Creation

Creation

Lotanna Uchendu / General

Advent / Creation / Genesis 1–2

Introduction

Intro To Sermon series

Good morning; today marks the first day of the advent season. The advent season coincides with the Christmas season and is a season of anticipation. Many people during this season anticipate time with family and friends. Many anticipate giving and receiving gifts. Many anticipate this season to end quickly because of the stress they may feel during this season.

The season of advent is uniquely special for us as Christians. This season allows us to focus on the most significant and anticipated historical event. This season will enable us to focus on the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the significance of that event in history for the world.

Typically, sermons during this season focus on the historical events surrounding the birth of Christ. This season we decided to take a bird's eye view. To examine the larger narrative of Scripture and explore the themes leading to the birth of Christ.

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This advent season, we will look at the Bible's narrative by focusing on four themes of the gospel story. We will examine the themes of Creation, The Fall, Redemption, and Consummation.

Every week we will have a message on each of those themes. We pray that this series will equip and encourage your faith and guide you in your time in the Word by showing you that all of Scripture, Old and New Testament, is to point you to the Lord Jesus Christ. The true reason we celebrate this season. Amen; let's begin.

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Intro to Creation Theme

I have the honor and privilege of kicking off this advent sermon series by preaching on the theme of creation. There is so much we can uncover about the reality of creation. We can spend several months on this topic and barely scratch the surface. Today, I would like to do a brief survey of this theme and look at 4 points relating to creation. Four truths we can draw from God's Word:

1. We will consider the Person of Creation.

2. Then, the Process of Creation.

3. Next, The Pinnacle of Creation.

4. Finally, we will end with the Purpose of Creation.

I don't have much time, so let's jump right into the message. To understand the topic of creation, we must start at the beginning. Grab your bibles and turn with me to the book of Genesis. Today, we will primarily look at Genesis chapters 1 and 2.

Intro to Genesis

First, I want to give you a brief intro to the book of Genesis. Genesis is the first book of the Old Testament. It is part of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, also known as the Law of Moses. The word Genesis means origins. It gives us the only trustworthy account of the origin of life, sin, marriage, family, people groups, and every significant institution in life.

Traditionally the author of this book is ascribed to Moses. The setting of this book covers the period from eternity past to the formation of Israel entering Egypt. Genesis is pivotal to grasping the Nature of God, history, and human nature. This wonderful book begins with a person.

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Person of Creation

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Let us now turn our attention to the first point in my message today, the Person of Creation. We see that in the first few Words of the Bible. Look at Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." The creation begins with God. God is the person of creation. There are two things I want us to consider as they relate to God, the person of creation. The first is that God is Eternal.

God is Eternal

Before there were mountains, rivers, plants, and animals, there was God. Before the sun, moon, stars, planets, and cosmos, there was God.

Before anything visible and invisible existed, there was God. God is before all things, but what or who was before God?

My wife and I take our kids through catechisms. These are questions that teach the Christian faith. Parents, if you seek a tool to disciple your kids take them through catechisms. One of the first questions that we asked is, who made God? You ask my kids that question, and they will sing to you nobody made God.

The answer to what or who was before God is nobody. God is eternal. All of creation, seen and unseen, has a point of origin. All of us have a date or moment when we came into existence. God is the only one who has no beginning. He has always existed. He never came into being.

The Bible never really makes an effort to explain the origin of God; it just assumes that He has always been there. In the beginning, God. Implied in the first four words of the Bible is the eternality of God. Everything after God is created; the sun, moon, stars, earth, and planets are all created. God is.

It is hard for us to grasp that truth fully because we think of everything as having a beginning. You go to the store, look at a product, and know the product was made. You look at your birth certificate and see your birth date, and you know you had a beginning. We think of everything and everyone as having a beginning. God isn't like us.

We read in Psalm 90:2, “Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, you are God.”

He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End all at once. He is eternal, but not only is He eternal, but He is also Triune. That is the second thing I want us to see about God, The Person of creation.

