The Garden | San Antonio

Waiting on the Lord can be difficult, but there is much to learn and receive for those willing to trust God’s faithfulness. Continuing our Genesis series, For Glory and For Good, Robert Saenz looks at what happens when God’s people stop trusting and take matters into their own hands. Jacob and Esau and their parents let doubts about God’s promises become division within their family. The hurt, as we see, is significant, but hope shines through as God in his mercy picks up the wreckage and paves a way forward.

⁠⁠⁠⁠Genesis 25:21-26⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (NIV)⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thegardensa.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today to learn more about our church and to find upcoming opportunities to connect with us. You can also click the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ tab on our site to access resources and helpful links for our study through the book of Genesis.

What does it mean to be tested by God? In scripture, people test God, usually as a matter of pride and self-justification. The enemy tests too, looking for weaknesses in people to inflict pain and destruction. But God, we're told, tests for good. How can that be? Continuing our Genesis series, For Glory and For Good, Pastor Caleb looks at the story of Abraham and the impossible sacrifice God calls him to make. While Abraham exhibits remarkable faith, what we can miss is how this test was not entirely new, but built on a life of learning how to follow the Lord. When we reach the limits of our understanding, trusting what we know about the love and wisdom of God will draw us closer to Him and lead us through the trials of life.

⁠⁠⁠Genesis 22:1-19⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (NRSV)⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thegardensa.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today to learn more about our church and to find upcoming opportunities to connect with us. You can also click the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ tab on our site to access resources and helpful links for our study through the book of Genesis.

Each of us knows the sting of failed promises. In the wake of disappointment, it can become easy to grow skeptical of the dependency of others. What are we to make then of a God who makes big promises but holds their fulfillment for a perfect time only He knows? Our Pastoral Resident Nate Garza continues our Genesis series, For Glory and For Good, with a look at God's gift of a child to Sarah and Abraham – a gift that arrived well past their expectations and inspired the kind of struggle that produces great trust.

⁠⁠Genesis 21:1-7⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (ESV)⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thegardensa.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today to learn more about our church and to find upcoming opportunities to connect with us. You can also click the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ tab on our site to access resources and helpful links for our study through the book of Genesis.

Doubt has been the burden of many followers of God throughout history. Some view doubt as the antithesis of faith, but when we look at the stories of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar, we see that doubt does not have to be the enemy of belief for those willing to face it and lift the to God. Continuing our Genesis series, For Glory and For Good, Pastor Caleb shows us that the opposite of faith is not doubt, but belief – in false and competing truths. When we feel the weight of doubt and go to the Lord with honest and bold questions, what threatened to turn us away instead opens our eyes to truth and brings us closer to home.

⁠Genesis 18:9-15⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (NRSV)⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thegardensa.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today to learn more about our church and to find upcoming opportunities to connect with us. You can also click the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠ tab on our site to access resources and helpful links for our study through the book of Genesis.

What does it mean to be righteous? Our Genesis series, For Glory and For Good, continues with the covenant promise to Abraham, which helps us see that God’s people are not defined by self-righteousness, but by a consistent choosing to abide under the covering of a righteous God. As Pastor Caleb shows, to be in the care God is to know a life of blessing, but the choice of where to live remains ours. Within Abraham’s own family, the consequences of self-righteousness would be startlingly clear in the tragedy of Lot’s family and the destruction Sodom. Where have you chosen to live? What’s covering you there?

Genesis 17:1-9⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (NRSV)⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thegardensa.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today to learn more about our church and to find upcoming opportunities to connect with us. You can also click the ⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠ tab on our site to access resources and helpful links for our study through the book of Genesis.

What does it mean to be called by God? In contemporary culture, “calling” has come to mean something like a mix of “passion and skillset and purpose,” but in the Bible, the calling God gives is something very different. Continuing our series in the Book of Genesis, For Glory and For Good, Pastor Caleb looks at the story of Abram to show that God’s calling isn’t based on deep passion or natural skill or even a clear sense of identity, all as we might expect. In truth, it often costs those very things to follow God. But as people of faith discover in heeding God’s Word, all that is left behind pales in comparison to all that is found walking with the Lord. Where is God calling you to be? What must be left behind to go there with Him?

