Holy Spirit, Here’s My Mess

[Series] The Big Picture: How God’s Story Gives Meaning to Life

Hebrews 1:1–4 “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 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, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”

Truth: It’s not the words on the pages that bring us salvation. It’s the the savior of the world those words reveal.

In other words, we aren’t a Bible people, we are a Jesus people.

We don’t worship the Bible. Without faith in Jesus these are just flat words on a page.

But when you hear them BY FAITH, these words are LIFE and LIFE CHANGING!

Why do we need Scripture?

God’s story in scripture points us to Jesus (Luke 24:27).

Luke 24:27 “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

God’s story in scripture tells us without him we are lost and broken (James 1:23-25)

James 1:23–25 “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

If we will receive the Truth given to us in God’s story we will be made alive by the power of the Holy Spirit!

Romans 10:13–15 “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!””

The beginning of God’s story starts with the Creation Account in Genesis 1

When God began to create heaven and earth, and the earth at that time in waste and darkness, over the depths of his creation God’s breathed, as if hovering over the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good, and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And it was evening and it was morning, the first day.

What does the beginning of God’s story tell us?

First, it’s not primarily telling us how things happened, as if watching the playback recording on your iPhone. (It’s not even the only or earliest creation account in history). It’s really telling us why God created and why that matters.

God created the world because he loves.

God created the world to show us he is good (tov) and what he creates is good.

God created to bring order to those things that were lost and in chaos.

Truth: It doesn’t matter how many good things you have in your life (money, fun, popularity, influence, huntin, fishin, shoppin!!). As long as your life continues to spiral in chaos and disorder you can never experience the goodness of God.

Ice Cream is my thing:

Confession…a couple weeks back I preached a sermon on the body of Jesus as the bread of life...I mentioned that CARBS were my weakness…that’s the things most people seemed to remember afterwards…they remembered the illustration about the CARBS!! (for some reason food analogies seem to work really well!!)

Sweets have never been a real temptation for me…cakes, pies, candy, even chocolate…BUT ICE CREAM…That’s where I cave!

One of the most disappointing feeling you can ever get is late at night getting this craving for a chocolate fudge Sunday from McDonald’s pulling through the drive through…almost taste that sweet, smooth soft serve…and hearing the worker on the other end of the speaker say, “Sorry sir, our ice cream machine is out of order at this time.”

The soft serve ice cream at McDonald’s was created GOOD (tov).

But until those employees get that machine working properly and in order…NOT GOOD!

What all of us need is the Spirit of God to BREATH over our chaos…

We need Jesus to bring order where there is confusion, peace where there is anxiety, and surrender where there is rebellion and disobedience.

God’s Creative Design for our Lives

Everything God creates is Good (tov).

You were created in original goodness.

“flesh” - false self, the imposter… that’s not the real you, it’s a pretender!

The earth is the Lord’s. It’s not a place to escape, it’s actually the home of God.

Without Jesus my life is out-of-order.

God’s limitations are Good for my life.

Everything is yours, except do not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil…

It’s only when God says, “this far and no further” can we realize that what God has provided is truly enough. He really has withheld NO GOOD things from those he loves.

No matter how far I fall, the Holy Spirit is always calling me back home.

Adam and Eve lose paradise…

Yet the presence of God goes with them…

God can restore ANY broken parts of our life…he is the miracle worker.