Heaven Series begins
I had a pretty amazing week come full circle for me on Sunday. Let me
dial back to Wednesday night youth group where we took the second step
in our journey through the great book of Ephesians. In Ephesians
1:3-14, Paul cannot stop talking about what God has done for us in
Christ. In fact, so moved is Paul, that the 12 verses we have in our
English translations are ONE long sentence that Paul wrote in Greek. What
moves Paul is how God "has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual
blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the
foundation of the world" (vs. 3-4). Indeed, there is much to moved
about in that verse and in the verses that follow. That God had "a plan
for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven
and things on earth" (vs. 10), and that plan included the salvation of
you and me. And God moved heaven and earth to accomplish it.
Fast forward to Sunday morning, as I sat with Troy Peeler, Zach Pettigrew and Anne Elise Pillow studying perhaps the most profound statement about God in all Scripture, "In the beginning God..." (Gen. 1:1). As we explored this statement and the days of creation that followed, we were amazed to look at the things God created in his wisdom and goodness, each and every thing created "according to its various kinds." In short, the account of creation tells us that God so created the world that its each and every detail were carried out with absolute precision. The skies were created before birds. Land and vegetation for food were created before animals. The seas were created before fish. So it was that God looked at all he had made and declared, "It is good."
Now this is where it got good for me. Taking in the creation account with what they learned the week before, we connected the dots that the Bible, with all its different authors in so many different times and places, is the ONE story of God. And, like any good story, the Bible has a plot, and it tells us the one story about God's salvation of his people and the gathering of them to himself through the person and work of his only son Jesus Christ. And, like any good story, there was a beginning. Do you know the beginning of this story? Is it "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth?' No! It's that "he chose us in him before the foundation of the world"!!! Why did God create the heavens and the earth? Because... he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, and "In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ" (Eph. 1:5).
How does that story end? I'm glad you asked. Because on Sunday morning during the worship service, Pastor Sam began a series on "Heaven." And for the next 7 weeks on Sunday mornings and in your fellowship groups on Wednesday nights we are going to be exploring this great doctrine. If you haven't signed up for fellowship groups, anytime is a good time! If you have already signed up, get excited. For those of you who missed the sermon or want to listen to it again (I encourage you do so!), be sure to download it from our website by CLICKING HERE.
Who should care about heaven? Well, let's put it this way: Every good story has compelling ending, but no story has an ending quite like this one!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Elliott
Fast forward to Sunday morning, as I sat with Troy Peeler, Zach Pettigrew and Anne Elise Pillow studying perhaps the most profound statement about God in all Scripture, "In the beginning God..." (Gen. 1:1). As we explored this statement and the days of creation that followed, we were amazed to look at the things God created in his wisdom and goodness, each and every thing created "according to its various kinds." In short, the account of creation tells us that God so created the world that its each and every detail were carried out with absolute precision. The skies were created before birds. Land and vegetation for food were created before animals. The seas were created before fish. So it was that God looked at all he had made and declared, "It is good."
Now this is where it got good for me. Taking in the creation account with what they learned the week before, we connected the dots that the Bible, with all its different authors in so many different times and places, is the ONE story of God. And, like any good story, the Bible has a plot, and it tells us the one story about God's salvation of his people and the gathering of them to himself through the person and work of his only son Jesus Christ. And, like any good story, there was a beginning. Do you know the beginning of this story? Is it "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth?' No! It's that "he chose us in him before the foundation of the world"!!! Why did God create the heavens and the earth? Because... he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, and "In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ" (Eph. 1:5).
How does that story end? I'm glad you asked. Because on Sunday morning during the worship service, Pastor Sam began a series on "Heaven." And for the next 7 weeks on Sunday mornings and in your fellowship groups on Wednesday nights we are going to be exploring this great doctrine. If you haven't signed up for fellowship groups, anytime is a good time! If you have already signed up, get excited. For those of you who missed the sermon or want to listen to it again (I encourage you do so!), be sure to download it from our website by CLICKING HERE.
Who should care about heaven? Well, let's put it this way: Every good story has compelling ending, but no story has an ending quite like this one!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Elliott