is only because of your sustaining hand upon us.
And we ask that you, Creator God,
would breathe afresh the power of your Holy Spirit upon each one of us
so that we may hear these words correctly,
that we may apply them to our lives,
and that the same creation power that we see at work here in these words
would be at work in our lives,
forming us into the new creation that you would have us to be.
We pray that you would do this work amongst us today.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Once Upon a Time
is not just the beginning of a book.
It's actually a TV series that takes place
in a seaside town called Storybrooke.
All the residents of that town
are characters from various fairy tales
who've been transported into the real world,
but have been robbed of their real memories
by a powerful curse.
The town's only hope is Emma Swan,
who is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming,
who's come from the fairy tale world
to rescue them.
She's the only one who can break the curse
and restore the characters' lost memories.
Sound familiar?
You see, the story of the Bible
has a similar theme.
It's all about a hero.
A hero who offers hope,
who will rescue people from the curse
that they are under,
restoring what is broken
and renewing what has been lost.
But here's the difference.
The story of the Bible
is not a fairy tale.
It is a true story.
This is God's story
and it begins,
look at verse 1,
in the beginning.
That's what Genesis means.
It means beginnings.
The Bible begins
by telling us the story
of how the world
and how humanity began.
What we are like,
how we came to be,
and why we are here.
But the problem is,
people don't always get very far
in the story
because they start arguing
over how old the world is
and how long it took to make.
Now, I just want to say
a few things about that
because it's very important
to recognise
that faithful,
Bible-believing Christians,
and I'm sure if you were to do
a quick survey here in this room,
would all have various different views
about that.
Some people will say,
it took six days to make,
and they read Genesis chapter 1
in a literal sense,
so the end of verse 5,
it says,
and there was evening
and there was morning
the first day.
So on that basis,
and looking at other dates
in the Bible,
they calculate that the world
is not much older
than 6,000 years old.
Other people will say,
well, if you read verses 1 and 2,
there's a gap in between
verses 1 and 2
or in between verses 2 and 3,
and they call that
the gap theory,
and so on that basis,
they calculate that the world
is millions of years old.
Still other people
will read it and say,
well, the days that are mentioned
are just periods of time.
So while the creation story
is historically true,
the days are more symbolic
than literal.
And you can talk to each other
about that afterwards.
Now, while debate is healthy
and it's good,
let me stress,
it's really not worth
falling out over.
So how should we come this morning
and understand the beginning?
Well, here's what I'm suggesting we do.
Rather than treat the Bible
as a science book,
we read the Bible
as God's story.
Primarily, we're reading it
not to find out
how old the earth is,
but to discover
who God is
and who we are.
So we're going to look at
two big things this morning.
Who God is
and who we are.
So first,
in the beginning,
God.
Surprisingly,
the story doesn't actually
start with us,
does it?
Look again at verse 1.
In the beginning,
God.
It does not tell us
how God came to be.
It simply
and unapologetically
tells us
that God
exists.
Before anything else
or anyone else,
God
was there.
In other words,
God has existed
forever.
There was never a time
when God
was not.
God.
Now that blows
my mind a little bit.
It's hard enough
trying to fathom
how you and I
came into being
in a certain place
in a certain point
in history,
but to try and
understand or comprehend
that God
has always been
and always will be,
it causes my brain
to freeze.
You see,
if I could really
get my head
around that
and fathom
God's eternal
existence,
if I could
understand that
completely,
then God
would cease
to be God.
You see,
why should I
have the right
to say
who God is
and for how long
he's existed?
Because God
is God,
he tells me,
he informs me,
and the simple
fact is
at the very
beginning
we're told
that God
existed
from before
time began.
Now this
means that
the story
is not about
me.
I am not
the centre
of the universe.
I am not
the main character
in the story.
Of course,
the world
tells each one
of us
that we are
so important
and that
it is all
about me
and there's
nobody
is more
important
than me.
But it's
a lie,
it's not
true.
Part of
our problem
is thinking
that God
exists for
me and
my wants
and my
pleasures.
But that's
not how
the story
begins.
The Bible
starts with
God.
This is
his story,
not my
story.
So who
is this
God?
Well,
as we
read on
in the
story,
we see
that God
is one.
When God
begins to
create,
he says
things like,
let there
be light
or let
there be
an expanse
in the
sky.
