Cross of Christ Lutheran Church

Vantage Point

We all find ourselves at different places in life. And with each situation, we are provided a unique perspective. Whether it’s Daniel in the pit of a lions’ den, or Queen Esther sitting on her throne, or Zacchaeus who climbed a tree to see Jesus – the places we find ourselves have the potential of providing clarity for life and a greater appreciation of God. Wherever you find yourself, don’t overlook your place in life. And don’t miss what God is doing. Your current Vantage Point may be what He’s using to provide you with a fresh perspective.

ONE.life

We’ve all been given ONE.life.  The question is:  What will we do with it?  Will we live it for ourselves?  Or will we live it for the ONE who gave His life for us?  Discover the new life that Jesus has saved us for – a life we now have in Him – and the shape it’s meant to take in the world around us.  He is risen.  He is risen indeed.

April 8 – NEW.life

April 15 – KINGDOM.life

April 22 – WISDOM.life

April 29 – CHURCH.life

This Easter

We’ve each been given one life.  The question is:  What will we do with it?  Will we live it for ourselves?  Or will we live it for the One who gave His all for us?  This Easter let’s share the Good News of life and love with the community around us.  Together let’s make the most of the opportunities we’ve been given to partner with God in making a difference in the lives of others.

And here’s how:  Consider who you can personally invite.  It’s been said that the number one reason people attend church is because a friend or family member invited them.  What this means is that you have the opportunity to be a part of changing someone’s life by inviting them to church.  And what better time than this Easter!

Invite someone to join you on Saturday, April 7, from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM for our community wide Easter Egg Hunt at Appaloosa Park (5575 S. De Gaulle St., Aurora, CO 80016).  There will be games and food and an appearance from the Easter Bunny.  Best of all:  It’s all FREE for the community!  Then on Sunday, April 8, invite someone to join you as we come together at 9:3o AM for Easter Worship at the Southlands Movie Theater.  And let’s be praying that God does something amazing again this Easter!

Outlive Your Life

As we all know, these are difficult times.  Daily disease claims thousands of lives.  Across the globe millions are hungry for food and thirsty for clean drinking water.  Even in our own country people are faced with the ramifications of recession.  People everywhere are hurting.  Lives are broken.

But what can we do?

Don’t miss the opportunity we’ve been given to make a difference in the lives of others.  Yes we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ.  But we were created, being made new in Christ Jesus, to do good works – to outlive our life.

What are you waiting for?

Join us this Lent as we partner with God in bringing hope to the world, intersecting life & the love of Jesus.

Love Defined

Within the pages of the Bible is contained the definition of God’s love.  Chapter after chapter, verse by verse, we discover that God’s love is unlike any other.  His love is a pursuing love, one that is willing to lay down its life for a friend.  Without a beginning or an end it is said to be unconditional.  Radical in nature, God’s love is intended to reach out even to one’s enemies.  Encounter it and you will never be the same.  For God’s love transforms.  It heals brokenness and forgives mistakes.  God’s love – is like no other.

When’s the last time you experienced it?  When’s the last time you demonstrated it?  When it comes to God’s love, don’t just define it.  Live it.  Because a defined love is a lived love!

Walking by FAITH

In the New Year people often make resolutions.  They identify things they want to change about their life, things they want to do differently.  Well, at Cross of Christ, we are making a resolution.  And it is to “Walk by FAITH” in the New Year.

FAITH, n., 1. confidence or trust in a person or thing, 2. belief that is not based on proof, 3. belief in God.

Walking by FAITH, v., 1. Faithfully pursuing Christ, Scripture, prayer, and worship on a consistent basis, 2. being Available, willing to give a necessary portion of time, talents, and treasures to be invested in others, 3. Intentionally building purposeful and meaningful relationships with others, being vulnerable and accountable, 4. having a Teachable spirit, responding to training and correction with an open heart, willing to be transformed, 5. demonstrating Hospitality, being welcoming, kind, and generous to others, both of the faith and not of the faith.

Join us as we learn more about what it means to “Walk by FAITH” in the New Year!

More Than a Christmas Story

Whether or not we’ve played the part in the Christmas pageant, I think for most of us, the Christmas story is a familiar one.  But is that all it is?  For you, has the Christmas story become just that?  A story?  Or is it more than that?  We’re told that when Jesus was born, the Author entered His own story.  He stepped into the page, bringing with Him the story of heaven.  It’s why this is more than a Christmas story.  This is His story.  And as the Author of heaven and earth, He wants it to be our story.  Your story.  You see, God knows that when Christianity becomes something other than entering into and living the story of God, it becomes something other than Christianity.  It’s why the question we need to be asking ourselves is:  Which story are we living?  Is it His story?  Or our story?  Keep in mind that they’re not meant to be two separate stories.  God’s plan – His purpose – is that they be one, single story.  His story is meant to be your story.  Just as your story is meant to be His story.  Read more…

Happy Thanksgiving!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords.  His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to Him who alone does mighty miracles.  His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to Him who made the heavens so skillfully.  His faithful love endures forever. He remembered us in our weakness.  His faithful love endures forever. He saved us from our enemies.  His faithful love endures forever. He gives food to every living thing.  His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven.  His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:1-5, 23-26 NLT

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Facing the Giants

Our teaching series for November is called Facing the Giants. It focuses on the story recorded for us in Numbers 13 & 14.  God had promised His people a land flowing with milk and honey.  When it came time to enter the land Moses sent twelve men to sneak into Canaan, check it out, and report back.  All twelve confirmed that it was indeed a land flowing with milk and honey and clusters of grapes so big it took two of them to carry it.  With news like that you might expect that the people would want to pack up and move in.  But only two men – Joshua and Caleb – agreed.  As for the other ten, all they could focus on were the giants – big, tall, scary looking giants.

What’s your giant?  We all have them.  Is it grief?  Depression?  Abandonment?  Unemployment?  Do you feel like a grasshopper standing next to your giant?  And is your giant keeping you from living the life God has planned for you?

Don’t you want to know what Joshua and Caleb saw that the others didn’t.  Because they saw the giants too.  And, yet, they weren’t afraid.  Why not?  Could it be that they saw more?  Could it be that instead of having a giant-focus they had a God-focus?  What are you looking at?  Who are you listening to?

Giants.

We all face them.  Yet we need not face them alone.

Make Room

Our current series is called Making Room.  The purpose is to help us strengthen our relationships with God and others, as well as cultivate a healthy community with our neighbors.  As we all know, life in America is crazy busy.  It always seems like there is so much to do and so little time.  And instead of us managing our lives, its life that seems to be managing us.  Through this study we will look at what the Bible teaches about making room for life, family, neighbors, service, and just time to chill.

Now because we don’t simply want to “talk about” what this all means, we are putting together a list of service opportunities in our community, and in October, we would like to encourage every one in the church to participate in at least one as a way to love your neighbor.  Then at the end of the month we will post the stories for everyone to read how God is moving among us and making room for others in our lives.

So if there is an organization that you are passionate about, if there is someone you know in need, or if you have a need we can help with – please let us know.  And pray that God will use this time to teach us what it really means to love Him with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love our neighbors as ourselves.