Chapel at Cedarville

In Genesis 1:1–25, we find the narrative of God creating the world. Three words in particular help us see the deeper meaning of this passage: order, goodness, and hope.

Order

God created the world in a rational sequence. Rather than being haphazard or unpredictable, it is very methodical and structured. There are no mistakes; God is in complete control.

The orderliness of this account denies the other belief systems of that day. It is also what makes science possible. God’s rational mind created a world in which things are constant, reliable, and comprehensible.

Goodness

One phrase that keeps coming up in the creation narrative is, “God saw that it was good.” By the time He’s finished, it has become very good. It is teeming with life, and God wants it to be filled with even more life, so He tells His creatures to multiply. He is a God of abundant life and creativity.

Because of creation’s goodness, we must avoid two things. First, we must never worship creation. It’s easy to see the wonder and majesty of the world and be tempted to praise it, but Romans 1:25 condemns this. Second, we must never demean creation. Although the world has been frustrated by sin, it is still good. It is right for us to respond in thankfulness to God for what He made.

Hope

In the Bible, we see God enjoying His creation and creation enjoying its God, and it can feel like we are on the outside of that. We don’t want to merely see the beauty of creation; we want to be united with it. We realize something is going on that we can’t fully participate in. This is because something is not right with our relationship with God. It’s hard to fully enjoy something when you’re separated from the person it comes from.

Genesis 1 helps us find hope. Each account of an individual day ends with the words “evening and morning.” Today, we think of days as both beginning and ending in the middle of the night — in darkness. But in the Bible, sundown marks the beginning of the day so that every day is a story of light triumphing over darkness.

A clear sign of hope comes on day three, when the earth brings forth plants yielding seeds. These are the literal first fruits of creation. Something is coming out of the earth that has new life within it. 1 Corinthians 15 also speaks of the third day, when out of the earth comes One with new life in Him. Jesus is described as the first fruits of a new creation. Just as the literal seeds emerge in the same form as the thing that bore them, so we look more like Christ as we come to Him and abide in Him.

This is why we can gaze on this creation not only with aching and longing but also with hope. We know that one day we will be completely right with God in a renewed creation.

Chapel Recap: The Eternal Creator and the Source of Life

Today in chapel, Sam Allberry opened Scripture to the very first verse of the Bible — Genesis 1:1. Allberry explained that we encounter two essential truths about God in this verse: He is eternal, and He is the Creator.

Allberry began by reminding us that God existed before anything else. “Nothing gives Him life; He is the source of life,” he said. Everything that exists depends on Him, yet He depends on nothing. Still, Allberry emphasized, this eternal God is not remote or uninterested. He is deeply involved in His world and in the lives of His people.

“Behind everything, we have a God who is eternal,” Allberry said, “and without Him, we will feel restless about our own lives.” When people build their identities on temporary or physical things, they eventually discover how fragile and fleeting those foundations are. “If this world is all there is,” he observed, “life feels too short.”

Allberry then reminded the audience that “Creation declares the glory of God; it doesn’t contain the glory of God.” Everything we experience points beyond itself to the Creator who made it. “God is the source of all that we have,” Allberry continued, “and if we live without the God of Genesis 1:1, we will struggle to find meaning, purpose, and identity.”

Human beings, he explained, need meaning that comes from outside of themselves. Genesis 1:1 shows that we are not the center of the universe — God is. Yet this truth is not meant to diminish us but to free us. When we root our identity in the eternal Creator, we discover peace that temporary things can’t provide.

Allberry closed by highlighting a profound truth implicit in the verse: God is near. “If God didn’t need to make the world,” he said, “then He made it purely because He wanted to.” Creation itself is an act of grace and love from the Creator.

In Exodus 14–15, God mightily saves Israel by bringing them safely across the Red Sea and destroying their enemies. The people then respond in a song of worship.

Understanding the Passage

We are to be people of the Word. We are to study how to interpret and understand this text. In this passage, we find a literary technique called juxtaposition. There is a long stretch of narrative to explain what happened historically followed immediately by a poetic section to explain how we are to respond. In this way, the chapters inform one another. In a way, chapter 14 focuses on our heads while chapter 15 focuses on our hearts.

The poetry doesn’t simply recount the same series of events as the historical narrative. It presents a kaleidoscope of images intended to show us that God is the One accomplishing all of these amazing acts.

Applying the Passage

We didn’t see these things happen, but they were true events. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Moses is telling us what really happened and what our response should be. When you hear this Word, you are hearing God speak. Although it happened long ago, it was prepared for you. It’s like a house God began building when you weren’t there that now has a room for you.

