that reminder. Children, you can now go to Sunday school. Have a good time.
And the rest of us, please, can we be turning to Genesis chapter 1?
I went looking for the booklets on Genesis that I'd done up. I couldn't find any, so they've
probably all gone. I'll try and print some more for next week if you haven't got them.
But do read that little booklet. It will give you an introduction to the first 11 chapters
that we're going to be looking at over this term.
So let's read Genesis chapter 1. We're going to start at verse 1. We're going to go down
to verse 25. And then next week we'll look at that creation of humanity.
Next week. So starting at verse 1.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty.
Darkness was over the surface of the deep and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said, let there be light and there was light. God saw that the light was good and
he separated light from the darkness. God called the light day and the darkness he called night.
And there was evening and there was morning the first day. And God said, let there be a vault between
the waters to separate water from water. So God made the vault and separated the water under the
vault from the water above it. And it was so. And God called the vault sky. And there was evening and
there was morning the second day. And God said, let the water under the sky be gathered to one place
and let dry ground appear. And it was so. God called the dry ground land and the gathered waters he called
seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, let the land produce vegetation, seed bearing plants
and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it according to their various kinds. And it was so.
The land produced vegetation, plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit
with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there
was morning the third day. And God said, let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day
from the night and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times and days and years. And let them be
lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth. And it was so. And God made two great lights,
the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.
God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth to govern the day and the night and to
separate light from darkness. And God saw it was good. And there was evening and there was morning the fourth day.
And God said, let the water team with living creatures and let birds fly above the, across the earth and the vault
of the sky. So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing within them. The water teams
and that moves about in it according to their kinds and every winged bird according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, be fruitful and increase in number and fill
the water in the seas and let the birds increase on the earth. And there was evening and there was
morning the fifth day. And God said, let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds,
the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground and the wild animals, each according to its
kind. And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according
to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.
and God saw that it was good.
Well, God's word is good.
It's the voice that speaks
and we want to listen to it now.
Let's pray and ask for God's help as we do so.
Father, we thank you for this record,
this account of creation,
so wonderfully and precisely written.
Amen.
We thank you for all that we see and hear here.
And we pray that this wouldn't just be words on a page,
but it would be the very voice of God
speaking into our hearts and lives today,
helping us to see who you are,
the kind of God that you are,
and all that you are seeking to do in this world today.
So help us, we pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, Genesis chapter 1 has so much to teach us, doesn't it?
There's a lot here.
But here's the problem.
We don't always get very far into the story
because people start arguing over how old the world is
and how long it took to make.
Now, it's important for us to recognise
that there are faithful, Bible-believing Christians
who have very different views on this.
And I'm not going to go into them now.
It will take too much time.
I was going to, but I'm not.
If you want to talk to me about that afterwards,
I'm very happy to talk to you about it.
And while healthy debate is good to have,
getting stuck on this issue of how long it took
is to miss the point entirely.
Genesis hasn't been written to answer all our questions
about the age of the earth.
So, it's primarily been written to tell us about God
and who he is and who we are.
So, three things we're going to look at from our text this morning.
First, God speaks.
Second, God speaks and acts.
And then third, God speaks and acts to redeem.
So, let's get straight into it.
First, God speaks.
So, those are the four views which we've moved on very quickly.
First, God speaks.
God is introduced to us as a speaking God.
And we see this emphasis all the way through the first chapter.
So, verse 3,
And God said,
and it's probably there in the paragraphs,
verse 6,
And God said,
verse 9,
And God said,
verse 14,
And God said,
God speaks.
It's hard to miss the point, isn't it?
He speaks to tell us who he is
and what he is like.
We don't have to speculate.
We don't have to come up with a God of our imagination.
God is a speaking God
and he reveals himself to us through his words.
In fact, God is showing us that he is different
from any other man-made God or being
because he speaks.
Follow with me on screen.
This is from Psalm 115.
Why do the nations say,
Where is their God?
Our God is in heaven
and he does whatever pleases him.
But their idols
are silver and gold
made by human hands.
They have mouths,
but they cannot speak.
Eyes,
but cannot see.
