The Story: A Spectacular Drama

Looking at the Bible as a spectacular drama changes one's perspective.  There are some 'boring moments', but by in large each scene keeps you on the edge of your seat. Looking at it from a 'drama' perspective ... for the actors and drama to pull us into the story line, a stage is essential.   

In the first chapter of Genesis, God makes us privy to the design of His stage ... each day He adds a little more ... until the last day of the week--there are trees, oceans, birds, animals of all kinds, butterflies, fruits and nuts.  It must have been spectacular.  Only after God has fashioned the stage, does he introduce the actors.

In Genesis 2 God fashioned one actor ... fashioned after himself--self-consciousness, but not consciousness like animals have, but self-consciousness.  He has personality, rationality, intelligence, and creativity that really sets him apart from the rest of God's works.  Not only is Adam distinctly different from the rest of creation, according to Psalm 8, he is made just a little lower than God, but higher than angels who presently dwell in the very presence of God.  And God gives Adam dominion over all His works--all the animals, all the birds, all the fish ... over everything.

Following Adam's creation, in Genesis 2 we learn that God designs and plants a garden, not a little garden like we might have in our back yards, but a huge garden ... actually a spectacular garden that stretches for miles.  In the center of the garden there appears to have been a mountain, giving one a vast view of the garden in every direction.  Out of the ground God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to look at, and good to eat.  Along with the the vegetation that God planted in the garden two very special trees.  One was called 'the tree of life', and there was called 'the tree of the knowledge of good and evil'.  Both trees appear to have been planted in the middle of the garden.  

It would appear that Adam watched while God designed and planted the garden.  When it was done, God 'put' Adam into the garden with a grand assignment--cultivate it, and 'guard' it.  That is going to be a lot of work.  It's a tropical setting ... plants grow fast.  The garden is lush with every kind of greenery.  There is a lot of cultivating for one man!  But what about 'guarding it'? Is there hidden danger?  Is there a hint of a 'plot' beginning to unfold?

While instructing Adam about 'caring for the garden', he was specifically told that he could eat everything in the garden ... except 'the tree of the knowledge of good and evil'.   It's fruit was the only fruit in the garden that Adam was instructed not to eat.  In fact, God was adamant about not eating the fruit of this tree.  He told Adam specifically, "in the day you eat the fruit of this specific tree ... you will surely die."  God was adamant about this tree.

We have a stage, we have one actor, and the beginnings of the plot to the drama ... well Adam eat from this tree?

The Story: Before The Beginning

We love The Story ... God's Story ... filled with the lives people who have 'walked with God' since the 'beginning of time' ... written to teach and encourage us so that we who follow Christ will persevere and not give up [Romans 15:4].  The Story begins simple enough: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). 

That brings us to Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

I find it interesting that God begins, not with an explanation of Himself. He starts simply with “in the beginning.” But we are told about some things that were put into place before ‘the beginning’.

1.     Before creation, God laid out our Salvation--1Peter 1:20-21 “He (Jesus) was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”  We belonged to God before time began. 

2.     Before creation, God was electing His people--Ephesians 1:4, "According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." before the foundation of the world, and therefore completely apart from any merit or deserving that any person could have, God chose us in Him, “in Christ” (v. 3).

3.     Before creation, God was preparing a kingdom for us--Matthew 24:34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” 

4.     Before creation, God Promised Eternal Life –Titus 1:2^(NASB95) in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago

He tells us enough … He had a plan before it all started.  It’s a grand drama filled with ‘on-the-edge-of-your-seat’ moments, followed by moments of stillness when nothing seems to be happening at all.  Dramas need a stage.  So in Genesis 1-2 God builds a grand stage from which action unfolds with eternal consequences.  This drama is one of a kind, it pulls the observer into the action.  At times we become one with the actors, seeing the ups-and-downs of our own lives.  Its funny, its sad, its boring.  At the end of each scene you sit before leaving the theater … because the scenes force each of us to reflect on our own lives.

This is The Story, God’s Story … written so that we won’t give up.

Embracing Diversity Without Hesitation

If you are looking for an intercultural bilingual community . . . we are the community you will want to consider joining.  We are a diverse community made up of differing cultures, languages, backgrounds, gifting, skin color, ages, and achievements and opportunities. It is a remarkable mix, and it can only take place with the cross of Jesus Christ as our central meeting place.


Dr. Ronald Manahan, president of Grace College and Seminary wrote:

 "God intentionally chooses diversity of believers to express unity in the midst of diversity.  Our diversity is designed  with the intent of reaching the far corners of the earth expressing the Good News to the earth's increasingly diverse people.  God is in the business of forming a global team for carrying a global message." 

"God scatters His people, asking them to live fully for Him in a multiplicity of places, careers, circumstances, communities and neighborhoods. In these diverse places, as a diverse community we are intentional meant to be "Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us" (2 Cor. 5:20)."  The message of the Good News is meant to be herald in 'deed and word'.  

