WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.500 So we begin today this series looking at how we can connect with God through his creation. 00:00:09.279 --> 00:00:16.059 ! And although we're out of sync with the 24-7 Global Prayer, we are in sync with the Church of England, which moves at a slightly slower rate. 00:00:16.059 --> 00:00:27.660 We are, across the country, across the world, they are encouraging churches to think about creation, what they're calling creation tide, or the season of creation. 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:36.259 And really, the purpose of that is to highlight and celebrate the importance of creation within the Christian faith. 00:00:37.219 --> 00:00:54.159 Creation, and by that I mean all that God has made, can clearly be explored in many, many ways, and on lots of different angles, perspectives, including creation care, which is increasingly important. 00:00:54.159 --> 00:01:01.140 But although I'm sure we'll see the implications for creation care for our series, that isn't our primary focus. 00:01:01.859 --> 00:01:07.259 Our focus is on connecting with God through creation. 00:01:07.260 --> 00:01:12.560 And to do that today, we're going to explore three questions. 00:01:14.060 --> 00:01:16.980 Why connecting with God through his creation is important. 00:01:18.080 --> 00:01:21.620 Why we fail to connect with God through his creation. 00:01:22.100 --> 00:01:26.340 And also then, how we can connect with God through his creation. 00:01:26.340 --> 00:01:27.680 So, why is it important? 00:01:28.200 --> 00:01:29.140 Why do we fail? 00:01:30.100 --> 00:01:31.939 And how we can do it. 00:01:32.439 --> 00:01:32.600 Okay? 00:01:34.320 --> 00:01:44.080 And to answer that question about why it's important that we learn to, or think about, or in fact do, connect with God through his creation. 00:01:44.080 --> 00:01:48.560 To do that, I want to talk about us, as a church. 00:01:49.180 --> 00:01:50.680 And then I'm going to tell you a story. 00:01:50.680 --> 00:02:00.880 So, as a church, we are seeking to be increasingly inclusive, intergenerational, and inspired. 00:02:01.960 --> 00:02:06.940 And particularly in this new season, as has been the subject of many of our prayers today, 00:02:06.940 --> 00:02:11.360 we are focusing on how we can grow those values as we gather here on Sundays. 00:02:12.580 --> 00:02:17.780 They are, if you like, the fruit that we are praying for and working towards. 00:02:17.780 --> 00:02:22.280 As we welcome others, as we seek God's spirit to inspire us. 00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:28.060 As we work towards all ages and stages, participating together. 00:02:30.099 --> 00:02:39.719 But biblically, and spiritually speaking, we will achieve absolutely nothing if we don't do one thing. 00:02:42.420 --> 00:02:44.659 John 15, verse 5 says, 00:02:45.060 --> 00:02:47.219 I am the vine, and you are the branches. 00:02:47.780 --> 00:02:53.020 If you remain in me, and I in you, you will bear much fruit. 00:02:54.039 --> 00:02:58.280 Apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:06.800 Now that word used there, remain, it's sometimes translated as abide, abide in me as I abide in you. 00:03:07.259 --> 00:03:09.219 It basically means connect. 00:03:10.180 --> 00:03:10.879 Be connected. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:16.139 And Jesus is saying, using plenty of imagery from creation, I should add, 00:03:16.139 --> 00:03:22.240 if you aren't connected to me, you won't grow, and you won't bear fruit. 00:03:23.379 --> 00:03:26.039 Which is exactly what you are created to do. 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:32.060 So our objective, not just this Sunday and in September, but our objective always, 00:03:32.620 --> 00:03:36.819 is to get connected and stay connected with Jesus. 00:03:36.819 --> 00:03:44.799 Now of course there are many ways of doing this, just as there are many ways of staying in relationship with people. 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:50.700 But we are honing in on one particular way. 00:03:51.219 --> 00:03:55.160 And as the weeks go through, and those who are teaching, and even for our worship, 00:03:56.260 --> 00:04:01.880 this means that some of you will be learning to connect with God in a new way, an unfamiliar way. 00:04:01.879 --> 00:04:06.280 For others, you may be deepening more familiar ways. 00:04:06.359 --> 00:04:14.620 Or some of you may be rediscovering forgotten pathways that God might be encouraging you to do through the coming weeks. 