The Story of the World and Our Place in it

As confusion and conflict continue to characterize our fallen world, we can either compromise alongside the culture around us or choose to live out our calling as God’s ambassadors. What is our part to play in the problems plaguing our community, country, and world? Tyler Briggs kicks off our new sermon series God’s Good Design by teaching the grand narrative of the Bible, our ordained place within His story of redemption, and His objective for us to practice and proclaim His truth– no matter the cost.

Tyler’s Main Points

1. Understanding the Story

2. Our Place in the Story

3. Our Purpose in the Story

Key Takeaways

  • Ideas have consequences. Bad ideas have victims.

  • God’s good design leads to human flourishing. He is the author of all creation and has authority over all creation.

  • The four chapters of the biblical story (our story) are:

    1) Creation
    2) Fall
    3) Redemption
    4) Restoration

  • In the Garden of Eden, God exclusively created humans in His image with inherent worth, dignity, and purpose. Mankind was created to relate to God and each other, to rule over creation under His authority, to reproduce as His image bearers, and to reflect His glory throughout the Earth.

  • In the Garden, Satan introduced the idea to Adam and Eve that life would be more fulfilling as the author and authority of their story. Falling prey to this lie led to the corruption of all of humanity and remains the prevailing mantra of our fallen culture today.

  • By grace through faith in Christ, God has reconciled us to reconcile others.

  • As revealed in the Scriptures, the story ends with “a return to the Garden.” All of God’s redeemed people will live with Him forever in perfection.

  • Your place in the story is not an accident. Your place in God’s story is on purpose and has a purpose. You are to live out the truth, call out the lies of the culture, and invite others to experience God’s good design.

  • Oftentimes, we don’t like our cultural moment because if we speak up, we will likely face suffering. We must fear God more than man and live according to His authority and His good design.

  • We have been redeemed by God to be His ambassadors in a fallen world. We must proclaim the truth and pursue others with the love God has graciously extended to us.

  • Christians tend to make three mistakes in engaging the culture around them:

    1) We withdraw from the culture.
    2) We become the culture.
    3) We confuse people with culture.

  • Jesus loves all people, but not all ideas. Likewise, we are called to love all people, but not all ideas. Our battle is not against people, but against lies.

  • Without an understanding of our own brokenness, our boldness only makes us bullies.

  • The first step to influence our culture is to reform our individual lives to God’s good design.

Discussion Questions/Application

Personal reflection:

  • What areas of your life are you prone to live under your own authority rather than the authority of God?

  • How can you more faithfully serve as God’s ambassador in the existing relationships, roles, and responsibilities He has entrusted to you? Are there any new avenues you can pursue to impact your family, church, neighborhood, and community?

  • Read Genesis 1 this week. Continue to revel in God’s good design as you prepare your heart for next week’s message.

Discuss with your community group:

  • Which of the three mistakes Tyler mentioned (withdraw from the culture, become the    culture, confuse people with culture) threatens to compromise your witness?

  • Read Acts 17:24-27 together. How can your group unite to more effectively impact the   people God has sovereignly placed around you?

Passages Referenced
Genesis 1:1; Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 3:1-6; Genesis 3:15; 1 John 3:8; Revelation 21:3-5; Acts 17:24-27; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Acts 4:29.