Summit Life with J.D. Greear

In our culture, we conduct business by creating agreements or contracts so that we're sure we know what we're getting or what we're owed. It's a binding relationship between parties. But how many of us extend that same mind-set to our relationship with God? Pastor J.D. teaches about the dangers of believing God owes us something and wanting him to give us what we deserve.

Have you had an encounter with God that you would describe like finding a hidden treasure? Like finding a treasure that brought you so much joy that you gladly left everything else to possess it? Many of us, if we were honest, might choose a different image - something more like a never-ending to-do list or being tied to a ball-and-chain. Today, Pastor J.D. is going to steer us in another direction so that we more clearly understand who Jesus is and what he is offering to us.

Jesus once told a story about two men - both of them come across something of such value that it makes everything else in their lives look worthless by comparison. Today, Pastor J.D. looks at the differences between these two men as he continues our series on Jesus' parables titled, "Listen."

Yesterday on Summit Life, we began a new series about the parables of Jesus. In these stories, Jesus reveals the beauty of the gospel, but only for those whose heart is in a posture to perceive it—only for those who truly listen. Let's join Pastor J.D. as he teaches from Matthew, Chapter 13.

Today Pastor J.D. begins teaching through the parables of Jesus, stories so simple a child can understand them, yet so profound that we can never exhaust their wealth of wisdom! Join us as we kick off a new series titled, “Listen.”

Do you ever have FOMO? The fear of missing out? It can even become like a drug—needing a hit of entertainment or distraction to find satisfaction and enjoyment. Sometimes in order to be focused on what we need to be focused on, we have to say “no” to something else. Pastor J.D. shows us that distraction and the feeling of being overwhelmed and hurried often comes from being terribly out of fellowship with Jesus. He even gives us a list of super helpful and practical things we can do today, so make sure you listen to the end.

It's safe to say that our society deals with more distractions than any previous society in history. Most of us feel like we are constantly pulled in different directions. Today, Pastor J.D. talks about being a distracted people who need focus—mostly away from our phones. He's going to help us distinguish between good and bad distractions by looking to how Jesus seemed to be entirely in-distractible on the one hand but imminently interruptible on the other!

You know, Jesus promised that for all who came to him, he would give them rest. But in today's society, where overworking is the new norm, most of us hear Jesus' invitation as wishful thinking.

Today we begin our teaching series titled, Rest & Distraction. In this short series, Pastor J.D. will show us that those most mature in Jesus are not those working hardest for him but those resting most in him.

We've come to the final message in our series on the book of Judges titled “Broken Saviors,” and we're looking at a collection of stories from Judges, Chapters 17 to 21–accounts that reveal the tragic outcome when a society turns its back on God's leading.

Most of us have a friend or family member who'd call themself an atheist. But before you write that person off for their godless view of life, it's possible you may share something in common. This message looks at the final chapters of the book of Judges. It's a time when the Israelites turned their backs on God's leading. They still acknowledged him with their lips, but they'd become, in essence, a nation of atheists. And we often fall into that same trap.

Samson's incredible strength made him seem larger than life, but we're finding out that we've got a lot more in common with him than we think. Just like Samson, we've all fallen into the trap of our own desires. So, what's the answer?

Have you ever been told to “follow your heart?” This philosophy is pushed on us from a young age, showing up in kids' movies and popular music. I bet you can remember one of those songs right now! But Pastor J.D. reveals that your own heart is usually your worst enemy. This message is the third part of a four-part message on the life of Samson.

Have you ever finished the first book or movie in a series and felt frustrated or anxious with the ending? You're ready for the next installment to see how everything comes together, right? Today, we're continuing our study called “Broken Saviors.” As we come to the end of Judges later this week, we'll find out that the entire book is just one portion of a much bigger story. And it's all pointing ahead to a glorious ending!

The Bible is filled with fascinating stories about heroes and villains. Some are parables, but most are real-life descriptions of men and women who struggled just as we do. Did you know these stories aren't intended just to teach us moral lessons or simply to entertain us? They're ultimately designed to point us to the person and work of God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ! During this message, Pastor J.D. invites us to look at one of the most familiar characters in the Old Testament. His life teaches us that God can accomplish amazing things through ordinary people—when they submit to his leadership.

Man is incapable of constructing, or living up to, the true Gospel. In fact, left to our own devices we tend to twist and misconstrue what God designed as perfect. Our current series is called "Broken Saviors."

This month, Pastor J.D. is walking us through the fascinating book of Judges. In this message, we'll see how over and over again, God's people substituted his plan for their own, with tragic consequences.

