The Rock Church of Fenton Sermons

Scripture teaches how to recognize the upright person and the fool. They are known by their teachability, reactions, mouth, and relationships. The upright is always able to learn, rule his spirit, speak life-giving words, and have a good name among all. The fool will demonstrate the opposite. Are you an upright person or a fool? Jesus can make anyone a new creation by repenting of sin and believing in Him for salvation.

The Word of God describes the diligent and the sluggard. Their stewardship tells the truth of their lives for better or worse. Their character is the reputation attached to their name. They reap what they sow. The fruit of diligence is brought about by the Holy Spirit. A sluggard can be made a new creation by a miracle from the Lord Jesus. Are you diligent or a sluggard?

Proverbs tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Without a genuine fear of God, it is impossible to gain true wisdom. The fear of the Lord brings about a hatred of evil. To entertain evil without shame proves no fear of God in a person. The fear of the Lord brings blessing. The blessing of true happiness, the abundant life, and peaceful sleep. These cannot be found anywhere outside of having a fear of the Lord that leads to life. Do you truly fear the Lord?

When the 7th angel sounded the trumpet, voices in heaven declared the the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord. The kingdom is a proclamation that this world polluted by the power of evil will be soundly defeated. The kingdom is a victory. Though the nations are enraged at God, all will pay homage to the Son. The kingdom is a reward. The heavy cost that followers of Jesus have paid in this life will one day be rewarded eternally in the life to come. Are you a citizen of that kingdom?

When Jesus told the parable of the treasure and the pearl, He was teaching the heart of total surrender that all true believers must have to inherit the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom is discovered by all people at some point in their lives. The kingdom has a great cost to all who will receive it. Every soul must make a choice as to what they will do with the kingdom. What will be your choice?

Having lost his family and been driven into the land of Lo-Debar, Mephibosheth receives an invitation from the King requesting his presence. Upon arrival, Mephibosheth bows in fear and pronounces himself a dead dog in the sight of the King. To his shocking surprise, the King declares that Mephibosheth will now be brought into the palace and treated as one of the King’s sons. Likewise, broken in our sin and alienated from God, the gospel call goes out announcing that a way has been made for our salvation. Like Mephibosheth, we only need to respond by faith to receive it, as the work has already been done on our behalf.

Jesus tells a story of a powerful man who sent out invitations for a grand banquet. When the announcement was given that everything was ready, the invited guests began to make excuses as they refused to come. The host then extends the invitation to the poor, crippled, blind, and lame, as well as the lowest dregs of society, among the highways and hedges. This second group takes the place of the first. Many have refused the invitation to the Kingdom of God and made excuses as to why they will not come. God’s grace extends to the farthest reaches of humanity, no matter their past or the unspeakable description of their sin. We are granted entry into the kingdom, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but rather by His mercy. Will you accept the invitation and come by faith?

When the 4 angels were released at the Euphrates River, a hellish horde burst upon the world. They brought judgment by way of fire, smoke, and brimstone to the wicked. The Euphrates holds deep history in that sin began at its headwaters when the first humans disobeyed God. The Euphrates reveals that man has not merely neglected his Maker, but devoted himself to demon worship. The Euphrates demands a decision: turn from sin and be saved, or remain under judgment. Those affected by the affliction from the Euphrates refused to repent. What will you decide?

At the sound of the fifth trumpet, an angel was given the key to the bottomless pit known as the abyss. The abyss is a prison for a group of fallen angels who sinned against God in acts of gross immorality. The creatures from the abyss will be released as a judgment upon the earth. They will be permitted to torment people for 5 months; however, they will not touch anyone having the seal of God upon their forehead. The Bible says that the Lord knows those who belong to Him and He places His seal upon them. This can only be received by repenting of sin and confessing Jesus as Lord. Are you protected by the seal of God now?

When the angels blew the trumpets, God’s judgment continued to intensify upon the earth. God demonstrates that He is Lord of all creation. Creation is a message that demands a response as well as means of judgment upon the wicked. God does not change. The nature of the plagues brought about at the end of the age are strikingly similar to what God has done before. God shows that He is slow to anger in that He destroyed a third of things but not yet the whole. Many people have been afforded God’s patient mercy. What will you ultimately decide while there is time?

