God Created

Good morning, welcome, please open your Bibles to Genesis 1.

Read Genesis 1:1- “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

Pray.

Reminder- Glorifying God can be defined as having God-adoring thoughts.

Last week- Eternity and preeminence of God.

This week, we turn our attention to the creative work of God.

Last week, who God is. This week, what God does.

Question to be answered- When we contemplate God’s act of creation, in which direction should our minds be driven?

We don’t want to be unaffected by the Word of God.

Head, Heart, Hands. Learn something, feel something, do something.

Every do something you didn’t want to do? Your heart and affections matter.

1. Creation points to the transcendence of God.

The “otherness” of God; that which makes God distinct from His creation.

The Bible begins with the creation of everything.

Other than the triune God (Father, Son and Spirit), everything that exists has a beginning.

Stated differently- God created ex nihilo.

Creation “from nothing”

Matter is not eternal.

Hebrews 11:3- “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”

Worship is meant to be aimed in the direction of the transcendent One.

The problem is that we have desired to worship only created things.

Romans 1:24-25- “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”

Ainesis gathering dandelions.

I’ve given you much to do- why have you plugged your ears and focused your attention on the weeds?

Creation points us to the transcendence of God, or perhaps stated even better, creation points us to the transcendent God.

2. Creation points to the wisdom of God.

When we see that God has created all things according to His own will and desire, then we find that God gives right meaning and purpose to everything.

This should be easy for us to grasp and understand, but it’s not. Why? Because we so often think according to worldly wisdom.

Me in the kitchen making tacos. I am the novice, Ali is the professional.

For many of us, we consider ourselves to be the professionals.

James 3:14-18- “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

Our kids learning the rules of grammar. We have preconceived notions of how things should work.

What are these preconceived ideas that ignore the wisdom of God?

The lie of autonomy.

I do what I want.

No, everything is a gift. We are stewards. You will be responsible to God for what you have done with what He has given you.

The lie of self-sufficiency.

We rely completely on ourselves for existence, prosperity and well being.

Find a good example in the book of Acts- the disciples of Jesus were not self-sufficient.

Acts 5:38-39- “So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice.

Wisdom to be found here- Does our life and faith depend upon our own sufficiency, or to we rely on the equipping of God through His Spirit?

Creation is meant to point us toward the wisdom of God.

3. Creation points to the beauty of God.

Consider the works of a genius.

Kandinsky- Improvisation #28.

The work of art is meant to drive us to the genius of the artist. The art should not be praised, but rather the artist.

Jonathan Edwards- “For as God is infinitely the greatest Being, so he is allowed to be infinitely the most beautiful and excellent: and all the beauty to be found throughout the whole creation is but the reflection of the diffused beams of that Being who hath an infinite fullness of brightness and glory. God is the foundation and fountain of all being and all beauty.”

Psalm 27:4- “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.”

What exactly is the beauty of the Lord? Our understanding of beauty can be pretty shallow.

Lexham Theological Workbook- “The quality of something that brings pleasure or delight to the senses, or satisfaction and meaning to the mind through its appearance, value, usefulness, or desirability; in the theological sense, this quality is exhibited by God and instilled in creation.”

The beauty of God does bring pleasure and delight to life, but even more, brings meaning and value and desirability to heart and mind.

Do we consider God to be beautiful?

Now, what are we to do with all that we have learned of God by way of His creative work?

4. Creation points to the praise of God.

As we consider both the transcendence and beauty of God, we are meant to be guided into a mentality or heart of praise and the action of worship.

Clearly shown in Scripture.

Psalm 33:1-9- “Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.”

Romans 11:36- “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

Look closely at the verse. From him and through him are all things. This highlights creation.

To him are all things- this highlights that everything created has been made with the intent of finding enjoyment, satisfaction and purpose in God alone.

How does the text end? To him be glory forever.

The creation of all things by God for the purpose of finding enjoyment and fulfillment in God is meant to bring glory to God.

But why? Why does, or should, God’s creative work elicit praise and worship from His people?

The grace of God.

The creation parallels redemption.

New creation.

2 Corinthians 5:16-18- “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;”

What does God do in saving sinners? He creates, ex nihilo.

Nothing good or righteous in us. Complete death. And God speaks life where there was none.

All Creatures of Our God and King by William Henry Draper based on a poem by Francis of Assisi- “Let all things their Creator bless, And worship Him in humbleness, O praise Him! Alleluia! Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son, And praise the Spirit, Three in One! O praise Him, Alleluia!”