The Design of Joy — Genesis 1-2

Introduction

When I was a student pastor, I got a call about a family in crisis and was asked to meet with them. They didn’t attend church, but things had become so severe they were willing to try anything. When I pulled into their driveway, I was stunned. The house was one of the nicest in the county—a towering mansion, a pristine lawn, dream cars lining the drive. Sitting there, I felt the irony. From the outside, everything looked perfect. You would’ve had a hard time convincing any neighbor they weren’t flourishing. And yet inside that beautiful home, life was coming apart at the seams.

That moment has stayed with me because it’s become a parable for the American way of life. We’re doing more than ever to flourish—and yet we feel less alive than ever. We optimize everything: our schedules, our bodies, our finances, our parenting, our careers. We have more information, more convenience, more opportunity than any generation before us. And still—anxiety is rising. Loneliness is epidemic. Exhaustion feels normal. Many people aren’t failing at life. They’re succeeding at it and quietly asking, Why does this feel so empty? It’s like running harder and harder on a treadmill that never actually takes you anywhere.

But, the problem is optimization, and the problem isn’t effort. The problem is that we’re on a path than can’t lead to flourishing.

God’s Word

The wise men of Israel believed God created an order to life—one that can be learned, lived, and enjoyed, and that leads to true flourishing. They believed that design was woven into creation itself, right from the opening words of Genesis.

That’s where I want us to start, because that’s what I want Orchard to be about—living into God’s design and inviting others into it, so people don’t just look like they’re flourishing, but actually are.

That’s what our new mission statement means: “We exist to make flourishing disciples through the enjoyment of God, together.” It’s a vision for your flourishing and your family’s flourishing in Christ, and for the flourishing of our neighbors as they discover God’s design for the first time. And, just like the wise men of Israel, I want us to see God’s original design, the design in Genesis that predates sin’s arrival and curse.“God’s Design for Human Flourishing.” (headline)

“Enjoy” God.

(Slide for Pascal’s quote) Happiness is the universal pursuit of humanity. In the late 1650s, the Christian philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote, “All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end.” What Pascal means is simple and confronting: everything everyone does is driven by the hope of being happy.

Some people eat everything in sight; others count every calorie. Some abandon their families; others hover obsessively. Some save every dollar; others max out every credit card. Some live entirely for themselves; others sacrifice for the good of others. And still—it’s all for happiness.

The pursuit itself isn’t the problem. God put that desire in us. The problem is where we look to satisfy it. Like everything else, this God-given longing has been distorted by sin. God never designed us to pursue misery—though many Christians have assumed that. God designed us to pursue happiness in Him.

Genesis 1–2 shows humanity at its happiest: no death, no disease, no shame, no fear. We see what we were made for—and how happiness is meant to be found. God’s design is that…

We were made to “know” God “personally.”

Genesis 1:26 “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.””

Genesis 2:7 “then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”

We aren’t just animals. God makes that perfectly clear. Human beings are given dignity above all creation. Genesis 1 presents humanity as the climax of creation: more words describe us than anything else; only we bear God’s image and receive dominion; only after our creation does “good” become very good. Gazelles and rats were not made to know God—but we were. To bear God’s image is to be designed by God and for God, so that we might recognize, know, and experience Him personally.

Genesis 2 shows this even more intimately. Birds and fish, livestock and insects are created in masses—but humanity is different. God handcrafts the man from dust, brings him face-to-face, and breathes His own life into him. Man isn’t merely created alive; he is given life personally. He’s created with intimacy, for intimacy.

We were made to meet God face-to-face. And, because this is foundational, without it, every pursuit of happiness will be hollow.

We were made to “need” God “dependently.”

Genesis 1:29 “And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.”

We love autonomy. Since Josiah was born, his favorite phrase has been, “I do it myself!” But his dependence on me is one of the primary ways he comes to know and experience my love, isn’t it?

God created us dependent from the beginning. It’s our design. We can’t flourish in autonomy, and we shouldn’t want to. Through dependence on God, we come to know and experience His love. The word “given” shows three things: we need food, we cannot self-actualize it, and God delights to provide.

So, think about that: We’re handcrafted by God with limitations because we are designed to enjoy God’s care. We were handcrafted to receive, not just to achieve. When we yell at him, “I do it myself!” we’re further from flourishing, not closer to it. And, it’s because we’re stepping outside of God’s design. Our attempts to re-engineer what God has handcrafted inevitably leads to malfunction.”

You see, we were made to know God personally and need God dependently BECAUSE…

We were made to “enjoy” God “deeply.”

Genesis 1:31 “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

Genesis 2:8 “And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.”