Every person is searching for what they believe is the good life, whether that means money, success, family, good health, or security. People often find themselves pursuing happiness, striving for what they consider the “good life.” When Jesus came into the world fully man and fully God, the crowds gathered from all directions to hear Him. When Jesus spoke, He delivered a message that was both counter-cultural and paradoxical, challenging every common notion of happiness and fulfillment. According to Jesus, the good life is one devoted to following Him—a life that recognizes its need for rescue and surrenders to Jesus as the sole ruler of the heart. The result of a life fully surrendered to Him is a series of proclamations and attitudes known as the Beatitudes.

In the interval between the opening of the 6th and 7th seals, Revelation reminds us that not one word has failed of God’s good promise. The Lord shows us that He has kept His promise to restore Israel to the kingdom, bring salvation to all nations, and answer the prayers of the saints. The questions of the previous seals about justice and salvation have been answered, and now 7 angels arise with trumpets to bring judgment upon the Earth. Have you been sealed by the Holy Spirit, having believed in the gospel of Jesus?

When the 6th seal was opened, heaven and earth were shaken. This shaking of the cosmos removed all stability from mankind as it became a universal terror, heralding the arrival of the Lamb and His wrath upon the earth. The question was asked, “Who is able to stand?” This question echoes to the souls of mankind now. Only those who have been cleansed and made new are able to stand before the holiness of God. Are you able to stand?

When the Lamb broke the 5th seal, John saw the souls of the martyrs under the altar. They asked the Lord how long it would be until He would avenge their blood on the earth. The martyrs are with God being absent from their bodies, yet present with the Lord. Believers will receive a body without decay at the return of Jesus. The martyrs choose death over denial. Many will continue to fall away under threat of affliction rather than maintain their witness. The martyrs are promised justice. They are given robes and told to wait a while longer. God will eventually bring about judgment upon the earth for all who do not know God and do not obey the gospel. Have you believed in Jesus and do you hold fast to the Word of God and the testimony of salvation? 

When the Lamb opened the first 4 seals, horses with riders were given authority to bring judgment upon the Earth. The riders will bring temporary peace, violence and war, poverty and famine, and Death and Hades. All of the false gods and systems of comfort will be eroded in devastating fashion by the 4 horsemen. Only in Jesus can one have lasting peace, an immovable foundation, and life everlasting. Have you come to know Him? Or will you face the wrath of the coming horsemen?

When John saw the vision of the throne room, a scroll was in the hand of the One who sat on the throne. The voice of the strong angel asked, who was worthy to break the seals, and open the scroll. When no one in all of creation was found, John began to weep. A voice in heaven told John to stop weeping, for the Lion of the tribe of Judah has been found worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. The scroll is a symbol of both hope and terror. The scroll will reveal the true King. The scroll will start the song of all creation. Do you belong to the One Who is worthy to open the scroll?

When Elisha the prophet and several men were cutting down trees, one of the workers lost a borrowed axe head into the water below. Expressing great distress for losing a borrowed axe, Elisha asked for the location of where it fell. He threw a stick in the water and made the iron miraculously float to the surface to be recovered. This episode reminds us that life is filled with small problems that can be overwhelming at times. We are permitted to take the small things to God as much as the large issues of life. When we take the small things to the Lord, He is glorified in meeting our daily needs. Many are walking through life heavily burdened by not casting their cares upon the Lord. Do you know and trust the Lord today for the big and the small?2 KINGS 6:1-52 KINGS 6:52 KINGS 6:6-7

We all feel far away from God sometimes. We wonder if something is wrong with us, or if God has truly forsaken us. What we need to understand is that feeling far away from God is part of following God. Not only is this normal, it is necessary to grow into the men and women God desires us to be.

Before beginning his earthly ministry, Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the adversary. This enemy, the same one faced by believers today, sought to tempt him in every conceivable way. Jesus endured these trials as a human, demonstrating the path to victory in spiritual warfare.He fought not with divine power but with the same spiritual resources available to Christ followers: the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. Because Jesus was tempted just as we are, yet remained without sin, he became a compassionate High Priest who understands our vulnerabilities and sympathizes with us in our moments of need.

When Judah discovered they had been ambushed, they cried to the Lord. The Bible calls us to plead to the Lord in our distress, as He knows the troubles of our souls. Judah shouted a war cry, acknowledging the fight and intending to engage. Some shout a war cry, but it is empty of power as they never accompany it with action. When they shouted a true war cry, God routed their enemies. The Lord meets those who trust in Him on the battlefield. Our enemies are routed by His power, not our own. Have you truly trusted in the Lord Jesus for salvation and power? Or have you only uttered an empty war cry?

