Summit Drive Church

We, as humans, were made to join in God's rulership of the world with wisdom and justice. Jesus has come to redeem and restore us to this vocation; to be his multi-ethnic, diverse people, not building merely for the ‘kingdoms' but for God's Kingdom.

Our new series, “Jesus, Caesar, and the Kingdom of God: Christian Engagement in Public Life” will focus on this question asked of Jesus: “Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” (Mark 12: 14). We'll see how Jesus' answer avoids a number of pitfalls: Jesus 1) avoids the political trap; 2) avoids political simplicity/polarity; and 3) establishes the appropriate “ordering” of the political realm in relation to God's reign.

Spiritual formation is not just habits and practices, it is a posture. Psalm 63 invites us into the posture of being a people who seek the Living God as the source of our lives.

God the Holy Spirit is the One who transforms us to become more like Jesus. But what part do we play in this process of transformation? Today, we look at what it looks like to "keep in step with the Spirit," and particularly, the role that the spiritual disciplines – the rhythms of Jesus – play in our journey of growing to become more like him.

God does not save us apart from others, but into his people, the community of God, the Church. And the Christian community is the context for change. The Christian community, a local church, this is the place where that change, and growth occur; particularly in the call to learn to love those who are very different than us.

In His Wisdom, God has given us His story through the Bible as a primary means of shaping our mind, hearts, strength, and souls.

God's plan, his great goal for us, is to form us so that we look – in our character, our habits, our priorities, our focus in life – just like his Son, Jesus. But this is only possible through his empowering presence, through the work of God the Holy Spirit. How do we posture ourselves to experience this transformation? We'll begin our new series, “God At Our Side: How the Living God Transforms Us,” with this message that focuses on how God the Spirit is working in us.

As we approach the New Year, Jesus' teaching on the health of our eyes (Luke 11:34-36) will invite us to examine how we are spending our most valuable commodity: our attention.

As we gather to celebrate this Christmas Eve, we hear the words of the heavenly messengers expressing their praise to the baby Jesus born that night: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.” As the shepherds pass on this message, we find that Mary “ponders” these words in her heart. And now, it's our turn to ponder all that we are learning about Jesus in this text, including what we hear the prophet Simeon sing in the next section – that Jesus himself is our salvation. That God's rescue is not just something we experience, but a Person.

Zechariah's song rises out of silence. Sometimes, God calls us to wait, watch, and listen for His action.

Step into the story with Mary, the mother of Jesus, as she shares how our lives and hers are woven together in a divine story. Like Mary, we live in dark and violent times that cause us to long again for the coming of the Messiah. Like her, we discover that Jesus disrupts our lives and invites a response. And as Mary, filled with the Holy Spirit, burst forth in song, so the Spirit now longs to birth new things in and through us today.

Disappointment: with life, ourselves, with God. And joy: In our relationships, in our own hearts, in God. These are two of the most poignant realities in life. And both are at the forefront as we look at Elizabeth's role in the unfolding Christmas story. How do we deal with disappointment? And how do we know the joy that Jesus brings? We'll look into both this week.

In our Advent series, “The One Who Set the World Singing,” we'll see how God's big “drama of salvation” comes to its climax when Jesus – God the Son – steps onto the stage. But like any good production, there is a lot of work to do in preparation. Isaiah 9 speaks of the reality of the darkness that our world faces but is also filled with hope: for a light that is dawning. The main “Actor” in God's salvation story is coming, and this text prepares us to meet the One who brings life, truth, and beauty. We find that this One is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. And he is that for all of us.

Today, we wrap up our series looking at the story of the rich young ruler and his interaction with Jesus. As we do, we discover that a great reversal takes place with God's coming kingdom. We look at the benefits that come from following Jesus and explore what it means to become "last."

Wealth is spiritually dangerous. Jesus warns against wealth for its opposition to the ways of the kingdom: humility and sacrificial love. But there is one who can thread a camel through the eye of a needle...

We are all following someone or something. We are all giving our hearts to someone or something. The question about who or what that is will determine the whole shape of life now, and our eternity. In Mark 10, we are introduced to two very different ways to respond to Jesus: one is a rich man, the other a man who is blind. One walks away, the other walks behind Jesus. What will you do with Jesus? That's the question we all have to answer. This text helps us see more clearly the way to do that.

