WEBVTT

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 I spent most of this week in in-service training with other Free Church ministers, and we spent

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! our time in the book of Lamentations, which led to some reflections on worship. And there was one

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! common, you know, the value of singing lament songs, recognizing that every week in our churches

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 there will always be those who sit with a sense of quiet despair, a sense of grief or sadness,

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 perhaps. Maybe God feels far away and distant from your circumstances. Well, if that's you, then

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 God in His goodness gives us the Psalms of Lament, giving us words to bring to our God. So we're going

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 to sing a couple of sections from Psalm 42, verses 1 to 5, and in verses 10 to 11. So as we're able,

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 let's stand together to sing praise.

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 As the dear for flowing streams, so longs my soul, O God, for you. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I meet with God anew?

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 My tears have been my constant food, both in the night and in the day. While all day long insistently,

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 where is this God of yours? Where is this God of yours? They say. As I pour out my soul in grief,

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 these things I do remember still. How with the multitude I went, up to God's house on Zion Hill. In their procession I would lead,

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 as we approached with cheerful song. And shouts of joy and thankfulness, rejoicing with the festive throng.

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 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why are you so disturbed in me? Trust God, for I will praise Him yet. My Savior and my God is He.

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 My bones in mortal agony are groaning while my enemies say.

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 Wherever is this God of yours, they scoff at me throughout the day.

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 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why are you so disturbed in me? Trust God, for I will praise Him yet.

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 My Savior and my Savior and my God is He.

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 Please have a seat. And let me invite you to turn back with me to the opening words of the book of Genesis,

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 the opening words of the Bible. We're going to look at Genesis 1, verse 1 and 2,

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 and reflect together on God, our eternal creator. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

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 There have been some famous first lines in story and in literature. Some of my favorites,

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 it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Charles Dickens, Great Expectations.

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 Here is Edward Bear coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin.

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 That's Winnie the Pooh. And one of the nation's favorites, as it turns out,

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 it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

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 Jane Austen's great first line from Pride and Prejudice.

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 But the most famous and the most significant of all opening lines are the ones we just read in the book of Genesis,

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 in the beginning, God. God created. Because this introduces us to God and His great story of salvation.

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 And right from the beginning, we are led to understand He is the author, He is the main character,

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 He is going to be the great hero in this unfolding story of redemption.

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 And it also begins to help us to answer some of the biggest questions that we will ever have in our lives.

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 Questions like, who is God? And who am I? And what's wrong with the world? And is there any solution?

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 Is there any hope?

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 The beginning of this story in the book of Genesis, which incidentally means beginnings or origins,

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 is all about the God who creates.

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 And then as we'll see, the God who makes great promises.

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 He is a God who attaches His future hope to certain persons and certain people.

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 And ultimately we see by the end of Genesis, we'll begin to Genesis 49 and 50,

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 that hope for the world rests in the promise that God will send a king.

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 And this king will be a source of blessing.

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 So in the first few months of the year, we're going to be in Genesis 1 to 11.

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 And these chapters really set the stage for this great story.

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 And it's going to enable us to hear the greatest, the truest story ever told.

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 Of God the Father sending His Son, the Lord Jesus, into this world in order to rescue the people He has made.

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 So let's get into the preface of this great story as we hear verses 1 and 2.

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 Three very simple things to say this morning, but they are huge.

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 They are mind-expanding truths.

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 First of all, God is eternal.

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 In the beginning, God.

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 Let's start with a question.

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 And it's a big question.

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 What do you think is ultimate reality?

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 There's an evangelist, a Christian podcaster called Glenn Scrivener, and he says,

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 to help answer that question, you need to ask yourself,

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 what do I believe was there in the beginning?

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 If we were able to scroll back through the ages of time to get to point zero,

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 what was there?

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 Now, many people in our culture, perhaps you're here today, and you think, well, nothing was there.

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 No one was there.

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 The physical universe is all there is, and random chance brought everything out of nothing.

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 And perhaps we can sense the appeal of that,

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 because if there's no creator, no one above us, then there is no ultimate authority,

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 then that means you and I, well, we could be free to set our own meaning and purpose.

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 We would be free, ultimately, to sit on the throne and decide how life operated.

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 But perhaps it's important that we also take a moment to see the difficulty,

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 because if we look back to origins and we see, oh, there's no meaning, there's no purpose,

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 and if we fast forward to the end of history and we think again,

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 well, there is no meaning and purpose, and when we die, that's it,

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 then we might well find ourselves looking at our lives and thinking,

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 well, if life is random and it's come from nowhere and it's going nowhere,

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 then life has no meaning and purpose.

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 And that's very bleak.

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 And it's not the way any of us choose to live or really can live.

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 There is an instinct with us, within us, where we think and we act as if we have meaning,

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 as if others have meaning, as if life has meaning.

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 That's because it does.

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 And even people who want to live without God say there is no God,

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 even they will find themselves trying to smuggle in meaning in lots of different ways.

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 So that we do believe that there are rights and wrongs.

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 We do believe there is justice.

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 And maybe we hear it most commonly at the point of death.

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 There is the cultural understanding that someone, when they die,

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 well, they're in a better place and they're smiling down at us.

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 What does that reveal to us?

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 It reveals that we want to believe that our lives have meaning now and when we die.

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 And that takes us to the significance of what the Bible teaches about our God and about ourselves.

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 And the Bible certainly presents a better answer to the question of what is ultimate reality

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 when it says to us,

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 in the beginning,

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 God.

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 Before there was time, before there was anything,

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 God was there.

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 So just a few kind of brief reflections on what we learn about God and why it matters.

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 First of all,

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 as we recognize God is ultimate reality,

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 we come to understand that we need Him.

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 So if we were able to scroll all the way back to the moment when everything came to exist,

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 we would discover God.

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 We would come to the eternal God who speaks the universe into existence.

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 And that matters not just for back then,

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 but for you and me today,

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 right now.

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 There's a truth captured by Paul as he was speaking in Romans or writing in the book of Romans,

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 chapter 11,

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 verse 36.

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 He says this of God,

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 For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things.

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 To Him be the glory forever and ever.

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 Amen.

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 That the God who is without beginning and without end is the source of your life and mine,

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 is the goal of your life and mine.

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 So that when we discover that we are made for God and we can know God,

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 well, as C.S. Lewis puts it,

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 our nature is fulfilled and our happiness attained.

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 A broken bone in the universe has been set.

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 The anguish is over.

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 Here's another thought.

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 God is eternal and you and I were made for eternity.

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 I imagine that most of us,

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 at least some of the times,

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 have a tricky relationship with time.

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 Sometimes we have that impression that life is just going too fast.

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 Maybe it's as parents,

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 our kids are growing up too fast.

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 Maybe we've enjoyed a good time of rest

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 and the holiday is coming to an end too quickly.

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 On the flip side,

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 sometimes we find that time is going a little bit too slowly.

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 Maybe that lecture that never seems to end.

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 And church service that seems to go on and on.

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 Sometimes have that experience.

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 And then we come to God

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 and God has a perfect relationship with time.

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 God exists outside of time.

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 He sees all of time at one time.

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 And he is the one who was

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 and who is

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 and who is to come.

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 He is eternal.

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 And in Ecclesiastes chapter 3,

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 we discover that the eternal God

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 has set eternity in our hearts.

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 That we are created for eternity.

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 And that in large measure

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 explains why we can be so restless in time.

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 You know, when we reflect and think,

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 life is too short and time is flying

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 or I don't want this moment to end,

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 that is our heart saying to us,

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 we were made for more.

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 We were made to live eternally

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 and to live eternally

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 in relationship with the eternal God.

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 And we're going to see that

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 as we come to think about

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 the creation of humanity.

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 Another thought that becomes clear

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 as we read the book of Genesis

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 and the whole of the Bible

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 is that God is self-existing.

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 And we owe our existence to Him.

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 Now when we think about

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 the origins of the universe,

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 it is quite likely

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 that you have heard arguments,

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 perhaps in a classroom,

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 perhaps in a textbook,

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 that the universe, you know,

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 began with superheated particles

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 or a singularity of pure energy,

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 a big bang.

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 And the challenge

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 or the question

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 that I suppose arises

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 is, well, where did those

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 protons, particles,

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 matters of energy,

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 where did they come from?

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 And if they are regarded

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 as eternal,

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 and it's seen as perfectly rational

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 that somebody should believe

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 that a protein or a particle

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 could exist eternally

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 and create everything,

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 how does that differ

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 from Christian faith

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 that says there is an eternal God?

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 And it's rational for us

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 to believe that this eternal,

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 personal God

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 was there

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 and made everything.

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 All of us have certain

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 faith beliefs about origins.

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 Genesis 1

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 holds out the best explanation

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 of our world,

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 that the God

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 who has existed eternally,

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 the God

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 who is dependent

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 on no one

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 to give him life.

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 He is the source

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 of life

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 and ultimate reality.

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 Going back to Paul again,

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 this time speaking

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 to some great thinkers

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 in the city of Athens.

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 He said,

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 in him,

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 in God,

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 we live

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 and move

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 and have

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 our being.

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 God

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 is eternal.

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 In the beginning,

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 God.

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 God.

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 And that's really important

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 at the personal level.

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 Perhaps

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 you're searching

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 for meaning.

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 Perhaps you're asking

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 some big questions

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 of life today.

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 And if so,

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 you're so welcome.

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 It's a great place

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 to be.

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 And it's important

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 to recognize

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 that the answer

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 the Bible gives

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 from the beginning

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 is so different

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 from the answer

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 we often hear in culture.

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 The quest

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 to find meaning

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 and purpose

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 and identity

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 doesn't come

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 from looking

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 inside of ourselves.

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 It comes

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 from looking

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 outside of ourselves,

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 looking up

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 to recognize

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 there is a God,

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 an eternal God

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 who made us

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 and made us

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 for himself.

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 But if you're asking

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 these big questions,

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 do keep coming.

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 And if you know

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 people who are asking

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 big questions,

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 why not invite them

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 into these

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 sermons

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 on the book

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 of Genesis?

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 But just to recognize

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 for ourselves

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 that the Bible

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 helps us

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 to answer

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 that question

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 of what is the goal

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 of your life

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 and mine?

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 And so often,

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 don't we find

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 in the busyness

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 of life

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 and the distractions

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 of life,

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 we can lose

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 that sense

00:17:03.379 --> 00:17:03.860
 of purpose.

00:17:03.959 --> 00:17:04.420
 Maybe things

00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:04.960
 get hard,

00:17:05.079 --> 00:17:06.000
 circumstances change.

00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:06.980
 What am I here for?

00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:08.180
 What's my purpose?

00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:10.000
 And the book

00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:10.500
 of Genesis,

00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:11.160
 chapter 1,

00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:12.180
 is going to remind us

00:17:12.180 --> 00:17:12.940
 that we are made

00:17:12.940 --> 00:17:14.220
 to know God

00:17:14.220 --> 00:17:14.920
 personally.

00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:18.000
 That the goal

00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:18.599
 of our life

00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:20.200
 is to worship

00:17:20.200 --> 00:17:21.099
 the God

00:17:21.099 --> 00:17:21.980
 who made us

00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:22.920
 and made us

00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:23.519
 for himself,

00:17:23.639 --> 00:17:24.779
 to live in

00:17:24.779 --> 00:17:26.000
 relationship

00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:26.940
 with God,

00:17:26.940 --> 00:17:28.120
 to seek

00:17:28.120 --> 00:17:28.799
 his glory,

00:17:29.019 --> 00:17:29.960
 to enjoy

00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:30.900
 his glory.

00:17:31.019 --> 00:17:31.400
 Ultimately,

00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:32.259
 to be able

00:17:32.259 --> 00:17:32.740
 to sing

00:17:32.740 --> 00:17:33.259
 the song

00:17:33.259 --> 00:17:33.700
 of heaven

00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:34.180
 we find

00:17:34.180 --> 00:17:35.360
 in Revelation 4

00:17:35.360 --> 00:17:36.940
 where we hear

00:17:36.940 --> 00:17:37.799
 these words,

00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:39.720
 you are worthy,

00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:40.940
 our Lord and God,

00:17:41.080 --> 00:17:42.120
 to receive glory

00:17:42.120 --> 00:17:42.880
 and honor

00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:43.779
 and power

00:17:43.779 --> 00:17:44.779
 for,

00:17:44.900 --> 00:17:45.600
 here's the reason,

00:17:45.980 --> 00:17:46.740
 you created

00:17:46.740 --> 00:17:47.380
 all things

00:17:47.380 --> 00:17:49.000
 and by your will

00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:49.820
 they were created

00:17:49.820 --> 00:17:51.000
 and have

00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:52.299
 their being.

00:17:53.080 --> 00:17:54.200
 God is eternal.

00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:56.960
 we also discovered

00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:57.799
 in these opening verses,

00:17:57.980 --> 00:17:58.240
 secondly,

00:17:58.400 --> 00:17:59.380
 that God is,

00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:00.640
 now I want you to picture

00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:01.580
 this scene

00:18:01.580 --> 00:18:02.600
 for just a moment.

00:18:02.700 --> 00:18:04.120
 So imagine we move

00:18:04.120 --> 00:18:04.900
 from Edinburgh,

00:18:05.019 --> 00:18:06.319
 we move to the

00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:07.819
 Arabian wilderness

00:18:07.819 --> 00:18:07.840
!

00:18:09.120 --> 00:18:10.100
 And picture

00:18:10.100 --> 00:18:11.539
 a Mr. Benjamin

00:18:11.539 --> 00:18:12.900
 and a Mrs. Miriam

00:18:12.900 --> 00:18:14.160
 and they're standing

00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:15.640
 outside their tent

00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:17.180
 and there's thousands

00:18:17.180 --> 00:18:17.900
 of other tents

00:18:17.900 --> 00:18:18.539
 and there's thousands

00:18:18.539 --> 00:18:19.120
 of other people

00:18:19.120 --> 00:18:19.640
 listening

00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:20.819
 as Moses,

00:18:21.240 --> 00:18:22.080
 who wrote the book

00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:22.579
 of Genesis,

00:18:23.199 --> 00:18:24.199
 shares for the very

00:18:24.199 --> 00:18:25.139
 first time

00:18:25.139 --> 00:18:26.199
 the truths

00:18:26.199 --> 00:18:27.159
 that we have just read.

00:18:29.159 --> 00:18:30.879
 Now what that couple

00:18:30.879 --> 00:18:32.240
 would discover

00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:34.519
 in the reading

00:18:34.519 --> 00:18:35.159
 of Genesis

00:18:35.159 --> 00:18:36.619
 is a story

00:18:36.619 --> 00:18:38.679
 so very different

00:18:38.679 --> 00:18:40.419
 from what they had

00:18:40.419 --> 00:18:41.619
 grown up hearing

00:18:41.619 --> 00:18:42.659
 in Egypt.

00:18:43.019 --> 00:18:43.539
 So remember

00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:44.439
 the people of God,

00:18:44.599 --> 00:18:45.000
 Israelites,

00:18:45.179 --> 00:18:45.960
 had been slaves

00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:46.819
 in Egypt

00:18:46.819 --> 00:18:48.339
 for over 400 years

00:18:48.339 --> 00:18:49.679
 and in Egypt

00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:52.299
 there were multiple

00:18:52.299 --> 00:18:52.580
 gods,

00:18:52.700 --> 00:18:53.519
 loads of gods,

00:18:53.660 --> 00:18:54.100
 local,

00:18:54.320 --> 00:18:54.720
 regional,

00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:56.759
 limited gods.

00:18:58.039 --> 00:18:58.820
 And they had

00:18:58.820 --> 00:18:59.960
 a creation story

00:18:59.960 --> 00:19:01.320
 very different

00:19:01.320 --> 00:19:01.860
 to the story

00:19:01.860 --> 00:19:02.320
 of the Bible.

00:19:02.600 --> 00:19:03.060
 The earth,

00:19:03.160 --> 00:19:03.600
 the universe,

00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:05.120
 it came out of chaos,

00:19:05.779 --> 00:19:05.940
 you know,

00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:07.600
 fighting between gods.

00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:10.640
 They heard

00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:11.820
 of a great

00:19:11.820 --> 00:19:12.920
 dualism.

00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:14.340
 There was two

00:19:14.340 --> 00:19:15.140
 great gods,

00:19:15.460 --> 00:19:16.039
 one who was

00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:16.920
 really violent,

00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:18.900
 he was called Seth,

00:19:18.900 --> 00:19:20.660
 and one who was

00:19:20.660 --> 00:19:21.580
 good and life-giving

00:19:21.580 --> 00:19:22.160
 and he was called

00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:23.100
 Osiris.

00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:24.980
 And so they believed

00:19:24.980 --> 00:19:25.540
 that there were

00:19:25.540 --> 00:19:27.060
 multiple gods

00:19:27.060 --> 00:19:27.600
 and the gods

00:19:27.600 --> 00:19:28.360
 were all fighting

00:19:28.360 --> 00:19:28.940
 together

00:19:28.940 --> 00:19:29.960
 and that good

00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:30.560
 and evil

00:19:30.560 --> 00:19:31.300
 were eternal

00:19:31.300 --> 00:19:32.320
 and they were equal.

00:19:34.900 --> 00:19:35.680
 Now when God

00:19:35.680 --> 00:19:36.519
 sets his people

00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:37.040
 free

00:19:37.040 --> 00:19:38.620
 from Egypt,

00:19:39.019 --> 00:19:39.759
 he's also

00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:40.740
 setting them free

00:19:40.740 --> 00:19:42.240
 from those beliefs

00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:44.120
 and introducing

00:19:44.120 --> 00:19:45.280
 them to truth

00:19:45.280 --> 00:19:46.060
 and reality

00:19:46.060 --> 00:19:46.740
 which Moses

00:19:46.740 --> 00:19:47.700
 records for us,

00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:48.400
 clear,

00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:50.019
 simple truth.

00:19:50.360 --> 00:19:51.299
 In the beginning,

00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:53.380
 God created

00:19:53.380 --> 00:19:54.279
 the heavens

00:19:54.279 --> 00:19:55.240
 and the earth.

00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:56.940
 And Genesis 1

00:19:56.940 --> 00:19:58.140
 does this so helpfully

00:19:58.140 --> 00:19:58.700
 and we'll see it

00:19:58.700 --> 00:19:59.460
 in the next few weeks

00:19:59.460 --> 00:20:00.980
 that God is

00:20:00.980 --> 00:20:01.580
 the author

00:20:01.580 --> 00:20:02.220
 of the universe.

00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:03.860
 God is the subject

00:20:03.860 --> 00:20:05.019
 of all that happens

00:20:05.019 --> 00:20:06.200
 in Genesis 1,

00:20:06.259 --> 00:20:06.799
 1 and 2.

00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:08.440
 He's the subject

00:20:08.440 --> 00:20:09.500
 of all that happens

00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:10.220
 in Genesis 1,

00:20:10.360 --> 00:20:11.960
 35 times

00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:14.039
 God is doing.

00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:16.039
 God is the actor,

00:20:16.039 --> 00:20:17.119
 God is the author.

00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:19.299
 Only God is eternal.

00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:20.200
 God alone

00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:21.000
 is responsible

00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:21.859
 for everything

00:20:21.859 --> 00:20:23.000
 that exists.

00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:23.980
 So the universe

00:20:23.980 --> 00:20:24.740
 is not timeless.

00:20:25.980 --> 00:20:26.659
 The universe

00:20:26.659 --> 00:20:27.980
 isn't here by chance.

00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:29.899
 God didn't give order

00:20:29.899 --> 00:20:30.899
 to pre-existing

00:20:30.899 --> 00:20:31.680
 proteins

00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:32.579
 and protons.

00:20:33.420 --> 00:20:34.480
 He is the creator

00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:34.920
 and author

00:20:34.920 --> 00:20:35.599
 of everything.

00:20:38.399 --> 00:20:39.460
 Second idea,

00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:41.000
 God crafted

00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:42.000
 the world

00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:43.779
 out of nothing.

00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:46.920
 As we read

00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:48.119
 Genesis 1 and 2,

00:20:48.599 --> 00:20:50.380
 the picture language

00:20:50.380 --> 00:20:52.079
 is the language

00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:52.880
 of God

00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:53.779
 as a great

00:20:53.779 --> 00:20:55.599
 craftsman

00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:57.539
 who is willing,

00:20:57.740 --> 00:20:58.420
 think about how

00:20:58.420 --> 00:20:59.119
 Adam was made,

00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:00.319
 to get his hands

00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:01.519
 dirty as it were

00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:03.400
 in order to create.

00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:05.619
 He is personally

00:21:05.619 --> 00:21:06.279
 involved

00:21:06.279 --> 00:21:08.339
 in this wonderful

00:21:08.339 --> 00:21:08.980
 creation.

00:21:08.980 --> 00:21:11.299
 and he does it

00:21:11.299 --> 00:21:11.799
 from nothing.

00:21:13.120 --> 00:21:13.640
 Now there is no

00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:14.099
 parallel

00:21:14.099 --> 00:21:15.019
 in our human

00:21:15.019 --> 00:21:15.620
 experience.

00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:17.160
 Think of the things

00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:17.880
 that we make.

00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:19.339
 Maybe we make

00:21:19.339 --> 00:21:20.620
 a Lego set

00:21:20.620 --> 00:21:21.819
 or we build

00:21:21.819 --> 00:21:22.539
 a house

00:21:22.539 --> 00:21:24.140
 or we create

00:21:24.140 --> 00:21:25.319
 a great meal.

00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:26.500
 All of those

00:21:26.500 --> 00:21:27.660
 things require

00:21:27.660 --> 00:21:29.339
 raw materials

00:21:29.339 --> 00:21:30.259
 of different kinds

00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:31.860
 and all of them

00:21:31.860 --> 00:21:33.000
 require a set

00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:34.160
 of instructions.

00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:36.559
 Only God

00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:36.980
 creates

00:21:36.980 --> 00:21:37.539
 creates

00:21:37.539 --> 00:21:38.759
 out of nothing.

00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:40.900
 No raw materials

00:21:40.900 --> 00:21:41.980
 simply

00:21:41.980 --> 00:21:42.799
 from

00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:43.440
 his

00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:43.960
 mind.

00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:44.839
 It's a window

00:21:44.839 --> 00:21:45.940
 into the power

00:21:45.940 --> 00:21:46.559
 of God.

00:21:48.380 --> 00:21:49.220
 Think of that

00:21:49.220 --> 00:21:49.740
 for a moment.

