Creator and Sustainer
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Intro
What is the first focus of your thoughts?..... December 11th 2022?
Godliness starts with God the sovereign Creator as the first focus of our thoughts...."Concise Theology: " by J. I. Packer.
Godliness starts here.... Everyday should start here....Christmas must start here....
The most appropriate thing for us to do in the month of December in the midst of Christmas parties, errands to run, family gatherings, etc...... What is your first focus?
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Jesus is Creator
Jesus is Creator
3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
God is the Creator
Scripture presents God as the uncreated, independent, self-existent, self-sufficient, all-powerful Lord who created the universe and governs it by his word (Genesis 1–2; Ps. 50:12–14; 93:2; Acts 17:24–25). "God the Son Incarnate" by Stephen J. Wellum.
24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,
25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
- Creating out of Nothing - Ex Nihilo
3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
IF WE WERE... to deny creation out of nothing, we would have to say that some matter has always existed and that it is eternal like God: "Making Sense of Who God Is" by Wayne A. Grudem.
To say that he created “out of nothing” is to confess the mystery, not explain it. - Packer
We may understand how an artist may take paint and with a paintbrush take all of the colors separately and put them together into a masterful painting and work of art.... but that artist began with something..... God began as the ONLY eternal being that created everything out of nothing.... to an extent of us understanding this act falls short as the created and dependent beings we are to HIM.
In particular, we cannot conceive how dependent existence can be distinct existence, nor how angels and human beings in their dependent existence aren’t robots but creatures capable of free decisions for which they are morally accountable to their Maker. "Concise Theology" by J. I. Packer.
Just as God is Creator.... so is Jesus!
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
What took place in Creation with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
Aquinas noted the differences in the roles of creation between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
“When treating of the knowledge and will of God, God is the cause of things by his intellect and will, just as the craftsman is cause of the things made by his craft. Now the craftsman works through the word conceived in his intellect, and through the love of his will regarding some object. Hence also God the Father made the creature through his Word, which is his Son, and through his Love, which is the Holy Spirit.THOMAS AQUINAS "Historical Theology:" by Gregg Allison.
See Chart on Screen. - The New Testament makes it Clear that God the Father is Creator and Jesus is Creator
- Errors the church has fought -
atoms colliding - All matter was slammed together… even God.....
Chief among these theories was the position of Epicurus, who set forth a theory that the chance collision of atoms in the limitless void of the universe was the origin of all life” "Historical Theology: " by Gregg Allison.
- the demiurge - Put forward by Gnosticism, the view had its roots in Plato’s notion of demiurge (noted below) and Plotinus’s concept of emanation. At the heart of this heresy was the view that matter is inherently evil while spiritual things are inherently good. "Historical Theology" by Gregg Allison
*** If we read this verse out of context of John 1 and the rest of the entire Bible you can see where the Gospel writer leaves a lot of unanswered questions about creation and Jesus*** BUT WE DO NOT EISOGETE!...... WE EXEGETE.... meaning we find the meaning of the Bible from the Bible itself, namely the place where it was written in context!
Jesus is Creator.... but he is also sustainer
Jesus is Creator and Sustainer
Jesus is Creator and Sustainer
17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
One might even say that these two, Creator and Sustainer, exclusive prerogatives are the ultimate litmus test for what it means to be God. "Is Jesus Truly God?: by Greg Lanier.
The WORD ALL..... Circle it..... God made all things through Jesus Christ..... The Theme of the Bible is that ALL things were made by God.... he didn’t back away from his creation..... He sustains it all!
Revelation 4:11 (ESV)
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
Christ exercises unrivaled dominion over “all things” (Rom. 14:9; 1 Cor. 15:27–28; Eph. 1:22; Phil. 2:10; 3:21; Heb. 1:2; 2:8; 1 Pet. .3:22; Rev. 1:5),¹³
including all human and angelic authorities (Eph. 1:21; Phil. 2:10; Heb. 1:4–6, 13).
As a result of his triumphant work in redemption and reconciliation, Jesus now sits on God’s throne (2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 12:2; cf. Rev. 22:1), at “the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb. 1:3; Rom. 8:34; Col. 3:1; Heb. 8:1; 10:12),
sharing the universal lordship of Yahweh over every created rule, authority, power, and dominion (Rom. 9:5; Eph. 1:20–21; 4:10; Phil. 2:9–11; Heb. 1:3; 7:26). "God the Son Incarnate" by Stephen J. Wellum.
Jesus sustains His creation..... HE upholds the universe
As the world order is not self-created, so it is not self-sustaining, as God is. The stability of the universe depends on constant divine upholding; this is a specific ministry of the divine Son (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3), and without it every creature of every kind, ourselves included, would cease to be.
As Paul told the Athenians, “he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. . . . In him, we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:25, 28). J.I. Packer Concise Theology
Jesus’s providence..... gives us so many promises. Think on a few of them with me....
Meeting your needs..... spiritually, physcially, emotionally
19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Casting your cares on him....
7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
In Christ, the spiritual blessing of eternity!
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
Preservation as Sustaining Power of Jesus.... that he will hold us fast!
John Calvin “Preservation is the act of divine providence by which God sustains all things created by him, so that they continue in being [existence] with the properties implanted in their nature and the powers received in creation.”⁸⁵ Scripture was cited in support (Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3). "Historical Theology" by Gregg Allison - Calvin
Jesus Creator and Sustainer reminds us how insignificant we are in light of all that Jesus upholds!
Here is one example.....
Isaiah 40:25–27 (ESV)
25 To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.
Images from the James Webb telescope
- The furthest point any human eye has seen into the galaxies
5 galaxies dancing around each other
a star dying and the gas emanating from it..... God know’s it’s name.... Jesus knows it’s name
Who are you in view of Jesus’ the sustainer? Who are you placing hope, trust, and faith in that is less than Jesus?
Jesus is Creator and Sustainer and Savior
Jesus is Creator and Sustainer and Savior
18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
But the power of God is manifested in this, that out of things that are not, he makes whatever he pleases. "Historical Theology" by Gregg Allison.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
God had an eternal plan for Jesus… and for us
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
with an eternal plan covering all events and destinies without exception, and with power to redeem, recreate and renew;.... "Concise Theology:" by J. I. Packer.
Do you believe in Jesus who has the power to create, redeem, recreate, and renew?..... If you are just believing in some version of Jesus that is not the creator and sustainer of all things, you are denying the power that raised Jesus from the grave, that brought life where there was death.... that could take your dead heart and bring it to life!
Are you Irreligiuos or a stranger to the truth?
As Amphilochius warned, “A man is altogether irreligious and a stranger to the truth if he does not say that Christ the Savior is also the Maker of all things.” "Historical Theology" by Gregg Allison.
Is Jesus your creator? Is Jesus your Sustainer? Is Jesus you Savior?
Conclusion:
God that created you has come to offer you salvation through Jesus!
Repent and remember that Jesus is your creator and sustainer.....
Join the church, be baptized, need prayer.