The God who did those things is the God we still serve today. He has not changed. He has promised to be with us, and He always keeps His promises. We, too, are to sing to God like this. Our praise is to be like theirs.

This tells us not only what the nature of our song is to be but also what our song is supposed to do for others. We are to commend God to others with our speech. We must figure out how to talk to our specific audience, telling them who God is and urging them to come to Him.

This is why it’s important for us to become educated in a variety of things: not only theology but also history, music, literature, and philosophy. This will allow us to engage culture in a meaningful way to understand what they think — both what they’ve got wrong and what they’ve got right — so we can share the news of God with them. As we become better readers, interpreters, thinkers, storytellers, and singers, we will also become better witnesses.

To tie all this together, we must think about what values we are expressing when we make the mundane decisions of everyday life. These small choices tell us how we’ve allowed the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. Invite Him in, ask Him to help your unbelief, and make the song of Exodus 15 your song.

Exodus 14:31 says, “Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.” Let that be true of us today.

Chapel Recap: God’s Glory Going Global

Today in chapel, SGA chaplain Ethan Foster continued the God’s Glory Going Global series in Genesis with a message centered on Genesis 11: the tower of Babel.

Foster began by explaining that God’s mission demands that His people scatter. From the very beginning, God’s command to humanity was to “fill the Earth,” spreading His image and glory across creation. But in Genesis 11, the people of Babel chose the opposite path. Instead of obeying God’s call, they gathered in one place, determined to make a name for themselves. Their motivation was clear: They wanted to be known by all rather than follow God’s commands.

“God was divinely interested in His people scattering,” Foster explained. God intervened by confusing the languages at Babel to redirect His people toward His global mission. “God wants image-bearers and Christ-worshipers in all parts of the world,” Foster said. God’s beauty is shown as His image-bearers worship Him across the whole globe.

Foster then connected the events of Babel to the Church’s calling today. Just as God scattered His people then, He still calls His followers now to take His glory everywhere. Every Christian, He said, participates in God’s mission in one of two ways: sending or going.

Those who send do so through prayer and giving — supporting the work of missions and the spread of the Gospel both nationally and globally. Those who go are called to train, prepare, and take the message of Christ to the nations. Both are essential, and both express obedience to God’s command to scatter His glory throughout the Earth.

Whether by sending or going, praying or giving, the goal remains the same: that God’s glory will go global.

Through Scripture, God changes us and conforms us to His Son’s image. In Acts 18:24–28, we meet Apollos, an example of a man in the process of reformation. The result of his teachable heart is powerful impact. If you have a teachable heart, God will work in and through you to make a big difference for His Kingdom.

God Prepares You

Apollos was from the large city of Alexandria. He was cultured, educated, eloquent, and gifted with reason. He also knew the Scriptures and was biblically competent. He was careful to teach accurately. In addition to all this, Apollos was “fervent in spirit,” meaning he was passionate about God. This was an impressive person.

God had prepared Apollos to make a big impact through his background, gifting, and training. Our Lord does the same for us. He uses things like where we’re from, what we’ve been through, and what we are working on. He is at work in us, conforming us to Christ and preparing us to do great things for Him.

God Humbles You

Although Apollos was impressive, he didn’t know everything yet. In verse 26, Priscilla and Aquila realized there was a gap in his learning. They modeled how we should respond when we see others in error by taking him aside privately instead of publicly embarrassing him. They did not shame him; they loved him as they explained the truth more accurately.

Apollos could have arrogantly ignored their instruction, but he did not. God’s Spirit was on display, not only in Priscilla and Aquila as they lovingly corrected him, but also in Apollos as he listened. God had equipped him with a humble, teachable heart. This is not something we can equip ourselves with; it’s supernatural.

Because God loves us, is for us, and wants us to make a powerful impact for Him, He works to humble us through corrections, difficult relationships, and challenging assignments. All of us have something to learn, and we need to receive instruction. This doesn’t always feel good, and we are tempted to respond defensively. Instead, we must ask God to give us teachable hearts. We must view opportunities to learn humility as gracious gifts.

God Empowers You

A powerful ministry resulted from Apollos’s teachable heart. He was not only faithful to learn but also faithful to go. When he arrived in Achaia, he was an incredible blessing to the believers there. Later in the Bible, he is even mentioned along with Peter and Paul as a leading teacher! Apollos’ ministry for Christ has had unfathomable impact on the generations to come.

God is preparing, humbling, and empowering each of us to make a Kingdom impact. Let us care for each other by correcting each other gently and privately. And when we are the ones being corrected, let us receive it with grace instead of resisting in arrogance. God opposes the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.