00:21:49.860 --> 00:21:50.480
 There was nothing

00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.160
 God spoke.

00:21:51.299 --> 00:21:51.940
 There was everything.

00:21:53.259 --> 00:21:53.779
 Think of the

00:21:53.779 --> 00:21:54.339
 complexity

00:21:54.339 --> 00:21:55.240
 and the beauty,

00:21:56.019 --> 00:21:56.660
 the order

00:21:56.660 --> 00:21:58.319
 in our own

00:21:58.319 --> 00:21:58.640
 bodies,

00:21:58.740 --> 00:21:59.099
 never mind

00:21:59.099 --> 00:21:59.759
 what's going on

00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:00.160
 out there.

00:22:00.299 --> 00:22:00.720
 Nothing

00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:01.360
 and no one

00:22:01.360 --> 00:22:01.880
 compares

00:22:01.880 --> 00:22:02.920
 with our

00:22:02.920 --> 00:22:03.779
 God.

00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:05.000
 But then

00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:05.480
 it's important

00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:05.980
 to see that

00:22:05.980 --> 00:22:06.700
 from the beginning

00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:07.940
 God is

00:22:07.940 --> 00:22:08.860
 distinct

00:22:08.860 --> 00:22:10.299
 from his

00:22:10.299 --> 00:22:10.799
 creation.

00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:11.480
 God and creation

00:22:11.480 --> 00:22:12.360
 are not one

00:22:12.360 --> 00:22:13.559
 and the same.

00:22:14.579 --> 00:22:15.019
 That's very

00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:16.460
 careful and clear

00:22:16.460 --> 00:22:17.380
 in verse 1

00:22:17.380 --> 00:22:18.539
 and verse 2.

00:22:18.660 --> 00:22:19.259
 In the beginning

00:22:19.259 --> 00:22:20.120
 there is God

00:22:20.120 --> 00:22:20.960
 and then there is

00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:21.500
 an action

00:22:21.500 --> 00:22:22.500
 and God creates

00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:23.220
 the heavens and the earth.

00:22:23.319 --> 00:22:23.700
 It weren't there

00:22:23.700 --> 00:22:24.559
 than it was there.

00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:26.900
 In verse 2

00:22:26.900 --> 00:22:28.380
 there is the earth

00:22:28.380 --> 00:22:29.279
 formless and empty,

00:22:29.400 --> 00:22:29.720
 darkness,

00:22:30.220 --> 00:22:31.099
 and there's the spirit

00:22:31.099 --> 00:22:31.799
 of God hovering

00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:32.419
 over.

00:22:33.719 --> 00:22:34.500
 Not the same,

00:22:35.719 --> 00:22:36.439
 hovering over.

00:22:36.539 --> 00:22:36.879
 And there's that

00:22:36.879 --> 00:22:37.579
 wonderful sense

00:22:37.579 --> 00:22:38.919
 of anticipation,

00:22:39.419 --> 00:22:40.039
 the idea

00:22:40.039 --> 00:22:40.679
 there's the raw

00:22:40.679 --> 00:22:41.359
 materials and

00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:42.059
 there's the spirit

00:22:42.059 --> 00:22:42.939
 of God

00:22:42.939 --> 00:22:43.639
 and everything's

00:22:43.639 --> 00:22:44.219
 going to happen.

00:22:47.500 --> 00:22:48.980
 God made the heavens

00:22:48.980 --> 00:22:49.559
 and the earth,

00:22:50.419 --> 00:22:51.279
 which is an idea

00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:52.639
 of a way of speaking

00:22:52.639 --> 00:22:53.459
 to say God made

00:22:53.459 --> 00:22:53.939
 everything.

00:22:55.939 --> 00:22:56.799
 And he made it

00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:57.659
 from nothing

00:22:57.660 --> 00:22:58.960
 and he is not

00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:00.080
 part of what

00:23:00.080 --> 00:23:00.960
 he created.

00:23:01.600 --> 00:23:02.560
 So in just a few

00:23:02.560 --> 00:23:03.600
 short sentences

00:23:03.600 --> 00:23:05.240
 we discover

00:23:05.240 --> 00:23:07.160
 the Christian view

00:23:07.160 --> 00:23:07.820
 of creation

00:23:07.820 --> 00:23:09.440
 and of God himself,

00:23:09.860 --> 00:23:10.820
 which stands

00:23:10.820 --> 00:23:11.560
 in opposition

00:23:11.560 --> 00:23:13.380
 to what the Israelites

00:23:13.380 --> 00:23:14.040
 were used to

00:23:14.040 --> 00:23:14.620
 in Egypt

00:23:14.620 --> 00:23:15.680
 and stands

00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:16.140
 in opposition

00:23:16.140 --> 00:23:17.940
 to what we hear

00:23:17.940 --> 00:23:18.980
 a lot in our own

00:23:18.980 --> 00:23:19.840
 society as well.

00:23:20.840 --> 00:23:21.860
 So it reminds us

00:23:21.860 --> 00:23:23.680
 that God the creator,

00:23:23.900 --> 00:23:24.560
 that there's not

00:23:24.560 --> 00:23:25.880
 polytheism,

00:23:26.460 --> 00:23:27.640
 not many gods,

00:23:27.660 --> 00:23:29.940
 not regional gods,

00:23:30.019 --> 00:23:30.720
 not fighting

00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:31.820
 and creating gods,

00:23:31.860 --> 00:23:32.680
 only one true

00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:33.480
 and living God.

00:23:35.940 --> 00:23:36.720
 And we don't

00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:38.420
 believe in pantheism.

00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:39.880
 That's found

00:23:39.880 --> 00:23:41.540
 in Eastern religions.

00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:43.400
 Sam Albury,

00:23:43.540 --> 00:23:44.400
 who's a pastor,

00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:45.140
 used to be involved

00:23:45.140 --> 00:23:45.900
 in the Greenpeace

00:23:45.900 --> 00:23:46.640
 movement and he would

00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:47.460
 say you can trace

00:23:47.460 --> 00:23:47.980
 some of this

00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:50.300
 in the extremes

00:23:50.300 --> 00:23:52.259
 of the environmental

00:23:52.259 --> 00:23:52.940
 movement.

00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:53.920
 The universe

00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:55.360
 is not divine.

00:23:55.359 --> 00:23:58.879
 The rocks are not God.

00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:01.740
 And the Bible also

00:24:01.740 --> 00:24:02.439
 makes clear that

00:24:02.439 --> 00:24:04.319
 there is no dualism.

00:24:05.019 --> 00:24:06.579
 There is no yin and yang

00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:07.639
 of good and evil.

00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:09.079
 Only God is eternal.

00:24:10.779 --> 00:24:12.119
 Creation is not equal

00:24:12.119 --> 00:24:12.839
 with God.

00:24:13.679 --> 00:24:15.000
 And when evil comes

00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:15.779
 into the world,

00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:16.659
 and it does,

00:24:17.079 --> 00:24:17.639
 we'll get there

00:24:17.639 --> 00:24:18.539
 in Genesis 3,

00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:20.959
 that evil is not equal

00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:21.680
 with God.

00:24:22.180 --> 00:24:22.940
 And that evil

00:24:22.940 --> 00:24:24.100
 is not eternal.

00:24:26.279 --> 00:24:26.620
 Now,

00:24:26.680 --> 00:24:26.980
 I don't know

00:24:26.980 --> 00:24:27.779
 if you've thought

00:24:27.779 --> 00:24:28.180
 about this.

00:24:28.220 --> 00:24:29.200
 Just as an aside,

00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:30.240
 there is something

00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:32.120
 profoundly good

00:24:32.120 --> 00:24:33.860
 about that message.

