SEARCH THE VISIBLE, DISCOVER THE INVISIBLE (VBS SERMON)

Introduction

-On a nice, clear night, it is always a treat to stare at the wonders of the star-filled sky. As long as they are not shrouded because of city lights, one can stand amazed and wonder what these lights in space would look like close up.

-Many have taken up a hobby of looking through a telescope and charting the stars—and it is mind-boggling to think that what we are able to see with the naked eye is only a small percentage of the heavenly bodies that actually exist.

-Scientists, wanting to see more, have created remarkable inventions that help us get a closer look at what the universe consists of. One such invention is the Hubble Space Telescope that was launched into orbit in 1990 and is still sending back to earth amazing images of space phenomena. If you take some time to look at its website, you will see wonders beyond the imagination that exist in the expanses of space.

-From staring into space while lying on our backs in the grass, to setting up telescopes, to looking online to see the new discoveries found by scientists and their technological marvels, it has never been easier to search the universe and discover what is there.

-Mankind has always had a fascination of staring up in space to gaze at the stars and read the heavens, but unfortunately, most of mankind have missed the message that it is telling. What too many people think is nothing more than a cosmic accident, is actually a visible indication of an invisible reality.

-When we look at that which is visible up in the sky, or even the beautiful sceneries here on earth, what we find is that if we look close enough we are able to discover the invisible that made it all possible—the God who created all things for Himself.

-This sermon today serves to set up our Vacation Bible School studies this week. What the kids in VBS are going to discover these next few days, and what I hope you discover in part today, is that when your eyes search through the visible, if your heart is open to it you will discover the invisible God behind it all.

Psalm 19:1–11 ESV

1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. 6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

I) Creation declares God’s existence and power

-Verses 1-6 testify to the fact that creation declares the fact of God and the glory of God. This is possible because God, by the power of His Word, created everything that exists.

-God made this vast universe filled with creations and creatures that proclaim Him, be it the tiniest microbe on our planet to the largest galaxy in space.

-What the psalmist is saying is that all of creation is giving a revelation about God—it reveals God’s existence, as well as some general attributes that He holds. Without speaking an actual audible word, creation speaks volumes about the invisible hand that created a visible universe.

-Paul talks some more about this in Romans 1, where he said:

Romans 1:19–20 (ESV)

19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

-What this is often referred to as is GENERAL REVELATION or NATURAL REVELATION—it speaks to the fact that the universe was created by God, and thus carries His fingerprints all over it.

-Just as art critics are able to tell who a painter is just by looking at a painting because he has a certain style and his work always carries with it certain key attributes, so all of humanity ought to look at the canvas of the universe and be able to tell that there is a God who is powerful enough to make all these things.

-But the fact of creation does not merely declare that God exists, it tells us some things about this God.

-First, according to Paul, the universe declares that God is eternal. When one looks at the sky, no matter how vast it truly is, we know that there is a limit to it in some way. There actually is an edge to the universe. And not only that, time (which is related to space) is limited as well. But a universe built on space and time could not have been created by a Being who is Himself limited by space and time like it is. Therefore, we know that the God who created the universe is eternal==meaning, without any of the same limitations of His creation. God is separate from His creation, and is not limited in the same way as His creation.

-But the universe doesn’t only declare His eternality, it also declares His power. Imagine the might and power to be able to create this vast universe. All of the suns and planets and moons and stars, as well as phenomena in space such as nebulae and black holes, were created by Him. That means that this God has more power than all the powers of the universe combined.

-To the finite human mind, this is impossible to grasp. And yet when you look out into space and consider the power that it took to create such a universe, the only possible explanation is a God that is more powerful than it all.

-Paul also says that his divine nature can be perceived—that is, when one considers the Creator of the universe, you know that He has to be a god—and not just any god, but THE GOD—for there can be no divine being more powerful than He. No puny finite being could have done what has been done, but rather there must be an UNCREATED CREATOR of the universe; there must be an UNCAUSED CAUSE of all that exists; there must be an UNMOVED MOVER that keeps the universe going. Only the ultimate divine being can fit that bill.

-So as the Psalmist has said, when you look to the sky, and see the sun and stars and moon, they are declaring the glory of God and speaking loudly that there is an invisible reality that is behind everything.

