Rolling Hills Community Church Sermon Series

Have you ever seen imprinted ducklings? Whoever is the source for the imprint becomes the leader of a massive game of Follow-the-leader. These little ducklings will follow them wherever they go. Even into a hotel lobby! If you’ve ever been to the Peabody Hotel, you know what I am talking about. Every day at 11 am a Duckmaster will initiate the Peabody Duck March and the ducks will march from the elevator to the fountain in the lobby. Over the years, the older generation has taught the next generation of ducks the way—keeping the tradition alive since the 1930s. This is an excellent example of how family habits and mannerisms transfer from grandparent to parent to child. Not all of the habits we love, or we want to claim—but they are a part of us. Join us, as we begin our new series Making History | Making His Story Come Alive in the Heart of Your Family. And take a more in-depth look at how our family legacy impacts how we live today.

We are all leaving a legacy--the question is what legacy are we leaving? What will people remember about us? David is known as “a man after God’s heart.” Even though he made some huge mistakes, he did not let that define him. There were consequences for his sin, but David lived forgiven and redeemed by the grace of God. Throughout the joy and the struggles of his life, David remained committed to God. He left a legacy that pointed people to the Messiah, Jesus. Jesus is even known as “The Son of David.” How are you pointing others to Jesus? Commit today to leave a godly legacy.

We all sin. We all make mistakes. The question is not, “If we sin...”, but “How do we respond when we sin?” By God’s grace, there is forgiveness. Yet, we must confess our sins and turn from them. Sometimes we are just sorry we got caught as opposed to deeply desiring to restore our relationship with God. God hates sin because He knows the damage it causes to the people He loves. Therefore, let’s come clean before Jesus today. Confess your sins, and find the forgiveness and grace that only God can give. Allow God to forgive you, and then live in His love and grace each and every day.

In our lives, we will be tempted. We have an enemy who wants to destroy us, and therefore he brings temptations into our lives so that we will rebel against the God who loves us. Yet, temptation is not a sin. Tempv cxctation is an opportunity to choose what is right. Sin has enormous consequences in our relationship with God and with others. We must learn to guard our hearts and minds against sin. Jesus wants the best for us. Learn to fall in love with Jesus and learn to say no to the temptations that come our way. Stop sin now, come clean and hold tight to Jesus.

What kind of leader does God want you to be? They’re everywhere. They’re at our jobs and at our schools. They’re politicians and personal trainers and chefs and accountants. They’re leaders. And, like it or not, you’re one too. God has called you to be a leader for the people you interact with on a daily basis. But what does that look like? Join us to learn how to be a godly leader.

When carpooling somewhere with a group of friends, this question is bound to arise—and it is a big decision! One person may get you to your destination more quickly, but consequently, you may also have a heart attack on the way due to their reckless driving. Or another might make you late, but you know you will get there safely. What if we applied this question to our everyday life? Who’s driving our life decisions? Is it us? Our friends? Or is it God? We’re good at asking God to drive our big life decisions, but when it comes to the day-to-day, we often take control and drive wherever we want. Join us and learn how we can surrender the driver seat to the One who made the roads.

We all need good friends. Friends are a gift from God and invaluable in our lives. Now, there are good friends and there are not-so-good friends. Therefore, we must surround ourselves with friends who lead us closer to God. That deep spiritual connection is the bond of a healthy God-honoring friendship. By God’s grace, we all have a friend in Jesus. Jesus laid down His life for His friends. May we find our worth and value in our relationship with our friend, Jesus.

As Christ-followers, we are called to honor those over us. Sometimes this is easy, and sometimes it is not. David gives honor to Saul as the King even when Saul doesn’t deserve it. We can’t control how other people act, but we can control how we respond. There are people in our lives we are called to honor — whether it’s a boss, parents, government officials. Find your identity in the Lord, and then honor those people out of your love for God. Set healthy boundaries when needed. Then, become a person of honor. Become a person your children, employees and those you teach or coach want to honor because you are living your life for God’s glory.

When we hear the story of David vs. Goliath, we immediately think about facing overwhelming odds. Yet, as we examine the story more closely, it really was David who had the advantage. When God is with you, there is nothing too great for Him to conquer. So often we live defeated lives, but we must realize that the Spirit of the Living God is in us and for us. Let’s live bold lives. Let’s be men and women who face the giants of our lives with the power of God. Our God is with us and for us! What step of faith is God calling you to take? Live victorious in Christ.

We spend so much of our life concerned with how we look on the outside. Think about how much time we spend getting ready in the morning or how concerned we are with what we look like and wear. Yet, God cares more about the inside than He does about the outside. God wants us to have a godly heart because He knows that who we are on the inside is way more important than the outside. Therefore, this week, will you search your heart? Will you commit your heart to the Lord? Learn to trust Him and to hear His voice in prayer. Will you spend time growing your character, so that you can become all God desires? God chose David, and He chose you! Now, let’s bring Him glory through how we mature on the inside.