When Rahab the harlot heard about the power of God, she showed kindness to the spies hiding in her midst. Everyone has a reaction to hearing about God; some will hear of Him with joy, others will gnash their teeth at the message. Rahab confessed the Lord and showed immediate fruit of change by helping the spies escape. Her home was marked by a scarlet cord in the window to identify her house when the city would be overthrown. The life of every believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit. When God’s judgment is poured upon the earth, only those with the seal of God will be spared. Does your life bear this seal?

Having been bothered in his spirit, Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, approached Jesus at night. Though steeped in tradition, God was able to reach his heart, demonstrating that God can reach anyone. The man from Arimathea, a prominent member of the council, did not consent to the plan of the Pharisees to crucify Jesus. Gathering courage, he made himself known. Paul of Tarsus, a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee, was able to speak with great credibility to his former colleagues. God can reach anyone and give them the courage to allow their story to be used for His glory. Have you given your story to the Lord for His use? 

Jesus described the Pharisees as having a hardness of heart. They were hard-hearted to the gospel message. Prophets, wise men and scribes were all sent to them, and instead of responding in faith, they killed, crucified, scourged and persecuted them. They were hard-hearted to their own sin. The pride of their heart had deceived them into believing they could trust in themselves for righteousness, rather than having anything to repent of. They were hard-hearted toward the lost. They were repulsed by sinners and criticized those who showed compassion to them. Is your heart receptive to the gospel? Do you show mercy to sinners with a genuine hope for their salvation?

When Jesus addressed the religious leaders of His day, known as the Pharisees, He used jarring descriptions of their hypocrisy. He said that Pharisees served only to be seen. Pharisees used God as leverage to manipulate people to their preferences. Most alarming of all, Jesus said that Pharisees do not know God. Are you a Pharisee or a genuine follower of Jesus?

Jesus told a story of a rich man and a poor man. Both of them died. Both of their spirits entered eternity. In the afterlife, they had a memory. Their place in eternity was inescapably fixed. They believed the truth as everyone will know after death. When one man pleaded for his family to be warned, he was told they have Moses and the Prophets and must hear them. Like these two men, we all will face death and our spirit pass into eternity where our fate will be fixed. What response have we had to Moses and Prophets in this life?

The Word of God is inspired. God called men to write it down as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Inspiration is validated in the heart of man, prophetic history and scientific accuracy. The Word of God is alive as it cuts to the heart of man, purifies his soul and shatters his hard heart. The Word of God is eternal. Jesus said the Heaven and Earth will pass away, but His Words will never pass away. The Word of God is about Jesus. Moses and prophets were all speaking things concerning Jesus. When we behold the Word of God, we will be led to Jesus. Have you surrendered your heart to Jesus by faith?

Fearing that there would be no future offspring for their family, Lot’s daughters devise an unspeakable plan. Getting their father drunk with wine, they each become pregnant with his child. This disturbing turn of events shows us how crisis reveals character. We also see that we reap what we sow as Lot becomes the horrifying thing he once suggested of others. Amid all of the sin and darkness, God still chooses to use his family for His glory. God can use our worst. Have you turned your life over to Jesus to be miraculously made new?

Having received a promise from God that the righteous would not be swept away with the wicked, Abraham looks down upon Sodom and Gomorrah as the smoke of judgment rises into the air. Seeing that the Lord rescued Lot & destroyed the wicked, Abraham sees that God is fair, kind, and severe. The Lord will one day distinguish between the righteous and the wicked. His kindness and tolerance continue to lead many to repentance. His severity will meet the many who reject Him when they stand at the judgment. Have you been made righteous by the blood of Jesus?

