I want you to turn to Genesis chapter 1.
Genesis chapter 1.
Last week we began talking about
these beginning passages of Scripture,
Genesis 1 through 11.
I believe they're foundational passages of the Bible.
Not only are they the first things you come to,
but they are also the base for understanding everything else
that happens after this.
Like a blueprint to a new construction.
I think of this as a blueprint that kind of lays the foundation
for everything else that you learn from Scripture.
Last week we looked at the first three days of creation
and we learned how it's really about God.
It's not so much about the earth,
although it describes how it was created.
Earth is often the focus of that,
but the reality is the focus is God and about Jesus.
He was there and we continue to see that in the text today.
We also found that it's about God's order
and today we'll flesh that out a little bit more,
but today we're going to focus on the second half
of the week of creation.
It's in Genesis chapter 1 beginning in verse 14.
And it says this,
And God said,
And God saw that it was good.
And there was evening and there was morning,
the fourth day.
And God said,
Let the water swarm with swarms of living creatures
and let the birds fly above the earth
across the expanse of the heavens.
So God created the great sea creatures
and every living creature that moves
with which the water swarm according to their kinds
and every winged bird according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good.
And God blessed them, saying,
Be fruitful and multiply,
and fill the waters in the seas,
and let birds multiply on the earth.
And there was evening and there was morning,
the fifth day.
And God said,
Let the earth bring forth living creatures
according to their kinds,
livestock and creeping things,
and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.
And it was so.
God made the beasts of the earth
according to their kinds,
and the livestock according to their kinds,
and everything that creeps on the ground
according to its kinds.
And God saw that it was good.
Then God said,
Let us make man in our image and 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.
So God created man in his own image.
In the image of God, he created him.
Male and female, he created them.
And God blessed them.
And God said to them,
Be fruitful and multiply,
and fill the earth and subdue it,
and have dominion over the fish of the sea
and over the birds of the heavens
and over every living thing that moves on the ground.
And God said,
Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed
that is on the face of all the earth,
and every tree with its seed and its fruit,
you shall have them for food.
And to every beast of the earth,
and to every bird of the heavens,
and to everything that creeps on the earth,
everything that has the breath of life,
I have given every green plant for food,
and it was so.
And God saw everything that he made,
and behold, it was very good,
and there was evening and there was morning,
the sixth day.
I heard that an eloquent African-American pastor
put it this way,
God stepped from behind the curtain of nowhere
and stood on the platform of nothing
and spoke a universe into existence.
And I agree with all of that.
There's a lot to discuss here about creation,
but I want to focus our time this morning
on what the Bible clearly points out to us
in these passages as the most essential,
things that you don't miss.
Don't miss his order.
There's a phrase that's used again and again.
You may have heard it as I read it.
It is found in the creating of the fruit trees
and the vegetable-bearing plants
in verses 11 and 12.
It is found in the creating of the creatures
of the waters and of the air in verse 21.
It is found in the creating of the creatures of the land
in verse 24 and 25.
It is a repetitive phrase that is translated
according to its kind.
Now, the reputation of that phrase is huge.
I like the Hebrew language
because it is for simple-minded folks.
Not to learn it.
It's hard to learn,
but it repeats itself a lot.
It puts it out there pretty plain for you.
Kind of rudimentary if you can ever get the difference.
And what we've learned is our native language
and, man, what a drastic difference Hebrew is.
You start at the back of the book.
You read from right to left instead of left to right.
They don't have vowels, really.
They have points and those type things
that count as vowels.
You read a word kind of zigzag.
It's a nightmare and I'm glad I passed a class.
But the reputation of any kind of phrase like that,
the reiteration of it is huge.
And when it says according to its kind,
it points to God distinguishing what he made clearly.
We need not be confused.
We need not entertain those that try to confuse.
God is clear.
It does not say that God made the waters
and the waters produced an amoeba
that grew cells into a fish,
that turned into a tadpole,
that grew into a monkey,
that evolved into Homo Neanderthal,
then into Homo Erectus,
and then into Homo Sapien.
That's too many homos.
It brings order,
not chaos.
God made the seed.
God made the fruit.
God made the creator.
And then in his own image,
he made man.
Some believe in the Big Bang Theory.
It may surprise you,
I believe in Big Bang.
I do.
As a matter of fact,
I believe in several of them.
I believe God said sun
and bang,
the sun was created.
I believe he said plant
and bang,
the plant was created.
And I believe it went on and on.
It came out of nothing
when God spoke.
It didn't come out of nothing
until God spoke it out of nothing.
Because God brings order,
not chaos.
What God makes according to its kind,
let humankind not confuse.
God made a cat.
It's not a dog.
It can hang out with dogs.
It can act like dogs.
It can pretend to be a dog.
