Highrock Church

Pastor Dave Swaim preaches on the phrase "In God, The Father Almighty" in the Apostles' Creed, using Romans 8:14-17. Part of the sermon series "Beyond Belief: The Promises of the Apostles' Creed."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Exodus 32:7-14: "After the people abandon God for a golden calf, God threatens to destroy the Israelites in anger. Moses pleads with God to not give up on Israel. What a reversal of roles! Moses is usually the one who threatens to abandon Israel out of anger and frustration. What is going on? Is God truly ready to destroy Israel, or is God demonstrating the first-ever use of "reverse psychology"?"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Exodus 32:1-6: "It is often said that money can become a god, promising to deliver us from all our problems. In a moment of anxiety about their future, the Israelites literally turn their money into a god — a golden calf. Then and now, people often prefer gods they can control rather than the living God who loves fiercely but can never be controlled."

Pastors John Mury and Taylor Burgoyne discuss Exodus 24:1-18 and 31:18: "After instructing the people verbally, God invites Moses and the elders to ascend the mountain to ratify and receive the written covenant - experiencing God's presence firsthand! The scene that follows serves not only as a formal acceptance of God's covenant but also as a model for community worship ever after. We respond to God's invitation to meet and to celebrate God's promises!"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Exodus 23:20-25: "As people read through the Bible, they often come across passages that are difficult to understand. Some of those texts also seem to portray God in a negative light that doesn't seem to match what we see of God elsewhere, especially in Jesus. Today's passage is one such passage and by exploring it together, perhaps we can find a way to navigate similar passages."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim explore Exodus 23:14-17: "Three times each year, the Israelites would be required to make a pilgrimage to the Temple. Each of these three festivals would celebrate one of the yearly harvests but would also commemorate a moment in the history of God's people - a different kind of harvest. Over a thousand years later, Jesus would invest each of those festivals with new significance and meaning as God's plan for the world."

Pastor Dave Swaim preaches on Hebrews 11:1-16 to kick off the new series, "Beyond Belief: The Promises of the Apostles' Creed."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Exodus 23:1-9: "As Moses continues to teach the people about God's instructions, he lays great emphasis on the importance of justice. Because God is holy, we are implored to both protect the weak and to ensure that justice is equally applied to all, without regard to wealth or status. In the end, such justice must be motivated by love and empathy."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Exodus 20:17: "We do not often talk of coveting but we are all familiar with the related ideas of jealousy, envy, and the fear of missing out. Why is it so vital to God that we guard against such things? Not only will such desires create divisions between us and our neighbors and us and God, but left unchecked, such desires can create a spirit of entitlement that robs us of all gratitude and joy."

John Mury and LeLe Hsu discuss Exodus 20:16: "There are so many scenarios in which it is tempting to believe that a lie is preferable to the truth. God instructs us to be truthful, especially when speaking about others. Lies can rip apart relationships and even whole communities. Jesus came to us full of grace and truth (John 1:14) and calls us to follow in his path."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim discuss Exodus 20:15: "Like the other instructions, the command to not steal hints at larger connections. Stealing devalues not only the thing stolen, but the person from whom it is taken, and even the person who steals. Perhaps even more importantly, stealing robs us of the opportunity to trust God and to learn to trust one another more deeply."

Pastor Walt Quick preaches on John 17:20-23 to conclude the sermon series, "Summer School: Praying with Purpose."

Pastor John Mury and Scott Rice discuss Exodus 20:14: "Just as the fifth command about murder is to be taken more broadly, likewise, the command to remain faithful to one another also has a broader application. God is a faithful God and it is vital that we learn and display that same kind of faithfulness to one another."

Pastors John Mury and Taylor Burgoyne discuss Exodus 20:13: "Are you in any danger of breaking this command? Jesus makes clear (Matthew 5:21-26) that this command addresses a whole range of actions and attitudes that harm those created in God's image, even when it does not result in physical death. There is not enough room in a heart to both love God and wish harm upon others."

Pastors John Mury and Michael Taber discuss Exodus 20:12: "After addressing how we might relate to God in the first four commands, God gives us thte first instruction about how to relate to other people. Specifically, God instructs us to honor our parents. Perhaps God starts with our parents because it is usually our parents who are our first and often most lasting picture of what God might be like."

