Solid Rock Church Sermons

In the sermon this past Sunday, we looked at how the Gospel is good news in our justification and sanctification. Trusting in Jesus, and His work alone, changes who we are. And because the Gospel changes who we are, it changes what we do and how we live. Jesus says that he who hears and
believes the Gospel is like a farmer planting seeds in good soil; genuine faith produces good fruit. James says the same thing more specifically when he says that genuine faith in Jesus will produce good works.  Genuine faith in the Gospel saves us and leads us to reflect God’s moral character and live for God’s perfect will. The Gospel is good news in our salvation and in our sanctification; it changes who we are (justification) and the way we live our lives through good works (sanctification).

Last Sunday, we began our new series: The Everyday Gospel. We started off the series by looking at how the Gospel shapes our identities and the way we see ourselves and each other. Unlike the cultural worldview that determines your identity based on what you do and how well you perform what you do, the Gospel declares that who we are is 100% based on who God is. We are image bearers. In the same way that God cannot be understood apart from the Trinity, who you are is rooted and reflected in the community to which you belong. As human beings who have been redeemed by the finished work of Jesus and called to unite with other believers, you reflect God’s image: His Character, His Beauty, His Will. You are an image bearer. This is who you are!

In the sermon this past Sunday, we wrapped up the sermon series “Even Sinners Such As I” by looking at how Jesus alone truly satisfies the longing of the human soul. Ironically, as fallen people, we are prone to seek satisfaction in things on Earth that can’t satisfy. In Isaiah 55:1-3 we were reminded that true satisfaction for the soul comes from placing our faith solely in Jesus. Through hearing and believing the Gospel message, our souls find true delight in the life-giving promise of eternal life. This is what drove the Apostle Paul to find delight in forsaking everything he had acquired and accomplished in life in order to take hold of Jesus (Philippians 3:7-8). It is only through faith in Jesus that our souls are truly satisfied.

In the sermon this past Sunday, we looked at how we have been set free from our slavery to sin by Christ and we are called to stand firm in that freedom through walking by the Holy Spirit, not giving ourselves, once again, as slaves to sin. As Christ followers, we don’t have to convince God to lead us toward His will. The Holy Spirit is consistently leading us towards holiness, compelling us to live our lives for Jesus and issuing warnings to us when we consider listening to the voice of the flesh. Our conscience is not static; it can be seared by sin and it can be cleaned and renewed by the work of the Holy Spirit. We have been set free from a guilty conscience and bondage to sin in order that we may remain free with a clear conscience, dwelling in the kinship of Biblical community.

In the sermon this past Sunday, we looked at how the Gospel frees us from our slavery to idols. In Deuteronomy 4:15-20, God reminds us that anything can become an idol. An idol is anything or anyone that takes the place of “first love” in our lives. Idols are most often the good things that we have received from God that have become ultimate things. Idols draw us away from worshipping God by convincing us to bow down to them and serve them. God rescues us from our idols when we chose to see Jesus as better. When we rest in this truth, Jesus once again becomes our First Love, and our hearts and minds are latched to Him, loosening our grip on our idols.

In the sermon this past Sunday, we looked at how the Gospel rescues us from our fears and anxieties. In Philippians 4:4-9, we were reminded that our battles with anxiety and fear are common struggles among Christ followers. The Apostle Paul calls Christians to combat anxiety through worship, prayer and living in Christian community. We set our attention and affections on Jesus by recalibrating our hearts to worship, through reading His Word and meditating on His flawless character and infinite attributes. When we turn our hearts away from the objects of our anxiety, and toward God, we encounter His greatness. In seeing the greatness of God, the objects of our anxieties and fears begin to decrease. Additionally, when we press into the community of Christ, through transparency and serving one another, we dispel the lies behind our fears and experience the life-transforming grace of Jesus reflected through His church.

In the sermon this past Sunday, we looked at the miraculous work of God in redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 says that God chose us in our weakness in order to redeem us by working in us and through us for His glory. He takes what is weak, makes it strong and then uses it to save the world. This is the essence of our redemption: God redeems us, not because of how lovable we are or how much potential we have, but in order to display His power as the Great Redeemer. God chose us, not based on what we have to offer Him, but based on what He has to offer us. Through Christ we have personally witnessed the greatest miracle of all: God’s miraculous power and work of redemption in our lives!

In the sermon this past Sunday, we looked at how the finished work of Jesus is enough to earn God’s approval for us and secure our calling in ministry. In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Paul reminded the church that this was the basis for his encouragement and confidence to share the Gospel boldly in the midst of much persecution. This is also why Paul didn’t give in to the temptation to become a people pleaser or seek to find his value and worth in the applause of man. Paul understood that Jesus already did enough to earn our approval and secure our calling. We need not be shackled by what others think of us or motivated by the expectations and opinions of others in order to gain their applause and approval. Instead, we can live as people who have already been approved as God’s children and representatives, entrusted with the Gospel in order to live boldly for God’s glory.

This past Sunday, we looked at how sin and shame can impact our lives. Through the story of the Exodus, God reveals how the sin of Israel and the sin of the Pharaoh brought shame upon the people of Israel. Just like the people of Israel, shame tries to identify us as worthless and unacceptable, and pushes us far from people and the presence of God. However, God shows Himself to be faithful to claim us as His own and make us new creations through the work of the cross. Although the cross is one of the greatest instruments of humiliation and shame, Christ conquered our enemies of sin and death and traded our shame for the righteousness of God.

In the sermon this past Sunday, we looked at Paul’s description of life before and after salvation. Prior to our salvation, the Bible calls us a people who are dead in our trespasses and those who walk according to the world. However, because of God “being rich in mercy because of His great love,” He moves us from death to life. This salvation process is only made possible through the faith that He gives us. As His workmanship, we are then made more like Him daily as He produces good works in us.