Christ the Rock Church: Recent Episodes
Pastor Austin Hetsler
This podcast is a ministry of Christ The Rock Church. We are committed to teaching the truth of the gospel, according to the Bible, for the benefit and furtherance of Christ’s Kingdom. This podcast is designed to help Christians grow in grace and truth, while also providing non Christians with the essential truths of the gospel, through which they may be saved from God’s wrath by repentance and faith alone in Christ alone.
"For the Christian that has an abiding assurance, that Christian is moored in Christ."
Hebrews 6:9-12
"Of all the rewards for the diligent student of the word of God, there is none greater then the salvation of your soul."
Hebrews 5:11-14
"Why is anybody who claims to be a Christian attracted to what is the devil's liturgy?"
Hebrews 5:11-14
"He is finished being your sacrifice but He will never be finished being your priest"
Hebrews 4:12-16
"If Canaan were the true promised land, then Canaan would have been the last promised land."
Hebrews 3:12-4:13
"Unbelievers happily receive the promise of heaven without the necessity of true conversion."
Hebrews 3:5-13
"Stop focusing on the structure that is passing away. Start focusing on the eternal house of God"
Hebrews 3:1-6
"Jesus became one of us in order to die like us, that we might live forever. That is the simple formula...that is the math."
Hebrews 2:14
"The medium of singing is a stage upon which the manifold aspects of the singular fruit of the Spirit are exhibited."
Hebrews 2:11-12
"The more that a society strays from God, the more inconsistent it becomes."
Hebrews 2:10-13
"If all of God's love were ever to be put upon any of us, magnificent as it is, it would tear us to pieces."
John 1:18
Luke 11:27
"If there is one thing that the Eternal Son can never experience, it is experience itself."
Hebrews 2:10
"The rumors of your own capacity to self-determine have been grossly exaggerated."
Hebrews 2:10
"No matter how bad it gets for the Christian in this life, it can never be worse than it is good."
1 Thessalonians 5:18
"Do you know what a slave needs to know? He needs to know that his Master has spoken clearly."
Hebrews 2:1-4
"A man is only worth trusting on eternal matters if he can really say, and prove...'Thus saith the Lord'."
Hebrews 2:1-4
"Who God is and how to gain eternal life is treated more like a garnish on the side of a plate, than the main course."
Hebrews 1:13-14
"Don't be fooled by thousand-year old cathedrals, or semi-ancient lies. The permanence that you seek, according to your nature, can only be found in the God who made you in His image."
Hebrews 1:10-12
"You don't learn who God is based upon who you are. You learn who you are based upon who He has always been."
Hebrews 1:4-7
"What happens when the dead figure out that they cannot die again, and the damned learn that they can never escape?"
Hebrews 1:3
"Hell is not incompatible with the love of God. Hell is a result of the love of God."
Hebrews 1:3
The person who says, "I don't need to go to church to have Jesus", is actually rejecting Jesus.
Hebrews 1:3
"When our ministries don't produce godliness, this causes the faithful pastor great distress and great discouragement."
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
"The church that treats its pastor like a machine, instead of a man, is headed for hard times."
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
"You shouldn't pull somebody by the beard, when guiding them by the hand will suffice."
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
"You want to experience the Holy Spirit? Spend time with His people."
Various Scriptures
"The church is a gated community...but we shall not weld that gate shut."
Various Scriptures
"Christianity is not actually a big, Jesus, hippie party that can happen in your living room."
Matthew 28:18-20
"Nothing says things aren't going well in your marriage like a 400 year-long cold shoulder."
Acts 28:23-31
"If you never get along with anybody who's not of the household of faith, you probably can't get along with many who are in it."
Acts 28:1-10
"Were it not for us (believers), God would have no abiding interest in this world."
Acts 27:13-44
"It is very much better to keep yourself out of the story if you cannot keep yourself from being the focus of it."
Acts 26:1-32
"There is no true personal greatness at all--apart from a witness of Christ."
Acts 25:13-27
"Desperate people compromise godly character in order to achieve good outcomes."
Acts 25:1-12
"If He says 'Today', and you say 'Tomorrow', just know that you don't get to make that decision."
Acts 24:24-27
The third of three messages given at the inaugural CtRC Men's Summit
Various Scriptures
The second of three messages given at the inaugural CtRC Men's Summit
Various Scriptures
The first of three messages given at the inaugural CtRC Men's Summit
Various Scriptures
"Slandering a Christian obscures the light of God in them through the lies of men."
