Understanding the historical time one lives in is helpful. When one understands the time, they are able to navigate the world around them. They know how the past has shaped the present moment. And the know how the present moment is shaping the future. People get rich understanding the time. As Christians, when we understand the time it is helpful to know how to live in this world. Romans 13:11-14 helps us understand the time. And understanding the time makes us spiritually rich. Rich in the truths of Jesus!
There is a tension between love and God’s commands. Some say we should suspend God’s commands in order to make people feel loved. Others say God’s commands are primary and love comes later. I’ve personally been called a jerk for believing God’s commands over the world’s idea of love. It is complicated and affects all of us in daily life. In this week’s Roman’s passage we are given instruction about love and law. It is not only informative about God, but gives us practical instruction about how to live life.
This Sunday is New Year’s Eve! We are going to have a New Year’s Eve service at our normal 4:30 pm meeting time at the school. Come and end 2023 and start 2024 with a service of song, prayer, and devotional!
This Sunday is New Year’s Eve! We are going to have a New Year’s Eve service at our normal 4:30 pm meeting time at the school. Come and end 2023 and start 2024 with a service of song, prayer, and devotional!
This Sunday we will celebrate Christmas together with song and sermon! It is the 3rd Sunday of Advent (and the last Sunday before Christmas Eve). Come this Sunday to worship together our incarnate Lord Jesus!
It is true. My sermon this week is about politics. But I want to be clear, this is not some sort of American Nationalist agenda! I have not gone off the deep end and turned into a political pastor! There is only one way to get me to preach about politics - if the Bible passage for the week is about politics. And Romans 13:1-7 is all about how Christians are to respond to “governing authorities.”
This weekend starts off the Christmas Season in a big way at The Rock:
Women’s Cookie Exchange - Fri., Dec. 1, Mack House
Rock Christmas Party - Sat., Dec. 2, 5:00 pm, Wiley’s House
1st Sunday of Advent Communion Service - Sun., Dec. 3
Many of us are planning our travel, meals, and family gatherings for Thanksgiving. Our thoughts and efforts can be consumed by the details of the holidays. My prayer is that we would also be consumed in our thoughts about what we are thankful for this year. This Sunday we will take a look in the Bible to see how God desires us to be thankful. In some ways we are given reminders of how to be thankful. But there are other ways in the Bible that might be new. Let’s gather together and explore them!
This Sunday is The Rock’s Annual Thanksgiving Service. We will sing songs of thanksgiving then hear a brief sermon & testimony. After the service, we will join together for a Thanksgiving Meal! Please invite family, friends, and neighbors to give thanks with us. Please CLICK HERE to contribute to the meal. (You may have to go to full post to click)
It’s the time of year to mark your calendars for exciting upcoming dates at The Rock:
Nov. 5 - Communion Dinner after church
Nov. 12 - Rock Thanksgiving Service
Dec. 2 - Rock Christmas Party (5:00 pm at Wiley’s)
Dec. 3 - Communion Dinner after church
Dec. 16 - Family Promise Christmas Party
Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve Sunday at Harbor Church (Joint Service - Curt Preaches)
Get these dates on your calendar NOW!
In our Romans sermon series we have been in a mini-series on Christian love. This kind of love is love that Jesus has modeled for us in His life & death. Christian love is not easy. This week in Romans 12:11-12, Paul gives encouragement on how to love when loving is difficult. Difficult because we become lazy in our faith. And difficult when life is simply hard due to tribulation. I find these verse to be helpful because they give instruction in real life, which is often difficult and confusing.
In the past 2 weeks we have been horrified from the reports and images from the Gaza Strip and Israel. I would like to take the sermon time in church this Sunday to preach; “A Christian Response to the Israel/Hamas War.” I hope to give us tools on how to biblically think about this issue. Please come with humble hearts prepared to listen, consider, and act. If there are any people in your life that are confused, troubled, and/or in despair about this point in history please invite them to hear what God’s Word says about Israel.
