The Summit Church Vilonia: Recent Episodes
The Summit Church Arkansas
The Summit Church exists to cooperate with God in developing multiplying communities of fully devoted followers of Jesus.
Jesus called us into a community of followers. We are not alone. Jesus modeled this by living in relationships represented in concentric circles (the inner 3, the 12, the 72, and the crowd).
Jesus spent time alone with the Father and “only did what the Father did.” So how do we follow? In this message we look at the rhythms of Jesus' life and how we can structure our lives in a way to do what He did.
Chris Kear is the director of Downline in Conway, a 9-month experience that equips people to make disciples. Listen to Chris' message as he talks about the Sermon on the Mount.
Following Jesus will result in hostility from outsiders. Peter starts this section with “Who would want to harm you for doing good?” The answer is, more and more people as the world grows darker. So he encourages us, when we suffer, we can remember that Christ also suffered. We must also remember that Christ is King and he has not lost control.
Following Christ impacts our relationships with others. Our marriages, our friendships, our parenting, should all look different from the world. If you are temporarily visiting a place, how you interact with others is obvious. Peter is telling us people should know we are temporary residents by how we treat others. Love is the central characteristic of all godly relationships. Kingdom relationships are identified by love, worldly relationships are identified by power.
We are to submit to authority, and live humble lives, “for the Lord’s sake.” This affects what we say about those in authority over us. It affects how we treat those in authority over us. In a politicized world, the only way we can do this is by looking to Christ, who humbled himself, and showed us what a life of submission looks like. What do we do when authority is bad? Jesus put his trust in the Father to judge justly.
Peter takes the promise given to Abraham and makes it about the Kingdom. Boundary lines and blood lines now flow through Jesus. And for all who have been brought into the family through the blood of Jesus, they now have all the rights of the family of God. Now, because we have been brought into the house of God as figurative stones that make up a spiritual temple, it matters how we live among outsiders. When they look at us, they should see Christ. Not only are we stones that make up the temple, we are a “royal priesthood, a chosen nation, God’s very own possession” all words that show our value to God, and the responsibility we now have to represent Christ to a lost world.
Because we have a new life and new hope in Christ, it is meant to change everything about us. It should affect our daily living while we live on this earth as temporary residents. Peter makes a point to say that while we are temporarily here, our lives are eternal, because the Word of God is in us and has changed us. The Word of God remains forever. Not only does Peter tell us what we should partake in, he exhorts us to abstain from any type of evil behavior.
All followers of Jesus are living as exiles in a foreign land. Much like our ancestors, we are anxiously awaiting our arrival to the promised land. While we journey to Jesus, we should “... be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.” The suffering and trials we endure here are only for a moment.
The Gospel message is news to be heralded, not advice to take heed of. It isn’t bad news or mundane news. It’s amazing news that is so good that it must be shared. No one has ever heard an incredible news story and kept it to themselves. The message that God has come to save His people was a message the angels couldn’t wait to share with a few lowly shepherds, because they knew this news would change the entire world. This same Good News is meant to be shared today, as it is mankind’s only hope.
Joseph was a man that God used to bring blessing to his city and nation. He endured suffering and hardship by walking in faith and the result was that the city and nation were blessed! We are also called to be a people of good reputation who see the welfare of our cities. Let's lean into what God has for us as we engage the cities He has placed us in.
"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise”.
God is always calling His children to take steps of faith. To step into places or seasons that don't make sense to our finite minds. Journeys of faith require us to keep our eyes on God because He's the only one who knows where we're going.
Noah had never seen rain. He didn’t know what a boat was. Yet he believed beyond what he could see, and in so doing he saved his family and generations to come. Will we be people who believe beyond our current generation? Will we do whatever it takes to see salvation come to the generations coming behind us? We can only do that by faith.
Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” If we want to live lives that are pleasing to the Father, we must live lives of faith. Hebrews 11 tells the stories of men and women who did just that. They believed beyond what they could see because their sights were set on Heaven. Everything rises and falls on faith. The first person listed in the Hall of Faith is a surprise, a man barely mentioned in the Bible - Abel. Abel pleased God because he put God first in his life and demonstrated that by his firstfruits offering.
Our faith grows, and joy increases during suffering as we turn to God in prayer and praise. James instructs the church to pray with the elders. The literal and symbolic oil represents setting someone apart through prayer for special attention and care before God Who alone can heal. Not only should the elders pray for people, but so should the whole church because God answers prayer! He answered prayers for Elijah, and He’ll do it for us! Believers should pray for and help return those who wander and waiver in their faith back to God Who forgives and restores.
Our faith is tested and strengthened in suffering. God desires believers to grow in patience. Like a farmer we are to wait on the harvest of fruit that comes from the seeds of patience. We must allow the Lord to change our hearts and we must refrain from grumbling to be found faithful by the Lord, the coming Judge. We should be unwavering like the prophets and steadfast like Job . Again (and above all), our speech reflects trustworthiness in persevering faith.
God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. Pride manifests in various forms. It could be slander, boasting, or hoarding. Slander dishonors God and disheartens others. In contrast, Godly speech praises God and encourages others. Boasting about our future (short and long-term) by neglecting to ask God’s will is arrogant, foolish, and evil. Hoarding the resources God has placed in our lives is also prideful. We will be judged by God for how we have used what He has entrusted us. The things of this world are wasting away, but they can be invested for eternal purposes in His Kingdom.
There are two types of friendships – one with the world and one with God. Friendship with the world comes from sinful flesh, to be spent on earthly passions, and ends in being enemies of God. The Spirit longs for us to live for and in Him. Friendship with God comes from His grace as we submit ourselves to Him and resist the devil. Drawing near to God through humble repentance and grieving over our sin, results in being lifted by God.
