Church On The Rock Homer

Isn’t it funny how certain people who dislike something are confronted about their choice by others who love the same thing. I often am confronted about my disdain for mayonnaise, especially by my parents. I eat salads dry, and admittedly not that often. But anytime I do, it never fails that I hear the remark, you’d like that better with dressing. Actually no, I wouldn’t. Or someone upon becoming aware of my hatred will say, it’s just eggs and oil, what’s not to like? Everything, the smell, the taste, the consistency. As I study 1 Peter I keep seeing him in the same light as the mayonnaise lover, except he isn’t trying to convert me to the devil's condiment, he’s inviting me into God's grace. Peter’s invitation is to come and taste that the Lord is good, gracious, and kind. Peter’s hope for the exiles he writes to is that they would know this grace and experience the fruit of it. Pastor Matt McCarter

Imagine being a complete and utter failure. But not just by some arbitrary standard. Imagine simultaneously failing every commitment you made to yourself and every commitment you made to others. Now imagine that someone had rudely predicted you would fail your own commitments and you forcefully assured otherwise. “I will not fail. I cannot fail. I must not fail. I PROMISE YOU, under no circumstances will I fail.” Now imagine you failed anyways. For most of us, imagining this scenario isn’t too difficult… we have lived it. We don’t have to imagine, we just have to remember. Remember that time when you knew that you had it in you to do the thing? And then you fell short. And in falling short, you hurt others. And in hurting others, you wounded relationships. And in wounding relationships, you completely lost your confidence and could not imagine a way forward...?This Sunday is for you. If you get a chance, read the first chapter of Peter’s first letter to the church. And then reread it a few more t

I remember the moment I laid eyes on the woman with her hair put up under an ascot cap. We were both in a bar called The Whig in downtown Columbia, S.C. Our church used social events like this to draw in people who would not grace the doorway of a church building. We were there with separate groups who attended the same church. As I was introduced to her, I could not help but notice that she is a fine looking lady, followed by the second thought, she is way out of my league.Fast forward a few years, and butchering this story, I stood on the doorsteps of the church with a nervous anticipation of our nuptials. Only God could have arranged this marriage, I wasn’t worthy, am not worthy, and yet I stand here now, ring on finger, and have wifed up the belle of the ball!The same story is playing out in God’s redemptive plan, I was not worthy and am not worthy apart from His gift of grace and righteousness and yet Almighty God has arranged a Day for Christ to be united with His Bride, the Church, you and I made whole

While living with my parents, sometime in early teens, we attended one of the oldest churches in the south. We'd dress in our Sunday finest, traverse the winding country roads, and find “our pew.” After a few stares from my parents, a pinch or two under the thigh, and some monotone words from the pulpit, we were free. The church would empty and we’d head to the car, ready to ditch the Sunday best and get on with life. Every Sunday, no matter what…my dad would strike up a conversation while the three of us sat in the car…waiting! We would glare, roll the window down and motion, one time a horn was used in efforts to get things moving. Waiting was for the birds! We always asked, what is the hold up!?!? This weekend, we explore the same question about God's seeming delay in His return! If you’re keen, read ahead in 2 Peter 3. Pastor Matthew McCarter

For Thanksgivings in Homer I have been labeled the Mac n Cheese guy, according to my family. I have become the authority on noodles, spices, and cheese. Rightfully so, although I make it a little different than Pauline, my grandmother, it’s pretty delicious. For a few hours on Thursday morning I spend my time at the stove stirring a pot of delightful dairy products. It is not possible to walk away from it, the mixture must be in constant motion due to the threat of the sauce breaking, the oil separating and becoming something rather unsightly and not at all pleasing to the senses of a thanksgiving attendee. It takes time and if one doesn’t stick it out and keep stirring the final product will be worthless. Some say that I like to stir other types of pots, proverbial pots. They aren’t wrong, but I tend to think about it in other terms. This weekend we’re going to launch into a series on Eschatology, an often difficult topic that many Christians have strong convictions about and yet if we don’t talk about it,

