The New Creation

I want to start by talking about the big story —what is reality all about?
- Have you ever done a huge jigsaw puzzle?
  - If you have a bright blue piece, and you want to know where it goes, —you look at the picture on the box you see that there are some bright blue flowers at the bottom left.
  - Seeing the big picture lets you figure out where your part fits in.
- So it’s vital that we see the big story of what God is doing.
Traditionally Christians have made forgiveness of sins the big story
- That is certainly one of the most important parts of it
- but it’s inside a bigger story
I’m going to argue that the biggest of all stories is
Old creation ==> New Creation!
- Once we can see the picture on the box, then we can fit in the pieces of the other things I’m going to talk about this week, like the church

Isaiah 65:17–18

“For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create;