Pastors John Mury and Taylor Burgoyne discuss Exodus 20:8-11: "You might think that a command to take a break from work would be the easiest command to follow, ever! Why did ancient Israel continually fail to accept this invitation to rest? Why do we? What are the consequences? God's command to rest is actually an invitation to trust and to enter into the very pattern of how God exists and relates to the world."

Pastors John Mury and Taylor Burgoyne explore Exodus 20:7: "Many might wonder why this command makes the top 3 on God's top ten list. It would be puzzling that God would be so concerned that we do not yell out "Jesus!" when stubbing our toes. Looking more closely at this command, it is clear that something has been lost in translation. Honoring God's name might start with changing our speech but it is much more about changing our lives and identity in far more meaningful ways."

Pastor John Mury preaches on the story of Samson (Judges 16:23-31) as part of our sermon series, "Summer School: Praying with Purpose."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim explore Exodus 20:4-6: "Having no false idols seems like a natural follow-up to the instruction to have no other gods—but why would God punish people to the "third and fourth generation?" As we explore this question, it is important to notice that while the negative consequences of sin and trauma might be passed down several generations, the blessings of God will be passed down to a thousand generations!"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim explore Exodus 20:1-3: "If you were to create a "Top Ten List" of rules for a good life, what would be the first item on your list? God starts with "You must not have any other god but me." Why start there? Is God petty, jealous, or needy? What deeper reason might God have to start with faithfulness and devotion to God alone?"

Pastors John Mury and Taylor Burgoyne explore Exodus 19:1-18, 16-25: "Coming to the foot of Mt. Sinai, the people prepare to meet with God. Before this encounter, the people are reminded of God's holiness and also of God's grace. Long before they could do anything for God, God acted graciously toward them. It's all about grace. This undeserved gift is always the foundation of our relationship with God!"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim explore Exodus 18:13-26: "Most of us intuitively feel that the more gifted and capable a person is, the less help they need. Moses' father-in-law Jethro helps him to see that his giftedness is actually a call to enlist more help, not less! We all need help, not only from God, but from one another. We all also have a role to play, whether we believe our gifts are great or small!"

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim explore Exodus 17:8-15: "In a battle, who has the most important role? In a spiritual battle, it is the people who remind us of our dependence upon God. Facing an assault from the Amalekite army, Moses lifts up the staff of God to remind the people of the Lord. Today, we must lift up the cross to continually proclaim that true victory is found only in Jesus."

Abby Rice preaches on Matthew 14: 22-23 as part of our sermon series, "Summer School: Praying with Purpose."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim explore Exodus 16:1-5;19-31: "After walking through the sea on dry land, the Israelites find themselves in the wilderness without food. God provides for them a pattern for nourishing their bodies and spirits, the practice of seeking daily bread. For them, it was manna in the desert. For us, it is nourishment through the bread of God's Word."

Pastors John Mury and Dave Swaim explore Exodus 14:5-31: "There's an old saying, "Better the devil you know than the devil you don't." In other words, it's sometimes more comfortable to stay in a miserable situation rather than risk the unknown possibilities of making a change. Caught between the deep sea and the armies of Pharaoh, the Israelites find themselves longing for the misery they left behind. What must God do for them to move from fear to faith?"

Pastors Taylor Burgoyne and Robert Bloodworth explore Exodus 12:1-7, 14, 29-42: "Today we read one of the most famous passages in all of Scripture, the story known as the Passover. It's a text filled with liberation hope, deep pain, and a crucial text for understanding who God is."

Pastors Taylor Burgoyne and Dave Swaim discuss Exodus 11:1-10: "In today's scripture, we read the warning of the final plague which will come to be known as Passover. We also explore the challenging theological questions posed by God hardening Pharoah's heart."

Pastors Taylor Burgoyne and Dave Swam explore Exodus 8:1-15: "In today's Devo we read the story of the plague of frogs (lots and lots of frogs), and we explore why there is more to the frogs than might first meet the eye. We also discuss why it is that Pharoah is willing and seemingly eager to make this own problem worse."

LeLe Hsu preaches on Matthew 11:25-27, as part of the series, "Summer School: Praying with Purpose."

Pastor Dave Swaim preaches on Matthew 6:7-8, as part of the series, "Summer School: Praying with Purpose."