Does anyone know what the bicyclist hand motions actually mean?  I feel like blinkers are commonly understood and fairly self-explanatory; left side, left turn, right side, right turn.  But despite my many years of experience on the road, I still don’t know what the left arm, straight out at the shoulder, bent 90 degrees at the elbow and hanging downward means about the bike operator’s intentions.  Some of you who are new to church or new to faith and relationship with Christ probably feel the same way a lot of times about stuff you hear at church.  Sometimes it feels like a lot of ideas spoken in an unfamiliar language.  And that’s ok. It has been my goal these past two weeks to push through the confusion with RARE CLARITY as we examine what it means to follow God.  Here is the review, or the preview for some; To live is Christ.  So live as Christ.  That is my most efficient summary of Philippians 1 and 2.  And as simple as that is, many well-meaning people completely misunderstand what that means.  Which i

If you’re over the age of 30, you’ve probably done the limbo. Or at least tried. The once party favorite has slowly faded from public life but I remember a time when the Limbo ruled social events of all kinds. Yes, I did it too. Honestly, even the recollection of what was required of my back muscles to get under that crossbar makes me hurt today. As we continue our study in Philippians and the theme of Joy, we’re going to try something similar this Sunday. The question is, how low can you go? It will help your own growth if you read Philippians chapter two in advance. This could be life changing. Pastor Dr. Aaron Weisser

When life gives you lemons… I guess you're supposed to slice those lemons, squeeze those lemons, filter out the seeds, add water and plenty of sugar, mix in a pitcher with some ice, pour it into a glass and DRINK LEMONADE!  It is a very practical bit of advice about turning something bad into something good, even something delightfully refreshing. Thankfully, I think everyone knows about lemonade and where it comes from.  What about nettles. What do you do when life gives you nettles. I’m told they’re edible. But that doesn’t help much when my skin is on fire because I wasn’t careful tromping through the tall grass and stumbled into a big ol’ patch of nettles. Maybe I could pour some cold lemonade on my nettle burns. If only life had given me lemons.  For the next three weeks we are going to be studying the topic of Joy as Paul discusses in his letter to the church in Philippi. When life gives you an undeserved jail sentence… what better time to write about Joy in everything! I’m am so looking forward to this

Spring 1999. I was walking down the hall of my parents ranch home, past the collage of pictures on the wall and a feeling of dread fell over me. My plans for the coming year had fallen through. I would graduate high school in a couple of months, with no real plan for the next chapter of my life. Everyone I knew seemed to have it together, plans for college, a career, a life beyond their childhood home. At a critical time in life I was supposed to take a step forward, but I felt stuck and needed a push, a jumpstart, a new way of seeing my future.    As we’ve studied Ephesians, Paul is writing to a church that he greatly loves and hopes will not remain frozen in time. Their faith must continue to blossom because of the grandeur of the one they worship. His desire is that they would know the majesty of God and in very practical ways, this knowledge would change their lives. In Paul’s final remarks, he urges the reader not to be a bystander, but to actively engage in the will of God through spiritual warfare. Our

It was November and I was in the Philippines enjoying the beginning of the cool season and the end of the rainy season. In Manila, cool temps are in the high 70’s and low 80’s and November is when the monsoon rains subside and the season turns toward the dry and cool part of the year. On that day the temps were tolerable but scattered rain showers threatened outdoor activities. The outdoor activities we had planned for Sunday afternoon were very, very important. It was my wedding day. Like a gift from God, just before our outdoor ceremony began, the rain stopped and the clouds parted revealing a rainbow overhead. And there in the wet grass, before my family and friends, I said that I would love Jenny with my whole being, for as long as I was alive. In sickness and in health, whether rich or poor, forsaking all others, til death do us part. In Ephesians 5, Paul connects our understanding of marriage to the boundless riches of grace and mercy in the premeditated gift of God in His Son. I have been reflect