How can you leverage your platform? Did you know that you have a platform? It’s true! All of us do. You may not be a movie star or a world-class athlete but God has still given you a platform right where you are. The influence you have in your family, in your neighborhood, and with your co-workers is just as significant as if you were on a stage in front of tens of thousands of people. Join us to discover what your platform is and learn how you can leverage it for the Kingdom of God.

We will all face difficulties in this life. It is not a matter of if we will go through trials and struggles, but when. Even Jesus went through difficulties, so we should not think we will be immune. However, when seasons of struggles come, there are ways that we can leverage our difficulties for the glory of our God. These are times for us to rely on God, grow stronger in our faith, and minister to others. There are no perfect people, so when we share with someone out of a difficulty we have experienced, they can relate more to us. Our misery can become our ministry. Don’t waste your difficulties. Allow God to redeem and restore them as well as you.

Leverage is to use (something) to its maximum advantage. What about your resources? Think about everything God has entrusted to you - money, abilities, opportunities, His Spirit, and so much more. Are you leveraging what God has given you to build your own kingdom or to build His Kingdom? Sometimes we are afraid - afraid to give, afraid to serve, or afraid to get serious about investing in the things of God. Don’t live by fear, but by faith. Make it the aim of your life to hear God say one day, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” Let’s leverage our resources for the glory of our great God!

Does your education matter? Chances are you’ve gone to school at some point. Some of us eeked through high school on a wing and a prayer. And some of us have multiple doctorates and are considering a third. While we might come from different educational backgrounds, one thing is true for everyone: no matter what you learned or where you learned it, God can use it. Join us this week at Rolling Hills as we continue our series, LEVERAGE, and learn how you can use your education for God’s glory.

Leverage means to use something to its maximum advantage. What about your time? Time is the most precious gift we all have. We all have the same amount of time in a day and where we invest our time shows what we value. We often talk about how busy we are and how much we need more time, but it is really not about having more time as it is prioritizing our time to invest in the things that matter. As you grow in the Lord, you realize there are things that will last for eternity. Let’s resolve to invest the time God has given us for His glory. Let’s leverage our time.

Is your Jesus dead or alive? If He is dead, then Jesus doesn’t impact how you live. You live for yourself and this life is all that there is for you. However, if your Jesus is alive, then He brings you alive as well. You have abundant life now and for eternity. Have you accepted God’s grace and committed your life to follow Jesus? This Easter, come alive in Christ. If you are a follower of Jesus, then have you fully dedicated your life to Him? He is calling you to be baptized, join the church, and to fully engage in what He is doing today. Experience life, as Jesus says, “to the full” both now and forever more. Come alive in Jesus this Easter!

Jesus being the Life is such good news for us! When we were dead in our sins, Jesus comes to pay the price for us. He has to grace and the power to raise us from the dead and to give us eternal life with HIm. This Palm Sunday may we worship our Savior. May we be thankful for all we have in Christ and prepare our hearts for this Holy Week. Jesus comes into Jerusalem to conquer death and to give us eternal life. All glory be to our Christ Jesus, our Savior and Lord!

How should we respond to the Truth of Jesus? Unless you’ve been living in a mountaintop monastery, you’ve undoubtedly had some sort of interaction with a preschooler over the last couple of years. And one of the best things about toddlers is their complete transparency when they’re, shall we say, less than honest. It’s usually pretty easy to tell when a little one is telling the truth. But for everyone else in our lives…it can be tough to separate what’s true from what’s untrue. Luckily, the Truth of Jesus is something we can fully depend on. Join us as we continue our Easter series and discover what the Truth of Jesus is all about.

Easter in our culture has become about a lot of things - like bunnies, eggs, chocolate, or gathering with friends and family - and while all of these things are not bad, Easter is really all about Jesus!   The Resurrection of Jesus, that we celebrate at Easter, changed the world and changed our lives forever. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6.   So, what do you believe about Jesus? Is He “a” way to God or is He “‘the” way to God? Easter is where Jesus conquered death to bring life! Will you trust “the Way” today and invest your life in the One who gave His for you?   Join us as we begin our new series “Jesus: The Way. The Truth. The Life.”

Christianity is not a spectator sport. Christianity is about doing. It’s about going. We have too much Good News to just sit around and wait for something to happen. God wants us to share His story, not just with those in our community, but with everyone. As in, to the ends of the earth everyone. Join us as we wrap up our series, Love.Everyone.Always. Learn what it means to live out a missionary faith and discover how you can take Good News of Jesus throughout the world.