Chapel Recap: The Right Kind of Confidence

Today in chapel, Dr. Adam Groza spoke on “the right kind of confidence,” drawing from Jeremiah 9:23–24. His message challenges us to evaluate where we find our identity and sense of worth — warning that while confidence itself isn’t the problem, what we place our confidence in can make all the difference.

Dr. Groza began by acknowledging a truth we often overlook: “The problem is not that we boast but what we boast about.” Groza mentioned that everyone is created to boast — to take joy and pride in something greater than themselves. But when that boasting centers on possessions, abilities, or achievements, it leads to disappointment. “Things don’t define you, don’t fulfill you, and cannot save you,” he said.

That truth led to his second key point: the misery of misplaced confidence. Groza warned that when you put your trust in wisdom, strength, or possessions, it will make you feel miserable. Essentially, he said that “good things make terrible gods.” The solution isn’t to reject good things but to see them as gifts, not gods. Lasting joy, he explained, comes when we trust in the Giver rather than the gift itself.

Finally, Dr. Groza mentioned the joy of enduring confidence. Quoting from Jeremiah, he reminded us that the only boasting that delights God is in knowing Him: “Don’t boast in the things that belong to you,” Dr. Groza said. “Boast in the knowledge that you belong to God.” True, unshakable confidence grows from a personal relationship with the Lord that remains steady even when everything else fades.

Dr. Groza concluded with two practical steps to help us find this joyful confidence:

1. Know God personally through faith in Jesus Christ.
2. Understand God — care deeply about what He says and how He reveals Himself in Scripture.

“Everyone can find lasting joy in their relationship with the Lord,” Dr. Groza encouraged. True confidence isn’t found in our talents or treasures but at the cross, where Jesus invites us to rest in who He is and to boast in the fact that we belong to Him.

When we encounter times of hardship, we can find ourselves feeling hopeless and afraid. In Mark 4:35–5:43, several stories demonstrate that faith overcomes fear when our hope is in Jesus.

Jesus Conquers Danger

The first story tells what happened when Jesus and His disciples were on a boat in the middle of a storm. Waves crashed, strong winds blew, and water was filling the boat. In great fear, the disciples asked Jesus if He even cared. This question was absurd — the God of the universe voluntarily became a baby, came down to earth, and went to a cross to die for us. We can be confident that He cares about us.

The wind and the waves did not gradually become still like they naturally would; they were immediately calm at Jesus’s words of rebuke. Through this miracle, He showed that He controls not only the wind and the waves but also the laws of nature.

Jesus Conquers Demons

The second story tells of a demon-possessed man who was sent into isolation because he could not be controlled. He was not only isolated from society but also tormented by the voices inside his head. He cried out in anguish and cut himself with stones. The devil wants you to harm and destroy yourself. He wants to be the voice in your head that’s driving you crazy. Jesus showed this man how much He cared by casting the demons into the pigs.

Rather than wanting to know more about Jesus after seeing this incredible display of power, the townspeople wanted nothing to do with Him. They didn’t want to inconvenience their comfortable lives, so they turned Him away. Do you desire comfort and control of your own life more than an encounter with the Savior?

Jesus Conquers Disease

Being desperate with no other options left, Jairus begged Jesus to come heal his daughter. On the way, they met a woman who had suffered with a discharge of blood for twelve years, causing her to be unclean and alone. She touched Jesus’s garment and was healed. Jesus told her that her faith in Him was what had made her well. We have been saved by grace alone through faith alone.

Jesus Conquers Death

After this, Jairus received the news that his daughter was dead. In his hopelessness, Jesus spoke these words to him: “Do not fear; only believe.” You will need these words at some point in your life too. Take them to heart and drive their roots deep.

The Lord of wind, waves, demons, and disease demonstrated that He is also the Lord of death and life. He continued to Jairus’s home, took the girl by the hand, and raised her into life.

There will be a moment when you experience hopelessness and fear in your life. You must speak truth to yourself, combatting lies with the words of Scripture. You must have faith and hope in Jesus.

Who is this Man? This is the Son of God! Live your life for Him!

In Exodus 11–12, God demonstrated that He is superior to all. A mightier King than Pharoah was going to visit Egypt. The same cry that originally came from the Israelites was going to be reversed, coming instead from the Egyptians who opposed Yahweh.

Trust the Sacrifice

Salvation comes through judgment. When this judgment comes, blood is the payment. In chapter 12, God instructed the Israelite fathers to sacrifice lambs and paint the blood on their doors. This was the only way their firstborn sons would be saved.

