The Rock Covenant Church

The Rock Church Worship Service

Paul chorus / interlude Jon Growing up in Michigan, you didn’t go outside in winter But you could play outside in the summer humidity Sometimes my mom would splurge and get me a gallon of grape drink First choice was always water, but I was only interested in something sweet So I would decline and go back out playing Pleasure center of my brain was looking for that dopamine hit from sugar When I finally got desperate, I would pick up the hose, no matter where it was lying, no matter what it smelled like, put my mouth on it and quench my thirst Liquid is discussed a lot in the Bible 4 But he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, … Continue reading →

The Rock Covenant Church

The Rock Church Worship Service

Jon Katie Two announcements First, there’s an all-church meeting after worship tonight Second, 16th/17th August is our VBS campout Jon Wrapping up our series on being a spirit filled community with the topic of friendship I’m going to go all Mr. Rogers on you The gospel of Jesus Christ does not simply send you deeper into the heart of god than you ever thought you would go, or deeper….bit it sends you deeper into the heart of other brokers and sisters in Christ giving you…with any other human being. Part of the narrative of travel After he said these things, he knelt down with all of them to pray. They cried uncontrollably as everyone embraced and kissed Paul. They were especially grieved by his statement that they would never see him again. Then they accompanied him to the ship. After we tore ourselves away from them, we set sail on … Continue reading →

The Rock Covenant Church

The Rock Church Worship Service

Paul Jon In the middle of a series on being a Spirit-filled community Gospel is an explosion around us God shrapnel all around Talk about the family nature Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Romans 12:9-13 (NRSV) The non-selectivity The non-privacy I like that phrasing, mutual affection Phileo has to do with brotherly and sisterly love Storge has to do with devotion You don’t choose your siblings, you are born into a family, it is a gift given to you, a natural kind of love He uses storge because there must be something deeper going on It’s … Continue reading →

The Rock Covenant Church

The Rock Church Worship Service

Paul Maria Imagine you are an ancient Israelite around 700 BC With what should I approach the Lord and bow down before God on high? Should I come before him with entirely burned offerings, with year-old calves? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with many torrents of oil? Should I give my oldest child for my crime; the fruit of my body for the sin of my spirit? He has told you, human one, what is good and what the Lord requires from you: to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:6-8 (CEB) I get faithful love and walking with you, but what does it mean to do justice What does it mean to be a community of justice Here in Micah justice is the Hebrew term mishpat, means to put things right, to intervene in a situation that is wrong, … Continue reading →

The Rock Covenant Church

The Rock Church Worship Service

Paul Maria A while ago now I lived in Chicago and I volunteered at a family homeless shelter In the South Bay statistics say there are around 7,000 homeless people Family Promise of the South Bay The idea is that each church in the coalition will provide a home on a quarterly basis Paul Just going to start with a non-sequitur. Iron sharpens iron,     and one person sharpens the wits of another. Proverbs 27:17 (NSRV) Piggy backing off of what Jon was talking about a couple of weeks ago Proverbs has a bunch of really cool metaphors Iron Age was after the Bronze Age Iron was more plentiful Bronze had to be cast Iron had to be hammered A real equality to this verse and this image But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood self-condemned; Galatians 2:11 (NSRV) Paul is coming into … Continue reading →

The Rock Covenant Church

The Rock Church Worship Service

Paul Jon Am I growing in the gospel? Using truth and love in our communication 11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters. Whoever speaks evil against another or judges another, speaks evil against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. So who, then, are you to judge your neighbor? James 4:11-12 (NSRV) But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, Ephesians 4:15 (NSRV) Not just about vertical relationships (love God) but horizontal relationships (love others) Slander and judgement are interchangeable in James’ language You can speak truth and still be full of slander and judgement How do you know if you have … Continue reading →

The Rock Covenant Church

The Rock Church Worship Service

Paul Ed. Note: The Spirit and the bride say come….interesting song for the church (the bride) to sing Interlude from Maria God likes camping (it’s in Exodus) 16th and 17th of August we’re going to do our 2nd annual VBS camp out Wilderness park in Torrance We need all hands on deck to pull this off If you sign up well find a role that’s uniquely satisfied for you Jon Starting 22nd June were going to move the service time to 4pm One reason we’re doing this is for the summer concert season Another reason is we want to look at how we serve the community Want to give us time to connect after the service Ending after concerts in the park Going to continue on in community series This week, A Community On Suffering James 1:2-12 James starts his epistle with a question about God allowing suffering James doesn’t … Continue reading →

The Rock Covenant Church

The Rock Church Worship Service

Paul Jon 16 “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying to us, ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They said, “What does he mean by this ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’? 20 Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will … Continue reading →