The concept of marriage is quickly becoming viewed as out of date and restrictive in society today so culture tries to change it, redefine it, or swap out who it's for. But as Pastor Ricky teaches us today, God designed marriage and His design is good. It's radically countercultural. He created marriage to be a complete union between a man and a woman and no matter how much you change up or redefine marriage, you'll never get back to the goodness and blessing of God's design for this union.
Jesus Movement - Who Is Marriage For, Part 1
There's a lot of debate and some really high emotions around the issue of gender today. Culture shouts that anyone can be anything, any gender or even non-gender, and anything to the contrary isn’t just out of date but downright wrong. But as Pastor Ricky teaches today, God in His glorious wisdom created man and woman as two distinct beings. Men and women are designed to complement and improve each other in beautiful and unique ways. The way that God designed humanity is for our ultimate good and for His own glory.
Jesus Movement - How to Be Great, Part 2
The last time you were with us, Pastor Ricky began dismantling the idea that in order to be great we have to step on and over anyone in our way. We learned that Jesus set the supreme example by serving, not being served. So as you listen today you're going to be challenged to ask yourself, “Am I serving those around me? Am I serving my family? Am I serving my co-workers?” Those are some difficult questions to answer as the answers themselves can be incriminating but nevertheless, Jesus says that in order to be great you must be the servant of all.
Jesus Movement - How to Be Great, Part 1
The American dream is fueled by a dog-eat-dog mentality. You just have to step on the person next to you to get ahead. Make sure that you get that promotion before anyone else. When it's raised like that it doesn't sound very nice but we all know that is true. Today Pastor Ricky flips this completely upside down as he shares with us just how different the kingdom economy actually is. Jesus says that if you want to be great in His kingdom you have to learn to serve, to be below, to be less than.
Jesus Movement - Hope for Insufficient People, Part 2
How do you respond when faced with circumstances that seem impossible? Do you immediately begin to question the goodness of God and why He even allowed a struggle in your life to begin with? Well, today Pastor Ricky shares that learning to see your circumstances through the lens of an all-powerful God is key to seeing God move. It begins with believing that you, in and of yourself, are insufficient. You need God to move on your behalf. That kind of faith will move the heart of God.
Jesus Movement - Hope for Insufficient People, Part 1
There's a really big difference between wondering whether God can do something and declaring that He can't do something. Today you learn that God has pretty broad shoulders. He can take your doubts. The important distinction is to not allow your doubts to turn into unbelief, where you simply believe that God can’t do something. Pastor Ricky will share that God is so, so sufficient while we are completely insufficient. This helps us to see our great need for God and to depend only on Him.
Jesus Movement - The Low Road to the High City, Part 2
Sadly, pulpits all across America blur the message if you believe in God enough, you'll be healthy and wealthy. You’ll never have a bad day in your life. If you’ve been told this message, you've been told a lie. In fact, Jesus actually promised the exact opposite. He said that you would experience trouble in this life. Today Pastor Ricky brings some clarity to the murky waters of suffering. You’ll learn just because you're suffering doesn't mean that you're outside of God's will or being punished by God.
Jesus Movement - The Low Road to the High City, Part 1
Maybe you're not quite sure that there's anything after this life, that you’ll just cease to exist when you die. Well, today Pastor Ricky will help us see a little more clearly just how much death has been changed through the work of Jesus Christ. You’ll learn today that death is not the end and that you are an eternal being. Right now, right where you are listening, you have the capacity to choose where you're going to spend eternity.
Jesus Movement - Who Do You Say Jesus Is, Part 2
Stop and think about the last time that you had unexpected guests over. You might have gotten a call on the drive home from work that there's going to be some extra seats needed at the dinner table. You frantically race home and you clean up the house in a whirlwind and now as the friends arrive there are probably some places where you’ve crammed some of the mess that you don't want them to see. Today Pastor Ricky asks, are there places in your life and in your heart that you don't want Jesus to see?
Jesus Movement - Who Do You Say Jesus Is, Part 1
If you ask most people they would say that Jesus was a good man and a teacher of good morals. They might even go as far as to say that He was the most influential person on earth. But if you follow up with the question, is He your king or your savior? you're going to get a whole pile of different answers and that really is where the rubber meets the road. You can either say that Jesus was a good person or you can say that He is King and then if He is King, is He your king? Your answer to this question is the single most important answer in your entire life.
