The Rock Weekly – November 12, 2025

  • We Need Turkeys!  You can donate them to the church on Sunday or during the week (Mon-Thurs).
  • BEHOLD – Friday Night (11/14) Worship & Prayer with Kevin Johnson – 7pm in the Lighthouse Prayer Room

Go to www.therock.org/events for information on upcoming events

 

We Need Hupomoné to Persevere to the End!

“You need perseverance (hupomoné), so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised…Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and let us run with perseverance (hupomoné) the race that is set before us“.     Heb 10:36;12:1

Dear Rock Family,

Last week I started with 1 Thess 1:2-3 “…your work of FAITH, your labor of LOVE, and your endurance inspired by HOPE in our Lord Jesus Christ.”   And though Faith, Hope, and Love are the critical components to our walk with Christ on this earth, and according to 1Cor 13:13 the very three that will remain, the Bible also makes it clear that it is the perseverance…the patient endurance…the steadfastness that is absolutely necessary to accompany our faith, hope, and love so that we will stand firm all the way to the end! The root word for this in the Greek is:  Hupomoné.  It is used more than 30 times in the New Testament and the etymologically related verb form – Hupomenó is used more than 15 times and in almost every place it is connected to faith, hope, or love! 

In Luke 21 Jesus tells us about the end of the Age and reiterates the importance of hupomoné.  “And you will be hated by everyone because of My name. Yet not even a hair of your head will perish. By your patient endurance (hupomoné) you will gain your souls.”( Luke 21:17-19)  In the parallel scripture in Matthew 24, Jesus warns us, “Because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who perseveres (hupomenó) to the end will be saved.” (Matt 24:12)

Just last week, Pastor Marcus and Jaden ran a half marathon.  Pretty impressive!  But they didn’t just wake up the morning of the race and think, “Wouldn’t it be fun to run a half marathon this morning?” No, they went into training…intense, strict training, so that they would be prepared for the race and be able to run the race and not quit in the middle of it.  They needed to build the perseverance…the endurance…the hupomoné to run the race that was ‘set before them’.   By the way, they both completed the race with a great time!  Way to go guys! 😊

So how do we develop this hupomoné?  Glad you asked!  I wish we could just take the “perseverance pill” or say a few prayers and ‘walla’, now we have it.  But unfortunately, that is not how this works.  In the same way that training for a race requires much pain and suffering on the treadmill or on the track, there are trials, sufferings, troubles, and tribulations that we must face and the Bible tells us are the very things that will build our perseverance…our hupomoné…that is needed to complete the race the Lord has set before us! 

  • “… we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces hupomoné; and hupomoné produces character and character produces hope.”  Rom 5:3-4
  • “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you face trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces hupomoné. And let hupomoné have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing,” James 1:2-4

So in closing – in the words of Apostle Paul, “You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No lazy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.” (1 Cor 9:24-27 Message)

May we run with hupomoné the race set before us with our eyes fixed on Jesus!  I love you all and am praying for the perseverance The Rock family will need in this season.

Pastor Mike and your Rock staff

 

 

IMPORTANT SERVICE & WEEKLY INFORMATION:

WEDNESDAY NIGHT WORSHIP & PRAYER SERVICE  7:00pm * In-Person & On-Line *
Facebook Live:  https://www.facebook.com/rockchurchco
The Rock Online Livestream:  https://www.therock.org/live/

 

FOUNDATIONS CLASS – 6:00pm Wednesdays
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/99757846764?pwd=Tm8zQ0JQWk1xeHFBcEU5anNFN1l4dz09

 

YOUTH ~ ABIDE YOUTH (6th – 12th Grade) – WEDNESDAY NIGHT – 7:00pm
Invite a friend and come have a great time. If you have any questions, email jaden@therock.org

 

FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTION – 1st & 3rd Saturday of each Month
https://www.therock.org/foodbank/
Email Lindy@therock.org if you would like to volunteer or have questions.

 

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
          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  Here are some ways you can partner with The Rock 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.