Providence

[00:00:00] Speaker A: To start today, I want us to. I want to hear from you, really. I want to hear some examples of classic phrases that your parents say. That was quick. Love each other, Dang it. Love each other, dang it. That's really good. That's pretty unique. Anyone else have any that they hear? It doesn't have to be totally unique. You know, you sound like you have something. I'm not reading for my health. I'm not reading for my health. He says that when he's reading to us and someone isn't paying attention. That's really funny. Yes. [00:00:43] Speaker B: One of the things my nanny says is, like, what do you think she's gonna hit you one of these days? [00:00:51] Speaker A: She's gonna hit you one of these. Okay. Okay. Any others we want to share? Yeah. [00:00:59] Speaker C: You mess with the bull, you get the horns. [00:01:01] Speaker A: You mess with the bull, you get the horns. Do both of your parents say this, or is this your dad? Okay, that was my guess, but I kind of was. I was curious. Whose is it? Are all of these dad sayings? No, that was your nanny. So the others were dad sayings? Yeah, my dad has sayings. I don't know that my mom has sayings. Now that I think about it, she could. She just doesn't. Maybe she's more creative. My dad would always say, it is what it is. That was his favorite one. He would say that all the time. Of course, he didn't make that up, I don't think. I don't know when that started becoming a phrase. And he would also say this one a lot. He would say, I'm your father as, like, a justification for whatever he was doing. Of course, he's right when he would use this. And I was thinking about this phrase specifically because, I mean, it makes a lot of sense when he is instructing me, laying down the law or whatever he would need to be doing as I grew up. For him to say that is kind of all the justification he needs to command me, to punish me, to discipline me, because he, at least in part, he made me. He is my father, and therefore he has authority. So it's kind of just a logical connection between a parent and authority. So him claiming to be my parent gave him authority. I think this is relevant as we look today at the doctrine of creation. I think the top. Yeah, the top of your thing says Trinity, but it's actually creation. I guess I mistyped that. But, yeah, the doctrine of creation, we kind of learn and see why it's so important to know that God made us and that he is the Father of all mankind, and in particular, the Father of all Christians, more specifically, but the Father of all mankind nonetheless. Now, before we get really deep into this, let's ask a few questions to kind of catch us up. What have we been studying? What are we doing? Some of you are newer, so you may not know. So maybe you guys that have been here help fill everybody in. What have we been studying? Have these been random topics? They might seem like it. They're not theology. That's good. Specifically, like systematic, I guess, but just different categories of theology. So, remember, we did several weeks on a certain aspect of theology, which was the doctrine of what scripture? The Word. That's right. We did like eight or nine weeks on the doctrine of the Word in Scripture. We talked about inspiration, authority, sufficiency, clarity of the Word, and now we've been focusing on the doctrine of what or whom. Trinity is part of it. You're right. What'd you say? [00:04:37] Speaker B: God. [00:04:37] Speaker A: God, yeah. So we started with the Word. You might think, why don't you start with God and then do the others? You start with the Word because the Word has revealed to us what we know about God. So you start there. Then typically you go to, like, God himself. So we talked about his attributes, that he is Trinity. And now we're talking about creation, which is one of his works, but could be kind of standalone on itself. Can someone remind us what our definition of theology is? Give or take paraphrase? Yes. Study of God. Study of God. Anything else? Why do we do theology? [00:05:20] Speaker B: To learn more about God. [00:05:21] Speaker A: To learn more about God. Anything else? [00:05:26] Speaker D: To walk closer to Him. [00:05:28] Speaker A: Yeah, to walk closer to him. You know, it's never merely an academic discipline. We don't study theology the same way we study math. Just to be able to do it, it's to be more like Christ. And if you do actually come to know God better, then the Spirit will be making you like Christ slowly, degree by degree, into the image of Him. That's what we believe as Christians. Now we mentioned it. So I won't ask what we studied last week because it's also at the top of your page because I didn't change the heading. We studied the Trinity last week, but now we're onto something else. Creation, which is arguably kind of the first thing we learn about God. You open it at the first page and you learn that in the beginning, God created. Those are the very first words. So you learn more than just you learn he was there in the beginning, but you learn that he created. Now, the doctrine of creation I think I should, you know, warn us and, you know, maybe you already know, but it is somewhat of a controversial doctrine among Christians and even with between non Christians and Christians. And it's controversial because even though it's very important, many Christians disagree with one another on some of the specifics. Now I'm going to teach how I think it came together. We're not going to focus on all of the little points of disagreement. We're kind of just going for a broad view of it, but view it a certain way. And I believe the way I'm viewing it is what the vast majority of Christians throughout history have believed. And that's kind of what we're going to stick to. But it's important to know with these controversies, especially with other Christians, that we don't necessarily need to divide over it and say, I won't be your friend if you have this view. You can't be in my church if you have that view. I don't necessarily always believe that's the right answer. Of course, it could depend on the disagreement. But I want us to know that we're going to go to the Bible first. That is the