1. Jesus is the pre-existent Creator God and King over everything.
2. Jesus is first/supreme in everything.
3. Jesus is reconciling and making peace with everything and everyone.

We are Peacemakers and Ambassadors of reconciliation, joining King Jesus in his work to bring everything and everyone together.

"He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything." -Colossians 1:17-18 NLT

We're shouting a huge "thank you" to our Discipleship Directors, Scott Haskins and Chuck Feay, for sharing about the importance of community. We're also shouting "thank you" to Mark, Leanne, Kendra, & Jeff for being part of the Journey Group panel.

If you're interested in being part of a Journey Group, email disciple@discoverjourneycc.com.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these." -Mark 12:30-31

This Sunday, Guest Speaker Jared Chase reminded us that "we mirror what it is that we most closely represent." Is your doppleganger Jesus, or the world? In the ways we resemble the world, there is more work to be done.

"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." -Ephesians 4:22-24

Join us in praying this ONE PRAYER together: I FALL ON MY KNEES BEFORE THE GOD of HEAVEN and EARTH because of THE BEAUTY OF THE GOSPEL. I pray for CHRIST IN YOU and YOU IN LOVE so that YOU WILL BE MADE COMPLETE IN GOD, so that GOD’S GLORY IS REVEALED IN AND THROUGH YOU NOW, and so that GOD’S GLORY IS REVEALED IN THE CHURCH AND IN CHRIST FOREVER.

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." -Ephesians 3:17-19

You are God's gift!

1. God's GRACE for the Church: Everything flows from grace given through Jesus Christ. (v. 7)
2. God's GIFTS for the Church: Jesus has given the gifts of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds/Pastors and Teachers (APEST) to the church.
3. God's GOAL for the Church: To equip, build up and mature the body of Christ so we can embody the presence of Christ to the world.

We are called to be a people defined by ONE HOPE in Jesus Christ. Our ONE HOPE makes us ONE CHURCH united by ONE SPIRIT.

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." -Ephesians 4:3-6

God works through the messiness of our lives to display the beauty of the Gospel.

Reflection Questions:

1. Will you trust in Jesus to make you a new creation in the midst of the messiness of your life?
2. Will you surrender the mess of your story to reveal the beauty of the Gospel?
3. Will you become an intentional ambassador of good news and beauty in a world filled with bad news and ugliness?

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." -2 Corinthians 4:7-9

Guest Speaker & Licensed Professional Counselor, Dr. Tammy Smith, shares a powerful word about what it means to be "a soul with a body," and where Jesus is in the mess of mental health challenges.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." -Ecclesiastes 3:11