00:24:35.319 --> 00:24:36.160
 You and I know

00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:37.140
 we live in a world

00:24:37.140 --> 00:24:38.259
 that is full of darkness

00:24:38.259 --> 00:24:38.819
 and pain

00:24:38.819 --> 00:24:39.380
 and evil.

00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:41.420
 And sometimes

00:24:41.420 --> 00:24:42.440
 it comes really close

00:24:42.440 --> 00:24:42.720
 to us,

00:24:42.759 --> 00:24:43.360
 but even when we're

00:24:43.360 --> 00:24:44.440
 watching at a distance,

00:24:44.860 --> 00:24:45.779
 we have that sense

00:24:45.779 --> 00:24:46.380
 of grief.

00:24:46.380 --> 00:24:48.720
 But in knowing

00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:50.040
 that evil is not eternal

00:24:50.040 --> 00:24:51.160
 and not equal with God,

00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:52.280
 we're also promised

00:24:52.280 --> 00:24:53.220
 that the world

00:24:53.220 --> 00:24:53.780
 that we live in

00:24:53.780 --> 00:24:54.900
 will not always

00:24:54.900 --> 00:24:56.140
 be like this.

00:24:59.380 --> 00:25:01.040
 The God who created

00:25:01.040 --> 00:25:02.260
 in the Lord Jesus,

00:25:02.600 --> 00:25:03.220
 one day,

00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:05.480
 Jesus will come back again

00:25:05.480 --> 00:25:07.520
 at the end of history

00:25:07.520 --> 00:25:08.700
 to establish

00:25:08.700 --> 00:25:10.100
 what the Bible calls

00:25:10.100 --> 00:25:10.920
 the new creation,

00:25:11.020 --> 00:25:11.760
 the new heavens

00:25:11.760 --> 00:25:12.700
 and the new earth.

00:25:13.400 --> 00:25:14.400
 And when Christ Jesus

00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:14.940
 does that,

00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:15.720
 he will bring

00:25:15.720 --> 00:25:17.940
 final judgment.

00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:20.299
 Evil will be destroyed

00:25:20.299 --> 00:25:22.420
 once and forever.

00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:25.220
 So when we find

00:25:25.220 --> 00:25:26.579
 our hearts longing

00:25:26.579 --> 00:25:28.660
 for a world free

00:25:28.660 --> 00:25:30.140
 of sin

00:25:30.140 --> 00:25:31.420
 and pain

00:25:31.420 --> 00:25:32.640
 and evil,

00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:36.880
 our heart is saying

00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:37.240
 to us,

00:25:37.299 --> 00:25:37.660
 you and I,

00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:38.440
 we need to place

00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:39.579
 our trust in Jesus.

00:25:40.200 --> 00:25:41.720
 He is the only hope

00:25:41.720 --> 00:25:42.900
 for that world,

00:25:43.360 --> 00:25:44.940
 that world that will come

00:25:44.940 --> 00:25:46.000
 one day.

00:25:52.259 --> 00:25:54.100
 As we come to Genesis 1

00:25:54.100 --> 00:25:55.279
 verses 1 and 2,

00:25:56.120 --> 00:25:58.080
 we are being introduced

00:25:58.080 --> 00:25:59.200
 to a God

00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:01.100
 who is involved

00:26:01.100 --> 00:26:01.740
 personally

00:26:01.740 --> 00:26:04.000
 in creating

00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:05.059
 this world.

00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:07.820
 And there's a sense,

00:26:07.940 --> 00:26:08.700
 a very real sense,

00:26:08.759 --> 00:26:09.500
 in which this gets

00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:10.480
 very personal

00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:12.380
 for all of us.

00:26:14.039 --> 00:26:15.099
 Because if God

00:26:15.099 --> 00:26:16.160
 has created you

00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:16.680
 and if God

00:26:16.680 --> 00:26:17.519
 has created me,

00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:18.180
 then that means

00:26:18.180 --> 00:26:19.599
 he has certain rights.

00:26:21.700 --> 00:26:22.500
 The creator

00:26:22.500 --> 00:26:23.220
 has rights.

00:26:23.500 --> 00:26:24.299
 He has rights

00:26:24.299 --> 00:26:26.700
 to your loyalty.

00:26:28.279 --> 00:26:29.140
 He should have

00:26:29.140 --> 00:26:30.019
 the first place

00:26:30.019 --> 00:26:30.660
 in our hearts

00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:31.579
 and in our lives.

00:26:32.220 --> 00:26:33.259
 He has the right

00:26:33.259 --> 00:26:33.920
 to set

00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:35.099
 our limits.

00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:36.180
 We don't get

00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:36.819
 to define

00:26:36.819 --> 00:26:37.660
 what is good

00:26:37.660 --> 00:26:38.240
 and bad,

00:26:38.620 --> 00:26:39.140
 what is good

00:26:39.140 --> 00:26:39.560
 and evil.

00:26:40.259 --> 00:26:41.280
 God alone

00:26:41.280 --> 00:26:42.620
 has the right

00:26:42.620 --> 00:26:43.259
 to do that.

00:26:44.080 --> 00:26:44.820
 And when we live

00:26:44.820 --> 00:26:45.680
 within his limits,

00:26:45.780 --> 00:26:46.840
 actually there's freedom

00:26:46.840 --> 00:26:47.920
 because we're living

00:26:47.920 --> 00:26:48.940
 the world

00:26:48.940 --> 00:26:49.840
 and the life

00:26:49.840 --> 00:26:51.200
 that God designed

00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:51.800
 for us.

00:26:52.840 --> 00:26:54.120
 He has rights

00:26:54.120 --> 00:26:55.580
 to receive

00:26:55.580 --> 00:26:56.360
 our love

00:26:56.360 --> 00:26:57.240
 and our worship.

00:26:57.240 --> 00:27:01.140
 and so I wonder

00:27:01.140 --> 00:27:01.920
 as we reflect

00:27:01.920 --> 00:27:02.519
 on that,

00:27:03.480 --> 00:27:04.819
 is that how

00:27:04.819 --> 00:27:05.319
 you and I

00:27:05.319 --> 00:27:05.920
 are living

00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:06.519
 today?

00:27:08.220 --> 00:27:09.039
 Even if we're

00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:09.819
 professing

00:27:09.819 --> 00:27:10.779
 to be Christians,

00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:12.740
 are we living

00:27:12.740 --> 00:27:14.220
 as if there

00:27:14.220 --> 00:27:15.160
 is a God,

00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:16.220
 as if he is

00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:16.799
 personal

00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:18.220
 and as if he

00:27:18.220 --> 00:27:18.819
 has rights

00:27:18.819 --> 00:27:19.859
 over our lives?

00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:22.880
 And if you have

00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:23.960
 a sense

00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:24.200
 where

00:27:24.200 --> 00:27:25.059
 that's not

00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:25.700
 how I'm living

00:27:25.700 --> 00:27:26.180
 today,

00:27:26.180 --> 00:27:29.299
 let me invite

00:27:29.299 --> 00:27:29.860
 and encourage

00:27:29.860 --> 00:27:30.960
 you to turn,

00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:32.440
 to repent,

00:27:33.140 --> 00:27:34.140
 to trust,

00:27:34.740 --> 00:27:35.380
 or to trust

00:27:35.380 --> 00:27:35.940
 again

00:27:35.940 --> 00:27:37.060
 in Jesus'

00:27:37.299 --> 00:27:37.700
 Lord

00:27:37.700 --> 00:27:38.420
 as the way

00:27:38.420 --> 00:27:39.200
 to be right

00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:39.480
 with,

00:27:39.600 --> 00:27:39.940
 in right

00:27:39.940 --> 00:27:40.600
 relationship

00:27:40.600 --> 00:27:41.120
 with,

00:27:41.600 --> 00:27:42.160
 the God

00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:42.660
 who made

00:27:42.660 --> 00:27:42.900
 you.