There are two sources (and types) of wisdom: worldly wisdom and Godly wisdom. Worldly wisdom comes from hell – it is of the devil. It is false and self-centered and evidenced by works of jealousy which leads to disorder and evil. Godly wisdom comes from heaven, operates in godliness, and produces righteousness and peace.
The tongue reveals the condition of our hearts. James’ infallible words help us with our fallible words. Teachers of God’s Word along with everyone else must be careful with their words as everyone stumbles and sins through our words. The tongue is powerful, and we must recognize our inability to tame it on our own. We must allow the Lord to transform our hearts and minds through His Word and Spirit, which will transform our words to speak the truth in love and the good news to our neighbors and nations.
We are not saved by works, but we are saved for works. The faith we profess is evident by the fruit that comes from our lives. This passage teaches us about useful faith, righteousness, works, and justification. As we see with the example of faith of Rahab, faith risks big for God’s glory. Jesus is the foundation for our justification. Faith in Him is how we’re justified. Good works display our justification by faith in Jesus.
Faith expresses itself in love. Showing favoritism expresses worldliness. Christ followers are to live in a way that does not operate in worldly systems such as favoring the rich and neglecting the poor. Believers must live in a way that glorifies God, testifies to His grace, displays the Royal Law, is aware He is the Judge, and shows His mercy.
Christ followers must not only receive God’s Word, but keep it at the forefront of their spiritual growth as they obey it. As we receive the Word which saves and sanctifies, we must keep it in full view daily and apply it internally and externally.
Trials and temptations are both inevitable. God desires to deepen our faith through both. Knowing God is sovereign over our trials helps us grow in His likeness, trust Him for wisdom, depend on Him for provision, and live in His blessings. Understanding the origin of sin helps us to overcome its deception that leads to death. Growing through trials and overcoming sin helps us to experience Him and His salvation and goodness.
David would not allow a pagan to defy his God. He was jealous for the God of Israel. David had to rely on the past faithfulness of God to be willing to step into the battle with his greatest enemy yet. David knew God alone would defeat Goliath. He refused to wear another man’s armor, and simply relied on his own anointing. We must do the same. We cannot try to be someone we are not; we have to step into what God has called us to, trusting that He alone is enough.
God always finds His man or woman. They are the ones that are built in the secret. They are the ones that have learned to walk in humility. They may be unassuming, barely detectable to mankind, but heaven recognizes them. To be marked by God is the greatest thing that could ever happen for an individual. David, the ruddy shepherd, could have run from Samuel, but he cooperated with God’s plan, and became anointed for God’s work.
If we want to grow in godliness we have to grow in togetherness. To truly love and live together as brothers and sisters in Christ.
The word steadfastness means “endurance, patience, waiting.” If we want to grow in our faith, then we must realize that everything will not be easy and difficult times will come. We must learn to worship in the waiting.
If we want to grow in our relationship with the Father, then we must put to death the sin in our lives.
We cannot change without adding KNOWLEDGE! We are transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Virtue means “excellence of character…” good works. Our faith doesn’t end with us. We must add to our faith “excellence.”
The Lord has given us all things for life and godliness. There's nothing that we need that we don't have - the promises of God to us. But we must make every effort to receive them by faith.
As new creations in Christ, our lives should look differently than the world around us. This passage is a call to practical sanctification in our lives - a call to 'be imitators of God' in every area of life.
Our collective faith as a family matters. In light of all that God has done to make us His own and how He is growing us together and in spiritual maturity - we should strive to believe that He can do more than humanly possible. As a faith family we must remember our Father can do anything!
We went from strangers to being in God's family through the finished work of Jesus Christ. But that's only the start! We should grow as God's family grows.
This passage in Ephesians is one of the greatest explanations of the Gospel in all of the Bible. Not only that, but it tells us that we display the workmanship of God. We are are God's masterpiece - His church, His family, declaring His power to the world. We have been saved for something!
What is God's good design for marriage and family? How are we to operate in God's world as men, women, husbands, and wives?
Additional Resources: Marriage Book: This Sacred Marriage – Gary Thomas
Parenting Book: Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles that Can Radically Shape Your Family - by Paul Tripp
God created all people with dignity and as His image bearers. So, how do ethnicity, culture and race reflect the glory of God? What does it mean to be citizens of Heaven? When conflict arises, how can we love one another and bear each other's burdens?
Additional Resources: Video: When and How Did God Develop Distinct Ethnicities? – D.A. Carson Video Series: Undivided - More Than A Hashtag by NAMB
In Genesis 3 we see that humanity stopped trusting in God's goodness and design and we started trusting in our own. However, Christ has made a way for all people to be reconciled to God and His good design for us.
What does it mean to be made in the image of God? What does it mean to be a man or woman? With God as our authority, we will look at who He says we are and see that His design is good.
Additional Resources: The Image of God Article: Men and Women in the Image of God – John M. Frame
Gender Identity Article: A Biblical Conversation about Transgender Identities – Preston Sprinkle
Design implies a purpose or end. Do people have purpose? If so, how do we know? Who has authority to say? In this message, we unpack Psalm 19 and learn that God's very character and nature declare that He is a trusted authority. And when we live according to His design for us, humanity will flourish.
Additional Resource Book: The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution – Carl R. Trueman
Welcome to A Summit Christmas Online Experience!
We are so glad that you are watching this experience. We believe that God wants to make Himself known to you and speak to you. A moment in His presence can change everything for you.