The Gospel and Creation.
Prologue: Genesis 1-11 • Sermon • Submitted
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Opening Comments:
Opening Comments:
Please meet me in your copy of God’s Word in the very beginning of your Bible in Genesis Chapter 1 as we continue in our series called Prologue where we are observing the first eleven chapters of Genesis. These chapters are necessary for establishing a christian worldview. Every single doctrine of scripture is mentioned in these eleven chapters either directly or indirectly. Up to this point, we’ve viewed the attributes of God through the creation account. Then, we answered the basic who, what, when, where questions of creation. Now, today, we will see how even the gospel is on display from the very beginning of Scripture. Today, at the outset of the sermon we will read together just two verses, but, keep your Bible open as we will read several verses together today.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Introduction:
Introduction:
How we view the book of Genesis affects our entire belief system. The entire message of the Gospel stands or falls on the historicity and accuracy of Genesis. The book of Genesis lays the foundation for the rest of scripture. The Bible is one cohesive message that points to Jesus and the redemption only found in and through him. That is the Gospel, that mankind's only hope for the forgiveness of sin is wrapped up in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The theology of the gospel is present from the very beginning in Genesis. With that in mind, lets begin to divide up Genesis 1:-2:7 with the gospel in view. It’s amazing to me that even in creation, the message of the gospel rings clear. Let’s examine together this morning how we see the gospel in the seven days of the creation account.
1.) A dark, empty and chaotic world. (v.1-2)
1.) A dark, empty and chaotic world. (v.1-2)
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. NKJV (Ge 1:1–2).
In the very beginning of God’s creative process he formed a vast and empty ball that was covered in water and darkness. This was the first of God’s creative acts.
Remember that we’ve already established that the earth was created in stages. V.1-2 establish the first stage of God’s creative act. He created the heavens and the earth. But, notice what the earth looked like:
Barren and empty.
Desolate and destitute
unfruitful and unproductive.
The earth was covered in water and wrapped in absolute darkness.
Friend, the word of God declares that this is the same condition of the soul who is without Christ.
Darkness in the Bible metaphorically speaking is likened to being under the divine judgement of God. It is used to describe the condition of a man whose soul is alienated from God. Darkness ensnares and binds.
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
This is the state of the person without Christ. They are empty, without form and void. Their life is shrouded by darkness and they do not even know it. For if all you have ever known is darkness, you have no concept of what it means to walk in light.
2.) The Spirit of God began to move. (v.2b)
2.) The Spirit of God began to move. (v.2b)
The New King James Version Chapter 1
And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
At the very beginning of creation, the earth was cloaked in darkness and the surface of the earth was churning tossing to and fro.
There was a time at the very beginning when the whole earth was covered by water.
The word “deep” early in vs.2 describes the “waters” mentioned at the end of verse 2.
H.C. Leupold, the great Lutheran theologian and writer, says that the Hebrew word for deep pictures the earth as being covered with “surging, raging, primeval waters”.
The face of the earth wasn’t peaceful and tranquil but raging. But, then, the Spirit of God began to move over the face of the waters.
Move- has the idea of a vibrant moving, a protective hovering.
The picture is that of the Holy Spirit of God waiting to launch into the second stage of God’s creation. He’s hovering waiting to move, shape and form. Hovering ready to create life to live upon the earth.
The same can be said for the person who is without Christ. They live in a world of emptiness, darkness and turbulence.
The scripture declares though that before a person even hears the gospel, that the Holy Spirit is already at work in their lives drawing them into Christ.
He does this through the work of conviction.
8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
He is the one who convinces us of our sin and helps us realize how utterly helpless and hopeless we are without God. He is the one who brings a person to the realization of their sinful condition and guilt before God. It is he who cements in their heart when they hear the Gospel that Christ did indeed die for their sin. It is he that brings us to a place of conviction which leads to a decision.
He convicts us of three things :
Our sinful condition.
Righteousness that is found in Christ alone.
The fact that we already stand under the judgement of God.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
Without the Holy Spirit, we could not be saved, because there would be no conviction to seek salvation. We wouldn't have any conviction of sin, no conviction of Christ’s righteousness to pay for our sin, and no conviction of Judgement that we are dead in our trespasses and sin.
