Radiant Church Weekend Sermon

Watch our Good Friday sermon from Jon Zondervan as we remember the ultimate price that was paid on the cross.

What kind of king chooses suffering over splendor—a Roman cross over a royal throne? The road to our redemption was lonely and pitted with pain, but through it all, Jesus overcame every temptation and learned obedience to the Father through what He suffered. In Suffering King, join us as we journey with Jesus to Calvary and dive deeper into what it means to truly follow Him!

In this Palm Sunday sermon from Lee Cummings, hear how to live with an eternal perspective and awareness to walk in joy knowing there is another side to suffering.

Sermon Highlights

Matthew 16:21-28 (ESV)
“21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Jesus was able to finish the work of the Cross – because His joy was found on the other side of His suffering

His North Star was not in this life, but in eternity

This is what enabled Him to walk past the adoring crowds, overturn tables in the Temple and confront His conspirators without fear or compromise

His biggest obstacle to accomplishing His purpose – was a temporal, human mindset that was focused upon today and self-preservation

Forming An Eternal Perspective That Produces Joy:

The suffering of this life is temporal

The joy of knowing and obeying God is eternalRealizing that injustice in this life, will be made right in the next

Living sacrificially so that others may know Christ – will have a reward that is far surpassing of the price we pay here and now

What kind of king chooses suffering over splendor—a Roman cross over a royal throne? The road to our redemption was lonely and pitted with pain, but through it all, Jesus overcame every temptation and learned obedience to the Father through what He suffered. In Suffering King, join us as we journey with Jesus to Calvary and dive deeper into what it means to truly follow Him!

There are going to be times where you will be misunderstood, misrepresented, and mistreated because of what you believe. This sermon from Jon Zondervan reveals how to navigate being misunderstood as a follower of Jesus!

Sermon Highlights

2 Timothy 3:10-12 (NKJV)
“But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

How was Jesus misunderstood?

1. By the religious leaders (John 10:24)

2. By the disciples (Matthew 16:22-23)


3. By his family (Matthew 11:1-6)


4. By Pilate (John 18:33-37)

How do we navigate being misunderstood as followers of Jesus?

1. Realize that you are going to look weird (Matthew 7:13-14)


2. Remember the battle is spiritual (Ephesians 6:12)


3. Live for an audience of one (John 4:34)

What kind of king chooses suffering over splendor—a Roman cross over a royal throne? The road to our redemption was lonely and pitted with pain, but through it all, Jesus overcame every temptation and learned obedience to the Father through what He suffered. In Suffering King, join us as we journey with Jesus to Calvary and dive deeper into what it means to truly follow Him!

Week three of SUFFERING KING dives deeper into what it looked like for Jesus in the wilderness. Lee Cummings explains the types of temptations that will come and ways you can fight against them.

Sermon Highlights

Matthew 4:1-11 (ESV)
“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.”

Matthew 19:16-22 (ESV)
“16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

Jesus overcame the temptations of the wilderness in order to show us the hidden traps and snares in this world

Jesus came out of the temptation stronger

Temptations you will face in the wilderness:

1. The trap of being driven by your appetites and desires [RICHES]

2. The snare of seeking others approval for your own significance [YOUTH]

3. The Lure of self power and determination [RULE/AUTHORITY]

What kind of king chooses suffering over splendor—a Roman cross over a royal throne? The road to our redemption was lonely and pitted with pain, but through it all, Jesus overcame every temptation and learned obedience to the Father through what He suffered. In Suffering King, join us as we journey with Jesus to Calvary and dive deeper into what it means to truly follow Him!

In “The Obedience of Hiddenness” from Garrett Prechtl shares a word about how Jesus increased in His wisdom, stature, and favor in a place of hiddenness.

Sermon Highlights

Luke 2:41-52 (ESV)
“41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”

Jesus increased in wisdom, stature, and favor in the obedience of hiddenness

10% of iceberg = visible | 90% of iceberg = hidden

Jesus was born in Bethlehem

Jesus was circumcised in the temple on his 8th day

Jesus was visited by Eastern wise men & then was taken to Egypt where they hid from Herod

Jesus stayed in Jerusalem when His family hit the road for Nazareth, after Passover

90% of Jesus’ earthly life was spent submerged — obedient in the place of hiddenness

Jesus’ obedience to hiddenness prepared Him for everything He was about to do & go through

A lot of Christians are intimidated by the idea of hiddenness because they are actually indifferent about obedience

Elijah was hidden at Cherith because God was preparing Him for Mt. Carmel

What kind of king chooses suffering over splendor—a Roman cross over a royal throne? The road to our redemption was lonely and pitted with pain, but through it all, Jesus overcame every temptation and learned obedience to the Father through what He suffered. In Suffering King, join us as we journey with Jesus to Calvary and dive deeper into what it means to truly follow Him!

