The other reality that we need to rest in is in the power of the cross and what Christ did on that cross. I wonder, how much of your restlessness is about the “sin that so easily
entangles us.” That we feel beaten down, we feel we are our sin, versus sinners saved by grace.

Notice Colossians 2:13-15- 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

What do you have to do to take care of your sin? We can rest in the work of Christ and the cross. Today, rest in the cross, confessing your sin and nailing it to the cross. That’s what confession is, admitting that your sin is what would separate you, but because of what Christ did at the cross, you can rest in his forgiveness and his grace for you.

Maybe it is confessing your own sin? Maybe it is forgiving the sin done to you? Either way, confession and forgiveness is resting in the power of the cross.

Take time with either or both of these songs: How He Loves Us  &  East to West

 

The last word I want us to take time with is rest. Last week we talked about rest as experiencing God’s presence, goodness, and trusting in our Creator-King. We do this by setting time apart with a new rhythm of stopping and delighting. It’s more than just a day, it’s a mindset.

The first rest piece I want us to look at is a tease into our next section of Genesis 2.
Genesis 2:7- 7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

I’m not going to unpack this all today, but I do believe an initiation of rest, starts with breath, because God breathed into us the breath of life.

Think about that for a moment. When we are willing to slow down enough, focus on our breathing, rest in God’s breath for us, what that can mean for our mind and heart.

This is way more than mindfulness or Buddhist or Hindu practices or even mystic practices. Breath, breathing, centering our breath on God is a creative practice that brings rest.

Because it allows us to then center our minds on Christ, center our minds on things above. Notice Colossians 3:1-2- Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

That is a practice of resting, what is filling your mind, your heart, slowing down to center them upon things above, above the fray, above the noise, on God “above” allows the Spirit to bring us rest in our mind and heart.

Today, can you practice breath? Breath prayers? Breathing in truth, breathing out lies. Breathing in hope, breathing out despair.

Also, how can you center your mind and your heart on Christ, who is above all things? What does that look like for you? Feel like for you? Rest in the confidence of God’s truth.

 

The next focus piece that I want us to reflect on this week is image. If you could pause for a moment, how would you define your image? Maybe it’s what you reflect, what you stand for? Maybe it’s what takes up your time or attention? We can be moms and dads, we can be spouses that’s what we are related to. Our image can be what we do? We can be technicians, craftsmen, teachers, accountants, administrators. Our image can be around our hobbies or activities or even the sports teams we cheer for.

But is there depth to that image? Is that what gives us meaning? How often does that let us down?

You know where I am going, especially if you heard the message a few weeks ago, we are created in the image of God. Our identity, purpose, what we relate to is God. He defines
who we are and he says, we are his children. We are his sons and daughters. Our image is one from the Creator and even as we saw in Isaiah, he loves us and is tender with us, like sheep of his flock.

Think about that for a second. The one who spoke the galaxies into being whispers to you. The one who can take the oceans in his hand, takes YOU by the hand and calls you his friend.

That’s why for me, all of this culminates in how God interacts with Jesus at his baptism, that image defining moment.

Matthew 3:16-17- 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

What do you see? What do you notice? What gets your attention? (Love, acceptance and purpose). Yes, that is with Jesus, but that is for you and me. If we fast forward to John 17, it is Jesus’ prayer for you and me, verse 26 says, “I have made you known to them and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

Which means, our image, created in God’s image, is also the love that God has for Jesus is in us. Jesus’ identity and purpose and acceptance is in us, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Do you see your image in the same way? Or do you doubt who God says you are?
What I find fascinating is that after Jesus was baptized, he went into the desert where he was tempted. Satan gave Jesus three temptations, but you know what each temptation started with? You can look at Matthew 4 … each temptation started with two letters that led to a statement about his image, his identity. If … If you are the son of God.

How often, in your life do you doubt God, doubt his love, doubt his forgiveness because of those two little words, if … if you wouldn’t have done that, if you would have done this, if you were better, if you weren’t so bad, if.

I want you to sit with the image God says you are, “Loved and accepted, created with a purpose.” Do you see that? Do you hear that? Or do you hear, if? Do you hear how your past, the lies, the agreements, your sin is trying to tell you something other than what God says?

I encourage you to write down who God says you are and maybe on the other side of the paper, who do you think you are or who you’ve been told and sit with God around what is
similar and what is in contrast. Today, how can you receive and hold onto God’s image for you versus the world, or past or others have labeled you.

You can also sit with this song as an encouragement- Who You Say I Am

 

We are looking at God as our Creator King. Take a moment with Isaiah 40:9-14,21-22, 25-26, 28-31 (take your time with each section, highlighting along the way.)

“Here is your God!” 10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. 11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. 12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?

13 Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? 14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding?

21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? 22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

25 “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

We can have hope because where our hope is placed? Our hope is placed in our Creator King. One who governs, is sovereign, one who is able to create something out of nothing, so why couldn’t he do that with your life?

Take a moment with this song, as a backdrop to your passage reflection.

 

This week I want to give you space. Besides, it’s Memorial Day, which should give us the opportunity to pause, to reflect, to slow down just enough to remember, and give our attention to what should be important within our life and at times, what we don’t give space for.

I want to give space for three different things that we have discussed within the first chapter plus of Genesis. I want to pause and give us space to reflect, with our mind, heart, and actions what does it mean to have a Creator King, what is our image rooted in, and what does it mean to rest.

