Our church held its Grand Opening yesterday. We moved into a new lease location and invited the community to a celebration Grand Opening. Earlier in the week, the new Aldi’s store in town held a Grand Opening. Also, the largest church building Grand Opening was held this spring when First Baptist Church in Dallas opened their $130 million dollar campus of their 10,000 member church.
The Bible describes seven Grand Openings.
1. The Grand Opening of God creating all things. Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. God made all things out of nothing.
2. Grand Opening of Humankind – Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. Ahem, Earth meet humankind!
3. Re-Grand Opening of Earth after the Flood: Genesis 8:15-17 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 17 Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it.” A new start for humanity and a promise rainbow reminding that the earth will never be destroyed no matter how bad the world becomes.
4. The Grand Opening of Jesus’ birth. Luke 2:6-7 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. A baby born in a barn in Bethlehem held earth’s grandest opening – Jesus!
5. A Grand Opening with nothing! Luke 24:6-8 He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered His words. The empty tomb was a Grand Opening with nothing to see.
6. Holy Spirit Grand Opening: Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. A Grand Opening of the promised Holy Spirit for all who ask.
7. A Future Grand Opening: Revelations 21:1-4 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. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 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. 4 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.”
This future Grand Opening is by acceptance of the invitation.
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
This is a Grand Opening you do not want to miss because it begins now and lasts forever!
The Bible describes seven Grand Openings.
1. The Grand Opening of God creating all things. Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. God made all things out of nothing.
2. Grand Opening of Humankind – Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. Ahem, Earth meet humankind!
3. Re-Grand Opening of Earth after the Flood: Genesis 8:15-17 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 17 Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number upon it.” A new start for humanity and a promise rainbow reminding that the earth will never be destroyed no matter how bad the world becomes.
4. The Grand Opening of Jesus’ birth. Luke 2:6-7 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. A baby born in a barn in Bethlehem held earth’s grandest opening – Jesus!
5. A Grand Opening with nothing! Luke 24:6-8 He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered His words. The empty tomb was a Grand Opening with nothing to see.
6. Holy Spirit Grand Opening: Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. A Grand Opening of the promised Holy Spirit for all who ask.
7. A Future Grand Opening: Revelations 21:1-4 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. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 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. 4 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.”
This future Grand Opening is by acceptance of the invitation.
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
This is a Grand Opening you do not want to miss because it begins now and lasts forever!
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