God is Triune

Parallel to what we read in Genesis 1:1 is what John writes in John 1:1. John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” What John writes here in John 1:1 is similar to what we just read in Genesis 1:1. We read again in Genesis 1:1, "in the beginning God." John writes, in the beginning, was the Word.

Notice that God and the Word are there in the beginning. John goes on to write that the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Verse John 1:2 "He was in the beginning with God."

What can we correctly deduce from these two similar passages? That God exists in distinct persons. Christians call this the doctrine of the Trinity or the Triune nature of God. The Doctrine of the Trinity is the essential Christian teaching that There is One God who exists eternally in three distinct and separate Persons.

Many skeptics and those ignorant of the Sacred Text say that the Bible does not mention the word Trinity; therefore, the Doctrine of the Trinity or the Triune nature of God is a lie.

Many, even so-called Christians, will say that the Bible does not teach that God is Triune to their condemnation. But we read in the Bible; the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Right there, we see a distinction in the Godhead. If you read further in John, you will discover that the Word is The Son, namely Jesus.

In Genesis 1:2, we read that the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the earth. There we see another distinct person in The Godhead, The Holy Spirit. The creation begins with One God existing eternally in Three Persons. The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

We even see that later in Genesis 1:26 when God says let us make man in our image. Notice the plural pronouns in the words "us" and "our." No, He was not speaking to angels in this verse (as some people wrongly interpret); we are not made in the image of angels but in the image of God.

This verse is also here for those who may think that the teaching of the Trinity is a New Testament invention with no Old Testament support. No, the Trinity is taught throughout all of the Bible.

So, the bible does not have to mention the word trinity to teach that God is Triune.

We can’t fully understand the Trinity because of our finite thinking. But a pastor once said, “Don’t try to understand the Trinity fully or you’ll lose you mind. Don’t deny the Trinity or you’ll lose your soul.”

To have a proper and accurate understanding of creation, you must begin with the Eternal Triune God because it gives us objective knowledge of the source of all things.

The God we worship is self-existent and self-satisfied in the eternal Godhead. This God created all things; This leads me to the second truth I want us to consider regarding creation. God is the person of creation. Let's look now at the process of creation.

Process of Creation

Do you ever stop and marvel at this planet's natural beauties and wonders? Think of the Rocky Mountains, Niagara Falls, or The Grand Canyon. Think about all the different animals and creatures inhabiting this planet.

When we look at creation and think of the world's natural wonders, in all its beauty and diversity, it should cause us to ask how all of this came to be.

Most, if not all of us, were taught in school that the existence of all things has a scientific origin.

Many of you know that I used to be a school teacher. I taught 5th and 6th-grade science. As I taught science, one thing that would always bother me was when we got to the subject of the origin of life and the world in the curriculum.

It would bother me because the textbook would teach that all life originated from a big bang and evolved over millions or billions of years. This subject was presented as a scientific fact without the consideration of God.

The fact is that the Big Bang and evolution are not scientific or factual. They are, instead, theories that secular scientists use to explain all of life outside of a Creator. They are more religious beliefs than scientific theories.

Many of our educational institutions have taught these theories or beliefs to us. They are still teaching them to our children.

The danger is that when we think of how God created the world. It's easy to come to the biblical account with a modern scientific lens, letting what we were wrongly taught influence the plain writings of Scripture.

The fact is that no man was there at the beginning to testify to how all things came to being. It doesn't matter how many scientific theories some Ph.D. comes up with; they were not there.

Science cannot explain how all things came into existence; it can only describe what has already come into existence. It can only discover what God has already set in motion. Only God can testify to the origin of all things because He was the only one there.

When we think about the creation of all things, we cannot look at it from a scientific or naturalistic perspective because it was a supernatural and miraculous event. And God was the only eyewitness to the event. And He has given us the only true testimony to how all things came to be.

The Bible says God created the heavens and the earth by His word. As you read through Genesis 1 and the creation account between verses 3-25, we read the phrase "God said" seven times.

God created the sun, stars, land, sea, creatures, plants, and animals. God created all that we see and don't see with the power of His word. He spoke all things into existence. Despite what your favorite false teacher might say, only God can speak things into existence.