Think about where God placed the man and woman. He does not place man in a wilderness or a barren land, but in a garden. In Hebrew thought, a garden represents a flourishing environment—one that isn’t wild, but cultivated. The Garden was “planted.” It’s marked by abundance, beauty, and enjoyment, not mere survival. God intentionally created a world that could be delighted in. Then He called it “good”—a qualitative judgment, recognizing that this space was not only functional, but flourishing. After planting the garden, God made humanity in His image so that we could do what no other creature can: recognize that it is good and truly enjoy it.

Enjoyment is distinctively human. Other creatures may know pleasure, but they don’t know enjoyment. You see, our delight in creation is meant to lead us to a qualitative judgment about the Creator. And, the highest qualitative judgment a person can make about God is not merely acknowledgment, but deep and grateful enjoyment of His goodness. A bride feels most loved when her husband delights in her. A child feels most treasured when you light up with joy when you see them come through the door. A friend feels most deeply valued when you enjoy spending time with them and seek out opportunities to do it.

So let me ask: does that describe your relationship with God? Do you enjoy Him? God is worth more than a checklist. He is worthy of our delight. The chief end of man isn’t to achieve—it’s to enjoy God. And that’s why you want to be happy.

The enjoyment of God is the starting line for the human flourishing, but it isn’t the finish line. We’re also designed to..

“Share” life.

Genesis 2:18 “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.””

We’ve already noticed the refrain that echoes through the creation account: day after day, God speaks, creation comes from nothing, and the refrain is repeated—“And God saw that it was good.” Until we get to Genesis 2. Suddenly, there’s a jarring break. For the first time, we hear: “It is not good.” And this is before sin. Nothing has gone wrong yet. So what isn’t good? “It is not good that man should be alone.”

Think about that. Adam is alive. He’s walking and talking with God. He’s in the perfect garden. And yet, it’s still not good. He’s surviving, but he’s not thriving. God’s design isn’t complete yet.

How many of us feel that way? Surviving, maybe even successful, maybe even admired—but lonely, disconnected, longing for more. You might look around at a life that seems like Eden to everyone else, and yet inside you feel the ache: it’s not good for man to be alone.

This is because…

Together, we “display” God’s image.

Genesis 1:26–27 “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.”

What does it mean that “in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them?” Well, John 4 tells us that “God is spirit.” So, to be made in God’s image can’t be meant to highlight the physical features of men and women. That isn’t what’s meant by “in his own image.” No, the likeness to God isn’t found in the physical features; it’s found in the relational one. God exists in community. “Let US make man in OUR image after OUR likeness.” I take this to be a reference to God as three persons — Father, Son, and Spirit — existing in perfect, harmonious, eternal community. And, this is why it isn’t “good” that the man is alone. Imagine trying to see the full picture of a puzzle with only half the pieces. You might have some shape, some color, but the image is incomplete. That’s Adam alone. Alive, but not flourishing. Only when the other pieces—Eve, community—are in place does the full image of God get displayed. And, it’s not good.

That is, one of the ways that we put on display the manifold glories of our God is through our bond with one another. Alone, the image is incomplete. We can only fully display God’s image together. So, that’s a core part of our mission statement. “We exist to make flourishing disciples through the enjoyment of God, TOGETHER.” Alone, you might be survive. Alone, you might be able to attain all of the world’s benchmarks. But, God would say that “It’s not good” because you’ll never flourish alone. Flourishing is never a solo project. And so, we exist to stamp out the loneliness that exists in homes and offices all of over Shelby County. We exist to make sure that you’re not alone.

And, you’ll notice..

Together, we “share” responsibilities.

Genesis 1:26 “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.””

Genesis 1:28 “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.””

Genesis 2:18–22 “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.”

God doesn’t just put the man in the Garden. He gives him a job. And that’s part of why it isn’t good that the man is alone. Adam has been created with limitations. He needs a helper who is “fit for him”—someone who complements him, completes him, someone who makes it possible for him to flourish.

This is bigger than marriage alone. Paul commended singleness, but he never commended loneliness. God says, “Let them have dominion… be fruitful and multiply.” When God watches Adam doing the work of naming the animals, He sees something missing. There’s no helper fit for him. God’s design is that we fit together, with all our strengths and weaknesses, so we can meet our responsibilities together.

Think about our church. We have 250 kids and students under our care. What happens if we don’t share that responsibility? If we just hand families the Bible and say, “It’s all in here—good luck”? Sure, they might survive. But they probably won’t thrive. Now, what if we throw a few paid, dedicated workers at the task and call it done? Again, the familes will survive and the workers will survive—but none of them will flourish.