00:04:15.900 --> 00:04:19.980 I too, like Alex, are really looking forward to 24-7 prayer. 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:26.699 Because as Alex said, there's countless testimonies about how people have connected in a very special way. 00:04:26.699 --> 00:04:34.000 By setting aside that time, going to a designated place of prayer, being part of a global movement of prayer. 00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:37.879 And we know that that connection can be transformative. 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:47.680 But in this creation season, we have this opportunity to explore how we can connect with God through his creation. 00:04:49.079 --> 00:04:54.039 And we're going to be doing that actually just by looking at these opening two chapters of the Bible. 00:04:54.040 --> 00:04:57.760 And again, for some of you, this will be familiar. 00:04:58.060 --> 00:04:59.260 For some of you, it will be new. 00:04:59.760 --> 00:05:03.160 And for some of you, you'll be rediscovering forgotten paths. 00:05:04.400 --> 00:05:14.840 So, my question to you, church, is, are you up for learning to abide with God by listening and engaging afresh with his creation? 00:05:16.120 --> 00:05:17.620 Yes, Vicar. Yes, Vicar. 00:05:18.180 --> 00:05:18.620 Excellent. 00:05:19.420 --> 00:05:21.120 Well, I mean, do you see why it might be important? 00:05:21.480 --> 00:05:22.920 We need to stay connected with God. 00:05:22.920 --> 00:05:26.220 And God has gifted us the means to do that. 00:05:26.540 --> 00:05:32.020 And I believe one of those, as we'll explore today, a central way is learning to engage and connect with him through his creation. 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:33.740 We want to be able to do that. 00:05:36.379 --> 00:05:40.259 Let me tell you something of my own experience in this. 00:05:40.259 --> 00:05:49.199 Exactly one year ago, plus one week, we were in the last week of the summer holidays. 00:05:49.719 --> 00:05:53.659 And my family and I took a family holiday to the west coast of France. 00:05:53.660 --> 00:05:56.340 And we were staying in one of those chalets. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:06:03.040 I don't know if you've ever experienced this, but if you move, you either trip over someone or you bump into something. 00:06:03.180 --> 00:06:03.320 Right? 00:06:03.460 --> 00:06:05.640 Nice and sort of confined area. 00:06:06.320 --> 00:06:09.879 Anyway, so one of these evenings of this holiday, I'm struggling to get to sleep. 00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:11.580 It's about half eleven at night. 00:06:11.579 --> 00:06:15.099 And I'm thinking, oh, yeah, I've been reading this book on prayer. 00:06:15.539 --> 00:06:16.639 Maybe I could do some prayer. 00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:17.899 Oh, this would be a good time. 00:06:18.060 --> 00:06:21.279 So, creep out of bed, you know, creaking. 00:06:21.479 --> 00:06:22.339 Where can I go to pray? 00:06:22.500 --> 00:06:25.439 Now, the only place in the chalet that's kind of available is the toilet. 00:06:26.019 --> 00:06:27.799 So, I'm like, so I go in. 00:06:28.539 --> 00:06:31.199 And I think, what am I doing here? 00:06:31.199 --> 00:06:31.979 The window's open. 00:06:31.979 --> 00:06:36.459 And I can hear the roaring, the roaring, I can't say it, the roaring of the waves. 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:39.199 The beach is about sort of ten minutes away. 00:06:39.819 --> 00:06:40.899 I'm like, oh. 00:06:41.699 --> 00:06:47.959 I could feel it sort of inviting me to come and to go out and to go to the beach. 00:06:48.979 --> 00:06:50.199 So, I'm in my pyjamas. 00:06:50.459 --> 00:06:51.399 I'm thinking, why not? 00:06:51.459 --> 00:06:52.139 Let's just do it. 00:06:52.199 --> 00:06:52.560 So, I do. 00:06:52.659 --> 00:06:53.060 I go out. 00:06:53.060 --> 00:06:57.439 And the roar of the waves as I walk over the dunes to get there. 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:05.000 And as I arrive and I, you know, I hear the roar of the waves, I look up and the skies are open. 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:08.459 The most incredible array of stars. 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:11.019 You can see the Milky Way so clearly. 00:07:11.779 --> 00:07:14.740 And it just drew out praise from me. 00:07:15.639 --> 00:07:19.699 And I just couldn't help worship. 00:07:20.120 --> 00:07:23.879 I was singing lots, fortunately covered by the roar of the waves. 00:07:24.699 --> 00:07:28.540 And, you know, I'm not sure you could call it dancing, but I wasn't standing still. 