most important thing I think that I could impart to you about this topic is we want to get what we know about creation from God's Word first. God's Word does not contradict any discoveries or tests or studies done, at least conclusive ones. In fact, everything we have learned through history has continued to uphold what Scripture has taught. But we need to know our starting point is the Word. And I intend to teach that way. Now, the main idea, which I have a couple blanks on there, the main idea of this lesson is that creation is the mighty act of God to bring into existence the universe and all it contains. Creation is the mighty act of God to bring into existence the universe and all it contains, including this world and human beings for his glory. So he does all of this for his glory. Now, if you guys will flip to Genesis 1, we'll get going. This is probably the best place we could begin. And we'll just look at the first couple of verses. Could someone read verses one and two, the first two verses of the Bible? Thank you. [00:09:08] Speaker D: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. [00:09:20] Speaker A: Thank you. And if you went to the end, if you look at verse 30 of that chapter, we read, and to every beast of the earth and to Every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life. I have given every green plant for food. This was to the man. And it was so when God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. And this is when he concludes his work of creation. So as we go into this first point on the page, creation of everything. So we're going to see four important non negotiable truths of the Christian faith about creation. The first is that God created everything. So we just read Genesis 1:1. Can somebody go to Nehemiah 9:6? Does anybody know where Nehemiah is? Can read Nehemiah 9:6, for you have it. Oh, thank you. [00:10:43] Speaker E: You are the Lord. You alone, you made heaven, and heaven of heavens with all your host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve all of them. And the host of heaven worships. [00:10:55] Speaker A: Thank you. That's good. So between that and Genesis 1:1, which Ezra just read, how do these verses teach that God created everything? Do they teach that or am I kind of just inserting that? How do these verses teach that God created everything? [00:11:44] Speaker B: Verse 30 says everything that has the breath of life. So everything that's living. [00:11:51] Speaker A: Yeah, everything that's living. Are there any other phrases in these few verses that maybe tip us off? You preserve them all. So he continually gives life and keeps creation turning. So you'd think if he has the ability and the authority to do that, he's probably made it. I think another phrase that you should notice is in the very first verse, he created the heavens and the earth. Heavens and earth is a typical phrase that's kind of telling us the all encompassing nature of his creation. There's nothing that dwells in the heavens or the earth, or there is nothing that doesn't dwell in those two things other than God Himself is able to be outside. Even the metaphysical, the demons and angels are contained in this sphere. So he created all things, actual and all things, physical and non physical, I should say. Now, what if it were true that God created only some things? Because I said this is a very important thing for Christians to affirm. What might be the issue if God only created some things? Even if he created most things but not all? Yeah, he wouldn't have true authority, you know, how would he have authority over these things he didn't create? Would you have to wonder, did those things exist eternally with God? What makes those things that he did not create also God. What's the distinction? So this is an important point. If God only created some things. Now go to Acts. Flip to the New Testament, Acts, chapter 17. So Acts 17, we're going to look at verses 24 through 25. Would somebody read those verses? Violet. Thank you. [00:14:19] Speaker C: The God who made the world with everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands as though he needed anything, since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. [00:14:33] Speaker A: Yeah, exactly. So what's important about this verse? What does it mean that he gives all mankind life and breath and everything? It means we cannot live without Him. There is no life, there is no bang. There is no evolution. There's nothing at all that could have created life or sustained life. And at the beginning of that, we see he made the world and everything in it. This is exhaustive language. The earliest Christians in Acts, this specifically is Paul. They believed this about God and creation. And then I'll read this next verse. If we flip over to Colossians 1:16, we read Paul says, for by him all things were created in heaven and on earth. There's that phrase again, visible and invisible. Whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for Him. So we see the connection, right? We see the connection of he made all things, heaven and earth. And if we're not convinced that that means even the metaphysical, because you could say, okay, well, you know, maybe the angels don't dwell like in the heavens, because heavens usually mean skies in the Hebrew. So is God just saying the earth, the land and the sky. What about, you know, the spirits? But here, Paul puts that all to rest. Thrones, dominions, rulers, authority, things visible, things invisible. All things are created by God. All things. Nothing is outside of that. And that is crucially important for us to remember that God created everything. Now let's look at this second point, creation. And this is the way that you would see it written out in books. Ex nihilo. This is not English. This is a Latin phrase. Ex nihilo, creation. Does anybody know what this means? By chance, from nothing, creation out of nothing. So what do you think? If ex nihilo means from nothing, what does creation from nothing mean? What do you think this point is? Teaching? [00:17:20] Speaker D: There wasn't like preexisting material that he made everything out of. [00:17:25] Speaker A: Yeah, exactly. There wasn't pre existing material. The earth isn't like a sand castle. He just took the sand and put it In a bucket. It's not like clay that he formed into a pot. The clay was not there until he put it there. And then he could form and create how he would want. Let's look at Hebrews 11:3. So if you guys will flip there, please. Hebrews 11:3. Can somebody read Hebrews 11:3? [00:18:04] Speaker B: By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. [00:18:13] Speaker A: Okay, so we see this same point created by his word, not out of something else, not out of things, not out of matter that we can see and feel. Did he like mold and shape creation? Now what are some things that humans make us? Can you make anything? You know, like what are some examples? You have an example? [00:18:41] Speaker B: Food. [00:18:42] Speaker A: Food. You can make food, right? Chloe's making a cake for Wednesday. You know, we can make food. Can we make other things? Huh? Yeah, you can make a pot. Yeah, like a clay pot. Or probably make it out of something else too. You can make it out of metal or if you have the right tools. [00:19:03] Speaker B: Buildings. [00:19:04] Speaker A: Buildings, yes. [00:19:06] Speaker B: Clothes. [00:19:06] Speaker A: Clothes, yeah. There's a lot of examples. I had a job in seminary where I made mushroom incubators and refrigerator doors and oven hoods. Yeah, I did. There was a market for mushroom incubators. I'm assuming it was for culinary reasons, I hope, but I don't actually know. I was just building the parts. But, you know, you can make all sorts of things. But could you say that I created from nothing this mushroom incubator, the Mella 2.0? No. I took sheet metal, bent it up. We used some glass. We used screws and bolts and wires. We used all sorts of things that were pre made even in another factory and sent over to us and used these pre made parts and put them together. It was like advanced Ikea furniture is all it was. I didn't actually create this thing. I just kind of put together what was there. God's creation was different. He didn't have another factory, another God creating like little parts for him to use and make into something more complex. There was absolutely no matter, nothing physical at all. And he created through his word. Now if I were to say that God actually just used some unformed matter, would that be right or wrong? You know, in Genesis 1, verse 2, we read the earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep. Some people like to say it was without form. It was there, but it was just without form. And he molded it together. I think they're leaning too heavily on a very ambiguous phrase. When we have other more clear Scriptures telling us that this was out of nothing, there couldn't have been preexisting ingredients because we understand God as being the only being in existence before creation. And we discussed this earlier. If there is other material or matter or beings present eternally before creation, that means they too are not created and they are equal with the God we worship, who we understand to be the only God. And so it creates a real issue if we cede that ground. That's why this doctrine is so important for us to uphold. Now, if we disbelieve the doctrine that God created out of nothing, then we lose him entirely. Now go to the last book of the Bible, Revelation 4. 11. We've now covered the whole Bible, Revelation 4. Would somebody read for us verse 11? Thank you. So again, here at the end of it all, when all is finished, when we are, when Christians are with Christ forever. This is a song being sung. Worthy are you, Our Lord and God receive glory and honor and power. Why is he worthy to receive glory and honor and power? Because he created all things. Everything was created by God. And this means he is not only worthy, but deserving of all worship for all of eternity. And more than just creating all things, we see number 2.2 affirmed they were created and existed by his will, not by his forming of objects that preexisted with him by his sheer will. Through the Word, through His Son, all things were existed and created. That's what we see here, beginning and end. The story is consistent. God created out of nothing. Now, the third point is creation by the Trinity. So we are returning to the Trinity because I want us to see how is the Trinity important for these doctrines? We talked about last week, how important the Trinity is for all of our understanding and our worship and for salvation and for prayer and so many other things. So let's go back through the Bible. We're going to flip all the way back to the beginning again, Genesis 1:1:2, and I'll read it this time. Genesis 11. 2. 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. What does this passage teach us about the Trinity? [00:24:22] Speaker B: They were there before the creation of anybody. [00:24:25] Speaker A: Yeah, God was there before the creation. There's at least one other thing I'm looking for. Yeah, I certainly believe that's true. Although if this is the only verse, only two verses you have, it's a little unclear. We see God. There is the creating aspect through the Word. But explicitly what person do we see? The Spirit of God. Yeah, we see that there is a Spirit of God by name. There is a Spirit of God. So we see that God, and specifically the Spirit of God is active in creation. Now, would somebody read for us Psalm 33, 6, 9? We can all flip there with you. Psalm 33, 6, 9. Is it a hand? Yeah. Thank you. [00:25:51] Speaker C: By the Word of the Lord, the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their hosts. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap. He puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For he spoke and it came to be. He commanded and it stood firm. [00:26:10] Speaker A: Thank you. What does this teach us? Does this teach us anything new about the Trinity and creation? [00:26:28] Speaker C: I feel like it's kind of just going back to. By the breath of His. [00:26:35] Speaker A: Yeah. I think even maybe more than the first two verses we read these say explicitly a couple of times that he spoke. It is by His Word. Now, again, if this is all the material you'll have, you're not necessarily connecting what or who the Word is. But if we go to our final passage here, John 1, we will see. So can we go to John 1? Can I get one more person to read just verses 1 through 3 of John 1? Thank you. 1 through 3. [00:27:32] Speaker B: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. And the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. And without him was not anything that was. [00:27:45] Speaker A: Thank you. Yeah. And you know, if we kept reading, we would see. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, glories of the only Son from the father. That's verse 14. And so that is explicitly connecting who is this Word? In the beginning was the Word, The Word was with God. The Word was God. So we know the Word is God, the Word is the Son, the Word is Christ. All in this passage we have. I mean, this is like a roadmap for interpreting the Bible. John reveals to us that Christ, God the Son, is the Word. So when we read in Psalm 33 that God spoke and through His Word all things were created. We know explicitly that creation was done through the Son, the Son, who was in the beginning with God. And we see here all things were made through Him. Without him was anything made that was made. And if we remember what we read in Revelation 4, that God is worthy of worship because of his creative act, then this is putting all the creation in the hands of the Son, the One whom we worship not only for creating, but for creating a pathway to salvation that we can be saved from our sins through faith in this person, God the Son, and his sacrificial death and resurrection. And so with these three verses, and you know, many other verses we could have read if we had all the time in the world, we will learn that God the Father created through His Word, which is the Son, and by the power of the Spirit, all three persons active in creation. All three persons, the one God is the Creator. And so that's why this doctrine of the Trinity is important. If we lose one of these persons, we lose coherence to how creation happened. Now let's go to our fourth and final point while we have time. Creation for good so if you were to read through all of Genesis 1, which I thought about doing, but I want to read another passage real quick. But if you read through Genesis 1, which I'm sure at least the vast majority of us have, you would read over and over that God created. And he said that what he created was what? [00:30:02] Speaker B: Good. [00:30:03] Speaker A: Good. That's right, good. But it did not stay good. Obviously we have many things to point to in our lives, in the world, on the earth itself, that we can say this is not good. This occurrence or this natural phenomenon is not good. This doesn't seem to be like what God intended. So if you'll read along, go to Romans 8:18, and you just follow me. As I read Romans 8:18, Paul writes, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, grow inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now, hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees. But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. So what does this passage teach us about creation? I'll give you this one. It is decaying it's dying. It is groaning with the pains of childbirth. Perhaps the most intense pain a human can endure is what Paul uses to describe what is happening to creation because of sin. He can't get more vivid than that illustration alone. Now, I want to hear some examples. How is the earth decaying? What are some examples of the pains of childbirth as he speaks? [00:32:52] Speaker E: People dying. [00:32:53] Speaker A: People dying. Yes. That's one. [00:32:58] Speaker C: Humanity is slowly desensitizing itself to sin. [00:33:01] Speaker A: Desensitizing itself to sin? Yeah. Cultures, entire nations, people, families, individuals, you know, you name it. People continue to go deeper into sin and to care less about that. Mm. It could be simple things, tragedies, natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis. Lightning hitting a tree and the tree falls down. You know, a lion killing another animal for food, its prey, sickness. You know, I think Annie has had, like, 15 viral illnesses in the last month. She's been, like, sick constantly. That doesn't happen before sin. None of that happens. That is all a result of the sin of mankind. But it is raining. But creation will not stay like this. And this is what we must remember. When we understand that God created the world, we know we must trust that it was very good and that what he remakes when he renews it, it will be perfect, it will be the best. It will be made new again. And those found in Christ will enjoy and dwell on that earth forever. So if you don't know the Lord, you must turn to Him. You're not going to be able to wait and see if it's true, if Jesus really does come back. Because Paul says if we hope for what we see, then it's not really hope. Your faith must hope in the Christ who is to come to return. So do not delay. And so think of ways that we can enjoy creation. Even now, as it's not all completely bad, we still have beautiful days like yesterday, where you can go for a walk, you can sit outside, you can go to a park, you can enjoy the sunsets. You can do all of these things and enjoy creation genuinely, but know that there are issues that God will resolve. So do those things, and then also worship God and seek to obey him as the authority, because he is your Father, he has authority. And so we should dive into His Word every day, earnestly trying to learn how we can follow and be more like Christ. And again, that is why we study theology in the first place, to be like Christ and to know God. All right, let's pray and we can get out of here. Father God, thank you for your word and that you are the creator. God, we know and trust that you are powerful. You created all things good. And we trust and hope in your Son to return to renew all things and to save us into eternal bliss that we may sing worship and praise to Christ forever. Lord, I pray that everyone in this room would turn to faith if we have not, that we may all be together one day singing those praises to you. We pray this in Christ's name, Amen.