Have we MISSED the MEANING of Genesis 1:1?

Most people think Genesis 1 is about the origin of the universe. It isn't — at least, not primarily. It's a declaration written by a defeated people, for a defeated people, about a God who is greater than any empire, any power, and any circumstance telling you He can't help you. In this first message of our 2026 summer series From Garden to Glory, we open where the Bible opens: Genesis 1:1. But we read it the way its original audience heard it — as resistance literature. As defiance. As hope in the darkest possible moment. We'll explore why the author of Genesis didn't bother explaining where God came from, what the Apostle John was doing when he mirrored these exact words to announce the birth of Jesus, and what it means that the same God who spoke creation into existence is right now holding all things together on your behalf. From "In the beginning, God" to "I am the Alpha and the Omega," the whole story is bookended by the same One. And that changes everything about how we face what's in front of us today. This series covers Genesis 1–3, tracing the key themes, images, and patterns that run from the opening pages of Scripture all the way through Revelation — and locating our own place in that story. 📖 Scriptures Referenced Genesis 1:1 · Psalm 86:8–9 · Exodus 5:2 · John 1:1–3 · Colossians 1:16–17 · Isaiah 1:18 · Revelation 21:5–6 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you don't miss the rest of the From Garden to Glory series. 📍 The Grove Christian Church — Hercules, CA 🌐 [theGROVEcog.com] #Genesis #BibleStudy #Sermon #OldTestament