We're starting a new series this week, a 1,500 part series. I'm calling Through the Bible.

And we're starting right now. This is exciting for us. This is the very first study of our

verse by verse through the Bible. Would you turn with me to John, chapter one? Gospel of John

chapter one. I was asked by a guy, Brett,

you got to tell us, why did you start back in 1996? Why did you start in John instead of Genesis?

And the answer is pretty simple, honestly. We started there and then did one lap and then another

lap and today is our third lap the beginning.

The reason I did that way back then is in starting a church, nobody was going to the church except for four people. But man, you've got to start with Jesus. Jesus is the whole thing.

And John's gospel, in my opinion, presents Jesus with such clarity and such power.

I thought that's a great way to start a church, is in the gospel of John.

It's not that I was afraid of Genesis.

I actually, Genesis is one of my favorite books of the Bible to teach.

But I had to be patient on that one.

But we started in John and then also a new church, then going into the book of Acts is how to do church.

The book of Acts tells us what is the church supposed to look like.

What does leadership look like?

So I thought that would be a natural progression.

The gospel first, then the book of Acts and then the epistles kind of get our church started.

And it turned out to really, by the grace of God, really help us

as we journeyed through as a church. So that's why we've done the lap starting in John and then going

through. But today is a big day. John, John chapter one, John the apostle, starts his gospel

message with a huge beginning.

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