Podcast Summary: "Jesus Celebrates" – Church of the Highlands Sunday Message

Date: October 26, 2025
Series: The Goodness of God – Week 8
Host: Church of the Highlands (Speaker "A")
Main Theme:
Exploring how God is a God of celebration—tracing the biblical pattern of joy, celebration, and goodness from creation to Jesus, and learning practical ways to cultivate celebration and joy in our daily lives.

Main Theme Overview

This message centers on the idea that God is not only good, but He is thoroughly and joyfully a God of celebration. Church is meant to be a place of joy and gratitude, not solemnity and endurance. By examining Scripture, particularly moments of celebration from Genesis and the life of Jesus, the speaker encourages listeners to experience and express God’s goodness both individually and corporately. Practical frameworks—including the biblical feasts—help believers remember, rest, rely, and rejoice in God’s goodness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Church Should Be a Celebration

• The atmosphere at Church of the Highlands is deliberately joyful.
• The speaker contrasts the Highlands' culture with the strict, sometimes dour environments of his childhood church.
• Quote:

  “This is not a sad church… we are proudly, boldly, a happy church. Not that everything’s always going amazing… but in the middle of that, we choose joy.” (04:33)

• Church is a place to celebrate God and each other, reflecting God's goodness together.

2. God as Creator – The Original Celebrator

• From Genesis 1, God’s artistic passion in creation shows He didn’t just build functionally, but beautifully and joyfully. Emphasis on the Hebrew word bara—God as an artist.
• Quote:

  “He didn’t just make light; he made color…the orange of the sunset…the blue of the ocean…He poured his goodness into this world.” (19:44)

• At the end of each creative workday, God reflects—“it was good”—which the speaker identifies as the Bible’s first celebration, and insightfully as the “first emotion of God: joy.” (22:04)

3. Jesus’ Ministry Launches at a Celebration

• Jesus’ first miracle occurs at a wedding celebration in Cana (John 2).
• Rather than avoid or minimize celebrations, Jesus enhances them—turns water to wine, and not just any wine but the best.
• Quote (recalling the headwaiter):

  “Everyone brings out the choice wine first… but you have saved the best till now.” (30:32)

• The party continues: “Heaven throws a party every time a single person gives their heart to Jesus.” (15:30)

4. Celebration as a Framework for Experiencing God’s Goodness

• Key verse: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Psalm 34:8)

• Celebration is not frivolous—it allows us to actually experience God’s goodness amid busyness, pain, or hardship.

• Quote (Dallas Willard):

  “Celebration is the completion of worship…we engage in celebration when we enjoy ourselves, our life, our world, in conjunction with our faith.” (36:19)

• Ferris Bueller gets a citation!

  “Life moves pretty fast… if we don’t stop and look around once in a while, we might miss it.” (37:07)

5. The Old Testament Feasts—A Practical Framework for Celebration

• God commands celebration by instituting annual feasts (Leviticus 23).
• These traditions help us practice spiritual disciplines of celebration; while not under law, they are valuable “frameworks” for us.
• The four spring feasts are highlighted as practical rhythms (43:15):

The Four Spring Feasts & Practical Applications

a. Passover

• Remembrance of Israelite deliverance from Egypt’s bondage.
• Application:
  Remember and celebrate God’s goodness daily. Let your list of praise always outnumber your list of complaints.
• Quote:

  “Let our list of complaints never be longer than our list of praise.” (48:14)

b. Unleavened Bread

• Represents purity and leaving behind the past; begins and ends with rest.

• Application:
  Celebrate by resting in God’s finished work. “Rest” isn’t just physical, but fundamentally spiritual—trusting Jesus’ declaration, “It is finished.”

• Quote (Tim Keller):

  “We can rest from the crushing burden of self-salvation… we are living not under the law, but under grace.” (56:20)

• Speaker's Invitation:

  “Some of us came into church like this [gripping tightly]. In Jesus’ name, right now, receive his rest.” (57:55)

c. First Fruits

• The first of the harvest was offered to God as an act of trust for the rest.

