This is a new sermon seires Called “Origin Story”, In the Begining, Genesis 1:1-25, June 14, You can watch more here.
This last week I was in Panama City Beach, Florida with my son. I know, last month Hawaii.
This month Florida. It’s tough. We were there because my son was invited by a friend and
by default the dad gets to come. Does that make sense? Two dads, two friends, in Florida!
On one day we did this 60-person fishing trip where we get up early, get on the boat, and
everyone is excited. But about an hour into the trip my son’s friend started to feel a little
woozy. Then, the person on his left just started throwing up over the boat. Good morning!
Eventually my son’s friend switched spots with his dad to be in a different location, but
then that person on his right started to throw up, so that eventually the sea sickness came
for him, and pretty soon this great fishing trip outing with his friend, two hours from home,
turned into a survival trip.
When we open Genesis 1, it starts off with chaos. There’s no garden. There’s no Adam and
Eve. It’s darkness, formless, and void. Right? But the God of Scripture isn’t worried. He
knows what He is doing. He knows what He is making. Write that down in your notes!
It’s possible some of us walked in this morning feeling a little noxious from life? Maybe it
feels like you’ve been tossed around? (Paul!) Right now, our church family is going
through some rock’n and roll’n, and sometimes we can start to feel a little sea sick! But the
God of Scripture isn’t worried. He knows what He is doing. He knows what He is making.
He’s not done yet! Amen? Let’s look at Genesis 1:1:
Genesis 1:1, “1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Did you hear those words, “In the beginning God created?” Those 5 words tell us so much!
Listen to me, we can look at this world today and all its chaos, but He didn’t create a world
of chaos.
He created the world to be perfect. He didn’t have to create. He could have been
indifferent. He could have done other things with His time, but instead, “In the beginning
He creates!” This is so important!
Recently, I was talking with a friend about the character of God and when I mentioned that
God is holy he said, “How do we know God is holy?” Isn’t that a great question? I had never
been asked that question.
When someone told me that God was holy I remember thinking, “That makes sense.” But
when my friend asked the question I didn’t have an answer. I knew he didn’t want chapter
and verse from the Bible as an answer, so at the time I just said, “Shut up, He’s holy!”
But, I’ve been thinking about that question, and when I get a chance to talk to him again I
would say, “We know God is holy, because look at what He created.” Humanity can’t create
one of these!
I know, our schools teach us that all of creation just spontaneously combusted into
existence, but that’s foolish. You don’t walk down the street and stumble upon an iPhone
and think, “I bet wind and sand were blowing so hard it created the iPhone!” No, someone
or something had to create what we see, and verse 1 says, “In the beginning God created.”
Let’s look at verse 2:
Genesis 1:2, “2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the
deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.”
Now, because many of us went to college and read some books, we tend to read Genesis 1
and think to ourselves, “What about evolution? Is this allegorical? Is this 24-hour period?”
But, when Genesis 1 was recorded, it wasn’t trying to answer all of our scientific questions.
This isn’t because God’s Word isn’t reliable and authoritative. The book of Genesis wasn’t
written to be a scientific book. The words were written to point us toward the glory and
awe of God as our Creator!
Therefore, in verse 2 we don’t just see a Creator, but we see a Creator who creates order.
Do you see that in verse 2, “The earth was formless and void, and the Spirit of God is
hovering over the surface.”
That word “moving” in the original language means this Creator is intentional. We’re not
reading about something accidental. It isn’t a random sequence of events. There is
“movement over the surface of the water” to convey purpose, meaning and design taking
place in the opening verses of God’s Word.
It’s possible some of us could be a little shaken by the transition of our church in Austin, but
sometimes in life there are seasons where things look unfinished. It might be our career,
our children, or our church, but Genesis 1 is teaching us, that’s not unique to the God of
Scripture. He knows what He is doing. He knows what He is making! Do you see it? Look
at verse 3:
Genesis 1:3, “3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.”
It’s possible you are already emotionally disconnecting from this passage, because it feels
so distant, but don’t check out yet. Our verses this morning are describing a macro version
of what happens when creation is under His care.