God created everything out of nothing. The Latin term is ex nihilo, meaning out of nothing. Out of nothing, God spoke everything.

Furthermore, the Bible says God created it all in 6 days. Some say this was not six literal 24-hour days, but each day represents millions or even billions of years.

That thinking represents how we have allowed secular scientific beliefs to influence how we read Scripture. You’re trying to fit the false theory of evolution into God’s Word. You can’t do that. Do you take God at His Word? Or have you let the world's systems and thoughts affect how you read God's Word?

God's Word plainly says, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. If you look at Genesis Chapter 1, verse 3, we read, Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good and separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." There was an evening, and there was a morning: one day.

The following verses in this chapter continue that pattern. 8 God called the expanse "sky." Evening came and then morning: the second day. You see, the Evening came, then the morning phrase repeated in verses 13, 19, 23, and 31.

Each verse represents the close of a new day in God's creation; This is also where we get our six-day calendar week, with the 7th day being a day of rest.

God created all things through the power of His Word in six literal days. Don’t allow science, or so-called science, to color how you read God's Word; instead, have faith in the God of the Word.

We read in Hebrews 11:3. By faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

It is by faith that we understand, not science.

God spoke it all into existence, the trees, the mountains, the animal, fishes, insects, and all things, God said, and they came to being. But when it came to man, we see a different process God uses. Let us now consider the Pinnacle of Creation.

Pinnacle of Creation

We are formed by God

Look at Genesis 2:7. Then the LORD God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being. God took special care in creating man. It says that he formed the man from the dust of the ground.

The word formed means fashion; it carries the idea of a potter carefully creating a beautiful pot. The creation of man is unique in that God Himself uniquely shapes and forms man and breathes His Spirit into man. When God breathed into man, he became a living soul, an animated, conscious, spiritual, and rational being.

The pinnacle of creation is the man; God has given man dominion over all creation. David writes in Psalm 8: 3-9 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings [3] and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

God formed and crowned us with glory; we are unique from all creation. God gave us dominion over all creation to steward and care for. That is a beautiful reality, but God did not only uniquely shape each of us. The Bible says He created us in His Image.

We are Made in God’s Image

Look back at Genesis 1: 26-27. Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth." “So, God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.”

God created us in His Image. That means that all humans have inherent dignity and worth.

Evolutionist scientists like to teach that we evolved from apes or primates and are merely more rational evolved animals. But God didn't make animals in His image; He made man in His image.

I remember back when I was a teacher again. I would sometimes present my students with scenarios to see how they thought about things. On one occasion, I gave a scenario to my 6th-grade students that I got from a street evangelist name Ray Comfort. The scenario is as follows: Imagine that your favorite dog and your neighbor you don’t like are both drowning. If you could only save one, who would you save? Your favorite dog whom you love? Or the neighbor whom you don't like? I asked the student to raise their hands to represent whom they would save. What is your first instinct when you think of that scenario? Who would you save? How you answer that question reveals how you value your fellow image bearer. Well, I asked my student then to raise their hands, and sadly most of them said they would save the dog.

Not surprising when we teach that we are no different from animals. We hold more value than animals because we are made in God's image, after His likeness. Yes, we are to care for and steward animals and pets, but we never place more value on an animal than a human being. The ungodly and worldly thinking devalues man to the place of an animal, but that is not God’s design. No matter our background, we are worth more than animals because we are made in God’s image.

I know you can't stand your neighbor, but that is an image bearer of God.

I know that person treated you wrong and even sinned against you, but that is an image bearer of God.

I know that person's ancestors may have oppressed and exploited your ancestors, but that is an image bearer of God.

All people, whether you like them or not, are created in God's image and therefore have inherent value and worth.

God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.

God made us male and female

This is an appropriate place to say a quick word about gender because our culture has created much confusion about this topic. But we know that God is not the author of confusion. He has spoken with clarity about gender. Notice here that we read that God created them male and female. God decides our gender. The world loves to say that we are autonomous and decide who we are; we determine our gender.

The world tells us that we can choose our pronouns and that male and female or gender is fluid concepts. The world tells us that believing God created only two genders is archaic and backward.

