Creation
New • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 13 viewsGod created us to worship and to work. It was very good.
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Intro
Intro
To celebrate the new year, to set our hearts and minds for what lies ahead this year, we’re going to look back at what was, what is, what is possible, and what is to come. In theological terms, we’re looking at creation, fall, salvation (redemption) and new creation (restoration). This morning, we are looking at what was. To do that, it makes the most sense to go to the beginning. Genesis, in the beginning, God. Now before we get to the main point, we need to direct our thoughts a bit. When it comes to the beginning, four questions are asked: how and when, who and why.
Who and Why
Who and Why
Before we look at who and why, let’s look at how and when. Nearly every person on the planet has wondered, when did the universe begin, and how did it come to be the way it is now? NASA has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to explore our solar system in order to try to understand how the universe began. Many have tried using and 2, to explain how and when everything happened, but it is difficult because and 2 doesn’t answer how and when, apart from teaching us that creation is here because God created everything (how) in the beginning (when). More importantly, and 2 answers who and why.
Look again at chapter 1. Who is the subject? God is. God is the subject! In the beginning, God. And God said, and God said. Chapter 1 isn’t about creation as much as it is about God and what God did in the beginning, he created everything!
So, what we have here is a question of importance. What is more important, how and when your home was built or who and why it was built? Don’t get me wrong, how and when are interesting questions. Did the builder use trusses, ibeams or 2x10’s for the floor joists? What year was it built, does it have heritage designation? Does it have historical value? These are interesting questions, but they seem trivial in comparison to who and why. Who was the builder, and what was her reputation? Why did the builder build the house? Was it to make a quick dollar to pad the bottom line, resulting in shoddy workmanship or was it to craft a beautiful house where a single person or a family could flourish?
The Bible gives us the answers to why there is a universe and who made it. The Bible explains why the universe so well organised and sensible. The Bible teaches us that God is a designer. The intricate detail of the tabernacle, reveals the same intellect behind DNA. God created the universe for his good pleasure. He poured his intellect, his creativity, his goodness, his joy, delight and power into it. And it was good. After creating humanity, after concluding his creating, he observed that it is very good. Consider, Albert Einstein, one of the most brilliant people in recent history, admitted he understood less than 1% of all there is to know in the universe. God knows everything about everything!
The Bible answers the question, why is there a universe. The Bible answers the question why is the universe so well organised and sensible. The Bible tells us who the creator, the designer, the intelligence is behind creation. God created the universe for his good pleasure. He poured his intellect, his creativity, his goodness, his joy, delight and power into it. And it was good. After creating humanity, after concluding his creating, he observed that it is very good.
God made the universe for us, for human beings. God made the universe because he was creating a place for him to be in relationship with creatures created in his image.
Why did God make the universe? God made the universe for us, for human beings. God made the universe because he was creating a place for him to be in relationship with creatures created in his image.
Image of God
Image of God
Human beings bear the image of God. God’s image isn’t physical, it’s moral. It has to do with God’s character. Listen again to what God says, “Let us (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over all creation.” God’s purpose for humankind was to reflect his moral character in how we lived, interacted with one another and with all creation. We were to care for the earth in the same way that God cares for the universe and rules over it.
The passage goes on to describe that humanity is made up of males and females. He created humanity to reproduce and fill the earth, so as to manage it adequately. We were to care for creation with the same passion, the same loving attention as the creator has. Our job was to manage the earth, the trees, the animals, to encourage them to flourish, to trim back where needed, to prune, tend the animals. Everyone has a purpose.
As image bearers of God, possessing, spirit, intellect, soul, we were uniquely positioned to have a close, intimate relationship with God, for it was very good.
Very Good
Very Good
All the God made was very good. The parts in themselves were good, the whole put together was very good. The more you study the universe, the complexities of gravitational forces within our own galaxy and solar system, the more evidence points to the idea that everything is arranged just so for the flourishing of our planet, and ultimately us. Think of that. The vastness of the universe is perfectly tuned so that life can exist for us.
But it was never meant to be just for us, alone and apart from God. It was meant to be for us with God. We were to grow each day closer to God, learning from him directly as he walked with his creatures in the Garden of Eden.
That was the way it was created to be. But that is not the way it remained. Next week, we’ll look at what happened, not long after the beginning. In short, humanity turned away from God, and separation was the result. God, not wanting to see his creatures destroyed by sin, made a way, the way through his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, took on humanity, gave his life as payment for our sin, which we remembered in the Lord’s Supper this morning, Jesus invites everyone to turn to him, receive forgiveness, closeness and connection with God.
For today, for now, think about God, his power, his love, his grace, his desire to be with his creatures, to be with you and with me, to teach us, to bless us, to lift us up to be more and more like him as we grow in our knowledge and understanding as we reflect his perfect moral character everywhere, through the power of Christ in us, by the Holy Spirit. Today, rest in God’s grace, exercise his power, his Spirit in you.
Think of a famous person. Think of someone, anyone from history you’d love to spend time getting to know. Imagine if your job in life was to simply be a friend to them. To go hang out with the Queen, every day all you had to do was give her company. That’d be pretty good, wouldn’t it?
God desires that from us. He delights in us, he created us to hang out with him. Even if we’re not able to do all the amazing things God created us to do in his creation, work, play, study, even see the people we used to see, God invites us to simply be with him. Talk to him in prayer, learn about him in the Bible. Rev. Joosse is going to be offering a Bible Study, that would be an excellent way to grow closer to God. God is always with us, even to the end of the age. I can’t think of anything more important that spending time with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.