The Story isn’t finished.
Since Genesis 3, we've lived in a “fallen world.” Adults cannot fathom Eden’s perfection—zero knowledge of good and evil, free of deceit, guilt, fear, and shame. Actually, young children better grasp God’s ideal in Eden—innocent trust, naive joy, pure freedom . . .
In Matthew 18, Jesus upheld child-likeness as he taught his disciples about greatness in The Kingdom.
“He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I think Jesus was saying, “Observe Eden-like freedom; trust me, delight in me, obey me.”
Adam and Eve knew that, had that…and lost that.
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.” Genesis 3:6-7
God’s perfect design was fractured—by temptation, distrust, disobedience, and sin.
Sin’s consequences reach far beyond Eden’s borders. The perfect oneness-unity man and woman knew was gone. Adam blames his beloved “bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh,“ then criticizes God for “the woman you put here” (3:12). God unveils the aftermath of Eve’s disobedience, “You’ll desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” (3:16) Peace-filled unity corrupted, and the power struggle began. So very far from the heart of God and the image we were created in.
But praise be to God, Genesis 3 is only the beginning. Our God is a God of restoration who will one day restore the beauty, harmony, and perfection of the fellowship found in Eden.
Believers, be encouraged today by the end of the story, as revealed to John the Apostle:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:1-5)
Donielle Winter EFCC Member
A Saving Strength
I love those (figuratively speaking) Lightbulb moments when what seemed like an impossible problem is suddenly resolved with a beautiful solution. I believe Adam saw the first “Aha!” moment in life when God created Eve.
In Genesis 2 God decides to create Eve; “a helper suitable for him (Adam).” After each day of creation, God declared, “It was good,” except the day God created Adam. On this day, God declared, “It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a partner for him (Gen. 2:18-20).
The word “helper” as found in most English translations implies a tone of subordination. But to view Eve from the aspect of Adam’s assistant or helper is an inadequate understanding of the Hebrew. In Hebrew the phrase is ezer kenegdo; better translated, as “a saving strength corresponding to him.” Of the 19 times ezer is used in the Bible, 16 of those times specifically refer to God himself as the strength or the one who saves Israel. Ezer describes either the strength of God saving Israel, or an ally army with the strength to give Israel success. Ezer is never used to describe an assistant or subordinate helper.
The word kenegdo is a compound word of three parts meaning, “as + in front of + him”. The middle word “negd,” in noun form is “nagid,” which is used to describe God’s appointed leaders of Israel, specifically of Saul, David, and Solomon. So Eve, as Adam’s ezer kenegdo, is God’s provision of saving strength given to Adam as a partner in stewardship, governance, and companionship in life. Nothing in this passage subordinates Eve, instead it emphasizes both are made in the image of God, both rule over the animals of the earth, and both are blessed to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth. Eve is Adam’s saving strength, without whom Adam cannot experience all of God’s intended blessings.
The first three chapters of Genesis are often referenced as a biblical perspective on marriage, family, or gender hierarchy. Not only are these chapters often misrepresented to subjugate women; they are often not seen broadly enough to honor the gift God has given humanity in his creation of man and woman beyond marriage. Single people are blessed through the opportunity to work with and serve alongside members of the opposite sex. God’s gift to men and women is each other. Eve was a great gift to Adam precisely because she was not inferior or subordinate but an equal peer with real ability to help Adam with the hardest issues of life.
I’ve had the opportunity to experience the “saving strength” found in the partnership I have with my wife many times during our marriage of almost 30 years, but most profoundly during the four deployments, overseas assignments, and while traveling worldwide for almost two years as an instructor. These challenging seasons were a master class in learning to respect, work together, and learn from each other in ways we had not before. We learned that we didn’t need each other to survive, but we thrived when we worked together. We learned we are better together even when we are apart.
Jaisen Fuson
Elder
Very Good
The first pages of Scripture ground us in the story God is telling. They paint a picture for us of the kind of world God created and the role human beings are designed to hold in that world. As we reflect on the story of creation, we are struck by something profound: humanity is the masterpiece of God’s work; we are his crown jewel. God uniquely shaped men and women in his image - nothing else in all creation has this elevated place. This wasn’t an afterthought. It wasn’t an accident. It was the culmination of creation itself, and God declared it “very good.”
