Genesis: The Beginning of Everything
Read Genesis 1:1-5 | Further Reading: John 1:1-5,14, Hebrews 4:12-16
The entirety of God’s word is perfect, it is infallible, it is inerrant, it is without contradiction and God’s entire word lays the foundation for the Christian’s life
The same idea of foundation comes into focus when looking at God’s word. God’s entire word is perfect and must be studied/ read as a whole—Genesis is the foundation of God’s word, it lays down the characteristics of God, how God interacts with His people and what God’s law demands. The entirety of scripture is built on the solid foundation of Genesis.
“The Bible would be incomplete and perhaps incomprehensible without the book of Genesis. It sets the stage for the entire drama of redemption, which unfolds in the rest of the book. Almost all-important doctrines and teachings of the Bible have their foundation in Genesis.”
--Enduring Word Commentary.
The entire bible is essential in our lives and Genesis is essential to understand the entire bible. This is why I chose to start this new chapter for Shellbrook Pentecostal Assembly, this new chapter for my life with a series in Genesis: “The Beginning of Everything.”
The point: God is King. God created this world, this life, your life, my life, God spoke all of this into existence, and we live in His kingdom.
- God is King
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Gen. 1:1 NASB 1995
Definition of Sovereign:
One possessing supreme political power or authority, superlative in quality, of the most exalted kind (or supreme kind).
Notice how God was already there, already in existence, you see Genesis 1 is the beginning of everything as we know it, it isn’t the beginning of God because God is eternal, He has always existed and will always exist.
“The Earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.” Gen. 1:2 NASB 1995
God is creating His community while He is in community with the persons of the godhead. We the Spirit, Ruach, this Hebrew word meaning: Breath of air, Breath of life, The Holy Spirit is literally breathing life into creation, which was a formless, void place as God was starting to work.
- God has authority, sovereignty, over His creation because He spoke it into existence.
“Then God SAID, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” Gen.1:3
What is God doing here? God is speaking, God is giving His authoritative word. His word is literally creating life, creating law, creating rule and most importantly creating a relationship between God and His creation.
What does “Said” mean?
אָמַר ʼâmar, aw-mar'; a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):—answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand,
God is declaring the world into existence with His word—His authoritative voice. As God works throughout history, throughout His church and the world God is continuing to declare His glory, His charge and to boast about His goodness. --John 1:1-5,14 NASB 1995
Not only is John, in His gospel, reminding the church that Jesus is God, Jesus is the God who created the world, Jesus created the world with God AND Jesus is the word in flesh, everything Jesus says or does is God’s declarative and authoritative word.
God is not hiding from His creation; God is known in His creation; God is in relationship with His creation, and we see that in Gen. 1:1-5 but we especially see that in the example of Jesus Christ.
- God is in relationship with His Creation. God created an order in His creation to make Himself known as heavenly father.
We live in God’s kingdom. This created world in which God has cultivated a relationship. Yes, God is sovereign and has authority, but God has also allowed His creation to come to Him, to choose Him, to worship Him.
“Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.” – Gen. 1:4-5
God creates then sits back and SAYS: It is good. What God creates is good because God is the author and has created this world in a specific order. God is Holy set apart and He is truly good. As Christians we live in God’s kingdom which means we must follow the king’s rule, we must adhere to the king’s authority and rulership.
God is making Himself known through His creation but are we willingly listening? Are we following our King’s commands and rule? Later in Genesis 3 we are going to learn about the fall of Adam and Eve, we will learn how all of this “good” was ruined, destroyed by Satan and the disobedience through Adam and Eve
Questions:
- What did you learn about God today? Did anything surprise you?
- God is making himself known through His creation—how do you listen to God, what habits have you implemented to help you hear God everyday?
- What was the Holy Spirit challenging or comforting you with in today’s sermon?