00:07:28.540 --> 00:07:33.439 And I had such a powerful sense of God's presence. 00:07:34.120 --> 00:07:45.980 Not so much from the waves themselves or the starry host, but they were just expressing something of the wonder of God and the power of God that, quite frankly, was overwhelming. 00:07:45.980 --> 00:07:49.740 I was overwhelmed with God's presence. 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:55.879 And so, I actually stayed there for over an hour, looking like a complete wally on the beach in my pyjamas. 00:07:57.080 --> 00:07:59.280 And, you know, quickly looking around. 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:00.220 Did anyone else join me? 00:08:00.340 --> 00:08:01.100 No, no, not at all. 00:08:01.100 --> 00:08:04.860 Anyway, at the end of that time, I just felt it was right. 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:15.220 But it was during that time I had a really strong impression that God wanted to do a new thing with me and my family. 00:08:15.379 --> 00:08:17.420 And actually, a new season was beginning. 00:08:17.660 --> 00:08:22.780 That was the impression I got from my time of worship at midnight on the beach. 00:08:23.699 --> 00:08:27.679 Anyway, so I started to notice that the clouds were kind of coming in. 00:08:28.259 --> 00:08:30.139 And I head back to our chalet. 00:08:30.500 --> 00:08:33.579 And just as I put my head on the pillow, the heavens opened. 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:35.079 It absolutely poured down with rain. 00:08:35.159 --> 00:08:39.259 So, there was this real sense in which heaven had opened just for me. 00:08:39.419 --> 00:08:40.120 It was really special. 00:08:40.500 --> 00:08:49.039 And I connected with God in a way that, although it wasn't totally new, it felt more profound and significant than I'd ever experienced. 00:08:49.039 --> 00:09:02.500 And that started a series of signs, of exploring, and openings, and applications, and interviews that led me to discern that God was again calling me to encounter him at the seashore. 00:09:03.079 --> 00:09:05.279 But this time for a longer period. 00:09:05.779 --> 00:09:06.679 And it's good to be here. 00:09:07.319 --> 00:09:09.879 So, that's part of my story. 00:09:10.019 --> 00:09:13.799 It was connecting with God through his creation. 00:09:13.799 --> 00:09:21.699 Now, I asked myself, what might have happened if I'd missed that invitation to connect with him? 00:09:21.799 --> 00:09:24.639 If I'd ignored the roaring of the waves? 00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:26.659 I don't know. 00:09:27.339 --> 00:09:29.500 I'm sure he would have found a way of getting through to me. 00:09:29.919 --> 00:09:32.959 But I'm so glad I took that invitation. 00:09:33.399 --> 00:09:35.779 Because it literally changed the course of my life. 00:09:38.059 --> 00:09:43.120 God is speaking through his creation all the time. 00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:50.039 And I'm sure I miss many opportunities to connect with him through it. 00:09:50.939 --> 00:09:53.279 And they don't always have to be on that grand scale. 00:09:53.419 --> 00:09:59.240 Even the sort of subtle, smaller ways in which God reminds us of something of himself. 00:09:59.819 --> 00:10:00.579 Of his presence. 00:10:00.779 --> 00:10:01.339 Of his power. 00:10:01.459 --> 00:10:02.059 Of his beauty. 00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:04.979 Of what he intends for us. 00:10:04.980 --> 00:10:07.680 And I think to myself. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:09.259 Wouldn't it be excellent? 00:10:09.899 --> 00:10:11.300 Wouldn't it be awesome? 00:10:12.300 --> 00:10:14.759 If I could connect with him more frequently. 00:10:15.680 --> 00:10:17.539 Through creation. 00:10:17.539 --> 00:10:23.679 And that leads me on to being curious about, well, why don't I? 00:10:24.019 --> 00:10:27.299 Why do I so often fail to connect with God through his creation? 00:10:27.439 --> 00:10:28.740 How is it I can ignore that? 00:10:28.819 --> 00:10:38.059 How is it I can walk down the street and be oblivious and miss an opportunity for encounter and for transformation? 00:10:38.059 --> 00:10:46.439 Well, I want to take it easy on myself and others who are feeling like, oh yeah, maybe that's me too. 00:10:46.899 --> 00:10:50.879 Because there are significant obstacles to connecting with God through creation. 