Do you have a tendency to take a bit too much credit for your success while overlooking God's blessing in your life? Even with the best of intentions, the human heart always defaults toward pride. Beginning in Judges Chapter 8, we see how Gideon's victory as a warrior began to inflate his ego. Rather than giving glory to God, he chose to act like a king who deserved special treatment. In a real sense, Gideon manufactured his own “broken savior.”

Being successful can sometimes be dangerous. Once we've scored a few victories and our leadership produces notoriety and fame, we're tempted to give ourselves far more credit than we deserve. Pastor J.D. will show us that even our biblical heroes fell into this same trap. As we trace the footsteps of Gideon, we'll discover how this successful warrior began to get puffed up and proud.

When God wants to use us he often humbles us. In this refining process, he shapes us into an instrument that can be used for his glory. The Bible often shows us how God uses flawed characters to accomplish amazing feats. In fact, behind every hero in the Bible, we see a God who remains faithful even though our heroes--and let's admit it--we are often faithless. Good news for those of us who feel unworthy--thankfully God is the one who gives us value!

You know, everyone is a leader to someone, even if you don't realize it. Whether you're a mom or dad, a supervisor at work, or you're volunteering to lead a committee at school, someone somewhere is looking to you for guidance. Pastor J.D. shows us how God can use anyone to accomplish his plan even when we feel stretched and afraid!

It was C.S. Lewis who once said, “Courage is one of the least talked about Christian virtues, but courage is essential to all the others.” Today, we'll discover how God took a man like Gideon—a man full of fear and doubt--and transformed him into one of the greatest leaders of Israel. And the great news is that when God transforms our generation, he'll use ordinary men and women just like Gideon; those who are willing to step up and take the lead.

We all know that feeling of being asked to lead a group. It can be a little scary and intimidating, but God assures us in his Word that he can use anyone to accomplish his purposes even when we feel insecure or unqualified. Thankfully, he's not searching for experts. He's looking for men and women who are willing and obedient. Today we look at the story of Gideon--one of God's mighty warriors of the Old Testament--and we see that even he had doubts and struggles as he considered the mantle of leadership being handed to him by God.

In the Old Testament book of Judges, we find a fascinating story about two people named Deborah and Barak. A careful examination of their lives offers a powerful lesson on leadership. Pastor J.D. invites us to follow along as he teaches from the book of Judges, Chapters 4 and 5, as he shares five key points that will apply to both men and women in leadership.

When God inspires a woman to step forward and give leadership in ministry, how can the church help her become all God intended? Pastor J.D.'s response is informed by a fascinating story in the book of Judges.

When we suffer, we look for any means possible to escape. But according to Scripture, sometimes God uses our pain to draw us back to him. Today Pastor J.D. invites us to follow along as we trace the footsteps of an Old Testament character.

Today, we're venturing into the book of Judges where God exposes the Israelites for their lack of courage. Through their example, we'll discover how to overcome our fears and choose faith instead.

As flawed human beings, sometimes we get complacent about following God. Our failures defeat us. And before long, we begin to compromise and let things slide. Pastor J.D. explains how we can find power and freedom in following Christ.

On today's program, we're launching a new study in the book of Judges called “Broken Saviors.” Over the next few weeks, we'll discover that we're a lot like the Israelites who let their fear get in the way of their progress.

We all have days when we feel insufficient, like we're not smart enough, strong enough, or talented enough to serve God. But the Bible says that in our weakness, God is strong. It's not our own ability, because it's all about God's strength in us!

Throughout history, people have invented and named mythological gods. But the God of the Bible was not invented by mankind, and unlike Zeus or Thor, he chose his own name.

If there's one aspect of God's character that most people wish they could erase from the Bible, it's God's wrath. In fact, the doctrine of hell is one of the most common answers people give when asked why they don't believe in God. But as we continue our powerful series called The Name, Pastor J.D. explains that God's wrath isn't just something we need to accept; it's actually a fact we can, and should, rejoice in! 

Thomas Jefferson once famously took a razor blade to his Bible and cut out the parts he disliked. And while most of us haven't literally chopped up our Bibles in that way, we often cut out certain passages in our minds, skipping past uncomfortable verses that talk about God's wrath and the punishment for sin.

Verses about God's love, like John 3:16, tend to get repeated and memorized. They stir up warm, sentimental feelings and make us feel good about ourselves.

Have you ever wondered why so many movies, books, and songs are focused on romance? It's because every one of us, in the deepest corners of our hearts, longs to feel loved and cherished. But if we're honest with ourselves, we also know that we don't deserve that kind of unconditional love.