The angels warned Lot and his family of the coming destruction. As Lot hesitated, the angels took his hand and the hands of his wife and daughters and ushered them outside of the city. Lot and his family were warned to escape to the mountains and not look back lest they get swept away in the judgment. The coming of the Son of Man will be the same. To escape judgment, a person must believe that there is one, not trust in earthly comfort and make a choice and never look back. Have you made a choice to turn from the world and follow Jesus? GENESIS 19:15-22GENESIS 19:17LUKE 12:19-20GENESIS 19:23-26LUKE 17:28-33

When the men of Sodom surrounded Lot’s home and demanded his guests, Lot made a horrific offer. While he was a success in society, he proved to be a failure at home. The men of the city declined and attempted to forcibly take Lot’s guests. Angels reached out and rescued Lot, who belonged to the Lord by faith. When Lot warned his soon to be sons in law of the coming judgment, they laughed in his face. Like many who earnestly try to speak truth to those they, Lot was laughed at for the truth. Do you belong to God by faith in Jesus? Are you living a life that truly honors Him?

When two angels came to rescue Lot and bring judgment to Sodom & Gomorrah, the men of the city thought they were merely strangers passing through. Inflamed with sinful lust, the men of the city surrounded Lot’s home and demanded the visiting strangers. Lot pleads with them to not act wickedly. Along with many other sexual sins, God forbids homosexuality. Homosexuality is an abomination, a failed purpose and it is forgivable. Whether your battle is with homosexuality or you’re seeking hope for someone else, Jesus is able to make all who call upon Him a new creation.GENESIS 19:1-7LEVITICUS 18:6LEVITICUS 18:20-23ROMANS 1:26-28EPHESIANS 5:28-321 CORINTHIANS 6:9-11ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:PROVERBS 5HEBREWS 13:41 CORINTHIANS 7TITUS 3:3-6LEVITICUS 20:13JUDE 1:7MALACHI 2:14SONG OF SOLOMONGENESIS 2:25GENESIS 1:28GENESIS 4:1ACTS 22:16

Abram and Lot, having achieved great prosperity, found it impossible to live near one another peacefully. Lot, lured in by the well-watered plains and the sophisticated cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, chose to make them his home. What outwardly resembled the Garden of Eden would ultimately lead to ruin. The Bible warns that bad company corrupts good morals. While we are called to share the hope of Jesus with those who are lost, we must be careful in how closely we align ourselves with darkness. Where have you chosen to settle your soul?

In the book of Philippians, Paul calls believers to press on toward the goal. We have been rescued from sin and are set free from all sin and shame, yet we have not been perfected. The Lord gives us new mercy for each day to throw off the past and walk in freedom, righteousness and His good works until the day when we will be made perfect, fully conformed to His image.Philippians 3:12-14

The Lord has saved us by His grace and made us His ambassadors. An ambassador serves as a faithful representative of the one by whom he is sent. An ambassador for Christ is not of this world. Believers have received a new heart, mind and citizenship. An ambassador for Christ is submitted to Jesus. Many seek to have Jesus as a sponsor for their own interests while refusing Him as their Lord. An ambassador for Christ has one message. When our own agenda is attached to the gospel, it ceases to be the pure and true gospel. The message of Jesus is relevant and true to people from every nation, tribe and tongue for all time. Are you an ambassador for Christ?

Throughout history, numerous events have shaped our world, but none have had a more profound impact than the first coming of Jesus Christ. When Jesus entered our world, He triumphed over sin and death, offering eternal life to all who embrace Him as their Lord and Savior through faith. Before His glorious ascension to the Father, He made a powerful promise: He will return one day to gather His followers. This return will be marked by divine judgment for those who rejected Him, and Jesus warns us that His arrival will be at an unexpected hour. This urgency compels us to prepare ourselves for His coming. In this message titled “Be Alert,” we will dive into what it means to be ready for the second coming of Jesus.

The great Samson played with fire as he continued to subject himself to a people given to idolatry, pride, greed, and immorality. Like many, he believed he could maintain control as he refused to flee from temptation. Having become exhausted by the relentless assault, he finally surrendered the source of his great power. When his enemies came for him, his power had been removed by the Lord. They overcame him, gouged out his eyes and chained him in the prison. Many today have eaten the fruit of their own devices and found themselves chained in misery. However, it was in the prison that Samson began to humble himself and once again return to the true God. Maybe you have drifted far from the Lord, and the time has come to once again call upon His great Name. 