But when
God creates
man,
there is a
subtle but
significant
difference.
I wonder
if you
noticed this
in verse
26.
Look at
verse 26.
So this
is at
day five,
he's created
everything and
then God
said,
verse 26,
let us
make man
in our
image,
in our
likeness.
So who's
God talking
about?
God's
word.
Who's
the
hour and
who's
the
us?
Well,
I'm not
going to
spoil it
for you
just yet
because at
this stage
in the
story,
we're not
told.
We're
maybe
given
hints,
like in
verse 2,
we're told
about the
spirit of
God is
hovering over
the waters.
But all
we need to
know at
this stage
is that
there is
a complex
unity to
God.
God is
always referred
to as
one,
but yet
he can
speak of
himself as
being us
and our.
You see,
God has
made us,
but he
does not
need us.
God is
truly
self-sufficient.
God was
not lonely
and bored
wondering who
he could
talk to,
jumping from
star to
star and
planet to
planet,
wondering what
he should
do with
his time.
No,
God exists
in this
perfect
relationship
within
himself,
the us
and the
our,
together.
And as
we'll
discover in
a minute,
we have
been created
and made
to share
in that
relationship
that God
has within
himself.
So God
is one
and this
God
is our
creator.
Back at
verse 1,
in the
beginning,
God
created
the heavens
and the
earth.
Everything
that exists,
nature,
all the
plants,
earth,
all the
trees,
the
planets,
the
stars,
the
universe
in all
its vast
expanse,
all the
creatures in
the sky
and in
the sea,
and people
themselves,
we all
have our
origins or
beginnings
in God.
God is
self-sufficient,
but we are
not.
We are
utterly and
completely
dependent on
God for
life and
for breath.
Look at
chapter 2
verse 7
where it
tells us,
the Lord
God formed
the man
from the
dust of
the ground
and breathed
into his
nostrils the
breath of
life and
the man
became a
living being.
God
creates
life.
God
sustains
life.
God
provides us
in life.
Therefore,
God owns
my life.
He rules
over my
life.
This is
God's
world,
not my
world.
And how
this God
has created
is really
important.
At the
very beginning
of the
story,
we're
introduced
to a
creator
God,
but a
speaking
God.
And when
he speaks,
things happen.
his words
have
power.
Maybe you
think your
words have
power.
As you
try to tell
people what
to do.
I try that
sometimes at
home.
But my
words really
don't have
much power.
I can't
make anything
happen.
Everybody
seems to
do what
they like.
Don't
listen to
that at
all.
But look
at verse
three.
And God
said,
let there
be light.
light.
And there
was light.
God
speaks
life,
the world,
the universe
into existence.
And throughout
the first
chapter,
we continue
to read
like in
verses six
and seven.
And God
said,
and it
was so.
Or look
at verse
nine,
the beginning
of verse
nine.
And God
said,
let the
water under
the sky
be gathered
into one
place and
let dry
ground
appear.
And it
was so.
Through
the spoken
word,
God
brings
about
life.
John
Stott,
who's now
with
God,
helpfully
describes the
power of
God's word
in creation
like this.
He explained
it in this
helpful way.
The word
of God
is proclaimed
in heaven's
pulpit
and all
comes to
pass.
The preaching,
the speaking
of God's
word forms
the universe.
The word
preached by
God is no
empty word.
It accomplishes
and achieves
the purpose
for which
it was
spoken.
God's
word
has
power.
God's
love.
God's
love.
And this
one creator
speaking
God,
who spoke
creation into
existence,
does so with
amazing order
and precision.
Again, look at
verse 1,
chapter 1.
In the
beginning,
God created
the heavens
and the
earth.
Now the
earth was
formless
and empty
and darkness
was over the
surface of the
deep and the
spirit of God
was hovering
over the
waters.
Do you see
those two words
there in verse
2?
Formless
and empty.
That's the
scene.
If we can
kind of picture
that in our
own minds,
formless and
empty,
that's what was
at the beginning.
If we could
imagine in
some ways
an out of
shape,
watery ball
that is suspended
in utter
darkness.
No life.
Uninhabitable.
And then
God speaks
to this
formless,
empty
sphere
that is
just
suspending
in
darkness.
