Summit Christian Fellowship Sermons: Recent Episodes
Summit Christian Fellowship
Summit Christian Fellowship www.summit-christian.org 3714 E. 84th Street, Tacoma, WA 98446 (253) 531-1672
Due to technical difficulties, there is no video available for this week's sermon or service. Thank you for understanding.
Due to technical difficulties, there will not be a video of the full service this week.
Disappointment, loss, and hardship can leave us unfulfilled hopes and shattered dreams, When we can't make sense of God's plan we can easily end up in a place of doubt, confusion and bitterness. In the midst of it we need to remember that God’s ways are not our ways, and he is often working behind the scenes for our good and his glory.
As the narrative of Ruth begins, we find three characters at a crossroads. Each faces very significant, very real decisions that will affect the trajectory of their lives. But God is at work in and through those decisions, weaving something the characters can't even see.
Where is God when life gets hard? When the dark and difficult providences of life threaten to overwhelm us, where is God? The opening to the book of Ruth presses that question on us. In a mere five verses, a woman's life is stripped bare. The events of her life leave Naomi a ruined woman. But in the midst of it there are glimmer's of hope. God is working in the darkness in ways Naomi can't see. Ways she won't see until the end of the story. Naomi's experience reminds us that God is always working, even in the darkness and difficulty of life, to restore and redeem.
In week 2 of our Summit DNA series we talk about the importance of community. Healthy gospel-centered community is one of the most beautiful, life-giving things we can experience. Hebrews 10 describes how the gospel creates that type of community as we live committed to one another, with our eyes focused on the culmination of community at Christ's return.
We start our DNA series looking at our foundational core value of gospel-centricity. Why is the gospel so important? Paul helps us see why in 1 Corinthians 15. The gospel matters because it says something, it's the most important thing, and it affects everything.
This Sunday we wrap up our Summer in the Psalms series by looking at one of the Old Testament's most profound pictures of real community. Psalm 133 paints a vivid portrait of the remarkable beauty of a community of faith. As we move into the rhythms and routines of the fall, this psalm reminds us of the centrality of Christian community in our own worship and in our witness to a watching world.
The Bible is the story that points to God’s forever victory over sin through His Son Jesus. So why would the Bible dedicate more than one-third of the Book of Psalms to lament? Because depression should be expected in the life of a believer. Depression isn't the result of weak faith, it's the result of living in a sinful world; in a body that has been broken by sin.
Psalm 77 sets a model for us in how we can go to God in seasons of lament, despair, and sorrow; from looking inward to self, to looking toward God, remembering and declaring who He is.
Who is our trust in? Psalm 146 reminds us that trusting in worldly leaders - whether they're good or bad - isn't solid ground for our hope. Only God is worthy of our trust, both because of his power and his promises - and that should lead us ultimately into praise.
Isaac McPhee is a deacon at Summit and has also served as a community group leader, equipping class teacher, Summit kids volunteer, and sports camp coach. He works full-time home inspector and small-business owner.
This morning, Eric Loyer unpacks the faithfulness of God in our brokenness from Psalm 116. We love God because he continually meets us in the mess, in a way the world can't. For those who know it, God's goodness should overflow in our praise.
Eric Loyer serves as one of the pastors at Creekside Community Church in McMinnville, OR. Creekside is one of our sister churches in the Crossway Network and we're grateful for their witness and partnership in seeing healthy churches planted in the Pacific Northwest.
Nothing will drag us into disillusionment quicker than envy, jealousy, and comparison. In our social-media-driven world that’s an easier place to end up than ever. But Psalm 73 shows us the way out of disillusionment and into devotion. It begins with beholding the ‘better-ness’ of Jesus.
All of us long for the good life. But how do we find it? Psalm 1 gives us both a portrait of the good life and the path to it - a life saturated in and submitted to the Word of God. Join us as Kyle Meyers kicks off our Summer in the Psalms series examining Psalm 1.
We wrap up our series in Exodus 34:6-7 looking at the thorny ending of these verses. These verses are difficult, but if we’re willing to wrestle with them a bit, they get us to the very heart of the message of Christianity: the tension of God's justice and mercy that gets resolved in the cross of Christ.
"God is love" is one of the most foundational statements of the character of God in the Bible. But a culture where "love" means many things to many people, what does it meant that God is love? Exodus 34 helps us see understand God's love as steadfast and faithful - two words tied together throughout the Scriptures. Join us as we dive into the core of God's being - his commitment, even in the face of sin and rebellion, to love his people and keep his promises.
That God is slow to anger means that he is patient, longsuffering, forbearing with us... but it doesn't mean he never gets angry. God's anger is very real. God will deal with all that threatens the goodness of the creation he loves. The good news of the gospel is that, through the cross, God's anger toward sinners like us was satisfied. And that reality gives us hope.
In week 2 of our "God Is..." series, we look at God's introduction of his name, the LORD, God's covenant name, Yahweh. This name was incredibly significant for Israel, and it can be for us as well. Knowing that God has a name has the potential to transform how we see and think about the God of the Bible.
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” - A.W. Tozer
Who is God? There isn’t a more important question we can ask. How we think about God - what he’s like, how he responds, what his character is - these ideas deeply form us as human beings. Philosophers, theologians, and thinkers have written volumes describing God to us, but in two verses in the book of Exodus God describes himself.
"The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6-5)
This Sunday we begin a series spending six weeks soaking in these two verses. They’re the most quoted verses in the Bible, by the Bible. They are God’s self-introduction to us. And they’re meant to form the foundation for what comes into our minds when each of us think about God.
We wrap up our series in the Gospel of Matthew this morning looking at Jesus' final words to his disciples. Jesus invites them, and us, into a mission beyond ourselves that will take more than we have in us. But framing this invitation Jesus promises what we need - his power and presence along the way. Join us as we look at Matthew's final scene.
The resurrection of Jesus is the central reality of the universe. It’s the hinge to all of history. It is the climax of God’s story, it’s the crescendo of creation. And if we believe it's true, the resurrection changes everything.
For many, the crucifixion of Jesus is confusing and even disturbing. There is little about it that seems attractive. Yet, if we have eyes to see the upside-down realities of the cross - an innocent man treated like a criminal, the Son of God dying a painful death, victory coming through death - we will behold the life-changing beauty that's there.
Matthew 26 is a story about failure. Peter's failure at Jesus' most trying moment shows us something deep and powerful about the grace of God. Jesus' faithfulness in our failure can bring hope and healing to the most hidden parts of our self.
We are making the final turn in Matthew's gospel in Jesus' journey toward the cross. As Jesus' death looms, the response of his followers to that death is varied. Pastor Ryan looks at Matthew 26:1-29 this morning and what we do with Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf.
Jesus is calling us, in light of a future judgment day, to live lives so impacted by the gospel, that we just spill out, everywhere we go, this self-sacrificial love for others. Join us as Pastor Ben unpacks the final section of Jesus' Olivet Discourse in Matthew 25:31-46.
We're grateful to have Drew Dawson preaching for us this morning. Drew and his wife Sarah are planting a church in Gig Harbor with Resurrection Church, Tacoma. Over the last couple of years we've been part of a growing collective of churches in the South Sound, including Resurrection Church, working together to equip church planters and mobilize new church plants. We're excited about what God is doing, and what he will do through this new church on the Penninsula!
What does it look like to wait, ready for Jesus? In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus says it looks like stewarding and multiplying the master's property. What does that mean for us? Find out at Pastor Ryan unpacks the Parable of the Talents and what it says to us about how we see God and what we do with what he's entrusted to us.
What do the events of Easter mean? Why are they so significant? When Jesus' earliest followers looked for answers to that question, they found them in Psalm 2. This ancient Hebrew poem, written for a royal enthronement ceremony, gives us an understanding of Jesus' resurrection as his coronation as King, and helps us see the heart of Easter: that though we've rejected God as King, through his death and resurrection Jesus makes a way for us to enjoy the blessings of his kingdom, forever!
In our quick-fix, microwavable, instant-gratification digital culture, we don't know how to wait. And yet waiting exactly what Jesus calls us to. Between Jesus' resurrection and his return, he calls his followers to preparation and readiness. He calls them to wait well. Join us this morning as Pastor Ryan Knight unpacks what that looks like through Jesus' "Parable of the Ten Virgins" in Matthew 25:1-13.
The central hope of Christians for centuries has been that Jesus will one day return and set everything right, forever. Jesus doesn't tell us when that day will be, but he does tell us how to live in light of its reality. Join us this morning as Pastor Ryan looks at Matthew 24:36-51 and Jesus' discussion of his future coming.
It's easy in a chaotic world to read the latest headlines, watch the 24-hr news cycle, and see the endless crises around us and become either indifferent to them or obsessed with them. But what is Jesus calling us to when it feels like the world is falling apart? Matthew 24 is about more than a timeline of world events, it's about how follow Jesus faithfully through whatever comes. Join us as Pastor Ben unpacks this difficult and often debated passage and gets to the heart of Jesus' message through it.
Jesus' strong condemnation of the Pharisees in Matthew 23 is a condemnation of religious hypocrisy on every level. Jesus hates hypocrisy, particularly when it's cloaked in religious garb. And yet, Matthew 23 makes clear that Jesus' arms are wide open to hypocrites who will recognize their hypocrisy and turn to him. Join us as Pastor Ryan walks us through this powerful passage.
For both the secular and the religious, it's easy to miss Jesus when we look at him from our vantage point. We underestimate the power, and glory and significance of who he is and what he's come to do. In Matthew 22:23-46, Jesus confronts two age-old questions on hope and morality and corrects our human misunderstands. He then turns the tables and asks a question of his own that flips everything upside down.
In an era of increasing societal and political polarization, it's easy to slide into the intense partisanship we see around us. But Jesus models something different. Something not partisan but prophetic. A way forward that refuses to give allegiance to anything other than Jesus' kingship, but exercises a subversive rebellion through submission. Join us as Pastor Ben unpacks Jesus' well-known words in Matthew 22:21, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
We continue through the Gospel of Matthew this morning as Pastor Ryan opens up Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus' parable of the wedding banquet. This parable shows us the joy of the gospel and the grief of rejecting God's gracious invitation.
Jesus comes into Jerusalem to do battle, but not with the enemies we'd expect. Jesus' conflict with Israel's religious leaders reminds us that Jesus' has come not just to conquer external enemies, but to overthrow all our man-made religious efforts and replace them with himself.
This week we jump back into our series in the Gospel of Matthew. Pastor Ryan walks us through a significant turning point in the gospel. The beginning of holy week and Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. What we find through this profound account is that though Jesus is nothing like we expect, he is everything we need.
We need renewal. Our focus for the month of January is on how God renews and revives his people. This morning Pastor Ryan looks at Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:15-22 and shows how God works when he revives his church.
We kick off our January sermon series by looking at three characteristics of personal renewal. Personal renewal always involves an encounter with the living God, an experience of his love, and the empowerment of his presence.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas we'll spend four weeks reflecting on the good news that arrives with Jesus: Love, Peace, Hope, and Joy. We hope you'll join us as we worship the newborn king together.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas we'll spend four weeks reflecting on the good news that arrives with Jesus: Love, Peace, Hope, and Joy. We hope you'll join us as we worship the newborn king together.
The arrival of Jesus means the arrival of peace. Jesus life, death and resurrection have done something - they've brought a personal peace into our lives, and are bringing a cosmic peace to all of creation. Join us as we enter the second Sunday of Advent reflecting on the peace that Jesus brings.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas we'll spend four weeks reflecting on the good news that arrives with Jesus: Love, Peace, Hope, and Joy. We hope you'll join us as we worship the newborn king together.
This morning Pastor Ben dives into two stories that Matthew weaves together. The stories give us two visions of greatness - one that is false and one that is true.
Jesus’ plan for rescuing his lost sheep is a church community that simultaneously takes sin seriously and extends grace radically. In this kind of community, healthy "gospel restoration" of one another, in our sin, is a regular practice.
In Matthew 18, Jesus gives his disciples four distinct characteristics of his kingdom community - humility, welcome, vigilance, and rescue. All are important, but all flow from this fundamental starting point…. childlike humility.
As we begin regathering in-person this fall, we're spending three weeks unpacking the core values that make us who we are at Summit. Join us as we dive into gospel, community, mission, the three values we build our life together around.
We’re in a moment when our culture is increasingly polarized. Instead of bringing us together, COVID-19, government guidelines, politics and an array of other issues have driven us to our tribal corners, even within the church. So what do we do when we disagree with other Christians? In the second week of our series “Regather Well”, Pastor Ben dives into Paul’s answer to that question in Romans 14:1-15:7. This passage offers us a road-map for relating well to one another, even when our opinions on “disputable matters" diverge.
With Jesus as Lord of all, knowing how to respond to other earthly authorities can be confusing for Christians sometimes. From Matthew 17:34-27 Pastor Ryan unpacks three principles for navigating these tumultuous waters with confidence, clarity, and hope.
Most of life isn’t a mountaintop experience. In Matthew 17:14-23 Pastor Ryan unpacks what is needed to thrive in life “down the mountain” where evil and suffering and unbelief exist. In this passage, Jesus calls his followers to a living faith in him.
Is following Jesus really worth it? There are times when we're just not sure. In this sermon, Pastor Ryan shows how the Mount of Transfiguration gives followers of Jesus a glimpse of his glory. This mountaintop experience is designed to strengthen our weak and fearful questions as we consider the cost of following him.
Christians believe that Jesus is King, but what kind of King is he? In Matthew 16, Jesus shows us that he's not a king who conquers through power, but through suffering and death. And he calls his followers to the same.
How do you see Jesus? That question is the most important question you will ever answer. But it’s easy to not see Jesus for who he is. This morning Pastor Ben unpacks two ways for us to miss Jesus, and helps us see what it looks like when we really “get” him. Join us as we continue our series, Matthew, looking at Matthew 16:1-17.
Thanks for joining us for our online Sunday service! This morning Pastor Ryan shows how Matthew 15:21-39 shows what Christianity is, who it’s for, and what kind of faith lays hold of it.
For more gospel-centered resources, visit us at: summit-christian.org
Thanks for joining us for our virtual online service! This morning Pastor Ryan takes us through Matthew 14:22-36 where we see that Christianity is not superstition, that our faith is to fixate on Jesus and not the waves, and that the cross of Christ is the climax of God's care for you.
For more gospel-centered resources, visit us online at: summit-christian.org
Pastor Ben continues our series in the Gospel of Matthew, looking at how Matthew 13:24-43 helps us make sense of reality.
As the message of Jesus goes out into the world, it is often rejected, at times it is received, only for it to slowly fade from a person's life, and at other times it is embraced. That divided response to the gospel can leave us feeling lost. Is Jesus really powerful to save? Is his message really true? This morning Pastor Ryan unpacks a story Jesus told that answers those questions. In Matthew 13, Jesus says his kingdom is less like a force of nature and more like a farmer who sowed some seed...
It you are a follower of Jesus, what will characterize your spiritual life and your spiritual practice is an authentic, self-forgetful devotion. Jesus is saying for our lives should be locked in on the praise and affirmation of our Heavenly Father rather than the praise and affirmation of others.
What does it look like to engage our neighbors with the love of Christ? How do ordinary people intentionally make disciples in the midst of everyday life? Tom and Dawn Harcus from Crossway Chapel walk through those questions with us in this special training event. Tom and Dawn have spent their lives intentionally spreading the gospel and making disciples. Tom has planted two churches in Ft. Collins, CO and Wilmington, NC. He now pastors Crossway Fox Valley and is one of the leaders in the Crossway Chapel Network. Tom and Dawn help us think intentionally and strategically about living for God's glory and mission in this world.