It can be raised by a pack of dogs.
It can identify as a dog.
But it's still a cat.
If a blueberry,
as it grows into a fruit,
somehow were to claim
that it was an apple,
it's not.
It's still a blueberry.
And if a guy tries to sell you
a bushel of apples,
but they look distinctively,
taste particularly,
like a bunch of grapes,
don't buy his apples.
Okay?
Just because that old boy
identifies his fruit
as something that it's not,
does not mean that it's so.
Are you with me?
You get what I'm saying?
Because God brings order.
The evil one brings chaos.
The evil one brings confusion.
The evil one stirs it up.
And part of the way
that he brings chaos
is he makes what makes us feel,
really, really feel
like a lie
is the truth.
We'll see that in the garden
in the coming days.
If you turn on your television
or you go to social media,
you'll see lies
that are disguised as truth.
For instance,
when a family holds hands
in a hayfield
or in the park
in their newest clothes,
and they are laughing
and frolicking
and hugging
and having such a splendid time,
they're not.
They're not.
You know why they're not?
Because that's picture day.
Laughter
I think somebody
can relate to that,
but anyway.
They're faking it.
Not my family,
but everybody else's.
Okay?
They're faking it.
That is deception.
Deception.
But that's not the deception
that I speak of.
A great deception
of the evil one
in our day
is over gender,
and it is utter confusion,
and that is not of God.
God's design
and his rule
is not for us
to decide.
I'll tell you
another great deception
is that somehow
we can decide
based on our feelings
what is right
and what is wrong.
And that somehow
morals are based
on the trends
of the day,
and they're not.
Let me warn you.
History tells us
that there have been
other strong countries
destroyed
by the devil's deceptions,
and don't ever believe
we're immune to it
happening to us.
If you think
I've left my sermon,
I'm not,
because I'm speaking
of order
versus chaos.
And when we read
about creation,
we tend to become
preoccupied sometimes
with the science
of the origins
of the world.
But when I look
at Genesis 1,
what I see
the message of creation
is that things
are the way they are
because God
made them so.
And for us
to alter
from his guidance,
for us to alter
from his direction
and order,
is disobedience
that outside of Christ
leads to death.
Now what's interesting
about this is,
and we'll dig into this
in coming weeks,
but the word of God,
the word for God
in Genesis 1 and 2
is the word Elohim
in Hebrew.
The more personal God
of Yahweh,
or sometimes translated
Jehovah,
is found in Genesis 3
when we get into
the make of man
and woman
and his relationship
with man
and woman.
But here,
Elohim is used
in Genesis 1 and 2
46 times.
And that word for God
comes from a root word
for power or strength.
And so the message
again and again,
and notice he didn't say
he much,
it said God.
There's an emphasis there.
The message again and again
is that God
made everything.
heaven and earth
and all that encompasses them
and he made it all
from nothing.
He spoke
and it was.
Did not evolve
from an algae
to a plant
to a fish
to a person.
Man does not turn
into a woman
or a man
is not made
to mate with men.
God made each
according
to its kind.
Now I know
that in today's life
that's a shocker.
But that's still true.
No matter how
it may feel.
Each thing
is made
God made
was distinctive,
was designed,
and was specific.
There's a story
about Sir Isaac Newton
who had somebody
make him
a,
had a skillful mechanic,
make him
a miniature
mechanical replica
of the solar system.
He had a large ball
for the sun.
He had smaller ones
for the planets.
Each one of them
were fixed
on arms
that were varying lengths
from the sun
in proportion
to where
they're gauged to be
and they were all
geared by cogs
and wheels
to move
in harmony
with each other.
An elaborate
solar system.
Newton believed
that God
created the earth.
He was confused
on some other things
along his theology,
but he,
he had a friend
who was a brilliant
scientist
that was an unbeliever.
And Newton
was showing him
this model
and the scientist
looked at that model
and said,
how exquisite.
Who made this?
And Newton said,
nobody.
The other scientist
looked at him
and said,
evidently you didn't,
you didn't understand
my question.
I asked who made this?
And Newton looked at him
and said,
nobody made it.
It just assumed
this form.
And the scientist said,
you must think
I'm a fool.
Of course somebody made it
and he's a genius
and I'd like to know
who he is.
And Newton put his hand
on his shoulder
and said this,
this is but a puny
imitation
of a much larger system
whose laws you know
and I'm not able
to convince
and I'm not able
to convince you
that this toy
is without a design
and a maker.
Yet you profess
to believe
that the great original
from which I had
this design from
is without either
a designer
or a maker.
Now you tell me
by what sort of reasoning
do you reach
such an incongruous
conclusion?
They say the man
became a believer
after that conversation.
Be clear about something.
God thought it.
God willed it.
God spoke it.
