Light Begins (Genesis 1:2-5)

In the year 536 A.D., a volcanic eruption in Iceland spread ash across the Northern Hemisphere, creating a fog so thick and massive that it altered global climate patterns and caused years of famine. Much of the world went dark for a full 18 months.[2]It is said that people couldn’t see their own shadows, even at noon!

The Byzantine historian Procopius (who was a Greek-speaking historian) wrote that “the sun gave forth its light without brightness, like the moon, during this whole year.” He also wrote that “it seemed like the sun was constantly in eclipse, and, during this time, “men were free neither from war nor pestilence nor any other thing leading to death.”

The fog blocked the sun during the day, causing temperatures to drop, crops to fail, and people to die. This period of cold and starvation caused economic stagnation in Europe that intensified in 541 A.D. when the first bubonic plague broke out. The plague killed between one-third and one-half of the population in the Byzantine Empire.

The point of this history lesson? To ask you to consider this: Have you ever been in that kind of darkness?

Sure, maybe the power goes out at school or in a theater (and there is always that one friend who screams like an opera singer and scares everyone else!). Or maybe you woke up in the middle of the night and stumbled around in the dark to find a light switch. Either way, you know the chaos that can happen when you suddenly find yourself surrounded by darkness.

It's easy to feel lost when you can't see your hand in front of your face, right?

Here’s the thing. There is a lot of chaos and darkness in the world right now. There's political debates right now, war, disease, and illness, and financial and cost of living difficulties. It seems like there’s always something in the news that is causing disruption and bringing chaos into people's lives.

But it's not just national or state-level chaos. You may be experiencing your own personal season of chaos right now. Maybe for some of you, it feels like you're stumbling your way through life as you walk forward into the darkness of your current situation.

What the world is facing today—and what some of you may be experiencing personally—reminds me of the opening verses of Genesis, where there was darkness over the earth. In the Biblical account of creation, we read this: 2 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.

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day (Genesis 1:2-5 NIV).

The phrase "without form and void" in the original Hebrew is "Tohu Va-Vohu" (תוהו ובוהו, pronounced "Tohu Va-Vohu"). It’s difficult to translate, but one of the best definitions is chaotic and empty.

I bet there are some of you today who feel like your world is chaotic and empty, right?

Maybe there is chaos in your family.

Perhaps there is chaos in your neighborhood.

Maybe school and your schedule feel chaotic.

Perhaps you are a junior or senior and the future feels chaotic.

Maybe you are a freshman and all of the newness feels overwhelming.

We could name things for days, right?

Well, what happens next in the story has, I believe, the power to bring hope and purpose into whatever situation you are facing. Are you ready?

In Genesis 1:2-5, God speaks into the darkness, chaos, and emptiness with four important words:

“Let there be light!”

Immediately, the author tells us that there was light across the whole earth. And when God saw the light, it was called “good.” In the next part of the poem, God goes about the process of separating light from darkness.

Now, some of you may be wondering, Well, what does this have to do with me and my current situation? Well, despite this being a Hebrew poem written thousands of years ago, I believe it can bring hope into your situation today.

Let me explain.

First, the Hebrew word we translate as “light” in this verse is the word “ohr” (אוֹר pronounced “ore”), which is made up of three ancient Hebrew letters; aleph, vav and resh. These letters have an ancient root which means to bring order to chaos.

So, when God declared “ let there be light” in the creation story, God didn't just shine a light into the darkness. God brought order to chaos. Think back to the last time you woke up in the middle of the night and were stumbling around trying to find your phone or a light switch. I bet you were taking small, uncertain steps, reaching out to stop yourself from bumping into things and getting hurt, right? But as soon as you switched a light on, suddenly you could see every step in front of you. Then, you could walk around confidently.

Order was brought to your chaos. You see, in God's Kingdom, there is order.

Second, as we discussed last week, the mechanism that God uses to bring light into the darkness and chaos of the world today is you! The way God continues to separate the light from the darkness is through everyone who calls themselves a follower of Jesus.

God uses all of us to bring order, peace, and light into the world around us. God uses you to bring order to people who are in need or who are hurting. We are the ones God has called to bring order into the chaos of people’s lives.

The reality is that God’s light in you brings order to chaos.

This idea was backed up by Jesus who once said when compassion for others is a central part of who we are as His followers, our bodies literally fill with His light, shining brightly in a dark world and bringing glory to God.

Show a pic of Daisy with a raincoat:

Have you ever seen someone running in the dark? I’ve seen people who get up super early to run or run at night after most people are done for the day. To make sure that they’re safe, they wear a light-up running vest. [Put on a running vest or display an image of a light-up running vest.] They even make cute light-up dog collars!

This is what God is asking us to do. We all have different personalities—just like these vests come in different colors. But the point is still the same: to light up the darkness. To carry a light with us.

You see, with all of the darkness and chaos in the world, it's the followers of Jesus who have the opportunity to bring order to chaos. To shine light into the darkness. Jesus said it Himself! When you follow His example in the way you live, look what happens:

“36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”" (Luke 11:36 NIV).

To apply this simple idea, let me challenge you to ask yourself a few really important questions.

First, who in your immediate sphere of influence seems as if their life is in chaos? It really isn’t that difficult to notice when someone’s world is spiraling into chaos. Maybe it’s so obvious that you already know who and what it is. Or maybe it is more subtle. It is a change in their attitude. They seem really distracted. They are sad or rushed. You can bring order by showing compassion and peace to people around you who need a kind word, a simple acknowledgment, or even a hug.

Here’s another question: How can you help lighten the burden or relieve the stress of someone you know or care about? Maybe it isn’t enough to just say something. Maybe God is pressing you to do something. Offer to help. Or, consider figuring out how to help without the person who needs help even knowing it is you. We shine a light when we help others carry the burdens they are struggling with.

Just a quick note here. Not every burden is your responsibility. There are things that adults need to deal with on their own. We don’t want you to feel the pressure to do something about a situation you have no control over. There are also situations where someone is being hurt by someone else, hurting themselves, or hurting someone else. If that’s the case, the best you can do to help is to tell a trusted adult you know right away.

Finally, maybe the most pressing question is one to ask yourself: How do you need to bring order into your own chaos?

As author Bob Goff once wrote; “Darkness wants us to live our lives worn out. Rest is holy.”

Maybe the order that you need to bring to your chaos right now is to find time to rest. So many of us feel like we can barely catch our breath in between all the school, family, work, and social pressure we have. It impacts us physically, mentally, and emotionally, creating chaos in almost every aspect of our lives.

God’s light in you brings order to chaos.

And if we want to bring order to other people's chaos and shine a light into their darkness, we have to first bring order to our own situation. One of the best ways to do that is to get some rest! Pastor Mike always talks about thy acronym (HALT) This acronym Halt, stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely and Tired. Show pic of HALT.

Application:

Embrace New Beginnings: Just as God brought order from chaos, we can find hope in new beginnings in our own lives. When facing challenges or uncertainties, remember that change can lead to growth and transformation.

Value Order and Purpose: The creation account shows that God values order. In our daily lives, we can strive to create environments—at home, work, or in our communities—that reflect this order and purpose.

Reflect on Identity: The act of God naming light "day" and darkness "night" reminds us of the importance of identity and definition. We can reflect on our own identities and how we define ourselves in relation to others and to God.

Recognize God’s Authority: This passage highlights God’s authority over creation. Acknowledging His sovereignty can help us trust Him in times of uncertainty and make decisions aligned with His will.

Encourage Creativity: Just as God created with intention, we are encouraged to express our own creativity in various forms—art, writing, problem-solving—reflecting the Creator's nature in our own lives.

By applying these verses, we can deepen our understanding of God’s nature and our purpose in His creation.

When we have order in our own lives, we’re in a better position to help bring order to the chaos in other people's lives.

Imagine if God can shine light into the chaos other people are experiencing.

Imagine if God uses you to help relieve some of the chaos around you.

Imagine if you were able to get some rest and that brought some level of order to the chaos you’re facing. This is just what God does. It’s what God has been doing from the very beginning.

God’s light in you brings order to chaos.

So, when you go to Small Groups, think about your answer to this question: Where do you see a need for God’s light around you?

Lets Prayer!