Solid Rock Church Sermons

In this sermon from 1 Peter 3:15, we looked at how we were created to live our lives on mission to make disciples for Jesus, beginning in our own neighborhoods and reaching toward the ends of the earth. We were also reminded that our mission starts with living our lives with sincere love for God and others, serving as a beacon to draw others toward Him. The Bible tells us that living our lives in this way draws people toward us as they see a hope in us that they desperately desire for themselves. In this passage, Peter reminded these persecuted Christians to always be prepared to explain, with gentleness and respect, the reason for the hope they had in Jesus. God reminds us today that He is also calling us to be prepared for these conversations, always ready to answer the question, “Why do you set your hope on Jesus?”

In this sermon, we looked at God’s plan for His Church to grow together in biblical community. We began in Genesis 2 with a reminder that we were created with a need to be in relationship, with God and others, in which we can be fully known and fully loved. In Ephesians 4:11-16, Paul lays out God's plan for His Church and the essential roles of Church leaders in equipping Church members to minister to one another in order to build up the body of Christ. Growing together is the sanctification process through which God makes us more like Christ, individually and collectively. For sanctification to take place in our lives individually, it is critical for each member to engage in ministering to one another, leading to the collective growth and sanctification of the Church. As we grow together in biblical community, we are being sanctified together, becoming fully restored in the likeness of Christ.

We begin 2024 with our Created sermon series, reminding us why the Church exists and how that connects to what we do at Solid Rock. In this sermon, we looked at how Psalm 95:1-6 calls God's people to worship. The Psalmist reminds us that we are created by God to worship Him for who He is and what He has done. Worship is a reverent acknowledgement of God's creative power, majesty, and authority over all creation. Psalm 95 begins by inviting us to express our joy and gratitude toward God through music and singing. We see in this passage that worship is relational because our singing is not just about God, but an act of worship to God. This passage ends with an invitation for all humanity to worship and humble themselves before God, the Creator, reminding us of our mission to share the Gospel with those who don't know God. Every human is created to worship and, as a church, our mission is to make disciples for Jesus through Christ-centered worship, fostering biblical community, and living out the mission of Jesus in our everyday lives.

In this sermon, we looked in Acts 9 to see the grace of God at work in providing Saul with a fresh start. Saul was one of the early Church's biggest opponents: he watched approvingly as Stephen was stoned for his faith, and he obtained special permission to arrest anyone who followed Jesus. On his way to arrest believers in Damascus, he encountered Jesus, who asked, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Saul was blinded by the encounter so his travel companions led him into the city, where he met a man named Ananias who God had sent to heal him by the power of the Holy Spirit. Saul believed in Jesus, was baptized, and became one of the most passionate evangelists and defenders of Christianity ever to live. This story reminds us that we all need a fresh start. However, it's not the new year or resolutions that provide this fresh start; it's the enduring, persistent grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

After walking through Isaiah 9:6 over the last month, we ended our Advent series by looking at the final title given to the baby who was to be born in a manger: Prince of Peace. Our need for God's peace began in the Garden of Eden. After being banished, Adam and Eve no longer had peace on earth; they were left with a longing for the peace and blessing of Eden, where they once walked with God and one another without strife and division. Ephesians 2 reminds us that Jesus came into the world to tear down the walls that divide us from God and one another. Verse 14 says that Jesus, Himself, is our peace. Peace is not found in changing our external circumstances; peace is only found in the presence of Jesus. The baby in the manger came to be our Prince of Peace, that in Him we could have His perfect peace in a broken and fallen world. Through Jesus' presence, we can be sad for the brokenness we see in the world around us while also having an internal peace only possible through Him.

In this sermon from Isaiah 9:6, we focused on how "Everlasting Father," one of the prophetic titles ascribed to Jesus, foretells His birth and the profound impact it would have on humanity's relationship with God. This title emphasizes Jesus' role in revealing the fatherly nature of God and His eternal authority and care for us. The arrival of Jesus in the world signifies the birth of a Savior who would open the door for us to have a direct, enduring relationship with God as our Father. Through Jesus, believers are invited into the family of God, in which we find eternal love, guidance, and protection. Through Jesus, God has given us the right to be called "children of God" and to be invited into an eternal relationship with Him as our Forever Father.

In the second sermon of our Advent series, we looked at how Jesus fulfilled the Isaiah 9:6 prophesy to come to earth as a Mighty God. The nation of Israel would have understood this prophetic title of the coming Messiah as a "God who is mighty in battle." In 1 Corinthians 15:24-26, the apostle Paul explains that, through His resurrection, Jesus overcomes all dominions, authorities, and powers, effectively defeating sin and death. This triumphant victory over the grave reveals His divine power and authority, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy of a Messiah who would be a Mighty God who brings salvation. Jesus is the war hero who God sent to earth to conquer our greatest enemies: sin and death.

With this sermon, we launched our Advent series by looking at Isaiah 9:6 to see what God promised to the world through the birth of His Son. This week, we focused on God's promise that His Son would come to us as a Wonderful Counselor. John 14:15-26 tells us that Jesus promised to send His Holy Spirit to those who follow Him. The Holy Spirit, described as the "Advocate," or "Helper," is given to believers as a source of divine help, counsel, guidance, and comfort. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit, whom the world cannot receive, will teach us all things and remind us of everything Jesus said. Jesus was born into the world to be a Wonderful Counselor and, through His Word and the presence of His Holy Spirit in our lives, He is still our Wonderful Counselor today. For those who are in Christ, the Holy Spirit and God’s Word provide us with continual personal guidance to an abundant life filled with peace, joy, and security.

In this sermon, we looked at the Apostle Paul's account of how he was set apart and called into the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul testifies that he was saved by God's grace as the Gospel was revealed to him through Jesus Christ. Paul also shares how he had previously persecuted the Church and how God used his story to display the truth of the Gospel. If we are in Christ, we are called into the ministry of reconciliation. Like Paul, we have a story that God is using to display the truth of the Gospel and He is glorified when we share our story of redemption.

In this sermon, we looked at John chapter 4 to see how Jesus shared the hope of His coming with a Samaritan woman. Jesus is at the center of the Gospel message, and He is also the best example of what it means to share the Good News with others. While it would have been taboo in first century society for Jesus to converse with this Samaritan woman, He ignored man-made regulations to boldly engage her. Jesus shared truth with the woman while also being sensitive to her story and struggle, as He was so often with those who were broken and humble. Ultimately, Jesus offered her hope: He was the long-promised Messiah. As we share His story, we can follow Jesus' example by being bold, sharing truth, showing sensitivity, and offering the hope of Christ.