CrossWinds Church Sermons

Matthew 2:1-12 Pastor Willie Behrends   There are many things we DON’T know about these “Wise Men?” What we DO know from our passage today is that they were wise! The question today is: Are YOU a wise person?   Here’s how you can tell… I – Wise people are still __________________ for Jesus! (1-6) II – Wise people still __________________ Jesus! (7-10) III – Wise people still ______________________ Jesus! (11-12)   Today’s ‘Take-Aways.’ Ask Yourself… 1. “In what specific ways am I _______________ for Jesus?” 2. “How am I __________________ My World?” 3. “Can I honestly be called a ________________ sacrifice?”   NEXT WEEK: It’s a New Year, new EVERYTHING! (II Corinthians 5:16-21)

Unwrapping the Gift of Jesus! Pastor Willie Behrends   But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me One who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days! Micah 5 : 2   I – Something big from a _________________ place! (Micah 5 : 2)   II – Boaz, Ruth, barley and __________________! (Ruth 4 : 14-17)   III – Small things can ________________ your world! (Rom. 8 : 28)   How can we celebrate God’s Gift of Jesus? 1. You can respond to God’s offer of ___________________! 2. You can _________________ the little things! 3. You can _________________ the little ones!   NEXT WEEK: The Wise Men Got It…Have You? ( Matthew 2 : 1-12 )

Unwrapping the Gift of Grace! Pastor Willie Behrends   For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast! Ephesians 2:8-9   I – The reason for the season: _________________! (John 3:16)   II – What __________________ you up this season? (James 4:6)   III – What __________________ you up this season? (John 8:31-32, 36)   How can we celebrate God’s Gift of Grace? 1. Respond to God’s ___________________ of Grace! 2. You can _________________ God’s gift with others! 3. You can _____________________ God’s Gift of Grace!   NEXT WEEK: Big Things in Little Packages! (Matthew 2:1-12)

Unwrapping the Gift of Hope! Luke 2 : 10-16 Pastor Willie Behrends   “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart!” Jeremiah 29 : 13   I – It’s not an _______________________ task! (Matthew 7 : 9-11)   II – Which _______________ are you waiting for? (John 8 : 12)   III – God’s game of ________ and ________! (Jeremiah 29 : 11-13)   How about YOU this year… 1. “Unwrap” Jesus ________________________________! 2. Fill those “missing pieces” ________________________! 3. Fill the “Missing Piece” __________________________!   NEXT WEEK: The Gift of a New Family! (I John 3 : 1)

Unwrapping the Gift of Hope! Luke 2 : 10-16 Pastor Willie Behrends   “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart!” Jeremiah 29 : 13   I – It’s not an _______________________ task! (Matthew 7 : 9-11)   II – Which _______________ are you waiting for? (John 8 : 12)   III – God’s game of ________ and ________! (Jeremiah 29 : 11-13)   How about YOU this year… 1. “Unwrap” Jesus ________________________________! 2. Fill those “missing pieces” ________________________! 3. Fill the “Missing Piece” __________________________!   NEXT WEEK: The Gift of a New Family! (I John 3 : 1)

Colossians 3 : 12 - 17 Pastor Willie Behrends   Sickness, financial stress, global pandemics, etc. In many ways it’s NOT a ‘Wonderful Life’ we live! And yet, the Bible says, Give thanks in everything! (I Thess. 5:18)   How is that possible? What do we have to be thankful for? I - We’ve been ______________________ of God! (12-14)   II – We have the ____________________ of Christ! (15)   III - The _________________ of Christ lives in us! (16)   IV – We can do ________ in the ______________ of Jesus! (17)   Today’s ‘Take-Aways.’ Ask Yourself… 1. “Who do I need to ___________ with and/or _____________?” 2. “Who should I ___________ and/or ____________________?” 3. “What DO I have to be ________________________ for?”   NEXT WEEK: The Gifts of Christmas series begins! (Matthew 1 : 18 - 25)

Matthew 13 : 1 - 23 Pastor Willie Behrends   Today, Jesus challenges us to be more than just ‘passive hearers of the Word.’ He wants us to be open, receptive, and ready for God’s Word to actually change us!   In this passage, Jesus asks us three questions… I – Do you _____________________ His Word? (1-9)   II – Are you honestly _____________________ Him? (10-17)   III – What kind of ________________ are you? (18-23)   Today’s ‘Take-Aways.’ Ask Yourself… 1. “Do I really have ___________ to ___________?” 2. “Do I know the _______________ of the _______________?” 3. “What kind of ______________ do I produce?”   NEXT WEEK: Ingathering: God’s Provision & Protection! Leviticus 23 : 39 - 44

Matthew 12 : 38 - 50 Pastor Willie Behrends   Jesus calls us to live an authentic lives; specifically, to be genuine in our faith! He challenges us to ask ourselves, “Am I being REAL with God, myself and others?”   Today, Jesus shows us three aspects of ‘Real Faith’… I – Real Faith _______________ God! (38-42)   II – Real Faith is more than ________________________! (43-45)   III – Real Faith is _________________________! (46-50)   Today’s ‘Take-Aways.’ Ask Yourself… 1. “Do I REALLY __________________ God?” 2. “Do I only “______________” good?” 3. “Am I really a member of ______________ family?”   NEXT WEEK: What kind of ‘soil’ is your heart? (Matthew 13 : 1 - 23)

We Have to Make Some Choices! Matthew 12:22-37 Pastor Willie Behrends Today, Jesus performs a miracle that forces the people in His World to make some choices. We are also challenged as we make choices in our relationships with Jesus and Our Worlds! We see three important choices in today’s passage… I – To _____________________ Who Jesus really is! (22-24) II – To choose which ______________ you’re on! (25-30) III – To use your _______________ carefully! (31-37) Today’s ‘Take-Aways.’ Ask Yourself… 1. “Do I ______________ Who Jesus really is?” 2. “Am I ____________ Jesus, or not?” 3. “What kind of _____________ am I known for?” NEXT WEEK: The Ultimate Sign! Matthew 12:38-50

We Have to Make Some Choices! Matthew 12:22-37 Pastor Willie Behrends Today, Jesus performs a miracle that forces the people in His World to make some choices. We are also challenged as we make choices in our relationships with Jesus and Our Worlds! We see three important choices in today’s passage… I – To _____________________ Who Jesus really is! (22-24) II – To choose which ______________ you’re on! (25-30) III – To use your _______________ carefully! (31-37) Today’s ‘Take-Aways.’ Ask Yourself… 1. “Do I ______________ Who Jesus really is?” 2. “Am I ____________ Jesus, or not?” 3. “What kind of _____________ am I known for?” NEXT WEEK: The Ultimate Sign! Matthew 12:38-50

John 17 Charlie Painter, Executive Director As Jesus prays to the Father, He is also praying in the presence of His disciples which they recorded for us. He is praying for our unity but also instructs us with His prayer. Jesus is praying for our call to…   I – Unity in _____________________. (6-13)   II – Unity in _____________________. (14-19)   III – Unity in _____________________. (2-3)   Today’s ‘Take-Aways.’ Ask Yourself… 1. “Do I ____________________ unity?” 2. “Do I find unity ________________?” 3. “What will I ___________ for unity?”   NEXT WEEK: “A House Divided Cannot Stand!” Matthew 12 : 22-37

John 17 : 1 - 26 Charlie Painter, Executive Director This year as we focus on Unity at CrossWinds Church we go to Jesus’ prayer the night before His death. We see Jesus praying for our unity as He has Unity with the Father.   I – Unity in _____________________. (1,9)   II – Unity in _____________________. (5,8,11,21)   III – Unity in _____________________. (23-24,26)   Today’s ‘Take-Aways.’ Ask Yourself… 1. “Do I ____________ for unity?” 2. “Do I _______________ the Trinity?” 3. “Do I _____________ the Church?”   NEXT WEEK: “Our Call to Unity” John 17

