Crossborn

"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers." 2 Cor 6: 14 Isn't it remarkable? Last week we were exhorted to be "big-hearted" people, not "small; with generous affections, not "narrow" (2 Cor 6: 11-13). We must "open our hearts" and love this lost world as God "so loved" it. But now, this morning, we are warned not to be "yoked"! What does that mean? Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA from his series: 2 Corinthians: You the Ultimate Survivor

"Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us." 2 Cor 5:20 ESV Isn't it amazing? Christ has His "ambassadors" in every corner of the world! And you, year Christian, are one of them; if you are faithful to your Savior. What does it mean to be an "ambassador"? Well, the answer to that question can be challenging, unnerving and--oh!--so richly rewarding! Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, from his series: 2 Corinthians: the Ultimate Survivor.

"...God who, through Christ, has reconciled us to Himself and has given us a ministry of reconciliation." 2 Cor 5: 18 Ever since Man's fall into sin, a great chasm yawns wide! it separates the human race from the God who loves us so! But what wonderful news we read in our Scripture this morning. God has been longing for that chasm to be bridged! His great desire is for you, and I, to be reconciled to Him!  Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA From his series on 2 Corinthians: You the Ultimate Survivor

2 Chronicles 20:1-30; Is 58;11 Pastor Jiri Novak explains the wonderful protection, provision and victory that is granted to one of Israel's kings when he truly serves and worships the Lord Almighty.   "The Lord will guide you always, he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your fram. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." Is. 58:11 

"Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back--it was exceedingly large." Mk. 16:4 Technically speaking, a person cold argue that all the eyewitnesses of the Resurrection were lying! It's an absurd argument, but it cannot be completely refuted. But there is one powerful witness to the Lord's Resurrection that could not lie, and can't be refuted. It's the stone that covered the tomb. If it could speak, and explain how it moved, it would prove the Resurrection beyond a shadow of a doubt. Let's take a look... Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA

"If any in Christ: new creation. The old: gone. Behold, the new has come." 2 Cor 5: 17 (literal) We cannot move on in our study of 2 Corinthians until we reflect on this colossal verse; by far one of the greatest in all the Bible. It is loaded with theological Truth that encompasses the creation and fall of Man in Genesis to those closing words in Revelation: "Behold! I make all things new!" Rev 21: 5 Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA From his series: 2 Corinthians: You the Ultimate Survivor  

"Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men." 2 Cor 5: 11 There is great shortage of 'the fear of the Lord' in our culture today; sadly, even among Christians. But fear off the Lord is "the beginning of wisdom". (Prov 9:10). It's the only antidote for the evils of our world (Prov 16:6). The Bible even calls it "greater than treasure" (Prov 15: 16). Surprisingly though, in this morning's text, we see that it comes part-and-parcel with a love for the lost. What does that mean? Let's take a look...   Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA From his series: 2 Corinthians: You: the Ultimate Survivor

"For we walk by faith and not by sight." 2 Cor 5:7 It's one of the most important Truths in all the Bible. In fact, it's the 'point' of almost every story, every incident, beginning with the temptation of Man in the garden in Genesis, to the faithful, suffering believers in Revelation. We must "walk by faith and not by sight." Let's see what that means.  Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA From his series on 2 Corinthians: You: The Ultimate Survivor.  

"...this tent that is our earthly home..." 2 Cor 5:1 "I have no idea what awaits me or what will happen when all of this ends," writes Albert Camus, the great existentialist philosopher. But isn't that the point of being a philosopher, to know what's going on? How wonderful to hear Paul say those words: "We know..."! And we certainly do!  Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA From his series: 2 Corinthians: You, the Ultimate Survivor.

"So then, we do not lose heart..." 2 For 4: 16 Judging by the great lengths to which Paul goes to explain his afflictions, it seems as if yet another accusation has been laid against him: "He suffers so much! Shouldn't a real Apostle be more victorious?" Oh, Paul's answer is wonderful for us all! Though afflictions abound, we need never lose heart! Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA From his series: Second Corinthians: You the Ultimate Survivor

"For we have this treasure in jars of clay..." 2 For 4:7 I love what A. E. Housman calls the human race in one of his poems: "proud and angry dust"! That brings to mind what Paul writes here in our text. Every Christian carries a great 'treasure' within himself; offered by God to all the world. But the Christian himself? He's a 'jar of clay'. What on earth does that mean? Let's take a look... Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA From his series: 2 Corinthians: You--The Ultimate Survivor

"...for the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe." 2 Cor 4: 4 "There are none so blind as those that will not see," Matthew Henry once so wisely observed. Our Scripture this morning is discussing just that. It is a blindness of the mind and it comes part-and-parcel with the choices we make to turn from our God and embrace the world. Let's take a look... Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA From his series: 2 Corinthians: You, the Ultimate Survivor! (Music by Pastor Holland Davis and the Calvary Chapel San Clemente worship team)

Pastor Rocky Cook offers insightful instruction from several chapters in Luke, on how to "soar" as a minister for Christ, just as the very first Apostles did. 

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom..." 2 Cor 3: 17 W. Somerset Maugham said it well: "The nation that values anything more than freedom, will lose its freedom, and if it is comfort and money that was valued more, they will lose that too." So True! And no one understands that better than the Christian, who has truly 'seen' the bondage he was in.  Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA From his series: 2 Corinthians: You, the Ultimate Survivor

"...what once had glory has come to have no glory at all." 2 Cor 3: 10 "Things that were glorious now have no glory," one Hemingway character bitterly observes. He was right, and he could have been quoting our Scripture this morning! Man calls too many things 'glorious', doesn't he? In the end, everything fades! Everything but the  real thing. Let's make sure we have that. Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA from his series 2 Corinthians: You, the Ultimate Survivor

"You show that you are a letter from Christ." 2 For 1:3 This may come as a shock to some, but self-expression is not the 'sacred right' of a Christian. You now live to express Someone else, not yourself. In fact, our Scripture this morning calls you a 'letter'; "a letter from Christ," written "for all to read". What on earth does that mean? Let's find out... Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA From his series on 2 Corinthians: You: The Ultimate Survivor    

"For we are, to God, the fragrance of Christ..." 2 Cor 2: 15 A great aviator/author once made this sad observation: "Though human life is priceless, we always act as if there were something of even greater value yet, but...what is that something?" (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) Oh, ask the Christian; he can tell you. He has it! And it commands the attention of all the world! Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Town, Orange, CA From his series on 2 Corinthians: You, the Ultimate Survivor. 

"I trust in You, O Lord. I say 'You are my God. My times are in your hand.'" Psalm 31: 14-15 Pastor Bob Boxer gives an inspiring message of hope and deliverance for the New Year ahead.  Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA

"Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, goodwill toward men." Lk 2: 14 I wonder what those shepherds would say if they joined us this morning to sing Silent Night! Would it be like: "What are you talkin' about? Do you not know what happened that night?" At the scene of the nativity, things may have been quiet and peaceful enough, but up on the hills on the outskirts of town? Oh, it was everything but a Silent Night! Let's take a look... Christmas Eve message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, Orange, CA

"...for we are not ignorant of his designs." "Ten paces huge he back recoiled, the tenth on bended knee..."  I love that line from Milton's Paradise Lost. It is describing what happened to Satan when an angel of God rose up to oppose him.  And that's what we need to do! Rise up and oppose him! And we certainly cannot afford to be ignorant of his 'designs'.  Message by Pastor Rod Schorr, Calvary Chapel Old Towne, orange, CA. From his series: 2 Corinthians: You, the Ultimate Survivor