I want to introduce you our<\/p>\n
future for the day okay he is no<\/p>\n
stranger to us really<\/p>\n
Matt Tyler has uh is actually an answer<\/p>\n
to our prayers because we've been<\/p>\n
praying for somebody to come and start<\/p>\n
an English service for many years okay<\/p>\n
and he and Danny and his team came to be<\/p>\n
among us for a while and now it's<\/p>\n
starting in small ways great city has a<\/p>\n
small part in in helping them plan a<\/p>\n
church<\/p>\n
so would you please welcome<\/p>\n
Matt Tyler<\/p>\n
[Applause]<\/p>\n
well good afternoon it's uh great joy<\/p>\n
for me to to be here this afternoon with<\/p>\n
all of you<\/p>\n
ajanati<\/p>\n
said that you all have played a small<\/p>\n
part in the planting of Bangkok City<\/p>\n
Baptist Church that's not true Grace<\/p>\n
city has been very helpful they have<\/p>\n
played uh you got you all have played a<\/p>\n
huge role in helping us get started here<\/p>\n
in the city of which we're very thankful<\/p>\n
we want to I wanted to let you know on<\/p>\n
behalf of bcbc this afternoon that<\/p>\n
we praise God for your church we pray<\/p>\n
for grace City regularly we pray for<\/p>\n
things like we pray that that you guys<\/p>\n
would see more baptisms like what you<\/p>\n
just saw uh this afternoon that's<\/p>\n
something that we pray for you all about<\/p>\n
we pray that the Lord would send more<\/p>\n
people here who can hear the gospel we<\/p>\n
also thank God for the ways in which you<\/p>\n
have been so helpful to us in getting<\/p>\n
started when I go to supporting churches<\/p>\n
outside of Thailand I often tell them<\/p>\n
about how we've been getting started and<\/p>\n
I mentioned Grace City and tell them<\/p>\n
about how you've let us use your space<\/p>\n
you've even sent us some of your beloved<\/p>\n
members which we're very thankful for<\/p>\n
and you are also helping us get<\/p>\n
registered and how you all have<\/p>\n
encouraged us and everybody is amazed<\/p>\n
and and they talk about how it's a<\/p>\n
testimony of God's grace and a testimony<\/p>\n
to the gospel that a church is helping<\/p>\n
another church get started so very very<\/p>\n
thankful for you all I think you guys<\/p>\n
would all agree certainly this is uh<\/p>\n
something that that I've experienced<\/p>\n
over the last seven months is we've been<\/p>\n
planting a new church that the way you<\/p>\n
begin something is very important<\/p>\n
I think you guys would all agree with<\/p>\n
that the famous author Stephen King has<\/p>\n
admitted that he'll spend weeks months<\/p>\n
and even years on the opening paragraphs<\/p>\n
of his books this is what Stephen King<\/p>\n
says he says if I can get the first<\/p>\n
paragraph right I'll know that I can<\/p>\n
write the rest of the book<\/p>\n
Beginnings are important<\/p>\n
I know that with my preaching I spend a<\/p>\n
lot of time thinking about how I'm going<\/p>\n
to begin the sermon how I'm going to<\/p>\n
start it what my introduction is going<\/p>\n
to be like because my introductions are<\/p>\n
usually how I gain people's attention<\/p>\n
it's how I let you in on the the sermon<\/p>\n
theme it's how I give you an idea of my<\/p>\n
purpose and my outline so Beginnings are<\/p>\n
are quite significant and I don't think<\/p>\n
that's just true in writing or in<\/p>\n
preaching I don't think any of us would<\/p>\n
spend much time in this building if we<\/p>\n
learned that as they began building it<\/p>\n
they took shortcuts they didn't build<\/p>\n
the foundation correctly<\/p>\n
Beginnings often tell us about the whole<\/p>\n
you know how you begin your day usually<\/p>\n
affects how the rest of your day is<\/p>\n
going to go<\/p>\n
I think this observation is true about<\/p>\n
the Bible as well the beginning of the<\/p>\n
Bible Genesis is significant<\/p>\n
one person observed that almost every<\/p>\n
important Doctrine is found in seed form<\/p>\n
in the Book of Genesis I wonder if<\/p>\n
that's how you've thought about Genesis<\/p>\n
as containing every important doctrine<\/p>\n
of the Bible in seed form<\/p>\n
if you're familiar with the Bible it's<\/p>\n
likely that when you think of Genesis<\/p>\n
you either think of you know the<\/p>\n
colorful stories that you find in<\/p>\n
children's book Bibles or you think of<\/p>\n
scientific questions<\/p>\n
for some this means that their study of<\/p>\n
Genesis never leaves the realm of<\/p>\n
controversies or cuteness<\/p>\n
thinking about Genesis in in these ways<\/p>\n
I think often leave people on the verge<\/p>\n
of either being embarrassed by Genesis<\/p>\n
or failing to handle Genesis with the<\/p>\n
seriousness that it deserves<\/p>\n
so what is the proper way of thinking<\/p>\n
