Friends and Family: The Rock Church Podcast

For a lot of people the word "religion" gets a bad rap. And sometimes, it should! In Galatians 4, Paul says that we are free from the bonds of religion, but we are free to grow and become like Jesus Christ. But how does that work in the church in Laurel, Montana, in 2017? Or maybe a better question is, how is our religion different from others around the world? Paul boldly answers this question and it should resonate with us today and forever.

Why do you go to church? Why do you read your Bible or pray? Why do you give to the poor? There's a lot of answers to these questions ... but the Bible says these things don't change your right-standing before God at all.

OK then ... so what does? Is there anything we can do? Or has Christ already done it all?

We call ourselves a "faith family." What does that mean? Do we understand what "faith" really means?

It isn't just faith in the Christ who died 2,000 years ago on our behalf. It's also faith in the Christ who lives and dwells in us now to give us every single thing we need to live out the Christian life today and tomorrow.

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found. Was blind but now I see.

Grace, by definition, is unmerited favor. It causes us to get what we don't deserve. We can never fully comprehend God's Grace. When grace is void, things get really tough. But when grace overflows it is truly glorious. When it is present in those we do life with, it builds those relationships in ways that nothing else can. The element of grace if simply amazing.

In the Kingdom of God there are no insignificant jobs.

"What about pulling weeds?" Very important.

"Shaking hands on Sunday morning?" Same.

"Airing up footballs for Sports Camp?" Ditto ...

Everything matters! God has created you for a purpose. The church (us) is God's representatives to our city. It is an important job that includes everyone. Get on board! You matter!

Pastor Greg Payton joins us again as we dig into how save people serve people, what it means, and how we can serve at The Rock Church.

We trust God to deliver us, but even if he doesn't, are we determined to be faithful regardless of the consequences?  We should be faithful to God whether he intervenes on our behalf or not.  Shadrach, Meshack, and Abed-Nego trusted God when they were pressured and thrown into the fire, but they chose to stay faithful to Him no matter what happened.  God always walks with us through the fire.  

Are you Good Enough for God? Of course you are!  If you think you are not good enough for God, that is not true.  God uses all of us.  He encourages do-overs, He empowers the broken, and He exalts the faithful.

What drives you to do what you do? There are so many motivators in our culture that cause us to do something. The Bible says that the greatest of these is love. But what happens when you don't love? Are you off the hook? Should saved people only serve those they love? The life of Enoch, one of the oldest men in the Bible give us insight into this dilemma. Through his life we can see why saved people serve people.

Saved people serve people. It just what they do. Christians are full of excuses as to why they can't or don't serve. However, God's plan for reaching Laurel is still the same: you! In the Bible we find tons of examples of people who, by our culture's standards, were not fit to serve. But God in His infinite wisdom chose to use them to accomplish his purpose. Flaws and all. It doesn't depend on status, IQ, athletic talent, or lots of money. Instead, it starts with a rock-solid confidence in God and a willingness to live according to His Word no matter the consequences.