On the
first three
days as we
follow through
chapter 1,
God forms
the formless
world.
And on the
second three
days,
he fills
the empty
world.
So let's
look at this
pattern and
design of
creation.
We'll go
through it
quickly.
On day
one,
starting at
verse 3,
we're told
there that
God forms
the light
and separates
light from
darkness.
Then on
day four,
which is in
verse 14,
God fills
the light
and the
darkness with
the sun
and the
moon and
the stars
and he
scatters them
all into
their various
places to
the ones
that actually
give the
light.
Then on
day two,
starting at
verse 6,
God forms
the sea
and the
sky.
So the
sea and
the sky
are separated.
Then on
day five,
verse 20,
God fills
the sea
with all
kinds of
living creatures
and fish
and eels
and all
the little
shellfish.
And then
God fills
the sky
with the
birds of
the air.
He forms
it and
then he
fills it
with life.
And then
on day
three,
starting at
verse 9,
God forms
the land
and the
vegetation,
the mountains,
the hills,
the trees,
the plants.
Then on
day six,
starting at
verse 24,
God fills
the land
with animals
that roam
the earth
in all the
tiny little
bugs and
insects to
the great
big dinosaurs
that at
one stage
roamed
the earth.
And
alongside
the animals,
God fills
the land
with people.
Do you
see the
world that
we live
in?
It's not
random.
This is no
accident,
the world
that we
are in.
We are
not here
by chance.
We're not
some kind
of primeval
slime that's
come from
nowhere and
nothing and
kind of
formed into
a blob and
eventually grew
into some
kind of
species and
developed and
so on.
We're not
here by
chance or
some big
unexplained
big bang.
We're here
because God
formed us
and made
us and
filled the
earth with
all its
beautiful
creation.
That means
that my
life today
has meaning
and purpose.
I'm no
accident or
no mistake.
God has
created us
and God
has designed
and ordered
such a
beautiful world
for us
to live
in.
Amen.
And God
is not
only ordered
but God
is good.
Do you
see what
he says
as God
finished each
stage of
forming and
filling the
world in which
he made?
Do you see
what it says
in verse 4?
Beginning of
verse 4
after he
made the
light God
saw that
the light
was
good.
then
down at
verse 10
at the
very end
of verse
10
and God
saw that
it was
good
at the
end of
verse 12
and God
saw that
it was
good
and after
each piece
of creation
God
looks and
marvels at
what he
has done
and goes
this is
all
good
at the
beginning
it was
all good
because
there was
no
death
there
was no
funerals
going on
there
was no
decay
there
was no
disease
there
were no
hospitals
nobody
was getting
sick
there
was no
destruction
there
was no
tsunamis
or hurricanes
there
was no
breaking
up
there
was just
unity
and
beauty
and
harmony
with man
and creation
in existence
together
and God
looks at it
all
and it
was good
and then
into this
good world
that God
makes
he creates
mankind
and look
what he says
when he
makes man
verse 31
God
saw all
that he
had made
and it
was
very
good
with the
creation of
male and
female
it's not
just
good
this is
very good
the pinnacle
of God's
creation
mankind
God
is a good
God
and all
that he
does
for us
is good
and every
work in
our life
is always
right and
best for
us
because
God
is
good
and
God
is
rest
look at
chapter 2
verse 2
by the
seventh
day
God
had
finished
the work
he had
been
doing
so on
the
seventh
day
he
rested
or he
ceased
from all
his
work
the work
of creation
had been
done
it
is
finished
nothing
else to
do
yes of
course
he's still
sustaining
the world
and maintaining
it
and making
sure the
seasons go
the way
they go
and holding
everything
in its
exact
and precise
place
but creation
is done
all that
is left
is for
God's
created
people
to enjoy
and delight
in all
that God
has done
for them
to rest
in a
God
who has
made
and done
everything
perfectly
for us
this is
the God
that we
have
who invites
us
to rest
in him
and so
as we
look
at the
beginning
of the
story
we are
introduced
to God
in all
his glory
and in
all his
greatness
isn't
God
awesome
stand
back
and look
at how
God
introduces
himself
this
vast
unexplored
universe
that we
live in
our world
this planet
that we
are on
right now
is like
like a
tiny pinhead
that's
suspended
in this
hall here
you imagine
the universe
for what we
know of it
our world
is just like
a pinhead
in this
great big
room
except for
there are
no walls