about the beginning of the Bible Genesis<\/p>\n
this important book<\/p>\n
well another author writes that Genesis<\/p>\n
provides Christians with a foundational<\/p>\n
world view that is assumed but not<\/p>\n
necessarily taught by later scripture in<\/p>\n
other words if if we possessed a Bible<\/p>\n
without Genesis we would have a a house<\/p>\n
of cards something that that doesn't<\/p>\n
have a foundation<\/p>\n
Genesis is the beginning of God's word<\/p>\n
and therefore it's foundational for us<\/p>\n
it's foundational for Christians Genesis<\/p>\n
contains all the important doctrines<\/p>\n
that we believe in seed form and it can<\/p>\n
give us significant clues about what God<\/p>\n
is doing in the world and where this<\/p>\n
world is heading so I want to invite you<\/p>\n
this afternoon to turn in your Bibles to<\/p>\n
Genesis chapter 1.<\/p>\n
and I want to consider from this chapter<\/p>\n
the foundation of our faith I want to<\/p>\n
think about God himself what is this<\/p>\n
chapter teach us about God<\/p>\n
so if you have your Bibles you can look<\/p>\n
at Genesis 1. if you're not familiar<\/p>\n
with the Bible you can just grab Bible<\/p>\n
and probably if you just turn to page<\/p>\n
one you'll find the scripture there<\/p>\n
where you can look it up on your phone<\/p>\n
let me read this whole chapter for us<\/p>\n
I'm going to read to chapter 2 verse 3.<\/p>\n
says in the beginning<\/p>\n
God created the heavens and the Earth<\/p>\n
the Earth was without form and void and<\/p>\n
darkness was over the face of the deep<\/p>\n
and the spirit of God was hovering over<\/p>\n
the face of the waters<\/p>\n
and God said let there be light<\/p>\n
and there was light<\/p>\n
and God saw that the light was good and<\/p>\n
God separated the light from the<\/p>\n
darkness<\/p>\n
God called the light day and the<\/p>\n
Darkness he called night and there was<\/p>\n
evening and there was mourning the first<\/p>\n
day<\/p>\n
and God said let there be an expanse in<\/p>\n
the midst of the waters and let it<\/p>\n
separate the waters from the waters and<\/p>\n
God made the expanse and separated the<\/p>\n
waters that were under the expanse from<\/p>\n
the waters that were above the expanse<\/p>\n
and it was so<\/p>\n
and God called the expanse heaven and<\/p>\n
there was evening and there was morning<\/p>\n
the second day<\/p>\n
and God said let the waters under the<\/p>\n
heavens be gathered together into one<\/p>\n
place and let the dry land appear and it<\/p>\n
was so<\/p>\n
God called the dry land Earth and the<\/p>\n
waters that were gathered together he<\/p>\n
called seas and God saw that it was good<\/p>\n
and God said let the Earth Sprout<\/p>\n
vegetation<\/p>\n
plants yielding seed and fruit trees<\/p>\n
bearing fruit and which is their seed<\/p>\n
each according to its own kind on the<\/p>\n
earth and it was so<\/p>\n
the Earth brought forth vegetation<\/p>\n
plants yielding seed according to their<\/p>\n
own kinds and the trees bearing fruit<\/p>\n
and which is their seed each according<\/p>\n
to its kind and God saw that it was good<\/p>\n
and there was evening and there was<\/p>\n
mourning<\/p>\n
the third day<\/p>\n
and God said let there be lights in the<\/p>\n
expanse of the Heavens to separate the<\/p>\n
day from the night and let them be for<\/p>\n
signs and for seasons and for days and<\/p>\n
years and let them be lights in the<\/p>\n
expanse of the Heavens to give light<\/p>\n
upon the Earth and it was so<\/p>\n
and God made the two great lights the<\/p>\n
greater light to Rule the Day and the<\/p>\n
Lesser light to rule the night and the<\/p>\n
stars and God set them in the expanse of<\/p>\n
the Heavens to give light on the earth<\/p>\n
to rule over the day and over the night<\/p>\n
and to separate the light from the<\/p>\n
darkness and God saw that it was good<\/p>\n
mourning the fourth day<\/p>\n
and God said let the water swarm with<\/p>\n
swarms of living creatures and let birds<\/p>\n
fly above the Earth across the expanse<\/p>\n
of the heavens<\/p>\n
so God created the great sea creatures<\/p>\n
and every living creature that moves<\/p>\n
with which the waters swarm according to<\/p>\n
their kinds and every Winged Bird<\/p>\n
according to its kind and God saw that<\/p>\n
it was good<\/p>\n
and God blessed them saying be fruitful<\/p>\n
multiply and fill the waters in the seas<\/p>\n
and let Birds multiply on the Earth<\/p>\n
mourning the fifth day<\/p>\n
and God said let the Earth bring forth<\/p>\n
living creatures according to their<\/p>\n
kinds livestock and creeping things and<\/p>\n
beasts of the Earth according to their<\/p>\n
kinds and it was so<\/p>\n
and God made the beasts of the Earth<\/p>\n
