The Rock Church Worship Service

Paul (You Are Amazing God) reprise Announcements In-N-Out truck next week After this next song will be communion (Your Love Never Fails) Jon Picture of New York Post Bin Laden dead cover Restorative justice is just as valuable a redemptive justice Retribution has finality Shouldn’t be a gleeful celebration That’s God’s dream for the earth That’s the dream we believe in No shame or guilt Tom Rice, bishop from outside the West Controversial Acts 6 Really transformative period of the church here New king Look ahead to Acts 9 Saul was essentially a terrorist, killing Christians The restorative power of the gospel changes Saul Saul becomes Paul In chapter 6 we see problems already visible Growth problems, leadership problems, relationship problems Jerusalem is a cultural mecca or melting pot Walk through the text but 3 focus points God’s power, people, place V. 8 Stephen is full of something, speaking in … Continue reading →

The Rock Church Worship Service

Paul Don’t get bored with the story of this holy week, be amazed, in awe Stephen Keating Support Mercy’s Village by going to Chili’s this Wednesday Mike Workman is forming actuating groups for men Jon Looking at John 4 tonight A wise man once told me, don’t focus on a couple of trees in the Scripture, look at the whole forest Look at His entire redemptive story Sometimes God is predictable and sometimes not Holy Wind – Ruach HaKodesh Don’t know where He’s going to be Earth would shake Also described as a consuming fire All these elements Living water Jesus often referred to Himself as this God shows up to Elijah on the mountain not as any of these elements but as a gentle whisper Revealing Himself in all these different ways I want us to be a community relentless in our pursuit of God Maybe He’ll do the … Continue reading →

The Rock Church Worship Service (Unplugged)

Jon Hoping you feel God’s presence tonight Paul Who God is isn’t diminished by our lack of comfort Stephen Party at Rubio’s tonight for youth group Jon The book of James can be very clear and precise Didn’t know the kids would be here and I’m going to talk about suffering… A little heavy As I was walking throughout this I felt a little inadequate for talking about human suffering So I’m working on this sermon and my phone rings – it’s Ernie, my dad My father, grandfather and father-in-law usually make their way into my sermons – three father figures that have really influenced me So I’m thinking about not picking up the phone because I’m working on the sermon, but I pick up anyways and say, “Dad I have a question for you.” No formal greeting, no “Hi, how are you?” I asked him what did we have … Continue reading →

The Rock Church Worship Service

Jon Stephen 5th Sunday of Advent Luke 1 Jon 1 Samuel 18:1-4, 19:4-6, 20:40-41 Talk about friends David and Jonathan Friendship is an amazing experience, but there are so many dimensions Friends we can be retarded with Part of the joy is just being with friends, not the destinations Not just our own context, want to put it up against this story This is a story of humanity, of people coming together Consistent themes 1. Friends are consistent In this text, Jonathan made a covenant with David Closest we have is a marriage vow Spend the rest of our lives together What a covenant relationship is not Lot of users in our culture Users ask if I move into this relationship are my needs met Covenant relationship, your needs come 2nd Ebb and a flow to all relationships Sometimes they can’t give back to you all the time I’m not … Continue reading →

The Rock Church Worship Service

Paul Jon Reasons to gossip 1. Superior 2. ??? 3. ??? 4. Control or power over 5. Jealousy 6. Boredom Dangers of gossip 1. Words hurt as much as a punch / Gossip leaves holes and wounds in the heart 2. Gossip and rumors can be a form of exclusion 3. Gossip and rumors can destroy trust 4. True or not, private is private (just between you and another) 5. Believing rumors can lead to bad choices 6. It leads to exclusion / leaving people out / John 17:20-23, Matthew 18:15-18 One desire that they may feel connected to each other and me The mission of Jesus Christ If we are connected to one another, the mission goes forward The devil’s goal is to disconnect us He plays on all these things My words don’t just go into space An isolated and disconnected person is going away from the call … Continue reading →

The Rock Church Worship Service

Paul mashup(; ) You won’t relent until you have it all…my heart is yours Jon Hebrews 10 was about … Exhort one another as long as it’s called today Hebrews 11 1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before … Continue reading →

The Rock Church Worship Service

Charlie: We’ve won the coin toss and elected to receive from the Holy Spirit Paul (I Will Sing A New Song) Matt: Psalm 9:1-2, He is way better than a football team or a quarterback Paul Jon Mark B, Adam E, Jeami Duncan are going to Uganda next week to prep the summer trip As they go, if we could raise some extra cash Drop a check with a Uganda memo in the basket Jeami is going to purchase land for Mercy’s Village 10 day exotic retreat in Uganda He had something prepared, but looking at us he’d rather fly by the seat of his pants His devotional time has been pressing on him so he’s sharing it What are you rejoicing in? what do you take joy in? it hits the heartstrings He’s yelling at us Caps lock in an e-mail Galatians 6:11-15 11 See what big letters I … Continue reading →