In our everyday life, there are times we want His blessing and favor. It might be a
relationship. It might be our career. It might be our non-denominational church in Austin
right now!
But in the opening verses of Genesis 1 we get to see creation take shape as creation comes
under His care. Isn’t that glorious? Unfortunately, the same does not hold true for my
garage.
In verse 3, when you see the phrase, “Let there be light.” We need to see He simply spoke
“light” into existence. This means He is powerful. He doesn’t have to rub his hands
together. He doesn’t have to snap his fingers like Thanos. He doesn’t have to get approval
for creation from someone else. He’s not fighting or threatened by the darkness. He simply
speaks! And, it happens!
I know we can turn on the news and see horrible events. I know there are threats of global
war. I get it, the economy could collapse tomorrow. Those things could happen, but we can
simply look to Genesis 1 to see how the Lord engages chaos! Amen? He knows what He is
doing. He knows what He is making! We are under His care! Look at verses 4-5:
Genesis 1:4-5, “4 God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the
darkness. 5 God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening
and there was morning, one day.”
Not only does the God of Scripture speak creation into existence, but in verses 4-5 we see
His authority being demonstrated.
In verses 1-3 we see He is Creator, there is order, there is power, but in verses 4-5 we see
His authority. That which was once formless and void is now coming under His rule and by
His design. Do you see that?
It’s possible you are thinking, “Yeah, but anyone could say some mysterious god gets credit
for creation.” That’s not true. Timothy Keller, a pastor out of NYC, made the observation
that most philosophical views about god view the material world as bad. The spiritual
world is good, and the physical world is bad. It’s why our culture says things like, “My body
doesn’t define me. I need to be true to myself.” Do you hear it? It’s diminishing the
physical and elevating the spiritual.
Even as followers of Jesus, we might say things like, “I can’t wait to get out of this broken
body and ascend into perfect bodies.” Or sweeping up the floor is just physical labor, but
real worship is when we pray! It’s elevating the spiritual, and devaluing the physical.
But Genesis begins with the physical and the spiritual world coming together as good!
God’s Word says, “There is a Creator, there is order, He is powerful, and what He creates is
good!” Amen?
Yes, what we see today is distorted through sin of Genesis 3, but the gospel is that Jesus has
come to reclaim, redeem, and restore what was lost. Amen!
This is utterly unique to our faith as followers of Jesus. It isn’t just going to heaven one day
as spiritual beings sitting on clouds playing a harp as our friendly comic Matt Evans
referenced in our comedy show. No, God’s Word shows the physical and the spiritual
existing together for eternity! Look at verses 6-8:
Genesis 1:6-8, “6 Then God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it
separate the waters from the waters.” 7 God made the expanse, and separated the waters
which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was
so. 8 God called the expanse heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second
day.”
In verses 6-8 we see creation is no longer formless and void. The waters below are the
oceans, seas, lakes and rivers. The waters above are sky, clouds, and atmosphere, so that
boundaries are being established in creation.
Sometimes we see boundaries as limitations, but God’s Word describes boundaries as gifts.
He isn’t limiting creation in these moments. He is preparing creation for life that is to come.
He knows what He is doing. He knows what He is making! Are you see the character of
God in our passage? If He wants, He creates it! He’s the original Ariana Grande! Except
when God says, 'I want it, I got it,' planets show up.
Darkness doesn’t phase Him. Chaos and confusion doesn’t bother Him. It’s as if God’s
Word is saying, “He’s far more glorious than anyone can imagine!” In fact, if you drew a
circle of all there is to know about the glory of God. Then, imagine drawing a circle within
the circle of all you know about His glory. Can you imagine how small our circle would be?
Yet, our culture is so quick to assume we know everything there is to know about God!
People like Oprah Winfrey say God is just a spiritual force. Deepak Chopra says God is a
higher consciousness. Richard Dawkins says God is unnecessary. Isn’t that cute? Genesis 1
doesn’t give us those options. Before the universe was, God existed. He brings order out of
darkness. He speaks with power. His glory is on display, so that every culture creates a
“god” that is needy, distant, powerless and Genesis 1 completely shatters that description.
