Pastor Curt’s weekly thoughts on God, The Rock Church, and our faith.
Telling the truth matters to God. That may sound silly and obvious, but it needs to be said. In Jesus’s day, the religious leaders found ways to fudge the truth. Nothing much has changed. We live in a society where phrases like, “my truth"; “alternative facts”; and “fake news” are common. Each indicating that some forms of lies are acceptable. Jesus keeps it simple for us; “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’”
It’s time to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus! The Rock is meeting THIS SUNDAY AT 9:00 AM!!! We will have donuts and coffee available at 8:45. Come early and be ready to worship promptly at 9:00. We will start right on time with worship and an Easter message. Bring family and friends to Resurrection Sunday!
During this season of Lent we have been preparing our hearts for Easter Sunday (which we will celebrate at The Rock at 9:00 am on Easter Sunday next week). This has included meditating on our lives before Jesus. It also includes Palm Sunday - the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It is a day of welcoming and celebrating a king. This Sunday we will also continue to prepare for Easter by welcoming a triumphal King Jesus. We will also remember Jesus going to the cross through readings, song, and communion.
I’ve preached for four Sundays on anger in the Bible out of Matthew 5:21-22. We’ve heard from the Bible on obeying from the heart, the reasons for anger, righteous anger, and anger that leads to judgment & insults. Now, Jesus speaks to us about two practical, real-world ways to reconcile situations where anger has broken relationships. Jesus calls for us to take reconciliation for anger seriously. Jesus calls for us to reconcile as soon as possible. Immediately! Even if we have to leave a worship service to humbly come to someone to ask for forgiveness!
Have you ever been driving when another driver pulls a dangerous or inconsiderate move? Have you ever cried out; “You moron!” (or something similar)? I’m sure all of us have been guilty of some form of this situation. This is one of the types of anger that the Bible addresses. Jesus gives us 3 examples of insults in Matthew 5:22. This Sunday we will consider this type of anger and how it affects our lives. Frankly, this anger is super common in our culture. And this anger is far more destructive than we might give it credit according to Jesus.
Jesus’s commentary on anger in Matthew 5:21-22 is incredibly relevant for us today. Anger is all around us in life. People are angry on social media, podcasts, and news programs. People are angry discussing politics. And people are angry in everyday life situations in family, work, and marriages. Jesus speaks to us. I’ve spent the last few weeks speaking on different issues regarding anger. I will continue this Sunday on righteous anger - being angry with the same things God is angry about.
We will have a normal service with a sermon in our Sermon on the Mount series. Come worship in the morning then enjoy your afternoon whether you are watching the big game or not!
We will have a normal service with a sermon in our Sermon on the Mount series. Come worship in the morning then enjoy your afternoon whether you are watching the big game or not!
I am excited to get back to the Sermon on the Mount Sermon series! We have enjoyed Thanksgiving sermons, Christmas sermons, and New Year sermons. Now we continue with the words of Jesus that cut deep into our hearts and souls. Words from what many call the greatest sermon of all time. The Sermon on the Mount is clarifying, hopeful, and full of love. We enter into a section this week that clarifies what Jesus meant by “your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees” (Mt. 5:20) We begin a series of extremely practical and challenging exhortations of Jesus that reach directly to our hearts.
The word “new” can evoke feelings of hope & relief. Something new is coming to replace the old. For some this can be scary. For some, “new” is not welcome - they are perfectly satisfied with the old. But for the spiritually minded, the old mainly refers to our lives before Jesus. Before grace. Before mercy. The “old” person in the Bible is the one who is dead in their trespasses and sin. The “new” person is cleansed by Jesus and now has life abundantly in the Spirit. So when we hear “new day” we think of God’s mercies being “new every morning!” And when we hear “Happy New Year,” we can be hopeful for a year full of new mercies for us.
