WEEK 1 - HIS WORD – THE GENESIS

We Can Only Clami to follow Christ IF WE TRUST in the Scriptures as confidently as Jesus and his Apostles did:

(Hosea 4:1-7)  Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: "There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. 2 There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. 3 Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying. 4 "But let no man bring a charge, let no man accuse another, for your people are like those who bring charges against a priest. 5 You stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with you. So I will destroy your mother-- 6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. 7 The more the priests increased, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful.

(John 8:28-32)  So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him." 30 Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him. 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

(James 1:17-18)  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

truth - The quality or state of being true -- that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality  -  a fact or belief that is accepted as true

Introduction

Go 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 there be light," and there was light.  Genesis 1:1-3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  John 1:1-4

The best known reference to creation in the Bible is Genesis 1

Psalmists mentioned creation or the Creator frequently (Pss. 8 4 74 95

100:3 104:24  118:24 40:5 51:10; 64:9; 24:1-2; 102:25; 145:10)

The second half of Isaiah (chs. 40-66) has four direct references to creation

The OT is consistent in its use of the verb "create" (bara').

        - Only God serves as subject of the verb

        - Creation is the work of God

        - People may "make" ('asah) and "form" (yatsar)  BUT

        God alone creates (bara').

Job alluded to creation in two speeches (Job 10:8; 26:7), and God's answer to Job contains one reference to the subject (Job 38:4).

The NT reveals that Jesus "made" all things (John 1:3) and that "all things were created by him, and for him"

Luke testified that the living God "made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein" (Acts 14:15)

Paul's assertion recorded in Ephesians 3:9 is that God "created all things"

The writer of Hebrews - Jesus was the agent God used to create the world

Because God created all things, He is worthy of "glory and honor and power" (Rev. 4:11)

The consistent report of the Bible is that God is the Source of the whole created order.

I.  We Exist On More Than Food And Water

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Matthew 4:1-11

II.  Scripture was written down by humans—but, it was dictated

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16-17

REBUKE -  express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behavior or actions

RIGHTEOUSNESS - (of EITHER a person or conduct) morally right or justifiable ; virtuous - Having or showing high moral standards

Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:20-21

III.  We Too Must Open Our Minds To Understand

He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:44-45

Conclusion

The bible clearly presents itself as God’s own revelation for humanity—although documented by human hands.  Is this your  basis to understand, glorify, and serve God?  Our Christian walk and our faith can never be stronger than our foundation.

True faith must be founded on a fully inspired Bible