Genesis 1 says, “You can hold that view if you want, but you can’t read Genesis 1 and think
those things.”
In Genesis 1, every cell considers His authority. Every wave is at His command. Every
kingdom rises and falls at His will. Every molecule says, “Yes, sir!” He’s glorious!
Therefore, Genesis 1 isn’t falling short of scientific answers. Genesis 1 could care less about
our scientific questions. The purpose of Genesis 1 is to answer the deepest questions of
humanity; this is our Creator, He is good, He is powerful, and He is full of wonder. Look at
verses 9-14:
Genesis 1:9-14, “9 Then God said, “Let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one
place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10 God called the dry land earth, and
the gathering of the waters He called seas; and God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said,
“Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing
fruit after their kind with seed in them”; and it was so. 12 The earth brought
forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in
them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. 13 There was evening and there was
morning, a third day.”
In verses 9-13 we see creation is no longer formless and no longer void. Details are
coming. Vegetation is taking place. We don’t just see dirt. We see land that is fruitful, so
that in verses 1-13 we see a progression of chaos being formed into order and order being
formed into life. Isn’t that beautiful?
We need to remember this when we are in seasons of transition and change at the macro
and the micro. There are going to be moments when we look at our life and we think, “This
isn’t what I thought I was working toward.”
Maybe our career isn’t what we thought? Maybe our marriage isn’t what we thought?
Maybe our spiritual maturity isn’t where we thought we would be? As a church, when we
moved into this space 5-years ago, we thought we would be in a different place today? It
happens!
But Genesis is teaching us the works of His hand aren’t just random events in life. He
knows what He is doing. He knows what He is making. He knew what He was doing.
When the waters were being separated, He knew He wasn’t finished.
This is true in our life as well. Yes, there can be some painful seasons. He’s not done. Yes,
there are times we won’t see the whole picture. He’s still working. Genesis 1 is the story of
the God who specializes in taking what is unformed and making them beautiful! Look at
verses 14-19:
Genesis 1:14-19, “14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to
separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and
years; 15 and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”;
and it was so. 16 God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the
lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. 17 God placed them in the expanse of
the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to govern the day and the night, and to separate
the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. 19 There was evening and there
was morning, a fourth day.”
People love talking about the sun, moon and stars today, but the sun, moon and stars exist
for His purposes. They are beautiful, but they aren’t gods. They aren’t eternal. They don’t
speak planets into existence. Those things aren’t bad. Those things were just never meant
to be our center.
I remember, one time my wife and I were at a remote beach location and we were sitting on
a bench waiting for the sun to set over the ocean. But right as the sun was setting there
was a woman who stumbles out of a beach bar, clearly intoxicated, making her way down
the path until she looks up and sees this ridiculously beautiful sunset that stops her in her
tracks and she says, “Damn!”
She just stood there gazing at the beauty, and she might not acknowledge this, but in that
moment, she was worshipping His creation. Right? She was in awe! She was stopped in
her tracks!
But, listen to me, the God of Scripture didn’t create all of creation just to be admired. The
sun and the moon aren’t the destination. They are preparation, because He is creating a
world overflowing with life.
The light establishes rhythm. The sun and the moon establishes seasons. Order is being
established. A home is being made, so that we see transition from forming to filling,
because He knows what He’s doing. He knows what He’s making. Look at verses 20-23:
Genesis 1:20-23, “20 Then God said, “Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and
let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.” 21 God created the great sea
monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their
kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them,
saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the
earth.” 23 There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.”
Notice the language, “the waters teem with swarms of living creatures.” The idea is
abundance, so that again, notice the intentionality, He doesn’t just create oceans. He fills
them. He doesn’t just create skies, He fills it. He isn’t just a Creator speaking random things
into existence. There is intentionality behind what He does for His creation to flourish with
His beauty!
It isn’t just one fish, or one size. It isn’t just one bird with one color pattern. It is an
abundance of sizes, colors and uniqueness all throughout His creation, which only speaks
to His glory and power and awe!
