Sunday's sermon was a wonderful reminder of who God is and why that truth should shape every aspect of how we live, worship, and engage with the world around us.

Summary: The sermon explored Revelation 15, a chapter that pauses before the final outpouring of God's wrath to give us a breathtaking portrait of God's character. Drawing from the Song of Moses in Exodus 15 and key passages throughout Scripture, the message reminded us that understanding who God is — His greatness, His justice, His holiness, and His righteousness — is not merely theological knowledge but the foundation of a life of genuine worship and faithful witness. Just as the Israelites sang a song of deliverance after crossing the Red Sea, we too are called to sing of the deliverance we have received through the blood of the Lamb.

Takeaways:

• God's character is the foundation of His actions. His greatness, power, justice, truth, holiness, and righteousness are not abstract ideas but living realities that call us to bow in worship and trust Him completely, even when His ways are beyond our full comprehension.
• Righteousness before God is received by faith, not earned by works. Romans 3 makes clear that all have sinned and fall short of God's glory, but through faith in Jesus Christ, we are justified as a gift of grace and clothed in His righteousness — just as Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.
• We are ambassadors called to give hope. As believers, our role is to reflect God's character to those around us and point them to the truth that they too can be made right with God through the blood of Jesus. We are not to look down on others but to lovingly invite them into the same grace we have received.

As you go through this week, take time to reflect on who God is. Speak His character back to Him in prayer. Count the ways He has provided for you. And look for someone in your life who needs to hear the hope of the Gospel.

Lesson Summary: From Tohu to Shalom – The Central Thread of the Bible

The Core Theme: The Greatest Story Ever Told

This week's lesson explores the central thread that connects the 66 volumes of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. While other ancient cultures had elaborate creation myths featuring extensive backstories on how to keep their gods happy, the biblical account simply begins with God speaking the world into existence. The overarching narrative of the Bible is the record of God continually working to restore harmony to a broken world, and He invites us to partner with Him in that mission.

The Meaning of Tohu va-bohu (Chaos and Brokenness)

In Genesis 1, the earth is initially described in Hebrew as tohu va-bohu, which is translated into English as "formless and empty." However, when put together, these words carry a much heavier meaning: profound conflict, disorder, dysfunction, and complete brokenness where nothing makes sense. Throughout the Bible, churning and overwhelming water is often used as a metaphor for this chaos. Remarkably, when the earth was in this state of tohu, God did not distance Himself; His Spirit hovered right in the middle of the chaos and began to speak order into it.

The Meaning of Shalom (Perfect Harmony)

God’s creative words brought order, life, and beauty out of the chaos, turning tohu into shalom. While modern readers often translate shalom simply as "peace," it actually means a state where everything functions in perfect harmony, flourishing, and completeness. While Satan actively works to bring tohu (chaos) back into God's beautiful creation, God's ultimate plan is not to burn the broken world down. Instead, He decided to partner with human beings to restore shalom to every corner of the earth, a mission that ultimately climaxes with Jesus defeating chaos once and for all.

Practical Application: Becoming a Shalom-Bringer

The lesson challenges disciples to actively look for tohu in their daily lives—whether in relationships, workplaces, or communities—and intentionally cultivate shalom.

•  Throwing Your Stone: Tying back to previous lessons, participants were encouraged to use their unique roles, careers, and skills (their "stones") to engage with the brokenness of the people around them.
•  Sharing Stories: The group shared powerful, personal testimonies of experiencing sudden and profound tohu, such as the unexpected loss of parents, severe medical emergencies, and witnessing fatal accidents. In each situation, they discussed how God's presence, often through the support of others, brought strength and peace into the chaos.
•  The Weekly Challenge: Listeners are challenged to overcome self-preserving instincts (which often make us want to avoid the messy dysfunction of others) and be willing to step into someone else's chaos. The group noted that to be a true peacemaker, you must first seek and experience God's shalom in your own life so you have it to offer others.

Join us as we celebrate a wonderful season! Bring a lawn chair and cheer on the kids as they run through a skills obstacle course and scrimmage game. We'll recognize players and celebrate their accomplishments. Everyone is welcome!