MTI – Foundations

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Responding to God in Faithful Living “Foundations” Text: Genesis 1-2 Message #2

FOUNDATIONS – CREATION Introduction 1. Good morning. Kids in grades 1-6, in case you are new, we have available to you an activity sheet. You will have the most success filling it in if you listen to me. And if you are able to get the two mystery words correct, after the service I will have a little gift for you – when you turn in your activity sheet to me. I’ll be at the door. Deal? Now here’s a hint for those mystery words. The first word means to make something. The second word is what God used to make everything. If you’re not sure, keep listening. I’ll help you out. 2. This series is called “Foundations” because this is about the basics, the bedrock, the foundation of what we believe about the Gospel. It is important for us to understand these foundations in order that we might better understand God’s plan and purpose for us, and so we can accurately share the good news with others. 3. This series has been adapted from a study developed by New Tribes Mission. The primary source for this series is a workbook called Firm Foundations: Creation to Christ. It was developed by a missionary who was struggling with how to share the gospel with people who had never heard the story of redemption and who had no orientation to the Bible. 4. The reason we are looking at this is because it is possible that some of you really do not know much about this even if you have been attending church for years. And second, this should provide a pattern for sharing the gospel with our increasingly secular, post-modern society. Last week we explored the truth, “In the beginning, God…” Today we will finish the sentence as we consider God as the creator. The evolutionists would have us believe that “nobody times nothing equals everything.” We believe, “In the beginning God created…” That makes way more sense! 4. Much of what we consider today is designed to lead us to the conclusion that God is an omnipotent, sovereign God. We will also be introduced to the seriousness of rebellion against God. We start with the truth that God created everything. He made everything. To create means to make. God made everything out of nothing! 1

I. GOD CREATED THE SPIRIT BEINGS – LUCIFER REBELLED A. Where did angels come from? What about the existence of the devil? B. God created all of these spirit beings and they were created to serve Him. (There is some controversy as to when they were created. Some would place the creation of the spirit beings prior to the Genesis 1 account. Job 38:4-7 would be used as a proof text to show that the angels were witnesses to the creation of the earth. I believe that is also possible within the context of the six days of creation. On the first day (in the beginning) God created the heavens and the earth. Included in the “heavens” were the angels. Then they watched in wonder as God formed and filled His creation). C. The spirit beings were created with great wisdom and strength. They lived in heaven and were innumerable (Rev. 5:11). In the Bible they are called spirits, angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, the host of the Lord, the host of heaven, powers, principalities, rulers in high places, stars or morning stars. Though angels are powerful, they are created beings. Only God is eternal. Only God has life in Himself; only He is self-existent. The angels, like everything else, were created for God’s glory. They had the capacity and the assignment to worship God. D. Lucifer was an angel who rebelled against God, leading other angels to follow him. Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14 may provide some insight into the origin, rebellion and character of Satan. Notice the “I will’s” of Satan in Isaiah 14:13,14 - You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ E. God knew all about that rebellion before it happened (in fact all was included in His plan). He removed Lucifer and his followers from their positions as God’s servants. (Note such passages as Job 1:6-7 - Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” There are many theological questions raised with the entrance of evil into the world through this rebellious angel that are not easily answered. If God knew all about this and He is sovereign and He plans all things according to His purposes, 2

why did He permit this rebellion and why does He yet allow it? The Bible often states truths about God but does not necessarily fill in all the whys. We could speculate (and sometimes we do). It is best to begin with what is clearly stated in the Scripture. God is sovereign. He works everything according to His plan, according to His purpose. He planned all of this before the foundation of the world. Therefore, logically, rebellion, the entrance of sin into the human race, etc., all had to be in His plan before He began to create. There are some credible reasons for God doing this, but they are more speculation than certainty. God has chosen not to reveal certain things about Himself or His plan and purpose. Truly His ways are not our ways, and some secret things belong alone to God. We don’t need to be able to answer all of the questions concerning the entrance of evil into the creation when sharing the good news. We do need to introduce the fact that evil did enter God’s perfect creation, corrupting that creation. Further those who have rebelled (both angels and people) are held responsible for their rebellion and will be judged accordingly. It was included in God’s plan before the beginning, but the Bible is clear that God is not to be held responsible as the author of sin. F. God prepared a Lake of Fire for Lucifer and his angel cohorts (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10). G. Lucifer and his fallen angel followers hate God – and they always will! II. GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH A. God created the heavens and the earth and in six days formed and filled them. 1. There are many theories concerning the origin of the universe. The purpose is not to discuss the various theories but to look honestly at the text, considering what God has revealed concerning origins. What is taught in Genesis is upheld throughout the remainder of the Bible affirmed by other Bible writers including the testimony of Jesus Himself. 2. In the beginning, God … reminds us of the supreme, sovereign God. Genesis means beginnings or origins. Created here means “to make out of nothing.” 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. 3. When God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was without form and empty. The earth was covered in darkness. It may also have been covered by 3

