Stand Alone Sermons - Cross Church Norman

"It Takes What It Takes"

October 27, 2024 • Daniel Kitchel • Hebrews 12:1–6

We are called by God to throw off anything that is hindering us and any sin that has us entangled. This is an incredible visual for us. This means we must do an inventory of what must go in our lives so we can have all that we want to have. A great question to consider: "What are you willing to NOT do to have what you want to have?" This is a heavy question. But, we must understand that it is God, through the Holy Spirit, who will give us the power and strength to rid ourselves of what is harming us and stealing our joy. We are surrounded by Him and such a great cloud of witnesses that have gone before us.

"God Doesn't Waste Your Days"

September 15, 2024 • Daniel Kitchel • Matthew 25:14–30

Often, we spend our lives chasing the big moments. It is easy to get caught up in chasing fulfillment from one big event to the next. Our next big thing might be a vacation, having another child, the next relationship, or the next major purchase. The list can be endless. But what if the big moments were not the most important ones? What if our perspective was radically changed so that we found God in the thousand little moments throughout the day? God wants to sanctify us the most through the regular, routine, and everyday moments. Jesus taught that we must first be faithful in the small things, and then we will be trusted with more.

"Compassionate Christianity"

September 22, 2024 • Daniel Kitchel • Matthew 9:35–38

We are called to be compassionate Christians. Like Jesus, our hearts should be broken and moved by the hurting world. We should run into these problems instead of away from them. Historically, Christians moved into the pain of others and brought healing with significant cost. This can be overwhelming for us. Problems can seem insurmountable to solve, and meeting the many needs can feel impossible. But, take heart. God has called us to it, and we will be equipped to carry it out. Remember: We cannot fix everything, everyone, or every problem - so we live with this heart: "Do for one what you wish you could do for all."

"Facing Generational Sin & Hurt"

September 29, 2024 • Daniel Kitchel • Psalm 103:8–19

Let's face it: we are a product of our past and family of origin, good and bad. As Pete Scazerro says, "Jesus may be in your heart, but grandpa is in your bones." When we consider the past, we tend to think negative thoughts. This is natural, as the damaging moments in life tend to stick with us the most. Making peace with the past is not easy, but it is possible when we understand God's deep love for us. We cannot change the past, but we can change its meaning. The truth is, we can forgive ourselves and those who have hurt and abused us. Generational sin and hurt can be broken. Why? Because we are called to, and much is at stake.

"I Will Not Offer Sacrifices that Cost Me Nothing"

October 6, 2024 • Daniel Kitchel • 1 Chronicles 21:18–24

David sinned against the Lord, and it cost the people dearly. It was not his sin only; it affected many. David was cut to the heart and sought repentance to make things right. Through the leading of an angel of the Lord and a prophet, David was led to a man named Araunah. Through him, he was offered everything he needed to make a sacrifice and offer worship to the Lord. Araunah wants to provide everything: wood, animals, grain, etc. David could not accept this offer. He knew he had to pay the price for the sacrifice, and it had to cost him something. What is your faith costing you?

"Known By Our Love"

October 13, 2024 • Daniel Kitchel • John 13:31–35, Romans 12

It's fair to say that we all want to thrive and be healthy in our walk with Christ. But, do we know what that means and what it looks like each day when we wake up? Jesus made it clear for us: To be seen as close to Him, as a follower, we should be distinguished by two things: -Giving God all glory in our lives. -Loving others as we have been loved by Him.

"Obedience"

October 20, 2024 • Zach Kordic • Romans 2:6–11

All believers have moments in their lives where they're prompted to do something by the Holy Spirit — and choose to ignore that prompting. In this week's sermon, Zach presents a recent time when he was disobedient to the Holy Spirit and the subtle but powerful ramifications of that choice. Moving beyond that moment of weakness, he explains why obedience should be a cornerstone of our relationship with Christ and how we're called to be obedient in everything we do.

"God is Set Apart"

March 3, 2024 • Isaiah 6:1–8

We often think of holiness regarding purity and sinlessness, but it means more. Holiness speaks to God's glory, God's righteousness, and God's power. When he saw how different God was, Isaiah said, "Woe is me." God wants these "Woe is me" moments to inspire us to change. He wants to clean us and make us holy so we can have "Send me" moments. When we say God is holy, we can't stop there because God is different so that He can make a difference. So, we should let His holiness change us and join Him in changing our world.

"Jesus Walks on Water"

January 14, 2024 • Matthew 14:22–33

This is arguably Jesus' most famous miracle. But have you ever considered why he performed the miracle in the first place? When we understand this, it changes everything about our perspective.

"Are You a Hypocrite?"

January 7, 2024 • Luke 13:10–17

Jesus was never afraid to call out the hypocrisy and deception around him - especially when it came to others being mistreated. Nothing reveals our hypocrisy more than magnifying the sins of others while minimizing our own. The good news is that Jesus loves the self-righteous and hypocritical as much as he loves everyone else.

"Open Hearts & Open Homes"

May 14, 2023 • Acts 16

Often our strategy as Christians is to invite people to church so they can hear about the love of Jesus through the sermon. There is nothing wrong with that, inherently. But what if we surrendered to the truth that there is a better way? God calls us to love our neighbors and the strangers around us. He calls us to have open hearts and open homes.

"Be A Good Ancestor"

May 7, 2023 • 2 Timothy 1:3–14

God has called us to leave things better than when we found them. We have the high calling of being a person that leaves a legacy that lasts.

"Choosing Joy"

April 30, 2023 • Jonah 4

Happiness is a fleeting feeling; joy is eternal. Are you happy? Or are you joyful? Where do your happiness and joy come from? If it comes from the things of this world, it will fade and disappear. But if it is sourced from your relationship with Christ, no force in heaven or earth can take it from you. Join us as we study Jonah 4 and learn how servants of God are supposed to act joyful--even when we don't feel like it!

"Where You Are vs. Where You Want To Be"

April 23, 2023 • Matthew 23:1–15

We all want to change. We want to be better and grow in our faith. If we are honest, there might be a large gap between where we are and where we want to be. How do we close this gap? The only way is with truth and humility.

"Serve Like Jesus"

February 26, 2023 • Mark 9:30–37

We are never more like Jesus than when we are serving others.