Children of the Father

⁜ Prayer ⁜

Intro ~ Secularity and the Bible: Two Visions

So with this sermon, which I have titled "Children of the Father" we are going to begin a year long exploration of Scripture through a set of sermon series that will take us through the Bible as we explore the story that the Bible tells us, and how that story forms us to be a unique people in the midst of the world. The current series of sermons focuses on the how God goes about forming a people to be his own, and so this series bears the title "The Foundations of God's People."

Now, while I would love to go word for word through the entirety of Scripture, that is not possible, so, what I am planning on us doing together is to pull out texts from throughout the whole Bible, which we will explore each week, so as to get a birds-eye view of the main themes of the Bible’s story. In short what we will be doing together is what is called biblical theology.

You have probably heard that term. But just in case anyone needs a reminder of what biblical theology is, Tim Keller offers a helpful definition. In an entry in the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible, pastor Keller writes:

“the Bible is not just a diverse assortment of stories and materials; it altogether comprises a master narrative. This is not to say that the Bible is written like a novel with a tight, simple plot-line not at all. It contains many individual stories and a lot of non-narrative material. But just as J. R. R. Tolkien produced thousands of pages of narratives, poetry, articles, maps, and even lexicons over the course of decades in order to tell one very sweeping story, so God, the author of every part of the Bible, is also telling one overarching story about the real world he created. There is a basic plot-line to which all the parts relate and which makes sense of all the pieces.”

And that is exactly what we are going to be doing together this year!

But, I should also explain why I think it is important that we do this! Of course, I could point out that doing this is to honor the way in which the Bible has been written and handed down to us. And that is true… absolutely! But I also have another reason for wishing to explore Scripture with you in this way.

And what is that reason? Namely, that we live in a culture where we find ourselves caught between stories which are competing for our hearts. One the one hand we have a culture all around us that tells us a story about who we are and what the world all around us is and is about. This story is referred to by a term called secularism, which typically tells us that this world is all that we have, but instead more subtly suggests that this world and this life is likely all that we have… and so aims our vision towards a purely horizontal vision of this life.

This new vision that has slowly developed in our culture over the past 500 years suggests that: sure there may be a god (or, perhaps, even gods) out there, but if God exist he has surely stepped away from this world, and we are left to fend for ourselves. And if you or I find comfort – for some reason – in belief in a god, that fine… for you and me. But we must not expect others to embrace what is our personal belief. To do so, is almost certainly a distraction from what is really important.... human flourishing here and now. That alone sustains us and gives us hope according to secularism's narrative.

And so, the story of secularism goes, we each make our own way in this world… each figuring out our own truth. But with our eyes set upon this world alone. Indeed, if we set our eyes upon something beyond this world and life, say - a heavenly hope, we are in a sense giving expression to a subtle disloyalty to both ourselves and fellow humans, for our energy and life focus has become diverted.

And so, ultimately, this story we are told is anti-religious. It is a vision of this life and this world where there are many truths – and each of those truths must be accepted as equally valid – and it also contains a specific ethical goal, which is found in the project to ensure human flourishing and comfort, and the improvement of this world apart from the distraction of religion.

One evangelical scholar, Kevin Vanhoozer, has stated this situation well. He points out that our current culture is so preoccupied with the self situated purely in a this-worldly vision, wherein we cannot conceive of an overarching story to give meaning to our lives, that we cannot get beyond our own selves, we are stuck… there is no way forward… we can never really grasp reality or truth. All we can ever do is impose our own perceived truths upon this world.

What hope is there in the face of such claims! It sounds like we must despair, doesn’t it?! On the surface I would say yes, it seems like we must despair! But actually, if we place these claims under careful scrutiny we find that they are filled with contradictions! The claim that there can be no objective truths is itself an objective truth! And the claim that we are unable to share a worldview is itself a worldview! So the rules that secularism sets forth are inherently broken by itself as it makes its claims.

In light of that, I would also argue that there is actually a lot of hope offered to us in this situation. We can both recognize and point out these inconsistencies. But even more importantly, because the vision of secularism leads to a sense of inner spiritual emptiness, scholars are noticing that even while people, especially younger generations are not going to church, they are searching for stories which nurture hope and a greater sense of fulfillment than the purely this-worldly vision offered by secularism. So a new generation is arising which realizes that something is missing from their lives. A natural desire for something transcendent, something greater than the merely material world is bubbling up in peoples hearts. And why? Because that is how God made us! As Augustine once famously said: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you, O Lord!”