There is a tension we feel between the goodness of creation, but also the fact that it is so broken too. And we know that brokenness and long for restoration. The Christian view holds all of this together, and in Jesus own body, he answers are most significant question about what real hope would look like. We'll see in this message that “new creation” involves transformed bodies, the renewal of creation, and Spirit-empowered mission.

This week, we contrast the creative projects of the tabernacle and the golden calf in Exodus, and look at what they can teach us about engaging with the arts as followers of Jesus.

God's nature, his 'attributes,' include many important features: omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, among other things. But we don't always ascribe the attribute of joyful or (gasp!) playful to God. But a quick look at God's creation, and the Scriptures, and we find a God who is full of joy and wants us to be as well. Joy is a ‘fruit' of the Spirit after all. This week, we'll explore the question: What would it look like for the Good News of Jesus to be a way into a life of levity, joy, and even a certain kind of playfulness?

Through Psalm 139, we learn to see our bodies as good this goodness has profound implications for our lives and purpose. We are here to love and be loved.

In this message, we are going to listen to what ‘wine' has to say about God, about our humanity, and about redemption and hope. We'll also see that there is a kind of wisdom that enables us to appreciate the goodness of God's creation whether we do, or do not, drink wine.

Food, in the Biblical story, is about far more than simply nourishing our bodies. One of the things we notice as we get inside the long and winding story of the Bible is that the most significant moments in God's economy, God's plan of redemption, happen at a table – at a meal. For the table, and your place at it, that's how you know you belong; that you're part of the family; that you're welcome and loved. In this message, we'll explore the goodness of God's provision of food and our human calling to cultivate tables that are places of welcome and beauty and gratitude.

Jesus' cross represents not just the reconciliation of God and people, but the beginnings of the reconciliation of God and all creation. Colossians presents an image of redemption and salvation where we aren't saved from creation, but for it.

What does it mean to be human? It's a huge question, and the answer you get probably depends on who you ask. The Biblical picture of being a human is far more elevated, and far more earthy, than we often imagine. We'll see the goodness of what it means to be human, and particularly see how Jesus – God in the flesh – elevates and dignifies the material world, and us within it.

God's creation is still good. This might seem like a very basic point, but from the beginnings of the early church until today, there are ways of thinking that devalue the material world in favour of the spiritual realm. Through this series, we will be noting some of these tendencies and listening to how the scriptures re-inform our thinking and living to recognize and celebrate the inseparable connections between the physical and spiritual world.

Proverbs observes a grace possessed by the wise: restraint. The wise show emotional, verbal, and opinion restraint to live in harmony with God's good order.

As we dive into what the book of Proverbs says about laziness and why it happens, we look at what it means to live the opposite life: a life of diligence.

When we welcome God's discipline for ourselves, when we learn appropriate “self-discipline," and when we appropriately discipline our children, ultimately, we are joining in God's good goal for maturity.

One of the main themes in the book of Proverbs is that wisdom comes by being teachable – being open to advice and correction. Of course, this raises some important questions for all of us: What keeps us from being teachable? What would help us to be more teachable? And who should we listen to?

There is a human tendency to think that we always need just a little bit "more." This week, we look at the first eleven of the "Thirty Sayings of the Wise" (Proverbs 22:22-23:11), a collection of sayings about wisdom and wealth. We look at four wrong approaches us humans take in our pursuit of "more," and we look at a better way forward.

About 25% of the introduction to Proverbs focuses on adultery. It calls us to wisdom in the way we conduct ourselves sexually, but also functions as an allegory for foolishness. Wisdom is seeking a life of value more than a life of pleasure, which means keeping our relational commitments with integrity.

The instructions of the Proverbs begin with a very basic word: listen. Those who live by wisdom are those who have learned to listen well and to listen to the right people. The text of Proverbs 1: 8-19 is framed as a conversation between a father and son, but the meaning is for all of us: learn to resist those who pursue ill-gotten gain by learning to listen to those who speak God's wisdom. When you do, God makes you attractive to a world in need of true wisdom.