according to their kinds and the<\/p>\n
livestock according to their kinds and<\/p>\n
everything that creeps on the ground<\/p>\n
then God said let us make man in our<\/p>\n
image after our likeness and let them<\/p>\n
have dominion over the fish of the sea<\/p>\n
and over the birds of the heavens and<\/p>\n
over the livestock and over all the<\/p>\n
Earth and over every creeping thing that<\/p>\n
creeps on the Earth<\/p>\n
so God created man in his own image in<\/p>\n
the image of God he created him male and<\/p>\n
female he created them and God bless<\/p>\n
them<\/p>\n
and God said to them be fruitful and<\/p>\n
multiply and fill the Earth and subdue<\/p>\n
it and have dominion over the fish of<\/p>\n
the sea and over the birds of the<\/p>\n
heavens and over every living thing that<\/p>\n
moves on the Earth<\/p>\n
and God said behold I've given you every<\/p>\n
plant yielding seed that is on the face<\/p>\n
of all the Earth and every tree with<\/p>\n
seed in its fruit you shall have them<\/p>\n
for food and every beast of the earth<\/p>\n
and every bird of the heavens and to<\/p>\n
everything that creeps on the earth<\/p>\n
everything that has the breath of life I<\/p>\n
have given every green plant for food<\/p>\n
and God saw everything that he had made<\/p>\n
and behold it was very good and there<\/p>\n
was evening and there was mourning the<\/p>\n
sixth day<\/p>\n
thus the heavens and the Earth were<\/p>\n
finished and all the hosts of them and<\/p>\n
on the seventh day God finished his work<\/p>\n
that he had done and he rested on the<\/p>\n
seventh day from his work that he had<\/p>\n
done so God blessed the seventh day and<\/p>\n
made it holy because on it God rested<\/p>\n
from all of his work that he had done in<\/p>\n
creation<\/p>\n
friends we should understand just what<\/p>\n
we have have read this is one of the<\/p>\n
only chapters in the entire Bible in<\/p>\n
which human sin is not present<\/p>\n
it's a very special chapter<\/p>\n
and I want to consider this afternoon<\/p>\n
what it teaches us about the God that<\/p>\n
stands behind it so I like to give a<\/p>\n
main point for the sermon which I hope<\/p>\n
is also the main point of the passage<\/p>\n
that we're preaching from so this is the<\/p>\n
the main point of Genesis 1 I think it's<\/p>\n
this<\/p>\n
the one true God is The Sovereign<\/p>\n
creator<\/p>\n
ruler and sustainer of all that exists<\/p>\n
and he does all things well<\/p>\n
he does all things well<\/p>\n
preaching in a church where many of the<\/p>\n
members speak English as a second<\/p>\n
language has its challenges as some of<\/p>\n
you will know one of those is is<\/p>\n
constantly reaching for a language that<\/p>\n
that everyone can understand<\/p>\n
uh but at the end of the day there are<\/p>\n
some words and ideas that we simply must<\/p>\n
Embrace and explain and use to<\/p>\n
Faithfully convey what God's word<\/p>\n
teaches and one of those words is this<\/p>\n
word used in the main point the word<\/p>\n
sovereign God's sovereignty is one of<\/p>\n
his major characteristics it's described<\/p>\n
throughout scripture and it's<\/p>\n
particularly noticed here in Genesis<\/p>\n
Chapter One what does it mean for God to<\/p>\n
be Sovereign that's what I really want<\/p>\n
to consider this afternoon and I want to<\/p>\n
note from Genesis chapter 1 seven ways<\/p>\n
that God's sovereignty demonstrates<\/p>\n
itself that's our outline this morning<\/p>\n
seven ways that God's sovereignty<\/p>\n
demonstrates it so here's<\/p>\n
Point number one<\/p>\n
how does God's sovereignty demonstrate<\/p>\n
itself in Genesis 1 God is supreme<\/p>\n
God is<\/p>\n
Supreme just look at how the Bible<\/p>\n
begins look at Genesis chapter 1 verse<\/p>\n
1. it says in the beginning<\/p>\n
God<\/p>\n
have you ever stopped to think about the<\/p>\n
significance that the first person<\/p>\n
mentioned in the Bible<\/p>\n
is God<\/p>\n
we learn who the main character of<\/p>\n
Genesis 1 is who the main character of<\/p>\n
the Bible is it's God<\/p>\n
and how does the bible end<\/p>\n
Revelation chapter 21 verse 21 it ends<\/p>\n
with Jesus<\/p>\n
the son of God<\/p>\n
so from beginning to end the main<\/p>\n
character of the Bible is God himself<\/p>\n
and we can say then that God's<\/p>\n
sovereignty means that he is supreme<\/p>\n
I wonder how you read the Bible<\/p>\n
do you read it as if you're the main<\/p>\n
character<\/p>\n
or as if God is the main character<\/p>\n
I think we're prone to come to our quiet<\/p>\n
times asking okay<\/p>\n
I wonder what I can get out of this for<\/p>\n
me today<\/p>\n
how does this passage apply to my life<\/p>\n
maybe we approach sermons in the same<\/p>\n
way well it's a good sermon when it<\/p>\n
