Redemption Hill Church | Lawrence, KS

Leviticus 4:1-5:13 | JD Summers Sin makes us guilty in a legal sense, but it does even more. Sin makes us dirty. It defiles. And it makes us unfit to stand in the presence of God. That's why, in his grace, God provides a way not only for sinners to be justified, but also for sinners to be cleansed. He applies this cleansing to us by faith in the work of purification accomplished by Jesus on the cross. Let us acknowledge our sin and run to Christ for cleansing which he delights to give!

Galatians 5:22-23 | Steven Parkin God calls us to a life of faithfulness, but he does so by calling us to look to his own faithfulness. As we remember the ways he has been faithful to us, we should be encouraged as we walk through whatever is in our path. We should also be moved to rejoice as we exult in the steadfast love of our mighty Savior. Then, equipped with confident joy, we can rely on Christ no matter what we face. Let us set aside our hope in anything other than our good and faithful God.

Leviticus 2-3 | JD Summers Eating together is a significant theme in Scripture, indicating peace, fellowship, and shared joy with one another. In the sacrificial system, God prescribes certain sacrifices as a means of sharing a meal with his people. This fellowship is secured by atonement, the sacrifice for our sins that enables us to draw near to God. And this fellowship brings honor to God as the community of his people celebrates the reconciliation God has secured for them. We find the epitome of this fellowship with God in Jesus Christ, who dwelt among us, gave himself for us, and unites himself to us, making peace on our behalf through his life, death, and resurrection.

Job 36 | Steven Parkin We all go through suffering at various points in our lives. Sometimes we experience acute suffering, momentary pain, but other times we experience sustained suffering. When we suffer like this, we are tempted to respond in sin, becoming angry or arrogant. But God does not bring us through suffering to give us an opportunity to sin, but rather to give us an opportunity to grow in endurance and faith. As we walk through the valley of deep suffering, let us respond in humble faith and draw near to God in the midst of the storm.

Leviticus 1 | JD Summers Reading about the sacrificial system in Leviticus can seem barbaric and bloody. But these are graphic reminders that much is required to draw near to God. Our holy God desires wholehearted worship from his people, and he defines what that worship should look like. In his grace, he gives us the means for atonement, paying a price for our sin and purifying us from its stain. And in his kindness, God accepts our worship, imperfect as it often is. Let us wholeheartedly draw near to God in worship and praise for all that he is and has done!

Leviticus | JD Summers While it is often the point where Bible reading plans fizzle out, Leviticus is a book that is necessary for our faith. We need Leviticus because of its place in God's story of redemption. It's important because it contains significant amounts of God's very words. It reveals God's holiness, records his provision, and underscores his purpose for his people. In Leviticus, God's holiness is tantamount, but even as he is shown to be high and lifted up and distinct from us, it also shows his gracious plan to make us holy and enable us to dwell with him.

Dan Rudman | 1 Corinthians 13, 1 John 4:7-14 The Bible contains real history, a real story. Within that story, God reveals the nature of his love for us. That love is sourced in the Father, manifested in the Son, and brought to us in the Spirit. God's love is long suffering, sacrificial, and meek. It puts up with difficult people, promotes others even when it costs you, and doesn't begrudge the success of others. God loves us in this way, and he enables and encourages us to love others. If we have encountered the love of God, let us joyfully pour out that same love to those around us!

Various Texts | JD Summers God has established the church and given it leaders. In Scripture, the Apostles strove to establish elders in every church, men who would shepherd the flock and oversee it. These men must meet the qualifications set forth in Scripture, qualifications that have a great deal to do with their character and godliness. By God's grace, let us strive together to identify and encourage men to be developed as elders, all the while seeking to follow the true shepherd and overseer of the church, Jesus Christ.

Various Texts | JD Summers In a biblical sense, a beautiful church building is not the church. Nor is a group of effective leaders without a flock. At the most basic level, the church is the people who make up the body of Christ. The church needs an identifiable membership, which aligns with biblical teaching and enables the church to do effective ministry. The church needs a regenerate membership, as local bodies must seek to represent physically what is true spiritually. And the church needs a healthy membership, with believers who are pursuing holiness and sacrificial service to one another.

Matthew 28:18-20 | JD Summers There is something that resonates with us all about being a part of something bigger than ourselves. This is true of the mission of the church, which is part and parcel with God's mission in the history of redemption. God mandates that believers join in this mission, giving us a message of salvation to proclaim to the ends of the earth. He gives strength and comfort as we carry out this mission, backing us with his authority and making his presence with us known. Let us joyfully embrace God's mission for the church!

1 Timothy 3:14-16 | JD Summers In order to function correctly as the church, we need to know what our purpose is. If we have the wrong direction, we risk wasting our lives working on something less than what God has designed for us. The church is God's family, indicating the intimacy God has shared with us through salvation. The church is God's dwelling place, his temple where he delights to dwell with us spiritually. And the church is the custodian of God's truth, the pillar and buttress that must uphold God's Word in the midst of a world of opposition. Let us embrace God's good design for us in the church!

Luke 24:50-53 | JD Summers The incarnation and resurrection of Jesus are essential and wonderful truths, but we should not ignore his ascension either. When Christ ascended into heaven, he gave us a great cause for rejoicing. Jesus has been accepted by the Father, who has exalted him to his own right hand. Jesus has fulfilled God's promises and provided salvation! This should lead us to worship and to share the gospel, proclaiming our risen, exalted Savior and encouraging one another that he is returning soon.

Galatians 5:22-23 | Steven Parkin It can be easy to live a life filled with good works that is devoid of goodness. To guard against this lifeless moralism, let us instead press in to know God more. He is the one true source of goodness, and any good thing we have comes only from him. Let us embrace the goodness of God and see it overflow in our hearts to others!

Luke 24:33-49 | JD Summers

Luke 24:13-32 | JD Summers By nature, we are slow to believe. What can overcome our slowness of faith? The Word of God. Jesus uses Scripture to speak into our hearts, giving us life, overcoming doubts, and drawing us to himself. When Jesus opens our eyes, he gives us joy. Let us rejoice in the vision of our risen Savior!

Luke 23:50-24:12 | JD Summers Jesus was born to die, but he was also born to reign. He humbled himself lower and lower, taking on flesh, being born as a baby, and submitting himself to death, even death on a cross. But he did so that he might be highly exalted far above every power and authority. This doesn't fit our natural ordering of things, and so we must respond in faith. We should identify with Christ in his humility. We should remember his words to us in Scripture. And we should be willing to acknowledge our failures, drawing near to our merciful Savior by faith.

Luke 23:44-49 | JD Summers Jesus' death on the cross was not just an example of extravagant love and sacrifice. Jesus accomplished something, accomplished many things. He made atonement for sin by giving his life as a ransom for many. He opened the curtain to the holy of holies, breaking down the barrier of sin and ushering believers in to gain access to God's presence. He ratified the new covenant by his blood, making forgiveness of sins possible through his death. There is no salvation for us outside of the faithfulness of Christ, which kept him on the cross to the very end. Let us worship and praise our suffering Savior for his effective work of salvation!

Dalton Vansell | Daniel 3 We live in an age of pluralism that claims all ways of life are acceptable. The world calls us to affirm the choices of others, and even goes so far as to demand that we bow down and worship the idols of their creation. As Christians, we must prepare for the pressures of pluralism and set our eyes on the God who does not have eyes that cannot see or ears that cannot hear, but who is alive and personal. Let us place our faith in Jesus, our deliverer, who promises to bless us now and forever.

Galatians 5:22-23 | Steven Parkin Christians are called to kindness. Not to a kindness that is nice by the world's standards, but to kindness that is defined by Christ. Jesus overflowed with kindness, driven by his deep compassion for those around him. He demonstrated this kindness to us by going to the cross and providing an atonement for sins we could never accomplish. Let us look to Christ, seeking to be conformed to his image so that we can be filled up with his kindness and act as a conduit to share it with others.

Luke 23:32-43 | JD Summers When Jesus was on the cross, he was mocked for not being able to save himself. In reality, he was sacrificing himself to save all who would believe in him. Jesus showed how much he loves sinners by praying for their forgiveness on the cross. He was faithful to the end, providing an effective salvation by his sinless life and innocent death. And he holds out the promise of salvation based not on merit, but on mercy. Let us join the thief on the cross in believing that our only hope to be right with God is because of Jesus.

Luke 23:26-31 | JD Summers When we encounter the truth about Jesus, he demands a response. Some respond in faith, taking up their cross and following him. Others respond mistakenly, focusing on the suffering of Christ but missing the reason why he suffered: to bear our sins that deserve judgment. Some are interested in the story of Jesus, but mere interest is not enough. Jesus invites all people to repent from their sins and trust in him, receiving saving grace earned at the cross. Are you willing to follow Jesus?

Galatians 5:22-23 | Steven Parkin We often view our calling to be patient with dread and frustration, but Scripture shows us that patience is a godly virtue. God demonstrates his grace and love to us by bearing with us patiently, giving us time to repent rather than immediately pouring out his righteous wrath on our sin. He then shares his patience with us, infusing us with the ability to bear up in the midst of persecution, provocation, and uncertainty. As we place our hope in Christ, we can endure anything with patience, knowing that God will bring us through what he has prepared for us.