I will give you some passages, encourage journaling, worship, and prayer.
The first one I want to give space for is what does it truly mean to center our attention on our Creator King. Or personalize, your Creator King, my Creator King. Think about that for a second. We are so quick to see God as the universal Creator and King for everyone. But personalize it. He’s your Creator. He’s your King.

Notice this powerful Psalm, combing both Creator and King. What do you notice, what gets your attention about your Creator King? Jot down words, images, thoughts.

Psalm 95:3-7- 3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

What do you notice, what gets your attention about your Creator King? Jot down words, images, thoughts.

What does that mean for you today? How can that be a foundation for you?

 

Rest is experiencing God’s presence, goodness, and trusting in our Creator-King. We do this by setting time apart with a new rhythm of stopping and delighting.

This can happen throughout the day, this can begin to form in you a rhythm of taking a day, a Sabbath. Where do you need to start shifting from restlessness to God rest?

Hebrews 4:9-11- 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

This entire passage is loaded. But do you notice how the author is getting our attention? We still need a Sabbath-rest, we enter his rest, which means we rest from our work, JUST AS God did. Notice the next part, make every effort to enter that rest. You need to make the effort to rest.

Then he refers to the Israelites who disobeyed and refused to enter the rest and it cost them.

Folks, it is a matter of wisdom, not law, that Christ followers agree set aside a day to stop and delight in God’s presence and trusting his goodness.

How do you need to make an effort to enter his rest?

Restlessness within, stop what you are doing seek his presence or council.

Maybe life is too much right now, but setting apart an hour or 4 hours on a Saturday or Sunday to stop, delight. Experience his presence through worship, prayer, reading, going in
nature, enjoying good food, better company. Turning off the phone or the TV, social media, taking a nap, idling down.

What are the things that cause restlessness or suck the life out of you and go to the one who breathes life into you.

I’m going to share the song Psalm 23 by Shane and Shane, notice the beautiful invitation and command to rest.

“The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul…”

That is rest and that is what God gave us on the seventh day, not because he needed it, but because he knew we would need it.

 

Finally, we see within this seventh day of rest a mimicking within creation, we see a rhythm. Rhythm is our third element of rest according to the biblical worldview. Every seventh day to stop, delight, set-apart from the other days. God built rhythm into creation, including the last day of rest.

I appreciate this longer quote from Wayne Muller in his book Sabbath. "In the relentless busyness of modern life, we have lost the rhythm between work and rest. All life requires a
rhythm of rest. There is a rhythm in our waking activity and the body's need for sleep. There is a rhythm in the way day dissolves into night, and night into morning. There is a rhythm as the active growth of spring and summer is quieted by the necessary dormancy of fall and winter. There is a tidal rhythm, a deep, eternal conversation between the land and the great sea. In our bodies, the heart perceptibly rests after each life-giving beat; the lungs rest between the exhale and the inhale. We have lost this essential rhythm. Our culture invariably supposes that action and accomplishment are better than rest, that doing something--anything--is better than doing nothing. Because of our desire to succeed, to meet these ever-growing expectations, we do not rest. Because we do not rest, we lose our way. We miss the compass points that would show us where to go, we bypass the nourishment that would give us help. We miss the quiet that would give us wisdom. We miss the joy and love born of effortless delight. Poisoned by this hypnotic belief that good things come only through unceasing determination and tireless effort, we can never truly rest. And for want of rest, our lives are in danger."

Folks, rest, Sabbath, isn’t about rules, sure it is one of the Ten Commandments, but that is because the value that God has for it, not only at creation, but throughout all of life. Sabbath rest is about an invitation and an invitation, in God’s economy is always about maturity and growth. If you desire to grow and mature in your walk with God, you will accept his invitation to the rhythm of rest.

Seeking the rhythm of rest allows us to trust in the goodness of our Creator-King. Trust that he is on the throne and the world will not fall off its axis. Yes, that may sound a bit embellished, but tell me why you can’t rest? (Pause with that question for a bit).
Because I know I can’t rest for the agreements I have made throughout life that I’m trying to break. “If not me, then who? If not now, then when? How much is enough? Besides the devil never takes a day off.” Granted, the devil did lose in the end.

Yes, we need to talk about Sabbath as a rhythm, but ultimately I want you to break it down even more. I believe that God was getting our attention on our intention of rest. Yes, a day, but it is more about an attitude of rest within the mind, heart, and actions.

When restlessness begins to arise within us or around us, how do we “rest”? How do we stop, delight, set aside time, to trust in God’s goodness as Creator-King?

Mark Buchanan in his book, Rest of God says, “God gave us the gift of Sabbath- not just as a day, but as an orientation, a way of seeing and knowing. Sabbath keeping is a form of mending.”

Rest is a gift; it is an invitation. We see it in Jesus’ life as well. I always loved the adage that Jesus lived at a 3 MPH pace, because he had to walk everywhere. But routinely we see him get away, to rest, stop and delight, setting aside time with his Creator-King. Which then should lead us to what does Jesus say about rest?

Matthew 11:28-30- 28 “Come to me, all
you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

This speaks directly into our restlessness, however you name it, mind, heart, relationships. Do you see the invitation? Jesus is saying, “come and rest with me.” Have a rhythm of rest with me, giving me the load you are carrying and letting me walk with you to show you a better way.

What rhythm do you need to have with your time to be with God? Can you carve more than you expect on a specific day, each week? Even being honest with God of why that is so hard.

 

Next biblical worldview of rest is the statement, 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy… Where else do we see God bless creation? Day five and six, with animals and humanity. He created the animals and said to humanity, “God blessed and said, ‘be fruitful and multiple.”