applies<\/p>\n
to my life when it applies to me I know<\/p>\n
that in books about preaching I don't<\/p>\n
know if you've ever read any preaching<\/p>\n
books but in books about preaching it's<\/p>\n
often said that a sermon isn't really a<\/p>\n
sermon until you make it applicable to<\/p>\n
the congregation I don't necessarily<\/p>\n
disagree with any of that I think it's<\/p>\n
super important for us to apply God's<\/p>\n
word to our life but<\/p>\n
we need to understand that knowing god<\/p>\n
growing in our understanding of God of<\/p>\n
his character and who he is<\/p>\n
itself wonderful and beautiful and good<\/p>\n
it's good to open up your Bibles and ask<\/p>\n
what does this teach me about God<\/p>\n
it's good to sometimes walk away from a<\/p>\n
sermon not thinking oh that was really<\/p>\n
good for me I I really needed that today<\/p>\n
but instead thinking<\/p>\n
how amazing is God<\/p>\n
how wonderful and mighty and holy and<\/p>\n
awesome and fearsome and exalted and<\/p>\n
marvelous is God<\/p>\n
in fact it would be good if sometimes<\/p>\n
our Bible reading and our sermons caused<\/p>\n
us to think of ourselves less<\/p>\n
now word order there is is very<\/p>\n
important I didn't say that God's word<\/p>\n
should cause us to think less of<\/p>\n
ourselves I said that God's word should<\/p>\n
cause us to think of ourselves less<\/p>\n
and why is that<\/p>\n
it's because God is supreme<\/p>\n
that's what we see in Genesis chapter 1.<\/p>\n
we also see too that God is pre-existent<\/p>\n
God's sovereignty means that he is<\/p>\n
pre-existent this is the second Point<\/p>\n
God is pre-existent that that may be a<\/p>\n
new word for those of you who whose<\/p>\n
first language is not English but<\/p>\n
Genesis 1 1 tells us that in the<\/p>\n
beginning before anything else existed<\/p>\n
God existed<\/p>\n
God has no maker<\/p>\n
God is not a created being<\/p>\n
instead he is the first being he is the<\/p>\n
creator he is always existed<\/p>\n
he has no beginning he is pre-existent<\/p>\n
now thinking about God's existence<\/p>\n
Before Time began causes your brain to<\/p>\n
hurt you know if that's just something<\/p>\n
that that you find very difficult to<\/p>\n
understand well then let this great<\/p>\n
mystery lead you to praise him for being<\/p>\n
a God that you can't fully understand he<\/p>\n
is so exalted so far beyond us as<\/p>\n
creatures that much about him remains a<\/p>\n
mystery except that which he has chosen<\/p>\n
to reveal to us<\/p>\n
and I think that's a good thing<\/p>\n
and we might ask why did this God who<\/p>\n
existed before time began<\/p>\n
why did he choose to create<\/p>\n
that's a good question why did God who<\/p>\n
existed before all things decide one day<\/p>\n
to to just create the world<\/p>\n
we need to know that God did not create<\/p>\n
the world because he was lonely<\/p>\n
that is not why God created the world<\/p>\n
sometimes you'll hear people say that<\/p>\n
but God was not lonely when we say that<\/p>\n
God pre-existed we we shouldn't think of<\/p>\n
an old man in the sky just kind of with<\/p>\n
a great void surrounded surrounding him<\/p>\n
that would be to diminish God's<\/p>\n
sovereignty<\/p>\n
the Bible teaches that God does not need<\/p>\n
anything<\/p>\n
in Genesis 1 should cause us to think<\/p>\n
that God created because he needed<\/p>\n
something<\/p>\n
instead the Bible teaches that God is<\/p>\n
Trinity he is one God who exists in<\/p>\n
three persons the Father the Son and the<\/p>\n
Holy Spirit and each person is fully God<\/p>\n
and yet there is one God<\/p>\n
now Genesis 1 doesn't reveal God as<\/p>\n
Trinity explicitly for that we we need<\/p>\n
the rest of the Bible but the seeds of<\/p>\n
God as Trinity are here so just notice<\/p>\n
look back at verse two you'll see that<\/p>\n
the spirit of God was hovering over the<\/p>\n
waters<\/p>\n
or you can look at verse 26 and see that<\/p>\n
God is taking counsel within himself and<\/p>\n
he declares let us make Mankind in our<\/p>\n
image these are the seeds of what we<\/p>\n
learn from the rest of scripture that<\/p>\n
our God is a Triune God fully sufficient<\/p>\n
content good and loving in and of<\/p>\n
himself these characteristics<\/p>\n
continually flow out between each person<\/p>\n
of the godhead as they have always done<\/p>\n
even before God created so again God is<\/p>\n
Not<\/p>\n
and has never been lonely<\/p>\n
so why did God create why did God create<\/p>\n
us<\/p>\n
I think there's two answers to that<\/p>\n
question two reasons I want to give for<\/p>\n
Why God created us I'm going to give you<\/p>\n
one now and I'll give you the second one<\/p>\n
later in the sermon you're just gonna<\/p>\n