I want to say, Christian, we should not be surprised that the world is going in this direction. The world does not know God; they are influenced by Satan, just as we were. Satan desires to undermine and sow doubt in God's Word at every chance. Christian, we know the truth. God made you male. God made you female. God didn’t make a mistake.

Maybe you are experiencing gender dysphoria. Know that it is not from God. His Word is clear. If you are experiencing some gender distortion, know that God made you uniquely male or female He formed you in your mother’s womb. By the power of His Spirit through faith in Christ, He can overcome any confusion anyone experiences.

God made us in His Image. He made us male and female for a purpose.

Purpose of Creation

We have looked at the who, the how, and the what of creation. The person, the process, and the pinnacle of creation. Let's spend the remainder of our time looking at why—the purpose of creation.

My wife and I spent our tenth anniversary in Mexico, and we had an opportunity to swim in an underground cave called a cenote. It's a beautiful natural wonder; the water in this underground cave stretches for thousands of miles. As we were swimming in this cave, we had a tour guide who explained how the cave was formed; he talked about the stalagmites and stalactites. He explained what people use the water for in the caves. He explained the historical significance, the scientific observations all the great information about the cenotes. But we never really addressed the question of why.

Why was the cenote made?

Why was the sun made in all its brightness?

Why were the grass, sea, stars, and moon made?

Why were you made?

What is the purpose of all things?

This is the most important question any of us could ask because this is what brings meaning to life. We all have a deep desire to know our purpose.

The Bible provides us with the answer to that question. All of creation is made to glorify God. We read in Psalm 19:1: The heaven declares the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His Hands.

Colossians 1:16 says, "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him."

All things were made for God and His glory. That is the why. That is the purpose of creation when you look at the beauty of creation. It is to show you the beauty, creativity, and power of God. It is to show you how awesome God is.

Does creation cause you to be in awe of God? Does creation cause you to stop and worship the Creator of all things? Do you ponder the power of God when you look at a beautiful sunset or gaze at the billions of stars in the night sky?

Creation is meant to point you to God and how great and glorious He is, but we often idolize what was created. We often elevate the people, places, and things in our lives above the Creator. We usually do what Paul writes about Romans 1:25. "(We).... exchange the truth of God for a lie, and worship(ed) and serve(d) what has been created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen." All of creation should point you to worship the Creator. The purpose of all creation is to bring glory to God.

When the sun shines, it brings glory to God.

When the river flows, it brings glory to God.

When the flower blooms, it brings glory to God.

When the bird flies, it brings glory to God.

When the rainfall, it brings glory to God.

When the hurricane strikes, it brings glory to God.

When the earthquakes it, brings glory to God.

When that person dies, it brings glory to God.

All creation and all that happens in creation, good or bad, brings glory to God. That is God's Purpose in creation, to glorify Himself. Even in the fall of man and creation, which we will learn more about next week, is God glorified. How? By allowing God to display His amazing love, grace, and mercy toward us as helpless sinners.

Conclusion

When God stepped back and rested from all He created on the seventh day, He saw that all He created was good. But because of the disobedience of Adam, creation fell and became corrupt. Now we all experience pain, suffering, and sin in this world. But God did not leave us without hope. That is the purpose of Advent. We live in a fallen creation, but advent reminds us that we are living in the hope of the anticipation of a new creation.

God desires to bring forth a new creation.

That’s why He sent His Son to enter creation to take the form of a created being. He lived a sinless life, perfectly obeying the Law of God. Yet He suffered at the hands of the people He created.

He was scourged by the whips he created.

He was nailed with the nails He created.

Hung on the cross and buried in a tomb He created.

Why? So that He can make you a new creation. He took the penalty for the sins you deserved. And He rose from the grave to make you a new creation.

So now, if you repent and put your faith in the finished work of Christ, He will make you a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”

God desires to make you a new creation to give you new desires.

To give you a renewed purpose in Him.

To give you renewed hope in this life and the life to come.

Start this advent season right and place your trust in Christ today and allow Him by His Spirit to mold you into the image of His Son as a new creation for His glory.

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