They have ears,
but cannot hear.
Noses,
but cannot smell.
They have hands,
but cannot feel.
Feet,
but cannot walk.
Nor can they utter a sound
with their throats.
Those who make them
will be like them
and so will all
who trust
in them.
Psalm 115.
As we'll discover,
God speaks
so that we can
know him
and how we should
relate to him,
how we should speak.
He speaks to us
to commune with us,
to be in fellowship with us.
Our creator,
God,
is not some
impersonal force
somewhere away out there
raging from the heavens,
distant and unknown.
God speaks with words,
with language,
that we can understand
to communicate with us
just as we talk
with one another.
Now,
that doesn't mean
we can expect God
to have private,
audible conversations
with us.
No,
God's word
has been spoken
and it has been
written down
for us today.
So as we read
God's word,
we hear his voice.
That's why
Genesis was written.
Moses wrote it
with the help
of God's spirit
and it was written
for the Israelites
as they were
entering into
the promised land.
God was speaking.
He had his words
written down
so that every other
generation to come
could also learn.
God doesn't have
a private audience
with individuals
to say,
here,
I just want to
talk with you
a minute
and tell you
all about creation.
No,
he's written it down
so we can read
and we can know.
So if you want
to hear the voice
of God today,
we open up our Bibles
and we read
and we listen.
That's what we're
doing this morning.
It's what we do
every week.
We want to hear
God speak.
Second,
God speaks
and acts
because as God
speaks,
things happen.
His words
have power.
Look at the repetition
that we see
in Genesis 1.
So look at the
beginning of verse 6
and God said
and the end of verse
7
and it was
so.
Verse 9
and God said
the end of verse 9
and it was
so.
Verse 11
is the same.
Then God said
and it was
so.
All the way
through
verse 14
and God
said
end of verse 15
and it was
so.
God's words
do
what he commands
them to do.
His words
never rebel
against God.
They never
fail God.
His word
acts
as God
speaks.
Now I don't
know if you've
ever noticed
that your
words and my
words are not
like that.
We don't have
power.
If you've got
pets or if
you've got
young children
you'll know
that your
words have
no power
whatsoever.
They don't
have the
power to
control or
order or
bring things
into existence.
Our text
this morning
will show
us three
things about
the action
of God's
word when
he speaks.
Here's the
first one.
God speaks
order.
Look at
verse 2.
Now the
earth was
formless
and empty.
So verse 1
God created
the heavens
and the earth.
What did it
look like when
God began the
process of
creation?
Well verse 2
tells us it
was formless
and empty.
Darkness was
over the
surface of
the deep
and the
spirit of
God was
hovering over
the waters.
So the
picture we
have here is
if you can
imagine in
your minds
a misshapen
lifeless mass
suspended in
darkness.
A watery
sphere
suspended
in the
universe.
It was
formless
and empty.
God speaks
and as he
speaks the
earth is
formed
and the
earth is
filled.
His words
bring order
where there
is disorder.
So I have a
table here that
you can follow
on the screen.
It's not unique.
If you have a
study Bible you'll
probably find it
there.
formless world
on the left
the formless
world, the
empty world
on the right
and then God
begins the
process of
forming
on days
one, two
and three
and the
process of
filling
on days
four, five
and six.
So let me go
through that
with you on
day one
which we see
in verse three
God forms
the light
and separates
light from
darkness.
and then on
day four
in verse
fourteen
God fills
that formation
with the
sun, the
moon and
the stars.
On day two
verse six
we're told
that God
forms the
sea and
separates the
sky from
the waters.
Then on day
five in verse
twenty God
fills the
sea with
all the
sea creatures
and fills
the sky
with birds.
and then on
day three
God forms
the land
and he
forms the
vegetation
on the
land.
And then on
day six
which is
verse twenty
four and
into verse
twenty six
as well
God fills
the land
with animals
that crawl
along the
ground and
the creatures
of the ground
and as we'll
see next
week he
fills it
with people.
So it's
very clear to
see this
formless
emptiness
this void
which is
then formed
and then
filled.
The world
we live in
is not
random is it?
It's not an
accident.
