Highrock Church

When asked about the coming of God’s kingdom, Jesus explains that it is not something that can be observed outwardly in obvious signs, because the kingdom is already present among them. He then speaks to his disciples about the future revealing of the Son of Man, describing it as sudden, unmistakable, and accompanied by judgment. Jesus encourages perseverance and spiritual awareness, recognizing God’s present work while remaining prepared for Christ’s return.

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You can’t fix mold with surface solutions. And the same is true for the patterns that keep showing up in your life.

What if God named this long ago and gave us a way forward that goes beyond behavior change?

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Want to make the best possible investments with your money? Do you want to make the ultimate plans for the greatest future returns? Jesus tells the parable of a shrewd manager who, facing dismissal, wisely uses his remaining opportunity to prepare for the future. In essence, he uses what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. Sometimes you can take it with you! So how does this advice apply to how we use money? Jesus doesn't always explain his parables but this time, he gives us clear instructions for how to use our money for maximum returns! <...

In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus tells of a younger son who squanders his inheritance in reckless living, eventually returning home in desperation and repentance. Instead of rejection, he is met with extravagant grace as his father runs to embrace and restore him. Meanwhile, the older brother resents the celebration. He is perhaps even more lost that his brother was, lost not because of his sin but because of his "righteousness". Jesus tells this story to not only illustrate God's joyful grace towards us, but also to challenge us to celebrate and share God's grace rather than...

Imagine a healthy person becoming upset that doctors pay so much attention to sick people. Such a complaint would be hard to imagine yet the religious leaders complained that Jesus spent so much time with "tax collectors and sinners". In their understanding, those were all the wrong people. In response, Jesus tells three parables in a row about God's desire to "seek and save the lost". We consider the first two of those stories today — the lost sheep and the lost coin — to see how they reveal God’s heart for those who have lost their way.

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Jesus turns to the crowd of casual followers and speaks candidly about the true cost of following him. His path will lead him to the cross and so, following him is a path that will lead us to the cross as well. We cannot follow Jesus without actually following Jesus. To be a disciple is not a casual relationship. Instead, it is a path marked by surrender and sacrifice, and most importantly, the opportunity to become even more closely connected with Jesus mere comfort could ever accomplish.

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At a dinner, Jesus challenges social norms by urging his host to invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the marginalized — those who cannot repay him — rather than seeking status or return favors. He then tells a parable about a great banquet where the invited guests make excuses and refuse to come, so the host fills his table with outsiders instead. Are you good enough to receive this invitation? Thank God that the invite is a reflection of God's incredible generosity and hospitality, and has nothing to do with what we do or do not deserve!

What if the version of Jesus you’ve been given feels too small? Like it doesn’t quite hold up to the brokenness you actually see in the world?

Step into the story of Passover and discover a Jesus who doesn’t just forgive sins but confronts evil, breaks chains, and brings real freedom.

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Why did Jesus promise to bring division rather than peace, even into families? And what's the connection to being able to see a coming storm? Jesus criticized his listeners for being able to discern the coming weather while being unable to see an even clearer political storm that was rapidly approaching. Understanding Jesus' provocative words can help us to navigate the chaos and division that can disturb our world, our nation, our communities, and even our families.

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Financial independence and early retirement — that's the dream, right? Jesus tells a story about man who achieved just that. This man's only worry was about building bigger barns to store all his new wealth! However, the man did not foresee that his early retirement would be cut short by an early death. Jesus calls such a person a "fool" as he was rich only towards himself and not towards God or others. In planning for the future, the man did not plan far enough into the future — a future that includes not only retirement, but eternity!

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Jesus here reserves his harshest words for those who are self-righteous. He confronts the religious leaders for their focus on outward religiosity while neglecting inner transformation and love for others. Instead, Jesus says that an inner cleansing (a clean heart) will lead to outward goodness as well. This inner cleansing, Jesus says, is especially marked by care for the poor. After all, what good is religion if it doesn't lead us to become more like Jesus?

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Why do we give up so easily in prayer, or fail to pray at all? Do we doubt God's desire to give us good things? Jesus encourages his disciples to ask, seek, and knock with confidence, assuring them that God is not reluctant but eager to respond. He invites us to approach God with trust and persistence, believing that God desires to give us the ultimate gift of all!

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Who is my neighbor? Jesus answers this question with the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The story is rich and deep and has multiple applications but at the very least, it shows us that being a neighbor is to love those whom God puts in our path. With this mindset, interruptions can become opportunities to love in the way that Jesus has loved us. Could this season be an opportunity to let go of something that keeps us too busy to love our neighbors?

This video was originally posted on February 14, 2024 during Lent but serves to continue...

