Solid Rock Baptist Church of Rockwell NC

Morning, church. I want y'all to come on and open your Bibles with me this morning to the book of Ephesians, chapter 6. We're going to be in verses 10 through 13. I want to tell y'all this. I want you to think about something with me. Every single one of us woke up today in a war zone. Now, I'm not talking about overseas. I'm not talking about some far-off battlefield you see on the news. I'm talking about right here. Right now. In your living room. In your truck on the way to work. In your own mind. You ever have one of those days where everything is going fine? The coffee is hot, the sun is shining, and then—out of nowhere—the doubt hits? The temptation shows up? The fear creeps in? You didn't go looking for a fight, church, but the fight came looking for you. That is because we have an enemy. And church, he doesn't take days off. He doesn't care if you're tired. He doesn't care if you're hurting. He doesn't care if you just had a funeral or if you just lost your job. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." Now here's the thing. A lot of Christians are getting devoured today. And it's not because they aren't saved. It's not because they don't love the Lord. It's because they showed up to a gunfight with a butter knife. They are going into battle with no armor on. And that's what this series is about. Over the next few weeks, we are going to suit up. We're going to look at every piece of armor that God has given us—not armor we made ourselves, not armor the world offers—but the armor that God Himself has provided. The belt of truth. The breastplate of righteousness. The shoes of the gospel of peace. The shield of faith. The helmet of salvation. The sword of the Spirit. Every single piece matters. Every single piece has a purpose. And church, you need every one of them. Because the devil doesn't fight fair. He'll hit you where you're weakest. He'll attack when you're not paying attention. He'll whisper lies when you're alone at night. He'll use your past against you. He'll use your family against you. So let's look at our text. Let's go to Ephesians 6, starting in verse 10. The Reality of the War First, I want you to see the reality of the war. Look at verse 10: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." Church, think about that. Paul doesn't say "be strong in yourself." He doesn't say "pull yourself up by your bootstraps." He says be strong in the Lord. Why? Because you and I don't have enough power for this fight on our own. I'm just an uneducated country preacher, but I know this: if I try to fight the devil in my own strength, I'm going to lose. I need the power of His might. And look at verse 11. "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Now, I love that word: "wiles." That means tricks. Schemes. Traps. The devil is a deceiver. He is the father of lies. He's not going to come at you with a sign that says "Here comes trouble." No, he's going to sneak in the back door. He's going to make sin look good. He's going to make bitterness look like justice. He's going to make worry look like being responsible. But God has given us armor to stand against those tricks. The Nature of the Enemy Now look at verse 12. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." I want y'all to hear me. This is the part we forget. We think our fight is with our neighbor. We think our fight is with our boss. We think our fight is with our spouse. But the Bible says we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. When someone cuts you off in traffic, that's flesh and blood. But the rage that rises up in your heart? That's spiritual. When your kids are acting out and you want to give up? That's a spiritual attack on your family. When you feel so depressed you can't get out of bed? That's the rulers of darkness trying to take you out. We have to stick together, church, because we are fighting an invisible enemy. And if you try to fight an invisible enemy with your physical eyes, you're going to miss it every time. The Call to Stand So what do we do? Look at verse 13. "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." "Having done all, to stand." That word "stand" is a military term. It means to hold your ground. It means when the smoke clears and the battle is over, you are still on your feet. Not running. Not hiding. Not giving up. Standing. I ask you today, are you standing? Or are you wavering? Maybe you're listening by way of Facebook or the podcast this morning, and you feel like you're about to fall. You feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. You feel like the enemy is winning. Church, I'm here to tell you today: do not quit. It ain't time to quit. The battle is just getting started, but so are we. God has not left you defenseless. He has given you everything you need to survive this fight. But you have to put it on. You can't leave the armor in the closet. You can't say, "I'll get serious about my faith next week." The enemy is active today. So we must be ready today. The Pieces of the Armor Now, in the coming weeks, we are going to break down every single piece of this armor. We're going to talk about the Belt of Truth—how truth holds everything else together. We're going to talk about the Breastplate of Righteouship—how living right protects your heart. We're going to talk about the Shoes of the Gospel—how we carry peace into a chaotic world. We're going to talk about the Shield of Faith—how faith extinguishes the fiery darts of the wicked one. We're going to talk about the Helmet of Salvation—how knowing you are saved protects your mind. And we're going to talk about the Sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—which is our only offensive weapon. Every piece is vital. You can't skip one. If a soldier goes to war with no helmet, he's a target. If he goes with no shield, he's going to get burned. We need the whole armor. The Gospel Connection But before we go any further, I have to tell you this. None of this armor works if you don't know the Commander. You see, the armor of God is for the children of God. If you are here today and you have never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, you are fighting naked. You are exposed. But Jesus loves you. He died on that cross for your sins. He shed His blood so you could be forgiven. And if you will call on His name today, He will save you. He will enlist you. He will arm you. And for those of us who are saved—church, let's wake up. Let's stop living like victims. Let's start living like the soldiers God called us to be. Conclusion So, let's go to the Lord in prayer. Father God, we come before You this morning in the name of Jesus. Lord, we confess that we have been sleeping. We have been complacent. We have been trying to fight battles in our own strength and we have been losing. But today, Lord, we are waking up. We are asking You to help us put on the whole armor of God. Help us to stand firm. Help us to be vigilant. Help us to recognize the enemy's schemes. I pray for the dads listening today. I pray for the moms. I pray for the young people. Lord, protect our families. Unite this church. Let us be a church that stands firm in the faith. And Lord, if there is anyone here who doesn't know You, I pray that today would be the day of salvation. Draw them to Yourself. Save them by Your grace. We love You, Lord. We thank You for Your armor. We thank You that we do not fight alone. In Jesus' name, Amen. And the church. Amen.