The intention here is to be life giving. Which means, in God blessing the seventh day, his intention is for it to be life giving, refreshing, multiplying in you His presence and his goodness. God desires a time, a day to be life-giving, that’s why he blessed it.
Then it says, God blessed it and made it holy. Holy means to sanctify, to dedicate, to set-apart. What God is saying, in resting, is that he is making time holy, set-apart, sanctified, dedicated to something greater than the other days or other time. A time of rest should be different than the other time or days of the week.

Let me shift it slightly this way. We set-apart or dedicate what we value. Think about other “days” of celebration; last week we celebrated Mother’s Day, next week is Memorial Day, a few weeks after that is Father’s Day, Forth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthdays and anniversaries. Whatever the reason may be or the why, we set those days a part because we value the person, or role, or presence or activity of the said day.
In a larger way, the biblical worldview of rest is stopping and delighting with a time that is set-apart from other times in your life because you value God’s presence, role, activity in your life.

Today, I want you to take some time with this song, Abide by Aaron Williams. If you also want to read John 15 (vine and the branches). This gives us the picture of connecting to God as our life source. How can you take your restlessness and sit with God, share it with him, allow him to draw your attention to other passages, or songs or even nature or people.

 

Based upon Genesis 2, I want to give you a Biblical worldview of rest. Hear me, there is so much on this topic. In my preparing I came across one podcast series by Bible Project that was fourteen episodes, which is over 15 hours of insight about rest within scripture. I listened to a podcast from John Mark Comer and Practicing the Way where he did a four-week series just on rest. I don’t have the capacity in the message I shared or these faith challenges to give you complete, necessary view of rest. But I want to give you nuggets and invite you into more.

Read Genesis 2:2-3- 2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

The word rested in the Hebrew is sabat, pronounced shawbath, where we get our word Sabbath. But before you start going down the road of Sabbath and legalism and you can’t cut your grass on Sundays. If you’re from Oostburg or grew up in a legalistic home, you know what I’m talking about. Hit the pause button and let us see and listen with fresh eyes and ears. We see a glimpse of what God was getting at for the ancients long before religion bastardized Sabbath.

Rested, sebat, Sabbath, actually means to cease or stop. We see that in the passage, God finished from his work, he rested from the work, from creating. Which gives us this beautiful picture, on the seventh day God ceased, he stopped and enjoyed what he created, he delighted in what he created, he was present with creation.

Think about that for a moment. God, Creator-King, stopped and enjoyed what he created. Every day after he created he said it was good and now God sits back and enjoys what is good. He spends time with what he created.

The first Biblical worldview of rest is stopping and delighting. Rest is stopping and delighting in what is around you, what you’ve created/finished, family and friendships, God’s creation, God’s presence (scripture, prayer).

Stopping and delighting speaks into our state of restlessness, it flies in the face of our running around and consuming. Always pressing for more, more of anything; experiences, stuff, titles, degrees. Not that there is anything wrong with any of them, but to what extent. Consuming, anything and everything, an insatiable thirst for more.

Stopping and delighting is celebrating and worshipping what God has done and given.
Think about it this way. If you’ve ever traveled toward the mountains and through the mountains. It is a sight to see. It is almost as though they are growing out of the earth as you approach them. Getting bigger and bigger as you speed towards the mountain range. But once you get up the mountain you know what happens, the speed limit slows down. You aren’t going 70 MPH as you traverse up Pike’s Peak. No, you are going slow, one because of safety, but two, so you can take it all in. You will not experience much of the mountains if you speed through the mountain range.

In a very small way, that’s what rest is. Stopping and delighting, versus maintaining a pace of life that isn’t safe and misses much of life.

With the first biblical worldview of rest, stopping and delighting, what does that mean for you? What gets your attention with that perspective? How can you even carve out 15 minutes in a day to do that? Trusting it can build into more.

 

I don’t know about you, but I’m the type of person that likes to push the limit with my gas gauge. My Father-in-law on the other hand, if it is below a ½ of tank, he’s filling up. Whereas I love the fact that it gives you the number of miles, it thinks you have until you run out of gas.

I wonder though, how that also parallels to life? How many of us are running on fumes? Or we push the limit in our life until we are almost empty?

Not only do we have the caution of running out of gas, we also must be attentive to what fuels us. What do you put in the tank? You put the wrong fuel in your vehicle you will wreck your engine. Why would we think it’s different with our lives?

Let me ask you, in life, what do your gauges say? What does your life “gas gauge” say? What are you filling your life “tank” with? Things that will fuel you or things that will wreck you.

Can I shift the definition just a bit? How much of our life is in a state of unrest or let me say restlessness?

Restlessness as busyness, going and going and going, running on empty, or unsettling. Restlessness of the mind; thoughts spinning, worry building. Restlessness of the heart; stifling anxiety, crippling fear. Restlessness of relationships; uncertain foundations filled with tension. Restlessness of schedules; who is in charge of who; our kids, our work, our activities. Restlessness can run us ragged, can run us empty, can suck the life out of us.
Yet, after God breathes life into us, what does he do?

Read Genesis 2:2-3- 2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
What did God do after he finished and created all that he did? GOD RESTED. Do you see the phrases? God finished the work he had been doing, he rested from all the word, he rested from all the work of creating, three different times God finished and rested.

Before I jump into the nuances of this, first things first. Was God tired? Just plain worn out. I mean think about it, wouldn’t YOU be a little tired creating Mars, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Uranus? Wouldn’t you need to take a break after you just got done creating the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, can’t forget the Indian Ocean? I’m sure he was worn out when he got to the seahorses and the manta rays, much less the hippos, giraffes, duckbill platypus. That’s way more work than sending emails, working on spreadsheets, making cheese and sausage, or even writing a sermon.

