Capstone Church

Fall Retreat 2009 from Capstone on Vimeo.

Sunday Morning was less about learning about The Splendor, and more about sitting in His splendor consumed by the shadow of the Cross.  We spent much of our time at the Gathering in worship with through song, scripture being poured out, and taking part in Communion together.

We ended Majesty with Communion because we wanted to end with the ultimate expression of thanks to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The sacrament of communion is to be taken with us examining our selves and coming before our Savior in thanksgiving of the sacrifice made so that we may have Life. May be always know and never forget the Majesty of the God we serve!

Here are the Scriptures we read through out the service that will continue to remind of us His Majesty:

Psalm 93:1
Psalm 145:1-5
Psalm 104:1-3
Psalm 96:4-6
1 Chronicles 29:11
Jude 1:24-25

Set List:
Indescribable by Chris Tomlin
Majesty the Charlie Hall Version
Rescue by Jared Anderson
You are Holy by Elevation Band
From the Inside Out by Hillsong United
Let Your Kingdom Reign by Elevation Band
Hungry by Kathryn Scott

Skylor Coates is an eight grader at Bryson Middle School.  This weekend she wrote a letter to all the “Stoners” to share her excitement and joy of what God has done this past year through Capstone Church:

Hello all fellow capstoners! I want to just take a few minutes to share how amazed I am of the growth of our church. We started out with 20-30 people including kids and now we have 100 adults and 50 pebble beachers and camp rockers all together!!! This is amazing how great God works and how He changes lives. I also just want to give a big thanks to Walt and Chris for all the time and effort they have put into this to make this a great church. They have taken so many risks and it has turned out for the good!!! But we have to give all of our thanks to God for giving us these amazing people. To have such wonderful people in my life and to have to just talk to is great…Thank you for your support!             Skylor Coates

Last week we looked at the majesty of The Throne. Sunday at Capstone’s Gathering we sat in Matthew 17 (known as the Transfiguration) to meditate on the splendor of The Redeemer.  Most of us would all agree that when we think of Christ we think of an average joe - no crowns, no throne, no palace, not even a place to lay his head down.  But in Matthew 17 we get a glimpse of his splendor as it is seen in heaven. Our three takeaways were:

1. Christ unveiled his majesty
On top of the mountain with his three closest disciples (Peter, James, and John) Christ removes his veil to reveal his blinding majesty. Paul writes in Phil 2:5-8 that “though he (Christ) was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”  As the Redeemer came to earth, He had to put on a Man Suit to conceal his majesty.  Mankind could not handle his pure holiness, perfection, and splendor.

2. Disciples Fall in Reverence
Paul continues in Philippians 2:9-11 that when we experience Christ’s majesty “every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the Earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”   We will all bow down at sometime to Jesus Christ as King of Kings.  Whether in confession and acceptance of salvation here on Earth or in judgement at the Throne receiving the news of eternal seperatation for God - we will all fall in reverence before the Lord.

3. We must come down from the mountain
Peter thought it good to build altars in remembrance of what they saw.  But Christ leads them down off the mountain to tell of what they saw.  We are often like Peter who wants to stay in the holy huddle, or build momuments because of great music or sermons.  But we too are told to come down from the mountain and to seek and save those who are lost.
Peter recalls his experience on the mountain in  2 Peter 1:16-18.  Peter says “but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”  We too are called be eyewitness.  It may not be the Transfirguration, but the transformation of lives, marriages, and communities.  We too are called to share in the Majesty of the Redeemer.

Set List:
Chainbreaker by Charlie Hall
All Because of Jesus by Steve Fee
Jesus Paid it All the Kristin Stanfield version
Majesty the Charlie Hall version

Sunday we began a new series called Majesty.  During the Thanksgiving seasons many churches will teach on blessings or thanks for all that God has giving us.  We wanted to go beyond just thanks for the things we have, but thanks to the God we serve. Majesty is simply looking at scripture and meditating on the splendor of our God.

This week we looked at Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 to see what it looks like to stand in front of the Throne of God.  Isaiah and John give us a glimpse of the true Majesty of the Throne of God in heaven.  We see a throne that surrounded by smoke, thunder, lightning, angels and creatures calling out to one another: Holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty.

Our three take aways from these two visions is:
1: God is forever on the throne
From Genesis to Isaiah to Revelation we see that God has been, is and will always be on the throne.  This throne is over all governments, kingdoms, nations, and ruling powers. He alone is over all.

2: Holy Posture
I don’t believe there will be much standing in heaven due to the fact of the pure holiness of God. Isaiah cries out “Woe is me!” as he falls on knees and covers his face at the splendor of the Lord. John sees elders in heaven removing their symbols of authority (crowns) and getting on their knees to place them at the Lord throne.  Angles cover their face and feet in revelence to the Holy God.  What will be our holy posture here on Earth?

3: Angelic Choir
In both visions we hear angels and creatures calling out in worship of the Lord they serve.  It was so loud that the door post shook at the sound of their praise.  We are called to be a part of angelic choir through our voices, but also through our lives.  May our lives be in a rhythm and song that makes God smile.

Set List:
The Change by Taylor Swift
We Unite by Elevation Worship Band
To You be the Glory by Capstone Band
Majesty the Charlie Hall version
How Great is Our God by Chris Tomlin
Jesus Paid it All the Kristin Stanfield version