The Rock Family Sermon of the Week

Pastor Rusty Nelson delivers a powerful message about understanding our spiritual position as believers seated with Christ in heavenly places, and how this perspective enables us to believe for the impossible. Where we sit determines what we see and ultimately who we become.• Four seats that determine our spiritual perspective: the seat of the scornful, the seat of honor and influence, the seat of intimacy, and the seat of Christ• The phrase "but God" marks God's divine interruption in our hopeless spiritual condition• Being seated with Christ represents our union with Him, our authority and identity, and our rest and security• Believing brings rest, not striving - we enter His rest when we truly believe• From the seat of victory, we see problems differently - fear gets smaller and God's purpose becomes clearer• Our authority over spiritual forces comes from our position in Christ, not our own strength• The "already" nature of God - He has already blessed us with everything pertaining to life and godliness• Changing your seat changes your sight - when seated with Christ, we respond from faith rather than react from fearCome join us as we believe together for the impossible through the one who makes all things possible. Take your rightful place seated with Christ in heavenly places and see your circumstances from His perspective.

When Jesus looked at crowds, He saw people who were "helpless and harassed" and responded by sending disciples to preach the kingdom and heal the sick – this powerful pattern shows us how to respond to brokenness today.• The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus came to give abundant life now, not just in eternity• We often normalize the work of the enemy (fear, addiction, chronic pain, mental torment) when we should be confronting it• Jeremiah's story teaches us that God asks us to do things that don't make sense as a sign of hope• Even when executing judgment, God is already working on His plan for restoration• As a covenant God, He has promised to remain faithful as long as the sun rises and moon shines• When we call to God in difficult circumstances, He promises to show us "great and hidden things"• God delights in us before we know how to love Him backWill you buy the field? Will you be willing to do what doesn't make sense as a sign of hope that God has a plan?

Pastor Scott continues in our series "Believing For The Impossible",  challenging us to identify our personal responsibility to the harvest and to stop hiding behind excuses that prevent us from being effective witnesses for Christ.• God doesn't need our help with generating a harvest - the problem is finding laborers willing to work• When Jesus told disciples to pray for laborers, He was preparing to commission them as those laborers• Being "Christian at work" isn't enough if we never speak about the gospel due to fear of rejection• William Carey revolutionized missions by challenging the passive belief that "if God wants to save people, He'll do it without us"• The Holy Spirit empowers believers specifically to be witnesses, not just for personal spiritual experiences• Our commissioning progresses from local to global impact as we mature in faith and obedience• God strategically positions His people like dealing new hands from the same deck of cards - same people, different assignments• Complaining about others not meeting expectations reveals our hearts are set on pleasing people rather than God• True compassion for the lost, not just desire for converts, should motivate our evangelism efforts• We must overcome our humanity through faith and accept the impossibility of doing God's work in our own strengthIf you've grown complacent in your witness, recommit today to being empowered by the Holy Spirit to share the good news without excuses or fear.

Pastor Britt kicks off our new series, "Believing For The Impossible," reminding us that Jesus challenges us to move spiritual truth from head knowledge to heart transformation, confronting areas where we've held back from full surrender.• Salvation is FOR me – the rescue operation where Christ's sacrifice addresses our sin and offers forgiveness• Salvation is IN me – Jesus actively heals our deception and breaks the power of darkness• Salvation is THROUGH me – God's kingdom power flows through our surrendered lives• The rich young ruler couldn't release his grip on possessions, preventing him from experiencing God's kingdom• We all have "contested ground" where we're still battling for control instead of surrendering to Jesus' lordship• Jesus is stronger than any darkness, deception, or stronghold in our lives• Every act of enemy-love and sacrificial giving allows kingdom power to flow through us• We must decide: will we participate in God's cosmic victory or hold onto our own way?Will you allow the Holy Spirit to show you the contested ground in your heart today? Surrender those areas completely to Jesus's lordship and watch His power transform you and flow through you.

Pastor Scott Silcox unpacks John's unique resurrection account, revealing how Christ as the Gardener restores what was lost in Eden and calls each of us by name in our own garden seasons.• Seeing John's gospel as an intentional theological framework rather than just chronology• Understanding how John connects the creation narrative to Christ's resurrection• Recognizing the three different reactions at the empty tomb—Peter's shame, John's belief, Mary's seeking• Appreciating how Mary's "mistaken" identification of Jesus as the gardener reveals his true identity• Experiencing the power of personal recognition when Jesus calls Mary by name• Tracing John's artistic connections between the garden of Eden and the garden tomb• Finding hope in Christ as the one who breathes new life into defeated, frustrated disciples• Embracing the invitation to let the Gardener tend to our lives

Jesus was brokenhearted over what sin had done to his creation and how Jerusalem would miss their chance for true peace.• Palm Sunday represented Jesus coming as the king of peace, riding on a donkey instead of a conquering stallion• The word "Hosanna" means both "save us" and celebrates that salvation has come• Our tears matter deeply to God – Psalm 56:8 says He collects them in a bottle and records them in His book• Jesus offers prayers with "loud cries and tears" (Hebrews 5:7) as our high priest who understands our weaknesses• God wrapped himself in flesh so the unholy could touch the holy and be transformed• When we see sin against the backdrop of God's holiness, we understand true repentance• Godly sorrow leads to salvation while worldly sorrow leads to death

Pastor Scott explores Jesus' pivotal moment in Gethsemane where three prayer requests reveal the foundation of our salvation and provide a blueprint for our own spiritual lives.• The name Gethsemane means "oil press," symbolizing how Jesus was pressed three times to produce our salvation, healing, and cleansing• "Remain here" is Jesus' call to proximity - our effectiveness comes from being close to Him, not just doing things for Him• "Watch with me" is the call to spiritual alertness - waking up to what God is doing rather than sleepwalking through faith• "Pray that you may not enter into temptation" teaches us that prayer is not just communication but formation of inner strength• The disciples' failure to pray with Jesus foreshadowed their inability to stand firm when tested later• The three pressings of oil extraction parallel Jesus' three prayers and the three blessings we receive: sacred anointing, healing, and cleansing• Jesus demonstrated true surrender by saying "not my will, but yours" - the victory was won in the garden before the crossJoin us next week as Pastor Rusty brings the Palm Sunday message as we continue our journey toward Easter.

We explore the profound concept of the "desert garden" and discover how wilderness seasons can become transformative spaces when we change our perspective. Navigating difficult times requires understanding God's intentional work in seemingly barren places.• The tabernacle represents a reconstructed Eden in the desert, showing God's desire to dwell among His people even in wilderness seasons• God's ultimate desire is to be with us—the cross was about giving us access to the Father• Desert seasons aren't meant to destroy us but to develop strength, character and capacity for what's ahead• What appears dormant may actually be life waiting just beneath the surface for "one rain away" from breakthrough• The desert can provide the clearest view of God when we remove distractions and gain proper perspective• Resistance builds strength—what feels like opposition may actually be developing necessary capacity• We can choose to see difficult seasons as formation grounds rather than punishmentInstead of praying to escape your desert season, ask God to reveal Himself within it. Your breakthrough might be just one rain away.