Yet, God wasn’t tired. He rested, but he wasn’t tired. Think about that, God rested from work, from creating, he rested, even though he wasn’t tired. Why do we think we don’t have to rest?

We have full day with the kids, or work, maybe even two or three jobs or pushing 60 plus hour work weeks, filling our schedules, our minds, our hearts with so many things. Why do we think we don’t need to rest? The Creator-King accomplished way more than I ever have, and he rested.

Which I believe, at this moment, is a moment of confession. I don’t rest well. I even struggled writing this message, because I’m going to encourage you, challenge you, call you out, and I struggle with living out what it means to truly rest.

I need to share to you, and to God, “God, I’m sorry I don’t rest. I’m sorry I think all that you have given me is up to me to make it happen. I’m sorry you’ve given me this gift of rest and instead of receiving it and living it, I’ve disregarded it and lived in restlessness instead.

Our restlessness is a distrust in who God is and his goodness in our life. Think about it for a second. Our restlessness is a distrust in who God is and his goodness in our life. Do we live as though life depends on us? Or do we rest, as though life depends on God?

Folks, we’ll get into a definition here shortly. But this isn’t about being lazy or having apathy, because some of you need to get off the couch and do something for the kingdom of God.
This is about our restlessness, God’s invitation, and what our lack of rest really says about us and our relationship with God.

Today, before we get into specifics, I want you to sit with God around your “life gauge”, what you are filling your life with, and your level of restlessness. Where are you empty or running low? How have you filled your life with other things, hoping it would fuel you? What is your level of restlessness (heart, mind, relationships, and schedule)? Sit with God and simply be honest, confess, and ask him to show you something more today and this week.

 

Our daily “faith challenge” is an opportunity to go deeper into Sunday’s message. A time to meet with God. Begin with prayer. Ask God to speak to you from His Word, by His Spirit.
“Speak Lord your servant is listening” 1 Samuel 3:9

“God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.” Romans 3:25

Jesus, innocent of all sin died in our place, He was our Substitute; He substituted His life for my sin, your sin. He died in our place. We should have died and been punished for our sin, but Jesus died and took our punishment on the cross. So we can be reconciled to God, our relationship restored, now and forever.

Tell God what this means to you.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Free gift to be received by faith
Have you received God’s free gift?
Why?
Why not?
Tell Him

Difference between understanding and faith. Faith is personal, based on facts not feeling. Faith doesn’t stop with mental assent or agreement.

Faith says I agree with what God says, I’m a sinner, I can’t save myself, I believe that Jesus death on the cross paid my sin debt. He died in my place, as my substitute
It’s a choice to believe, a choice to trust who He is and what He did.

That He is God, that He died on the cross in my place, paying my sin debt. I trust in Jesus Christ the resurrected Savior alone, to save me from the consequences of my sin.

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Jesus said-
“I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by Me.”

Have you chosen to believe in, to trust Jesus as your savior?
Who might God want you to share your story with?
Who are you praying for an opportunity to share God’s either or truth with?

 

Our daily “faith challenge” is an opportunity to go deeper into Sunday’s message. A time to meet with God. Begin with prayer. Ask God to speak to you from His Word, by His Spirit.
“Speak Lord your servant is listening” 1 Samuel 3:9

We have a dilemma and there are two facets to our dilemma

We have something we don’t want- a sin problem. Because of our sin we experience guilt, shame, pain, and separation from God.

2ndly-
We need something we don’t have- holiness, perfection. We need a level of goodness that makes us acceptable in God’s presence.

How have you tried to solve youe dilemma?
Try harder?
More religion?
Other?

God’s solution to our dilemma:
“God made him who had no sin to be sin (sin offering) for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

He paid the price and gave us His righteousness

God is Perfectly Just and Perfectly Loving

It was on the cross that God perfectly balanced both His boundless love and His infinite justice. For God, His love and His justice made the cross necessary

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:9-10

Soak in the truth of these two verses.

What wells up in your heart?
Write it down
Turn it into a prayer/praise

 

Our daily “faith challenge” is an opportunity to go deeper into Sunday’s message. A time to meet with God. Begin with prayer. Ask God to speak to you from His Word, by His Spirit.
“Speak Lord your servant is listening” 1 Samuel 3:9

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins... 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Ephesians 2:1,4-5

Dead in your sin or made alive because of God’s great love

Which applies to you?

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23

We have a debt that will result in either eternal life or eternal death

“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14

Alive
Forgiven
Canceled

What do each mean to you?

Write down what you want to say to God.

 

Our daily “faith challenge” is an opportunity to go deeper into Sunday’s message. A time to meet with God. Begin with prayer. Ask God to speak to you from His Word, by His Spirit.
“Speak Lord your servant is listening” 1 Samuel 3:9

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:16-18

How would you respond if God asked you; “Do you believe in my Son?”

What does it mean to you that God doesn’t condemn those who “believe in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

“ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—” John 1:11-12

You either accept who He is and what He did or you reject Him and what He’s done.
_____accept
_____reject
Check which applies to you?

 

Our daily “faith challenge” is an opportunity to go deeper into Sunday’s message. A time to meet with God. Begin with prayer. Ask God to speak to you from His Word, by His Spirit.
“Speak Lord your servant is listening” 1 Samuel 3:9

This week we’re going to soak in some Either Or statements from God’s Word. These Either or contrasts are relevant to each of us.

