Church on The Rock Homer

The Intentions of God | Bitterness Divides

“Hello darkness my old friend I’ve come to talk with you again”. How many of you remember "The Sounds of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel? We are showing our age on this one! Art Garfunkel (yes, that’s his real name) said, “the song is fundamentally about the inability to communicate and, consequently, the inability to genuinely love one another.” Joseph experienced his own “Sounds of Silence” and darkness, his old friend. Nearly killed, thrown in the pit, sold into slavery, tossed into prison, and then the “sound of silence” waiting 2 years for a former prisoner to remember him before Pharaoh. Can you imagine the level of frustration? I mean we get frustrated when someone doesn’t respond to our text right away. The nerve of some people! What was Joseph’s response to the “sound of silence” he endured? Hmmmm. It’s amazing how God had a plan and a purpose through it all to raise up one man, to save his own family and ultimately God’s people. Read Joseph’s story again in Genesis. I dare you! Bill Wilkinson

The Intentions of God - One Perfect Score

Have you ever run into a kid who needed some sense knocked into them? I’ll never forget the first time I realized that my child’s hubris was out of control. It's that moment when your infantile child looks at you and what you’re doing and tells you that they know how to do it better. That statement was so utterly preposterous that words could not be formed in my mouth. I looked at my child, smiled, and thought that in time, the pressures of this life will mellow you out, and then went back to chopping wood. When I read Joseph’s story, I think that boy needed a good slap upside the head. Sure, you had a dream, a prophetic dream, but you didn’t need to tell all your siblings how they were going to bow down to you. So God directed a plan to set Joseph up in power from a position of humility, and that plan looks like death, misery, and slavery, all options we would not choose, yet Joseph kept his eye on the prize, knowing and walking with God. This Sunday, we examine the life of Joseph as an exile in Egypt and how suffering bears fruit in our lives that is impossible to receive otherwise. If you would like to read ahead, refer to Genesis 39-41. Pastor Matt McCarter

The Intentions of God - God's Plan

In this message, we are going to jump into a three weeks series covering the life of one my favorite Biblical characters. We get to meet him as a teenager and my hope is that his story will encourage and inspire those who are in their teens and early twenties. But maybe not in the way you would expect... Our main character is Joseph, and he was definitely going to do great things. Right after some really terrible but necessary things. If you get a chance, read Genesis 37 and then buckle up. Pastor Dr. Aaron Weisser

Trust | Wrestling With Consequences

A couple of weeks ago, I was in the midst of our morning routine. Wake up, get dressed, breakfast, load up, choose the morning mix for our drive to school. Most of the time it’s kids' music on the way to school. After drop off, Dad does some reminiscing. I love going down the rabbit hole and finding old tunes and enjoying them again. Remember the classics Matchbox 20, Oasis, Weezer, Garth Brooks, Joe Diffie, MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, AC/DC, Jimmy Hendrix, CCR…etc. On this particular day, I had re-re-re discovered Brooks and Dunn, one of my favorites, just as I hit the cul-de-sac, I imagined myself singing karaoke. However, I was sitting in the driveway singing at the top of my lungs and rocking the truck as I did so. A couple of songs in, and I looked up to find my wife doubled over in the window, hysterically laughing at me. It's easy sometimes to get caught up in the moment and lose track of what is happening outside of our periphery. This weekend, we examine Jacob’s life and his marriages and how, in the midst of all his struggles, he is head down trying to make the most of it while being detached from the promises of God that are directing his life. Instead of wrestling so hard, he should have considered the larger story God was writing on his life and the generations around him. Read ahead. Take a look at Genesis 27 - 32. Pastor Matt McCarter

Trust | Everything For a Moment

This Sunday's teaching will focus on the life of Esau and the sobering reality of what happens when we allow our appetites to take the place of God. Esau’s story is more than a historical account; it’s a mirror. It reveals how easily we can trade what is eternal for what satisfies us in the moment. I’ll be exploring the concept of “irreversible moments”, those decisions that seem small in the moment but carry lasting spiritual consequences. The message will also contrast Esau’s response to his failure with the woman caught in adultery's response in John 8. While both were confronted with sin, their responses, and ultimately their outcomes, could not be more different. One reveals a heart that clings to appetite; the other, a heart that encounters grace and transformation. The aim of this message is deeply practical. I want to call people to examine themselves honestly before the Lord: Who is really on the throne of your heart? Are you trusting in your appetites, or are you trusting in God? Ultimately, this message ties into our series theme of Trust, challenging us to trust in what is eternal rather than being led by the impulses of the flesh. Joseph Collier