Faith That Starts at Home and Fills the House of God Primary Text: Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Introduction Morning, church. I want y'all to think about something with me this morning. You know, I've been a dad for a good while now. And I can tell you — there are days when I've had to walk into my house and say, "Lord, I don't know what I'm doing." Maybe some of y'all have been there too. You've stood in the kitchen, you've sat at the dinner table, you've knelt beside your kid's bed at night, and you've thought, How am I supposed to lead these people? How am I supposed to point them to Jesus when I can barely find Him myself some days? But here's what I've learned, church. Faith isn't something you manufacture. It's not something you pull out of thin air. Faith comes by hearing. It comes by hearing the Word of God. And if that's true — and it is, because the Bible says it — then that changes everything about how we live in our homes and how we live in this church. I want to talk to three groups of people this morning. I want to talk to dads. Then I want to talk to moms. And then I want to talk to the church. And I want us to see that faith has to start somewhere, and it starts by hearing. Let's go to our text first for our faith. I. The Faith Required of Dads: Hearing First, Then Leading Church, think about this. Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing. Now, before a dad can lead his family in faith, he has to be hearing the Word of God himself. I think about Joshua. You remember Joshua? The man who stood before all of Israel and said, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." That's a bold statement. That's a man who made a decision. But Joshua didn't wake up one day and decide that on his own. Joshua had been hearing the Word of God for years. He walked with Moses. He stood on the mountain. He heard the voice of God. His faith came by hearing. Dads, I ask you today — are you hearing? Are you in the Word? Because here's the thing: you cannot lead your family somewhere you haven't been yourself. You can't point your kids to Jesus if you haven't been listening to Him. You can't teach your little ones about faith if your own faith is running on empty. I remember a season in my life — and I'll be honest with y'all — when I was so busy doing church stuff that I wasn't actually in the Word for myself. I was preaching it, teaching it, talking about it. But I wasn't hearing it. And my family could tell. My wife could tell. There was something missing in our home, and it was because I wasn't feeding my own faith. Dads, your family is watching you. Your kids are watching you. They're watching to see if you open that Bible. They're watching to see if you pray before meals — not just the rote prayer, but the real prayer, the one where you talk to God like He's actually there. They're watching to see if your faith is real on Monday morning, not just Sunday morning. And here's the application, and it's simple: Open the Word. Before you try to lead your family anywhere, get alone with God and hear from Him. Read a chapter. Read a verse. Just start somewhere. Because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. And if you're not hearing, you're not leading — you're just guessing. I think about my own dad. He wasn't a perfect man. But I'll tell you what — I saw that man open his Bible. I saw him pray. I didn't always understand what he was doing, but I knew it mattered to him. And that planted something in me that I carry to this day. Dads, your kids may not remember every word you say, but they'll remember if your faith was real. II. The Faith Required of Moms: Hearing and Nurturing Now, enough of that. Let me talk to the moms for a minute. And moms, wives, I ask you from this day forward to hear this and carry it with you. If faith comes by hearing, then one of the most important things a mom can do is make sure her home is filled with the Word of God. Now, I'm not talking about just playing Christian music in the background — though there's nothing wrong with that. I'm talking about something deeper. I think about Timothy. You remember young Timothy? Paul calls him his son in the faith. And in 2 Timothy, Paul says to Timothy, "From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures." Now, who do you think was filling that little boy's ears with the Word of God? Paul mentions Timothy's grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Those two women planted the Word of God into that young man's life from the time he was small. And that seed grew into a mighty man of God. Moms, you have a power that nobody else has. You have access to those children in a way that nobody else does. You're there at bedtime. You're there at breakfast. You're there when they're sick. You're there when they're scared. And in those moments, you have the opportunity to speak the Word of God into their hearts. Faith comes by hearing. And your children are hearing from you all day long. The question is: what are they hearing? Are they hearing you pray? Are they hearing you talk about Jesus — not in a forced, religious way, but in a natural, everyday way? Are they hearing you say, "Let's trust God with this" when the bills are tight? Are