“…they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:10b -13

“Whoever refuses to believe in effect calls God a liar, refusing to believe God’s own testimony regarding his Son.

11-12 This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son. So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life.13 My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life”… 1 John 5:10b -13 from The Message

What is God saying to you from these verses? Jot it down.

What do you want to say to God? Tell Him.

 

Today's passages i want you to see how Paul is getting our attention with representing the image of God.

Galatians 5:22-25- 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

We are familiar with the fruit of the Spirit, but I want to draw your attention to the parallel to creation. God gives us “seeds” to cultivate. Yes, I get it, that was for planting and eating. But why wouldn't it be appropriate to see how God would incorporate spiritual seed cultivating. Either we are planting seeds of flesh or seeds of the Spirit.

What seeds do you need to cultivate in your heart? In your relationships? 

Ephesians 4:22-5:2-  22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

I know that was a lot. But did you notice the call out of the old self and into the new self, created to be like God?

Then I want you to go back through the passage and highlight the ways Paul is calling out what it looks like to live in righteousness and holiness. It's a hefty list. 

One of my life verses. Ephesians 2:10- For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Folks, God handcrafted you specifically to be his image in the world. You are a craftsman designed for kingdom work. In the ways you listen, in the ways you respond, in the ways you cultivate, in the ways you plant, in the ways you grow.

You are God’s handiwork, created in Christ to generously bring order and care in the world around you.

Take a moment with this song, because in order to live the image of God we need to Abide with Him. 

 

 
Yesterday’s question landed us here, If God created us, in his image, as an idol to represent him to the world, through his creative order and generosity, how are you living out that image?
 
I get it though, Genesis 3 happened, sin came in, not only separated us from God and from one another, but it distorted what that image and intention was to be. That’s another reason why God had to send a new image bearer, a new adam, a new way to be human into the world.
 
Do you find it interesting that the first man was created within the dirt and the animals and that Jesus, came to our world in the mess of a barn, amidst the creatures of the land. Kind of sounds like another creation story, Day six.
 
I want to give you broad stroke declarations of Jesus, as the new way to be human, the new image of God, that we are to bare.
 
Colossians 1:15-20- 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
 
Do you notice the image of God in Christ? How he is to rule? Because of the peace through his cross, we then have Christ dwell in us. The same indwelling that God has in Christ, is in us.
 
What does that mean or look like for you?
 
Read Matthew 22:15-22- 18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” 21 “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
 
Again, image, the image on the coin was Ceasar’s. But the power behind what Jesus says, “give back to God’s what is God’s.” He is saying the image you were created in, the image of God, you need to give yourself to that image, give yourself to God.
 
What does it mean for you to give God what is God’s?
 
Matthew 20:20-28- 20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 21 “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. 23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.  25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The disciples were arguing over who should “rule” alongside of Jesus. Notice what Jesus said about the how to rule? 

How do you need to lead in the image of God, like Christ, serving? 

Take a listen to this song as an encouragement for your journey today.
More Like Jesus:

 

If you want a brief overview of the Image of God discussion, take a look at this video by Bible Project.
 
Image of God by Bible Project:

Okay, we need to look at what we are supposed to be doing with the image of God that was given to us within creation. Again what do we see in the creation story?
 
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over ...28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over … 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant … and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food… 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
 
We see that God invites humanity with two directives. The first is to rule and subdue. We should be reminded of how he created the sun and the moon to rule or govern the day and the night, it marks the seasons and the days. That should give us a clue that part of the creative order is to rule, oversee, but more importantly, give boundaries to, guidance with, or in our original language of God creating, bringing order to the disorder, forming and filling.
 
As the image of God, how are we bringing order to disorder, forming and filling? Remember ancient text, this is the basis for what is the civilization that we are forming and filling? What are the society and cultural realities we are bringing to the world. This doesn’t mean we find our own people and stick with just them. No, this is bringing God’s kingdom here on earth. I’ll touch on it more in a second, because I want to show the last element of how we live out the image of God.
 
What did you notice in the creation story? We were invited to rule and subdue, then God blessed us and gave us. All the other ancient gods, mythology, were gods who demanded something to be given to them. But Israel’s God, Yahweh, was a God of blessing and giving, was a generous God. A God who looked to be generous to his image bearers.
 
Let me summarize Genesis 1:26-2:1 and Day six this way. We are, God’s image, created to generously bring order and care to the world He created. Sit in that statement for a moment. Self-analyze, as God’s image, would you say that is true for your life? Maybe in some areas? Maybe not in others? Maybe on some days? Maybe not in others?
 
If God created us, in his image, as an idol to represent him to the world, through his creative order and generosity, how are you living out that image?
 
How are you living out that summary of Day six? What does it mean for you, in your world, to live out rule, subdue, bless, and give?

 

Ok, we need to get to the main course…. What do you think of when you think of the image of God? When you think image or even the Greek word, eikon (icon), the icon or image of God, what do you think of?
 
Like the golden arches, when you see the golden arches do you think McDonald’s, big mac, filet fish, quarter pounder, French fries? Or when you see the swoosh, you think of Nike and basketball shoes or clothes. Or when you see the iconic G, the only G that matters, you think of the Green Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, Reggie White, Jordan Love, Micah Parsons.
 
When we think of the image of something or the icon of something, even on currency. We look at the image, and we see that it represents something, it stands for something, it has meaning or value because of what it represents. Let’s go back to our passage, because I think it actually means more than that.
 
