Crossroads Church

KEEP IT UP, TEAM!

Just a quick note for you all.  I am honored and so impressed with our volunteers at Crossroads. Seriously, Thank you.  I can not say it enough.  The last few months at crossroads has been phenomenal and a large part of this is do to your serving on the weekends-from the band to the tech team.  Keep up the good work team! 

I also want to encourage us as Christians to be in prayer for our congregation. As worship leaders we need to be faithfully in the Word and knowing why we worship.  That is the whole point of Backstage Pass.  Please read it, comment if you would like, but most of all please be in prayer for our ministry as we do the Lord's work. If we are not engaging in worship, scripture and prayer, how can we expect the congregation too?

But I believe this is why we have had such awesome worship at Crossroads.  It is because our volunteers are spiritually dedicated to Christ and to serving him.  So please, keep up what you are doing!  

DEVOS: WHAT CHILD IS THIS?

WEEK: Dec 17 & 18, 2011

PASSAGE: Matthew 1:18-21

The bottom line...in our world today...we don’t like to talk about sin...for many of us, the SUBJECT OF SIN has become “LOST IN TRANSLATION.” Why? Well, for some of us...we don’t believe that sin actually exists.

WE SAY: “Who are YOU to tell me that what I am doing is wrong...that what I am doing is SIN. Well, you may not want to do what I’m doing...it might be a SIN for you...but, I don’t see any problem with it...so, it’s not a SIN for me.”

So if Jesus is the Savior...and if Jesus came to save us from our SINS...and there is no such thing as SINS...then...we don’t need a SAVIOR...and there is no need for Christmas...because there is no need for Jesus! But we know this is not true!

Look at verse 21 again… “And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will [WHAT?] save his people from their [WHAT?] sins.” Think about it this way. Jesus didn’t come to earth to be a creator of pithy quotes...or to be a religious celebrity. He didn’t come just to be a good example...or a life coach...or a silent partner w/ deep pockets. He came to be the SAVIOR!!!

DEVOTIONAL POINT: We want people to see their need for Jesus. We all need Jesus don’t we? Amongst the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season the message of “why” we need Jesus gets lost in translation. We need Jesus because only he can do what we can’t…raise ups from the dead. This week pray for the people who come to crossroads. Pray for those who come in to who don’t know Jesus to receive the gospel for the first time; and for those who already know Jesus, pray that we might be reminded of our need for him.

Music Summary…Why we picked what we did?

1. What Child is This—Opener. Christmas tune. Reminding us why we need him.

2. O Come O Come Emmanuel—Song of Advent. Christmas tune. Asking Christ to come be amongst his people.

3. Came To My Rescue—Song of Preparation. God is the only one who can rescue us from our sin.

4. Jesus Messiah—Communion Song.

5. Mighty To Save—Song of Response. Declaring that Christ is the only one mighty enough to save us from our sins and the sins of the world.