The world
we live in
is carefully
ordered and
structured
by God's
word.
So God
speaks
order.
Second
God
speaks
design.
Everything
that God
makes
has a
place
and a
purpose.
There's
a design
to this
world
that we
can't
escape.
So look
at verse
11.
Then God
said let
the land
produce
vegetation
seed
bearing
plants
and trees
on the
land
that bear
fruit
with seed
in it
according
to its
various
kinds.
Verse
twenty
nine.
Sorry
verse
twenty one.
So God
created
sea
creatures
of the
sea
and
every
living
thing
with
which
the
water
teems
and that
moves
about
in it
according
to
their
kinds
and
every
winged
bird
according
to
its
kind.
Down
to verse
twenty
five.
God
made
the wild
animals
according
to
their
kinds
the
livestock
according
to
all
their
kinds
and
all
the
creatures
that
move
along
the
ground
according
to
their
kinds.
Can you
see the
design
that's
taking
place?
Everything
according
to
its
kind.
So
an
oak
tree
is an
oak
tree
and
it
doesn't
grow
rose
petals.
And a
robin
is a
bird
and it
doesn't
have an
ostrich
neck.
It's
according
to its
kind.
And a
mouse
doesn't
have an
elephant's
trunk.
Each
to
its
kind.
Now
it's
important
that we
understand
this
because
when we
come to
human
beings
God
designed
men
and he
designed
women
according
to their
kinds.
We're
not
interchangeable.
What God
designs
has their
purpose.
So look
at verse
12.
The
kinds of
vegetation
have their
purpose.
Verse
12.
The
land
produced
vegetation
plants
bearing
seed
according
to
their
kinds
and
trees
bearing
fruit
with
seed
in
it
according
to
their
kinds.
So the
trees
and the
plants
have all
been
designed
by God
to produce
fruit,
food
for human
beings.
And we
know from
science that
they take
in carbon
dioxide and
they produce
oxygen.
Verse
16.
We read
about the
lights in
the sky.
God
made two
great
lights.
The
greater
light,
that is
the sun,
to govern
the day
and the
lesser
light,
the moon,
to govern
the night,
to rule
the night.
Verse
17.
God
set them
in the
vault of
the sky
to give
light to
the earth,
to govern
the day
and the
night and
to separate
light from
darkness.
So the
sun has
a job
which is to
produce the
lovely
sunshine
upon the
world,
helping
things to
grow.
The moon
has a
job,
it reflects
the sun's
light in
the evening
times.
We also
know the
moon is
there to
keep the
tides going
and all
that happens
with that.
The world
is wonderfully
designed,
isn't it?
It's not
just a
random
jumbled
mess.
Everything,
the different
kinds of
creation,
have their
place and
purpose
within
God's
world.
So God
speaks
design.
And then
third,
God speaks
beauty.
Because
everything
God does,
God makes
and he
says it
is good.
He delights
in everything
that he's
made.
So again,
look at the
repetition,
that's a
theme through
the chapter,
just look at
what's repeated,
that's the
main point.
Verse 10
at the
end,
and God
saw that
it was
good.
Same at
the end
of verse 12,
and God
saw that
it was
good.
All the
way through,
everything
God did,
it was
good.
Nothing
is bad
or ugly
or unwanted
or useless.
It's all
wonderfully
good.
The stunning
colours of
a peacock's
tail,
the roaming
rhino with
his armoured
body,
the magnificent
corals in
the depths
of the
ocean,
the scent
of an
orchid or
those great
tall pines.
Creation
is God's
canvas,
his gallery
of beauty,
his masterpiece
on display
to the
world,
and he
is saying
it is
all good,
just as
I am
good.
God's
speaking,
none of
this would
happen.
Of course
there will
be those
who will
argue and
say,
no,
we don't
need God.
It all
evolved from
a big bang,
there was
matter that
kind of all
came in
together and
it just
went bang.
I don't
know if
you believe
that or
not.
Well,
if you
do,
consider
this.