And it was.
And it was good.
And it was orderly.
And it was right.
Don't miss God's order.
Second thing I don't want
you to miss
is this,
his image.
Day six.
Thank God
for day six.
It's got something
to do with us folks.
That's a pretty big day.
That was the day
that humanity
was created.
Verse 26 says
that man is made
in our image
in our likeness.
That's interesting,
isn't it?
Who's he talking to
when he says
our image
in our likeness?
Is he talking
to the angels?
No.
Because we're not
made like angels.
We're not made
in the image
of angels.
You know what?
In reality
if you look
at a biblical angel,
angels aren't
even made like angels.
Not the way
we think of angels.
When people
think of angels,
they think of
beautiful women
with wings
or they think
of naked babies
with wings.
But I want you
to look at
what the word
of God says.
Or just listen.
You can write this
down and check me out.
See if I'm right.
Isaiah chapter 6
speaks of the seraphim
which is a kind
of angel.
And it says
the seraphim
has six wings,
two to cover
his face,
two to cover
his feet,
and two to fly.
Genesis 19
speak of two angels
in Sodom
that came
to rescue Lot.
And it says
those angels
were warriors
that struck men
with blindness
and then warned
Sodom to get out
before the city
was destroyed.
And what about
the creatures
that are in
Revelation 4?
They're angels,
those around
the throne of God.
They have six wings
and they are full
of eyes,
it says.
There's eyes
in the front,
there's eyes
behind.
I had a teacher
one time
that had eyes
in the back
of her head,
but she was no angel,
I can tell you that.
In Revelation,
one looked like
a lion,
one looked like
an ox,
another looked like
a man,
another looked like
an eagle.
I bet you don't
have those sitting
on your mantle
at home,
do you?
So angels
are not the picture
that we picture
most of the time.
And we're not
made in the angels'
images.
We're made
in the image
of God.
And what you see
here is the evidence
of the Trinity
right here
in Genesis 1.
because in
Genesis 1-2,
you see the Holy
Spirit hovering
over the waters.
Passage I just
read,
God made us
in our image
which speaks
of the Trinity.
John 1-2-3
clarifies that
when it speaks
of Christ being
in the midst
of creation.
It says this,
He was in the
beginning with God,
all things were
made through Him
and without Him
was not anything
made that was
made.
That's Jesus
they're talking about.
And I want you
listen to how
the Apostle Paul
says it in
Colossians 1-15
through 18
and how he
describes them.
He says,
He is the,
speaking of Christ,
He is the image
of the invisible
God,
the firstborn
of all creation
for by Him
all things
were created
in heaven
and on earth
visible and
invisible
whether thrones
or dominions
or rulers
or authorities
all things
were created
through Him
and for Him
and He
is before
all things
and in Him
all things
hold together
and He
is the head
of the body
the church
He is the beginning
the firstborn
from the dead
that in everything
He might
be preeminent.
Therefore the image
that we are made
in is the image
of God.
This is referred
to again
before the flood
in Genesis 5
it is referred
to again
with the murder
of Abel
in Genesis 9
James 3 verse 9
says we're made
in the likeness
of God
1 Corinthians 11
7 says
that we are made
in the image
of God
and I just want
you to listen
to Psalm 8
listen to Psalm 8
verse 3 through 5
it says this
when I look
at your heavens
the work of your fingers
the moon
and the stars
which you have
set in place
what is man
that you are mindful
of him
and the son of man
that you care
for him
yet you've made him
a little lower
than the heavenly beings
and crowned him
with glory
and honor
I believe
when you look
at creation
in Genesis chapter 1
you need to get
and not miss
his order
I believe you also
need to see
his image
but lastly
I think you need
to see our responsibility
we have a responsibility
of this
God blessed
man and woman
and said
in Genesis 1
verse 28
be fruitful
and multiply
and fill the earth
and subdue it
and have dominion
over the fish
of the sea
and over the birds
of the heavens
and over every living thing
that moves
on the earth
in other words
we are in charge
of the blessings
of this earth
and we are responsible
for these resources
that have been given
to us
he created
it with order
and he created
it good
and we need
to maintain
that order
and we need
to keep it good
but often
we don't get it right
it seems to me
that we make
one of two mistakes
one is
we don't care
about what we have
we need to care
about the earth
in which we live in
if we are draining
our resources
that we
won't have
for our children
or we are pulling
the waters
that they are to drink
or polluting
the waters
that they are to drink
or we are wasting
the commodities
that have been
passed on to us
then we need
to change our ways
and conserve
what we have
I do my part
by going around
my house
and cutting off
lights
because I think
I am killing
the ambiance
but hey listen
I care about
the planet
and the power bill
so
if you have
trash
pick it up
if you see
trash
pick it up
they say
on the trail
don't leave
a trace
let me tell you
what else
it says
because there's
a second problem
that we have
some tend
to worship
nature
scripture says
we have
dominion
over nature
we've been
charged
to subdue it
and to be
responsible
with what we
have
however
we're not
to be more
concerned
about the
poisonous
dart frog
or the
bow headed
whale
than we are
the unborn
children in
America
than we are
the starving
children in
the tribes
of Africa
than we are
hungry children
in our own
county
or the elderly
that are right
here among us
that may need
a helping
hand
God
chose to
make us
the crown
of his
creation
and he gave
us the
responsibility
to manage
it
without wasting
it
and without
worshiping
it
I read
from
Psalm 8
a bit ago
let me read
some more
because in
verse 6
to 9
it says
this
you have
given him
dominion
over the
works
of your
hands
you have
put all
things under
his feet
all sheep
and oxen
and also
the beasts
of the field
the birds
of the heavens
and the fish
of the sea
whatever passes
along the
paths
of the sea
oh Lord
our Lord
how majestic
is your name
in all the
earth
we have
dominion
over what
we've been
entrusted with
and the
worship
belongs to
God
who is
our ruler
we're to
rule over
the earth
he's to
rule over
us
I like the
way King
David put it
in Psalm
145
1
I will
exalt you
my God
and King
and I'll
bless your
name
forever and
ever
the hymn
writer
John W.