Acts 21:14-36
"My childhood pastor was fond of saying, 'If you love people, you use things--and if you love things, you use people'".
Acts 20:32-38
"You're to have unfailing faith in God. You are not to have that kind of faith in human institutions."
Acts 20:22-32
"You can care about liturgy, and you ought to...but you are not allowed to care about it more than God does."
Acts 20:7-12
"So, maybe your leftovers are not actually a true sacrifice of praise to God at all."
Acts 20:1-6
"The visible church stopped winning because their point and their purpose stopped being to win."
Acts 19:8-10
"He plants and grows the tree before He calls the birds to nest in its branches."
Acts 19:1-7
"A man's spiritual leadership in his home...is not in any way contingent upon his IQ"
Acts 18:24-28
"In order to be a fervent preacher, you don't need an exciting new story to tell. You just have to actually believe The Old, Old, Story"
Acts 18:24-28
"When we are faced with an immeasurable task, how should we react?"
Joshua & Various Scriptures
"Faith for us is not hard because of who God is. Faith is hard for us because of who we are."
Acts 18:1-17
"His name is great. It must be protected. Don't be stupid in thinking that your strength is greater than it actually is."
Acts 18:1-11
"It is not just the minister that need the congregation to give, it is the congregation that NEEDS to give."
Acts 18:1-5
"If we are all moral agents, then there must be one prime moral agent who created us."
Acts 17-22-31
"The fact that God made us in His image is one of the greatest causes of joy that our race has ever been given."
Acts 17:22-31
"If so many people in our society believe that there is a God, why do so many of them live like there isn't one?"
Acts 17:22-31
You are responsible for building and maintaining your own section of the wall.
Acts 17:10-15
"When Caesar wants worshipers of the state, when he wants those who worship him, he will find none of those among us."
Acts 17:1-9
"Paul didn't have a chariot. But if he did, its bumper wouldn't have had a 'coexist' sticker on it"
Acts 16:19-24
"Why do we look for the living among the dead?"
An essential Reformation Day message.
2 Corinthians 6:14 - 7:1
We are without excuse when it comes to being prepared for spiritual battles.
Ephesians 6:10-18
"The fog of immaturity is only driven away by the light of clear, plain, comprehensive and thorough bible teaching."
Acts 15:1-35
"No man who is not willing to ruin a church with the truth is worthy of leading a church."
Acts 15:1-35
"The great lie in western civilization is unquestionably Darwinian evolution."
Acts 14:8-19
"It is a design of the devil to emasculate men to that he can run over civilizations and churches. Because, there are no men left to protect them."
Acts 13:46-14:7
"Don't you ever blame the Holy God of the universe for your own wicked unbelief."
Acts 13:42-52
"The mind, no matter how intelligent on its own, cannot overcome that self-righteousness that says, 'I can contribute to my own salvation.'"
Acts 13:38-39
"I have hidden your Word in my heart..."
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman
There's no 'I' in "Let Us..."
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman
Preparing for the main event.
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman
We sing because God sings.
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman
"Real, normal people, just like you and I, can be used of God in extraordinary ways."
Acts 12:1-25
"Real damage is done to the Church by accepting false works of the Spirit."
Acts 11:19-30
It's always nice to have a sword handy when you need one.
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman
Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman
"Man of sorrows? Yes. Man of joy? Absolutely!"
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman
"I am not asking you to have faith in the Resurrection...it happened! Your whole calendar is based upon it. Western civilization is built upon it."
Acts 10:23-48
"External causes or guilt?"
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman
"What?! Me worry?"
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman
"You can do nothing to achieve salvation, but you can do much to position yourself to receive it."
Acts 10:1-48
"One of the ways you can tell all the false religions from the only true one, is that all the false religions esteem people based upon their utility."
Acts 9:32-43
"The risk of an unforgiving spirit is the loss of heaven."
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman
"The purpose of my testimony is to teach others to better relate to Christ...it is not to teach them how to better relate to me."
Acts 9:19-31
"You're angry? What were you expecting?"
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman
"If you allow your children unsupervised, or lightly supervised, access to the internet, you are committing a grave sin."
Various Scriptures
"Be killing sin or it will be killing you." -- John Owen
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman.
"Show me a husband with a domineering wife, and I will show you a son with a domineering mother--and a weak, emasculated father, to boot."