water. There was no dry land. There was no life of any kind. God (the Holy Spirit) hovered over the earth and was ready to form and fill the earth. The Trinity participated in this mighty act of creation. B. God formed and filled His creation on day one through six of the creation week. 1. Day one – Genesis 1:3-5. On this first day, light was created. God spoke and it was done. Everything He did was good (perfect). 2. Day two – Genesis 1:6-8. The firmament is created. On the second day, in effect, God created the air and the sky. In the atmosphere God placed some of the water from the world He had created. Again, God spoke and it was perfectly completed. 3. Day three – Genesis 1:9-13 Dry land, the ocean and all flora was created. Note also Psalm 95:5. God gathered the water together and made dry land appear. He made all of the plants and trees. Keep in mind that God needed nothing, but He made everything for His own good pleasure. He also made them for that which He would create later. It is interesting that what He made is marked by His design. All plants were beneficial. Apparently thorns and weeds did not exist. No fruit was poisonous. Everything was perfect. 4. Day four – Genesis 1:14-19 The sun, moon and stars are created. We are becoming increasingly aware of the vastness of the heavens. The more we explore, the more we discover. It is without doubt that the angels watched in wonder as God continued to form and fill the heavens and the earth. I love the economy of words in verse 16 – “And the stars.” There are billions of them…”and the stars.” Once again the power and omnipresence of God are in focus. (See Isaiah 44:24 - I am the LORD, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself; Jeremiah 23:24 - Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD; Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (If you are still having trouble with God created and still think everything got here by chance…you may find this quite interesting from C. S. Lewis. "If the solar system was brought about an accidental collision, then the appearance of organic life on this planet was also an accident and the whole evolution of man was also an accident. If so, then all our present thoughts are accidents. The accidental byproduct of the 4

movement of atoms, this holds for the thoughts of the materialists and astronomers as well as for everybody else. But if their thoughts are merely accidents, why should we believe any of them? I see no reason for believing that one accident should be able to give me a correct account of all the other accidents." No, not an accident! The sun, moon and even the stars were the creative work of almighty God! 5. Day five – Genesis 1:20-23. All sea life and all birds were created. The process of forming and filling continues. The seas and the skies were literally “swarming” or “teeming” with life! 6. Day six – Genesis 1:24-31. The creation of the animal world and the creation of man - We will look at the creation of man in a few minutes. The power and greatness of God continues to be in focus. Everything God made was perfect and good. The evidences of God’s existence, His infinite power and knowledge, His love, His orderliness and His holiness surround us. Though creation cannot be scientifically proven because it cannot be repeated, it can be taken by faith, but that faith is based on the evidence of what exists and the account of the beginning as recorded in the Bible. Man is unable to manufacture a better description of how everything got here! It happened just as God revealed and recorded here in the book of Genesis. III. GOD CREATED MAN (Day six continued) (This is the climax of the creation account). A. Man is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). God alone decided how all things would be made, and He made man so that man would be able to know God and communicate with God. Such likeness would be used to praise and glorify God. 1. To be created in God’s image was not related to physical appearance. God is spirit. God does not have a body of flesh and bones – at least not until the incarnation. This likeness is reflected in the immaterial part of man. 2. Man’s mind and will and emotions were made in God’s image. No doubt there is much more that could be said here, but this is enough for now. B. Man is created from the ground (Genesis 1:27; 2:7). Man was made first. On the same day, a little later in the day, God made woman. God made the man’s body and then breathed into him the breath of God and then man became a living 5