00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:46.279
 So we see

00:27:46.279 --> 00:27:46.779
 that God

00:27:46.779 --> 00:27:47.519
 is eternal,

00:27:48.100 --> 00:27:48.440
 we see

00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:48.880
 that God

00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:49.700
 is creator,

00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:50.920
 we're also

00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:51.420
 told even

00:27:51.420 --> 00:27:51.960
 just in these

00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:52.440
 couple of

00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:52.740
 verses

00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:53.960
 that God

00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:55.500
 comes near.

00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:57.380
 Now I

00:27:57.380 --> 00:27:57.759
 wonder if

00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:58.279
 you've had

00:27:58.279 --> 00:28:00.099
 this experience

00:28:00.099 --> 00:28:02.099
 of coming

00:28:02.099 --> 00:28:02.839
 into a TV

00:28:02.839 --> 00:28:03.519
 show or a

00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:04.460
 film halfway

00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:04.920
 through,

00:28:05.620 --> 00:28:06.339
 or,

00:28:07.160 --> 00:28:07.460
 and maybe

00:28:07.460 --> 00:28:07.900
 this is a

00:28:07.900 --> 00:28:08.359
 clue about

00:28:08.359 --> 00:28:08.880
 what age

00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:09.359
 and stage

00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:09.859
 of life

00:28:09.859 --> 00:28:10.200
 you're at,

00:28:10.259 --> 00:28:10.900
 you start

00:28:10.900 --> 00:28:12.120
 watching a

00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:12.700
 film or a

00:28:12.700 --> 00:28:13.019
 movie and

00:28:13.019 --> 00:28:13.339
 you fall

00:28:13.339 --> 00:28:13.700
 asleep

00:28:13.700 --> 00:28:14.039
 halfway

00:28:14.039 --> 00:28:14.420
 through,

00:28:14.839 --> 00:28:15.380
 and it

00:28:15.380 --> 00:28:15.720
 comes to

00:28:15.720 --> 00:28:16.180
 the end,

00:28:16.299 --> 00:28:16.940
 the great

00:28:16.940 --> 00:28:17.460
 climax,

00:28:17.799 --> 00:28:18.259
 the big

00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:18.740
 finale,

00:28:18.740 --> 00:28:20.660
 you can

00:28:20.660 --> 00:28:21.180
 maybe find

00:28:21.180 --> 00:28:21.740
 yourself asking

00:28:21.740 --> 00:28:22.400
 what's going

00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:22.960
 on here,

00:28:23.059 --> 00:28:23.519
 what's the

00:28:23.519 --> 00:28:23.880
 point,

00:28:23.980 --> 00:28:24.359
 what have

00:28:24.359 --> 00:28:25.000
 I missed?

00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:29.880
 In the

00:28:29.880 --> 00:28:30.880
 beginning of

00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:31.960
 our story,

00:28:33.240 --> 00:28:34.140
 God's story,

00:28:34.539 --> 00:28:35.220
 we're introduced

00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:37.200
 to who the

00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:38.019
 main character

00:28:38.019 --> 00:28:38.779
 is.

00:28:40.359 --> 00:28:41.339
 He's God,

00:28:41.420 --> 00:28:41.859
 he's eternal,

00:28:41.940 --> 00:28:42.299
 he's creator,

00:28:42.579 --> 00:28:43.680
 but even just

00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:44.680
 in verse 2,

00:28:45.480 --> 00:28:46.380
 we're getting

00:28:46.380 --> 00:28:48.200
 ready for

00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:49.140
 what this

00:28:49.140 --> 00:28:50.080
 God will

00:28:50.080 --> 00:28:50.740
 do.

00:28:51.819 --> 00:28:52.480
 And we need

00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:53.279
 both sides

00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:54.019
 of the story,

00:28:54.140 --> 00:28:54.519
 we need to

00:28:54.519 --> 00:28:55.220
 know that

00:28:55.220 --> 00:28:56.160
 God is the

00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:56.960
 eternal creator,

00:28:57.180 --> 00:28:57.940
 and we need

00:28:57.940 --> 00:28:58.740
 to know that

00:28:58.740 --> 00:28:59.660
 he comes near,

00:28:59.860 --> 00:29:00.319
 and we need

00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:00.660
 to know that

00:29:00.660 --> 00:29:01.480
 this personal

00:29:01.480 --> 00:29:02.360
 creator God

00:29:02.360 --> 00:29:03.460
 will act to

00:29:03.460 --> 00:29:04.279
 create and

00:29:04.279 --> 00:29:05.120
 give life.

00:29:05.940 --> 00:29:06.660
 The same

00:29:06.660 --> 00:29:07.580
 principle that

00:29:07.580 --> 00:29:08.380
 applies in

00:29:08.380 --> 00:29:09.100
 creation,

00:29:10.860 --> 00:29:11.240
 of God

00:29:11.240 --> 00:29:11.920
 working to

00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:12.299
 send his

00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:12.680
 spirit and

00:29:12.680 --> 00:29:13.000
 to bring

00:29:13.000 --> 00:29:13.279
 life,

00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:14.240
 is the same

00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:14.960
 principle that

00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:15.980
 applies when

00:29:15.980 --> 00:29:16.600
 a person comes

00:29:16.600 --> 00:29:17.319
 to trust in

00:29:17.319 --> 00:29:17.840
 Jesus and

00:29:17.839 --> 00:29:18.679
 find salvation.

00:29:19.939 --> 00:29:20.879
 So verse 2

00:29:20.879 --> 00:29:21.559
 is a little

00:29:21.559 --> 00:29:23.799
 preview of

00:29:23.799 --> 00:29:24.480
 what God

00:29:24.480 --> 00:29:26.179
 will do.

00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:27.500
 God will

00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:28.240
 bring order

00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:29.519
 and form

00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:30.899
 to creation.

00:29:31.000 --> 00:29:31.199
 Look at

00:29:31.199 --> 00:29:31.679
 verse 2

00:29:31.679 --> 00:29:32.299
 with me,

00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:33.500
 as we're

00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:34.079
 introduced to

00:29:34.079 --> 00:29:35.059
 see the

00:29:35.059 --> 00:29:35.579
 moment of

00:29:35.579 --> 00:29:36.740
 original creation.

00:29:36.899 --> 00:29:37.119
 Now the

00:29:37.119 --> 00:29:37.599
 earth was

00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:38.379
 formless and

00:29:38.379 --> 00:29:38.879
 empty,

00:29:39.480 --> 00:29:40.339
 darkness was

00:29:40.339 --> 00:29:40.740
 over the

00:29:40.740 --> 00:29:41.279
 surface of

00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:41.740
 the deep,

00:29:42.220 --> 00:29:42.619
 and the

00:29:42.619 --> 00:29:43.019
 spirit of

00:29:43.019 --> 00:29:43.399
 God was

00:29:43.399 --> 00:29:43.819
 hovering.

00:29:45.259 --> 00:29:45.799
 Formless,

00:29:45.939 --> 00:29:46.279
 empty,

00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:46.879
 dark,

00:29:46.880 --> 00:29:48.040
 God hasn't

00:29:48.040 --> 00:29:48.580
 yet spoken

00:29:48.580 --> 00:29:48.920
 and said

00:29:48.920 --> 00:29:49.260
 let there

00:29:49.260 --> 00:29:49.700
 be light.