But what if we all share this responsibility? What if we combine our experiences, gifts, and yes, even our limitations, to “exercise dominion” over our family ministries together? Then we create an environment where families flourish, workers flourish, and you flourish. This is God’s design!

We live in a world full of counterfeit connection. Social media has trained us to mistake likes, comments, and virtual communities for real relationships. It’s no accident—these platforms are engineered to hijack the dopamine in your brain. You post a photo of your studly husband eating a steak by the beach on vacation. Someone clicks “like.” For a moment, it feels good—dopamine spikes. But it crashes fast. And just like that, you’re craving another like, another comment, another post. It feels like connection, but it’s hollow. It leaves you hungry for something real. Real, face-to-face friendship works differently. It releases serotonin, a chemical that bonds us. Imagine that same vacation—but this time, you’re there with friends. You share that perfect steak, you laugh until your cheeks hurt, you talk late into the night, and you text each other the next day. That serotonin builds something lasting. It shapes your week. It shapes your heart. It shapes your life.

Here’s the point: imitation communities create imitation flourishing. God designed life to be lived together. We are meant to share our lives, our responsibilities, our joys, and our burdens. That’s the path to true flourishing. Alone, you may survive. Together, you thrive.

And then, finally, I want you to see that God’s design for human flourishing is to enjoy God, share life, and…

“Make” disciples.

(Show King Mswati’s photo) For the last twelve years or so, I’ve had the opportunity to go to a little, landlocked country in southern Africa called Swaziland. Swaziland is the last absolute monarchy on the continent of Africa, meaning the king owns the country and has absolute authority to do as he pleases. And, whenever you cross the border or enter into any government owned building, do you know what you see? His picture. And, his picture being spread throughout the country is meant to show the extent of his authority and reign.

This is an ancient practice that helps us to understand Genesis 1. You see, what a king would do is he would conquer a new area, and then he would send a governor to rule it the way that he intends. And, that governor would hang a picture or build a statue that allowed everyone to know by whose authority and for whose glory he was ruling. And, this helps us understand who we are as image bearers with a mandate.

We have a “mandate.”

Genesis 1:28 “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.””

Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””

Matthew 28:18–20 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

Acts 6:7 “And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.”

You see, as image-bearers of God, we are set apart from the rest of creation to rule over it under His authority. And here’s the key: we don’t just hang God’s picture on the wall. We are His picture. His glory shines through us. His life, His character, His image is displayed in how we live. And God calls us to multiply—not just in number, but in influence—so that the whole earth might see His dominion and be filled with His glory.

Genesis 1:28 is often called the “cultural mandate.” It’s God’s charge to Adam and Eve to spread His rule and build a culture that honors Him. Notice how it flows out of God’s blessing: He blesses them so that they can bless the earth.That same promise echoes in God’s covenant with Abraham: “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

How does this blessing happen? Through Jesus—and through us. Here we see the seedlings of the Great Commission. In the New Covenant, Jesus clarifies the mandate, sending us out with His authority to make disciples, empowered by His continual presence. We are sent to spread God’s glory through the Good News of Jesus, so the world might know His dominion and glory.

So here’s the truth: we have a mandate, and that mandate gives us a mission. A mission to make flourishing disciples through the enjoyment of God, together. It’s a mission that calls us first to flourish, and then to work through us so our kids, our neighbors, and our community can flourish too.

We have a “path.”

And, when you think of it, God’s design for human flourishing forms a path for our lives to take. And, it’s a path that we can take our kids down and classmates down and friends down, too. The path is to enjoy God, share life, and make disciples. This will become the new discipleship pathway of the Orchard so that we can accomplish our mission of making flourishing disciples through the enjoyment of God, together.

(slide) Harvard Professor, Arthur Brooks, studies happiness for a living. He teaches on it every day. And, he says that all of the neuroscience says that you happiness can boiled down to four components: 1) Faith 2) Family 3) Friendship 4) Work. And, you know, when you think about it, what we learn is that the neuroscience is just confirming the design that we find in Genesis. Faith is the enjoyment of God. Family and friends is the sharing of life. Work is living on God’s mission. Dr. Brooks says that if you want to be truly happy and joyful, these are the areas where you need to make the biggest investment, or in our terms that this is the path you want to spend your time and energy on. But, he also says that an analysis of our culture shows that these are the exact areas in which we are seeing decline: There’s less faith. There’s less marriage. There are few children. Friendships are digital. And, it’s becoming harder to add value to your life or serve others through work. So, he says, the happiness indices all show decline since 1990. We’re all just less happy. People are just surviving, not thriving. The beautiful homes of Collierville and Germantown are filled with people unraveling on the inside. And, we have the Good News of joy in Christ to share with them. Let’s get to work.