00:10:51.779 --> 00:10:57.539 And of course, being aware of those barriers and those obstacles actually is a first step to overcoming them. 00:10:57.539 --> 00:11:10.799 And those barriers have been created by a variety of sociological, philosophical and theological influences that have layered up through the ages. 00:11:11.539 --> 00:11:16.000 And so if you will indulge me a moment, a very quick historical overview. 00:11:16.579 --> 00:11:16.679 Okay? 00:11:17.980 --> 00:11:21.339 Starting in the Bible, Romans 1 verse 20 says, 00:11:21.340 --> 00:11:34.920 Since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. 00:11:35.280 --> 00:11:41.480 So that backs up the sort of foundational idea that, as we've heard in our reading, God spoke creation. 00:11:41.700 --> 00:11:45.420 He expressed himself and he revealed himself to us. 00:11:45.419 --> 00:11:54.459 However, sin, that is, wanting to do things our own way, separates us from God. 00:11:54.559 --> 00:12:05.779 And so it distorts, it distorts that sense of God being within and blinds us to that revelation. 00:12:07.860 --> 00:12:13.259 And then if you add to that many philosophies, so particularly the ancient Greeks, 00:12:13.259 --> 00:12:19.240 their philosophy was that they, and that shaped us as the Western world in a huge way, 00:12:19.399 --> 00:12:25.919 it tends to see created things as lesser than the spiritual unseen things. 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:34.419 And so that, in its philosophy and the way that we think and the way that humans have operated, 00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:40.220 particularly in the West, minimizes creation's importance in our culture. 00:12:40.220 --> 00:12:48.259 And actually, it says dismiss the material world, because we think that the spiritual is more important. 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:49.440 So that's another barrier. 00:12:50.700 --> 00:12:53.820 Moving on quite a bit, the Industrial Revolution. 00:12:54.360 --> 00:12:59.279 It began to sever our connection with the rest of creation. 00:12:59.820 --> 00:13:09.879 You know, we became less reliant on and aware of its seasons and the Earth's needs, the give and take of all those things. 00:13:10.220 --> 00:13:16.500 And throw into that the Enlightenment, and you could say all the way through to modernity, 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:22.279 we have become very focused on scientific reasoning. 00:13:23.340 --> 00:13:32.000 In other words, we've been mainly asking the what and how questions, rather than the who and why. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:37.519 And the difference that that makes goes something like this. 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:44.059 You might walk into a kitchen and ask someone, why is the kettle boiling? 00:13:45.240 --> 00:13:51.120 And that person might reply, well, electric current passes through a high-resistance heating element. 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:54.060 This resistance converts electrical energy into thermal energy. 00:13:54.580 --> 00:13:56.659 Energy moves from the element to the adjacent water. 00:13:57.159 --> 00:14:00.539 Direct conduction excites and increases the kinetic energy of water. 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:03.440 Heated water at the bottom expands and becomes less dense. 00:14:03.740 --> 00:14:05.480 The colder, denser water at the top sinks. 00:14:05.740 --> 00:14:09.600 This continuous cycle distributes the thermal energy throughout the container of the kettle. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:13.759 The entire body of water approaches a uniform temperature, reaching thermal equilibrium. 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:18.100 Energy is absorbed by the liquid water molecules, breaking its intermolecular bonds. 00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:23.600 And at 100 degrees C, depending on the atmospheric pressure, of course, the water reaches its boiling point. 00:14:25.159 --> 00:14:29.080 Now that is a legitimate answer to why the kettle is boiling. 00:14:29.080 --> 00:14:35.120 But another legitimate answer to why the kettle is boiling is, I'm making a cup of tea. 00:14:38.440 --> 00:14:45.360 One answer speaks to the mechanics and the method, the other to its purpose. 00:14:45.920 --> 00:14:51.800 And they're both true, but they make more complete sense when they're combined together. 00:14:51.799 --> 00:15:05.620 And what I'm saying is that a focus on the scientific method has sometimes blinded us and society and our culture to the purpose and personality within creation. 