being. Only God can give life. Adam was the first and only man that God created from the ground. After God made one man, and one woman from the man (so that all would be related and connected to Adam) He then commanded them to “procreate” children, to fill the earth with people. C. Man is set as manager over God’s earthly creation. Man was put in charge of the earth and everything in it. God did not give this responsibility to angels or animals or any other created being, but to man. Everything that God made was good. IV. GOD, THE GARDEN AND THE CREATION OF EVE A. His completion of creation – God finished making all He had planned to create. B. His rest from creation (seventh day) – In six days God created it all. On the seventh day He rested. He rested not because He was tired from all of the work of creation. He is all-powerful and His power is not diminished with effort or time. God rested because He was finished. (An important point just mentioned here that will surface later, is that the there was a mist that watered the creation. There was no rain prior to the time of Noah. Also it should be noted that in chapter one, God is referred to primarily as God. From this point on, He is referred to as LORD or LORD God). C. The garden – Genesis 2:1-9, 16-17. Adam was given this beautiful garden. It was full of vegetables and fruit – all that Adam could want. Adam was placed in this garden that was called Eden. (Note God put Adam there. God has the right to do what He wants to do. Since He made Adam, Adam belonged to Him). Adam was given the assignment of caring for the garden. It was not difficult work for there were no weeds or other pests to consider. D. The prohibition and promised judgment – We are introduced to the “tree of life” and the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” These will be seen again. Clear instructions were given. Adam had the freedom to do almost anything, but there was one prohibition. He was told that if he should eat of the tree of knowledge, that he would die. (The same is true today. If we disobey – if we sin, we will die). Adam had the choice to obey or disobey. Adam did not know anything as bad or evil because God had given him everything that was good. The promised judgment, death, meant at least two things. Disobedience would lead to a separation from God and an eventual separation from the body. This separation from God would be permanent and eternal. 6

E. The naming of the animals – God had placed Adam as master over all of the animals. It made sense that Adam should be the one to name them. Who else? God could have named them and then taught Adam, but He gave Adam the job. Actually, by carefully considering the animals (which had been created male and female), he was made aware that there was no other creature like himself. There was no female “Adam.” So God put Adam into a deep sleep and took from Adam a rib. From that rib He fashioned a woman. The woman was a gift from God to man. (Ladies, it is okay to remind your husbands of that)! F. The creation of Eve – When Adam awoke from his deep sleep, he was introduced to his suitable helper. God made the first man and the first woman and He brought them together into a monogamous relationship. He commanded them to “be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.” This was the beginning of the intended marriage relationship between one man and one woman. It was intended to be for life. Adam and Eve were naked. They were unaware of their condition and they were without any embarrassment. They had been given everything they needed. God had surrounded them with beauty and abundance far beyond their physical needs. They could communicate with God. There was no sickness or difficulty. Their work was not hard. Though God had made them rulers over His creation, He was present with them face to face to guide them in their every decision and to offer to them His companionship. That is God as the creator. CONCLUSION 1. Now what do we make of all of this, and why is this so important to know in the presentation of the Gospel? It establishes God as the sovereign creator of all things including human beings. We are not now, nor have we ever been free to do what we wanted without consequence. God, as creator, has the perfect right to say and do whatever He desires toward His creation. 2. God established mankind. He established the family. He designed it and defined it. It was intended that marriage be controlled and directed by God, with the family sharing an intimate relationship with God. That is where we must begin. “In the beginning, God created…” 3. Certainly this is not the completed story of the gospel, but it is important to establish God as the final authority and the first cause of all that exists. If we begin there, we 7

are well on our way to understanding what God expects us to understand about His purposes. 4. Everything God made was perfect, but something went terribly wrong. Things went so awry that everything in all of creation was affected. What happened? Stay tuned. 5. If we are to share the Gospel, it starts with God. He is the absolute authority. He controls everything. He has the right to make all the demands. Further as the Sovereign controller of the universe, He also made everything that exists. He has the right to do with the things that He made anything He wants. And we have no right to challenge Him. “Does the clay have the right to challenge the potter? That is where God’s revelation began and that needs to be the start of the presentation of the Gospel. If we start with god, we will get to where we need to go. If we fail to start there, we will wander far away from the truth of God and His plan for our redemption.

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