Highrock Church

In this flashback to July 1, 2021, Paul chooses to suffer in order to protect others. Romans citizens could not be beaten without first receiving a trial. Non-citizens received no such protections. Paul and Silas had not only been beaten, but stripped naked to humiliate them -- but Paul and Silas were Roman citizens! Why did they not bring up this fact BEFORE being stripped and bloodied?! Apparent...

As Paul begins a new missionary journey, he invites Timothy to join him in the work of spreading the gospel. Together with Silas, they travel through various regions, strengthening the churches and sharing the decisions made by the Jerusalem council. Along the way, the Holy Spirit prevents them from going to certain places, directing them instead toward Macedonia through a vision given to Paul. Re...

After reaching a decision regarding Gentile believers, the apostles and elders send a letter to the churches along with trusted leaders to communicate their conclusions. Later, Paul suggests revisiting the churches they had previously planted, but a sharp disagreement arises between Paul and Barnabas over whether to take John Mark with them. Unable to agree, they separate and form two ministry tea...

As more Gentiles come to faith in Jesus, a serious disagreement arises in the church. Some believers insist that Gentiles must follow the Jewish law to be saved. After several apostles share their testimony about the Holy Spirit's acceptance of these Gentiles, the leaders conclude that Gentile believers should not be burdened with additional requirements. Salvation comes from Jesus, not our nation...

While in Lystra, Paul heals a man who has been unable to walk since birth. The crowd is amazed and mistakenly concludes that Paul and Barnabas are gods who have come down in human form. Paul and Barnabas urgently reject this praise, directing the people instead to the living God who created all things and provides for their needs. Soon, however, opposition arrives from other cities, and the same c...

Most of us aren't trying to deceive people; we're just trying to protect ourselves. But what if the masks that make us feel safe are also keeping us from the kind of community we're longing for? · · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons 👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals

In this flashback to June 10, 2021, we see Herod Agrippa being treated like a god by those who sought his favor. Unlike a god, Herod was undeserving and quickly discovered just how mortal he was. Are we so different from Herod? While we might not seek worship, do we seek undue credit for what God does in and through us? Like Moses, do we conceal the diminishing glory that is sometimes visible in o...

After Cornelius and his household receive the Spirit, you might think it would be cause for celebration. Instead, Peter is criticized for not keeping his distance from such Gentile outsiders. Peter then explains God's miraculous involvement in the matter. Should Peter, or anyone, oppose God's own choice? Meanwhile, believers scattered by persecution continue sharing the gospel, and many people com...

When Peter arrives at Cornelius' house, Peter shares the good news about Jesus — his life, death, and resurrection. The Jewish believers who accompanied Peter are amazed when these non-Jewish people receive the same Spirit they had received at Pentecost. Seeing this clear evidence of God's work, Peter orders that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. God's greatest gift is for all people a...

The next step in God's plan involves bringing together two very different men: a Roman centurion named Cornelius and a Jewish apostle named Peter. Both receive visions from God that push them to cross many miles and the even more significant barriers of culture, ethnicity, status, and political divides. After all, the Jewish people were living under Roman occupation. The Holy Spirit leads and both...

After his dramatic encounter with Jesus, Saul grows increasingly bold in proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah. As opposition against him intensifies, some of his enemies plot to kill him, forcing him to escape the city with the help of fellow believers. When Saul arrives in Jerusalem, many disciples are understandably hesitant to trust him because of his former persecution of Christians. However,...

Many of us have someone we deeply love - someone kind, generous, and sincere who doesn't follow Jesus. So how do we make sense of Jesus' claim to be "the only way" without losing sight of God's love? · · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons 👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals

In this flashback to May 25, 2021, we see Philip encounter a high official of the extensive and powerful kingdom of Ethiopia. This official just so happened to be reading from Isaiah, a passage we know as Isaiah 53 — a passage that predicts the suffering and sacrifice of the Messiah. This miraculous encounter ends with the baptism of the first Gentile into this new community, acting as a preview o...

After hearing that many people in Samaria have received the gospel, the apostles send Peter and John to visit the new believers. When Peter and John pray for them and lay hands upon them, they receive the Spirit in the same way as the Jewish believers had during Pentecost. When Simon the sorcerer sees the Spirit being given through the apostles' ministry, he offers them money in an attempt to purc...

Stephen concludes his defense by reminding the council that God's presence has never been confined to a building, even one as important as the Temple. Additionally, he reminds them of their long history of rejecting all of God's messengers, the prophets. In other words, it is something other than a loyalty to God that motivates Stephen's persecutors. Hearing these words, the religious leaders beco...

Stephen's answer to the authorities moves from the patriarchs to Moses. Though Moses was chosen by God and raised up to deliver Israel, he was rejected at every turn by his people. When Moses promised God would send a prophet like Moses, perhaps he was speaking of this persistent rejection! The patriarchs and Moses highlight two key stories of their national identity, and both have clear patterns...

Standing before the Jewish council, Stephen begins his defense by recounting Israel's history. Stephen reminds his listeners of the covenant God made with Abraham and then turns to the story of Joseph. Though Joseph was rejected and sold into slavery by his brothers, God was with him. Joseph later was in a position to save his family. Stephen is not telling random stories; he is laying out the pat...

If the message of Jesus is so compelling, why do so many people find Christians unconvincing? Maybe the problem isn't the message itself. Maybe it's the gap between what we proclaim and what we actually possess. · · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons 👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals

In this flashback to February 24, 2022, we see that when even a small part of our physical bodies is in pain, that small part becomes our biggest consideration! The apostle Paul says that it should be the same in the body of Christ. What parts of Christ's body are diminished or dismissed as not important? How do these considerations intersect with race, gender, disability, or other potential divis...

The religious leaders decide that they have to put a stop to the spread of Jesus' message by the apostles. They command Peter and John not to speak or teach in his name. Peter and John respectfully but firmly refuse, declaring that they must obey God rather than human authorities when the two are in conflict. The leaders relent, not because of what God thinks but because of what the people think,...

As Peter and John go to the temple for prayer, they encounter a beggar who has been unable to walk since birth. When the man asks for help, Peter tells him that he has no silver or gold, but he can offer something far greater. In the name of Jesus Christ, Peter commands the man to walk, and immediately the man is healed. He leaps to his feet, walking, praising God, and entering the temple for the...

What do you expect to see in someone who is physically alive? What are the signs of life? Similarly, what do you expect to see in people who are spiritually alive? Here we see the signs of life in the Spirit. They care for one another generously and sacrificially. They gather regularly for worship, meals, and encouragement, praising God with sincere and joyful hearts. Outsiders take notice of thes...

On the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of God descends upon Jesus' followers as a mighty wind and tongues of fire. The Spirit empowers them to speak and be heard by every person in that person's own native language. This gift of the Spirit also serves a deeper, quieter purpose. The Spirit begins the undoing of an ancient curse that goes all the way to Genesis and it represents the giving of true life...

What do you do when God feels absent - when you're waiting for an answer, a breakthrough, or a sign that He's still there? The disciples faced that same question, and what they discovered changed everything. · · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons 👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals

Today is the first of a summer of "Flashback Fridays" in which we return to a previous devotional. In this flashback to May 1, 2025, we see how John's Gospel reaches its climax. Jesus appears to Thomas, a disciple who refuses to believe until he can see Jesus for himself. When he does, he believes Jesus and acknowledges him as "My Lord and my God!" We may not see Jesus in the flesh, but we have th...