The Bible in a JAR

Pastor Matt begins this foundational message by sharing "A Tale of Three Bibles"—a personal story illustrating his spiritual journey from keeping his Bible on the shelf to becoming fully engaged with God's Word. He introduces Hope Church's 2026 theme based on Joshua 1:8, emphasizing the importance of daily meditation on Scripture for life transformation. The "Bible in a JAR" series will spend 70% of the year's Sundays studying John, Acts, and Romans—books that collectively answer the essential questions of who Jesus is, what His followers should do, and what disciples should believe.

Pastor Matt provides a 60,000-foot overview of the entire Bible, explaining how it tells one continuous story through four major themes: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. This story ultimately demonstrates God's great love for us, summarized perfectly in John 3:16. He establishes that Jesus Christ is the central figure of all Scripture, with the Old Testament anticipating Him and the New Testament explaining Him. Using the "New Triangle" framework of knowing, becoming, and doing with the Bible at the center, Pastor Matt shows how these three books work together: John reveals who Jesus is (God and Savior), Acts demonstrates the church's mission to take Jesus to the world, and Romans explains the theological foundation and practical application of our faith. The message concludes with 2 Timothy 3:16-17 as the memory verse, emphasizing that all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness.