Creation

Intro

How do you feel about people who ask questions during a movie?

Two People:

You ask questions the entire movie

You hate the people who ask questions the entire movie

Caroline is someone who is constantly asking questions during movies and it drives me nuts

But imagine walking into a movie theater halfway through the film.

You find a scene where the main character is confronting the villain

The music is dramatic, people are shouting, and the stakes seem high.

But you’ve missed the first half….

You don’t know who the characters are

how the conflict started

or why it even matters.

You might be able to piece together some of the plot, but without the beginning, you’re missing the depth, the emotional weight, and the full story.

TENSION

That’s what it’s like if you start reading the Bible in the New Testament.

Sure, you might understand the basics:

Jesus loves you

He died for your sins

He rose again

But without Genesis, you’re missing the foundation that makes all of that truly significant.

Without Genesis you don’t know why Jesus had to die in the first place

You can’t see how His work on the cross ties into God’s plan that started from the very beginning of creation

Genesis gives us the context:

it shows us who God is

why He created the world

how sin entered the story

and why we need a Savior in the first place

“Every word after Genesis 3 points back to what took place in the first three chapters” - Chad Bird

With that said, let’s dive into the opening chapter of God’s word

TRUTH

Genesis 1:1–28 (ESV)

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

This chapter is pretty familiar to most of you in the room and is known as the creation account

This account provides Christians with our belief about how the world, animals, and mankind came about

through God speaking it all into existence

Which completely goes against what science teaches

Which has caused my differing views of this account in the christian community too

Young earth vs. Old earth

Literal 24 hour days

And if you have questions about that…

I would love to talk to you about those

In fact next week we are going to be looking more in depth at the creation account and what it means that it was good

But tonight I want to focus on something that I think is often missed in the creation account yet is so important to the gospel and big story of scripture

It’s found in the first 3 verses

Genesis 1:1–2 (ESV)

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

These two verses gives us a peak into the “beginning”

What it was like before God spoke anything into existence

There was just God

since He is eternal - always existed and always will

and He creates the heavens and the earth

And in these two verses we see both God the Father and God the Holy Spirit at work

God - the Father

Spirit of God - Holy Spirit

But we know that God is a triune God

So, where is Jesus?

Genesis 1:3 (ESV)

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Wait it doesn’t say the “son” or “Jesus” anywhere in that verse…

All this verse tells us is that God created light

And he created it by His word - “God said”

but that’s exactly the point

God’s word isn’t some concept or idea… it’s a person

John, Jesus’ disciple, understood this

John 1:1–2 (ESV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

John begins his account of the life of Jesus mirroring the opening words of the creation account

John says that the Word was there in the beginning with God and was God

The Word that John is talking about is Jesus

“In the beginning was Jesus, and Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God. Jesus was in the beginning with God”

But John doesn’t just tell us that Jesus is God and is there in the beginning but that he is also at work like the Father and HS

John 1:3 (ESV)

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John declares that all things were made through Jesus and without him nothing was made

Jesus is the agent of creation—everything came into existence through Him

And it get’s better… Look at what Paul says in Colossians

Colossians 1:16–17 (ESV)

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. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Everything wasn’t just made through Jesus but also for Jesus

everything exist to glorify and point to Jesus

including you and me

But it doesn’t take long of looking around at creation, others, and ourselves to see that what God declared as good in chapter one isn’t so good anymore

the reason for this is called sin

we will see how sin enters the world next week

but sin enters the world brining brokenness and darkness

The reality is that all of us are born into sin

sin separates us from God

and there is nothing we can do to get rid of our sin on our own

So what does Jesus do when his creation is broken?

John tells us

John 1:14 (ESV)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Creator of the universe enters His creation to save it

The same Word who spoke light into darkness became the light of the world

stepping into the darkness of sin and brokenness to bring redemption

By living the sinless life that we couldn’t yet dying the sinners death we deserved and resurrecting from the grave 3 days old

Jesus makes it possible for us to be freed from our sin and eternal life with Him

What John wants us to understand from the opening verses of his gospel

BOTTOM LINE: Jesus is our creator and savior

APPLICATION

Jesus is on the very first page of the Bible

Jesus isn’t just a figure who appears halfway through the Bible.

He is present from the very beginning as Creator, showing His eternal nature and His active role in the story of Scripture.

Apply:

Treasure the Whole Bible

Knowing that Jesus is on the first page of Genesis should change how we approach Scripture.

When you read the Old Testament, look for how it points to Jesus.

Ask, "What does this reveal about Jesus as Creator, Savior, or King?"

Challenge:

Start this week by reading Genesis 1 and John 1 side by side.

Write down what it teaches you about Jesus’s eternal nature and role in creation.

Recognize that every part of the Bible is valuable because it all connects to Him.

2. We worship the Creator who became our Savior

The one who spoke galaxies into existence is the same one who loves you, died for you, and cares for you personally

This truth should lead us to deeper, more intentional worship

Knowing that Jesus, the Creator, became flesh to save us gives us a unique perspective in worship

He is not a distant God

The Creator became personal, stepping into His creation to redeem it

Apply:

Worship with Awe

When you worship—through singing, prayer, or daily life—remember who you are worshiping

Jesus isn’t just a good teacher or prophet; He’s the Creator of the universe.

Thankfulness in Worship

Worship should flow from a heart of gratitude

Thank Jesus for not only making you but also saving you

Challenge:

When we sing this next son, focus on the words and let them remind you of His majesty as Creator and His love as Savior.

RESPONSE

This should be natural for us because…

BOTTOM LINE: Jesus is our creator and savior

Scripture tells us that all of creation declares the glory of God and praises Him

This should be especially true of us who have not only been created by Jesus but have also been saved by Jesus