they hearing you say, "Let's pray about that" when a friend is hurting? I think about my own wife. And I'll tell y'all, she has done more for the faith of our children in those quiet, everyday moments than I could ever do from this pulpit. She's the one who reads the Bible with them. She's the one who answers the hard questions at the kitchen table. She's the one who says, "Let's go to God with this." Moms, your faith matters. Your hearing matters. Because when you hear the Word of God and let it dwell in you richly, it overflows into your home. And those little ears are soaking up every word. So here's my ask for the moms: Be in the Word, and let your home hear it. Read Scripture out loud. Pray out loud. Let your children see and hear your faith in action. Because faith comes by hearing, and your home is one of the most important places where that hearing happens. III. The Faith Required of the Church: Hearing Together Now, let me talk to all of us. Because this isn't just about dads and moms. This is about the church. We have to stick together, church. And one of the ways we stick together is by hearing the Word of God together. That's why we gather. That's why we sit in these seats on Sunday morning. That's why we open the Bible together. Because faith comes by hearing, and there's something that happens when we hear the Word of God as a body that doesn't happen when we hear it alone. I think about the early church in Acts. You remember what they did? They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. They were together. They were hearing together. They were growing together. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Church, we need each other. I need to hear the Word preached just like you do. I need to sit under the teaching of God's Word just like you do. And when we gather together and we hear the Word of God, something happens — our faith grows. Not because of the preacher, not because of the building, not because of the music — but because the Word of God is being spoken, and faith comes by hearing. But here's the thing — and I want to be real with y'all — we can sit in these seats every Sunday and still not hear. We can have our Bibles open and still not hear. We can sing the songs and still not hear. Because hearing isn't just about the ears. It's about the heart. It's about being open to what God wants to say to you. I ask you today, church — are you hearing? When you come to this place, are you expecting God to speak? When you open that Bible during the week, are you expecting to hear His voice? Because if we're just going through the motions, we're going to leave here the same way we came in. But if we come with open hearts, ready to hear — oh, church, that's when faith starts to grow. And when the church has faith — real faith, faith that comes from hearing the Word of God — we become unstoppable. Not because we're strong, but because God is strong in us. We become a light in this community. We become a family that people want to be part of. We become the hands and feet of Jesus in Rockwell and beyond. So here's my ask for the church: Show up and listen. Be here. Be present. Open your heart. Let the Word of God do its work in you. Because when we hear together, we grow together. And when we grow together, God does something amazing in us and through us. Gospel Connection Now, church, I want to make sure we don't miss the foundation of all this. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. And the heart of that Word — the center of everything — is the Gospel. It's the good news that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. It's the good news that you and I could never earn our way to God, but He made a way for us through His Son. It's the good news that Jesus went to that cross, shed His blood, was buried, and rose again on the third day — and He did it for you. Dads, that's the message you lead with. Moms, that's the message you nurture with. Church, that's the message we gather around. The Gospel isn't just something we heard once and moved on from. It's something we need to hear again and again and again. Because every time we hear it, our faith grows. Every time we hear it, we're reminded of who we are and whose we are. And if you're here today and you've never placed your faith in Jesus Christ — if you've heard the Word but you haven't responded to it — I want to give you that chance right now. Faith comes by hearing. And you've heard. The question is: what will you do with it? Conclusion So, let's go to the Lord in prayer. But before we do, I want to leave y'all with this: Faith isn't complicated. It starts by hearing. And it starts at home. Dads — open the Word. Lead by hearing. Moms — fill your home with the Word. Nurture by hearing. Church — gather and listen. Grow by hearing. It's that simple. And it's that important. Because when we hear the Word of God, something changes. In us. In our homes. In this church. In this community. What are we going to do? We're going to hear. We're going to listen. We're going to let the Word of God do its work. And we're going to trust that the faith He gives us is enough — because it is. It comes from Him, through His Word. Let's pray and close out our service this morning.