have to put it aside and we'll come back<\/p>\n
to it but the first reason that God<\/p>\n
created<\/p>\n
is for His glory<\/p>\n
it's for his own Glory<\/p>\n
Psalm 19 1 says that the heavens declare<\/p>\n
the glory of God<\/p>\n
Isaiah 43 7 says that God created<\/p>\n
everyone for his glory Romans 11 verse<\/p>\n
36 says all things are from him and for<\/p>\n
him to him be the glory forever<\/p>\n
now let's make sure that we understand<\/p>\n
what it means that God created<\/p>\n
everything for his glory John Piper<\/p>\n
illustrates this concept in this way he<\/p>\n
says when we say God's creation exists<\/p>\n
to glorify him we're saying that<\/p>\n
creation is more like a telescope than a<\/p>\n
microscope<\/p>\n
so microscopes make small things look<\/p>\n
bigger than they are<\/p>\n
but telescopes make unimaginably big<\/p>\n
things<\/p>\n
look like what they are<\/p>\n
our lives are to be telescopes for the<\/p>\n
glory of God we are created to see his<\/p>\n
glory to be thrilled by God's glory and<\/p>\n
to live so as to help others understand<\/p>\n
God's glory<\/p>\n
now this afternoon if if you've come<\/p>\n
here as a Buddhist I want you to know<\/p>\n
that this is a church that welcomes all<\/p>\n
people if if you're here and and you're<\/p>\n
not a Christian you're welcome here this<\/p>\n
is a church that would love to get to<\/p>\n
know you and if you've been around for a<\/p>\n
while you already know that but if<\/p>\n
you're a Buddhist it may surprise you<\/p>\n
that Christians care so much about why<\/p>\n
and how God created the world<\/p>\n
I know that in in Buddhism the way the<\/p>\n
universe began is it's not nearly so<\/p>\n
important<\/p>\n
I understand that Buddha told a parable<\/p>\n
of a man who was shot by a poisoned<\/p>\n
arrow and that man insisted on knowing<\/p>\n
the details of who shot him where where<\/p>\n
did the Arrow come from<\/p>\n
and Buddha pointed out that the man died<\/p>\n
before he found the answers and the<\/p>\n
point was that people should not be so<\/p>\n
concerned with how they arrived on this<\/p>\n
planet and instead focus on getting<\/p>\n
better and preventing suffering and<\/p>\n
reaching enlightenment<\/p>\n
now friend there's a problem with this<\/p>\n
teaching<\/p>\n
if there is a God who pre-exists<\/p>\n
creation and who created everything<\/p>\n
for his glory<\/p>\n
this is why Christians believe that<\/p>\n
Buddhism and Christianity cannot both be<\/p>\n
true at the same time<\/p>\n
we think Christianity is true and that<\/p>\n
the God who created you and me deserves<\/p>\n
to be listened to and obeyed and honored<\/p>\n
maybe today that would be a really good<\/p>\n
thing to talk about with the Christian<\/p>\n
friend who who brought you you can just<\/p>\n
ask them what does it mean to truly<\/p>\n
glorify the god that created me<\/p>\n
well thirdly we see from this passage<\/p>\n
about what God's sovereignty means we<\/p>\n
see that it means that he is powerful<\/p>\n
God is powerful notice again in verse 1<\/p>\n
that in the beginning God created the<\/p>\n
heavens and the Earth<\/p>\n
that word create in verse 1 comes from a<\/p>\n
Hebrew verb that is only ever used of<\/p>\n
God as the subject<\/p>\n
the point is is that while humans May<\/p>\n
build and make and form and construct we<\/p>\n
do so out of materials that that already<\/p>\n
exist you know sometimes I think people<\/p>\n
will they'll describe themselves as<\/p>\n
creators you know I'm a I'm a content<\/p>\n
creator or I created this business<\/p>\n
sometimes people will talk that way but<\/p>\n
the reality is is that God is the only<\/p>\n
true creator in the world because he<\/p>\n
alone created from nothing<\/p>\n
God didn't construct the heavens and the<\/p>\n
Earth from some matter or some things<\/p>\n
that existed before it instead as we<\/p>\n
read in Genesis 1 God spoke<\/p>\n
and things came into being<\/p>\n
God spoke and things came into being all<\/p>\n
things exist because of his Sovereign<\/p>\n
decree and will<\/p>\n
and the incredible variety that we see<\/p>\n
in nature from the the tiniest organisms<\/p>\n
that are still being discovered to the<\/p>\n
largest galaxies that have not yet been<\/p>\n
seen by the human eye all of these<\/p>\n
things come from the mind of God<\/p>\n
and we might wonder why did God create<\/p>\n
like this why did God create so much<\/p>\n
variety<\/p>\n
why did one so powerful why did it take<\/p>\n
him six days to create all this<\/p>\n
Prince isn't it so that we might take<\/p>\n
the time to learn and Marvel at his<\/p>\n
great his great creativity and beauty<\/p>\n
and wisdom<\/p>\n
I mean we can spend a lifetime studying<\/p>\n