This Sunday is the 4th Sunday of Advent! It means we are close to Christmas Day! The wait is soon over - Jesus has arrived! This is the message of Christmas. Our long awaited hope is here in Jesus. We, as Christians, celebrate that Jesus has come - Jesus lived, died, was buried, and rose again so we might have life in Him. What a celebration. We also look forward to the 2nd coming of Jesus. The time when Jesus will come again and make all things right. The final redemption!
This Sunday is the 3rd Sunday of Advent! We will gather for our normal worship service at 4:30, followed by a pizza dinner after the service (provided by the church), and then meet at the top of the hill on 11th Street and Pacific Ave. in Manhattan Beach at 7:00 pm to watch the fireworks. Come and celebrate the birth of Jesus and fellowship with our church community!
I recently watched a group of people recount what they love the most about Christmas. They shared the joy of family, food, games, decorations, and, of course, gift giving. It was sweet and sentimental. I’m sure, if pressed, the panel would eventually get to Jesus as the greatest gift of all in Christmas! This Advent season I’m teaching through various passages concerning the gift of Jesus this Christmas. This week I will look to the past in the book of Micah at the gifts of Jesus as our Hope, Jesus as our Shepherd, and Jesus as our Peace. Also, this Saturday is The Rock Christmas Party at 5:00 pm at the Wiley’s house. Click on Full Article to get to invitation and sign up for food to bring.
I’m often asked for a verse to equip someone for a conversation or prepare someone for an event. The Bible helps us think clearly about God. We are reminded how God thinks about situations and wants us to think, feel, speak, and react to life. This Sunday I will preach on my “Thanksgiving Top Ten.” Top ten verses on how to give thanks this Thanksgiving Day (and really any day!). May our hearts be drawn to God in thanksgiving!
I’m often asked for a verse to equip someone for a conversation or prepare someone for an event. The Bible helps us think clearly about God. We are reminded how God thinks about situations and wants us to think, feel, speak, and react to life. This Sunday I will preach on my “Thanksgiving Top Ten.” Top ten verses on how to give thanks this Thanksgiving Day (and really any day!). May our hearts be drawn to God in thanksgiving!
One of the most persuasive arguments to the accuracy and authority of the Bible is that Jesus believed that the Bible is true. Jesus proclaimed in John 17:17; “Your word is truth!” In one sense, I can say; “What more do we need?!” And in another sense, I could support the truth of the Bible in a myriad of different ways. In our Sermon on the Mount passage this Sunday we get to hear from Jesus about His belief in the Bible. And based on His belief, arguments for our belief, obedience, and willingness to teach the Bible as truth.
The Old Testament Law can be confusing. Do we have to obey all of the Old Testament? Some of the laws seem outdated. Some of the laws seem weird. Some of the laws seem narrow-minded. These statements have been spoken throughout the centuries. How do we make sense of the Old Testament Laws? Jesus helps us in this section of the Sermon on the Mount. His simple statement; “I have not come to abolish them (OT Law) but to fulfill them,” explains everything. This Sunday I will continue to teach in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus fulfilling the Old Testament Law gives us hope! And leads us to the communion table.
Sunday is always fun day! It is the Lord’s Day! This Sunday is especially fun in that we have a couple of guests who are family at The Rock. Josh Kaufman is joining Paul for worship which is always a treat. And Chris Cannon is preaching. These friends who are family are a great blessing to us at The Rock! Also, this is the first Sunday where the Jr./Sr. High teens are starting their own class!
In the Bible, light is connected to knowledge, truth, revelation, and love. The Old Testament prophesies that an ultimate light will come into the world. The New Testament records Jesus saying, “I am the light of the world.” And then in a stunning proclamation, Jesus says to Christians; “You are the light of the world.” This is a lot to unpack! And we will this Sunday. In the meantime, I pray you would be encouraged by this reality - you are light! I pray it would affirm your great purpose in this world - to be light! And I pray you are built up in Jesus regularly - you are light to others!