-But the fact that most people refuse to see these revelations supports some of Paul’s other words, like in Romans 1:18 where he says that even though mankind can see the truth, in their unrighteousness they suppress this truth—and he describes this suppression in Romans 1:21-23 where he says:

Romans 1:21–23 ESV

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

-So general / natural revelation declares God’s existence and some attributes, and it even demonstrates that something has gone horribly wrong, but it cannot tell us what the problem is, nor can it tell us what the solution is.

-There must be something else that is visible to us that can tell us about these invisible truths. And there is in the Word of God. So we need to secondly consider:

II) Scripture reveals God’s plan, will, and character

-Since mankind suppresses the truth found in creation, and they have darkened their mind such that they do not completely get the message that is declared, God specially revealed Himself through chosen people, such as His chosen nation of Israel and through chosen prophets who were His mouthpiece.

-Through this special revelation God makes Himself known more personally and intimately, and He makes known His standards, His plans, His will, His laws, and His commandments.

-In vv. 7-11 of Psalm 19 the psalmist talks about this revelation of God through chosen vessels that were to be recorded and kept for humanity to learn and follow. This is known as special revelation, since God specifically reveals certain things about Himself, about the nature of reality, about humanity’s problem, and about God’s plan to solve humanity’s problem. And all of this special revelation has been collected into what we call the Bible.

-Through the Bible, God gives us the history of His work in creation, as well as His plan of redemption==that is, the way He is going to make things right.

-From this special revelation we learn that although there is only One God, there are three Persons within that Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father, through the Son, created everything that exists, as the apostle John tells us:

John 1:1–3 (ESV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

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

-We also learn that the epitome of this creation is humanity, for God created humanity in His image to enjoy a special friendship and love relationship with Him that would last forever, and God gave man dominion over all of creation:

Genesis 1:26–27 (ESV)

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.”

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

-But then through special revelation we learn that the first man and woman rebelled against God’s commandments, introducing sin into the entire universe, and passing along a sin nature to all of their descendants. Every person has this sin nature and is unable to keep God’s righteous standard:

Romans 3:23 (ESV)

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

-This sinful nature causes us to think, say, and do things that go against God and His holiness:

Romans 3:10–12 (ESV)

10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

-This sin separates all of humanity from God, who is a just God and must do something to meet His divine justice, and the answer is pour out His righteous wrath upon all mankind:

Romans 6:23 (ESV)

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

~This not only entails physical death, but also includes spiritual death, which is an eternal separation from God goodness, righteousness, love, and mercy

-Yet, special revelation does not stop the story there, for it tells us that God Himself did something to rescue humanity.

-God the Son came to earth in the form of a man. Thus Jesus is the perfect God-man:

John 1:14 (ESV)

14 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.

-Because He is God, Jesus never sinned and did not deserve to die. Yet Jesus made the choice to die on our behalf as our substitute, not only physically dying but also experiencing God’s wrath for sin while on the cross. He subsequently was raised from the dead to prove that God’s forgiveness is available to everyone.

Colossians 1:19–20 (ESV)

19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

-Being rescued from the penalty and power of our own personal sin can only come through Jesus Christ. Only by faith and trust in Jesus Christ can we have forgiveness of sin and be granted eternal life.

John 3:16 (ESV)

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 14:6 (ESV)

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

-This whole plan of salvation cannot be found in the universe—general revelation does not tell us this—that is why there is a need for special revelation.

-But you can see, as Psalm 19 so eloquently puts it in poetic fashion, that together general revelation and special revelation helps us discover the truths of the invisible==God and His works and ways.

Conclusion

-This is where our Vacation Bible School this week is headed

-In particular, here are the five lessons that the kids will learn this week:

~on Monday they will learn that the God who created everything wants a personal relationship with each and every human.

~on Tuesday they will learn that sin broke that relationship, but, even so, God is still in control.

~on Wednesday they will learn that God sent His Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of the world.

~on Thursday they will learn that Jesus gave His life to be everyone’s Savior in order to restore the relationship that was lost

~on Friday they will learn that even when they mess up (like everybody does) God still loves them and will never leave them

-Those are important messages, and they are all true for you. God created you to relate with you, but sin prevents that. When you trust in Jesus, the relationship is restored. If you have never trusted in Jesus Christ, today is the day.

-Maybe as a Christian you have shied away from God because of sin, but God wants you to know that He still loves you and will never leave you. So maybe you need to come to the altar today to receive some reassurance of Christ’s love for you.