Because if
everything was
to begin
with a
big bang,
just a
chance where
it just
happened,
the chances
of a world
being created
where you
have order,
design and
beauty,
is like
putting the
parts of a
car,
so your
car that you
came in this
morning,
stripping it
back to every
nut and bolt,
every wire and
fuse,
the doors and
windows,
the bumpers and
every little
gadget,
stripping it
down to its
tiny little
parts,
putting it
all into a
massive big
washing machine
and turning it
on and when
you open the
door,
whoa,
you have a
fully working
driving car
with every
bit in its
place.
That's what
we're expected
to happen if
we believe the
big bang that
somehow it all
just came into
being in this
wonderful order,
design and
beauty.
no,
this world is
not a product
of chance,
it has been
spoken into
being by
God.
Whether you
believe it's a
literal 24
hour day or
whether you
take that day
as an age or
a period of
time,
it's all into
being by
God.
God speaks to
act and
when he
acts,
he brings
order,
design and
beauty.
Listen to
this,
John Stott,
who's now
with the
Lord,
a Christian
writer and
speaker,
so good
with his
words.
This is
what he
says.
God speaks
to act and
when he
acts,
he brings,
oh sorry,
God preaches
and the
world is
made.
God said,
let there be
light and
there was
light.
Six sermons
are preached
in wonderful
sequence.
The word of
God is
proclaimed in
the heavens
pulpit and
it all
comes to
pass.
The preaching
forms the
universe.
The word
preached is
no empty
word.
it accomplish
what it
pleases and
never returns
void to
him who
speaks.
God's
spoken word
is a
powerful
creating
word.
It changes,
it transforms,
it achieves
the purpose
that God
intends.
Or as
Psalm 33
verse 6
tells us,
by the
word of
the Lord
the heavens
were made.
Their
starry
host by
the
breath
of his
mouth.
For he
spoke
and it
came to
be.
He
commanded
and it
stood
firm.
So God
speaks
and God
speaks
and acts.
But third,
there's a
reason for
God speaking
and acting.
And the
reason is
he speaks
and acts
to redeem.
Imagine for
a moment
that God
did not
speak.
So,
verse 1,
in the
beginning God
created the
heavens and
the earth.
He did
that,
he spoke
that into
existence,
but then
after that
he didn't.
What would
we have?
Verse 2,
well without
God speaking
the world
would remain
formless
and empty.
Without
God's
word,
darkness
would pervade
the universe.
There would
be no
life
without
God's
word.
Now,
that's really
important because
the biblical
authors pick up
on that theme
and they use
this picture of
pre-creation
where it's
formless and
empty to
describe
humanity
without
God's
word.
So,
turn with me
please to
Jeremiah
chapter 4
and we'll
see how
this is
true.
Isaiah
chapter 4,
or Jeremiah
chapter 4.
Jeremiah
begins with
explaining to
us that
God's people
have rebelled
and turned
their back
on God
and his
word.
They don't
want to
listen to
God anymore.
They've
had their
fill of
everything
God has
to say.
And we're
told in
chapter 2
that they've
exchanged the
glorious God
for worthless
idols.
Remember we
read about that
earlier.
Worthless idols
who have
mouths but
cannot speak.
Throats that
don't utter a
sound.
They don't
want to
listen.
They've got
their own
gods.
Now listen
to what God
says to
them.
Chapter 4
verse 22.
To those
who don't
listen.
My people
are fools.
They do
not know
me.
They are
senseless
children.
They have
no
understanding.
They are
skilled in
doing evil.
They know
not how
to do
good.
That's what
happens when
there is an
absence of
God's word.
But look now
at how he
describes
humanity.
Verse 23.
I looked at
the earth
and it was
formless
darkness and
empty.
And that
the heavens
and their
light was
gone.
You see
when God's
word is not
heard there
is chaos
and darkness.
Now isn't
that a
remarkable
description of
humanity today?
It's lifting it
straight out of
Genesis 1 and
showing to us
that God's
word when it
is rejected
and ignored
becomes chaotic.
humanity, the
world in which
we live is
formless and
empty.
There's division
in our
relationships,
disorder in
our own
lives.
There's no
purpose, no
meaning.
We're just
here trying
to figure it
all out.