Genesis 1:26-27-26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, … 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
 
The word image is similar to the word likeness, saying the same thing. But that word in the Hebrew is tselem, which actually means idol or statue. The purpose of a tselem was to represent a deity. If you want to jot down 2 Kings 11:18 notice the correlation, All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces … The word idols is tselem, or image. In Assyrian or Babylonian culture they had images or idols called Lamassu. They would put this statue or image at the entrances of their cities or their temples. They represented the icon of the king and they treated the kings like gods, a physical image, representing the king or deity. When the king conquered a city or territory, they would put up an image/idol at the entrance to let everyone know who rules now.
 
Then we read Genesis 1 and that’s what God is saying he is doing. Herbert Niehr says, “Humans were created to be the living statues of God. There was no need of a divine image because humans represented Yahweh as a statue would have done.”
 
God is creating us in his image, that we are to be his idol, his representation to the world who rules, but not ruling out of absolute authority, but ruling through bearing his essence, reflecting his attributes, and creating order on his behalf.
 
But here’s the challenge, that’s why God said we should have no idols, images before us, because we were to be the image or the idol of God, representing his essence and his purpose to the world.
 
Now some of you may say, “I don’t have an idolatry problem. I don’t have images or idols in my house, that I pray to or bow down to.” Not so fast my friends. Image or idols are simply reflecting or representing what we behold, what is before us.
 
Idolatry is reflecting or representing something other than God, or placing our trust, our essence, our attributes in something other than God.
 
We can have our careers be idols, our spouses, our family, we can have people be idols, we can have buddhas or saints be idols, or politics or ideation. We bear witness to false gods and don’t represent the image of God that he has created and invited us to live by.
 
New Testament professor Crispin Fletcher-Louis shares in plainly, but boldly.  “To locate divine presence and action in another part of creation or in that which we create is to absolve ourselves of our own responsibility to bear divine presence and action.” In other words, when we create an image and declare to others, “Here is your God!” it’s because that is so much easier than representing the presence of God to them ourselves. Being God’s image is our vocation; it’s our job. Idolatry is so egregious because it is how a person says to God, “I quit!”
 
Honestly, I never saw idolatry this way and I never saw the power of being created in God’s image this way. Yeah, I knew that I needed represent him, be a disciple, but I wonder how many times we miss the depth of this, because we have surmised the creation story, and ultimately the gospel story to, “be saved and behave so he will let you in.”
 
Yes, there is sin and brokenness in the world, we need a rescue, we need a savior, but if the Genesis story is true for all of scripture, then we need to go back to the fact that God desires and designs to work through human beings. Humanity is the eyes, ears, mouth, being and activity of the creator; God’s image within his creation.
 
Which should cause us to pause, how are we doing at representing God to his creative order? How are we doing at being his eyes, ears, mouth, being and activity to others? Remember, God didn’t just put his image inside Christians, or inside the good people, or inside the people that look and think like you. God placed his image in all of humanity, yes it is broken because of sin, and Christ redeemed. But do we treat others with a dignity that reflects the image of God? Man, there’s another message for another time. Showing dignity to others is probably part of the buffet you want to skip, but it is one that should get our attention.
 
Today, I want you to sit with the challenge of what it means, according to Scripture to live out the image of God? How it may be unsettling to hear it as an idol? But also, how we have other idols in our lives?
 
Meet with God and allow him to shift your heart, mind, and actions to align with his image.

 

Let’s jump into it, Genesis 1:26-2:1, this is the rest of Day six in creation. Remember, we are looking at the Spirit-inspired ancient text, where the authors are sharing with us the creation story, depicting God’s (Yahweh’s) creative work. Where Yahweh, creates order out of disorder, forms and fills, Creator-King who creates a good kingdom. Now humanity arrives on the scene.
 
Genesis 1:26-2:1- 26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
 
I want to highlight two things briefly, that will play into the rest of our discussion, but I can’t do it justice, entirely, I think it is another message or two for another time.
 
What I want to briefly tie together is the statement, “Let us make mankind in our image…. God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
 
Typically we understand the “us” in relation to God, as the Trinity, which is true. But the Trinity wasn’t an ancient understanding when this was originally written. They would argue that God was singular and plural, because of how he created humanity.
 
The word “mankind/human beings” in the Hebrew is adam, where we get Adam. Adam is related to species, humanity as a singular species, but that God also created humanity as plural, gender, male and female. One species, two genders; humanity, male and female.
 
I think this is really important as we see we are created in God’s image, for ruling and subduing, there is a singular, yet plurality to God and to how we are to function within the created order.
 
Tim Mackie from the Bible Project puts it this way. “Ruling in partnership together is a key part of being the image of God. The gendered, distinct differences between man and woman, while also sharing similarities and becoming one (Genesis 2:24) is a potent image of the nature of God.”
 
Hear me, I am not saying God is male and female, male or female. God is Spirit, who, in Christ, did take the nature of a man, but as you will see shortly in Colossians, God is invisible, but his nature has male distinctions and female distinctions, yet are one, are unified. But humanity is broken and divided. Which is why, a gender discussion about respect and honor, is necessary, but not for this message. Because I believe, once we unpack more of what the ancient author is saying about the image, rule, and blessing of God, it will preach for itself.

 

Last observation, day one God separated light and darkness and day four he filled the heavens with light to govern. Where do we see Jesus separate light and darkness? Where do we see him separate rule?

With a word, he took care of darkness forever and stepped into ultimate rule. “It is finished.” And he breathed his last breath.

If you want to jot down a few passages where we see God’s victory over darkness is God’s victory over sin and death. You can jot down Romans 8:34, 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 and Hebrews 2:14-15.