In this sermon from Lee Cummings, we uncover how Jesus used eternal perspective to learn obedience to the Father.

Sermon Highlights

Hebrews 5:7-10 (ESV)
“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.”

Jesus learned obedience through suffering

He was always the Son, but He became King through the school of obedience

Suffering = the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship

Obedience teaches us trust

Jesus came to reign as King but He gained His:
1. Authority through obedience
2. Exaltation by humility
3. Ultimate victory through sacrifice

What gave Jesus the ability to walk in obedience to the Father, even in the midst of intense pressure to conform and go the way of the world? ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

Jesus’ road is our road

Jesus’ pain became our gain and led to His victorious reign

In this sermon from our March Wednesday Night at Radiant service, we hear from Pastor Lee as he teaches how to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Sermon Highlights

Ephesians 3:14-19 (ESV)
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant to you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith - that you being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what his the breadth and the length and the height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

All Four Gospels Describes Jesus as our “Baptizer” in the Holy Spirit

Jesus referenced the Promise of the Father, or the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as a gift that He personally would give after His death, burial, resurrection and glorification

He encouraged his disciples to go to Jerusalem and await the outpouring of the Holy Spirit before they attempted any part of the Great Commission that He had given them

What Did Jesus Have To Say About the Promise Of The Father?

1. Jesus said it was something that had not come yet
2. Jesus said that they would be “clothed” or “infused” with Power
3. Jesus told them to “wait” for it – Don’t attempt to minister in your own strength
4. Jesus defined the Promise of the Father (The Baptism of the Holy Spirit)
5. Peter said this promise of the Father is a gift to very believer

How to receive the promised fullness or Baptism of the Holy Spirit:

1. Be convinced
2. Prepare your heart
3. Ask the Father
4. Environment of worship
5. Have someone lay hands on you
6. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you a picture of what it would look like/sound like for you to speak in tongues
7. Release it verbally
8. Thank God for giving you a prayer language
9. Steward what He gives you
10. Pray for more

What type of legacy will you leave? In this two-part weekend service series on marriage and family, discover God’s design to building strong, healthy relationships and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

In Part Three of this special Q&A, Pastor Lee and Jane Cummings answer your submitted questions on ways you can leave a legacy!

Questions during this Q&A session:

How do you honor your parents once you have a family of your own and they are still trying to enforce their rules on you and your family?

I feel my husband pulling away from God as I am growing closer to God. What are some practical steps in helping him build his relationship with God without nagging?

Does God have it in His plan for us to go through relationships after the one that ends in marriage?

Many K-12 schools are making changes that are against Jesus' kingdom. How do we decide if we should keep our kids in public school, put them in private school, or homeschool them?

How do you recognize if you have generational curses in your family? How do you break them practically and spiritually?

What type of legacy will you leave? In this two-part weekend service series on marriage and family, discover God’s design to building strong, healthy relationships and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

In Part Two of this special Q&A, Pastor Lee and Jane Cummings answer your submitted questions on ways you can leave a legacy!

Questions during this Q&A session:

What are some practical ways to keep the love and romance alive after being together for years?

What are some ways God refines single believers? Where should we lean into for growth and sanctification?

As a grandparent, how do you interject your advice on child rearing?

Can you elaborate more on being a student of your spouse?

Any advice for single young women who want to make Jesus their first priority in a busy and distracting world?

What type of legacy will you leave? In this two-part weekend service series on marriage and family, discover God’s design to building strong, healthy relationships and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.

In Part One of this special Q&A, Pastor Lee and Jane Cummings answer your submitted questions on ways you can leave a legacy!

Questions during this Q&A session:

What has been the toughest individual lesson to learn in building a strong marriage?

What does it look like to be an independent woman of God while having healthy submission in a relationship?

As foster parents and pre-adoptive parents, how do we help our kids overcome their own generational curses, bents, and sin?

What are some practical ways that you and Jane practiced having marriage as the primary relationship in the family during the years of parenting toddlers?

How do we now leave a legacy? Is it too late?