This week, we'll see from Proverbs 22:29, the goodness of work and how we are called to do that work to the best of our ability. This will lead to serving God in places not normally open to us and give opportunities to influence culture and share the news of Jesus.

God wants us to be wise, and He has given us the Proverbs to help. Wisdom is skill in the art of living and the gateway to wisdom is the fear of the Lord—to revere God's ways above all else.

What does it mean to truly live with integrity? In this message, we explore James' powerful final words—calling us to be people who wait with patience, pray with persistence, work on changing our speech patterns, and lean into community. Using the story of the Challenger disaster and the Reuleaux triangle as metaphors, we're reminded that what looks solid isn't always sound—and lives depend on the real thing.

The words of James about arrogant merchants and oppressive landowners works on two levels. It reminds us to remember our lives are contingent on God. So, put aside the arrogance and accept our human limitations. At the same time, James offers a word of comfort to those who are suffering for their faith, to assure them that God has not forgotten them; they can trust him and be patient in their pain.

Even Christian people, James tells us, can find themselves at odds with God when pride pulls us into self-centred living. As James shows us, the heart of renewal is the humility to turn back—to “humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

James contrasts two kinds of wisdom: wisdom that comes from heaven versus the so-called "wisdom" that is "earthly, unspiritual, demonic."He shows us that not all "wisdom" is equal—as a matter of fact, much of what passes as "wisdom" is anti-God. True wisdom involves living a life that follows the norms of God's kingdom, including peace and humility, in contrast to the way of envy and selfish ambition.

Words build worlds, and words can burn them down. They are powerful, and often so damaging. In James 3:1-12, we see James calling us to consistency – to maturity, integrity, and cohesion – between our faith and our words.

James calls us to live an integrated faith, one where belief and action line up. The opposite is both dead and deadly.

James addressed the problem of favouritism, calling his audience and us to follow Jesus by honouring the poor and loving impartially.

Religious hypocrisy. It's one of the most serious critiques levelled against Christians. But interestingly, surprisingly, the most significant critique of religious hypocrisy comes from within Christianity itself. And James addresses the issue head on in our text. But he's not just in ‘negative mode,' he's also clear about what to do about that inconsistency; about building a better way: the way of wholeness, of consistency between God's word and our lives.

James teaches us to avoid the pitfalls of turning to money and blaming God when things get tough. Instead, we are called to persevere, trusting our Good Father who gives us every 'good and maturing gift.'

James knows we often struggle with consistency; that we are often a fractured people. Saying one thing but doing another. But he also knows that God's goal is to heal our fractured lives and form us into those who are mature and complete: People of integrity. In the first part of our James series, we'll see that it is even, maybe especially, through the trials we face that God forms us.

Jesus says: “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10). And this story, this day, is all about that fullness. Today, we'll see that because the tomb is empty, we can be filled full. Filled full of Joy, of Hope, of Assurance, of Purpose, and of God's very Presence. But that starts with seeing the Seismic Shift – God's shaking out the old and opening a new set of possibilities through Jesus' resurrection.

Matthew's passion narrative and the prophecy of Isaiah frame Jesus' death as accepting a cup filled with the worst of us and the worst in us. A cup that is drained to the dregs to begin to form a new creation.

As we begin this short Holy Week series, we focus in on Jesus' coming to the city of Jerusalem. And we discover that Jesus is the ultimate hometown hero, and a whole lot more. He is the Messiah who has come to fulfill deeper longings of our hearts than we realized, and we have more to celebrate than we imagined!

Praying together is putting our arms around each other and coming to the presence of the Almighty One who loves us. The most powerful questions you can ask another person: "Can I pray for you?" and, "Can you pray for me?"We are called to live out our ‘priestly-ministry' of prayer with and for each other.

Prayer is turning to our Saviour to deliver us from the evil within ourselves, the troubles of the world, and the wiles of the evil one.

Jesus invites us to pray, "Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors." In this message, we'll explore why these two phrases need to be stuck together, and how praying this way can transform our lives.

By teaching us to pray "give us this day our daily bread", Jesus is teaching us that prayer is asking for what we need every day.