Just as the Holy Spirit of God was active in the forming of the world, so to is he active in the life of the sinner drawing them to Christ.
3.) The word of God spoke in order to create. (v.3,6,9,11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 29)
3.) The word of God spoke in order to create. (v.3,6,9,11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 29)
God spoke all creation into existence.
The phrase “Let there be...” is one word in Hebrew. (Hayah). It is a strong, active imperative. God is commanding.
God spoke and light appeared.
The sky and waters were divided.
The water and dry land were divided.
Plant life was created.
Sun, moon and stars came into being.
sea and land animals were formed.
The decision to make mankind was made.
There is and always have been creative power in the Word of God. There was creative power in the word of God speaking all things into existence and there is creative power found in the word of God today that speaks new life into the heart of a sinner when Christ is preached.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
When we preach the message of the life, death, burial and resurrection of Christ and his power to change and fulfill the sinner. Of the power of his blood to atone for the sins of mankind . The word (Jesus, the Gospel) and the Holy Spirit go to work simultaneously in the sinner. When they hear the word and place their faith in Christ they are made a new creature, a new creation by and through the living word of God.
It alone is powerful enough to create something where once there was nothing.
12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
4.) A great change took place. (v.3-19)
4.) A great change took place. (v.3-19)
On days 1-4 of creation, God took what was without form and began to form it into something of purpose and value.
First day - light was created.
Second day - the sky was created.
Third day - dry land, seas, plants and trees were created.
Fourth day - the Sun, Moon and stars were created.
What once was a barren and unformed wasteland began to take shape and be formed into something of beauty.
The earth went through great change in the first four days.
So it is when a person is convicted of their sin upon hearing the Word of God and repents of their sin and places their faith in Christ alone. They are completely transformed from sinner to saint in an instant.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
This doesn't mean that a person achieves sinlessness but that his desires, motives and actions change. His direction in life changes and most of all his Lord changes. This is the work of regeneration.
Just as the earth was molded into something new, so to is the sinner upon placing his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
5.) Abundant life sprang forth. (v.20-31)
5.) Abundant life sprang forth. (v.20-31)
On days five and six of creation God took what he had newly formed and filled it up with land, sea and sky animals and the creation of man. He took that which was void and filled it to the brim.
Follow with me. God took what was with out form and void and full of turbulence and through the power of His spirit and his word formed it into something of value and then filled it with the abundant blessings of new life.
22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
So it is in the life of the believer.
In John 10:10 Jesus said this:
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Abundant- “exceedingly, very highly, beyond measure, more, superfluous, a quantity so abundant as to be considerably more than what one would expect or anticipate.”
Jesus promises to the believer a life far better than we ever could imagine.
9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
This doesn’t mean that we have riches and fame that this world might call abundance.
Abundant life is eternal life, a life that begins the moment we come to Christ and receive Him as Savior, and goes on throughout all eternity.
What is an abundant life?
Abundance is spiritual abundance, not material. In fact, God is not overly concerned with the physical circumstances of our lives. He assures us that we need not worry about what we will eat or wear (Matthew 6:25-32; Philippians 4:19).
Second, eternal life, the life a Christian is truly concerned with, is not determined by duration but by a relationship with God. This is why, once we are converted and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are said to have eternal life already (1 John 5:11-13), though not, of course, in its fullness. Length of life on earth is not synonymous with abundant life.
Finally, a Christian’s life revolves around “grow[ing] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). This teaches us that the abundant life is a continual process of learning, practicing, and maturing, as well as failing, recovering, adjusting, enduring, and overcoming until the day comes when we see Jesus face to face.
6.) Rest took place. (2:1-3)
6.) Rest took place. (2:1-3)
When the six days of creation were complete, the Bible tells us that on the seventh day God rested and he blessed that day of rest and called it the sabbath. From that day forward, his people took the seventh day of the week and set it aside as a day to rest and worship their creator.
Sabbath (Sabat)- "to rest or stop or cease from work."
When we come to faith in Christ we cease from our labors of trying to earn God’s favor.
There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
Jesus alone satisfies God’s requirement for a sacrifice of sin and the fulfillment of God’s law. He is Gods plan for us to cease from our works and labor.
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
The message of the Gospel is preached even in the creation account. Have you placed your faith in Christ alone today? You've heard the gospel, now its time to respond to the gospel.