Cross Section from the Summit View Church of Christ

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — The apostle Peter writes that we who follow Jesus are a holy priesthood in service to God. What does it mean to be a priest in God's kingdom? Instructions for Israel's priests in the book of Leviticus give us insight into our holy, priestly calling. Texts: 1 Peter 2:4-12, selections from Leviticus

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — The two most profound, defining moments of Israel's early history—at the water and the mountain—point us to our two most profound, defining moments as followers of Jesus...for we, too, share in the water and the mountain. Text: Exodus 14:5-31 & 20:1-21, Hebrews 12:18-25

Sunday Sermon by Jim Mendenhall — In this time of difficulty, we need to know God: the God who forgave Israel, the God who is far greater than all idols, the God who comforts us, the God who gives us strength. Text: Isaiah 40

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — God spoke to Moses at the burning bush and sent him to lead Israel out of slavery in Egypt. But Moses didn't want to go! God sent him anyway, and gave him a promise that encourages us, too, when God sends us to do his work: God would be with him. Text: Exodus 3:1 to 4:17

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — Joseph's reconciliation with his brothers was not easy. But God always works to bring people back together, and his people do the same. So Joseph forgave his brothers and worked out a clever plan to find out if their hearts had changed so that he could indeed be reconciled to them. Text: selections from Genesis 42-45

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — Whatever Joseph did, it seemed to be answered with unjust suffering. He obeyed his father and was betrayed by his family. He served and honored his master well and resisted temptation, and was thrown into prison for it. Sometimes it seems like "no good deed goes unpunished." But God was with Joseph, and he is with us—and will lift us up in due time—when we...

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — Abraham (Abram) and Sarah (Sarai) were people of great faith—eventually. Like us, they had to grow in faith. Sometimes, at first, their faith was wobbly. Yet in time they came to trust God completely. We do well to grow in faith as they did. Text: selections from Genesis 12-22

Sunday Sermon by Jim Mendenhall — There is a great mystery in prayer. As we ask, God gives us wisdom. He helps us understand his ways. And he sometimes says "No" to our requests. But in every situation, as we pray, God gives us his peace and helps us. Texts: Proverbs 2:1-8, Habakkuk 1-2, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — Sometimes it's scary when God calls us to join him in his glorious and meaningful work in the world. It was certainly scary for an older man, a young woman, and a group of guys at work when God called them to share in his work and joy of bringing Jesus into the world. But angels told them, "Do not be afraid"—and they worked through their fear and shared in one...

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — It's difficult to think about our mortality. But Jesus, who is God in human flesh, was born to die for us so that he could defeat the power of death by his resurrection. And God promises to also raise those who follow Jesus. This gives us perspective and hope in the face of death. Texts: 1 Corinthians 15:1-26, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Hebrews 2:14-15

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — How should we think about one of the scariest things in human existence: the end of the world? Jesus foretold that heaven and earth will indeed pass away, and Peter prophesied that the heavens and the earth will be destroyed by fire on the day of the Lord, when Jesus comes again. But we actually look forward to that otherwise terrifying day, because we kno...

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — People who believe in our God often fear the Judgment Day, and rightly so. How does God want us to think about the final judgment? First, he calls us to accept its reality and take warning that it is coming. Then he urges us to turn away from our sin, so that we will be ready when the judgment comes. Finally, he reminds us that if his love is perfected in us, we do...

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — When we're afraid that we might not get the things we need in life, we tend to either become greedy and grab more than we need or worry about whether we'll have what we need tomorrow. Jesus warned us against both of these responses and called us to fix our eyes on God, so that we don't run after the things of this world—which God will provide as we look to him—...

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — We tend to fear our sin—what it says about us, and how God might condemn us because of it. How should we deal with our fear of sin? Psalm 103 models how we should think about our sin: by remembering God's vast love and how he forgives us if we reverently fear him and obey his commands. Text: Psalm 103

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — What do you do when you are afraid? In a moment of national crisis, King Jehoshaphat turned to God, leading his nation in fasting and prayer. God responded with a promise that he would be with his people—and his presence made all the difference. Text: 2 Chronicles 20:1-30

This episode covers the fourteenth segment of Section 8 (The Spiritual Realm in the Time of Jesus). Glimpses of that in-between realm between human beings and God appeared shortly before and after Jesus' crucifixion: angels, holy people who had died but now returned to life, and the question of what Jesus himself experienced after he died and before his resurrection. Recording date: October 27, 20...

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — What does it mean to fear the Lord? In Scripture it is clearly more than merely trembling at God's wrath. It also means obeying God, honoring him, and even loving him. Text: Deuteronomy 6

This episode covers the thirteenth segment of Section 8 (The Spiritual Realm in the Time of Jesus). Jesus, speaking to his disciples, calls Satan "the prince of this world." Why? And what does it mean that Satan entered into Judas Iscariot before Judas betrayed Jesus? Recording date: October 20, 2021

This episode covers the twelfth segment of Section 8 (The Spiritual Realm in the Time of Jesus). Jesus, in teachings about the end times, speaks about angels, especially the role they will play when he comes again. He also speaks about the spirits of the dead, particularly in regard to a question about the role of marriage in the life to come. Recording date: October 13, 2021

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — Some fears are healthy, others are unhealthy. And to have no fear at all can be dangerous! Jesus taught us not to fear human beings and what they might do to us, but to fear God—and he also assuaged our fears by teaching us to have confidence in God's love. Texts: Luke 12:1-12 & Philippians 4:4-7

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — At the close of the book of Acts, Paul suffers a shipwreck, a snakebite, rejection by many of the Jews in Rome, and continuing limitation of his freedom as a Roman prisoner. Yet, as throughout the book of Acts, every time time (and the church overall) is beaten down by Satan, God lifts him (and them) up! This God is also our God, who demonstrates his...

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — God transforms our lives. Phil Robertson (of "Duck Dynasty" fame) lives as an example of God's transforming power. The apostle Paul's life is an even greater testimony to the power of God, by which he brings us out of darkness and into his light, turns us from the power of Satan to God, and gives us forgiveness, hope, and direction. Text: Acts 26

Sunday Sermon by Kevin Jensen — Paul, on trial, presented his defense speech to Governor Felix, mixing into it a brief introduction to the good news of Jesus. Felix, intrigued, met with Paul again, but was afraid and cut off the conversation when Paul spoke of the proper response to the gospel, and of the coming judgment. Many today are like Felix—interested in Jesus, but afraid. And sometime...

This episode covers the eleventh segment of Section 8 (The Spiritual Realm in the Time of Jesus). Once again, Jesus and his disciples drive out demons, dealing a blow to Satan. In this lesson, we cover four texts from the gospel of Luke, including two stories of Jesus' power over demons and Satan, Jesus' teaching on why angels in heaven rejoice, and the parable of the rich man and Lazaurs, wh...

This episode covers the tenth segment of Section 8 (The Spiritual Realm in the Time of Jesus). As Jesus' ministry continues, the Jews are confused about who he is. Is he really from God? Or is he actually possessed by a demon? As he responds, Jesus gives us some of our most insightful teaching about the character of the devil. Recording date: September 29, 2021