COUNT THE COST Big Idea: Following Jesus costs everything — but what you gain is worth more than anything you'll ever give up. Primary Text: LUKE 14:25-33 Luk 14:25  And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, Luk 14:26  If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Luk 14:28  For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Luk 14:29  Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Luk 14:30  Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Luk 14:31  Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Luk 14:32  Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. Luk 14:33  So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Context: Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem. Great crowds are following Him, caught up in the excitement. But Jesus turns and makes clear that following Him isn't a popularity contest — it demands everything. INTRODUCTION Church, think about the last big decision you made. Maybe it was buying a house, or taking a new job, or getting married. You sat down and counted the cost. You figured out what it would take. You made sure you were ready before you jumped in. But here's what I want y'all to hear this morning — following Jesus is the biggest decision you'll ever make. And Jesus never once tried to make it sound easy. He didn't sugarcoat it. He looked at the crowd and said, "Before you follow Me, count the cost." I ask you today — have you counted the cost of following Jesus? Or are you just riding the wave because it feels good on Sunday morning? MOVEMENT 1: LOVE ME MORE THAN ANYTHING LUKE 14:26 Key Verse: "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." The Point: Jesus demands first place — above every relationship, even your own life. Jesus isn't telling us to literally hate our families — that would contradict the whole of Scripture He's using strong language to make a strong point: your love for Him must be so supreme that every other love looks like hate by comparison Illustration: Think of it like this — when the doctor says, "You can only save one," you don't hate the other. But you've got to choose. Jesus is saying, "Am I your first choice?" "And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple" — bearing the cross means dying to self, picking up the life of sacrifice and surrender Application: Church, I ask you — is there a relationship, a habit, a dream that's sitting in the seat where Jesus belongs? If He's not first, He's not really Lord at all. MOVEMENT 2: COUNT THE COST BEFORE YOU BUILD LUKE 14:28 Key Verse: "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?" The Point: Real discipleship is deliberate — not impulsive, not half-hearted. Jesus gives two illustrations — a man building a tower and a king going to war The builder who lays a foundation and can't finish becomes a fool in the eyes of everyone who sees it The king with ten thousand troops doesn't march against twenty thousand without thinking it through Illustration: Folks, I've seen it too many times — somebody gets emotional at an altar, makes big promises, and by Wednesday they're right back where they were. Not because God failed them, but because they never sat down and counted the cost Application: Are you building something with your faith, or are you just stacking blocks that keep falling over? Following Jesus means counting the cost and committing for the long haul — not just when it's convenient MOVEMENT 3: GIVE UP EVERYTHING OR YOU CAN'T BE MY DISCIPLE LUKE 14:33 Key Verse: "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." The Point: Jesus isn't asking for a tip — He's asking for the deed to your whole life. "Cannot be my disciple" — that's not a suggestion, that's a condition He's not saying you have to sell everything and live in a cardboard box He's saying you have to hold everything with open hands — your stuff, your plans, your future — and say, "Lord, it's all Yours" Illustration: Think of a wedding — when you stand at that altar, you don't say, "I'll give you most of my heart" or "I'll be faithful most of the time." No. You give it all. That's what Jesus is asking for Application: Church, what are you holding back? What's the one thing you haven't surrendered? I'm telling you, until you lay it down, you'll never know the freedom of walking with Jesus fully THE GOSPEL CONNECTION Church, here's the good news — yes, following Jesus costs everything. But look at what He gave up for you. He left the glory of heaven. He took on flesh. He bore your sin on that cross. He gave His very life so you could have eternal life. You're not giving up your life to get nothing. You're giving up your broken, empty life to receive His abundant, eternal life. Jesus said in another place, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." The cost is real. But the reward? It's beyond anything this world could ever offer. APPLICATION — WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? If you've never surrendered your life to Jesus — today is the day. Don't walk away from this moment. Count the cost, and then step out in faith. He's worth it. If you're a believer holding something back — lay it down this morning. Whatever it is — a relationship, a secret sin, a plan you're clinging to — give it to Jesus. He's not trying to take something from you; He's trying to give you something better. If you're coasting in your faith — stop building a half-finished tower. Recommit. Get back in the Word. Get back in prayer. Get back in church. Count the cost and finish what you started. CLOSING I want y'all to hear me today. Jesus never said following Him would be easy. But He did say it would be worth it. Count the cost — and then follow Him with everything you've got. Suggested Next Step: This week, identify one area of your life you've been holding back from Jesus. Write it down. Pray over it. And surrender it to Him before next Sunday. So, let's go to the Lord in prayer.

Great to be back in the pulpit after taking a break due to health issues. We will be doing this series for the next 4-6 weeks. Enjoy and pray it is a blessing for you.