroditus, Paul says, I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier…that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. So, receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me.

Paul teaches us how to be bright shining lights for the glory of Christ. He says, Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.  Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Paul teaches us what it means to have the mind of Christ, *So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth an

Two times in this letter to the Philippians, Paul reminds them that this world is not our home. He says, Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Gospel. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

Paul teaches us how to live a Spirit-controlled life. He says, *Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard-pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

The Apostle Paul is single-minded in his ambition: he wants the Gospel proclaimed to everyone, everywhere. He sees that everything in his life serves this great purpose. He says, 12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Gospel. 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear. 15 It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives…Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. 

Paul gives us insights into what is most important for the believer. In fact, he shares with us his prayer for all believers: *I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. This is what the Pastors pray for the members of Cross Church, and this is what you should pray for yourself and your friends and family!

The work of God is tough. Really tough! Evangelizing, preaching and teaching the Gospel is a direct assault on Satan and his kingdom of darkness. It is spiritual warfare, and again, it’s really tough work. No wonder Paul says, I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. If you are busy doing the work of God and feeling the tension, don’t despair, rejoice that you are partners with Christ and with the saints who are obediently carrying out the Great Commission. We pray that you are a partner in the Gospel.

In 61 AD, the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Philippi, wishing them grace and peace from God. These Christians brought Paul great joy. He says, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making my prayer with joy.” These believers are called his, “joy and crown.” For the next four months we are going through the book of Philippians, verse by verse. You will learn to live the Christian life with great courage and faith and joy. This book includes many verses that have given us all courage to face the struggles of life, such as, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength,” and “my God shall supply all my needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Prepare to be revived.

About Today’s sermon: Stewardship - Part 5: Stewardship of Talent Special Guest Speaker Pastor Chris Zielke Peter understood the Church just about better than anyone else. After all, it was to Peter that Jesus revealed His plan to build the Church. When He asked, “Who do people say that I am,” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The Church is a family of men, women, and children who have been saved to serve God. Peter tells all believers to love one another by showing hospitality and says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.” And we do this “in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” You are not an owner of your tale

Money plays a key role in all our lives. There is not a day that goes by that we don’t deal with money! The world view on money is far different than the Biblical view. We will be exploring Biblical principles in personal finances, covering “how to save money”, “how to reduce and get out of debt”, and “planning for retirement”. We also look into and assist in preparing Wills and Power of Attorney documents. The Bible contains over 2350 verses that deal with money. It instructs us on how to manage our money, assets, and resources. The topic of money is second only to the topic of Love in the number of times mentioned in Scripture. Jesus said more about money and possessions than almost any other subject, dedicating two-thirds of the parables to this topic.

This Week's Message: Stewardship - Part 3: Stewardship of Treasure Special Guest Speaker: Dennis Wiebe (an elder at Cross Church) Jesus said, Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. Too many believe that in essence, the motivation for giving was, “Give to get.” But that’s not what Jesus meant, at all! Having a generous heart, and being generous givers, isn’t a personal investment scheme. It’s a revelation of the character of God, who loves to give. It’s a demonstration of the power of the Gospel, which turns selfish hoarders into cheerful givers. It’s an artesian spring of grace in a city square, overflowing for the benefit of others. We will never regret being generous with our time, talent, and treasure. We’re not owners, we are stewards. When we give anything, we’re just sharing what God has entrusted to us.

Today's Speaker: Barry Maurer Today's Message: STEWARDSHIP: Week 2 - Stewardship of Time Christians are not owners, we are stewards. Our time is not our own. The time that the Lord gives us while we live on this earth, is a gift. The scriptures are abundantly clear, we are called to be wise in the way that we live. The Apostle Paul says to the Christians in Ephesus, Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. This is a subject of which little is spoken. No wonder Jesus teaches us to pray—everyday—“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” James teaches us to use our time according to God’s will, not our own, “Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

We are stewards. Christians are not owners. If you are true follower of Jesus Christ, then Jesus describes you as a steward. But what is a steward? The dictionary says it is “a person who manages another's property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others.” In Jesus’ parables He describes the stewards who share in their Master’s happiness and the lazy stewards who face punishment for failing to faithfully steward what was entrusted to them. Are you a faithful steward? At Cross Church, we are teaching you to live in a way that guarantees Master’s praise, “Well done good and faithful servant!”

All the Rabbis and Teachers of the Law knew where the Messiah was to be born. Micah 5:2 and 2 Samuel 5:2 make it clear that Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the King of the Universe: “And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, […]

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! Though shepherding was the most ancient profession of God’s people, the Israelites, it was not a particularly desirable one. It was a dirty job, and according to the Bible, it was considered “detestable” in cultures like Egypt. When considering the shepherds of the Christmas story, the shepherds stood for the average Judean — quite literally, ‘the man on the night shift.’” Shepherds had a difficult job that earned no rank in society. Yet, God chose shepherds to receive the glorious angelic announcement of the birth of Christ. Jesus didn’t come for the rich, or the elite, or the healt

When we tell the Christmas story, we speak of shepherds, mangers, Wisemen and Angels, but no mentions the Dragon of Christmas. Yes. You heard right. Revelation 12 tells us about the Dragon and his attempt to kill the Baby Jesus. A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. It’s a terrifying picture. Matthew 2:13-23 tells us how the attack on Jesus and Mary was carried out by Israel’s King Herod. Because Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Herod had all the boys of Bethlehem, two years and younger, put to death. This too was prophesied in Jeremiah 31:15.

The Magi are interesting men. For many they seem as remote and as enigmatic as Santa Claus. Some see the story of the wisemen as nothing more than mythology that surrounds the Christmas story. But you would be dead wrong if you believe that this is mere fiction. The Magi were a very real class of important men. Magi were called wisemen because they were learned scholars. More than that, they were powerful men who were priests of the Medes, the Persians and the Babylonians. (They were not Kings.) We first here of the Magi in the Old Testament. It was Daniel who would have added to the learning of the Magi, foretelling the coming of the King of Israel. The Magi read the stars and so God spoke to them by giving them a star that leads them to the King of the Universe. The name of this great King is none other than Jesus the Messiah of Israel.