Highrock Church

At a dinner, Jesus challenges social norms by urging his host to invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the marginalized — those who cannot repay him — rather than seeking status or return favors. He then tells a parable about a great banquet where the invited guests make excuses and refuse to come, so the host fills his table with outsiders instead. Are you good enough to receive this invi...

What if the version of Jesus you’ve been given feels too small? Like it doesn’t quite hold up to the brokenness you actually see in the world? Step into the story of Passover and discover a Jesus who doesn’t just forgive sins but confronts evil, breaks chains, and brings real freedom. · · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n 👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily d...

Why did Jesus promise to bring division rather than peace, even into families? And what's the connection to being able to see a coming storm? Jesus criticized his listeners for being able to discern the coming weather while being unable to see an even clearer political storm that was rapidly approaching. Understanding Jesus' provocative words can help us to navigate the chaos and division that can...

Financial independence and early retirement — that's the dream, right? Jesus tells a story about man who achieved just that. This man's only worry was about building bigger barns to store all his new wealth! However, the man did not foresee that his early retirement would be cut short by an early death. Jesus calls such a person a "fool" as he was rich only towards himself and not towards God or o...

Jesus here reserves his harshest words for those who are self-righteous. He confronts the religious leaders for their focus on outward religiosity while neglecting inner transformation and love for others. Instead, Jesus says that an inner cleansing (a clean heart) will lead to outward goodness as well. This inner cleansing, Jesus says, is especially marked by care for the poor. After all, what go...

Why do we give up so easily in prayer, or fail to pray at all? Do we doubt God's desire to give us good things? Jesus encourages his disciples to ask, seek, and knock with confidence, assuring them that God is not reluctant but eager to respond. He invites us to approach God with trust and persistence, believing that God desires to give us the ultimate gift of all! Looking for a previous devo? Wan...

Who is my neighbor? Jesus answers this question with the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The story is rich and deep and has multiple applications but at the very least, it shows us that being a neighbor is to love those whom God puts in our path. With this mindset, interruptions can become opportunities to love in the way that Jesus has loved us. Could this season be an opportunity to let go of som...

Easter is supposed to be good news, but what do you do when your feelings are mixed? Hope and doubt, joy and hesitation, all at once. You’re not the first to feel that way. And it turns out, the story of Easter might be more honest AND more certain than we expect. · · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n 👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://t...

Jesus takes his disciples Peter, James, and John up a mountain to pray, where they promptly fall asleep. The awake just in time to see Jesus in his divine glory, along with Moses and Elijah. Peter blurts out a suggestion that seems to put Jesus on the same level as Moses and Elijah but is immediately overshadowed when God's voice declares, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him.” As great a...

As Jesus and his disciples cross the lake, a sudden storm arises, and the boat begins to fill with water while Jesus sleeps. The terrified disciples wake him, fearing for their lives, and Jesus rebukes the wind and waves, bringing an immediate calm. The disciples are simultaneously amazed and afraid. Jesus' presence often calms our fears, much like he calms the storm, but what is it that the disci...

In one of Jesus' most famous parables, he tells a story of a farmer who sows seed generously and indiscriminately, but only some of the soil is able to receive the seed and produce life. What is Jesus talking about? Thankfully, Jesus explains the meaning, but only to those who are interested enough to ask. Beyond the meaning of the actual parable, Jesus is highlighting the role we have to play. We...

In this powerful scene, a sinful woman enters a Pharisee’s house where Jesus is dining and expresses deep gratitude by washing his feet with her tears and anointing them with perfume. The Pharisee silently judges both the woman and Jesus, but Jesus responds with a parable that reveals a profound truth: those who have been forgiven much, love much. Just thus exposes the underlying reason for the Ph...

A Roman centurion, a military officer, seeks Jesus’ help for his highly valued servant who is near death. This centurion, a man of authority himself, humbly recognizes Jesus’ greater authority. He believes that Jesus has even the authority to heal from a distance, and with just a word! Jesus is amazed at his faith, especially because it belonged to an outsider. Do we believe in Jesus' authority? W...

Most of us are living in a kind of performance trying to be impressive, in control, and enough. It works for a while . . . until it doesn’t. Beneath the surface, it’s exhausting and often lonely. But there’s another way of living that looks weaker on the outside, yet changes everything underneath. · · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n 👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 1...

Jesus teaches that we are all in need of healing, but only some of us recognize it. Which group are we? Jesus calls Levi, a hated tax collector, to follow Him, and Levi immediately drops everything. But first, Levi hosts a banquet where many of Levi's fellow outsiders gather to meet Jesus. The religious leaders and insiders complain that Jesus would have anything to do with such "scum". These outs...

When Jesus called his first disciples, he asked them to do something that made no sense at all — it went against everything they understood as fisherman. Still, Simon (the soon-to-be Apostle Peter) did what Jesus said and the results were staggering, literally life-changing! How often are we tempted to think, like Simon, that we might know better than God? Will we trust our "logic" or trust our Lo...

After claiming that Isaiah's prophecy about the messiah is about himself, Jesus goes about proving it to be true. Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah by healing the sick, bringing liberty to the spiritually oppressed, and by preaching the good news. His words are as good as his actions and there is an invitation for us to have the same kind of integrity. Do our actions match what we say? Looking...

Jesus returns to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and is initially praised for his teaching. In his hometown of Nazareth, he reads from Isaiah and boldly declares that he is the fulfillment of God’s promise to bring good news, freedom, and restoration. While the people marvel at first, their amazement quickly turns to offense when Jesus reminds them that God’s grace extends to outsiders. This me...

John the Baptist confronts the crowds with a sharp call to repentance, warning that outward identity or religious heritage is not enough — true change must be seen in the fruit of a transformed life. He gives practical examples, urging people to live with generosity, integrity, and justice in their everyday roles. As expectations rise about whether John might be the Messiah, he points beyond himse...

We all know what it’s like to hold back - waiting for a better time, more clarity, or less risk. But what if the real issue isn’t a lack of opportunity? What if the cost of playing it safe is higher than we think? · · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n 👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

After visiting Zechariah, the angel Gabriel visits Mary, a young woman in Nazareth, announcing that she will miraculously conceive and give birth to Jesus, the Son of the Most High. Though initially troubled and confused, Mary responds with humility and faith, asking how it will happen but ultimately surrendering to God’s will: “I am the Lord’s servant.” In Mary, God continues to work through unex...

Unlike the other gospel writers, Luke is an outsider. He was not an eyewitness of the original events and apparently not part of the Jewish culture of the original disciples. Instead, he approaches the events more like an investigator or an historian. He also has an eye for the outsider and outcast. He begins his careful account by turning to Zechariah and Elizabeth, an older couple who were heart...

After the Sabbath, several women go to Jesus’ tomb to anoint his body, only to find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Inside, a young man announces that Jesus has risen and instructs them to tell the disciples that he will meet them in Galilee. We, like the women, are left with the question of what we believe about Jesus and the empty tomb. Who do we say that Jesus is, and what difference...

As Jesus is crucified, he also endures mockery and rejection. The religious leaders taunt him with the fact that he could save others but not himself. They did not realize the truth in their words. Yes, he saved others because he refused to save himself. He could not save himself because of his love for us. Seeing the way Jesus died, the Roman centurion declares that he "truly was the Son of God."...

Jesus is brought before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate by the religious leaders, who accuse Him and seek His execution. Though Pilate recognizes that Jesus is innocent, he yields to the pressure of the crowd and condemns Jesus to be crucified. The Roman soldiers then mock him with a coronation using a purpose robe and crown of thorns. The irony is that Jesus is true king and lord of all. Will w...