it just
goes on
forever
and forever
but yet
this God
who has
created it
all
who existed
from before
beginning
spoke it
all into
existence
by his
word
amazing
perfectly
designed
perfectly
ordered
every planet
spinning the
way it
should be
the sun
where it
should be
the moon
where it
should be
everything
existing
together
so that
we
have
life
on planet
earth
and God
did it all
so that we
could know
him
so that we
could enjoy
him
the beauty
the power
the greatness
the glory
is all on
display as we
were singing
earlier and
reading from the
psalms
it's all there
to glory and
say look at
God
look at what
he has made
it demands
and it
deserves
all of our
worship
and all of
our lives
in the
beginning
God
second
God
created
man
made
in God's
image
look at
verse 26
verse 27
so God
created man
in his own
image
in the image
of God
he created
him
you see
we're part
of God's
creation
but yet
we're unique
we're the
same as
the animals
we've got
blood
and flesh
and bone
we live
we die
we eat
we sleep
but we're
different
to the
animals
because why
we're made
in God's
image
unlike the
rest of
creation
something
of who
this God
is that
we've been
looking at
something
of this
awesome
amazing
God
is who
we are
we reflect
or mirror
God's
nature
his character
we reflect
something
of who
God is
so just
as God
has a
relationship
within
himself
so we
now get
to share
in that
eternal
relationship
we can
relate to
God in
ways that
the rest
of creation
can't
nothing else
in all
creation
has that
privilege
the God
who spoke
us into
existence
and breathed
life into
our being
now speaks
to us
and we
can speak
to him
the God
who created
us
now enables
us to be
creative
to design
things
to make
things
not least
as it
goes on
to say
in creating
or rather
making
more people
the God
who rules
over all
of us
the God
who rules
over everything
that he has
made
calls us
as people
to rule
over his
creation
to take
care of
it and to
follow his
good design
the God
who delights
in everything
that is good
and right
has given
us a capacity
to know
what is good
and right
we have
an inbuilt
conscience
that knows
that this
is good
and that
this
is wrong
we have
been made
in God's
image
and to
share
and to
reflect
God's
image
to the
world
around us
we're his
image bearers
knowing him
reflecting him
enjoying him
now while
we're made
in God's
likeness
we are made
different to
each other
look at the
end of verse
27
he created
him
male and
female
he created
them
you see
before God
male and
female
are equal
in value
and worth
man is not
superior to
woman
and woman
is not
inferior to
man
but we
are different
physically
we're
different
but we've
also got
different roles
that complement
each other
so have a look
at chapter 2
verse 18
the Lord
God said
it is not
good for the
man to be
alone
I will make
a suitable
helper
for him
now the
Lord God
had formed
out of the
ground
all the
beasts of
the field
and all
the birds
of the air
and he
brought them
to the man
to see what
he would
name them
and whatever
the man
called each
living creature
that was
its name
so the man
gave names
to all the
livestock
the birds
of the air
and all the
beasts of
the field
but for
Adam
no suitable
helper
was found
so the
Lord
caused the
man to
fall into
a deep
sleep
and while
he was
sleeping
he took
one of
the man's
ribs
closed up
the place
with flesh
then the
Lord God
made a
woman from
the rib
he had
taken out
of the
man
and he
brought
her to
the man
said
in his
best love
poetry
possible
this is
now bone
of my
bones
flesh of
my flesh
she shall
be called
woman
for she
was taken
out of
man
and for
this reason
a man
will leave
his father
and mother
and be
united to
his wife
and they
will become
one flesh
you see
in God's
perfect
and good
design
he makes
male and
female
and together
they come
together and
form a
sexual union
they are
one flesh
it's what
we call
marriage
they become
one
but yet
in their
oneness
they have
different
roles
the woman
we're told
throughout
what we've
just read
is to
draw
alongside
and help
the man
they are
to complement
each other
and as we
go through
the story
we'll begin
to see
God's
good design
for man
and woman
together
and because
we are
created by
God as
male and
female
we must
obey
God
as God
orders
and designs
the world
he gives
the orders
and we
must obey
so back in
chapter 1
verse 28
God blessed
them
and said