00:15:06.500 --> 00:15:16.419 And that has impacted our interpretation of not only creation as we look around, but also scripture as we have approached it. 00:15:16.419 --> 00:15:24.579 And Genesis 1 is a prime example of how these barriers have affected us with connecting with God. 00:15:25.579 --> 00:15:39.319 Because at least for the last three centuries, readers have been preoccupied with extracting timeframes and geology and cosmology from these verses. 00:15:39.899 --> 00:15:43.419 Almost to the point of being exercises in missing the point. 00:15:43.419 --> 00:15:52.379 Because this creation story, as we've already heard it read, speaks of personality and artistry. 00:15:53.479 --> 00:16:01.639 It is primarily about meaning and the intent of creation, of beauty and purpose. 00:16:02.759 --> 00:16:05.079 In the beginning, God. 00:16:06.939 --> 00:16:08.620 Here is the central character. 00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:13.620 And his creative intent is clear from the outset. 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:19.179 The spirit, we're told, hovers over the waters, poised. 00:16:20.179 --> 00:16:21.340 Such potential. 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:29.740 And in fact, the very form of that opening chapter of Genesis is poetic. 00:16:30.560 --> 00:16:34.200 And it suggests, it invites us to read it as such. 00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:41.780 For example, I know we've got English teachers in the room, but let's think for a moment about its structure. 00:16:42.740 --> 00:16:47.220 You get the first three days where you hear about the form of creation. 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:52.280 And then days four to six are the filling of that creation. 00:16:52.680 --> 00:16:53.500 It's a poetic. 00:16:54.340 --> 00:17:00.480 It's the way the literature works invites us to see it as a piece of artistry. 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:02.600 And there's these repeat motifs. 00:17:03.340 --> 00:17:04.039 And there was evening. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:05.400 And there was morning. 00:17:06.299 --> 00:17:09.480 And of course, and he saw that it was good. 00:17:10.819 --> 00:17:12.360 And there's even rhyme in there. 00:17:12.819 --> 00:17:14.819 It's hidden by our English translations. 00:17:15.019 --> 00:17:18.599 But in verse two, the earth is described as being formless and empty. 00:17:19.259 --> 00:17:22.579 And the original Hebrew here is tohu wabohu. 00:17:23.099 --> 00:17:24.740 So there's like deliberate wordplay. 00:17:24.860 --> 00:17:25.539 It's creative. 00:17:25.539 --> 00:17:33.859 I want to invite you to consider the verses that Marilyn read, just those first 13 verses, 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:43.819 as depicting an artist preparing his canvas and marking out the main brushstrokes of creation. 00:17:43.819 --> 00:17:54.939 Or perhaps a composer choosing his symphonic form and sketching out its principal evocative melody. 00:17:55.679 --> 00:17:58.220 And that melody is of his goodness. 00:18:00.220 --> 00:18:10.299 Or perhaps an author in his prologue to his novel plotting out the central themes that are going to run throughout the story. 00:18:10.299 --> 00:18:13.159 Bringing order out of chaos, for example. 00:18:13.859 --> 00:18:16.059 Light overcoming darkness. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:18.399 Dividing the waters. 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:21.619 Bringing life and fruitfulness. 00:18:22.579 --> 00:18:25.940 And you'll hear these themes again and again through the Bible. 00:18:25.940 --> 00:18:33.340 So what I'm saying is that Genesis was never written to answer all our scientific concerns. 00:18:34.120 --> 00:18:37.140 Although we can find a lot in there that helps us understand the method. 00:18:38.279 --> 00:18:42.180 But it is chiefly concerned about the one whom it expresses. 00:18:43.580 --> 00:18:47.960 And so if we allow the who and the why questions to govern our reading, 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:54.440 then actually the force of Genesis 1, and indeed the whole of Scripture, becomes clearer. 00:18:55.940 --> 00:19:07.200 We start to see the intended purpose for both creation and for our lives as we interpret it that way. 00:19:07.580 --> 00:19:13.860 And we begin to see God's personality, his character, permeate everything about it. 00:19:14.779 --> 00:19:16.220 It's a bit like a sort of stick of rock. 00:19:16.220 --> 00:19:17.980 If you remember those good old days of a stick of rock. 00:19:18.059 --> 00:19:24.120 Wherever you cut it, you see the name of God, the character of God is there. 