by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Kyle Estepp continued our series on life practices we want to develop individually and corporately, with this week’s focus being on our own grace story. (2 Peter)
“Without Christ, we were all victims of a massive hijack and were being held hostage by our own sin and the power of Satan. The place of our
captivity was called “futile ways.” All was futile, the blowing up of bubbles that burst. Life may have been full of business and building, but it all signified nothing and would have ended in an eternal whimper. But Christ paid the ransom. He purchased our freedom by his own life.
As 1 Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” And now nothing that we do in his name is futile, but it all has eternal significance.” – John Piper
- Conversion to Jesus Christ is not simply due to believing some facts but about a new person being born of the imperishable Word of the Gospel.
- God makes eternal somethings from futile nothings.
- Conversion doesn’t mean that we’re perfect but it does mean there will be a hunger for Christ. The more we taste of Him, the more we desire. Our appetites may wane during spiritual dry times but our thirst for Him prevails.
- Our power to give a compassionate witness about Jesus to unbelievers will grow in direct proportion to how precious Jesus is to us.
- Jesus gives us a new story. It’s only in the Gospel where our stories find their meaning.
Is our storytelling of the grace of a loving God? What’s the story we’re actually telling through our lives?
If you’d like to listen to the entire sermon, please visit Summit’s sermon archives here.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Our focus on Summit’s core values continued yesterday. Below are snippets from Kyle’s compelling sermon on the value of biblical community. I encourage you to visit Summit’s site to hear the sermon in its entirety.
Matthew 22:34-40
His religious audience knew from Deuteronomy 6:4 that they were to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind—but others? Jesus ushers in a radical change when He commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves.
- We have little to do with who moves in next door, works in the cubicle close by, or beats us to the Target cash register after a long day at work — but that’s Jesus’ point. We’re not only to love those who look like us, smell like us, or talk like us — but everyone. God has placed us where we are for divine possibilities.
- “Jesus makes it very clear that spiritual formation is about relationships. Relationships with God and with others.” – Scott McKnight, The Jesus Creed
- Jesus would pay the price on our behalf so that selfishness could be put to death. We are empowered by God’s Spirit to live a new life with wholehearted devotion, freeing us to follow hard after God. By God’s grace, we can know Him, love Him, and love others in a way that He desires. Awaken these desires within us!
In response:
1. We need to actually live connected.
“We
think we’ve chosen our friends, and in reality, a few years of
difference and dates of our birth, a few more miles, the choice of one
school rather than another, any of these chances might have kept friends
apart. But for Christians, there’s strictly no speaking of chances. A
secret master of ceremonies has been at work in your life. Christ who
said to his disciples, “You have not chosen me but I have chosen you,”
can truly say to every group of Christian friends, “You have not chosen
one another, but I have chosen you for one another.” At this feast, it
is he who has spread the board, and it is he who has chosen the guest
list. It is he who sometimes does and always should preside. Let us not
forget our host as we eat.”
-C.S. Lewis
2. Resist isolation. Does our commitment to biblical community reflect God’s commitment to community? We’re not talking about church attendance but living connected to those who God will use to shape us into being more like Christ.
3. Live for one another.
“In many cases, we may, by the rules of the gospel, be
obliged to give to others when we cannot do it without suffering
ourselves…If our neighbor’s difficulties and necessities be much greater
than our own, and we see that he is not like to be otherwise relieved,
we should be willing to suffer with him, and to take part of his burden
on ourselves; else how is that rule of bearing one another’s burdens
fulfilled? If we are never obliged to relieve others’ burdens, but when we can
do it without burdening ourselves, then how do we bear our neighbor’s
burdens, when we bear no burden at all?” [Jonathan Edwards, Christian Charity, The Works of Jonathan Edwards]
Because people matter to God, they matter to us.
What “neighbor” will God place on our paths this week to love as Christ loves us? Lord, give us eyes to see and ears to hear so that we might put the Gospel on display.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
In a rushed, distracted, and worried world how do we pursue God above all else? How do we make intimacy with God our top priority?
Kyle Estepp not only taught from Luke 10:38-42 Sunday morning at Summit, he brought it. I encourage you to listen online this week, but for today’s purpose I sense this is all the Lord would have me share:
Martha was fuming about dinner; Mary was feasting on every word that came from the mouth of God.
Martha was troubled by many things; Mary chose the one thing.
Martha was distracted; Mary was focused.
Martha responded to Jesus in the light of circumstances; Mary responded to the circumstances in the light of Jesus.
Martha told Jesus what to do; Mary listened for what Jesus wanted her to do.
Martha left Jesus to go to work; Mary left the work to go to Jesus.
Martha initiated for Jesus; Mary responded to Jesus.
