Highrock Church

Advent invites us to contemplate the love of God displayed through the humility of Christ. Pride lifts yourself up, even at the expense of others while love lifts others up, even at the expense of yourself. In Jesus, we see that God will raise us up when we lift up others in love. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/...

Sometimes the most powerful expressions of love arrive in forms we don’t expect. A familiar name for Jesus may hold a deeper meaning for our worth, belonging, and grace than we’ve ever noticed. · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n 👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

Mary and Joseph are not alone in having to hold onto hope. Eight days after Jesus was born, they encounter someone who is holding onto hope as well. Simeon carried hope in his heart for many years, trusting in the promise that he would see the Messiah. Our hopes are fulfilled in Christ, whether we have to wait for weeks, years, or a lifetime. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a f...

The angel Gabriel brings a message of great hope to Mary but she still faces a choice. Will she choose to pull back and protect herself, or will she embrace the angel's invitation into a life in which she will have no control? She chooses to trust God and accepts the invitation to step into God's story, saying, "May everything you have said about me come true.” She is able to hope in the possibili...

Jeremiah found hope not in changing circumstances, but in remembering God’s unchanging character. As we continue through Advent, we strengthen our hope by recalling God’s steadfast love. We can continue to hope even in the darkest of times if we continue to remember who God is and the ways that God has been proven faithful in the past! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend?...

Advent is a season of waiting — not passive, but active, hopeful waiting. The psalmist waits “more than sentries long for the dawn.” A sentry or night watchman cannot hasten the dawn through waiting. Even so, watchful waiting will help them endure the night and to be ready for whatever may come. In hope and trust, we wait on God for what only God can do, ready for whatever God may call us to do wh...

When we are in a dark place, that darkness can seem unending. Hope in God can shine like a light that pierces the darkness. In a very dark moment of Israel's history, God spoke a message of hope through Isaiah. God showed them a future promise of the coming messiah. We, too, are reminded that hope rests not on what we can see, but on who God is. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with...

Ever hoped God would show up in big, obvious ways—only to feel underwhelmed or overlooked? This sermon wrestles with why God’s greatest gifts often arrive in small, unassuming packages… and why hope rarely looks the way we expect. · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n 👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

Joy is not only a gift; it is also a calling. Jesus desires to place his own joy in us — not just a little bit, but overflowing joy. How do we receive such joy? By remaining in his love. And how do we remain in his love? By obeying his commands. And what is his command? To love each other in the same way that Jesus has loved us. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start h...

Advent is, at its core, a season of waiting. And waiting often reveals what we truly believe about God. Joy in Advent is not passive; it is a choice to trust that God is at work even when we cannot see it. Our joy is built upon a confident hope that God will continue to be faithful to all the promises made to us. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www...

We often think of joy as a feeling reserved for the high and easy moments — but biblical joy is often a renewal in darker times. When Nehemiah said "joy of the Lord is your strength", the people were exhausted, overwhelmed, and convicted of their own sin. Yet God extended an offering of joy to them. Joy is not just for the best moments in life. Joy is a gift that fortifies us when we feel empty. L...

The angel doesn't just bring ordinary news to the shepherds, but good news of great joy! What is this good news? A savior has been born -- a child, lying in a manger. Once again, we see that the gift of joy arises from the presence of God with us. How might we more fully experience this joy? Like the shepherds, we can make the effort to go and see what God is doing. The Kairos Circle (mentioned by...

The gift of joy arises not from outward circumstances but from God's presence with us. Everything good comes from God, and the ultimate gift is to receive the giver. As King David expressed in Psalm 16, our joy is that God is with us. That is why we call Jesus "Emmanuel" -- which means, "God with us." Pastor Taylor's sermon on Psalm 16 and Joy: https://youtu.be/LmnmBvuY4Kk Looking for a previous d...

Whether this season finds you surrounded by laughter and lights—or numb, lonely, or emotionally worn—many of us know the quiet ache beneath the surface. In a time when so much around us promises quick fixes and feel-good moments, what if the gift we truly long for is something deeper, steadier, and more sacred? · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n 👉🏻 Check out...

In this famous parable, Jesus says to the faithful, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." When we serve the last, the lost, and the least, we are actually serving the ruler of heaven and earth! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/ For Reflection: The practice of...

In this holiday replay from November 19, 2024, we see that our motivations reveal our hearts. Why should we do as God says? A lowly servant might obey out of fear. An employee might obey for hope of reward or fear of punishment. But for those who are in Christ, Paul says, our obligation is that of adopted children. We respond to God's generosity, not to gain something positive or avoid something n...

God is the ultimate giver and invites us to join God in blessing the world. In order to do so, God gives each and every one of us a gift that others need! Our talents, skills, and resources are not just for our benefit — they are tools to serve one another in love. You are gifted! What gift has God given you? Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.hig...

Like yesterday's passage, service involves a paradox. Not only is service the path to true freedom, but the path to being raised up is a path of laying your own life down in service. As Jesus puts it, whoever wants to be greatest must be the servant of everyone, which is exactly who Jesus is. In our upside-down world, Jesus shows us that the path up is a path down into humility and service. Lookin...

The idea of serving naturally implies a loss of freedom, but many of life's greatest truths are paradoxes. Ultimately, the call to service is the path to true freedom -- the freedom to become the people God means for us to be. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/ For Reflection: Service is love in action. Service isn’...

You feel the weight of the world’s hurt—and maybe also the tension of your own life, whether it feels cushioned with comfort or stretched thin by struggle. What do we do with that ache? Perhaps the practice of service isn’t about fixing everything, but about becoming the kind of people who refuse to look away. · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n 👉🏻 Check out H...

Christian community is built upon a new law. The old law already commanded that we should love one another. What is new about Jesus' command is that he personally showed the way, "Just as I have loved you, you should love each other" (v34). Jesus' love does not create a closed circle. Instead, it is a living testimony of God's love to the world. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with...

Community isn’t just about finding friends and fellowship — it’s about bearing each other's burdens. We live out Christ’s love by helping one another through struggles, both spiritual and practical. Community meant that when one suffers, we all suffer; when one rejoices, we all rejoice. This isn't a race; life is not a competition. We are sojourners, travelers who are moving through life together....

Community is a word that has been greatly reduced in power, much like hospitality. Paul points to the true power of community and how it arises from nothing less than the power of Christ through the Spirit. This kind of power is most clearly on display when we love people who are difficult to love -- relationships where there is difference or division. Christ calls us to a community that builds br...

From the very beginning, God designed us for connection. Even before sin entered the world, even while Adam was with God in the garden, there was something that was "not good." It was not good for Adam to be so alone. Our need for community is not a weakness -- it’s part of being made in God’s image. Just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist in perfect fellowship, we too are called to share l...

The vision of the early church community found in Acts 2 is a lasting inspiration. For many today, that vision of community seems more like a fantasy than a reality. What did they have that we lack? Perhaps it is not what they shared but the frequency with which they shared. We are told several times that they connected with God and one another every day. If we feel disconnected, maybe the solutio...