It's the dead of night. The wind is still and Jesus is bowed on the ground. The silence can be cut with a knife as the trees of the garden stand still. His tears have covered the ground beneath Him, tinged red by the blood they contain. As he stands, his knees feel feeble from the exertion poured out seeking His Father. He moves towards the disciples, His friends, and finding them asleep a sound emerges in the distance. At first it is the clanking of a solitary sword. Then a crack as something moved through the brush. The clamor grows louder as one, two, three torches emerge in the darkness and eventually become many. As the crowd surrounds Jesus, the suffering servant, is sure of mission, this will be the moment where He relinquishes all of Himself for the will of the Father, and the plan set in motion long ago.  Jesus knew what to expect in the hands of men (John 2:25).  Death, pain, shame, tribulation.  Paul now writes that this same Jesus who lowered Himself, has been established in ultimate power on hi

During my initial foray into the home construction realm, I had the pleasure of being invited to the open house of a very nice home that I helped to build over the course of a few months.  To my 18-year-old eyes, this particular home was dressed to impress. The highlight of my tour through the home was the “home theater” room.  Yes.  A whole room of the house designed for visual entertainment.  It was amazing; leather acoustic paneling, surround sound, mood lighting, and in the middle of the room, a giant over stuffed chair upholstered with blonde Yak fur.  I couldn’t help myself but to climb into that yak-furred chair and bask in the opulence of my surroundings.  This Sunday we start a new series in the book of Ephesians.  Paul wrote a prayer on behalf of His readers right at the outset, “I pray your eyes would be opened to the RICHES” of what you have through Christ.  Read through the first chapter before you dig into this message and we’ll dive into a further exploration of the expansive abundance of G

My dad loves fishing! In the south, fishing looks a little bit different than here in Alaska. Back home, fishing is grabbing a cooler, a bucket of crickets, a lawn chair, and rod and hanging out on the edge of a pond back in the woods. My dad was and still is a little more serious, waking up in the wee hours of the morning and putting the bass boat in the lake. As a boy my dad would tell me the night before, right before bed, to be ready to go fishing in the morning. That meant, waking up at 2 or 3 AM driving an hour, and being on the water before the rooster crows. The first word out of my mouth was always, WHY!?!?! Why do we have to be up so early? The why! I have often heard it said that we should not ask God why questions. However, most of the time these are the questions we find ourselves asking the most. Why do I have to deal with this hardship in my life? Why did this event have to happen to me? I refuse to believe that asking any question of the Lord would be fruitless and at the same time I reali

I have a very distinct memory related to my life as a young blonde Alaskan of German-Norwegian descent amidst a literal sea of dark-skinned, black-haired Filipinos. Growing up overseas in the city of Manila forced a superficial but sharp contrast of appearances that triggered an existential question in my young brain: “Why am I like me and not like them?” Why was I born to Randy and Marla Weisser? Why was I born in America? Why was I born with my specific color and complexion? Why was I born with my specific set of traits? Why was I born into a Christian home? My still developing brain began to wrestle with this truth; I didn’t have much say in choosing the life that I was given. I began to wonder about the ways of a God who made decisions about me before I even was. I began to question the methods of a God who decided about my life without consulting me. Seems like a lot of power. And then somewhere along the road of my life, those feelings and thoughts began to shift. I went from wrestling with a

I recently found a corner of a rock at the edge of my property. This had happened before and I’d dug up a decent sized rock to use in landscaping around the house. This particular rock proved to be quite difficult to move. As I dug deeper, the rock revealed itself to be more of a boulder in size. What I thought would be a quick project turned into an all day affair that tested my stubbornness. (Hint: I won…sort of) As Paul opens his letter to the Galatians he addresses a similar situation. The Galatians have found The Rock and heard of Jesus’ Gospel, and in a similar fashion are now adjusting the message of the Good News, the foundation of Christian belief, to incorporate their own efforts in being righteous before God. It’s a lie as old as time, that mankind can do a little better than what God offers, nothing could be further from the Truth! In this message, we’ll look at Paul’s letter to the Galatians and be encouraged to remain adamant toward The Truth of God’s Good News towards us! If you’d like to r