For today I want to read Romans 6:3-11 (Message version)- That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we’re going in our new grace-sovereign country. Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer captive to sin’s demands! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That’s what Jesus did.

Which means when we experience sin, failure, a sense of death we need to look to Christ’s victory. Christ separated light from darkness, death to life and he sits victoriously at the right hand of God, and we are to live in that same victory, that same life, that same rule.
First, it is a decision to live in that life-saving resurrection, choosing to believe Jesus’ redemptive work at the cross and empty tomb. Do you believe? If not, why? If not, please reach out and let’s talk more about this life-giving decision.

Second, it is confessing those areas that we are living in the “old-country” of sin and repenting (turning) to live in the grace-country.

It can be as simple as this, “God, I give you this area of my life, I no longer want to be ruled by it. I want to live under your rule and grace. Forgive me, set me free, because of the powerful work of the cross. May my spirit be guided by your Spirit. Thank you for the victory YOU have given me.”

This is the creative order, when what is formed around us or in us is in chaos, may we look to what is filing us; God’s truth, the Spirit’s peace, and Christ’s victory.

In what ways do you need to go 'deeper still' in your faith journey, and what is holding you back from taking that next step of trust and obedience?

Take a moment as well with this song as a song of reflection A Thousand Hallelujahs

 

Remember, this week we are looking at God’s forming and filling of creation and then how do we see that through the lens of Jesus?

Day two was separating the waters, water and sky and day five was filling with sea creatures and birds.

Mark 4:35-41- 35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

What do you notice?

Remember, water represented chaos and there was an undercurrent of fear related to the sea creatures.

What do we see with Jesus? In the midst of the storm, in the midst of the chaotic waters, what was Jesus doing? Sleeping, sawing logs, deep sleep that he had to be woken up in the middle of the storm. Was this because he was just that tired? I don’t think so, we don’t know for sure, but I don’t think so. I think it’s bigger than that.

Remember, at least four of the disciples were trained fishermen. They knew how the storms on the Sea of Galilee would come out of nowhere and be fierce. Yet, trained fishermen, who knew what they were doing were filled with fear, to the point they make a pretty honest but challenging question to Jesus, “don’t you care…. Don’t you care if we drown?”
I wonder, in the midst of our chaos, have we ever cried out to God in that way, “God, don’t you care? Don’t you care about the storm I am in? Don’t you care that I’m drowning? Don’t you care that I’m struggling in this storm?” To the point where we think Jesus is just ignoring us or asleep.

But what do we notice about the passage? Yes, Jesus was asleep because Jesus had peace. Jesus had peace because he was Lord over creation. We see that because of what he says after being woken up.

Jesus doesn’t chastise the disciples; he doesn’t bark at them. In the midst of Jesus’ peace, notice what he did. He rebuked the wind but spoke to the waters, creation language. With a word, “quiet, be still” or in some translations it says, “peace, be still.” The Lord of creation, because he governs over all had peace and spoke peace. He governs over the sea and the sea monsters, the fear and the doubt, even of the disciples.

The question Jesus asks the disciples isn’t slanderous or even offensive. It’s a pause for them to truly think and respond. “Why were you fearful? Where is your faith?” Or let me put it this way. What do you have faith in?

Jesus was at peace and but the disciples were in chaos. Jesus was expressing to them, “I am Lord of Creation, the Lord of Order.”

Which means, when we face the storms of life, when the waters of life are crashing all around us, do we believe God cares for us? If not why? Because it’s his promise. But also, how do we seek his peace? Seek His calm? His rest? (Which we will talk about in a few weeks.)

His peace is his presence, seeking prayer, quieting our mind and heart, “take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.” Which means I take the thought of insecurity or the thought of fear and I ask is this from God? If not, I give that thought to Christ because he cares and he is Lord of creation.

Or maybe, recite what he spoke into the storm. “Peace be still.” Heart, mind, Christ’s peace in me, peace be still.

Today, what would it look like to take 10 minutes to practice silence and prayer, taking your thoughts captive and bringing them to Jesus, seeking his peace with what is swirling all around you.

 

I want to go back the question I raised last week. Do we see Jesus do something similar in his life, that we see at creation?

Obviously, if I’m asking the question, it is a yes. I want to show you three stories where we see Jesus, with a word speak into the chaos of the wilderness, water, and darkness and bring order.

I’m going to go backwards in the days of creation and Jesus’ life. Day three and six was talking about the forming/separation of water and land and then filling it with animals and humanity. Where do we see Jesus interact with the chaos of the wilderness?

Luke 4:1-13- Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’[c]”

9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

What do you notice? In the midst of the chaos of the wilderness, the lies of the evil one, Jesus was filled with truth. The truth of Scripture and the truth of the Spirit filled him in the midst of the lies. And with a word, “it is written” he rebukes evil. Btw- did you notice the last time he spoke back to satan? “It’s said” … I would harken back to creation, when the author said, “God said….” God said, Jesus said and with a powerful word, chaos and evil is repelled by truth.

Can I give you one other interesting connect, if you read this similar story in Mark 1:12-13- 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
A call back to creation, wilderness, chaos and Jesus brings order through filling himself with the Spirit of truth.

Which means, as we live in the wilderness, when we are walking through a barren time in life, a lonely time, a time of weakness, what is formed around us or within us can be chaotic. Think about it, the chaos of circumstances around you, some you can control, some you can’t. The chaos within you, doubt, fear, shame.