The light
has gone
out and
darkness
prevails.
We were
reminded of
that yesterday
weren't we
with the
20th anniversary
of 9-11.
It's still
going on in
Afghanistan and
Syria and
in many
nations in
our world.
There's
something very
dark that
pervades this
world of
ours.
We see it in
our own
communities,
the tragic
murder-suicide
in North
Kerry this
week.
How awful
that is.
The
continued
items in
the news
of rise
in domestic
abuse.
And if
we should
dare peer
into our
own hearts
and lives,
if we
would dare
to look
inside
ourselves,
we see
things there
that we
would not
want anybody
to ever
know or
see.
I see it
in my
own life.
There have
been seasons
of struggle
and God's
word is not
opened or
read and
well I know
what happens,
my life
becomes
dysfunctional.
Work and
home become
imbalanced,
marriage
becomes
joyless,
relationships
break.
When God's
word is
not heard,
verse 23,
life becomes
formless and
empty,
the light
goes out.
In fact
when the
word is
rejected,
a
decreation
takes place.
Follow on
with Jeremiah
in verse 24.
I looked
at the
mountains
and they
were quaking
and the
hills were
swaying.
I looked
and there
were no
people.
Every bird
in the sky
had flown
away.
I looked
and the
fruitful
land was
a desert
and all
its towns
lay in
ruins before
the Lord
before his
fierce
anger.
Isn't
that true
of the
world today?
There is
a
decreation,
an
undoing
taking place
of all
that God
made that
was good.
Not only
do we
take the
place of
God,
but we
order our
lives as
we please.
Gender
is redesigned,
life is
ended in
the womb,
our
environment
is polluted,
our world
is breaking
and our
personal lives
spiral out
of control.
Instead of
flourishing,
we have
become a
fruitless,
parched
desert.
the world
is starved
of the
very thing
that gives
nourishment
and life,
God's
word.
But notice
that this
isn't all
the consequences
of rejecting
God's word.
Again,
look at
verse 26.
I looked
and the
fruitful
land was
a desert,
all its
town lay
in ruin
before the
Lord,
before his
fierce
anger.
Not
hearing
God's
word
is
judgment.
Removing
God's
word from
a people
and a
community
is a
sign of
God's
displeasure.
It's
God's
response to
a world
who says,
I don't
want you,
I don't
want to
listen to
you,
and God
listens to
that and
says,
well I'll
be silent
and I'll
remove my
word from
you and
you will
see what
becomes.
In other
words,
it's a
mercy of
God.
It's a
gracious
act of
God when
we hear
his word
in our
lives and
in our
communities.
So that
is humanity
without
God's
word.
Second,
humanity
with
God's
word.
You see,
we can
see how
desperately
we need
the word
of God,
that
creative,
powerful
act of
God that
we read
about in
Genesis.
We need
that same
voice,
that same
word to
renew and
restore.
We need
a new
creation in
our own
lives.
So let's
have a look
at 2
Corinthians
chapter 4.
2
Corinthians
chapter 4.
Once again,
the authors
of scripture
pick up on
this theme
of creation
to explain
the world
in which we
live and
what needs
to happen.
Look at
verse 4.
2
Corinthians
4,
verse 4.
The God
of this
age,
that is
Satan,
we'll meet
him when
we get
to
Genesis
3.
The God
of this
age has
blinded
the minds
of
unbelievers
just as
he blinded
the minds
of Adam
and Eve.
He's still
doing it,
that's his
job,
so that
they cannot
see the
light of
the gospel
that displays
the glory
of Christ
who is
the image
of God.
So the
gospel,
the gospel
word,
which is
all about
Christ,
is not
seen and
it's not
understood.
People are
blind to
its truth
and reality.
They're in
darkness.
They can't
see how
destructive
their lives
are becoming.
People think
that, well,
if I don't
have God's
word,
that's actually
freedom.
No,
it's
judgment.
They are
blind to
the truth
of God's
word.
So how
are we,
how are
people ever
going to
see the
light of
Christ and
understand who
he is?
Well,
look at
verse 6.