one part of God's creation and yet never<\/p>\n
exhaust knowledge about that one part<\/p>\n
isn't it why John Calvin says God<\/p>\n
created over six days Calvin says God<\/p>\n
did not want to accomplish his Works in<\/p>\n
a single in a single moment because he<\/p>\n
wanted us to spend all our lives<\/p>\n
studying and pondering them and<\/p>\n
profiting from them<\/p>\n
you just consider how God's word points<\/p>\n
to Creation to teach us about God<\/p>\n
so a famous example of this Matthew<\/p>\n
chapter 6 verses 25 to 34 Jesus points<\/p>\n
to the birds of the air and the flowers<\/p>\n
of the field to teach us about trusting<\/p>\n
in God and fighting anxiety because many<\/p>\n
of you know that text Jesus says the<\/p>\n
birds do not sow or reap or store away<\/p>\n
in Barns and yet God feeds them<\/p>\n
the flowers grow they do not labor or<\/p>\n
Spin and yet they're beautifully clothed<\/p>\n
and Jesus says the point is won't God<\/p>\n
who loves you more than the birds feeds<\/p>\n
you won't God who loves you more than<\/p>\n
the flowers clothe you<\/p>\n
friends let God's creation teach you<\/p>\n
about what it means<\/p>\n
to trust in him and to obey him and to<\/p>\n
live for him<\/p>\n
and to worship Him<\/p>\n
take note when and how scripture uses<\/p>\n
creation to teach you this is this is<\/p>\n
actually all over the Bible to be a a<\/p>\n
really good conversation to have with<\/p>\n
one another over dinner tonight or if<\/p>\n
you're having dinner with your family<\/p>\n
just discuss it with your family what<\/p>\n
are what are some things you can think<\/p>\n
of from the Bible where God is using<\/p>\n
creation to teach you something about<\/p>\n
how you should live or how you should<\/p>\n
relate to him<\/p>\n
and then as you think about those things<\/p>\n
cultivate<\/p>\n
Wonder<\/p>\n
and God's creation<\/p>\n
learn what God's creation Beauty means<\/p>\n
for the beauty of God<\/p>\n
you can watch nature shows on Netflix<\/p>\n
and and just consider the the power of<\/p>\n
consider the authority and might of God<\/p>\n
to create whatever it is you're watching<\/p>\n
you can take family vacations out into<\/p>\n
God's creation and talk to your kids<\/p>\n
about what creation says about the God<\/p>\n
who stands behind it all<\/p>\n
now why am I telling you what to think<\/p>\n
and what to watch on Netflix and where<\/p>\n
to go on vacation<\/p>\n
well it's because I think God created<\/p>\n
all the wonderful things in the world<\/p>\n
for you and for me to Marvel over and to<\/p>\n
talk about and to reflect on and to<\/p>\n
learn from and not not just for the sake<\/p>\n
of learning but for the sake of growing<\/p>\n
in our praise for God<\/p>\n
Romans chapter 1 verse 20 says that<\/p>\n
since the creation of the world God's<\/p>\n
invisible qualities have been clearly<\/p>\n
seen being understood from what has been<\/p>\n
made in other words God created so that<\/p>\n
we might enjoy his creation<\/p>\n
and so enjoy him more<\/p>\n
and for those of you in in here this<\/p>\n
this afternoon who are kids children I<\/p>\n
know that many of you often have amazing<\/p>\n
questions about God's creation and<\/p>\n
that's a that's a good thing it's a a<\/p>\n
wonderful thing to have questions and I<\/p>\n
would just encourage you to ask your<\/p>\n
parents about your questions whatever<\/p>\n
you want to ask about elephants and<\/p>\n
planets and dinosaurs and sunsets and<\/p>\n
snowflakes ask them and as you ask them<\/p>\n
remember that God is the one who stands<\/p>\n
behind each of those things God made all<\/p>\n
of those things<\/p>\n
and if you ask your parents what each of<\/p>\n
those things teach us about God I'm<\/p>\n
confident that that's a question they<\/p>\n
would love to answer<\/p>\n
so we see here that God is powerful<\/p>\n
but fourth we also see that God is<\/p>\n
present<\/p>\n
God is present<\/p>\n
present you know sometimes when we talk<\/p>\n
about sovereigns we talk about kings and<\/p>\n
queens we're talking about people who<\/p>\n
are relatively absent from our lives<\/p>\n
maybe even their their absent from the<\/p>\n
countries that they rule over maybe a<\/p>\n
monarch doesn't even live in the country<\/p>\n
that they rule over<\/p>\n
but friends in the Bible<\/p>\n
God's sovereignty means<\/p>\n
God's presence<\/p>\n
God's sovereignty means God's presence<\/p>\n
just look at verse two<\/p>\n
says the Earth was without form and void<\/p>\n
and darkness was over the face of the<\/p>\n
deep and the spirit of God was hovering<\/p>\n
over the face of the waters<\/p>\n
verse 2 shows us that even at the<\/p>\n
beginning of creation while it was still<\/p>\n
formless and void<\/p>\n
God was present with his creation<\/p>\n