to them
to man
and woman
be fruitful
there's a command
be fruitful
and increase
in number
fill the earth
and subdue it
rule over
the fish
of the sea
and the birds
of the air
and over
living creature
that moves
on the ground
you see
this is not
our world
we're not
in charge
of it
it's not up
to us
to decide
what we
should do
we are to
follow the
laws
of God
it's not
for us
to distort
and reject
God's good
and beautiful
design for life
we're to
obey him
because God
is our
loving ruler
and we
obey what
he says
because what
he says
is always
right
and always
good for us
we might not
always appreciate
it but he
always says
what is right
and we
obey
and of course
at the beginning
of the story
it's hard for us
to think of
disobeying
or rejecting
God
because as we
look at the
beginning of this
story
everything is so
good and
perfect and
beautiful and
all in
harmony
in fact
mankind
was created
innocent
look at
chapter 2
verse 8
now the
Lord God
had planted
a garden
in the
east
in Eden
and there
he put
the man
he had
formed
Eden
is a
beautiful
pleasing
and plentiful
garden
and it
means
delight
nothing
going wrong
there's no
sadness or
hurt
no pain
or struggles
and it's in
this garden
that man
and woman
joined together
in their
first marriage
so look at
chapter 2
verse 25
here's the
picture we
have in
Eden
the man
and his
wife
were both
naked
and they
felt
no shame
not only
is this a
picture of
something that's
delightful
here is a
picture of
pure
innocence
the
physical
nakedness of
the man
and the
wife
reflects a
deeper
inner
nakedness
here are
two people
where there
is a
complete
openness
a vulnerability
towards each
other
nothing to
hide
nothing to
fear
completely
transparent
there is
no
shame
but we
know it's
not like
that today
is it
today we
are a
people
who are
filled
with shame
and burdened
by guilt
we don't
like to
be open
we don't
want people
to know
what's going
on inside
here
we hide
our deep
inner thoughts
we cover
up our
nakedness
we hide
our true
self from
one another
and even
from ourselves
there's not
one of us
in this
room here
that would
want anybody
to see
or to
know
what we
are really
like
I would
dread
if you
would know
the thoughts
that go on
in here
or the
feelings
that are
in here
why
because there
is too
much
to be
ashamed
of
but here
in the
beginning
is a
man and
woman
not just
naked before
each other
but in a
sense naked
before God
where everything
is known
there is no
hiding
there is no
shame
there is no
guilt
man and
woman
with their
creator
God
in perfect
relationship
in Eden
pure
delight
and so
the story
begins
but what about
the hero
you said
there was a
hero
one who gives
hope and makes
this story
that we're looking
a reality
for us
well we know
the hero
his name
is Jesus
and he's
right there
at the very
beginning
turn with me
please to
Colossians
chapter 1
Colossians
chapter 1
verse 15
the story
begins
and right
at the beginning
of the story
is the one
who is central
to the story
it's speaking
of Jesus
look what it
says in
verse 15
he is the
image
of the
invisible
God
the firstborn
meaning
the head
the supreme
one
over all
creation
for by
him
all things
were
created
the things
in heaven
and on
earth
visible
and invisible
where the
thrones
or powers
or rulers
or authorities
all things
were created
by him
and for
him
he is
before all
things
and in
him
all things
hold
together
so there
he is
Jesus
Christ
the hero
the creator
of all
things
is there
at the
beginning
ready to
restore
what is
broken
and ready
to redeem
all that
has been
lost
and how
will he
do it
look at
verse 19
for God
was pleased
to have
all his
fullness
dwell
in him
and through
him
to reconcile
to himself
all things
whether things
on earth
or things
in heaven
by making
peace
through his
blood
shed
on the
cross
you remember
that picture
in Eden
man and
woman
unashamed
naked
nothing to
hide
no fear
of God
at one
with God
without guilt
that is
what he
has come
to do
for us
so that
we can
stand
unashamed
holy
and pure
before him
look at
verse 22
but now
he has
reconciled
you by
Christ's
physical
body
through
death
to present
you
holy
in his
sight
without
blemish
and free
from
accusation
the
relationship
restored
standing
before God
without
shame
the
story
begins
let's
pray
our
father
god
our
creator
hard
and
we
have
about
especially
if
she
doesn't
think
would
even
love