About Isaac

Follower of Jesus, husband to Rhonda, father to Jada, Ella, and Lincoln, son of Joel and Becky, brother of Josh and Joel. I am fortunate enough to pastor Summit Church, a community of faith in Orlando, Florida, that we started six years ago. I would like this blog to be helpful for those who read it and, at some point, earn me a lucrative shoe contract.

Family I like to Read

Joel Hunter – Best week-to-week preacher in the country. Super smart. Best guy I know. Also, my Dad.

Mark Beeson – Insightful leader. Unselfish team builder. Willing to do anything to reach people for Christ. Also, my Uncle.

Joel and Lizzy-
Wildly funny couple. Brilliant ophthalmologist. Soon to open a Lasik and Cataract Center in Orlando. Also, my brother and sister-in-law.

Josh Hunter The most honest businessman I know, wonderful father, fine husband, excellent with a bow. Also, my older brother.

Amber Cox – Wonderful person. Godly woman. Encouragement machine. Also, my cousin.

Other People I like to Read

Ben Arment- Don’t know him. But seems like a really sharp guy.

Rob Duford – Friend of mine. Great pastor. Planting a church in Lake Mary, FL.

Tim Stevens – Sound strategic thinker. Loves Jesus and His family well. Serves his church with great integrity.

Groeschel and Gruenewald – Two of the smartest, most talented, passionate Christ-followers, in the world right now.

N.T. Wright – The foremost NT scholar in the world. Better yet, a sincere follower Jesus. And great leader in the Church.

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April 12, 2010

Sermon Recap--Week 1 on the Ethic of Anticipation

Posted by Isaac Hunter

Kristy (the communications director here) is on some high romance trip with her husband, which is awesome. Before she left she said, “Will you blog the sermon application?” And I said, “Sure.”

In an effort to be a man of my word, I am doing that.

Here were the big points from yesterday:

We’ll be studying Colossians 2:20-3:17 over the next few weeks.

Jesus is the starting point of transformed character. Jesus is the end guarantor of transformed character. Jesus is the nexus of the process of transformation…

Most of us feel like we start from who we have been and work from there because this is the way it feels. But, Paul says this is the starting point of the person who is trusting Christ for their salvation—you have died and been raised anew with Christ.

Part of our confusion surrounding a pursuit of personal holiness comes when we think we have to pretend we are something we are not… not so, says Paul, “become who you are.”

Pretending you are something you are not is just as demanding but not as rewarding as becoming who you are.

Deep and abiding, eternal progress comes not from committing to progress and obedience first, but instead, comes from responding first to the One who will love you if there is never any progress or obedience…

Princesses have to clean.

As long as Jesus is an addendum to your life in any area, rather than the One around whom that area is formed, you will not grow the way you are supposed to. You will not miss out on being loved by God, you will miss being able to receive His love like you were created to. And, you will miss being able to love others like you were created to…

Your spiritual development always requires the grace of God.

God gives us the dignity of causality; therefore, ongoing progress requires effort (though no amount of effort earns God’s favor—that’s a grace deal).

We are going to try to learn how to windsurf over the next few weeks.

Hopefully this was helpful. I am praying for you this week.