The account in Genesis reads,
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” (Genesis 1:27, 31)
Let’s pause here for a moment. Men and women - created equal, yet distinct - both bear the image of the Almighty. This means that every person you meet is stamped with divine worth. The way we work, love, and relate to one another reflects a piece of who God is. And when God looked at His work, He didn’t see division or competition. He saw beauty, harmony, and purpose.
In our world, there’s a temptation to pit men and women against each other, to focus on the differences in a way that divides instead of celebrating God’s intentional design. But Scripture invites us to a better story. Together, men and women reflect the fullness of God’s character. Think about it - our relational nature, creativity, strength, and compassion all point back to Him. When God declared His creation “very good,” He affirmed the inherent dignity of both men and women. This truth should shape how we see ourselves and each other. It calls us to live as people who honor one another, championing the worth and value God has given.
We know that when sin entered the picture, it began to destroy God’s good creation, however, God didn’t abandon his image-bearers when sin entered the picture. Through Jesus, He redeems and restores what was broken, inviting us to live into our God-given identity and purpose. So today, let’s embrace the truth that God’s design is good. Let’s treat one another with honor, celebrating the image of God in every person we encounter. And let’s live with confidence, knowing that God’s declaration over His creation—including you and me—is still true: it is “very good.”
Pastor Ryan Paulson
Together is Better
Then God said, “Let us make man[a] in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God, he created him; male and female he created them."
Genesis 1:26-27
President Jimmy Carter is on my mind today as his life was honored today–he was 100 years old and married to his wife Rosalynn for 77 years. He credited his longevity to his happy marriage to the” best spouse.” They took care of each other, loved people, and set an example of service to God and country.
God said, "Let them (both Adam and Eve -- and their descendants) have dominion." God’s plan was always to create “them.” Eve wasn’t an afterthought, she was part of God’s perfect creation plan. In our limited, finite knowledge we can rationalize that Adam needed Eve so he wouldn’t be alone, he needed help, and they needed to be fruitful and multiply. All true, but still they were part of the plan.
They were both created in the image of a triune God. Eve was part of God’s perfect plan just as Adam was and “they” were to have dominion over all of God’s creation. They needed each other and they were given dominion– to take care of and nurture each other and God’s creation. Though they were created in God’s image, they were uniquely designed to accomplish his mission together.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm . . .
“Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” Jimmy Carter said after his wife’s passing. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.
We were created with the need for each other and community with other believers. Whether married or single, we need other people because we are better together.
Deb Hill
EFCC Staff
Imago Dei
Our first grandchild Mason just turned one and he is so much fun! Over Christmas, his dad, our son, pulled ornaments off of the tree and poured through photo albums looking at pictures of himself at the same age. Mason is the spitting image of his dad!
As human beings, we may bear the image of others in the way we look, but as God’s creation, the image that we bear goes far beyond physical appearance. Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Both men and women were created in the image of God.
The Latin term for “God Image” is Imago Dei. Our Imago Dei is the core of who we truly are, not just what we look like. It is who God created us to be. We all, male and female, were created as image bearers and simply being image bearers speaks to the deepest longing of our souls. Author Robert Mulholland says, “The image of Christ is the fulfillment of the deepest hungers of the human heart for wholeness…The most profound yearning of the human spirit, which we try to fill with all sorts of inadequate substitutes, is the yearning for our completeness in the image of Christ. The image of Christ brings cleansing, healing, restoration, renewal, transformation and wholeness into the unclean, diseased, broken, imprisoned, dead, incompleteness of our lives. It brings compassion in place of indifference, forgiveness in place of resentment, kindness in place of coldness, openness in place of protective defensiveness or manipulation, a life lived for God and not self.” This is a picture of the Imago Dei.
The longings for wholeness listed above are intrinsic to the deepest desires of the human soul. Whether male or female, we long for wholeness. We each crave kindness and compassion. We hope for cleansing, restoration, and renewal. And we know the power and freedom of forgiveness. These longings may be expressed and pursued differently because God created each individual as precious and unique, but a yearning for wholeness is at the core of every man and every woman. And perfect wholeness can only be seen through Christ.