And so, in recognizing the inevitable hopelessness created by the culture secularism breeds, we can offer a different, better hope to a generation that is seeking for something… for something better and more fulfilling than what they currently have.

And what is that something which is better? It is that other story which I alluded to towards the beginning of this sermon. ⟫ It is the story that God himself shares with us in the pages of this precious book we know as the Bible! ⟪

That is where we begin this morning. A story that opens up with an entirely different narrative; a story wherein we find a humanity that is free of the constraints set by secularity. We are told in this story: That we are free to know the truth, and in fact that God sets truth directly before us to grasp. That we are not alone in this life, but have a God who cares for us, and sets us in community together. That we have a mission entrusted to us that is so much bigger and more glorious and eternal than secularism’s constrained duty to flourish only in this world. And this story is the Christian, or Biblical, worldview.

So now, lets dive into today’s text to see the story of the precious promises and glorious hope that God shares with us in his Scriptures about who he is and who we are to him.

Now, as I read through today’s passage from Genesis, I noticed three themes arise within the text. These are:

1. The Lord’s act and self-revelation through his creative work

2. The Lord’s sovereignty expressed through his commands to our first parents

3. The Lord’s care expressed through his providential provision in the lives of our first parents.

In each of these themes we will see how God offers a story to us that offers us a sense of deep meaning. In each of these themes God is offering us a rich sense of who we are, what our place is in this world, and that He stands at the center of everything. And so as we encounter this story and hear it in faith – and taking it in, in faith, is the key! - we find that the world begins to look different to us, and we begin to engage the world differently.

Why? Because we are brought to see that the whole world points not to itself, but instead declares the glory of God!

So join me now in exploring these three themes.

The Lord’s Creation

First, as we consider God’s creative action, we discover a radically different narrative to that often found in our culture. Consider reading through the news – and as we do se we see an article about new discoveries that scientists have made as we study space. Interestingly reading through the various articles and blog posts out there about that topic, I am struck by the tone they often strike, a tone filled with wonder or even pseudo-worship! But yet, the vision expressed is “stuck” if you will. It cannot move beyond this world. And so they will speak of the wonders of this earth, and the progress we have made, and reflect on where that progress will continue to take us. It is rare that we hear a truly transcendent note. And that is because we live in a culture, where that is the story that surrounds us! It is a story that, in a sense, blinds us to the possibility of something beyond the physical world.

And here is where Scripture re-narrates us, giving us a different vision of who we are and what the world around us is. Now let us remember that Scripture and science are not enemies! No, that is not what Scripture is about. What God is doing in Scripture is reminding us that there is something beyond the mere fleshy reality we see all around us, which can be measured, dissected, poked and prodded. We come to se that everything around us has a deeper grounding. And what is that grounding?

Well, that is where the Bible begins! So we read in Gen. 1:1–3: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said…”.

Let us notice what is happening here! Before we even reflect on this creation, Scripture starts elsewhere! It starts with God. He is the one upon whom the whole story must rest! All that we have around us only exists because as v. 1 says “God created.” And when Scripture speaks of the primordial chaos of the earth what does it say. “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (v. 2) And that is a very important point! What God is telling us is that the unformed chaos, which sounds so terrifying to us, with its depth and darkness, all of that is under his control. His Spirit is hovering over it, as its master, and those terrifying waters cannot move one inch without his explicit permission!

Finally, we should consider the beginning of v. 3. It starts: "And God said." This too is incredibly important! Just as v. 1 says "God created" so here too God's sovereign action in bringing into existence all that is, is laid before us. Even more, we discover the fact that this world and the cosmos are contingent - that none of it can bring itself into existence or is capable of sustaining itself by its own power. Everything depends upon God... and without him nothing would be. He wills that things exist, and we have the guarantee of that in his own words which follow: "LET THERE BE..." (vv. 3) a command which precedes the creation of each thing in existence. So we see that he desires each thing's existence.

But then we get to the beginning of today's text. What does it say? "Then God said" (1:26). So it continues with God's issuing a verbal command. But now something unique comes about. God creates something that did not exist, just as he has before in each of the prior commands. But here, in v. 26 he says something new. He starts as he had beforehand noting what he was creating: "Let us make mankind," but that is followed with something unique. And what is that: "in our image, in our likeness"

Now that is something new, and something exciting! And yes, the author here clearly wants us to note that something unique is happening. Not only are we being told that God is actively willing to create something, but that he desires us to have a unique standing in the midst of his creation! We were created to share in God's image and likeness! That is a special narrative that the Bible shares with us. We are not told that by our contemporary secular culture, nor can a secular culture make that claim. According to a materialistic vision of this world we are simply more advanced animals capable of speech and advanced intellectual activity. But according to the Bible, we are so much more. Yes, the Bible is not ashamed to claim that we stand at the peak of all that is created, that we have a special dignity.

But this image and likeness goes on to tell us something that is even more supremely important. Not only does it say that we stand at the peak of creation, but also that we - as image bearers - were intentionally made by God to be his sons and daughters! Let each of us hear that, and never forget that reality! The Bible is telling you, and me, that we are his children, and he is our Father! Yes, we are not alone! We have a Father, who cares about us so much more than we can imagine!

So not only do we see that God's first act of self-revelation is his sovereignty and power, but also - very importantly - his divine Fatherhood! This Fatherhood is central to who he is and how we are to understand him!

Now this can be difficult for some of us. Perhaps some in this room faced abuse with a father figure in their life. This is a terrible thing. And it is fair to acknowledge that abuse can stand in the way of knowing God as he reveals himself as Father. But know this! First, the fallen and broken way in which a father-figure has hurt you, never will be the way God will approach you. He loves you and cares for you with a loving tenderness that we cannot even imagine. But also, it helpful to remember that God's Fatherhood is expressed in firm judgment against all who abuse those entrusted to their care. That is God's prerogative, and he exercises his judgement not only for the sake of his glory but for the sake of uplifting his children and giving them hope for justice. So the Holy Spirit says in Psalm 1:5-6: "the wicked will not stand in the judgement... for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction." That is how much God cares for each and every one of his children.

So having spoken briefly of God's Fatherhood, as a central part of his self-revelation. We should turn our eyes towards another point our Scripture reading sets before us.

The Lord’s Command

And that is, his sovereignty as expressed through his command. Now it is out of fashion in much of Christianity today to consider God as commanding anything... unless what he commands is something we already agree with or something that we find comforting! But, even a cursory reading of Scripture shows that the Bible is full of commands and instructions on what our lives ought to look like. Just to name a couple: we have the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount. And in those we discover an important lesson, namely, that we are not self-sufficient or free agents, but instead live under God's sovereign rule.

But returning to today's reading, we find God giving to our first parents a command that seems quite unusual, right! What does the Scripture say?

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die."" (Gen. 2:15-17)

Now there are really two commands here. The first is actually an implicit command - it isn't stated as a command, but shows that God had previously expressed his expectations for what Adam and Eve were supposed to do. And that is: "to work [the garden] and take care of it" (v. 15). Now interestingly, while we find this verse translated as such in almost every Bible, recent scholarship has shown that the Hebrew here, is giving expression to something much richer than simply gardening! Yes it is speaking about the garden and how Adam and Eve are to live and work in it. But - that is where it gets interesting. For the Hebrew could be better translated as: "God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to worship and obey."

That is interesting, isn't it! God's first command to Adam and Eve reveals to us what lies at the heart of God's desires for us, and what leads to our own good and flourishing! And what is it that leads to our own flourishing, and that is our highest good?

Yes, worship and obedience to our heavenly Father!

Notice how what Scripture is telling us here runs contrary to the story that secularism tells us about ourselves. While in that story we are told that material flourishing and our own happiness must be put before all else, and that only in that will we find fulfillment; here we see Scripture telling us something radically different. We are told that we were created by our Father, who then wisely tells us that we can only find fulfillment and joy when the first priorities in our lives are worship of Him and obedience to Him. And when everything in our lives are ordered around those priorities, then we will discover that all sense of meaninglessness and worthlessness dissipate.

This doesn't mean that our lives will be easy. But it does mean that even when the going gets tough: when we struggle with a sin, when we find ourselves hard-pressed to make ends meet, when a relationship has become broken, or any other hardship... in the midst of all of that, we discover through prayerful discernment that God is with us in the midst of it, and that his presence ensures his care and guidance to us. But we can only do so when we are steeped in worship and when our hearts are obedient to him.