In addition, in verse 22 we see the first blessing in God’s Word, “Be fruitful and multiply.”
His character isn’t some mean drill sergeant barking orders. He isn’t stingy with His
blessing. He isn’t careless with His hands. He isn’t indifferent with His heart. No, He’s
involved, intentional, powerful, and generous with His Creation. Write those things down!
We need to remember His character in seasons of transition and change. We need to
remember His character when our spiritual life is up and down. We need to remember His
character when we feel distant from Him. We need to remember this in our season as a
small church in Austin family.
He isn’t toying with our emotions. The character of His heart is to be generous and for the
work of His hands to flourish! There’s no reason we can’t have that mentality as we go
through this season as a church family.
Right now, we have 39 men and women who have responded, “YES, we have prayed.” 39
men and women who have responded, “Yes, we want to move forward. And, yes, we want
to be on a launch team!” Praise God!
He’s not done yet! We still have a few other questions to answer. Hopefully this week! But,
God’s Word is teaching us we can move forward with all our questions, doubts, fears,
because His people have never been asked to see the whole picture. We’ve just been
invited to trust the One who does, and by grace through faith in Jesus we can know Him!
I have been dabbling in stand-up comedy, and we have men and women coming from all
over the world to pursue the dream of stand-up comedy, and I’ve met them!
We got a kid on Saturday Night Live this year. I met him! We got Trey Campbell doing
audio in the back. Trey’s a rock star on 6 th Street with these comedians! I know Trey! I
don’t just know the art. I know the artist!
In the same way, when we come to faith in Jesus we can look at the wonder of creation and
say, “I know Him!” He’s my friend! He doesn’t need us, but He wants to know us.
If that hasn’t happened in your life today, you need to meet Him. His name is Jesus. This
world isn’t the fullness of what He created. It’s meant to be perfect, and Jesus has come to
make it perfect. One day, He’s going to bring New Heavens and New Earth, but for you to
see it on that day, you need to meet Jesus.
You need to confess with your mouth that Jesus is God! You need to believe that Jesus took
your sin at the cross, and conquered your sin in the resurrection, because in that moment
we will be ushered into His presence for eternity. Look at verses 24-25:
Genesis 1:24-25, “24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind:
cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth after their kind”; and it was so. 25 God
made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything
that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good.”
In verses 24-25 we see the stage being set for His prized creation; male and female made in
His image! Before Adam and Eve even take their first breath, His hands are already at work
preparing for their needs, caring for their needs, so that creation doesn’t look like a cosmic
explosion that combusted into existence. It’s just the opposite.
He’s making a world where His glory is clearly seen. He’s making a world where people can
know Him. Right now, there are fractures in creation, but He’s not phased. He’s dealt with
darkness before. He’s not worried about darkness now.
Just as He spoke creation into existence, Jesus is described as the Word. Just as God brings
forth life, Jesus is described as the essence of life. Just as God brings forth light, Jesus is the
Light of the World! Amen?
It is Jesus who steps out of the heavens to bring spiritual and physical together. It is Jesus
who takes our sin upon Himself. It is Jesus who conquers death and darkness in the
resurrection. It is Jesus who is going to restore and make all things new!
It’s not fully made known right now, but just like in Genesis 1, He works in stages.
Sometimes there is an immediate answer to prayer where everything works out perfect.
Those moments are awesome! But the normal pattern throughout God’s Word is He works
through progression. Do you see that? He is patiently building toward His purposes, and
He invites us to walk by faith, trusting in Him.
Imagine what this does to our church in Austin when followers of Jesus walk in this truth.
When chaos of life comes, we might get nervous, but we’re reminding one another, “He is in
North Village Church
This sermon is brought to you by North Village Church, a non-denominational church in Austin. established in 2009 and built around Jesus and Bible teaching.
Are you looking for a church in Austin? At North Village Church we put Jesus at the center of our church family. We worship together every Sunday at 10:30am, encourage Christ centered fellowship through groups, and host special events such as Bible studies and Theological Training, to ensure that we are rooted in in God’s Word. We also serve our local community in association with several Austin based organizations.
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