Summit Ridge Church

Paul's letter to the Ephesians is loaded with theology but learning from it was never meant to be just an academic exercise. It is intended to affect our lives. Whereas chapter 1, verses 1-10, deals with the reality of a holy God breaking down the wall of separation and alienation between unbelievers and Himself, verses 11-22 shift to how the Lord breaks down the barriers and walls of division tha...

If you want to understand what a Christian is, this is a great passage to go to. These verses describe what salvation for Christians is. Boiled down to its essential message, Ephesians 1 states that Christians are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. And the problem most of the time is... that we don't like to admit that we are ultimately that needy.

There is no shortage with God. He is rich in mercy toward everyone who is in Christ. Just as Jesus was raised from the dead physically, so has the Lord made spiritually dead people alive; saved by grace and raised with Christ in the heavenly realms. What is true of Him is true of us resulting in great honor and confidence for those who are in Him.

What is the gospel? Is my sin really that bad? Does it even matter? The second chapter of Paul's letter to the Ephesians begins by declaring the truth and reality of our sinful nature. Having a clear understanding of our "Total Depravity" before God best prepares us to accept that we are hopeless and helpless without His intervention in our lives.

As we grow in our submission to the Lord's holiness, sovereignty and Lordship, we become better prepared to love others in thankfulness and prayer. In Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul offers several ways that we might pray because we can know the greatness of God in our lives based upon who He is and all He has done for us.

Jesus Christ has given his followers everything they need to live in Him. In fact, God is sovereign and in His sovereignty He purposefully chose those who would follow Him and gave them the power to choose Him through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has an essential role in sealing and assuring our salvation, especially as described here in Ephesians 1:13-14.

The book of Ephesians tells us as Christians who we are and how we should live out our faith. As we continue our study of Ephesians, Chapter 1, we're encouraged to know that we are united with Christ and our identity is firmly rooted in Him. Believers are "adopted" into God's family, have an inheritance in Him and are "sealed" by the power of the Holy Spirit. As such, we are blessed to live like c...

How do we come into looking at God's word without just viewing it as some sort of technical manual or checklist for life? As we continue our study in Ephesians, Chapter 1, we find that God's word is entirely personal based upon a relationship between the Lord and those whom He loves; to those whom He has chosen "before the foundation of the world."

What is a Christian? As a Christian, how do we live life now? That is what the Book of Ephesians is addressing for us. As we continue our study in Chapter 1, we find that being a Christian is not about checking off a list of arbitrary things that we need to believe. Rather, it is about a relationship with a person; God himself.

This message concludes our series in the Book of Ezekiel with the prophet's vision of "living water" flowing from the new temple, reminding us of the waters of Eden's garden while anticipating the Messiah. As we celebrate the resurrection this Easter morning, we also are reminded that Jesus Christ is the new living water and the true source of life; now and forevermore.

Ezekiel 40-46 represents Ezekiel’s final vision and message to the nation of Israel who were exiled to Babylon. This is a challenging text that reassured God’s people of how the Lord would return and remain present among them, even after their sin brought severe consequences into their lives. Just as Ezekiel envisioned the return of God’s holy presence into the temple, we see a picture of our ulti...

Ezekiel 38 and 39 are two of the most debated, misunderstood and discussed chapters of Ezekiel. Many nations and people have been identified as Gog throughout Christendom. But is identifying who Gog is the point of the passage? Pastor John expounds these chapters of scripture and directs us to the ungirding truth - The power of Gog crumbles at the Sovereignty of the LORD.

Ezekiel 34-37 marks a significant transition in the text. While the first half of Ezekiel's prophecy is wrought with warning, judgement, and the desolation that results from God's wrath, these chapters begin to shed light on the Lord's promises. Specifically, the LORD promises to meet Israel with its greatest needs - someone to lead them, enliven them and save them from the misery of their own mak...

Ezekiel 33:21 is a sobering verse. After God had warned Jerusalem, repeatedly, He finally exacts His warning: Jerusalem's destruction. What does this tell us about the character of God? What does this tell us about His word? Before proceeding the passages of Ezekiel which tell of God's restoration, reconciliation and redemption, Pastor John takes a week to pause and consider this humbling truth -...

Ezekiel 33 marks a transition in the prophet. While the chapters leading to it are almost exclusively about God's judgement against sin and evil, chapter 33 is where God begins lifting the veil on His promised hope. The situation: Jerusalem is about to be overtaken by Babylon and the word of the Lord comes to Ezekiel again. God pleads with his people to repent of their wickedness that they may tur...

What does it mean to live in the Spirit? How does it look when a believer has been so captured by Christ love? This morning, Pastor John Flint opens up Paul's letter to the Galatians and explores what the Bible says about life in the Spirit. This life reflects the Spirit's fruit, rejects the deeds of the flesh and remains consistent with Spirit's work in our lives.

Ezekiel 16 is perhaps the most uncomfortable chapter in the entire Bible. In it, we read the longest and most scathing rebuke God ever gave to His people. The imagery is such that most would never discuss it in polite company. The LORD casts His people as a whoring bride who gave herself to everyone and everything except her faithful husband. Pastor John asks, "Does God really look at sin this way...

What does it mean to have freedom in Christ? What does it look like to have a new life by grace through faith? Often, Christians complicate the answers to these questions by thinking there is some hidden truth or action or way to fulfill their life as an adequate follower of Christ. Pastor John Flint delivers a gospel message in which he reminds us to keep the main thing, the main thing - which is...

The first 32 chapters of Ezekiel show God's increasing judgement upon his wayward people and the nations that surround Israel. In chapters 8-11, God's spirit is shown to depart the temple and move far away from His people. The abominations among his own were so great that it that He could no longer inhabit the temple. While this happened in ancient Israel, what of today? Is the church any differen...

The book of Ezekiel is wrought with God's pronouncement of judgement against His people. The words are striking and the metaphors, arresting. Where does this judgement come from? Is it fair? How can a God who claims to be loving promise impending doom and destruction to the very people he says he loves? Pastor John walks us through Ezekiel 4-5, pointing to God's jealous love for his people. This j...

Few will venture into the book of Ezekiel. As one of the longest books of the Bible and buried deep in the Old Testament prophets, it can feel antiquated and irrelevant to our culture and personal needs today. But the book of Ezekiel is indeed for us today! A book that covers themes of: God’s glory and His sovereignty, man’s sinfulness, the certainty of judgment, as well as the promise of mercy an...

Christmas marks the birth of our Savior - Jesus Christ. Pastor John takes us through Luke 2:25-38, showing how two relatively unknown figures in the Advent play a crucial role in understanding who Jesus is, why he came, and how the he remains the greatest consolation of a fallen world.

What do you do when your suffering, anxiety and stress don't relent? You've prayed. You've repented. You've sought out help from a brother or sister and still... it persists. The Psalms give us the answer. Listen to Pastor John as he preached for one the Psalms of lament, encouraging and challenging us to yet again to take it to the throne of grace.

Anxiety can produce a significant amount of doubt and confusion. One may start to wonder: "Is God good? Will he take care of me? The pressures of my life are insurmountable and I cannot free myself of worry." In the gospel of Luke, Jesus answers these questions directly and personally. Listen as Pastor John preaches on how the Lord will not only meet us in our need but provide us more than we need...

We live in a culture that seeks to heal the anxious in a myriad of ways: diets, exercise routines, therapy, medication and ridding our lives of toxic people. While some of these things might help in our pursuit to live a less anxious life, the world fails to deliver on its promise. More than this, the world ignores one major aspect of anxiety that Scripture speaks on - unrepentant sin. While the e...