00:29:50.360 --> 00:29:51.220
 Those words,

00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:52.160
 formless,

00:29:52.300 --> 00:29:52.660
 empty,

00:29:52.860 --> 00:29:53.280
 dark,

00:29:53.920 --> 00:29:54.360
 they actually

00:29:54.360 --> 00:29:56.120
 become judgment

00:29:56.120 --> 00:29:56.820
 words in the

00:29:56.820 --> 00:29:57.100
 Bible.

00:29:58.360 --> 00:29:59.280
 The idea of

00:29:59.280 --> 00:30:00.260
 being separated

00:30:00.260 --> 00:30:01.180
 from God.

00:30:02.940 --> 00:30:03.820
 Jeremiah uses

00:30:03.820 --> 00:30:04.080
 it.

00:30:04.820 --> 00:30:05.600
 Jesus will use

00:30:05.600 --> 00:30:06.040
 it in

00:30:06.040 --> 00:30:06.840
 parables.

00:30:06.980 --> 00:30:07.520
 Remember those

00:30:07.520 --> 00:30:08.260
 judgment

00:30:08.260 --> 00:30:09.060
 parables where

00:30:09.060 --> 00:30:09.480
 someone is

00:30:09.480 --> 00:30:10.740
 cast out into

00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:11.480
 the outer

00:30:11.480 --> 00:30:12.500
 darkness.

00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:13.500
 God's

00:30:13.500 --> 00:30:13.500


00:30:13.500 --> 00:30:16.119
 So the

00:30:16.119 --> 00:30:17.079
 earth is

00:30:17.079 --> 00:30:17.880
 formless and

00:30:17.880 --> 00:30:18.400
 empty.

00:30:18.819 --> 00:30:19.359
 Next week we're

00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:19.680
 going to see

00:30:19.680 --> 00:30:20.200
 God will say

00:30:20.200 --> 00:30:20.859
 let there be

00:30:20.859 --> 00:30:21.200
 light.

00:30:21.559 --> 00:30:21.799
 We're going to

00:30:21.799 --> 00:30:22.400
 see that God

00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:22.799
 is the one

00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:23.140
 who gives

00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:23.700
 form to

00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:24.119
 the universe.

00:30:24.299 --> 00:30:24.640
 God is the

00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:24.900
 one who

00:30:24.900 --> 00:30:26.099
 fills the

00:30:26.099 --> 00:30:26.500
 universe.

00:30:26.819 --> 00:30:27.380
 But here in

00:30:27.380 --> 00:30:28.039
 verse 2

00:30:28.039 --> 00:30:28.759
 we're being

00:30:28.759 --> 00:30:29.299
 introduced to

00:30:29.299 --> 00:30:29.740
 the reality

00:30:29.740 --> 00:30:30.220
 that God

00:30:30.220 --> 00:30:31.039
 is personally

00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:31.579
 going to be

00:30:31.579 --> 00:30:32.240
 involved in

00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:32.819
 creating and

00:30:32.819 --> 00:30:33.200
 he will do

00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:34.720
 so as we

00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:35.180
 see it through

00:30:35.180 --> 00:30:35.900
 the spirit

00:30:35.900 --> 00:30:37.079
 that hovers.

00:30:38.140 --> 00:30:38.480
 God's

00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:39.880
 creative energy

00:30:39.880 --> 00:30:41.980
 is poised

00:30:41.980 --> 00:30:43.520
 and ready.

00:30:44.680 --> 00:30:45.480
 That God

00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:46.780
 makes himself

00:30:46.780 --> 00:30:48.420
 near in an

00:30:48.420 --> 00:30:48.840
 act of

00:30:48.840 --> 00:30:49.700
 generous grace.

00:30:49.780 --> 00:30:50.080
 Just to

00:30:50.080 --> 00:30:51.200
 recognize in

00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:51.820
 verse 1 the

00:30:51.820 --> 00:30:52.380
 focus is on

00:30:52.380 --> 00:30:52.820
 the universe,

00:30:52.940 --> 00:30:53.420
 the heavens and

00:30:53.420 --> 00:30:53.740
 the earth.

00:30:54.100 --> 00:30:54.800
 Already by

00:30:54.800 --> 00:30:56.040
 verse 2 the

00:30:56.040 --> 00:30:56.760
 focus zooms

00:30:56.760 --> 00:30:57.780
 in on the

00:30:57.780 --> 00:30:58.040
 earth.

00:30:58.620 --> 00:30:58.920
 And we're

00:30:58.920 --> 00:30:59.440
 invited to

00:30:59.440 --> 00:30:59.820
 see how

00:30:59.820 --> 00:31:00.560
 generous and

00:31:00.560 --> 00:31:01.100
 good God

00:31:01.100 --> 00:31:01.800
 has been to

00:31:01.800 --> 00:31:02.560
 us as the

00:31:02.560 --> 00:31:03.020
 people who

00:31:03.020 --> 00:31:04.100
 dwell on

00:31:04.100 --> 00:31:04.920
 the earth.

00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:09.380
 The truth

00:31:09.380 --> 00:31:09.780
 that we

00:31:09.780 --> 00:31:10.500
 have here

00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:11.440
 in Genesis

00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:12.260
 1 reminds

00:31:12.260 --> 00:31:12.640
 us that

00:31:12.640 --> 00:31:14.120
 God at

00:31:14.120 --> 00:31:14.460
 the end of

00:31:14.460 --> 00:31:14.840
 the day he

00:31:14.840 --> 00:31:15.560
 does not

00:31:15.560 --> 00:31:17.220
 need us but

00:31:17.220 --> 00:31:17.720
 we need

00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:18.280
 God.

00:31:19.120 --> 00:31:19.600
 God did

00:31:19.600 --> 00:31:20.160
 not need

00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:20.800
 to make

00:31:20.800 --> 00:31:21.420
 the universe.

00:31:22.600 --> 00:31:23.180
 He freely

00:31:23.180 --> 00:31:24.080
 chose to

00:31:24.080 --> 00:31:25.540
 and he

00:31:25.540 --> 00:31:26.260
 freely chose

00:31:26.260 --> 00:31:26.860
 to focus

00:31:26.860 --> 00:31:27.400
 on the

00:31:27.400 --> 00:31:27.820
 earth and

00:31:27.820 --> 00:31:28.140
 the people

00:31:28.140 --> 00:31:28.540
 who live

00:31:28.540 --> 00:31:28.880
 on the

00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:29.580
 earth to

00:31:29.580 --> 00:31:30.600
 display his

00:31:30.600 --> 00:31:31.400
 glory to.

00:31:32.800 --> 00:31:33.520
 There's a

00:31:33.520 --> 00:31:34.100
 goodness and

00:31:34.100 --> 00:31:34.880
 a generosity

00:31:34.880 --> 00:31:36.280
 at the heart

00:31:36.280 --> 00:31:36.800
 of God that

00:31:36.800 --> 00:31:38.480
 we see as

00:31:38.480 --> 00:31:38.940
 creation

00:31:38.940 --> 00:31:39.460
 begins.

00:31:41.220 --> 00:31:41.880
 But there's

00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:42.180
 an even

00:31:42.180 --> 00:31:43.480
 greater grace

00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:44.500
 that God

00:31:44.500 --> 00:31:45.500
 will show

00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:46.880
 and he

00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:47.220
 will show

00:31:47.220 --> 00:31:47.779
 it the next

00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:48.160
 time we

00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:48.700
 hear in the

00:31:48.700 --> 00:31:49.759
 Bible in

00:31:49.759 --> 00:31:51.160
 the beginning.

00:31:52.380 --> 00:31:53.080
 Do we know

00:31:53.080 --> 00:31:53.600
 what it is?