For God
who said,
let light
shine out of
darkness,
Genesis 1
verse 3,
made his
light shine
in our
hearts to
give us the
light of the
knowledge of
God's glory
displayed in
the face of
Christ.
We're taken
right back
again to the
beginning of
creation,
aren't we?
To the
God who
spoke.
And he's
saying,
look, I
want you to
remember,
imagine,
go back to
creation.
The God who
speaks and
acts is the
God who
speaks and
acts to
redeem.
The power of
God's word
that formed
this formless
world and
his word that
filled this
empty void.
The power
that brought
light into
the darkness
is this
same God
who by
his spirit
speaks his
creative word
and his
life-giving
word into
our hearts
today.
How does
he do that?
Well, go back
to the verse
before, verse 5.
For what we
preach is not
ourselves, but
Jesus Christ
as Lord.
as the
word about
Christ, the
living word is
preached, his
word takes
effect in our
hearts.
It's like the
lights go on,
it's like being
in a room full
of darkness and
someone comes
in, maybe
you're asleep,
windows, blinds,
curtains are
closed, it's a
dark, dark
room and
somebody comes
in, switches
on the light,
bright lights.
God's word
begins to
act.
And we
can begin to
see that the
decreation in
our lives, all
that disorder and
disruption, we
begin to see it
and we turn to
our creator God
in faith.
As Paul will
put it in the
following chapter,
if anyone is in
Christ, the new
creation has come,
the old has gone,
and the new is
here.
You see, when we
turn to God in
repentance, when we
turn in trust to
his word about his
son, it's like a
new creation takes
place in us
personally.
As we begin to
live under his
word and submit to
his word, our
disordered lives
are reordered.
spirit, what is
chaotic in our
life, is now
wonderfully
redesigned.
Where there is
brokenness, there is
now a magnificent
beauty.
He takes empty
vessels such as
us, who are
formless and
shapeless, and he
fills us with his
life-giving spirit.
God is not
distant from us
today, raging
from the heavens
in chaos and
disorder.
God has come
close to us
through his
word to redeem
us.
His word is
powerful, renewing
and restoring.
So think about
your life today,
where you're at.
Maybe there are
things that are
in chaos.
Maybe there's
disruption and
disorder.
Maybe there's
relationships that
are broken.
Maybe marriage
isn't as it
should be.
Things aren't
right.
Nothing seems
to be in sync.
Come under
God's word.
Submit yourself
to God's word.
Let him speak
his word into
your life and
bring about
an order and
a design and
a beauty to
the chaos that
is there.
Let him bring
about a new
creation, new
relationships, new
beginnings.
He can do that
for you as we
turn to his
word.
Think about
where you live,
your neighbours.
Think about the
people you work
with, maybe your
family.
And you look at
their lives and
you see how
painful it is,
how disordered
things have
gotten, wrong
choices, bad
decisions, ignoring
God, I can go my
own way.
And you see the
mess.
What's going to
make it right?
speak the word of
God's truth.
Let them hear the
voice of God speak
into their lives and
watch how God
renews and restores
and transforms,
bringing order and
design and beauty
in the darkness
bringing light.
God speaks
and when God
speaks he acts
and when God
acts
he redeems.
Listen
to the voice of God.
Have confidence
and speak his word
into this broken
world.
Let's pray.
Father, we so
often look at
your word, we
open up our
Bibles, we
have it on our
laps in front of
us and we
just treat it
as perhaps like
any other book,
any other word.
but you've
reminded us
again and
afresh today
that your
word, your
voice is
powerful.
Your spoken
word
creates,
it acts,
it redeems.
Father, help us
right now, even
now, we
confess
where we have
intentionally
ignored you.
help us to
come under
your word
afresh and
would you
restore what
is broken.
Would you
please,
Father, bring
order and
design and
beauty to
what is
broken.
We confess
and humbly
ask that you
would do that
in us today.
We pray for
those known
to us, friends
or family.
Father, would
you use us
to speak the
word of God
into the life
of another.
And will you
be gracious
and bring
about a new
creation.
May the
old go
and may the
new come.
Jesus
for the glory
of God
and for our
good.
Amen.
you