From the Pastor | Church of Celebration

February 12, 2021

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT (THE BIBLE FOR DUMMIES - 2)

As Children… Many of us received a little leather-bound book full of long words and difficult names we couldn’t pronounce! We were told that everything in it was true and we should do our best to live by its teachings... but then we grew up! (And…) What once was an oh-so-simple world… (Well...) it's not so simple anymore is it!? Perhaps that’s because we were taught The Bible Stories but not The Story of The Bible… and there’s a Big Difference! (So…) We started attempting Last Week to give you a better way to maybe approach The Bible that begins with something other than “in the beginning…” in a New Series we’re calling THE BIBLE FOR DUMMIES! (It’s A Can’t Miss Series!) So hopefully we’ll see you again IN-PERSON (9a) or ONLINE (9a/5p) this week at COC!

Sunday Snapshot… (2) IN THE BEGINNING

Early Gentile Believers were AMAZED to discover from the VERY BEGINNING… THAT THE JEWS ONLY BELIEVED IN ONE GOD… YAHWEH! (In The Beginning, GOD - NOT gods!)

EVERYTHING THAT HAS A BEGINNING HAS A CAUSE! The Genesis Account is NOT about whether the Universe had a Beginning... it's about whether Creation was Purposeful / Purposeful and Intentional!

When Moses wrote about the Genesis Acccount... He was NOT necessarily trying to explain HOW God Created The Heavens and The Earth… He was making the point to his readers that “GOD” Created the Heavens and the Earth… not the gods… just YAHWEH!

In ALL of the Ancient Creation Myths… MANKIND IS AN AFTERTHOUGHT! (Mankind was created to ‘Take The Load Off” the gods!) But GENESIS is Completely Different... it's a World-View unto itself! MAN WAS CREATED "IN" THE IMAGE OF GOD!

IN THE VERY BEGINNING… We’re introduced to a GOD WHO SAVES… A GOD WHO REDEEMS… A GOD WHO DELIVERS… (And to…) A GOD WHO NEVER/EVER GIVES UP ON YOU!

WHY are you here today and WHY do you matter? (Because...) GOD WANTED IMAGE BEARERS… IMAGE-BEARERS WHO COULD KNOW AND RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER… AND TO HIM!

See You This Weekend Celebrators…

IN-PERSON LIVE SERVICE TIMES…

SUNDAY – 9A ONLY! (MHS Performing Arts Center)

C56 (9A) / CYJH AND CYSH (9A)

ONLINE SERVICE TIMES…

SUNDAY – 9A and 5P

COC ONLINE SERVICE SITES…

http://churchofcelebration.com/coc-online/

CCITY ONLINE SERVICE SITE…

http://churchofcelebration.com/ministries/celebration-city-birth-4th-grade/

RunTheRace! (Heb 12:1-2)

Pastor Josh

Posted by Josh Barrett with

February 5, 2021

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT (THE BIBLE FOR DUMMIES - 1)

As Children… Many of us received a little leather-bound book full of long words and difficult names we couldn’t pronounce! We were told that everything in it was true and we should do our best to live by its teachings... but then we grew up! (And…) What once was an oh-so-simple world… (Well...) it's not so simple anymore is it!? Perhaps that’s because we were taught The Bible Stories but not The Story of The Bible… and there’s a Big Difference! (So…) We're gonna attempt to give you a better way to maybe approach The Bible that begins with something other than “in the beginning…” in a New Series we’re calling THE BIBLE FOR DUMMIES! (It’s A Can’t Miss Series!) So we’ll see you This Week IN-PERSON (9a) or ONLINE (9a/5p) at COC!

Sunday Snapshot… (1) Last Things First

If you don't know The Story OF The Bible… it's really easy to discount The Stories IN The Bible!

Luke Documented the Life of Jesus because THE STORY OF JESUS DIDN’T END ON A ROMAN CROSS! If The Story Had Ended There… THERE WOULD BE NO STORY! JESUS WAS SEEN ALIVE!

The QUESTION you should wrestle with the most if You're Doubting Your Faith is... WHY WERE THERE SOOO MANY THAT FELT THE NEED TO DOCUMENT THE LIFE / WORKS AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS?

John 20:31a... But these things are written that YOU may “BELIEVE” that JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD… -- If You're Doubting Your Faith then here's a question for you... WHAT IS THE "IT" THAT YOU DON'T BELIEVE

John tells us in his account (The Gospel of John) that if his document on the Life / Works and Resurrection of Jesus is ALL YOU HAVE… then His Account is ALL YOU NEED!

John 3:16… FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON - THAT WHOSOEVER “BELIEVES” IN HIM WILL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVER-LASTING LIFE! (If THIS is all you have - then THIS is all you need!)