00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:55.240
 Beginning of

00:31:55.240 --> 00:31:56.100
 John's gospel

00:31:56.100 --> 00:31:57.360
 speaking about

00:31:57.360 --> 00:31:57.980
 Jesus the

00:31:57.980 --> 00:31:58.920
 eternal son of

00:31:58.920 --> 00:31:59.960
 God in

00:31:59.960 --> 00:32:01.420
 the beginning

00:32:01.420 --> 00:32:02.920
 was the

00:32:02.920 --> 00:32:04.740
 word and

00:32:04.740 --> 00:32:05.259
 the word was

00:32:05.259 --> 00:32:06.740
 with God and

00:32:06.740 --> 00:32:07.599
 the word was

00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:08.099
 God.

00:32:08.740 --> 00:32:09.500
 In him

00:32:09.500 --> 00:32:10.779
 was life.

00:32:11.700 --> 00:32:12.279
 That life

00:32:12.279 --> 00:32:12.579
 was the

00:32:12.579 --> 00:32:13.180
 light of

00:32:13.180 --> 00:32:13.640
 mankind.

00:32:15.120 --> 00:32:15.519
 And that

00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:17.460
 word became

00:32:17.460 --> 00:32:19.140
 flesh and

00:32:19.140 --> 00:32:19.500
 made his

00:32:19.500 --> 00:32:20.140
 dwelling among

00:32:20.140 --> 00:32:21.380
 us and we

00:32:21.380 --> 00:32:22.120
 have seen

00:32:22.120 --> 00:32:23.359
 his glory.

00:32:24.039 --> 00:32:25.079
 And here we

00:32:25.079 --> 00:32:25.500
 are introduced

00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:26.359
 to the good

00:32:26.359 --> 00:32:27.440
 news of

00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:28.359
 God's story

00:32:28.359 --> 00:32:29.220
 of salvation.

00:32:30.220 --> 00:32:31.640
 The announcement

00:32:31.640 --> 00:32:33.079
 that God the

00:32:33.079 --> 00:32:34.359
 eternal creator

00:32:34.359 --> 00:32:36.240
 in his son

00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:37.339
 Jesus steps

00:32:37.339 --> 00:32:38.220
 right into

00:32:38.220 --> 00:32:39.119
 his creation.

00:32:40.460 --> 00:32:41.240
 Jesus comes

00:32:41.240 --> 00:32:42.199
 so near

00:32:42.199 --> 00:32:43.720
 as to become

00:32:43.720 --> 00:32:44.619
 one of us,

00:32:45.179 --> 00:32:46.220
 to live for

00:32:46.220 --> 00:32:46.679
 us,

00:32:47.619 --> 00:32:48.279
 then to die

00:32:48.279 --> 00:32:48.919
 for us,

00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:50.899
 to bring us

00:32:50.899 --> 00:32:52.119
 God's light

00:32:52.119 --> 00:32:53.519
 and to give

00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:54.319
 us life

00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:55.059
 with God.

00:32:55.059 --> 00:32:55.139
 God.

00:32:56.019 --> 00:32:57.000
 And as the

00:32:57.000 --> 00:32:58.639
 story unfolds,

00:32:59.059 --> 00:33:00.179
 we see Jesus

00:33:00.179 --> 00:33:02.039
 is the one

00:33:02.039 --> 00:33:02.879
 promised in

00:33:02.879 --> 00:33:03.299
 Genesis,

00:33:03.720 --> 00:33:04.339
 who is the

00:33:04.339 --> 00:33:04.899
 source of

00:33:04.899 --> 00:33:05.659
 God's blessing

00:33:05.659 --> 00:33:06.299
 for us.

00:33:07.539 --> 00:33:08.279
 Jesus is the

00:33:08.279 --> 00:33:09.259
 eternal king

00:33:09.259 --> 00:33:09.960
 promised,

00:33:10.139 --> 00:33:11.259
 who sets up a

00:33:11.259 --> 00:33:11.779
 kingdom of

00:33:11.779 --> 00:33:13.139
 perfect righteousness.

00:33:15.200 --> 00:33:16.059
 Jesus is the

00:33:16.059 --> 00:33:16.740
 promised one

00:33:16.740 --> 00:33:17.679
 who alone can

00:33:17.679 --> 00:33:18.839
 undo the

00:33:18.839 --> 00:33:19.839
 curse of sin

00:33:19.839 --> 00:33:20.379
 that brings

00:33:20.379 --> 00:33:20.759
 death.

00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:24.179
 So as you and

00:33:24.179 --> 00:33:25.019
 I look around,

00:33:25.059 --> 00:33:27.059
 as we look

00:33:27.059 --> 00:33:27.500
 into our

00:33:27.500 --> 00:33:28.039
 hearts,

00:33:28.399 --> 00:33:29.359
 we see there

00:33:29.359 --> 00:33:29.819
 is a lot

00:33:29.819 --> 00:33:30.139
 that is

00:33:30.139 --> 00:33:30.679
 beautiful,

00:33:31.419 --> 00:33:32.059
 but there

00:33:32.059 --> 00:33:32.639
 is a lot

00:33:32.639 --> 00:33:33.419
 that is also

00:33:33.419 --> 00:33:34.039
 broken.

00:33:35.559 --> 00:33:36.200
 And as

00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:36.519
 people,

00:33:36.639 --> 00:33:37.119
 we cannot

00:33:37.119 --> 00:33:37.599
 make it

00:33:37.599 --> 00:33:37.899
 right.

00:33:38.839 --> 00:33:39.599
 As people,

00:33:39.720 --> 00:33:40.179
 we cannot

00:33:40.179 --> 00:33:40.940
 restore

00:33:40.940 --> 00:33:42.019
 ourselves to

00:33:42.019 --> 00:33:42.899
 good relationship

00:33:42.899 --> 00:33:43.500
 with God

00:33:43.500 --> 00:33:43.980
 because of

00:33:43.980 --> 00:33:44.519
 our sin.

00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:47.059
 But in the

00:33:47.059 --> 00:33:47.599
 good news of

00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:47.980
 the Bible,

00:33:48.119 --> 00:33:48.480
 the Lord

00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:48.839
 Jesus,

00:33:48.980 --> 00:33:49.399
 the eternal

00:33:49.399 --> 00:33:49.980
 Son of God,

00:33:50.059 --> 00:33:50.559
 he comes

00:33:50.559 --> 00:33:52.339
 near to

00:33:52.339 --> 00:33:53.099
 restore what

00:33:53.099 --> 00:33:53.460
 we have

00:33:53.460 --> 00:33:53.839
 ruined,

00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:55.079
 to give

00:33:55.079 --> 00:33:55.980
 hope of

00:33:55.980 --> 00:33:56.579
 that world

00:33:56.579 --> 00:33:57.159
 we all

00:33:57.159 --> 00:33:58.679
 want at

00:33:58.679 --> 00:33:59.439
 his return.

00:34:01.119 --> 00:34:02.000
 Our God

00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:02.579
 is eternal.

00:34:03.579 --> 00:34:04.159
 He is our

00:34:04.159 --> 00:34:04.659
 creator,

00:34:05.659 --> 00:34:06.480
 and he is

00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:06.939
 personal,

00:34:07.779 --> 00:34:08.699
 and he comes

00:34:08.699 --> 00:34:09.019
 near.

00:34:10.019 --> 00:34:10.679
 He still

00:34:10.679 --> 00:34:11.219
 comes near.

00:34:11.219 --> 00:34:13.619
 with

00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:13.619


00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:13.619


00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:13.619


00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:13.619


00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:13.619


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00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:13.619