What does it look like to engage our neighbors with the love of Christ? How do ordinary people intentionally make disciples in the midst of everyday life? Tom and Dawn Harcus from Crossway Chapel walk through those questions with us in this special training event. Tom and Dawn have spent their lives intentionally spreading the gospel and making disciples. Tom has planted two churches in Ft. Collins, CO and Wilmington, NC. He now pastors Crossway Fox Valley and is one of the leaders in the Crossway Chapel Network. Tom and Dawn help us think intentionally and strategically about living for God's glory and mission in this world.
What does it look like to engage our neighbors with the love of Christ? How do ordinary people intentionally make disciples in the midst of everyday life? Tom and Dawn Harcus from Crossway Chapel walk through those questions with us in this special training event. Tom and Dawn have spent their lives intentionally spreading the gospel and making disciples. Tom has planted two churches in Ft. Collins, CO and Wilmington, NC. He now pastors Crossway Fox Valley and is one of the leaders in the Crossway Chapel Network. Tom and Dawn help us think intentionally and strategically about living for God's glory and mission in this world.
What does it look like to engage our neighbors with the love of Christ? How do ordinary people intentionally make disciples in the midst of everyday life? Tom and Dawn Harcus from Crossway Chapel walk through those questions with us in this special training event. Tom and Dawn have spent their lives intentionally spreading the gospel and making disciples. Tom has planted two churches in Ft. Collins, CO and Wilmington, NC. He now pastors Crossway Fox Valley and is one of the leaders in the Crossway Chapel Network. Tom and Dawn help us think intentionally and strategically about living for God's glory and mission in this world.
What does it look like to engage our neighbors with the love of Christ? How do ordinary people intentionally make disciples in the midst of everyday life? Tom and Dawn Harcus from Crossway Chapel walk through those questions with us in this special training event. Tom and Dawn have spent their lives intentionally spreading the gospel and making disciples. Tom has planted two churches in Ft. Collins, CO and Wilmington, NC. He now pastors Crossway Fox Valley and is one of the leaders in the Crossway Chapel Network. Tom and Dawn help us think intentionally and strategically about living for God's glory and mission in this world.
Joel is a wake up call to distracted people. Joel prophesied right as Israel was in the middle of a severe locust plague. Famine and drought had wreaked terror on their crops, animals, and livelihoods. As Joel looks at the nation's situation, he sees God's hand judging Israel for their rebellion. Joel then looks ahead to an even greater judgment coming - the invasion, not just of locust swarms, but an enemy army.
However, despite of God's hand of judgment - he is merciful and gracious, abounding in steadfast love and eager to forgive and restore. Joel looks forward to God's healing of his land an people and a day when God will judge all his enemies and set everything to rights again.
God is the sovereign Creator and Redeemer who, despite human sin and rebellion, is moving forward His redemptive plan.
1 Corinthians 15:29-34 29 "Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame."
1 Corinthians 15:35-58 35 "But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. 50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."
1 Corinthians 15:12-34 The Resurrection of the Dead 12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
Q: What does Christ's resurrection mean for us? A: Christ triumphed over sin and death by being physically resurrected, so that all who trust in him are raised to new life in this world and to everlasting life in the world to come. Just as we will one day be resurrected, so this world will one day be restored. But those who do not trust in Christ will be raised to everlasting death.
Listen as Pastor Ryan teaches on 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. In this sermon Ryan exhorts us to both treasure the gospel in ever deepening ways and to believe its power to affect all of life; even reaching into the lives of people we consider the least likely to believe. Additionally, during the service a few of our leaders had the chance to share about their experience so far and their vision moving forward as we join Crossway Chapel Network.
Question 49 Q: Where is Christ now? A: Christ rose bodily from the grave on the third day after His death and is seated at the right hand of the Father, ruling His kingdom and interceding for us, until He returns to judge and renew the whole world.
Q: What is the Church? A: God chooses and preserves for himself a community elected for eternal life and united by faith, who love, follow, learn from, and worship God together. God sends out this community to proclaim the gospel and prefigure Christ’s kingdom by the quality of their life together and their love for one another.
As we eagerly desire spiritual gifts and the manifestations of the Spirit, there are six attributes Pastor Ryan poses as healthy and helpful pertaining to how we use these gifts in community. Thoughtfulness, gentleness, self control, patience, humility, and deference ought to coincide with our use of the gifts so that God is made much of and the good of others is prioritized.
The Apostle Paul gives this exhortation to believers in 1 Corinthians 14:1: "Pursue love and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy." Listen as Pastor Ben teaches on how we ought to both desire and understand the gifts of prophecy and tongues when they are conducted with love.
Q: How is the Word of God to be read and heard? A: With diligence, preparation, and prayer; so that we may accept it with faith, store it in our hearts, and practice it in our lives.
Why is the church called into unity rather than uniformity? These are two different realities with very different intended outcomes. Listen as Pastor Ben unpacks the Apostle Paul's intent for the church to express itself as a unified body of followers of Jesus, valuing and needing the diversity of gifts in order to be a rich expression of the Gospel.
What are spiritual gifts? How do we live both full of expectation of God manifesting himself among us by the power of his Spirit, and keep gifts in the right place - as just gifts, given by God, for the common good? Listen as Pastor Ryan tackles this tough text in mini-series in 1 Corinthians 12-14.
Prayer is the dynamic conversation where our lives and our God meet. There are all kinds of things that could be said about prayer, but talking about a life of prayer must begin with understanding what it means to pray to "Our Father in Heaven." In this 845 Equip teaching, Pastor Ben address the topic of prayer as we cover four questions in the New City Catechism together.
With dead orthodoxy on one side and a charismatic free for all on the other lies the in between of deep love and commitment to the Bible and a powerful life and love towards Jesus. Listen as Pastor Ben walks through the beginning of 1 Corinthians chapter 12.
Question 35 Q: Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, where does this faith come from? A: All the gifts we receive from Christ we receive through the Holy Spirit, including faith itself. Question 36 Q: What do we believe about the Holy Spirit? A: That he is God, coeternal with the Father and the Son, and that God grants him irrevocably to all who believe. Question 37 Q: How does the Holy Spirit help us? A: The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, comforts us, guides us, gives us spiritual gifts and the desire to obey God; and he enables us to pray and to understand God's Word.
The Lord's Supper 17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. 23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. 33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— 34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.
Q: What happens after death to those not united to Christ by faith? A: At the day of judgment they will receive the fearful but just sentence of condemnation pronounced against them. They will be cast out from the favorable presence of God, into hell, to be justly and grievously punished, forever.
Q: Why was it necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to die? A: Since death is the punishment for sin, Christ died willingly in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God. By his substitutionary atoning death, he alone redeems us from hell and gains for us forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and everlasting life.
Q: What else does Christ's death redeem? A: Christ’s death is the beginning of the redemption and renewal of every part of fallen creation, as he powerfully directs all things for his own glory and creation’s good.
Q: Does Christ’s death mean all our sins can be forgiven? A: Yes, because Christ’s death on the cross fully paid the penalty for our sin, God graciously imputes Christ’s righteousness to us as if it were our own and will remember our sins no more.
Q: Why must the Redeemer be truly God? A: That because of his divine nature his obedience and suffering would be perfect and effective; and also that he would be able to bear the righteous anger of God against sin and yet overcome death.
Q: What sort of Redeemer is needed to bring us back to God? A: One who is truly human and also truly God.
Q: Why must the Redeemer be truly human? A: That in human nature he might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for human sin; and also that he might sympathize with our weaknesses.
REST exists to bring freedom, safety & hope to women and girls exploited by the sex trade.
Each year, we provide direct services to hundreds of people exploited by the sex trade in Seattle and the greater King County area. Through our holistic continuum of care (prevention, intervention, and aftercare), we serve those who are at-risk, actively in, and those taking steps towards exiting a life of sexual exploitation. Our desire is to see Washington become hostile to traffickers and to work ourselves out of a job.
Bridges of Love networks local church ministries and church volunteers, across denominations, to help people in need. Through Bridges of Love, churches and individual Christians are mobilized to work together, along with community organizations and government resources, to provide coordinated help to the poor and needy.
Bridges of Love aims to meet people’s needs with the love of Jesus Christ. Through Bridges of Love, Christians are living out who they say they are by putting their faith in action and providing help, hope, and God’s love to neighbors in need.
They are building caring relationships with those who are struggling, and moving beyond the expressed need to help address the underlying issues that contribute to poverty and hopelessness.
Q: Who is the Redeemer? A: The only Redeemer is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, in whom God became man and bore the penalty for sin himself.
Q: Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? A: No, every sin is against the sovereignty, holiness, and goodness of God, and against his righteous law, and God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them in his just judgment both in this life, and in the life to come.
Q: Is there any way to escape punishment and be brought back into God’s favor? A: Yes, to satisfy his justice, God himself, out of mere mercy, reconciles us to himself and delivers us from sin and from the punishment for sin, by a Redeemer.
Q: What is Idolatry? A: Idolatry is trusting in created things rather than the Creator for our hope and happiness, significance and security.
George Whitefield was one of the most prolific preachers in history. Estimates are that for thirty years, from 1739-1770, he preached over 1,000 times every year to a total of nearly 10 million people. God used Whitefield's preaching to ignite one of the most formative events in American history: the Great Awakening. As we look ahead to 2018, we're praying that as in Whitefield's day, God would use the preaching of his grace toward sinners to bring renewal and revival to his people.
Q: Can anyone keep the law of God perfectly? A: Since the fall, no mere human has been able to keep the law of God perfectly, but consistently breaks it in thought, word, and deed.
Q: What does God require in the ninth and tenth commandments? A: Ninth, that we do not lie or deceive, but speak the truth in love. Tenth, that we are content, not envying anyone or resenting what God has given them or us. *Our apologies - audio for this session was cut off halfway through so the recording is incomplete.
Q: What Does God Require in the Fourth through Eighth Commandments? A: Fourth, that on the Sabbath day we spend time in public and private worship of God, rest from routine employment, serve the Lord and others, and so anticipate the eternal Sabbath. Fifth, that we love and honor our father and our mother, submitting to their godly discipline and direction. Sixth, that we do not hurt, or hate, or be hostile to our neighbor, but be patient and peaceful, pursuing even our enemies with love. Seventh, that we abstain from sexual immorality and live purely and faithfully, whether in marriage or in single life, avoiding all impure actions, looks, words, thoughts, or desires, and whatever might lead to them. Eighth, that we do not take without permission that which belongs to someone else, nor withhold any good from someone we might benefit.
This week we step back from our time in the 10 Commandments and refresh a broad question about the relationship between the law and the gospel. How should Christians relate to the law today? What place does the law have in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan? We answer these questions and others in this session of 845 Equip.
Q: What does God require in the first, second, and third commandments? A: First, that we know and trust God as the only true and living God. Second, that we avoid all idolatry and do not worship God improperly. Third, that we treat God’s name with fear and reverence, honoring also his Word and works.
Q: What is the law of God stated in the Ten Commandments? A: You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below—you shall not bow down to them or worship them. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not covet.
Q: What does the Law of God require? A: Personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience; that we love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love our neighbor as ourselves. What God forbids should never be done and what God commands should always be done.
Q: How can we glorify God? A: We glorify God by enjoying him, loving him, trusting him, and by obeying his will, commands, and law.
Q: How many persons are there in God? A: There are three persons in the one true and living God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are the same in substance, equal in power and glory.
Q: What is God? A: God is the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything. He is eternal, infinite, and unchangeable in his power and perfection, goodness and glory, wisdom, justice, and truth. Nothing happens except through him and by his will.
Q: What is our only hope in life and death? A: That we are not our own, but belong, body and soul, in life and death, to God and to our Savior Jesus Christ.