Easter is supposed to be good news, but what do you do when your feelings are mixed? Hope and doubt, joy and hesitation, all at once. You’re not the first to feel that way. And it turns out, the story of Easter might be more honest AND more certain than we expect.

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Jesus takes his disciples Peter, James, and John up a mountain to pray, where they promptly fall asleep. The awake just in time to see Jesus in his divine glory, along with Moses and Elijah. Peter blurts out a suggestion that seems to put Jesus on the same level as Moses and Elijah but is immediately overshadowed when God's voice declares, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” As great as Moses and Elijah were, Jesus' identity calls for much more than amazement and admiration — it calls for obedience.

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As Jesus and his disciples cross the lake, a sudden storm arises, and the boat begins to fill with water while Jesus sleeps. The terrified disciples wake him, fearing for their lives, and Jesus rebukes the wind and waves, bringing an immediate calm. The disciples are simultaneously amazed and afraid. Jesus' presence often calms our fears, much like he calms the storm, but what is it that the disciples see in Jesus that also makes them afraid? Should we be afraid as well?

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In one of Jesus' most famous parables, he tells a story of a farmer who sows seed generously and indiscriminately, but only some of the soil is able to receive the seed and produce life. What is Jesus talking about? Thankfully, Jesus explains the meaning, but only to those who are interested enough to ask. Beyond the meaning of the actual parable, Jesus is highlighting the role we have to play. We are the soil, and we must be prepared to receive the seed, which is the Word of God. The curiosity demonstrated by the disciples is one of...

In this powerful scene, a sinful woman enters a Pharisee’s house where Jesus is dining and expresses deep gratitude by washing his feet with her tears and anointing them with perfume. The Pharisee silently judges both the woman and Jesus, but Jesus responds with a parable that reveals a profound truth: those who have been forgiven much, love much. Just thus exposes the underlying reason for the Pharisee’s lack of love as well. Despite his outward goodness, the Pharisee needs a much deeper awareness of his own debt to God.

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A Roman centurion, a military officer, seeks Jesus’ help for his highly valued servant who is near death. This centurion, a man of authority himself, humbly recognizes Jesus’ greater authority. He believes that Jesus has even the authority to heal from a distance, and with just a word! Jesus is amazed at his faith, especially because it belonged to an outsider. Do we believe in Jesus' authority? Will we obey Jesus' authority?

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Most of us are living in a kind of performance trying to be impressive, in control, and enough. It works for a while . . . until it doesn’t. Beneath the surface, it’s exhausting and often lonely. But there’s another way of living that looks weaker on the outside, yet changes everything underneath.

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Jesus teaches that we are all in need of healing, but only some of us recognize it. Which group are we? Jesus calls Levi, a hated tax collector, to follow Him, and Levi immediately drops everything. But first, Levi hosts a banquet where many of Levi's fellow outsiders gather to meet Jesus. The religious leaders and insiders complain that Jesus would have anything to do with such "scum". These outsiders, says Jesus, are the sick who recognize their need for a physician. It's not that everyone else is healthy; it's just that they can't recognize or admit their need...

When Jesus called his first disciples, he asked them to do something that made no sense at all — it went against everything they understood as fisherman. Still, Simon (the soon-to-be Apostle Peter) did what Jesus said and the results were staggering, literally life-changing! How often are we tempted to think, like Simon, that we might know better than God? Will we trust our "logic" or trust our Lord?

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After claiming that Isaiah's prophecy about the messiah is about himself, Jesus goes about proving it to be true. Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah by healing the sick, bringing liberty to the spiritually oppressed, and by preaching the good news. His words are as good as his actions and there is an invitation for us to have the same kind of integrity. Do our actions match what we say?

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Jesus returns to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and is initially praised for his teaching. In his hometown of Nazareth, he reads from Isaiah and boldly declares that he is the fulfillment of God’s promise to bring good news, freedom, and restoration. While the people marvel at first, their amazement quickly turns to offense when Jesus reminds them that God’s grace extends to outsiders. This message is a welcome one for outsiders like many in Luke's audience, but it is offensive to those who hold onto hate for others.

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John the Baptist confronts the crowds with a sharp call to repentance, warning that outward identity or religious heritage is not enough — true change must be seen in the fruit of a transformed life. He gives practical examples, urging people to live with generosity, integrity, and justice in their everyday roles. As expectations rise about whether John might be the Messiah, he points beyond himself to one far greater who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and bring both salvation and judgment. John’s bold preaching ultimately leads to his imprisonment, showing that faithful truth-telling often comes at a cost...

We all know what it’s like to hold back - waiting for a better time, more clarity, or less risk. But what if the real issue isn’t a lack of opportunity? What if the cost of playing it safe is higher than we think?