 If you want to get to know someone, the first thing you do is introduce yourself, because knowing someone's name is an important part of your relationship with him or her. And you're never going to feel very close with someone if they always call you by the wrong name. So in this series, Pastor J.D. is helping us know God personally by knowing his name. 

What do you think God's most appealing attribute is? If you're like most people, you're probably attracted to his love and kindness, and you gravitate to verses that describe him as our Father and our shepherd. And God is definitely all of those things!

What is the presence of God like? Is it just a warm, fuzzy feeling, or an emotional worship encounter? For something we all want to experience, why can it seem so elusive? On this edition of Summit Life, Pastor J.D. takes us back to Moses' encounter with God on Mount Zion. We'll see how the presence of God changed Moses' goals and desires forever. And it will change us, too.

Some people imagine God as an absentee “watchmaker in the sky” who set the world in motion and then stepped away. They think he's probably out there, but there's no way to know what he's like. Others think of God as an unknown, impersonal force, without thoughts or emotions. But on this edition of Summit Life, Pastor J.D. kicks off a brand new series that's all about knowing God intimately. He titled this series, The Name.

Like the disciples, we want to know the “how” and “what” of the Christian life. Pastor J.D. helps us see in this message that the Christian life, from start to finish, is a relationship with Jesus. Whatever you need, whatever you lack, wherever you are incomplete or broken, whatever you are missing in yourself or didn't get from someone else, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

These days, it's not exactly popular to claim the existence of absolute truth. It's even less popular to claim that such truth is embodied in the person of Jesus, the one who is the only way to salvation. In this week's message from John 14, Pastor J.D. shows us the importance of what is perhaps Jesus' most controversial "I am" statement: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life."

Do you want to know how to find peace when you feel confused or afraid, when you don't know what to do with your finances or your kids or a big decision? Pastor J.D. continues to teach in this message how, when we fix our eyes on Jesus, the Good Shepherd, we can rest in his promise to give us peace and lead us in the way we should go.

Without shepherds to care for them, the threats posed to sheep run the gamut, from losing their way to being attacked by other animals. Simply put, sheep thrive under the guidance and protection of their shepherd. In this week's message from John 10, Pastor J.D. takes us through Jesus' claim to be the "good shepherd."

Does it feel like you're in a long “second day” of waiting before resurrection? In this message, Pastor J.D. looks at the story of Lazarus to teach us why sometimes God seems to delay his help or deliverance. One day soon, this whole veil of tears we call life will end in resurrection, and we'll see that, even when life felt like meaningless chaos, Jesus was never absent in our pain.

If we're honest, most of us have probably experienced disappointment with God at some point in our lives. We question why God didn't cure our friend's cancer, or why he didn't provide for us financially when we really needed it. Pastor J.D. walks us through Jesus' claim to be the "resurrection and the life," from John 11.

Most people think that surrender to Jesus means giving up our freedom. But when you surrender to Jesus and lean on him, it leads to freedom and abundance! Pastor J.D. continues in this message to show us how Jesus is a Good Shepherd who proved his commitment to us on the cross and now promises to use everything he lets into the pasture of our lives for good.

Doors and gates are things that we likely don't give much thought to until they are in need of repair—and while the truth is that they are usually constructed to keep people or animals out, they can also certainly be opened to let them in. In this week's message from John 10, Pastor J.D. explains perhaps the most overlooked of Jesus' "I Am" statements: "I am the door."

Jesus said in John 8:12 that those who follow him will not walk in darkness, which means that our lives will radiate with his light. In this message, Pastor J.D. continues to share how to look to the light of Jesus to be saved and then live in a way that glows with the knowledge that you belong to Jesus and Jesus belongs to you.

No matter what side of the "daylight saving time" debate we find ourselves on, we all have to at least acknowledge that light is essential for life, for a myriad of reasons. So Jesus' declaration that he is "the light of the world" was truly a bold claim.

If we were to trace some of our worst choices, our bad habits, our addictions, and even some of our emotional problems back to their source, we would find a deep and unsatisfied spiritual hunger.

As humans, one of our most basic needs is food—when we don't have it, we experience discomfort, irritability, or even sickness or death. And yet, as unbearable as physical hunger can be, it is our spiritual hunger that we often neglect to address, to our own detriment. As we begin a series looking at the seven "I am" statements made by Jesus in the Gospel of John, this message from Pastor J.D. explores the first of these, from John 6. Jesus' claim to be the "bread of life" is a truth that we so desperately need in a world full of people who seek to satisfy their spiritual hunger with anything but Jesus.