Summit Church

The value of spending time reading the Bible is immeasurable. Nick encourages us to be in the Word and equips us with some resources to get going.

In Matthew, Jesus talks about there being more need than there is help. The question Keith asks, based on these verses, is not, "Are you wounded?" but "Can you fight?". Everybody has been wounded, but pain doesn't disqualify you from being useful, pain and suffering brings credibility and sensitivity. While you're being healed, love somebody along the way.

The David Series Closer! Why does God judge? Brad explains that God judges because the only antidote to violence is belief that God will judge violence.

The essence of what we're learning throughout the David series is not just about the stories that happened to him, but who he was, primarily, a man who sought God in everything.

David's freedom wasn't based on his circumstances, it was based on knowing God and his forgiveness. Freedom is found in forgiveness. The problem can be that we know we need to forgive, but we don't know how to forgive. The reason we can't forgive is we are defined by the relationship- by not being heard out or apologized to, but our forgiveness is not based on the other person's understanding of us, God defines our value and worth, therefore we can forgive even when the situation is unfair or unresolved.

Through the David Series, we've been learning about who God is through stories of David. In Psalm 51, we see that David knows who God is as he prays to Him. David doesn't pray for the consequences of his sin to be removed- he pleads for his heart to be changed.

Nathan Rebukes David is the title of the passage; the way David responds to Nathan confronting him about his sin is exemplary. God shows us our sin to free us from it.

Brad tells the story of Davis and Bathsheba. David- a man after God's own heart- commits adultery and murder. Every human being has seeds of destructible behavior in us; the issue of them taking root or not has to do with if we acknowledge or deny their existence.

The story of the cross is about God doing something for us, not about us earning anything.

The malfunction of our faith is we are content to eat at the King's table for our existence, without capturing the heart of the King. We are content with the restoration and bringing things back together but we don't capture what God's heart was to begin with. This malfunction reveals an element of being a disciple that so many of us don't understand.

God says no sometimes, and it's frustrating. We don't always get what we want or what we thought was a good thing for us. It's something we acknowledge and then acknowledge he knows what's best.

In religions, failure keeps people from God. In Christ, it's our failure to admit our failure that keeps us from God. Your sin is serious; grace changes everything. How are you responding to your sin and God's grace?

Through this message, we are reminded not to bypass the process by focusing on the product, and in turn miss out on true greatness.

This story of David confronts us with the question, "When we're in the middle of a mess, will we run or will we find strength in the Lord?".

Anger isn't the issue; the question is, "Why are you angry?". What's the source of your anger- is it justified and helpful to a cause?

When opportunities line up with our prayers and passions, it's difficult to exercise restraint. We have to be connected to Jesus to know the right doors to walk through, as David exemplified while being pursued by Saul.

In this story of David, we see how he responds to chaos by still choosing to do the right thing and asking God what he wants him to do.

God is not something to be figured out. God is someone you are intended to know; that's what Jesus is all about.

Our NW District Supervisor, Dave Veach, gives a great message from the story of David and Jonathan, about the value of genuine connections and friendships.

When we live for God, for Him alone, it brings the highs and the lows into perspective and it brings life to everything we're engaged in.

We have massive challenges that we can't handle on our own; what's your's? Brad goes through the battle of David and Goliath, and we learn tons about the character and faith of David, that we then can apply to our character and faith.

The story of David and Goliath. David approaches Goliath and battle knowing the fight is not his own; ultimately, God is the hero, David is a placehold- his place is to create space for God to work. Our effort should be to be the placeholder.

In living a remarkable life, it's not about the circumstances changing, it's about us changing. David was anointed as King by Samuel, but what he does next, with time in between his anointing and kingship, is interesting- he goes back to the sheep.

As we kick off the David Series, Brad starts by stating that a guy like David and his life can actually impact our lives and potentially make a difference in where we are right now.

You have to look back clearly, in order to look forward confidently.

You have a Savior. That's what Christmas is all about. The birth of Jesus- the moment before the moment- because of this moment, as Jesus breathed his first breath, the rest of life, the rest of history can be different- should be different, because we have a Savior. We have a Savior who comes in the middle of our darkness and he is the light of the world and he comes and he gives us that light and says, you are the light of the World.

The last message of this series, Storyteller, is the parable of the vineyard and the tenants. Ultimately, it's a picture of God, Jesus, and us. The purpose of the vineyard is to produce fruit. Your job is to produce fruit. We are here to work the land. What are you doing with what you have?

Jesus tells stories to people who thought they knew, but didn't. So He tells us stories to help us uncover what we really need to know.

How do I know I'm building on the rock? Brad walks through this parable and talks about God's will. The only reason we don't submit our will is because we don't understand the extent of what God has done for us.

This is about the stories Jesus tells when He teaches us how to pray. Jesus tells these stories to help us how to understand the relationship we are to have with God- to help us understand the way we should approach God.

The parables about seeds are showing us the divine patience God uses, it's not about immediacy, about full grown trees, rather it's about seeds being planted and nurtured. The Kingdom of God is more than words or a description- the Kingdom of God is to be experienced, to be lived in.

Having compassion is different than being moved with compassion. Jesus tells a story about a good samaritan who has compassion, mercy, and love on a man who should be considered his enemy. We are to go and do likewise.

True forgiveness is always rooted in what God has done for us.

The parable of the ten servants and how it's not about what we have- it's about what we do with what we have.

Jesus has a way of completely changing the conversation. What He says about how we view money is different than anyone else speaks of- certainly different than our culture. Ultimately, we are to covet nothing more than a rich relationship with God. Are you an anxious fool or rich toward God?

The story of the barren fig tree and the garden keeper shows us more about Who God is and what He wants for us. This message encourages us and teaches us about the salvation we have through grace by faith and emphasizes that we are then made for good works.

Jesus knows there are times we want to give up- which is why He told this story, this parable. Often times, we stop praying because we forget Who we are praying to. We forget God is a just God; God has chosen us and He cares deeply for us. We get to be in relationship with God, including prayer and simply asking Him for what we need. Be persistent in prayer.

This new series is a closer look at the parables of Jesus. The stories don't necessarily resolve- the resolution is supposed to happen in us, the listener. This first message is about the lost sheep, coin, and son. Repentance is the what leads to being found and into rejoicing.

Engaging with God, actively seeking Him, grows faith with the ability to identify what God would like you to do based on who you are. We sometimes limit what we do because we look at what we don't have but God asks, "What do you have?". When I know what I do what I know how to do, Jesus will do what only he can do.

What is your name? We have to come to grips with who we really are before we really can be transformed. Brad asks us to reflect on what's really going on in our own lives and then to let God do a change in us to live the life he died on the cross for us to live.

The capacity of your faith is defined by your community. Brad instructs us to break down the backyard fences of our faith and let each other in.

God is meant to be encountered- not just to be known about or experienced- but truly encountered, a face to face meeting. Brad used Moses and the burning bush to show how when we stop long enough to listen, we get to have a meaningful encounter with God.

Guest Speaker and recent author, Pastor Kurt Bubna of Eastpoint Church in Spokane Valley, speaks about God's epic grace. Restoration is God's specialty and God delights in showing you His grace. No matter what's in your past, God still has a plan for you.

Communion has withstood the test of time in the church. Here, Brad reminds of the significance it had and has for us.

Nick preaches about baptism, as Summit prepares to baptize 36 people, next Sunday, August 18!

When your faith is made strong, God gets the glory. When we respond in faith, it is the opposite of trusting ourselves; it's not about you; it's not religion or humanism that says I obey to be accepted, because it's not about you. It says I obey, I respond in faith so God may be glorified.