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After visiting Zechariah, the angel Gabriel visits Mary, a young woman in Nazareth, announcing that she will miraculously conceive and give birth to Jesus, the Son of the Most High. Though initially troubled and confused, Mary responds with humility and faith, asking how it will happen but ultimately surrendering to God’s will: “I am the Lord’s servant.” In Mary, God continues to work through unexpected people and circumstances, highlighting the beautiful things that can happen when we trust a God who is beyond our understanding!

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Unlike the other gospel writers, Luke is an outsider. He was not an eyewitness of the original events and apparently not part of the Jewish culture of the original disciples. Instead, he approaches the events more like an investigator or an historian. He also has an eye for the outsider and outcast. He begins his careful account by turning to Zechariah and Elizabeth, an older couple who were heartbroken over their inability to have children. Though the world might look on such people as forsaken by God, Luke's gospel opens with God sending an answer to their prayers.

After the Sabbath, several women go to Jesus’ tomb to anoint his body, only to find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Inside, a young man announces that Jesus has risen and instructs them to tell the disciples that he will meet them in Galilee. We, like the women, are left with the question of what we believe about Jesus and the empty tomb. Who do we say that Jesus is, and what difference will it make in the way we live?

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As Jesus is crucified, he also endures mockery and rejection. The religious leaders taunt him with the fact that he could save others but not himself. They did not realize the truth in their words. Yes, he saved others because he refused to save himself. He could not save himself because of his love for us. Seeing the way Jesus died, the Roman centurion declares that he "truly was the Son of God." We are left to answer the same question: "Who do you say that Jesus was?"

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Jesus is brought before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate by the religious leaders, who accuse Him and seek His execution. Though Pilate recognizes that Jesus is innocent, he yields to the pressure of the crowd and condemns Jesus to be crucified. The Roman soldiers then mock him with a coronation using a purpose robe and crown of thorns. The irony is that Jesus is true king and lord of all. Will we recognize Jesus as our king or join with Pilate, the priests, and the crowds of people who all fail to recognize the truth?

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It’s easy to assume we’ll have more time to repair a relationship, deepen our faith, or say what needs to be said. But some of life’s most important moments arrive without warning. What happens if the moment comes before we’re ready?

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During the Passover meal, builds upon the meaning of the Passover meal by taking bread and wine and identifying them with his own body and blood. Jesus becomes the new Passover lamb. Even as betrayal and suffering approach, Jesus directs his disciples to remember his sacrificial love and to look forward with hope to the day when he will share this celebration with us in God’s kingdom.

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In this passage, Jesus uses the illustration of a fig tree to teach his disciples about the signs of the times and remaining spiritually alert. Just as new leaves signal that summer is near, certain events will indicate that God’s purposes are unfolding. Yet Jesus makes clear that no one knows the exact day or hour of his return — not even the angels — so his followers must live in a constant state of readiness. The call is not to speculation but to watchfulness and faithful living, because the Son of Man could return at any time.

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As they leave the Temple, Jesus' disciples take time to be impressed by the incredible stones used in its construction. In response, Jesus tells them to get a good look because these monumental stones would soon be reduced to rubble! Jesus warns them to be prepared but not to panic, for God will be with them even when all human institutions and relationships fail. Even the darkest of times will be an opportunity to share the good news of Jesus.

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When a teacher of the law asks Jesus which commandment is the most important, Jesus answers by quoting the Shema (their daily prayer): to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. He then adds a second command — to love your neighbor as yourself — which cannot be separated from the first. Genuine faith is centered on sacrificial love because that expression of love is God's very nature.

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The Sadducees — who deny the resurrection — try to trap Jesus with a complicated hypothetical question about marriage in the afterlife. Jesus exposes their misguided assumption that fails to realize the transformation we will experience. He also corrects their lack of belief in the resurrection by pointing to the writings of Moses that they consider authoritative. There God refers to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the present tense, even though they had died long ago. From the first books of the Bible, death has never been the final word. God has always had the final word!

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It’s easy to believe we’re in charge of our time, our resources, and our future. But what if the story we’re living in belongs to someone else? Jesus tells a parable that challenges our deepest assumptions about control, ownership, and who the story is really about.

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As Jesus and his disciples travel toward Jerusalem, he again warns them of his coming suffering, death, and resurrection. Despite this sobering news, James and John are more concerned to use this opportunity to further their own ambitions. Jesus patiently teaches them that greatness in God’s kingdom is not about power or status but about humility and service. Jesus invites them and us to join him, explaining that he came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

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In what is a very busy and critical time, people bring little children to Jesus. Rather than welcome them, the disciples try to send them away. Instead, Jesus insists on welcoming them and further insists that we must all become like little children if we wish to be with God. But how? In what way should we be like children? It seems that Jesus intends that we wrestle with this question, exploring the ways in which Jesus is inviting us to be the children of God that we are.

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