A penalty was due for the Israelites and Egyptians alike. While they were sinners, God initiated salvation by His own choice. He alone can accomplish salvation, and He alone gets the glory. In the Israelites’ place, God put a substitute — another sacrifice to bear the penalty.

The actual act of painting the blood on the doorpost was not what saved the Israelites. Instead, that act symbolized their faith. Their trust and belief in God’s promise allowed them to participate in the benefits of the blood.

Faith is how we overcome the impossible circumstances of slavery to sin. Wake up every morning, preach the Gospel to yourself anew, and trust the sacrifice.

Remember the Blood

At the moment of our conversion, we initially understand that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, but later, we far too often begin to turn it into a work of our own. God wanted the Israelites — and us — to remember that the blood is our rescue. Memories bring the events of the past into the present in a way that continues to shape us.

One way we remember the blood is to partake of the Lord’s Supper. In Luke 22, Jesus demonstrated that the Passover meal symbolizes the Son’s body provided for us. We are to covenant together to be part of the people of God who are formed by that sacrifice.

Journey to a New Land

When the Israelites left the land of Egypt, they were called to an adventurous and risky life of faith. This was not devised through human planning; their bread did not even have time to rise! Instead, it was made possible solely by divine action. We, too, go through the world as pilgrims with nothing of our own to offer. We are used to comfort and materialism, so we have bought into the illusion that we can provide for ourselves, but we cannot. God is our sole provider.

We are called out of our comfort zone and into the purposes that God has for us. In this world, we will not fit in if we live for Christ. We will be distinct from the culture. As we live this way, we can find hope in the promise that we’re on the journey to a new and better land, where every tear is wiped away and we will behold God face to face.

Chapel Recap: Living as the Aroma of Christ

Today in chapel, Rob Wynalda shared a powerful reminder from 2 Corinthians 2 that every believer carries “the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ” wherever they go. Wynalda challenged us to “be the aroma of Christ to the watching world,” living in such a way that others sense God’s presence through their actions, words, and attitudes.

Wynalda drew parallels between living out biblical principles and his experience developing hunting products, explaining how both require intentionality and purpose. Just as scent matters in hunting, our spiritual “fragrance” makes an impact on the world around us.

He encouraged us to seek opportunities for meaningful conversations about who God is and what He’s done. The goal is not perfection, but presence — living each day aware that our lives reflect Christ. Wynalda closed by urging everyone to “spend your time in prayer and with people who help you think about how to spend your life well.”

Through prayer, purpose, and presence, we can become a life-giving aroma of Christ to the world.

This morning in chapel, Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, was interviewed by Samuel Green, President and General Counsel for Reason for Life.

Phillips began by sharing how he accepted Christ and started his bakery. He chose the name because the word “Masterpiece” has the word “Master” in it. This reminds him that Jesus is his Master.

One busy Thursday afternoon at his shop in 2012, two men walked into the store looking for a cake for their wedding. Phillips knew he couldn’t make this cake because God designed marriage to be for one man and one woman. When he told the men he couldn’t make cakes for same-sex weddings, they got up and left in anger.

Over the next few weeks, Phillips began to receive hateful phone calls, emails, and even death threats. A month later, he received a notice charging him with a violation of the law. The government asked him to express messages that went against his religious beliefs as well as reeducate the staff and let them know these religious beliefs do not belong in the workplace.

Phillips decided to stand strong in his faith. While he welcomed everyone into his shop and treated them with love, he refused to celebrate sin. The Alliance Defending Freedom came alongside him to defend his case.

The case was taken to local court, but Phillips lost on the lower levels. The Colorado Supreme Court would not even take the case. The last place to go in the legal world was the United States Supreme Court. As Phillips was hit with the importance of this case, he realized it was not just about him, his shop, and his ability; it was about the rights of everyone to express their faith and their beliefs. He prayed about it and asked the Supreme Court to hear the case. And in the summer of 2017, he was amazed to discover that they had actually granted him a hearing.

In December, his case was heard at the Supreme Court of the United States. The battle was hard fought, but a turning point came when Justice Kennedy explained how tolerance is essential in a free society and how the state had not been tolerant or respectful of Phillips’s religious beliefs. In June of 2018, Phillips was overjoyed to see that his case had won, 7–2.

Soon after, he was sued again when he refused to make a pink and blue cake to celebrate a person’s gender transition. Again, he lost at the lower court levels, but at the Colorado Supreme Court, he won.

Phillips shared that no matter what we do for a living, we can do it with a Gospel mindset. “I didn’t want to tell these guys, ‘Get out of my shop,’” he said. “I wanted to serve them.” Phillips has shared the Gospel many times in his shop. “That’s the point,” he said. “That’s why God sent us. He left us here so we can share the good news.”