John the Baptist served as a herald for Jesus, emerging from the wilderness to boldly call people to repent of sin and embrace the true light. His message convicted powerful individuals who preferred darkness to light, leading to his imprisonment. In his shaken state, John sent a message to Jesus, asking if He was the Expected One or if they should await another. Jesus responded by highlighting His miraculous power at work in people's lives and blessing those who would not be offended by Him. Are you, in your current struggles, offended by God? Will you choose to trust and find peace in who He is, even if He hasn't answered your prayers with a "yes"JOHN 1:6-8MATTHEW 11:1-3MATTHEW 11:4-6JOHN 20:25-31ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:LUKE 1:17ISAIAH 40:3MATTHEW 5:16JOHN 3:20DANIEL 3:17-18MARK 6:27-28

Despite repeated imprisonment by a government hostile to the gospel, Paul refused to give in to discouragement. He persisted in prayer, praised God's name, and continued to preach the gospel. Many tend to forget God in times of trouble, but God promises to hear our cries in distress, remaining the same yesterday, today, and forever. When we praise the Lord, we are brought into the helpfulness of His presence. Our time of imprisonment can become an opportunity to preach the gospel, just as Paul did in his own prison. Are you using your difficult times to grow in the Lord and strengthen your witness, or are you wasting them?ACTS 16:23-26ACTS 16:25HABAKKUK 3:17-18ACTS 16:30-31ACTS 24:24ACTS 26:28-29

Having been separated from his slave owner and eventually put into prison, Onesimus encountered Paul, a believer in Jesus. During the course of his time in prison, Onesimus comes to faith in Jesus, thus becoming an entirely different man. Paul writes a letter to his slave owner and asks Onesimus to deliver it himself upon his release. Paul declares that Onesimus is now a follower of Jesus with a new heart, direction, and standing before God and man. Paul asks his slave owner to accept him back, not as a slave but as a brother. If you are in a prison cell of some kind today, will you consider that the Lord may use it to transform your life and eternity?PHILEMON 1:10-18PHILEMON 1:11-12PHILEMON 1:12PHILEMON 1:15-18ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:EPHESIANS 2:3COLOSSIANS 1:21EZEKIAL 36:26EPHESIANS 4:22-23EPHESIANS 2:12-13EPHESIANS 5:81 PETER 2:101 PETER 2:25

Despite betrayal and enslavement by his brothers, Joseph maintained unwavering faithfulness amidst suffering. He served his master diligently, earning favor. When confronted with temptation, Joseph clung to righteousness, not for earthly gain, but out of devotion to the Lord. Even when he possessed the power to seek revenge for the wrongs committed against him, Joseph chose to extend mercy and grace instead. In your current circumstances, whatever they may be, is God worthy of your faithfulness? GENESIS 39:1-6JOB 2:7-10GENESIS 39:7-10, 19-20GENESIS 50:15-21ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:1 PETER 2:21, 23HEBREWS 4:15EPHESIANS 1:131 SAMUEL 24:6ROMANS 12:19PROVERBS 24:17-18

Peter's powerful testimony for Jesus led to his imprisonment. While faithfulness often encounters resistance, believers can find encouragement in sharing the sufferings of Christ and our global brethren. Despite being chained in prison, Peter experienced profound peace, sleeping soundly—a peace unlike any the world offers. The Lord intervened, sending an angel to awaken and free him. God sees us in our own "prisons" and possesses all the power needed to break our chains. Are you resting in God's peace today?SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:ACTS 12:1-6ACTS 5:17-25ACTS 12:6ACTS 12:7-11

The Bible promises joy for all who know the Lord. The joy that anchors the soul is given by God to those who put their faith in Jesus for salvation. There is no other source of true joy. The joy that God gives is an eternal joy, unmoved by trial or storm and without end. True joy is a light and a witness in the life of the believer. Do you have true joy?PSALM 5:1-3, 11-12ISAIAH 35:8-102 CORINTHIANS 8:1-2

To know God is to stand in awe of Him. His knowledge, wisdom, judgments, and ways far surpass our human comprehension. God has made Himself knowable through His creation, His Word, and ultimately, through His Son Jesus. Do you know God through Jesus Christ? Do you know Him well enough to stand in awe of Him? Romans 11:33-36

Every person has either hurt someone in their life or has been hurt by someone. For true reconciliation to occur, we must look to the example Christ set on the cross, exemplifying forgiveness and humility. In the parable of the two sons, the younger son greatly disrespects his father and runs off into reckless living. Even though this is a great offence, it ends in a great reconciliation because of true repentance and forgiveness.Verses:Luke 15:11-32Luke 15:17-19Proverbs 21:2Luke 15:20-24Matthew 5:38Matthew 5:39-41Ephesians 4:31-32