• Application:
  Celebrate by giving God the first of your time, talent, and treasure; practice generous reliance.

• Quote:

  “God has been good. God is good. God will be good. We can rely on him.” (01:00:40)

• Inspiring personal testimony (Tommy of Daphne campus):
  Despite hardships, Tommy serves, gives, and celebrates others—illustrating what it means to be a “first fruits” Christian.

  “Be sure you give God all the glory, because God is good.” (01:04:57)

d. Pentecost

• Jewish feast celebrating the law, but for Christians, it’s about the Holy Spirit coming—internalizing joy and power.

• Application:
  Celebrate by rejoicing in God’s goodness; joy is now an inside job, not dependent on externals.

• Speaker references the example of Richard Wurmbrand:
  Despite persecution, nothing could rob him of Christ's joy:

  “Alone in my cell, cold, hungry, and in rags, I dance for joy every single night. The joy of the Lord was my strength.” (01:11:41)

• Quote (Nehemiah 8:10):

  “The joy of the Lord is our strength. The party lives on the inside.” (01:10:03)

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• Opening declaration:

  “God is good. And all the time, he’s a good God.” (00:01)

• The speaker wiping tears backstage, overwhelmed with joy about what God is doing. (02:23)

• Humor about church rules growing up (no chewing gum, no long sermons, preacher as security guard). (06:17)

• Reminiscing about cheerful experiences at Highlands—smiling parking team, coffee in church, fun events like “At the Movies.” (10:33–13:45)

• Thanksgiving as an ideal model for celebration:

  “The meal is great, but it is the atmosphere around it that makes it amazing…every single person…thanks God for something this past year.” (51:42)

• On joy and hardship (re: persecution):

  “They took from me everything they could, but there remained one thing they could not take: Christ’s joy in my heart.” (01:11:41)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:01: Opening & welcome, reflection on God’s presence and joy
• 04:33: "We are a happy church"—Highlands’ joyful approach vs. the speaker’s childhood church
• 10:33–14:08: Fun and joy at Highlands—coffee, smiling greeters, church and movies
• 19:44: Creation—God as passionate artist, pouring goodness and joy into the world
• 22:04: "First emotion of God in the Bible is joy"
• 30:32: Jesus' first miracle—a celebration of abundance at a wedding
• 36:19–37:07: Dallas Willard and Ferris Bueller on celebration and not missing God’s goodness
• 43:15: Introduction to the biblical festivals/feasts as a celebration framework
• 48:14: Passover—remembering God's goodness, let praise outnumber complaints
• 56:20: Rest as celebration—Tim Keller quote on grace and rest
• 57:55: Corporate moment of receiving rest in Christ
• 01:00:40: First fruits—relying on God’s goodness (past, present, future)
• 01:04:57: Testimony of Tommy from Daphne campus
• 01:10:03: Pentecost—rejoicing in God’s goodness, joy as a superpower
• 01:11:41: Story of Richard Wurmbrand, persecuted yet unbeatable joy

Tone and Language

• Warm, humorous, and enthusiastic; encourages audience participation—applause, amens, high-fives.
• Down-to-earth and practical; connects theology to everyday experiences and emotions.
• Uses relatable examples—families at Thanksgiving, waiting for football games, the joy of queso!
• Invites listeners to “taste and see” for themselves, not just comprehend intellectually.

Conclusion & Prayer Segment

The message culminates in a call to not miss the goodness and joy of God. The speaker prays for those who desire salvation or a fresh experience of God’s joy; for all to remember, rest, rely, and rejoice in His goodness.

“His goodness is all around. He wants you to taste and see…Choose this moment to thank Him…We rely on you…Thank you, Jesus. The spirit of joy lives inside of us.” (End segment – 01:17:00)

Summary Takeaway:
God did not intend for faith or church to be solemn, burdensome, or joyless. He reveals Himself as a God who celebrates and invites us to continually remember, rest in, rely on, and rejoice in His goodness—no matter the circumstances. Celebration is both a spiritual discipline and a testimony, enlivened and empowered by the Spirit within us.