This past Sunday in Pebble Beachers, Camp Rockers, and the adults explored the Terrible Lie found in chapter 3 of Genesis. Following up from last week’s message, we were created to be the image of God. When sin entered the world we destroyed the image (broken mirror). Adam and Eve bought into the lie that God was not enough and that they could be and should be like God. Sin came in and marred all of creation. That is not an element of creation that has not been affected by sin.

Still today we struggle with the desire to worship the created over the creator. We take all that God has made and see it as an end in itself instead of seeing it as something that points to him. Everything was given so that attention and worship would be pointed towards God and not ourselves or creation. What are you emphasizing? Do you put more attention on the created or the Creator?

I hope and pray that you are discussing these truths with your children, husband/wife, mom/dad, friend, coworker, roommate etc. Let’s not leave the Story behind on Sunday morning, but talk about it through the week as we grow closer to Jesus.

God is eternal. No one created God. This is fundamental because if God was created then there is something else out there that is greater than God. if God is not the ultimate/greatest being out there, then he is not worthy of our worship. Our worship belongs to something or someone who is worthy. God is the only one worthy of us giving our lives.

From there we move to a truth that for American Christianity is hard to grasp. God did NOT create all of this for YOU. Sin has instead put our focus on ourselves and satisfied our selfish nature. Sin has taken the emphasis off of the Creator and put it on the created. So why did God create everything? I am so glad you asked. God created everything for his glory and his happiness. He does not revolve himself around you and I. God knows that he is ultimate and he alone is worthy of worship.

So this week, how you will you worship? How will you live in a way that will make God smile? Is there a sin that you need to repent and cast off? How can you worship God through your job, or through school? Maybe your first step is to just reset your mind to meditate on the fact that God is point of creation and not us.

We Worshiped with These Songs:

• Like a Lion
• Our God
• How Great is Our God
• Let Your Kingdom Reign

Religion says that u should trust in what u do as a good moral person.
The gospel says that you should trust in the perfectly sinless life of Jesus because He alone is the only good and truly moral person who will ever live.

Religion is about what we can do.  It is all based on our ability to be a good moral person.  When you create a matrix of world religions, this a common denominator.  Morality makes sense (mentioned in Part I).  It only makes sense that if you are “good” then you will be ok with some type of sepreme being.  Religion isn’t about what has been done for us, but what we think we should do.

The Gospel says that our trust isn’t in our actions, but the actions of Jesus. Since he has been the only person who can claim perfection, it is in him we must place our trust.  Jesus’ sinless life is where our hope is found.  It is because of his sinless life his sacrifice would suffice.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 John 3:5, 1 Peter 2:22

The goal of religion is to get from God such things as health, wealth, insight, power, and control.
The goal of the gospel is not the gifts God gives, but rather God as the gift given to us by grace.

When we walk into a church we often think about what we can get out of it.  We search after God selfishly because our expectations are that we will benefit from it.  In Religion we think of God as a genie in a bottle who exist for our pleasure and wants. We think that if we act religious our lives will be without any wants or desires.

The Gospel doesn’t focus on material gifts, but the eternal. The gift we have recieved is a grace and forgiveness that we don’t deserve. The Gospel understands that this is not our home, and we shouldn’t fall too in love with it and its “things”.  We see throughout scripture that not only are we not supposed to follow Jesus in order to recieve things, but that we will often have to give up more earthly things than we will ever recieve in this life. Our treasures are to be stored in heaven, not granted to us because we are religious.

Scripture: Matthew 6:20, Luke 14:33

The important part of this series called “The Story” is the emphasis of Jesus in the Old Testament. Most people miss that point. Most people read the Old Testament and never see the connection to Jesus Christ. We separate the Bible into two parts. Those two testaments are still ONE story. They connect. They are not two different stories.

This week I am hoping to drop some more details about this Fall and the tools that will be coming out. I can’t wait. I hope you guys are excited and ready for this new season. Our prayer is that God will strengthen marriages, families, relationships with the truth of the Scripture this Fall. This is an excellent opportunity to examine yourself and put Jesus at the center of your life. Put Jesus at the center of your family. Put Jesus in the center of your marriage.

Let this opportunity stretch you. Don’t back down because you don’t know what is going to happen or because you are scared. Men this could be a great tool to train you in leading your family. I CAN’T WAIT!! It is going to be awesome. Let’s get to it Capstone.

Songs We Used to Worship:

• We Unite (Elevation Worship)
• Like a Lion (Crowder Version)
• Our God (Tomlin)
• Majesty (Delirious)
• Say Say (Stanfill)

In our second week of “Reflection” we looked at another purpose of the church - Reflection of the Gospel. Our definition of The Gospel - or Good News comes from 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. This week we will be posting the “Religion vs The Gospel” statements from Sunday’s Gathering with additional thoughts under each.  We would love to hear your thoughts, struggles, or questions on the statements to see an organic conversation revolving around a better understanding of the Gospel.

