Friends And Family: The Rock Church Podcast

Jesus died on the cross almost 2,000 years ago, and then something amazing happened! He rose from the dead, and someday we will rise to eternity with him.  Easter is all about Jesus, but it also offers hope.  Pastor Greg  Payton and Student Pastor Nate Lohmoeller join us to talk about this great weekend and what it means for The Rock Church.

Until this point in our study in Colossians, Paul has primarily dealt with what theologians like to call “Christology.”The word “Christology” comes from two Greek words meaning “Christ / Messiah” and “word” - which combine to mean “the study of Christ.” Simply put, it is the study of the person and work of Jesus. In chapter 3, the Apostle Paul begins to make a shift. Now that he has explained who Christ is, he begins to tell the believers in Colossae how they aresupposed to live. During the first century in Rome, Christian persecution was at an all-time high! One would think that Paul would have told the church to lay low and blend in. However, he does the total opposite. Paul will spend the next two chapters teaching them the important disciplines of becoming more like Jesus. 2000 years later, those same disciplines apply to us today.

Who are you? Have you ever thought about that? Not just your name, but who are you? Throughout the entire Old Testament, God’s chosen people were identified through circumcision. This external sign became a hot topic for debate in the first century. Is there more to being a child of God than that? Paul tells us that if we are truly anchored in Christ, we will find our identity in Him. He goes on to say that through Christ all of the fullness of God’s deity resides in Jesus. All of us face incredible disappointments in life. Some of those disappointments are based on man-imposed, false promises that we do not see in the Bible. If we want our lives to count for something, our identity should be placed in Christ - and Christ alone.

We live in a society that is not entirely different from the church in Colossae 2000 years ago. The Age of Enlightenment has allowed our doctrine and theology to become diluted in many areas. The majority of our culture would believe that we all worship the same God and there are different paths to get to him. Paul gives several warnings to the church concerning these false teachings. Those warnings still apply to us today.

Most of the people who attend church on a regular basis have a very individualistic view of salvation. While salvation is certainly personal, it doesn’t end there. We have been entrusted with an amazing responsibility. Salvation is incredibly crucial as is sanctification. Make no mistake about that! However, Paul explains that all believers have something within them that is vital in spreading the Good News around the world.

There is an old cliché that says, “If you want to be depressed, just turn on the news.”  Famine, disease, tragedy, natural disasters, and the like happen every day. Why is that? Why is the world so full of suffering? Paul answers this question in the book of Colossians. Not only does he provide some purpose in our sufferings but tells us why we should rejoice when it happens.

Anchored Part 7

Just over 2000 years ago, a gathering of Christ followers in the town of Colossae were being influenced by the Roman culture around them. Colossae was located approximately 10 miles from the larger city of Laodiceaon the banks of the Lycus River. Colossae was situated on a major trade route between Ephesus and Antioch. Roman culture was rapidly creeping into Colossae. They were devout followers of Christ, yet this cultural influence was pulling them away from their roots. One cannot help but see the similarities between Ancient Colossae and modern-day Laurel. Is our culture pulling us away? Is Christ still preeminent in our lives today?

Achored Part 5

A.W. Tozer said “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” For most of us, our view of Jesus is entirely too small. While it is true that Jesus is the Son of God, he didn’t come into being on Christmas day 2000 years ago. He has always been. He is the uncreated one. He has no beginning and no end. As if there were not enough, the Bible tells us that he is all powerful. From the macro level to the micro level, He holds all things together. He knows everything you have done and everything you will do. Even still he has compassion for you. That should change how we view our life, our relationships, and our prayers.

After just 14 verses into Paul’s letter, Colossians, he begins to communicate some critical theology. This was a culture where syncretism had taken hold. Different theologies we being combined at will. Paul makes three different declarations concerning Jesus Christ. The first declaration is that Jesus Christ is Lord over everything. This might seam simplistic in nature, and we might even believe it whole-heartedly. However, for most, it doesn’t change their everyday life. If Christ is truly Lord over creation, it changes everything!

Before a voyage to sea begins, the captain sets a course strategy for reaching the destination. Knowing the capabilities of the vessel, the winds, the currents, and the weather conditions are carefully calculated in order to ensure the best route to reach the destination. The same is also true in the life of a Christ follower. In the first chapter of Colossians, Paul gives us a step-by-step plan for setting a course in a manner that pleases God.

Pastor Greg Payton opens up a new sermon series, Anchored, a study on the book of Colossians. 

In 1958 a man named Clifton Hillegass started a business called “Cliff’s Notes". The plan was simple. “Cliff” would read a book and write a short summary of the essence of the book. What if someone were to write a Cliff Notes (Or Spark Notes if you’re younger than age 25) version of the Bible. Can the Bible be summarized? If so, what is the main point? A good working title for this summary could be called, “Tell Me the Story of Jesus.” In every book of the Bible Jesus is the grand subject. It is a true story that reveals the Glory of God through our redemption in Jesus Christ.  

Most scholars concur that there are five major covenants in the Old Testament, and one covenant in the New Testament. In addition, one theologian lists 3573 promises in the Bible. If that is even remotely accurate, then it would serve us well to know at least some of them. However, are there promises that only apply to a specific group of people? Or, can we claim all of the promises in the Scriptures? Learning the read the Bible gives us insight on these promises and how they can give us comfort in our lives here on earth, and for eternity.

Is it possible that a book written over a span of several thousand years, by several different authors, can still be relevant today? The answer is a resounding yes! The entire Bible was inspired by God. This inspiration is one of the things that set it apart from any other book ever written. For example, the Ten Commandments were given to God’s people shortly after their exodus from Egypt. These commandments are more than just history. They are relevant to our daily lives today! Understanding how to read the Bible correctly gives us insight into these applicable, life-changing truths today.

We often think of worship as music, or singing in church on Sunday mornings.  But worship often has many looks and feels to it. Some members of The Rock Church Worship Team talk about what worship looks like and their passion for leading worship. 

We have learned over the past few weeks about the importance of reading the Bible. However, we don’t read the Bible just to gather more information. The inspired Word of God still speaks to our hearts and lives today. Those truths cause us to take action, to change our lives for the better, to forgive others, and so much more.

We all wonder about the saints in heaven.  In Hebrews 12:1 it states that we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.  What does this mean and how is it interpreted in the Bible? In our first episode of Ask the Pastor, Pastor Greg digs into a listeners question about "Do our loved ones in heaven look down upon us?"

Biblical Exegesis is the critical explanation or interpretation of scripture. By understanding this process, it is much easier to understand and even apply what the Word of God is telling us. The Bible is the revelation of God in our own hands! Let’s know what it says!