00:19:24.119 --> 00:19:29.939 And I think that's important for many reasons. 00:19:30.299 --> 00:19:36.579 We recognize those barriers that our culture has sort of tried to push God out the way when we think about nature. 00:19:36.879 --> 00:19:41.599 But it also helps us overcome another barrier to connecting with God through his creation. 00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:47.759 Because in our post-modern world, if you want to call it that, there are plenty of folk, and you will know many of them, 00:19:48.099 --> 00:19:51.559 who are attracted to getting back in touch with nature. 00:19:51.639 --> 00:19:58.119 We can see that's increasingly important, particularly in our creation kind of crisis, an ecological crisis. 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:00.439 They want to get back in touch with nature. 00:20:00.579 --> 00:20:06.079 But that actually can lead to forms of what's sometimes called animism or pantheism. 00:20:06.079 --> 00:20:09.259 That is that creation itself is divine. 00:20:10.119 --> 00:20:13.480 That if we worship nature, we are worshipping the divine. 00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:18.439 Again, let's be careful of our interpretation of the data. 00:20:18.819 --> 00:20:24.740 Because that conflation of the creator with the created will lead us nowhere. 00:20:24.740 --> 00:20:35.079 The Bible's worldview is that while God is intimately involved in his creation, he's also apart from it. 00:20:35.420 --> 00:20:38.740 There is a difference between the creator and the creation. 00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:47.660 A bit like my words in this sermon express something of who I am, but it would be wrong to say that this sermon is somehow me. 00:20:48.420 --> 00:20:49.059 If you know what I mean. 00:20:49.400 --> 00:20:51.420 A bit of philosophical things to think about for us today. 00:20:51.420 --> 00:20:59.380 Anyway, if we recognise the character, the person being expressed through creation, that is the best start we can make. 00:20:59.480 --> 00:21:05.259 That is the foundation for answering the question of how we can connect with God through his creation. 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:06.100 Are you with me? 00:21:06.340 --> 00:21:07.320 So there's a personality. 00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:08.759 That's what we first have had to realise. 00:21:08.860 --> 00:21:12.180 That God is expressing himself through his creation. 00:21:13.660 --> 00:21:16.279 And so my invitation for you is this week. 00:21:17.080 --> 00:21:19.019 You know, when you go and walk by the sea. 00:21:19.019 --> 00:21:20.900 We have a lovely seafront here in Clevedon. 00:21:20.900 --> 00:21:22.300 You walk through the woods. 00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:25.320 Even as you talk with people. 00:21:25.840 --> 00:21:27.680 People made in the image of God. 00:21:28.940 --> 00:21:30.700 Are you going to give credit to the author? 00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:32.680 That's going to be on your mind. 00:21:32.740 --> 00:21:33.700 Is that going to be on your heart? 00:21:35.259 --> 00:21:36.900 And it's homework for you. 00:21:37.040 --> 00:21:40.920 This week, I'd love to invite you to intentionally bring this to mind. 00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:45.120 We've sung a great hymn about all creatures worship their God and King. 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:45.619 Are you? 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:49.159 Are you in tune with that worship? 00:21:49.719 --> 00:22:00.959 That when we see things of beauty or even obscure, difficult things, are we going to allow that to ask the question? 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:02.480 What does that tell me about God? 00:22:03.860 --> 00:22:09.680 Perhaps the wind speaks of God's power or his unseen shaping of all that we do. 00:22:09.840 --> 00:22:15.660 Or perhaps the rain can be a reminder to us of God's life-giving and cleansing work. 00:22:15.660 --> 00:22:25.180 Do you see how many aspects of creation there are that can draw worship and praise and thought back to God? 00:22:25.660 --> 00:22:26.860 So I'd invite you this week. 00:22:27.100 --> 00:22:28.040 Give yourself some time. 00:22:29.160 --> 00:22:34.660 Engage all your senses in this exercise of connecting with God through his creation. 