that word hover there in verse two is<\/p>\n
it's used again in Deuteronomy chapter<\/p>\n
32 verse 11 where it speaks of an eagle<\/p>\n
hovering over its young to protect and<\/p>\n
nurture it and that's exactly what the<\/p>\n
spirit of God is doing in these verses<\/p>\n
all this talk that that we've been<\/p>\n
discussing this this afternoon about<\/p>\n
God's Supremacy and his pre-existence<\/p>\n
and his power that might give you the<\/p>\n
idea that that God is a controlling<\/p>\n
impersonal mechanical force<\/p>\n
that's not what the Bible teaches<\/p>\n
God's sovereignty is deeply personal God<\/p>\n
is separate from his creation he rules<\/p>\n
over his creation but God is present<\/p>\n
with his creation<\/p>\n
he's present to protect and nurture in<\/p>\n
fact earlier I mentioned that there were<\/p>\n
two reasons that God created the world I<\/p>\n
want to give you the second reason now<\/p>\n
the second reason that God created the<\/p>\n
world<\/p>\n
just out of an overflow of love<\/p>\n
that's why God created Mankind in a<\/p>\n
special way<\/p>\n
in chapter 1 verses 26 to 30. where it<\/p>\n
talks there about how God created<\/p>\n
mankind In His Image God uniquely<\/p>\n
created us in His image and if you<\/p>\n
notice in those verses he blessed us and<\/p>\n
then he gave us all things in creation<\/p>\n
to rule over we're not going to go into<\/p>\n
detail on those verses<\/p>\n
but these are important verses<\/p>\n
they tell us that God created us in a<\/p>\n
special way and I just want to say that<\/p>\n
the fact that he created us uniquely<\/p>\n
special<\/p>\n
demonstrates the Overflow of Love That<\/p>\n
animated his creation work<\/p>\n
he loves us and everything that he<\/p>\n
created though it was for his glory is<\/p>\n
also in some way for us<\/p>\n
for you and for me<\/p>\n
and even now he remains present with<\/p>\n
this creation that he so loves he's<\/p>\n
intimately caring for it he's watching<\/p>\n
over it he's sustaining it and he's<\/p>\n
sustaining us he's omnipresent which<\/p>\n
means that he's everywhere and yet he's<\/p>\n
uniquely present according to the Bible<\/p>\n
with those who are in Christ that means<\/p>\n
he's uniquely present even with us this<\/p>\n
afternoon<\/p>\n
[Music]<\/p>\n
so Christians for those of you who trust<\/p>\n
in Jesus<\/p>\n
you should not ever think that God is<\/p>\n
absent from you or that he doesn't care<\/p>\n
about you or that he's ignoring you<\/p>\n
God is particularly present with you if<\/p>\n
you are in Christ<\/p>\n
you may not always feel that way<\/p>\n
but regardless of how you feel<\/p>\n
God is present to bless and love and<\/p>\n
provide and preserve and to sustain and<\/p>\n
help all those who are in Christ<\/p>\n
it's a good reason to trust in our<\/p>\n
Sovereign God even this afternoon<\/p>\n
but Point number five what else do we<\/p>\n
see about God's sovereignty in Genesis 1<\/p>\n
we see that God's word<\/p>\n
works<\/p>\n
God's word<\/p>\n
so in verses 3 to 31 God's creation acts<\/p>\n
unfold over six days and you'll notice<\/p>\n
there's a clear pattern for each of<\/p>\n
these days God speaks<\/p>\n
something happens<\/p>\n
and God pronounces it good that happens<\/p>\n
over and over and over again so just for<\/p>\n
example verses three to five God says<\/p>\n
let there be light<\/p>\n
or you can look at verses 9 and 10 God<\/p>\n
creates the land and the Seas and God<\/p>\n
says let the water under the sky be<\/p>\n
gathered to one place and let ground<\/p>\n
appear and it was so exactly as God said<\/p>\n
it<\/p>\n
this pattern of God speaking and then<\/p>\n
something happening that doesn't just<\/p>\n
apply to his acts of creation either so<\/p>\n
again notice that God's word also<\/p>\n
separates light from darkness in verse<\/p>\n
four and God's word separates the Earth<\/p>\n
from the sky in verse seven God's word<\/p>\n
we see here not only creates it<\/p>\n
separates<\/p>\n
where God creates plants in verses 11 to<\/p>\n
12 and see animals and birds in verses<\/p>\n
20 to 23 and land animals in verses 24<\/p>\n
to 25. you'll notice that God not only<\/p>\n
speaks these creatures into existence he<\/p>\n
instructs them to reproduce after their<\/p>\n
own kind which is something that they do<\/p>\n
it's the same with Mankind in verses 26<\/p>\n
to 31 except there God gives them<\/p>\n
another instruction to rule over his<\/p>\n
so we see from these verses that God's<\/p>\n
word creates<\/p>\n
it separates<\/p>\n
and we see that it also empowers it<\/p>\n
gives the power of reproduction to<\/p>\n
animals and plants it gives the power of<\/p>\n
reproduction and authority to man<\/p>\n
because the point is is that God's word<\/p>\n