What do you do when you are walking through a wilderness and feel desolate, weak, or lonely?

How are you filled? Are you filled with his truth? When you begin to hear the lies of the enemy, how are you combating the lies with the truth of God?

To be filled with the truth, we need to know the truth. Reading scripture, writing it down, memorizing, declaring it.

What passages do you need to fill your mind, heart, and attitude to come against the lies, loneliness, and weakness we can face in the wilderness?

 

Read Genesis 1:20-23- 20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

What do you notice? We see that God created living creatures in the water and birds to fly in the air. Depending on your translation, we also see a phrase, great creatures of the sea or sea monsters. This is the word tannin (tan-neen), which is translated whales, marine or land monster, sea-serpent, sea monster.

I understand that this may be strange, especially the way some of our English translations try to tame the meaning. This is a parallel to other creation stories (Babylonian, Egyptian, Canaanite). But the Lexham Bible Dictionary states it plainly. “The bible writers regularly use the sea, serpents, and various sea monsters to represent forces of cosmic chaos that must be held in check by the power of Yahweh.” Simply put, taneen were the ancient mascots of Chaos.

With them in the creation story, God has dominion and power over the sea and all that is in it. If you want to jot down Psalm 74:13-15, 104:26.

Back to the pattern of days. Day two we see God created or formed the “dome”, separated the waters from the waters. Day five we see him fill the waters below and the waters above with living sea creatures and birds of the air.

Ok, day six, but we are only going to look at the first part of what is created in day six. We will leave humanity until next week. Genesis 1:24-25- 24 And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

Very simple, day six Yahweh created land creatures of its various kinds. I’m not going to spend a lot of time on this section because I want to get to the application piece. But notice the pattern? Day three he formed by gathering and separating the water and the land. Day six he filled the land with land creatures.

Let me put the pattern together for you Day one- light, darkness, Day four- sun, moon, stars Day two- sky, water, Day five- birds fish, Day three- land, Day six- animals and humans. Forming and filling.

A sequence is laid out in a literary way, not necessarily a chronological way. I think it can also demonstrate the care with which God prepares the cosmos for its inhabitants. We see a God of order, separating and gathering, forming and filling.

Let me summarize what we’ve been talking about for the last two weeks, as we maybe see creation in a new light. With His powerful word, our God, Creator-King forms and fills all of creation.

 

If you have not had a chance to listen to the message on April 19th or 26th, I encourage you to go back and take a listen. This all builds on each other.

My intention last week, wasn’t to land on one specific way creation took place, but to throw out the challenge to all opinions of creation because I believe the declaration of the creation story, of Genesis 1 and 2 isn’t about the HOW of creation, it is about the WHO of creation. As Genesis 1:1 says, In the beginning GOD created….

Which means do I believe that God could have created in 7-24-hr days? Yeah, I believe he could. Do I believe that God could create over 100,000’s of years? Yeah, I believe he could. Do I believe that God could have used micro-evolution? Yeah, I believe he could. Do I believe that God could have said, “Bang” and created the heavens and the earth? Yeah, I do. Now I got you squirming, didn’t I?

It’s not how, it’s the WHO. Because through the Spirit-inspired, ancient text, the focus wasn’t on science, but on Yahweh, the Creator, or as we said, With His powerful Word, the King of the Universe created earth as His good kingdom. That’s the point of the creation story.
Last week we looked at Days 1-3 and I would say those days were about God forming, taking what was in chaos and bringing order. Day 1 he said, “let there be light” and he separated the light from the darkness, formed light in the darkness. Day 2 he separated the waters from above and below, he formed the vault, the sky above and the water below. Day 3 he separated the water by forming the land and vegetation with seeds. Now let’s look at how God is going to fill what he formed.

Read Genesis 1:14-19- 14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

I want you to notice a couple of different side bars, just to expand our understanding of the passage. On day one we see that God said, “there be light” and now on day four we see him create lights in the vault of the sky, greater and lesser lights. Many believe the light in Day 1 was the light of His glory, or as it was said of Jesus in John 1, that he was the Light of the World. But now, we see him create lights in the heavens as “signs”, they are physical symbols of God’s own light, glory, and power that meets the darkness on day one.
But what does he call these lights, these signs, these symbols of his own light? Greater light and lesser light. Why doesn’t he just call them sun and moon?

That’s why reading it with the backdrop of the ancient text is so important. Because the ancient creation stories and mythology had names for pagan gods, called the sun god and the moon god. This is a declaration that Yahweh, that God was greater than any pagan god because he created, made, spoke into experience the sun, moon and stars. If you want to write in your margin, Isaiah 40:26 and 42:5, you can do some more reading that is connected to creation.

What was the purpose of the sun and moon? To govern, to rule. The sun to rule the day and moon to rule the night. Again, bringing order in the midst of the chaos.

But what about the stars? They were not intended to rule, which is a challenging thought along the lines of astrology and horoscope. I would challenge that we shouldn’t look to the stars for our guidance or our destiny or greater understanding, because God didn’t create them to “rule” or “govern” and the role he placed with the sun and moon was for the material world, not our spiritual world. If we trust Yahweh, the Creator of all, then we shouldn’t look to lesser things to guide us.

Notice what was formed on day one, the heavens, separating light from darkness. What is filled on day four, the lights filled the heavens. What was formed on day one is filled on day four. Notice this pattern as we read the next two days.

What does it mean for you to see God as creator of light, separating light from darkness, and giving us order in the midst of chaos? How do you take what he created and apply it to your life; forming and filling?

If you want, please take time with this older worship song as well. God of Wonders