Otto Skoog | Psalm 16 Anxiety in our world is at an all time high. Nothing is trustworthy - the stock market is volatile, our friends fail us, our bodies break down. Where can we turn? We need a God who is trustworthy in the midst of uncertainty. When we trust in God, we will find satisfaction in him. He will lead us in good counsel and direct our steps in security. When we realize that the Lord is at our right hand, with us in the fight, we can overcome fear and anxiety. Let us trust in God and worship him supremely!

Luke 23:1-25 | JD Summers The heart of the gospel message is this: Christ in our place. Though innocent, Jesus was condemned to die for the guilt we ourselves bear. He was despised and rejected by those who would stop at nothing to protect themselves and accomplish their sinful desires. Satan worked in these people to try to defeat Jesus, but he merely played a part in God's plan to save sinners by providing a perfect sacrifice in their place. Do you see yourself in this story as someone who, like Barabas, is given life and freedom by Christ's substitutionary sacrifice?

Luke 22:63-71 | JD Summers The most important question anyone will answer in this life is “Who is Jesus?” How we respond to the person of Jesus determines everything about our lives. Some reject him, understanding his claims and yet refusing to submit to them. Jesus is the prophesied Son of God who took on flesh, died on the cross, rose from the dead, and reigns with the Father in heaven. Believing the truth about Jesus means submitting our thoughts and lives to him, and many are unwilling to do so. But for all those who do believe in Jesus, drawing near to him in humble fear, he grants forgiveness of sins and life with him for eternity. Let us submit to King Jesus!

Various Texts | JD Summers Those who have never married or are no longer married fit into God's redemptive plan just like everyone else. God loves marriage, but marriage is not the mission. God's glory is preeminent in his plan, and single people must pursue his glory above all else. In God's providence, those who are not married are uniquely suited to glorify God in ways that those who are married cannot. Ultimately, the unmarried can find happiness and contentment in Christ, embracing God in his purpose and his character. Let us cling to Christ above all else!

Various Texts | JD Summers It's common in our world today to dread getting old. We often fear death and idolize youthfulness. But God sees age as a sign of blessing, of a life well enjoyed. God has a high calling for senior saints, both in ministering to their spiritual families and their natural families. In God's economy, elder saints are invaluable to their younger brothers and sisters in the church. Older believers can pass on a legacy of wisdom and faithfulness to the next generation of believers in their church and in their own families. Physically, we may wither as we grow older, but in his grace God bears fruit from the righteous in their old age.

Various Texts | JD Summers Disciplining children is a sensitive topic today, but God's Word makes clear that it is a spiritual duty for parents. Biblical discipline goes beyond words and uses actions to deal with matters of the heart. God disciplines us out of love, and our discipline must do the same, not involving aggressive physical force applied out of anger, but rather appropriate discipline from a heart of loving correction. Ultimately, discipline opens the door to the gospel, providing an opportunity to highlight the nature of sin and the goodness of God's forgiving grace.

Ephesians 6:1-4 | JD Summers Having children in marriage is part of God's plan for the family. But God desires more than just bringing new humans into the world; he desires that parents multiply disciples. This means requiring obedience from children and cultivating a desire to honor their parents. It also means abstaining from provoking children to anger, but instead applying appropriate discipline and instruction to raise children up in the Lord. The task is tall, but in God's grace, he honors and uses the faithful efforts of imperfect parents who seek to follow Christ's commands.

JD Summers When Jesus established the church on the earth, he ordained two practices for us to continue in until he returns - baptism and communion. These ordinances set local churches apart from every other institution on earth, marking them out as Christ's bride, commissioned to make disciples throughout the world. Baptism points to a believer's experience of conversion and allows believers to publicly proclaim their willingness to follow Christ. Communion reminds believers that Christ has died for us and encourages us to walk in holiness, knowing that God has forgiven our sin through Christ's shed blood on the cross. What a joy to participate in God's unique ordinances in the church!

Psalm 103 | JD Summers We will all have to deal with grief. It is the appropriate emotional response in times of loss. But in God's grace, there is something unique about the way Christians grieve. Christians mourn loss, but we do so with hope. Our grief should draw us near to God, basking in his steadfast love. As we walk through deep grief, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, whose faithfulness to us will never end.

Various Texts | JD Summers Married couples are sinners who have joined their lives together. This means that there are real difficulties in marriage, but this does not mean that marriage must be a miserable slog of difficulties and disagreements. God designed marriage as a means of great joy in a multitude of ways. Couples find joy in companionship, in intimacy, and in starting families. Spiritually, God uses marriage to bring joy through sanctification. Our increased joy and holiness bring God glory as married couples reflect Christ's relationship with his bride, the church. Let us find joy in God's gift of marriage!