Jesus Movement - The Overlooked Gift of Sight, Part 2
The core message, the bedrock of the Gospel, is admitting that you have a need. You see, you don't need a savior unless you need saving and you won't need your eyes opened to who God is unless you admit that you're spiritually blind. Pastor Ricky brings a humble message calling each of us to start there. Admit that you need Jesus to give you sight, that right now, you can't see anything clearly. You’ll learn today that when you do that, when you admit your need, Jesus is quick to swoop in and to open your blind eyes.
Jesus Movement - The Overlooked Gift of Sight, Part 1
For most of us, our eyesight is something that we take for granted. We wake up every morning, roll over, and look at the time on our alarm clocks as it blares out the call to get up. Then we open up the curtains and in comes the sunshine. Now pause for a moment and imagine waking up and not being able to see anything, just dark. For those listening who are blind or have impaired vision, you know very well what that feels like. Today Pastor Ricky helps us to appreciate more the spiritual clarity of sight that Jesus provides.
Jesus Movement - What Jesus Gives, Part 2
It’s easy to forget about all that God has done in our lives. We go to church, we drop a few bucks in the offering plate as it passes us by, and then simply go on about our week. We can get into an unhealthy and unthankful routine. Today Pastor Ricky reminds us through the sacrament of communion just how much God has given to us. Have you ever considered the generosity of God and all that He's given? He gave His son for you and for me.
Jesus Movement - What Jesus Gives, Part 1
You’ve only heard part of the story. Pastor Ricky’s son began experiencing a severe health crisis and God's provision for Ricky and his family was miraculous. Maybe you’re listening today and you're in the same place that Ricky and his family were. You don't know how God is going to pay that bill, or how God is going to move on your behalf. Well, don't go anywhere. In today's message, Pastor Ricky tells us just how good Jesus is and how much Jesus provides.
Jesus Movement - The Kind of People Jesus Welcomes, Part 2
Did you hear that? It is by grace and through faith that everyone, yes even those folks covered in tattoos and those that are maybe a little rough around the edges, even them, everyone is able to approach God by faith in the finished work of Jesus. Today Pastor Ricky continues to challenge the notion that there are categories of people that are unfit for the kingdom. The blood of Jesus simply tears down these foolish walls that we built. Will you allow the Lord to tear down your walls?
Jesus Movement - The Kind of People Jesus Welcomes, Part 1
So much of what we read in the Old Testament points to the limited atonement that the first covenant provided. Animal sacrifice never removed sin, it only covered it. Thankfully, by faith, we can enter into a new and living covenant through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus removes sin, it doesn't just cover it or gloss over it, it completely removes it. Today Pastor Ricky will remind us that we need a new heart that has been cleansed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Movement - The Heart of Darkness & The Hope of Christ, Part 2
So much of what we read in the Old Testament points to the limited atonement that the first covenant provided. Animal sacrifice never removed sin, it only covered it. Thankfully, by faith, we can enter into a new and living covenant through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus removes sin, it doesn't just cover it or gloss over it, it completely removes it. Today Pastor Ricky will remind us that we need a new heart that has been cleansed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Movement - The Heart of Darkness & The Hope of Christ, Part 1
Have you ever found yourself saying things like, “Well at least I'm not like so-and-so” or “I've never killed anyone” or maybe “I'm faithful to my spouse.” We use these sorts of comparative phrases to make ourselves feel better, to justify ourselves. Today Pastor Ricky is going to help us see more clearly that from the best to the worst of us, we all need the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We all need to be delivered from sin. It doesn't matter how good you think you’ve been, you still need Jesus no matter what.
Jesus Movement - The Ghost on the Sea, Part 2
Imagine for a moment a tight rope stretched tensely across the Grand Canyon. The trapeze artist slowly creeps out over the vast expanse and takes the first few steps. Now imagine on the other side of that rope, the tension begins to fail. The rope becomes more and more slack. What happens to the trapeze artist? Sadly, he falls to his death. See, the humanity and divinity of Jesus is the same. Tension has to be held on both sides in order for Jesus to be who He is.
Jesus Movement - The Ghost on the Sea, Part 1
Maybe you're missing exactly who Jesus is. Maybe you think that He was just a good teacher or an advocate for moral life choices. Well, He definitely was and is both of those things, but He's so much more. Today Pastor Ricky will share a timely message. You see, at the time this message was taught, a storm rolled through El Paso, Texas where Cross of Grace Church is. This message speaks directly to the fact that Jesus can and should be trusted even in the midst of the storms of life.