As an intercultural bilingual community we are to live for His glory by the way we do our work, by the way we speak, by the way we live in families, by the way we live in neighborhoods, by the way we 'do church' . . . doing everything for the glory of God.  God wants all of us all of the time in every relationship and every place to live, act, and speak for His glory. 


One of the most visible means to do this is to live in an intercultural bilingual community.  Perhaps there is no better place where compassion, integrity, service, and love can be manifested than in the diversity of an intercultural bilingual community. If you are looking for a place to worship where ethnicity and diversity are embraced, then Bensenville Bible Church is the place for you. 

As Dr. Manahan wrote: God asks us to live fully, passionately, humbly and persistently for His glory without hesitation.  This we strive to do in the midst of a diverse intercultural bilingual community.

Come and see diversity in action. 

Join Our Intercultural Bilingual Community

For those of you who might be looking for a place to worship this Easter season, consider visiting The Bridge of Bensenville Bible Church.   We are an intercultural bilingual community.  Our service is in both English and Spanish.  


Our Sunday gathering begins at 10am for a time of coffee and snacks, or you may sit in the auditorium in meditation as the Praise Team prepares for the time of 'praise and worship'.  Our service begins at 10:30 with a selected scripture, followed by an opening song and prayer. During the  'praise time' we sing in English and Spanish, with words to the songs on the screen in such a way, that whether you prefer English or Spanish, you know at all times what song and what you are singing to our God.  During the 'praise time' we make room for a welcome time, giving you opportunity to meet those around you.  'Walk-ins' are always welcome.  Following our praise time, we divide up for 'age and language appropriate instruction' without translation. Families with young children may sit together during the service, or if they prefer, we provide child care and nursery care.  


The Pastoral Team is diverse, both as to age and ethnicity, reflecting the diversity of the local community.   Our music is contemporary, and our messages are taken from the Word of God.


Again, we are an intercultural bilingual community.  People of all 'nationalities, ethnicities, and backgrounds are welcome.  We see ourselves a 'bridge' for all people to come to God for spiritual refreshment.  


We are located at 280 S. York [corner of Memorial and York, two blocks north of 3rd Ave/Jefferson and York], in Bensenville, Illinois.  We have easy access to the main road arteries such as Hwy 83, Interstate 290, Toll-road 294, and O'Hare International Airport.


You can also find us on Facebook--The Bridge_BBC.  Let this be your invitation to come and worship with us this Sunday.

UpComing Events at The Bridge [Bensenville Bible Church]

You might be interested in knowing . . . 


1) we are sponsoring a Rummage Sale this coming week end--March 3-4.  All proceeds go to help are Youth Group attend Break-Away, the night of March 24 in Chicago.  If you have things you would like to donate, drop by Wednesday, Feb 29.
2) we are offering ESL classes.  Call the church for 'class times'.  

 We are following Blackaby's book on Experiencing God. Last Sunday we noted that 'experiencing God' leads to knowing God's Name'. We found that God has many names, but they usually come to us during hard times. 


Take Hagar, a personal 'slave' of Sarah, Abraham's wife.  She got caught up in the 'no children' debate between Sarah and Abraham.  Sarah, determined to have a child, 'loaned' Hagar to Abraham . . . she got pregnant.  But her carrying a baby heighten the tension.  Now there were three arguing, rather than two, and Hagar found that she had an edge over Sarah.  After all, she was pregnant, and Sarah wasn't. 


Things got out of hand, so in the middle of the night Hagar packs her bags and runs . . . when the sun came up, she was tired and thirsty . . . alone and pregnant. In a moment of despair God meets her, giving her a new perspective and insight into Abraham's God. Perhaps for the first time she learned that there was a 'real God' who cared for her. She learned that she was not alone, God was watching over her . . . here she met El Roi, the God who sees. She was instructed to go back to Sarah and Abraham, but from this moment on, she was not alone. El Roi was always there. 


It was probably a 'bitter/sweet' moment as she walked into camp . . . Sarah fuming, Abraham frustrated by it all. Surely she shared with them what had happened in the desert  . . . El Roi was watching out for her. But the story doesn't end there . . . following her fresh understanding that she was a very significant person in the eyes of God, comes Abraham's fresh insight . . . El Shaddai, God who is more than sufficient. El Shaddai would not allow his and Sarah's age stand in the way . . . imagine that . . . God not only sees all things, He is more than sufficient to see to it that His promises are kept . . . despite apparent barriers.


More often than not I need to know that El Roi is watching out for me.  How about you?

Here at the Bridge, we're launching a new Sermon Series entitled Experiencing God starting Sunday, February 12. To join us in this series you will want to pick up a copy of Henry & Richard Blackaby's workbook with the same title--Experiencing God. This promises to be a great study over the next 12 months. Let's 'experience God' together.