Martha spoke to Jesus; Mary heard from Jesus.
Martha was dutiful; Mary was devoted.
– Howard Baker, Does Jesus Prefer the Ideal Worker or the Ideal Worshipper?
If our friends and family were to say what is most important to us—what we value most—based on our choices, how would they answer?
**As with all the Snippets, I try to jot down everything verbatim, but it’s not always possible.To listen to the sermon in its
entirety, I invite you to visit Summit’s site.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Welcome to Sunday Snippets!
Kyle Estepp led today’s topic in Galatians 5 on the Fruit of the Spirit. He brought a fresh perspective to one of the most studied passages of Scripture. To enjoy the sermon in its entirety, please visit Summit Church’s sermon archive.
A few favorite quotes from today:
- It is fruit of the Spirit, not fruits. We can’t have one without the other. Unless we’re growing in all of them (to differing degrees) we are not growing in any of them.
- We’re only as mature as our weakest character trait.
- Practically speaking, spiritual fruit is grown only through intentional biblical community.
Kyle also listed specific definitions, but my fingers couldn’t keep up. Below is a similar list from Timothy Keller, along with opposite and counterfeit traits.
Agape – love
Definition – To serve a person for their good and intrinsic value, not for what the person brings you.
Opposite – Fear: self-protection and abusing people.
Counterfeit – Selfish affection.
Rescuing someone but really rescuing self. Attracted not to a person,
but to how this person’s love makes you feel about yourself.
Chara – joy
Definition – Delight in God and his salvation for sheer beauty and worth of who he is.
Opposite – Hopelessness, despair.
Counterfeit – Elation that comes with blessings not the Blesser! Mood swings based on circumstances.
Irene – peace
Definition – Confidence and rest in the wisdom and sovereignty of God more than your own.
Opposite – Anxiety and worry
Counterfeit – Indifference, apathy, not caring about something. “I don’t care.”
Makrothumia – patience
Definition – Ability to take trouble (from others or life) without blowing. To suffer joyfully.
Opposite – Resentment toward God and others.
Counterfeit – Cynicism. Self-righteousness. “This is too small to be bothered about.”
Chrestotes – kindness
Definition – Practical kindness with vulnerability out of deep inner security.
Opposite – Envy. Unable to rejoice other’s joy.
Counterfeit – Manipulative good deeds. “Right hand knowing what left hand is doing.” Self-congratulation and self-righteousness.
Agathosune – goodness. (integrity)
Definition – Honesty, transparency. Being the same in one situation as another.
Opposite – Phoniness; hypocrisy.
Counterfeit – Truth without love. “Getting it off the chest” for your sake.
Pistis – faithfulness.
Definition – Loyalty. Courage. To be principle-driven, committed, utterly reliable. True to one’s word.
Opposite – Opportunist. Fair-weather friend.
Counterfeit – Love without truth. Being loyal when you should be willing to confront or challenge.
Prautas – gentleness. (humility)
Definition – Self-forgetfulness.
Opposite – Superiority: self-absorbed self-aggrandizement.
Counterfeit – Inferiority: self-absorbed, self-consciousness.
Egkrateia – self-control
Definition – Ability to choose the important thing over the urgent.
Opposite – A driven, impulsive, uncontrolled person.
Counterfeit – Willpower through pride or through more “functional” idols.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Welcome to Sunday Snippets!
Campus Pastor Brook Taylor delivered a timely message from Acts 2:42-45 this morning. As with all the Snippets, I try to jot down everything verbatim, but it’s not always possible.To listen to the sermon in its
entirety, I invite you to visit Summit’s site.
Here goes…
- Listening to or viewing a sermon online/TV isn’t a bad thing — but using this as our only means of doing church is not how the Church was designed to work with the Word of God. [Watch for an upcoming blog post as I explore this subject in more detail. -CB]
- Sometimes, in searching for the “right” small group we think that being around others who are like us in life stage, affinities, backgrounds, etc. will naturally make us more apt to draw closer to the Lord — but the truth of the matter is that biblical community thrives through our common identity in Christ. He is the only commonality we need to enjoy true fellowship. Rubbing elbows with those who have different strengths, weaknesses, and struggles helps us to grow as Christ followers. [Watch for an upcoming blog post on this subject as well – a personal testimony, if you will. -CB]
- True community doesn’t just happen. We must be intentional.
- The more we pursue Jesus Christ, the more we’ll have a growing love for His people.
- Intimacy with God is the pursuit of God amidst the people of God.
I’ll close with the final question that was posed to us: Are you engaged in true biblical community?
If not, what’s holding you back? Stay tuned this week as I share some of my own personal journey with life/small groups. You may be surprised.