Various Scriptures
Psalmists, prophets, and apostles were all real people with real struggles.
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman.
Are you a "Christian experience" junkie?
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman.
Emotional stability is based on the true truth of God's Word.
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman.
"Very often, little girls are better at rebellion because they are naturally gifted in the area of manipulation."
Various Scriptures
Temperament does not exempt the emotions from God's sanctifying work.
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman.
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman.
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman.
A series of messages, delivered during our Christian Education hour, which are based on the book Feelings and Faith by Brian S. Borgman.
"Your empty life is coming from your empty calories, and your life belongs to God and the service of people."
Various Proverbs
"Mama Bear has been created by the Lord to have the capacity to leave bruises and scratches. We are way past bruises and scratches in this society."
Various Proverbs
"Suffering is the inevitable result of authentic faith and repentance in Jesus."
Acts 9:15-16
"In the world, you will not find redemption. In the Christian church, you must."
Acts 6:1-7
"We are not to cast out pearls before pigs. But, neither are the pigs the ones who get to determine where we do cast them."
Acts 5:12-31
"Angels are not worthy of veneration, but they are worthy of our appreciation."
Acts 5:12-21
"Woe is the man who puts his wife in a position of having to openly defy him in order to obey King Jesus."
Acts 5:1-11
"What a fearful thing it is to rob God of His glory while pretending, at the same time, to give God glory."
Acts 5:1-11
"Mysticism isn't the problem. Runaway, mindless emotionalism is the problem."
Acts 4:32-37
"People are constantly in a state of looking for something new to worship...some new idol."
Acts 3:11-26
"The government cannot help when the wrath of God has descended upon a nation."
Acts 2:37-47
"With false conversion comes false prayers. False prayers are just sinners praying dead prayers that contribute to their body of death."
Acts 2:37-3:1
"The Gospel is itself, fundamentally, a stumbling block...people have to trip on it."
Acts 2:14-42
"If the standard is an emotional experience shared by a group, then that standard is met at just about every pop music concert or sporting event."
Acts 2:1-4
Pastor Hetsler introduces the Book of Acts as he embarks on a new series of Sunday morning messages.
Second of a two-part message on Psalm 147, delivered at the CtRC Church Retreat at Camp Peniel.
First of a two-part message on Psalm 147, delivered at the CtRC Church Retreat at Camp Peniel.
"We are to be ready weapons in the hands of the Almighty. But, in order to win the fight, you've got to attend, far more, to what's in your head and heart, than whatever may be in your hands."
The second of a two-part examination of Psalm 144.
"Godly, strong young men are worth fighting for, and they are worth dying for...because the society that lacks them will collectively die."
The first of a two-part examination of Psalm 144.
"If there is one thing that God cannot abide, it is wicked rulers seeking to silence the praise of His people."
The second of a two-part examination of Psalm 76.
"Spiritual heritage is so much greater than natural heritage."
The first of a two-part examination of Psalm 76.
"Situational Ethics, as it is called, is a totally pagan philosophy."
A special message wherein a Biblical worldview is applied to Covid-19 vaccine mandates.
"Public Sins Grow Roots"
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 21:15-25
"That'll leave a mark!"
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 21:15-17
"How the feckless became fearless."
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 20:19-31
"Women are liberated by Jesus"
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 20:1-18
"Authentic Christianity is never lived in secret, even under the threat of persecution or death."
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 19:31-42
"One loses with a whimper...one wins with a SHOUT"
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 19:17-30
"Crucifixes are not lucky charms. The power is not in the cross, but in Him who hung on it."
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 19:17-30
"Whatever well-being comes 'in the name of Jesus', but also comes at the expense of Jesus--it isn't being given by Jesus, it is being granted by Satan."
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 19:17-30
"Political leaders are like clouds..."
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 19:1-16
"If there is only one cure, there can be only one disease."
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 18:28-40
"Jesus Christ--the self-subdued hurricane."
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 18:1-11.
"Christian disunity is an oxymoron!"
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 17:20-26.
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. A second pass through John 17:6-11.
Continuing with the exposition of the Gospel of John. John 17:1-5
"Man is the beneficiary of salvation but we are never to be understood as the primary point behind it. The glory of God is the primary point. And, any soteriological system, or gospel system, or system of salvation that places man at the center of it, is satanic."
Are you more American than you are Christian?
Christ's transcendence of national boundaries is critical to understand and to teach to future generations.