For the next twelve weeks, we will be exploring the life of Jacob in Genesis 25-35.
Jacob's life is quite interesting. He is not much of a "hero" in the traditional sense of the word. He has his faults, failures, struggles, weaknesses, sins, and just plain foolish decisions. There is not much to admire in his life and he doesn't have any great acts of faith that make us want to tell flannelgraph stories about him in children's church.
But God loved him...and changed him...and used him for His glory.
Jacob's story is one of struggle and transformation.
Indeed, God calls Himself the "God of Jacob" which is an unusual title when you consider what the name "Jacob" means and all the failures that he had.
But in many ways, we are all "Jacobs" trying to control life, make things work, and wrestling against God's will in our lives.
And God still loves us and wants to change us and use us for His glory.
I love the story of Jacob and I pray that it is an encouragement to you and our congregation this summer.
This week, we will be exploring Genesis 25:19-28 together, Twins According to God.
It is not the best title. A better one may be Different Personalities According to God or Family Problems According to God.
Jacob and Esau are twins who are as different as night and day. And their births have a great impact on Isaac and Rebekah, mostly in a negative way.
But there is much to learn from this passage and from the story of Jacob as a whole so I pray that you will pick up a study guide and dive into God's Word this summer!
Study guides will be available in the foyer this Sunday. A $5 donation will help cover the cost of printing. You can also access a digital file online by visiting the Digital Resources section of our website, 516church.org.

This Sunday, May 18 (9am, 10:45am), is our 516 Vision Sunday.
Every year, on the Sunday closest to May 16, we take time to remind ourselves of our vision as a local church.
We desire to be the community of Christ in order to reach our community for Christ.
To be the community of Christ, we focus on God's love for us in Jesus Christ (John 3:16), our love for one another as believers in Jesus Christ (1 John 3:16), and our love for the Word of God as followers of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:16).
To reach our community for Christ, we recognize the importance of being a healthy church of vibrant believers who are praying fervently (James 5:16), walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16), making the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:16), shining the light of Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:16), and rejoicing always in His grace (1 Thessalonians 5:16)!
This Sunday we will review these 316 and 516 verses, rejoice in God's faithfulness to CBC in the past, share some of the things going on at CBC in the present, and give praise for the hope that we have in Jesus Christ for the future!
May God fill our hearts with His Spirit so that we might bear fruit for His glory!

This week we will be exploring Genesis 24:29-67, Success According to God.
What does it mean to be successful?
What is your view of success?
Do you feel like you are successful?
Success is a tricky word. How you define success depends on what you think the goal or purpose of life is all about. Our world defines success as wealth, fame, and power. God's view of success is much different.
In Genesis 24, the Hebrew word for "success" is used four times. But it is never used in reference to wealth or fame. Instead it refers to God's guidance, direction, and achievement of His purpose in the lives of His people.
True success is being aligned with God's purpose.
This is the successful life. This is the blessed life.
On Sunday, we will share seven principles of a successful life based on Genesis 24.
May God fill us with His Spirit and empower us to fulfill His purpose for our lives!

This week we will be exploring Genesis 24:1-28, Guidance According to God.
Genesis 24 is a love story unlike any other love story (unless you can remember someone coming to your hometown on a load of camels with gifts galore and enticing you to travel 500 miles to marry someone that you have never met or even seen before 🙂.
Though it appears as merely a love story, Genesis 24 is the longest chapter in Genesis indicating its importance to the redemptive narrative.
Isaac, the promised seed, receives a bride!
How that bride is found is what makes this story so interesting, inspiring, and informative.
This week we will focus on the servant and his prayer for guidance.
Have you ever had a massive decision to make and did not know what to do?
Have you ever wondered what God's will is for your life?
Have you ever prayed that God would make your next step clear to you?
Life presents us with a multitude of choices every day...and sometimes those choices have major implications for our life, for our family, and for our future.
Genesis 24 provides us with some biblical principles for discerning God's will in our lives. We will explore those principles on Sunday.
May we trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding and may we acknowledge Him in all our ways so that He will direct our paths!

This week Pastor Zach will be teaching through Genesis 23, Grief According to God.
Genesis 23 kicks off the epilogue to the life of Abraham and the transition to the generation of Isaac. This transition begins with the death of the matriarch--Sarah.
Abraham grieves the death of his beautiful bride.
Grief and loss are realities in this world that we all have to face sooner or later. Often moments of grief and loss can cause us to doubt God. But when Abraham's moment of loss comes, his faith has matured. Abraham fears God and trusts that God's promises are not exhausted in this life.
God's people have a hope beyond the grave! Jesus conquered death in His resurrection. Therefore, God's people can persist in faith and look forward to the complete fulfillment of God's promises in the future.
With that kind of faith, Abraham buys a small plot of land and a cave in which to bury his bride. In the midst of his loss and grief, Abraham anchors himself to the land of promise with this purchase. There would be no turning back for him now.
May we rejoice in the hope of Jesus Christ as we face the realities of grief and loss in this world and may we remember that every promise of God will be fulfilled!

Genesis 22 is holy ground.
This chapter is the climax of the Abraham story and one of the most powerful and beautiful pictures of the love of God and the sacrifice of His only Son.
Genesis 22 is called the Akedah ("binding") by Jews and it is perhaps the most read portion of Scripture in the Jewish faith. Seven days a week, twelve months a year, the story of the Akedah is read and prayed over in the Jewish morning prayer service. It is also read on Rosh Hashanah, as the blowing of the shofar looks back to the ram sacrificed as a substitute for Isaac.
We will reflect on the great love that Abraham had for his son.
We will walk with Abraham and Isaac to the mountain of Moriah.
We will consider God's provision of a substitute sacrifice for Isaac.
And we will rejoice in the powerful promise given to Abraham regarding his Seed, Jesus Christ!
May God captivate our imagination, deepen our faith, transform our hearts, and fill our mouths with His praise!