Creation - Not Some Story

ILLUST: “Run” definitions - I found 32 in a printed dictionary, and 148 online - each appropriate and used properly

(SLIDE) - OPENING SLIDE OF CASTLES

READ: Genesis 1 (pause at v. 16)

1) Non-Biblical Creation Views

(SLIDE - VIEWS)

Secular evolution - universe self-existent, everything came from nothing, must agree to a ZERO starting point

Day-age - day =era, or thousands/millions of years

Theistic Evolution - God created initial stuff, then let evolution take it from there

(SLIDE - Gap theory)

Gap theory - Gen. 1:1 is one creation, Gen 1:2 is another, with Satan’s fall in between

PROBLEM WITH ALL - Death before sin- MAJOR Biblical doctrine - it matters

PROBLEM - Churches teach these, because they don’t trust and defend God’s Word!

The Truth

We take God’s Word literally - I am not ashamed of that

“Yom”

Day, uses in Bible, uses in OT

Hebrew lesson - when “yom” is used with a specific nominal (1st, 2nd, etc.), ALWAYS means a literal rotation of the earth “day.”

(SLIDE)- summary of Gen 1 use of yom

(SLIDE) - why question Genesis?

6000 years ago- see 1 Kings 6:1

1 Kings 6:1 NASB95

Now it came about in the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord.

2) Basic Truths Tied to Creation

Animal “kinds”

Humans are NOT animals - God’s image

Dominion of mankind

(SLIDE) Gender- Male and Female

42 passages in God’s Word

Jesus quotes and repeats in

Matthew 19:4 NASB95

And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female,

Mark 10:6 NASB95

“But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.

3) The Importance of Creation

Foundational to rest of Scripture - Creation repeated to His people over and over

This is what we need to be learning, and teaching the next generation

People worship Creation instead of Creator

People worship self, and people are just created beings

Psalm19:1 tells us Creation points to God and His Glory

Psalm 19:1 NASB95

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

Psalm 14:1 NASB95

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.

Romans 1:20 NASB95

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

People are without excuse when they see Creation

2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB95

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

When people see you, do they see this new creature, this new creation?

People should see us, experience us, rub shoulders with us, and see the glory of God, the glory of the Creator.

So, just as people see Creation around them, evidence of God, they need to see that evidence of Him in us.

(SLIDE) When our children are faced with the evil of the world, can they survive, spiritually?

(SLIDE) Salt and light

Then, remember, God said you are salt, you are light

Salt and light have PURPOSE

Jesus said ”Let there be light” (separate from darkness)

Jesus said “You are …light” (to show the way out of darkness)

Let’s light our world!