Our church just spent an incredible two years growing through the book of Romans. It is awesome to look back and remember what God has done through our history as we have worked through Acts, Ruth, Jonah, Habakuk, Nehemiah, Philippians, Ephesians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Hebrews, large portions of Daniel and Luke, and many other passages throughout the Bible. Each and every book put the story of Jesus on display in a life-changing way.
Our next season will be a journey (beginning Sept 8th) through the entire Bible in a series we have titled, “Beauty: The Story of Creation, Rebellion, Redemption, & Restoration.” In under 40 sermons we will move through the entire Bible. Why might we do something like this? Let me explain.
… to be transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. As with everything we do at Crossings Community, we deeply desire to engage, equip, and empower homes for gospel transformation around the Katy community. The gospel is SO MUCH more than a story in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. It is so much bigger than the writings of Paul and Peter. The entire Bible from front to back communicates the gospel. The gospel comes alive in a three-dimensional way when we begin to see it all from Genesis through Revelation.
… to be changed by the nature and work of God. If you are a person who loves to read, you can easily identify with this idea, but even avid movies watchers can as well. If you read one chapter, one part, or even half of a great book, you still do not know the story. You might have some ideas or snap judgments, but after reading the entire book you will have a completely different view of who the characters are and of how the story has played out. God has revealed himself to us throughout history. Our marriages, careers, parenting, finances, and everything else about our story will be transformed by gaining a bigger glimpse into the nature and work of our Creator.
… to grow in our faith through seeing the consistently all-powerful God. When we have the grand story of scripture before us we find God displaying His glory amidst every circumstance. This has great power in our lives as we approach all kinds of circumstances, whether devastating or celebratory. We can have peace and confidence in our God who is who He says He is and will always prove Himself faithful as He has throughout history.
… to see the great metanarrative of life and share it with others. There is one great narrative which brings all of life into an appropriate context and purpose. We will see that grand story and through seeing it clearly be able to appropriately share that life-changing story with our friends, family, and neighbors in Katy and around the world.
… to glorify the triune God who has revealed himself throughout the pages of scripture. We will grow as worshipers as we respond to the God we discover through the pages of scripture.
This will be a new and great journey for us at Crossings Community. We are accustomed to growing through the study of 5-7 verses at a time. It will be a great joy to see how God works in and through us as we are transformed by hearing the Word of God through the grand themes as it was revealed through history.
Challenge: What an awesome time to join what God is doing at Crossings Community! If you are local we would love to have you join us! If you are far away you can journey with us through our podcast. If you are already a part of our great community, then grab someone and bring them with you as we start this new beginning of Beauty: The Story of Creation, Rebellion, Redemption, & Restoration.
Matt Powell serves as teaching pastor at Crossings Community Church, a body of believers whose mission is to engage, equip, and empower homes for gospel transformation in Katy, TX.