Who do you believe that God says you are? Some of you may have grown up believing that you were inferior to a more athletic or smarter sibling. Some of you may have grown up being told that you were unwanted or unworthy. Some of you may be handicapped or struggle with a disorder. And some may believe that you are less than because of your gender or race. Regardless of what you have been told, the truth is that your God, your Creator, says that you bear the image of God. You are holy. You are pure. You are created with intentional purpose and you are loved beyond what you can ever imagine. So today, look in the mirror and say to yourself, “I radiate the Imago Dei!”
Lynette Fuson
Care & Counseling Director
Live For Something Worth Dying For
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
Jesus knew His mission and what it required of Him. He dedicated His life to that mission and eventually sacrificed His life for the mission - so that others may have life.
None of us can make the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made by dying for our sins, and the good news is we don’t have to. His sacrifice was enough, but it was just the beginning of the worldwide mission that will not stop until all people around the world hear about what Jesus has done.
And, Jesus expects His followers to actually follow in His footsteps and continue His mission with the same dedication and, if need be, sacrifice. These words were not easy for His first disciples to receive, because Jesus wasn’t speaking figuratively. He was foreshadowing His actual death, while also preparing them for the sacrifices they would need to make. History tells us that most of the twelve disciples did in fact die for Jesus’s mission.
Surprising? Not if you understand the power of someone sacrificing for you first. Jesus died for them first. Of course, they would die for others.
Here is the secret to living a great story - live for something worth dying for.
There is no greater story you can be a part of than the grand narrative of Scriptures describing God’s mission to redeem humanity.
There is no greater example of true greatness than Jesus who gave His life for others.
There is no greater cause you can give your life to, than to follow Him and join His mission.
Jesus lived for something worth dying for. Those who follow Him will do the same.
Outreach Team
Living a Great Story Requires Humble Service
A few years ago, I was watching a high school volleyball match and the starting lineup was a bit different this time as an underclassman was starting over a seasoned Senior because he missed some practices and therefore had to sit out a couple of games. The competitive young player held his own and then it came time for him to be pulled from the action. I watched his countenance and wondered what he was thinking. What was his attitude going to be after getting a taste of the high-action play and then being moved to the bench? The third game was incredibly intense. I looked over to see how the benched boy was handling it and saw him running out of the gym. Then I saw him running back with a bunch of paper towels. He went over next to the bench and began to mop the floor where another player had spilled Gatorade. So while his teammates and the entire crowd were intensely focusing on the game, this young man was focusing on preventing his teammates from slipping on the gym floor. He was still contributing to this great team win, just in a much less glamorous way.
How often does our faith ask us to do things much like this? Rather than self-promote, we are called to do things that go unnoticed and are often underappreciated. Jesus asks us to serve rather than strive for the glory moment. He asks us to follow His example on living out a great story through serving others.
There’s a beautiful passage of Scripture out of Philippians 2 that shares Jesus’ example to us of this humble service and surrendered life. Let’s take some time to reflect on it today:
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Outreach Team
It’s Not Service if it’s Not a Sacrifice
A friend of mine made that statement to a group of us when I was nineteen years old, and it has always stuck with me.
Sometimes service is easy or requires less effort than other times, but there is always some sacrifice. Time, material possessions, and personal preferences are all examples of sacrifices made in service.
What about greatness? Does that involve sacrifice? Often when we think of being great we think of excellence in skills or wealth or professional success.
The apostle Paul had a different take according to Romans 15:1-2 (MSG) - “Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, ‘How can I help?’”
Strength is for service, not status.
So maybe skills are for service, not status. Success is for service, not status. Wealth, health, talent, knowledge…the list can go on and on! Everything is for His service, His purpose, and His glory!
We have to ask ourselves then, is greatness found in those who have more to sacrifice? Look no further than to the widow who gave two mites—which was everything she had—to answer that question. Greatness is found in obedience. What are you willing to sacrifice for the sake of the Kingdom?
Spend some time today asking the Lord where He wants you to sacrifice. Is it your time, talents, resources, finances, or personal comfort? Something else?
Asking Him can be scary. What if He responds with something you don’t want to give up? Reflect on His character to be assured He loves you and has a plan. He sees the bigger picture. What He asks of you might seem huge right now, but if you step out in faith you will be able to look back at this moment as part of your story and part of His faithfulness and goodness in your life. He’s inviting you into His story. Will you join Him?
Outreach Team
What is Greatness?
What is greatness? Who defines it? Are we measured by our greatness? By what we accomplish? By how we stand out?
The world tells us to work faster, be better, and push harder.
Jesus tells us to love. (Mark 12)
The world tells us to look out for number one (ourselves).
Jesus tells us to feed the hungry and clothe the poor. (Matthew 25)
The world tells us that appearances matter.
The Bible tells us to look at the heart. (I Sam 16)
I think sometimes we complicate it. Looking at these scriptures it seems so simple. Mark 10:43-44 “Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”
Living a great story can be part of an ordinary, everyday life because it’s not about being flashy or drawing attention. It’s about living out the life Jesus calls us to, following the example He set. It starts with our heart posture. When our hearts are focused on the Lord, we see things through His eyes. When we see people the way the Lord sees them, we realize how valued and cherished each individual is, and it shapes the way we treat people. When we recognize that everything we have is the Lord’s, we loosen our grip and are freed to be more generous.
Living a great story—being great for eternal purposes—often involves doing the next right thing, taking that next step to partner with the Father in His work. You don’t need a blueprint and a twelve-step plan. When you feel the Lord nudging you, take the step. Sometimes the step is small, like letting someone in front of you in line at the store because you can see that he is in a hurry. Sometimes the step is huge like moving across the world to share the gospel with the unreached. Sometimes the step is texting a friend you know is struggling and inviting her out for coffee.
Spend some time today in prayer asking the Lord to show you the next step He has for you, and then take it. Each day ask Him how He wants you to move, and then do it. Ask Him to reveal opportunities to show His love, and then be aware as you go throughout your day. Consider writing in a prayer journal or the notes app on your phone what He tells you to do, and note the blessings as you walk in obedience and live the great story He has for your life.
Outreach Team
Live a Great Story
James and John, two of Jesus’ first disciples, witnessed Jesus’ miracle-working power, and it dawned on them that they bet on the right Teacher to follow. This Kingdom of God project seemed to be going somewhere, and they were on the ground floor and in the coveted inner circle. Visions of grandeur quickly followed, and it seemed like the right time to secure key positions in the new administration. This was their opportunity of a lifetime, their shot at greatness.
Well, they made fools of themselves with their request, didn’t they? They missed the way of Jesus and the heart of Jesus by a mile! What they asked for was in glaring opposition to what Jesus taught leading up to this moment, and in doing so they provided the Rabbi with another teachable moment.
We might enjoy watching them fail, but let’s not be too quick to judge. Wouldn’t we think similar things if we were in their shoes? Don’t we all desire our own moment to shine, our own break in life, to be great or at least be a part of something great?
Live a Great Story - the title of Sunday's message and our theme for this week - touches on that deep desire in each one of us. We recognize true greatness when we see it. We are attracted to it. We aspire to it. But how can it be attained? Everyone is living a story, but how do we live a GREAT story?
James and John thought they could achieve greatness through connections (a very culturally appropriate way in their world). The typical American way is to strive for greatness with every fiber of our being, but, contrary to the cultural narratives, our best effort isn’t always enough. In our search for greatness, we are often misled to chase inferior substitutes that promise greatness but can’t deliver on that promise. Some people try to fake greatness. Some give up on the possibility of greatness altogether.
Jesus redefines greatness and demonstrates a different path to greatness with his own life. His path might look to be “upside down” to the world around us, but it is actually “right side up” if we understand that the world around us is actually broken and built on lies. His way and His heart seem counterintuitive to us, but they lead to true greatness and glory that won’t fade.
As we begin a new year, this story is a good reminder for us all to pause and consider what greatness is and how we might go about pursuing it in 2025.
Outreach Team