The Summit Church

For many of us, we think of money in terms of practicality—it's what we need to be able to buy things such as food, cars, houses, etc. But for Jesus, money was a matter of the heart, and the way we relate to it has a lot to say about where our loyalties lie. In this week's message from Matthew 6, Pastor J.D. helps us see that more than anything else, money is the primary competitor to God in our lives. If used wisely, it can be an amazing tool to help advance the kingdom of God. But if made into an idol, it becomes incredibly dangerous, distorting our vision and affecting every part of our lives.

Ask 10 different people what kind of church they want to be a part of, and you’ll likely get 10 different answers. For some, a church devoted to preaching theologically rich sermons is a high priority. For others, it’s a church where they feel part of a family. For still others, it’s a church focused on missions and evangelism. The better question, however, is what kind of church God wants to be a part of. In this week’s message from Acts 11 and 13, Pastor J.D. invites us to consider this question in light of the story of the church at Antioch—not a church of “super Christians,” but a church filled with ordinary people on an extraordinary mission: to advance the gospel far and wide.

“Love your enemies”—talk about a difficult command to follow. Surely it would have been easier if Jesus had said, “Feel free to just ignore your enemies.” But the truth is, that’s not how he treats us, is it? After all, Romans 5 reminds us that Jesus reconciled us to himself while we were still his enemies. In this week’s message from Matthew 5, Pastor Bryan helps shift our perspective on how to treat those who have wronged us, reminding us that our decision to love our enemies is ultimately a powerful opportunity to put the gospel on display.

One aspect of Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount that is particularly challenging is how he addresses not merely sinful behaviors but also sinful thoughts and desires—and when it comes to issues like lust and sex? Jesus doesn’t shy away from them. In this week’s message from Matthew 5, Pastor Curtis unpacks commonly held views of sex and explains how to confront distortions of God’s design. In the end, our only hope is a new heart—and that’s exactly what Jesus gives us when we place our trust in him.

It’s entirely possible to build a life around the type of righteousness that is staged rather than genuine—and many people around us may be none the wiser. But the righteousness that Jesus desires for us is radical: not new rules, but a new heart. In this week’s message from Matthew 5, Pastor J.D. takes us through the heart of the Sermon on the Mount, explaining how Jesus is the new and better Moses, bringing the kind of transformation that laws and rules alone never could. Jesus isn’t looking for those who are content with merely restraining their behavior, as the Pharisees attempted to do. He’s looking for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, because they are the ones who will truly be satisfied.