There is also a second command in this passage which follows directly upon v. 15. And that is found in vv. 16-17:

"...the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”"

Now this too is a strange command. But if we read it in light of that first implicit command we were just reflecting on, it makes sense.

Why do I say that? Well, if in the first command we see that God reveals what leads to a good and happy life, then in this command, God warns us of what happens when we depart from his will. And he gives it in the starkest of terms. What is the consequence? Death.

Yes, God does not mince words. Look at how God states his case. In verse 16 he says: "...you are free to eat from any tree in the garden." In other words: Everything I have made is yours! The only thing Adam and Eve shall not partake in is the fruit of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (v. 17).

Perhaps this warning sounds strange. Doesn't the book of Proverbs (18:15) say: "the discerning person acquires knowledge, and the wise person seeks knowledge"! Indeed, it does! But there is something else going on here. The knowledge spoken of there is godly knowledge; that is, knowledge that is pursued in and through obedience to God. But here, in today's passage we find that, as the scholar Gordan Wenham comments,

"the tree of the knowledge of good and evil... was forbidden for human consumption because the wisdom acquired through eating it leads to independence from God, whereas true wisdom begins with ‘the fear of the Lord’ (as is noted in Prov. 1:7)."

That is the issue! It is not that God doesn't want us to have knowledge! Of course he wants us to pursue knowledge! But the warning here is that we should not pursue wisdom and knowledge apart from God.

And so we are taken back to the first command which is: that all we are to do in our lives must be done in worship and obedience. Everything must be God-oriented. This is what Jesus himself reminds humanity through the ages when he states in the Sermon on the Mount: "...seek first [the Father's] kingdom and his righteousness, and everything you need will be given to you as well" (Mt. 6:33). So, yes! This theme of worship and obedience runs throughout the whole of the Bible!

The Lord’s Care

Finally, we must consider how the story of the first two chapters of Genesis bring us to see how God gives expression to his care for us through his providential acts in creation.

Now, the whole of God's creative work as expressed throughout the seven days gives a vision of God's providence and care. Each succeeding day could not have existed without what was created prior to it! As we see in chptr. 1: without the dry ground noted in v. 9, there would be no place for the vegetation, mentioned in v. 11, to set root and grow. And it is only after the creation of the vegetation, that God then goes about creating the various animals!

So, we see that the whole of creation shows not only God's meticulous attention to detail, but also his wondrous love and providence - which really is the source of his attention to detail!

But out of today's text, I would like to draw our attention to a particular act of God that directs us to worship him for his goodness! In chptr. 2, vv. 15 and following, we find the story of Genesis direct us to something wonderful.

The Holy Spirit tells us that after God created Adam and places him in the garden, God acknowledges that his work is not yet complete. Why? Because as he says in v. 18 "it is not good for the man to be alone." So, what is God's solution? In his own words: "I will make a helper suitable for him."

Now interestingly the narrative does not simply jump from v. 15 to v. 21 (which details how God created Eve). No, instead we find that God brings to Adam each of the animals for him to name. And eventually, in v. 20, it is acknowledged that "for Adam no suitable helper was found."

What are we to make of this! Did God not know what he was doing? Or did God fail in a first attempt to find Adam a partner? These are good questions! But I would note that they actually miss the point regarding what the Holy Spirit is trying to reveal to us here!

Vv. 16-20 are not about God trying to find Adam a partner! No! Instead, God gives Adam an opportunity to realize for himself the fact that he would not find a partner fit for him among any of the creatures of this world. He was put among them with a dignity far greater than any of the animals bear - which we see as he exercises authority in naming the animals. How could he find among the animals a partner to be his equal and helpmate if he exercises dominion over them? That is what God wanted Adam to discover. And so, Adam does discover this as v. 21 states: "no suitable helper was found."

It is only then that God goes about creating Eve! And God does so in a fascinating way. Rather than forming her completely from scratch, he creates Eve from the rib of Adam (cf. vv. 21-22). Why is this? I think Matthew Henry, the great preacher and biblical commentator, gets it completely right when he notes that:

...the woman was made ... (1) out of Adam's side to be equal with him, (2) under his arm to be protected, and (3) near his heart to be beloved.

That is an incredibly important observation. God's act here, gives expression to his providential care for both Adam and Eve. Just as Adam realized he needed a partner, so we also see that Eve was created to not to be Adam's servant or underling, but a fellow-helper, equal to him, and that they were to cherish each other!