I am so thankful for our church.  So many of you have encouraged me.  So many of you have built up my faith.  So many of you have pointed me toward Christ through your own faithful pursuit of Him.  It is such an awe-inspiring thing to be in true community with each other and to experience a fellowship that is built on the foundation of God’s love for us.  As my own understanding of His goodness grows, I find myself more motivated toward the mission of making His goodness known to the others.  As I experience His kindness and learn to trust in the abundance of His promises, I find myself more at peace and with a greater joy.  This Sunday I want to look to Him together.  I want to link arms and remember; we are His body, the bride of His choosing.  I look forward to worshipping together with you. Pastor Dr. Aaron Weisser

I spent a while in the woods recently.  The woods has been a wonderful place for me to sit and think, especially when the moose are quietly napping and minding their own business.  The woods where we hunt is far beyond the reach of cellular service which, as it turns out, is also beneficial toward the goal of reflecting on my life and relationships. While sitting in my Muddy: The Boss XL tree stand straining my ears and eyes for any sign of ungulates, I was hit with this thought: I think I have significantly underestimated the goodness of God.  For most of my life I have fallen far short of a clear understanding of the benevolent, beneficent, bountiful good intentions and actions of God on my behalf.What triggered this realization?  I have been reading through the book of Acts, and particularly Acts chapter 10.  There was something in the story that hit hard, a feature I had not noticed before.  Then, I realized this narrative feature was in other places as well.  And there I was, in the woods, all alone with

One of our kids got their blood drawn this week at a Dr’s appointment. I anticipated my wife returning with a story of rebellion. After the check up her words were “killed it." I am thankful that I didn’t have to attend the doctor’s visit. Over the years I have increasingly grown uncomfortable at the thought of blood, other people's blood isn't as bothersome as my own, but just imaging open heart surgery makes me queasy. I’m not sure how doctors do it, cutting through bone, vacuuming liquids, opening organs. There are moments in my life where I am just as squeamish about what God is doing in my heart. What medical doctors do for physical men, the God of heaven achieves for spiritual men, taking broken hearts, removing what’s broken, and equipping us with new life. In the story we’ll examine this week it is the case that most of it’s subjects rebel against the will of God and yet are unable to do anything in opposition to His plan. God achieves open heart surgery when, where, and how He wishes. Pastor Matt

Church on the Rockers,  What do Peter, Rocky, Elle, Rudy, Jamal, Forrest, and Samwise all have in common? They are the underdogs of the story. (Bonus points if you can name the movie they’re in) They are the unlikely characters who come out on top at the end of the story line. The below average men and women of the story who are seen as unintelligent, unskilled, and unable to do great things.  This weekend we're going to hear the story of Philip, one of the Helenist complainers elected to service, filled with the Holy Spirit, and SENT by God to build His Kingdom. What we're going to see in the story is not the will power and effort for human success, but the power of God at work in the lives of those who repent, submit, and give their lives to a Wonder Working, Miraculous Savior who was also the underdog and came out on top! Pastor Matt McCarter

When we are full of Holy Spirit, love, faith and power there is no room for fear, because the perfect love of God casts out fear. When we know our assignment from God, and know who are, we become unstoppable…even in the face of flying stones.In Acts 6-7, Stephen and six other apostles are chosen, blessed and sent to meet the needs of a church that is growing daily. Stephen, doing the common work of meeting the needs of widows and orphans, finds himself doing the uncommon. God’s power begins moving through him in signs and wonders. Seeing this, self-righteous religious leaders grow jealous and conspire against Stephen. Stephen doesn’t shrink back. Full of the Holy Spirit and without fear He begins to share the indisputable truth in God’s word that is usually only known by years of study. The self-righteous religious leaders are infuriated. Stones begin to fly even though they see Stephen with the face as an angel. Stephen fearlessly and lovingly continues to share God’s word until his last. When we truly know