Summit Life with J.D. Greear

Pastor J.D. cautions us about treating Jesus like an a la carte menu. We’ll see that we can’t take Jesus and “a little bit of this” and “a little bit of that” as we continue our series called, First: The Preeminence of Christ in Colossians.

Have you ever considered that everyday you are experiencing the fruits of the audacious faith of others who came before you? You are the fruit of someone’s bold faith! Now, are you following in the footsteps of those that put their faith first or are you giving Jesus sloppy leftovers?

In the book of Colossians, Paul makes it clear that Jesus is not just a character in God’s story; he’s the author of the story. He’s before all things. He’s above all things. He’s first in all things. In light of who Jesus is, Pastor J.D. asks one simple but revolutionary question: Is Jesus just important to you, or is he truly first in your life?

You’ll likely notice a common message in the ads and marketing that surround us: the accumulation of more things equals happiness. But with a “never enough” mindset, it’s impossible to be what God desires us to be: cheerful givers. In this message from 2 Corinthians 8–9, Pastor J.D. helps us to see a kind of giving that is motivated not by guilt, but as a response to the grace that we have received. When we have this as our focus, we can move from asking, “What must I give?” to “What do I get to give?”

We’re likely familiar with the call from Jesus to seek the kingdom of God above all other things, but our financial decisions are one indicator of what we are truly seeking. In this message from Haggai 1–2, Pastor J.D. encourages us to consider how our giving reflects the priority we have placed on God in our hearts and lives. Just as the Israelites fell to the temptation to place their own comforts and priorities ahead of their worship of God, we are still susceptible to this today. By reorienting our hearts, we can ensure that the stewardship of our finances is in alignment with God’s kingdom.