This is perhaps one of God's most exquisite expression of providence! That he created us, and not only created us, but created us for the purpose of existing in community! And we see the joy this brings about in Adam's heart as he beholds the woman God has brought to him. What does Adam do! He speaks the worlds first poetry! Yes, we have the world's first poem recorded in Gen. 2:23

This is now bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

she shall be called ‘woman,’

for she was taken out of man.

It is difficult to capture in English everything that is happening in the Hebrew here, but this poetry is full of careful rhythm and word plays! We can see just how overjoyed Adam is at God bringing to him the one who is the perfect fit for him!

Now, the context of our passage is clearly about the community that is formed in marriage - a man and a woman joined together under God's blessing. But if we step back from these first two chapters of Genesis, we see that from out of a marriage God also forms an ever expanding human community - a community that was founded upon the mutual love of our first parents!

And so, it is not a far leap to say that today's passage points not only to the atomic family formed by Adam and Eve's union in the covenant of marriage, but also beyond itself to human community generally speaking! Marriage and the wider human community are inextricably woven together and depend upon each other.

So, as we consider God's loving care expressed in this act of establishing Adam and Eve as the beginnings of human community, I would invite all of us here today to consider the gift of community that God has given to us!

Each of us here, in this church, has been created for community. Whether you are married or single, God has not created us to be alone. Indeed, as we will break open the Scriptures together this year, we will see that the Bible reveals to us that God is about the business of drawing a people to himself. This is what Paul calls in his Letter to the Ephesians "the mystery" and "the gift of God's grace" which makes all people God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, "members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus" (3:4-6). That is, we are called into and made to be a new people, a family, because the Father has restored us as his children in Jesus Christ our Lord.

So, as we at Dunningville Reformed Church gather for worship, let us remember that our worship of God, is also a rejoicing and thanksgiving to him for bringing us together in fellowship and community. And may that rejoicing lead us to in turn share the hope and joy of the Gospel with everyone around us! Let us live into this fellowship with a sense of awe - which leads us to worship God together as a community and to encourage each other daily to remain faithful to God and his inspired word.

And, and finally, as I consider the words "community" and "fellowship" - I would also like to offer some concluding thoughts about us as a church community that God has planted here in this place.

To begin with, let us remember that we have a mission entrusted to us by God to be his ambassadors to our neighbors... sharing the good news found in the story of hope and joy found in Scripture with them.

Part of the story that we will be exploring in the Scriptures this year is that as God forms - first Adam and Eve - and then from them, all the people of the earth, God is forming a community which he intends to live in a way that proclaims his goodness and which calls all people to him. So, each one of us is called to share our faith with all those around us! That is part of our life of worship and obedience!

So, in order to help build up this church community, I would like to let each of you know that I am really looking forward to getting to know each one of you, and to do life with all of you. And as a way to nurture that - to nurture our life as a community grown and gathered together by God, and to help us all to continue to grow into the story that Scripture tells us about who we are and what God is doing among us - I would like to extend two invitations to all of you.

(1) The first invitation, is that as we break open the Scriptures together, I hope each of us will pay careful attention to what we find there so that we may all grow even deeper into the fellowship that I know this church has nurtured over the years. And my reason for extending that invitation is because (a) first, it honors God, and (b) second, to do so is to offer to the world around us a living witness of the joy of God's grace. And when people see that, then we are living into being what Jesus called "salt" and "light" - which those around us see and will lead them to "glorify [our] Father in heaven" (Mt. 5:13-16).

(2) But I also have a second invitation! And that is for you to help me come to know you better! I want to grow to know each of you - fellow children of the Father! - so that we may nurture the rich fellowship of God's people we find spoken of throughout the Bible; and also to be able to come along side you and care for you as your pastor, friend, and brother in Christ! So, expect a call from me - and I hope that during that call I can find a time to meet with each of you!

So in closing, let me note how filled with joy I am to be here as your pastor. And as we begin this new chapter together as a community living in God's grace offered in Christ, let me encourage each of you to step forward in a faith, hope, love, and joy which are grounded in the life altering power of the Holy Spirit - who guides and leads us ever deeper into God's will for us, beloved children of the Father! That is, at its heart, the life defining story, that the Bible call us into... a story which offers us and the world around us a better hope than a purely this worldly vision can ensure! Amen!

⁜ Let us Pray ⁜