Matthew 12:9-21 Pastor Willie Behrends   Hypocrisy is dangerous because it can hide corruption behind a mask of righteousness. Today we’ll witness an encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees that exposes their hypocrisy.   Here’s how hypocrisy plays out, and Jesus’ response…   I – A __________________ on the Sabbath! (9-10)   II – Their __________________________ is exposed!” (11-13)   III – The Fallout: _____________ -vs- _________________! (14-21)   Today’s ‘Take-Aways.’ Ask Yourself… 1. “Do my _________________ keep me from helping someone?” 2. “In what area(s) of my life am I a ________________________?” 3. “How can I be ___________ when facing __________________?”   NEXT WEEK: God’s Call for Unity! John 17

Matthew 11 : 20 - 30 Pastor Willie Behrends  Today Jesus speaks of those who have rejected Him as Messiah, in spite of the miracles. He also comforts those who have given up everything to follow Him. Which one are you? In today’s passage, Jesus gives us the bad news first… I – The Bad News: “____________ to you!” (20-25) II – The Good News: “_____________ things are revealed!” (25-27) III – OUR Good News: “__________ for the ____________! (28-30) Today’s ‘Take-Aways.’ Ask Yourself… 1. “Am I ____________________________ Jesus?” 2. “How do I _____________________ the Father (God)?” 3. “Am I ____________________ to Jesus?”  NEXT WEEK: Jesus is Lord of The Sabbath! Matthew 12 : 1 - 8

Matthew 11 : 1-19 Pastor Willie Behrends   What happens when your faith gets challenged and you begin to doubt? Today we’ll see how Jesus responds to John’s doubts, which gives us insight on how He’ll respond to OUR doubts!   In today’s passage, Jesus makes three statements… I – “I ______________________ John’s doubt!” (1-6)   II – “Let me ________ ________ about John!” (7-11)   III – “John’s __________________ won’t be pleased! (12-19)   Today’s ‘Take-Aways.’ Ask Yourself… 1. “What __________________ do I have?” 2. “What does __________________ say about me?” 3. “How do I _________________________ to my critics?”   NEXT WEEK: God’s Judgement and Gentleness! Matthew 11 : 20-30

Truth in Advertising!  Matthew 10:34-42 Pastor Willie Behrends     Jesus hasn’t been ‘sugarcoating’ what it means to be His disciple. There is a cost to following Him. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s also a call that comes with eternal benefits!   Sermon Notes Jesus gives us three ‘shocking’ truths of following Him…            I - “I haven’t come to bring [text]!” (34-36)               II - “You must love [text] above all others!" (37-39)               III - “There are [text] coming to you!" (40-42)    Today's 'Take-Aways.' Ask yourself...            1. “Where is Jesus’ [text] most obvious?"              2. “What [text] does Jesus have in my Life?"              3. “What [text] have I already experienced?"   Next Week: Faith and Doubt!  Matthew 11:1-19 Pastor Willie preaches from the English Standard Version Bible (ESV) ©2001

John 6:46-49 Pastor Willie Behrends

Willie

Are You A TRUE Worshiper?  John 4:5-26 Pastor Willie Behrends  Today, as we continue our series on Worship, Jesus is interacting with an outcast woman at a well in Samaria. As the topic of ‘true worship’ comes up, His words to her are equally true for us!    Sermon Notes   Here’s how Jesus defines ‘true worship’…            I - True Worship is not about ________! (19-22)                        Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? I Corinthians 6:19              II - True Worship must be in ________! (23)                      III - True Worship must be in ________! (24)   Next Week: Come Back to the HEART of Worship! Ephesians 3:20-4:13 Pastor Willie preaches from the English Standard Version Bible (ESV) ©2001

MISSIONS SUNDAY-II Willie Behrends Acts 1:4-8 Today we’ll be hearing from a number of our supported Missionaries, both full-time and short-term. Nearly all of them have one thing in common: they’ve been sent FROM CrossWinds! This time, it’s PERSONAL! Sermon Notes Today we see Psalmists' call to worship… How MUST We Worship? John 4:5-26 Pastor Willie preaches from the English Standard Version Bible (ESV) ©2001