Various Texts | JD Summers God's will for wives is to participate in his mission by helping. In his good design, God created men and women equal in dignity, honor, and value, and he also created them different in roles and responsibilities. As a result of the curse brought about by Adam and Eve's sin, wives often face difficulties in embracing this responsibility, but the right way to respond is not to reject their role, but to accept God's grace. In God's goodness, he strengthens wives to live godly, fulfilling lives in submission to their husbands as the church submits to Christ. Praise the Lord for his mercy and love!

Various Texts | JD Summers God's will for husbands is loving leadership in marriage that embraces God's design for masculinity and emulates Christ. God designed husbands to lead not as oppressive dictators but as loving heads who willingly bear the responsibility of caring for their families. Husbands may not feel up to the task, or they may be discouraged by past failure, but God promises to equip with strength, wisdom, and grace to accomplish his purposes. In all this, the leadership husbands are called to is leadership defined by Christlike love, a love that initiates, serves, sacrifices, and sanctifies. Praise be to Christ, who exemplifies and sustains this love in us!

Various Texts | JD Summers If we misunderstand the nature and purpose of marriage, we will end up hurting people and suffering frustrating consequences. God has designed marriage as an exclusive, lifelong covenant between a man and a woman. This design of marital union is good, and when a husband and wife pursue God's purposes in marriage, they glorify God and benefit others. Marriage glorifies God by demonstrating his image in us as two people relate to each other in love. And marriage is one of the most significant means of making disciples, providing the context to be fruitful and multiply with physical children, but also providing a great opportunity to bear spiritual children. Let us embrace God's good design for marriage!

Various Texts | JD Summers Our relationship to families is deeply personal and often complicated, but it is important. That's why we need to look to Scripture to understand God's plan for the family. Sin mars and corrupts our relationships with one another, bringing conflict and death where there should be love and life. But Christ's death brings reconciliation and redemption to the family, healing wounds and giving a new light to our roles as husbands, mothers, children, the unmarried, and many more. Praise the Lord who designed and redeemed the family!

Galatians 5:22 | Steven Parkin Peace is an inner tranquility and calm of the soul. We can only find this peace in our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave his life to reconcile us with God, producing a reconciliation that brings peace to our human relationships as well. Striving for peace will not come without conflict, but as we seek to walk by the Spirit, we must pursue peace with others as far as it depends on us. Let us rejoice that the Holy Spirit delights to work his divine peace in our hearts!

Psalm 73 | Alex Lynch Scripture is clear that God is good. But this truth is hard to believe when we endure trials, especially when we see others around us thriving. Scripture promises that the path that follows God is filled with blessings while the path of the world leads to destruction, but it seems that more often than not the wicked are living full lives while believers suffer. Is God really good? Yes, he surely is! We stumble and spiral when we focus on the world, but when we set our eyes on Christ and recount his good nature and works, we stabilize. God strengthens his people and fills them with the sure knowledge that our hope is not in this world but in our eternal inheritance with Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5:22 | Steven Parkin It can be tempting to think about joy as a temporary or optional measure. After all, who can have joy when things are hard in our lives? But truly, joy is an overflow from the heart of God that fills believers and is meant to characterize our lives. In the midst of mourning, God's joy sustains us. As we endure through highs and lows, God's joy fills and encourages us. We glorify God by delighting in him, so let us turn away from lesser delights and instead find satisfaction in our good and gracious Lord.

Luke 22:54-62 | JD Summers The fear of man hinders us from faithfully following Jesus. Fear can control and constrict us, compelling us to act in ways that are counterintuitive to our faith in Christ. The fear of God should move us to worship, obey, and enjoy him, but we replace that right motivation with other, lesser motivations that lead us into sin. In light of this, then, how wonderful is the grace of God that both convicts us of this sin and also draws us to repentance. Where we are faithless, he is faithful. Where we are fearful, he is forgiving. Let us draw near to our merciful Savior in hope!

Luke 22:47-53 | JD Summers The salvific nature of Christ's mission had been foretold since before he was even born and was reinforced again and again throughout his life and ministry. Even so, as the hour for his sacrifice drew near, many failed to embrace his plan. Some seemed to follow but turned on him in the final hour. Some desired to stand with him, but foolishly pursued their own plans instead. And some outright opposed him, seeking to derail his sovereign design. But God's plans do not fail. As Christ went to the cross, God was using Satan's evil intent to accomplish his own plan of salvation instead. Behold our faithful, gracious, and sovereign God!

Luke 22:39-46 | JD Summers