00:22:35.320 --> 00:22:36.920 What might this reveal about God? 00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:39.740 That's the kind of question we want to be mulling over, meditating on. 00:22:40.660 --> 00:22:43.180 And actually, I'm inviting you because I'd love to hear from you. 00:22:43.940 --> 00:22:47.580 If this is new to you or perhaps this is something that you are revisiting, 00:22:49.220 --> 00:22:53.800 we, every week in this sort of new format of service, we're going to have a sort of testimony slot, 00:22:53.920 --> 00:22:58.180 an interview slot where we'll chat to someone about what God's doing in their life. 00:22:58.180 --> 00:23:02.340 And if there's something that's revealed to you, you connect with God in a particular way, 00:23:02.380 --> 00:23:04.100 and you are prepared to share it, we'd love to hear from you. 00:23:04.099 --> 00:23:09.179 In the coming weeks, we'd love to hear how God is connecting with you and what impact that's made. 00:23:09.719 --> 00:23:10.159 Does that make sense? 00:23:10.259 --> 00:23:11.579 That's an open invitation to you. 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:15.199 And just, you know, tap myself on the shoulder, one of the wardens maybe, 00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:20.119 and I'd love to hear from you about what God's doing in your life, 00:23:20.459 --> 00:23:23.939 and particularly in this season about how we're connecting with him through creation. 00:23:26.219 --> 00:23:28.419 God longs to reveal himself. 00:23:29.159 --> 00:23:30.139 That's his yearning. 00:23:30.399 --> 00:23:33.939 That's the yearning expressed in these opening chapters of Genesis. 00:23:34.099 --> 00:23:39.619 As he speaks of himself, creation is made in his image. 00:23:39.619 --> 00:23:48.699 And I guess another question for all of us is, not only creation, but if we see ourselves as part of creation, 00:23:49.339 --> 00:23:51.979 what if we interpreted our whole lives? 00:23:55.179 --> 00:23:59.959 With those questions, well, the questions of who and why, rather than how and what. 00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:01.360 What do I mean by that? 00:24:01.360 --> 00:24:08.559 I mean, many of us have aspects of our lives which are, what we might say, chaotic, perhaps seemingly formless and empty, 00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:10.920 to quote from the beginning of Genesis. 00:24:11.819 --> 00:24:18.100 And often when we're in those places or those situations, we are asking the what and how questions. 00:24:18.519 --> 00:24:19.539 How can I get out of this? 00:24:19.620 --> 00:24:20.539 What's going on here? 00:24:20.920 --> 00:24:24.079 Give me the process and the method to get me out of here. 00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:24.939 When's it going to end? 00:24:25.179 --> 00:24:26.419 We want timescales, don't we? 00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:33.960 What if instead, a bit like the chaos there, we sense the spirit of the Lord hovering over us. 00:24:34.519 --> 00:24:40.019 And we begin to say, what is the potential for God to express himself through this? 00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:42.199 Where is he making new beginnings? 00:24:43.419 --> 00:24:44.639 What's he birthing here? 00:24:45.639 --> 00:24:49.199 What do I need to be aware of in what God is doing? 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:54.140 And I know I'm making that sound simple. 00:24:54.360 --> 00:25:02.000 And I know that when life is difficult and hard, we are longing for the particular answers that we're looking for. 00:25:02.039 --> 00:25:07.900 But I would just want to encourage you, where you can, to step back and say, what is God saying in this? 00:25:09.420 --> 00:25:16.960 And to help us do that, and we need a guide to help us interpret all that we see and experience in life. 00:25:17.140 --> 00:25:18.840 And this is where scripture comes in. 00:25:19.700 --> 00:25:26.779 Because it stops us from making errors in interpreting what God is about and who he is. 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:31.759 Because you see, I could see rain as, you know, God cleansing and bringing you life. 00:25:31.819 --> 00:25:34.059 But you also might say, oh, God is drowning me. 00:25:34.580 --> 00:25:42.340 How do we interpret creation to know that it's expressing truly of what God is trying to say? 00:25:44.120 --> 00:25:45.220 Scripture is important. 00:25:45.220 --> 00:25:55.299 And while creation reveals God, we might say, in general terms, scripture reveals the details and informs us about the precise nature of God and his character. 00:25:55.299 --> 00:26:00.799 And there's no better place to go than Psalm 19. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:09.440 And it brilliantly illustrates this and expresses this sort of double revelation of God. 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:11.700 So I'm going to end in a moment, but I'll end with this. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:16.339 I'll read verses 1 to 6 from Psalm 19. 00:26:16.339 --> 00:26:20.000 The heavens declare the glory of God. 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:23.539 The skies proclaim the work of his hands. 00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:26.579 Day after day, they pour forth speech. 00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:28.759 Night after night, they reveal knowledge. 00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.720 They have no speech. 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:31.859 They use no words. 00:26:32.380 --> 00:26:34.200 No sound is heard from them. 00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:37.860 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth. 00:26:38.059 --> 00:26:39.720 Their words to the end of the world. 00:26:40.200 --> 00:26:42.799 In the heavens, God has pitched a tent for the sun. 00:26:43.360 --> 00:26:48.920 It's like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run its course. 00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:52.799 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other. 00:26:53.340 --> 00:26:56.340 Nothing is deprived of its warmth. 00:26:56.339 --> 00:27:00.019 I love that and expresses so much, doesn't it? 00:27:00.039 --> 00:27:05.659 You notice how the very movement of the sun, or perhaps, you know, the earth's movement, strictly speaking, 00:27:06.039 --> 00:27:13.220 reminds the psalmist of God, of his love, which is like the arrival of the bridegroom, of a champion rising. 00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:15.339 Do you see how that evokes praise? 00:27:15.500 --> 00:27:18.939 He's connected with God through creation here, folks, in a very profound way. 00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:24.799 But what's interesting about this psalm is not just that bit, but the very, that's the first half. 00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:27.180 The second half of the psalm says this. 00:27:27.799 --> 00:27:31.039 The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. 00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:34.200 The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:37.379 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. 00:27:37.460 --> 00:27:41.240 The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 00:27:43.500 --> 00:27:48.500 And so it's gone from creation to scripture, the law of God. 00:27:48.500 --> 00:27:54.119 And it's the law of God which informs and tells us specifically of what God has for us. 00:27:54.119 --> 00:27:55.599 It directs our thoughts. 00:27:56.479 --> 00:28:05.719 And that's really the key, folks, is that as we seek to understand God, and all of us are seeking him deeply and further, 00:28:05.859 --> 00:28:10.239 because our understanding as humans is limited, as he wants to reveal himself to us, 00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:19.439 we need the scriptures to help interpret that and to make sense of what is going around us. 00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:24.559 Because, of course, it's not talking just about Old Testament law, as the psalmist would have been available, 00:28:24.680 --> 00:28:30.180 but of the whole of scripture, which helps us understand this human that came. 00:28:31.840 --> 00:28:34.220 The word made flesh, we're told. 00:28:35.559 --> 00:28:39.660 The pinnacle of God wanting to reveal himself to humanity. 00:28:39.660 --> 00:28:48.720 Jesus, who became part of creation in order to firmly connect us with God. 00:28:50.120 --> 00:28:54.820 Who, like the rising of the sun, brought light out of darkness. 00:28:55.259 --> 00:28:58.860 Who, in the waters of baptism, suddenly heaven broke through to earth. 00:28:59.860 --> 00:29:04.040 Who spread everywhere he went the seeds of God's kingdom, 00:29:05.100 --> 00:29:08.620 leaving gifts of every variety to bear fruit. 00:29:08.619 --> 00:29:18.959 Folks, there are rich pickings throughout God's creation for us to connect with God. 00:29:19.639 --> 00:29:22.919 And I think, armed with this guide, and however limited your knowledge of it, 00:29:23.879 --> 00:29:30.179 God is longing to speak his words of love, grace, mercy, peace, and hope into your lives. 00:29:30.179 --> 00:29:30.299 Amen.