Peterson
put it
this way
it took
a miracle
to put
the stars
in place
it took
a miracle
to hang
the world
in space
but when
he saved
my soul
and cleansed
and made
me whole
it took
a miracle
of love
and grace
I thank
God
that the
God that
spoke the
world
into order
still speaks
today
he still
speaks
he speaks
to hearts
not audibly
louder than
that
beckoning
us
to come
to him
so my
question is
what's he
saying to
you today
the God
that spoke
the world
into existence
speaks to
us
what's he
saying to
you today
you may be
here and
maybe there's
never been a
time in your
life when you
surrender your
life to the
Lord Jesus
I mean you
realize that
you've sinned
and done
wrong
and scripture
tells us that
that separates
you from God
for all of
eternity
but that Christ
came to
live a sinless
life
to die on
an old rugged
cross
for our sins
so that we
can have
forgiveness
and walk
cleanly before
the Lord
when we
just agree
with God
on the state
of our
circumstances
and the
state of
our circumstances
without Christ
is that
we're lost
in our sin
for all of
eternity
if we'll
admit that
and ask the
Lord Jesus
to forgive us
of our sins
to come into
our life
and save
us
scripture says
everyone who
calls upon
the name of
the Lord
shall be
saved
Romans 10
13
if you've
never given
your heart
and life
to the
Lord Jesus
Christ
what an
injustice
it would
be
to have
that
opportunity
that God
has given
you
and you
to waste
your life
never surrendering
your life
to him
and have
eternity
to pay
if you need
to get
saved
today
if you need
to give
your heart
and life
to Christ
we're going
to stand
and we're
going to sing
in just a
moment
but more
important
than that
I want
you to do
exactly
what God
tells you
to do
maybe you're
here and you
know you're
a Christian
but there's
never been a
time when you
publicly
acknowledge that
you did it
privately
but you never
let other
people know
that
Jesus told
us by
example and
by commission
that we're
to follow
that up
with a
public
baptism
to let
others know
what Christ
has done
in our
life
if you've
got a
private
decision
for the
Lord
but you've
never
made that
public
will you
come
I encourage
you to
come
I'd love
to guide
you in
that process
we'll lead
you through
as slowly
as we need
to for that
process
but let's
begin that
today
maybe you're
here and God's
drawing you to
be a part of
this church
maybe it's
your first
time here
maybe you've
been here
a long
time
maybe some
of us
even think
you're part
of us
but you've
never
committed
yourself
to be a
part of
God's
family
you've
never
made that
official
I encourage
you today
you come
we'd love
to guide
you in
that process
or maybe
there's
something
else
I will
never
stand
before
you
and pretend
that I
know what
God's
laid on
your heart
I don't
know that
but I
know God
still speaks
and I
know he
speaks to
hearts
and I
know that
if he's
telling you
what you
need to
do
that you'll
never be
happy until
you do
it
a life
of
disobedience
will never
be happy
when God's
made you
to be in
right
relationship
with him
and so
you obey
God
this is the
time to
do it
and so
I encourage
you as
we stand
and sing
you obey
God
Lord Jesus
I love
you and
thank you
for your
word
for the
clarity
of it
help us
to live
in response
to it
dear God
to condition
our lives
in such a way
that we're
in obedience
to you
even in the
things that
we don't
understand
lead us
oh God
I pray
in Jesus
precious name
amen