In the past 2 weeks we have been horrified from the reports and images from the Gaza Strip and Israel. I would like to take the sermon time in church this Sunday to preach; “A Christian Response to the Israel/Hamas War.” I hope to give us tools on how to biblically think about this issue. Please come with humble hearts prepared to listen, consider, and act. If there are any people in your life that are confused, troubled, and/or in despair about this point in history please invite them to hear what God’s Word says about Israel.
Last Sunday we did an impromptu Q & A Sermon. So following is happening this Sunday:
Most of us are taught from a young age that we shouldn’t hate. We learn that hate is a harsh word and that we should find other ways to express our dislike for things. So it can be confusing when the Bible talks about hate in a positive way. Paul writes in Romans 12:9; “Hate what is evil…” This is a command. This is how we know our love is genuine. What gives? The idea is that we are to hate the things God hates. Wait, what? God hates things? Yes, He does. Actually, the Bible is full of things God hates. And if we are to genuinely love, we are to hate these same things!
Last Sunday we did an impromptu Q & A Sermon. So following is happening this Sunday:
Most of us are taught from a young age that we shouldn’t hate. We learn that hate is a harsh word and that we should find other ways to express our dislike for things. So it can be confusing when the Bible talks about hate in a positive way. Paul writes in Romans 12:9; “Hate what is evil…” This is a command. This is how we know our love is genuine. What gives? The idea is that we are to hate the things God hates. Wait, what? God hates things? Yes, He does. Actually, the Bible is full of things God hates. And if we are to genuinely love, we are to hate these same things!
Being authentic is one of the most sought after character traits of our age. Being real. Being genuine. Being sincere. Or on the other side of the coin, not being fake. Not being true. Being hypocritical. People can see right through us when we try and be something we aren’t. If we try and pass ourselves off as a surfer, the truth will come out once we paddle out into the waves. If we say we are a good cook, the truth will come out when we invite people over for dinner. If we say that we love people, the truth will come out when someone is in need. Romans 12:9 demands that our love be genuine, sincere, and not hypocritical.
One of my mentors, John Perkins, determined that there is one thing that he wants to define the last years of his life - love. Dr. Perkins declared that love is the final fight (depictied in Switchfoot’s song The Sound (John M. Perkins’ Blues)). Nearing the end of his life, Dr. Perkins is led back to the primary teachings of Jesus and the disciples - love. From the great commandment (love God, love neighbor), to loving enemies, to knowing Jesus’s diciples by their love, to the seminal chapter on love, 1 Cor. 13. Love is commanded. Love is emphasised. Love is central. Romans 12:9-16 is about love applied in our lives and in the church.
The third of the Summer BBQs is here! This Sunday stay after church for another epic BBQ. Everyone is welcome! Click Here (after you go into the main email text) for the invite and what to bring. See you Sunday!
This Sunday is the last sermon in our Mid-Romans mini-series on spiritual gifts. It is time to say; “Now you know the gifts, how are you going to use them?!?!” This is exciting. I will walk through some present and future ministries of The Rock and connect the spiritual gifts used and needed for these ministries. This is where we are called to obey. We are called to “use them (that is our spiritual gifts)!” In addition, we will take communion together. This is fitting for us to remember Jesus in a communal way while considering how to serve one another in the church!
Discovering one’s spiritual gifts is an exciting treasure hunt! God has given all Christians spiritual gifts to serve the church for the common good (I Cor. 12:7). Our discovery of those gifts is a God-ordained, worthy pursuit. We continue our discovery of spiritual gifts in our Romans Sermon Series this week. Are you one who is drawn to coming alongside people and encouraging and comforting them? Then you may have the gift of encouragement. Or maybe people naturally follow you and want you to lead them in ways to grow in Jesus. Maybe you have the gift of leadership! Or are you a person who is drawn to help the marginalized of society? If so, then perhaps you have the gift of acts of mercy.
