Rock Weekly Update – 9/15/21

All Eyes on Jesus

 

Good afternoon church family!

Mike and Kristi were able to get away for a little recharge this week in the mountains, so I, Marcus, will be writing the email. I encourage you to pray that the Lord meets them as they draw near to him as a couple. 

The phrase that the Lord has re-ignited in my heart over the last couple of weeks is “All eyes on Jesus”. I was so blessed by Leif’s sermon this Sunday, because that is one of the main aspects of Isaiah chapter 6. If you didn’t hear his sermon, I want to encourage you to go back and listen to it, but here is a brief summary. In the year the prideful King Uzziah died, Isaiah gets taken to the very throne room of heaven, and he actually sees King Jesus on his throne. He encounters the holiness of the Lord and repents for his lack of holiness. In this posture of repentance the Lord cleanses his lips, and he responds to the invitation of the Trinity to speak on their behalf to Israel, and then his ears are open to the very message God has for him to proclaim to the people. Seeing Jesus led to the sanctification and sending of a messenger of the Lord. 

This is exactly what the Lord wants for each one of us. As I have slowly been going through the book of Hebrews over the last couple of weeks, I have found this as a repetitive theme. Here are five verses you can pray into that have been encouraging me to set my eyes on Jesus and a brief commentary on each for context. 

  1.  [Heb 2:1 ESV]  Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 
    1. When we pay close attention to the testimony of Jesus, we are protected from drifting away and neglecting our great salvation. 
  2. [Heb 2:9 ESV]  But we see him (Jesus) who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 
    1. Creation is being restored to be ruled by man as God’s ambassadors. We don’t see the fullness of this now, but we see Jesus, who has tasted that death that was ours so as to save us from eternal death, and restore us to the glory and honor for which God has created for us. 
  3. [Heb 3:1 ESV] Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 
    1. We have been made holy by his blood and given a calling and purpose that comes straight from heaven. Consider the one who was sent to cleanse you and give you that calling and cling to him as your great advocate and intercessor at the right hand of the Father. 
  4. [Heb 9:28 KJV]  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 
    1. At Jesus’s first coming he dealt with sin by offering himself as the perfect sacrifice so that we could be accepted before a holy God. Those who have experienced this wonderful gift are now to look to him and expect his return where he will bring his kingdom and usher in the fullness of our salvation. 
  5. [Heb 12:2 ESV]  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 
    1. We run the race God has given us in this life and receive strength for endurance as we look to Jesus. He is the one who perfectly set his eyes on his father as a man, and will strengthen us as we set our eyes on him. 

 

I encourage you to set your eyes on the King and let him continue to sanctify you and send you out to be a messenger of his glory in your sphere of influence.

 

 

 

IMPORTANT SERVICE & WEEKLY INFORMATION:

WEDNESDAY NIGHT SERVICE (9/15)  6:45pm * In-Person & On-Line

Facebook Live:  https://www.facebook.com/rockchurchco
The Rock Online Livestream:  https://www.therock.org/live/

 

YOUTH ~BASE CAMP (6th – 12th Grade) – WEDNESDAY NIGHT  – 7:00pm

Join us in the Student Auditorium!  Contact Pastor Kristi at kristi@therock.org with any questions.

 

1st Thursday of the Month (10/7) Hot Meals & Saturday Morning (9/18) Food Bank Distribution

https://www.therock.org/foodbank/

Email Lindy@therock.org if you have any questions or would like to volunteer.

 

SUNDAY MORNING PRE-SERVICE PRAYER  8:15-9:15am – *In-Person & On-line*

ZOOM Direct Video Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85340164797?pwd=V0lmWFRRL0R6Tm56QTdRUHNoMWI3QT09

ZOOM Meeting ID: 853 4016 4797

Passcode: 1   (NOTE: The Passcode was added for security,

              but is not needed if you click on the ZOOM link above.)
              ZOOM Phone Option +12532158782,,85340164797#

 

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE 9:45am  *In-Person & On-line*

Facebook Live:  https://www.facebook.com/rockchurchco
The Rock Online Livestream:  https://www.therock.org/live/

 

 

OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE  If you would like to give to The Rock, here are some convenient ways you can partner with us as you practice generosity – our regular tithe/giving, compassion help, missions, and our food bank.  Click on the following link or graphic.  www.therock.org/give

Have a Question, Need Prayer, Help, Feel Alone, or Disconnected?
Please email us at family@therock.org and put QUESTION, PRAYER, NEED HELP, or CONNECT ME at the top of your email.