Religion says that if we obey God He will love us.
The gospel says that it is because God has loved us through Jesus that we can obey.

Religion is easy. If we do the things that make us look religious we can assume that we are religious. Religion is our attempt to EARN our way back to God.  It says that if we follow some rules and jump through some hoops then God might love us.

The truth is, we can never earn our way back into right graces with God.  When sin entered the world our relationship was severed. The Gospel says that God already loves us and proved that by sending Christ to come rescue us and reconcile that severed relationship.  And because of Christ obedience and sacrifice through the cross we are able to obey.  Christ not only defeated death, but sin.  Our vices that so easily entangle us can’t be shed with our strength, but only Jesus.  So no matter how hard we try to obey God through religion we will never have that reconciliation and salvation without the Gospel.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Hebrews 12:1-2

Religion says that the world is filled with good people and bad people.
The gospel says that the world is filled with bad people who are either repentant or unrepentant.

In our current “Spiritual Atmosphere” in the United States the idea of good people going to heaven and bad people going to hell is very common - even among Christians.  Again Religion is easy and makes sense. This seems fair - good and bad.  We can manipulate religion into what we want it to be, but the Gospel isn’t based on fairness or human manipulation.

The Gospel says that the world is filled only with bad people who are either forgiven or unforgiven.  This shreds the idea of good people going to heaven, because there are NO GOOD PEOPLE.  Remember the view of “good and bad” isn’t by our human perspective but God’s. Even though someone may look “good” in our human eyes, doesn’t mean that that have the blood of Christ on their hearts.  The Good News of the Gospel is that we can have forgiveness through the cross and aren’t good people - but a forgiven people.

Scripture: Romans 3:22-24, 5:6, 10:8-10, Luke 7:36-50

Walt made a number of statements in his message today. Instead of recapping his message here, we are going to putting those statements up this week on the blog. So please come back this week to the Capstone Blog to continue our focus on the Gospel.

Songs We Used for Worship:

• Stir Our Hearts (Dukes)
• I Stand Amazed (Traditional)
• It is Well (Fields’ version)
• I Surrender All (Capstone Arrangement)
• All Because of Jesus (Fee)

We are a reflection of God’s reconciliation. We have been reconciled to God so that we can join into the ministry of reconciliation. Let’s just take time to reflect on the passage again. 2 Corinthians 5:10-21

^{10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.11} Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. ¹² Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. ¹³ If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. ¹⁴ Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. ¹⁵ He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. ¹⁶ So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! ¹⁷This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

¹⁸ And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. ¹⁹ For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. ²⁰ So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” ²¹ For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Capstone sent our third group to Haiti since the devastating earthquake in Haiti.  This past team was made of many people who had never been out of the states on a mission trip, but they knew they were being called to go to Haiti.  Much of the team was exposed to poverty they had only read about or seen in pictures.  The reality of the need of Haiti became very real even before we got to the Lashbrook Family Ministries (LFM) compound.

But once the team drove through Port de Praix they came to a group of buildings that seemed different.  There was laughter and smiles.  There was an excitement in the air.  There was a spirit of hope.  This was the environement Keith and Cindy Lashbrook have been working on for the past 13 years.  Their ministry truely is an oasis in a desert of despire.  In a city where the average income is a $1 a day and darkness rages through voodoo, it is here at LFM almost 100 children find refuge.  Not only do they care for children, but have started a church, school, feeding program, and hired many people from the community.

During our week in Haiti our job was aid LFM in any way needed.  We had construction projects, Luau parties, cooked dinner, cleaned, organized, had a Slumber party, learning about the needs and culture of Haiti and most of spending time with the Children.  It was a life changing experience for all that went to this third world country that is only a little over an hour south of Miami.

Click on a few of our team members names to read their accounts on their blogs: Tracey Dantzler and Lori Bradford

The Christian’s generosity is

• Built on the foundation of the grace of God. God has lavishly given to us freely. So we respond with cheerful hearts and not begrudging submission.
• That foundation allows us to stand on the fact that we are STEWARDS and not OWNERS. Instead we use our talents, skills, possessions for the ministry of reconciliation.
• We live in that way so that we may live ENRICHED lives.

• $70,000 - That is how much money we have given away at Capstone Church. You have been so generous. Keep it up.
• 32% - That is percentage of our budget that we have given away. That is just an amazing thought.
• 30 - That is how many people in a year and a half have walked through the waters of baptism. That is a number that must continue to grow. Stay focused on the mission Stoners.