In an age of increasing hostility towards Christianity, it’s easy to simply keep our heads down. Do we want our kids called out by their teachers and classmates for their views on creation? Do we want to be known to the whole office as a person who doesn’t condone abortion? Do we want to be the one person in our neighborhood who everyone knows will not fly the pride flag? None of us want trouble, and all of us want peace. But the price of being controversial for Christians these days is to become what the Bible calls a “muddied spring.” Look at Proverbs 25:26:
“Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.”
There may have been a time in our culture when a Christian could simply get along, but that is not our time. That is not the life God has for us! God has a life of mission and impact for each one of His children. We need the courage to be clear in our convictions, and contrary to public opinion, being clear is not a nail in the coffin for Christianity. Being clear is our only hope for the mission to advance in a rapidly moving, post-Christian society.
In the “Let’s Be Clear” series, we taught what the Bible clearly says on controversial topics regarding the Church today. The big idea for this series is this: Clarity is the answer to confusion.
The first message looks at what the Bible says about our world, us, and everything there is. You can watch the full sermon below. Here is the big idea for this sermon: God created the world for His glory and our good.
Sermon Recap: In The Beginning, God Created
We didn’t create God; He created us. Thus, this isn’t our world! It’s His. Just like children attending a friend’s birthday celebration, we all must be reminded that this isn’t our party! So much confusion in our world comes from not realizing who it’s all about and who it’s all for. Look in the Bible. Who is the subject in the first line of the first chapter of the first book? It’s not you, me, our kids, or our spouses…the first subject is God. We’ll be able to see correctly if we understand the beginning. Take a look at Genesis 1:
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light.”
In the beginning, God created. He is before the beginning; He is eternal. The Bible teaches that before man, there was God. He is at the center of it all. He created us out of an overflow of everlasting love within the Trinity, and He did so for His own glory.
Application: Glorify God For His Creation
Despite all the modern, secular theories thrown our way that espouse a “no God” beginning, humanity cannot shake the knowledge that we are here for some reason. We feel purpose, we dream, we want to make a difference, we have plans for our kids, and we recognize beauty. We know we are different than any other being in the universe, and yet, cut off from the starting place of God creating us, we simply don’t understand why we are here. Your life’s purpose isn’t determined by you; it’s determined by your Creator. And He has determined that we were created for one reason: to bring glory to God.
So here is the call: trust God in His creation of you and this world so that you can trust Him with the destination for you and this world. We can trust God because of the gospel. God was there at the beginning, and He already loved you. Look at 1 Peter 1:19-21:
“but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”
God created you, and Jesus went to the cross to recreate you. Jesus knew you and loved you and was willing to die for all the times that you didn’t glorify God as Creator. We have all turned against Him in sin, but He paid for our sin on the cross and then defeated death three days later when He rose from the grave. Jesus was “de-created” so we could be recreated and given life and hope! In the gospel, we’ve been given an opportunity to reclaim our purpose. Trust Him, and align your life with His calling!
– Andrew Hopper (Lead Pastor)
Additional Resources
“Evangelical Interpretations of Genesis 1-2” by Vern Poythress
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/evangelical-interpretations-genesis-1-2/
This essay outlines the many possible views evangelical Christians may hold on how God created the world. Est 9-min read.
“The Doctrine of Creation” by Paul Tripp
https://www.paultripp.com/articles/posts/the-doctrine-of-creation-article
This article shows how the doctrine of creation meets real life by calling us away from 3 seductive lies: autonomy, relativity, and self-sufficiency. Est 10-minute read.
“The Bible’s Conflict-Free Creation Story” by Matthew Miller
https://tabletalkmagazine.com/posts/the-bibles-conflict-free-creation-story/
This article shows how most pagan accounts of creation are stories of conflict – a struggle between gods results in the creation of earth and humankind. The conflict we experience in life mirrors the instability and infighting of the gods above. But Genesis gives us an account of a God with no rival who creates what is beautiful and good. Key quote:
“If life is shaped ultimately by conflict, then our survival and success depend on managing and strengthening ourselves for conflict….But if life is shaped ultimately not by conflict but rather by a transcendent Creator, then we have a singular driving concern: that we, through faith and repentance, act in harmony with God’s will.”
Est 7-minute read.
“Creation Series” by Bible Project
https://bibleproject.com/explore/category/creation-series/
This series of five videos of key passages throughout Scripture that help us understand God’s purpose for creation and humanity’s role.
Each video is around 7 minutes.
“Making Sense of the Universe” by John Lennox and Peter Tse
https://www.johnlennox.org/resources/102/making-sense-of-the-universe
Watch this 90-minute video of an academic debate answering the question of why the universe exists.
Watch the Full Sermon:
