Capstone Church

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week at Fountain Inn Elementary.  As a key instituation for our community we have partnered with FI Elementary and asked the principle if we can say “Thank You” to the men and women who pour into our children’s lives everyday.  We have several surprises for our teachers next week.  

One of the surprises will be some sweets in their box.  We are asking for Capstoners to make some fresh made cookies (no oreo or chips ahoy) on Saturday Night and place a few in a ziplock bags.  Then bring your sweet treats this Sunday Morning to Capstone.  

We have several other TOP SECRET things we can’t put on the blog for next week.  But if you would like to help with the preparing or delivering for Teacher Appreciation Week please email Laura Barrineau at laura@capstonechurch.net

Two Sunday’s ago Capstone Church met in our parking lot due to continued projects inside.  When people drove up they had NO IDEA why we were in the parking lot, and wondered why.  We prayed it would not rain.  It did, but only enough to force us under the awning.  In church planting you never know what you are going to experience next. Our motto: expect the unexpecting. 

Capstone is slowly working on our technology. But we now have the ability to hear Capstone’s teachings online. If you missed a week at Capstone, or heard something that you wanted to hear again or let someone else listen - you can do it.

Simply head to www.capstonechurch.net under the EXPERIENCE heading. Click on the Sermon Player and you listen away. Please let us know if there are other things you would like to see from Capstone on the technology side of things.

Fountain Inn Community Egg Drop from Capstone on Vimeo.

Some folks have requested before and after pics of Capstone’s new meeting space.  We aren’t complete, but here are some before and during pictures.

BEFORE and DURING

 This past Sunday was Capstone’s first Easter.  We were blown away with the crowd that we had - 220.  The coolest part was that we had 8 people say that wanted to remove the handcuffs of sin and accept the grace of Christ.  On top of that we had a DJ on stage for our countdown and first opening song - it rocked some people’s world.  Our first Easter will be remembered for a long time. 

We also started our new series called Losing My Religion.  We asked the question: “What happens when we cast off rituals and religion to focus on a righteous relationship with Christ. The first week the focus was that when we lose religion we find a NEW LIFE because our old self is dead.  We came to the conclusion that it isn’t religion that saves us but our relationship with Jesus.  Next week Chris will be taking a closer look at Grace and what that looks like outside of religion.

The Cross: Matthew 27

Read and Experience what Christ did not only for you but for all of mankind! Today at 3pm say a special prayer thank you for Christ sacrifice on this Good Friday.

The Trial: Matthew 26:47-75

As we read the trial of Jesus we see no justice, just agendas.  Christ - the son of God - sat in this atmosphere of hate and evil already understanding the verdict.  He was belittled, mocked, and beaten.  These religious leaders were threatened and were willing to do what ever it took to rid themselves of this Jesus of Nazareth.  These men said they were protecting God, when in reality they were murdering the very one He sent to save them.  But pride and focus caused them to miss God in the flesh.  Instead they gathered in a room with God himself and sentenced him to death.  

What in our lives do we fight so hard to protect, but pride might be blinding us?  There are many times in life we are a lot like these religious leaders who thought they were doing good - instead of listening to God’s voice.

The Garden: Matthew 26:36-56

Some people question whether Christ felt pain on the cross.  They ask if he stressed or was concerned.  After reading these words I don’t know how anyone could say anything be “YES.”  Three times Christ spends time in prayer with His Father asking if there is any other way for it to be revealed.  And each time he said if this is Your will- may it be done.  The Obedience of one man freed us all.

The cup that Christ is referring to in His prayer is the Cup of Wrath (Psalm 75:8 / Isaiah 51:17)  that God promises to pour out on humanity for its sin. Christ knew to take this cup meant a brutal and agonizing death.  This cup was taken from our hands and placed in Jesus’.  It was us who deserved this cup.  It was us who make choices to fill the cup even higher.  Yet it was Jesus who drank from this cup.  It was Jesus who prayed so hard that he sweat blood.  The next three days were for us, and Christ knew the sacrifice essential for victory. He loves us that much!

Yesterday the disciples said they would never run.  Today we see at the end of verse 56 that all the disciples fled.  These men who said one thing but when it came to crunch time ran.  As Christ followers I pray that we would not say something and then run when we are tested.  May our hearts be strong and brave as we, like the disciples, will face tribulation and trials.  For Christ drank from the Cup of Wrath - may we honor Him with our lives.

The Last Supper: Matthew 26:17-35

As Christ gathered his inner core he added something new to the passover meal that had been the same in Jewish tradition for thousands of years.  The Passover Meal was celebrated to remember how God saved Israel from the bondage of slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:1-28).  The 10th and final plague was the death of every first born child and animal in Egypt.  God told Moses that for his people to be saved they must sacrifice a lamb and mark their door with the blood of a perfect and flawless lamb.  That night every first born died except those that had marked their door with blood.  They were “passed over.”

This new twist to an old tradition was that now the wine was to be the blood of another perfect and flawless lamb - Jesus Christ.  And the bread was to represent His body that would be broken to come to our rescue.  This was really the last passover celebration and the first last supper.  Because now a new covenant was in place.  It no longer would be about religious acts and sacrifices in a temple done by a rabbi, but one single sacrifice by a perfect man to set us all free.  The Cross was not a place for the weak.  The Cross was a brutal death.  And Christ is informing his disciples and us that His time is coming.  It was now time to fulfill his ultimate purpose - death.

The disciples say they will never allow Jesus to die.  I image Christ with a smile on his face and shaking his head.  He knew their hearts where so big, but when it came to backing it up - no one was to be found.  I wonder what the conversations sounded like as these men headed to the Garden of Gethsemane.  After tonight it would never be the same.