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Genesis 12:1-9⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (NRSV)⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thegardensa.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today to learn more about our church and to find upcoming opportunities to connect with us. You can also click the ⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠ tab on our site to access resources and helpful links for our study through the book of Genesis.

Four Sundays a year, we invite a friend and ministry partner to discuss one of The Garden's four core values, which are really values for every believer and community in Christ. This weekend, we had the blessing of hearing from Jonathan Kagimu of African Renewal Ministries, who shared a word on our value of Perseverance, based on Isaiah 40. As Jonathan encourages, when the burdens of life become overwhelming, we can look up to find the greatness, goodness, and power of our God. He is never far, and His strength is always with us.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isaiah 40:25-31⁠ (ESV)⁠⁠⁠

For more resources and ways to connect with us, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thegardensa.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And for information about how to partner with Africa Renewal Ministries, check out ⁠africarenewal.org⁠ today.

Pastor Caleb continues For Glory and For Good with a look at one of the most infamous episodes in the Book of Genesis. In constructing a high tower at the center of their city, the people of Babel seem to be doing everything right – enjoying unity in their communication, labor, and culture. But the foundation beneath them proves far more brittle than appearances suggest. As God stoops down to see and address their work, he finds prideful hearts headed toward destruction. His choice to disperse them is a merciful interruption, but we shouldn’t see it as a call to settle for division or to abandon work. As Jesus would come to show, it’s when we stop constructing our own sources of glory, identity, success, or security that we find all these in abundance in the unity of the Spirit and the edification of the Church. (NOTE: The ziggurat images mentioned in the sermon can be found here.)

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Genesis 11:1-9⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (NRSV)⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thegardensa.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today to learn more about our church and to find upcoming opportunities to connect with us. You can also click the ⁠⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠⁠ tab on our site to access resources and helpful links for our study through the book of Genesis.

Our series For Glory and For Good moves to another key figure in the book of Genesis. When it becomes clear humanity is irreparably corrupted by its sinful pursuits, bringing the earth it was made to tend down with it, God is moved by grief to set things right. What is stained will be washed, in a great and terrible Flood, but where God looks down and sees what was good now evil, He also finds a glimmer of hope in a man named Noah. As Pastor Caleb shares, what makes the story of the Ark so important is not the details but the devotion that went into its construction. The Fall brought death into the world, but Noah would testify that those who walk with God – as Adam once did, as we can today – break the pattern of sin to follow the path of life. (NOTE: The video mentioned at the start of the sermon can be accessed at this link.)

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Genesis 6:9-22⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (NRSV)⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thegardensa.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today to learn more about our church and to find upcoming opportunities to connect with us. You can also click the ⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠ tab on our site to access resources and helpful links for our study through the book of Genesis.

Pastoral Resident Nate Garza continues For Glory and for Good with a consideration of work and rest – and more deeply, purpose and fulfillment. After Adam and Eve’s sinful decision, humanity would be burdened with work that could now crush body and spirit, and the horror of this consequence would be evident for them immediately after life outside the garden. The picture is clear. Left to ourselves, apart from God’s intervention, how could anyone possibly detangle the struggle for fruitful work from the need for security, identity, and self-worth? Caught between the temptation of a life defined by labor and the fantasy of a life without weight, our only recourse is to seek God’s hand to walk and tend the path of His blessing. As Nate shows, the beauty of God’s grace is evident in Genesis in that He provided an answer before we ever knew how to question.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hebrews 4:1-11⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ / Genesis 4 (ESV)⁠⁠⁠

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thegardensa.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today to learn more about our church and to find upcoming opportunities to connect with us. You can also click the ⁠⁠Resources⁠⁠ tab on our site to access resources and helpful links for our study through the book of Genesis.