does things<\/p>\n
God's word is powerful<\/p>\n
God's word works<\/p>\n
we see in Genesis 1 that when God<\/p>\n
intends his word to do something<\/p>\n
that thing happens every time<\/p>\n
and we see this all throughout scripture<\/p>\n
all throughout scripture God's word<\/p>\n
Works God's word creates and it<\/p>\n
initiates and it promises and it<\/p>\n
empowers and it gives life and it<\/p>\n
transforms God's word is effective<\/p>\n
but do you understand what a blessing it<\/p>\n
is for us to have God's word<\/p>\n
pray fervently for Grace City this is<\/p>\n
one of the things that we pray for you<\/p>\n
all for regularly pray that Grace City<\/p>\n
will have a strong commitment to God's<\/p>\n
word<\/p>\n
what I mean by that is we pray that<\/p>\n
Grace City should always be committed to<\/p>\n
the belief that God will use his word to<\/p>\n
grow Us in Grace and preserve us in<\/p>\n
Christ<\/p>\n
you know the the weekly preaching of<\/p>\n
God's word in the context of the church<\/p>\n
that is the primary means that God has<\/p>\n
given<\/p>\n
to sustain our faith and to grow Us in<\/p>\n
faith<\/p>\n
that's the primary means that the Lord<\/p>\n
has given for good in our life<\/p>\n
and we have to fight to have confidence<\/p>\n
that as long as God's word is being<\/p>\n
preached week in and week out<\/p>\n
God will give us what we need<\/p>\n
spiritually<\/p>\n
what you need when you come here week in<\/p>\n
and week out is not for preachers to<\/p>\n
kind of give you their thoughts on life<\/p>\n
if I came here and just gave you my<\/p>\n
thoughts on life you wouldn't find it<\/p>\n
all that interesting and probably I'd<\/p>\n
make your life worse<\/p>\n
and what you need is to come here week<\/p>\n
in and week out and receive the only<\/p>\n
thing that works<\/p>\n
you don't need your preachers to be<\/p>\n
funny or clever or creative or Punchy or<\/p>\n
relevant I mean hopefully those things<\/p>\n
come out sometimes but what you really<\/p>\n
need from your preachers is for the<\/p>\n
point of God's word to be the point of<\/p>\n
the sermon text<\/p>\n
and then you need to trust that God will<\/p>\n
use that word in your life for good<\/p>\n
now because God's word works<\/p>\n
it's also good for us to read God's word<\/p>\n
just in our daily life the Bible may not<\/p>\n
answer every question we have we may<\/p>\n
find God's word boring sometimes we may<\/p>\n
struggle to find time to read it<\/p>\n
but the problem in each of these cases<\/p>\n
is not God's word<\/p>\n
it's us<\/p>\n
God's word will always do what God<\/p>\n
intends for it which means that we need<\/p>\n
to work hard to go to God's word with<\/p>\n
the right questions we need to work hard<\/p>\n
to understand it better so that we don't<\/p>\n
find it boring and we need to make time<\/p>\n
to read it now I've found that the best<\/p>\n
way to overcome each of these problems<\/p>\n
is to begin reading God's word with<\/p>\n
somebody else if you struggle to read<\/p>\n
God's word in your daily life just<\/p>\n
encourage you to read it with somebody<\/p>\n
else<\/p>\n
maybe ask another member of this church<\/p>\n
to meet up with you to read God's word<\/p>\n
together that's something you could do<\/p>\n
at dinner on Sunday afternoons or lunch<\/p>\n
before church something you could do<\/p>\n
throughout the week or maybe you can<\/p>\n
even set up a zoom call and just once a<\/p>\n
week gather together read God's word<\/p>\n
together and talk about it there's<\/p>\n
something you can do with your family<\/p>\n
just read a a few evenings a week read a<\/p>\n
few lines from God's word and talk about<\/p>\n
friends this is important because I<\/p>\n
believe that when you look<\/p>\n
in the rear view mirror of your life one<\/p>\n
rather than what's directly in front of<\/p>\n
you<\/p>\n
you're gonna find that it was primarily<\/p>\n
God's word that sustains you<\/p>\n
now what I mean by that is that<\/p>\n
regardless of what you may feel in the<\/p>\n
moment regardless of what you may feel<\/p>\n
moment to moment in your life the<\/p>\n
perspective of years is going to clarify<\/p>\n
for you that God's word Works to sustain<\/p>\n
you and keep you persevering in the<\/p>\n
word works we also see number six<\/p>\n
God's sovereignty means that he is Judge<\/p>\n
God is the judge<\/p>\n
we see that clearly in Genesis 1 I think<\/p>\n
think about this pattern that we see in<\/p>\n
in these verses again God speaks<\/p>\n
and God pronounces it good<\/p>\n
now that repeated declaration it is good<\/p>\n
it was good God saw that it was good see<\/p>\n
that in verse 10 verse 12 verse 18 verse<\/p>\n
21 verse 24 and in verse 31 we see that<\/p>\n
God saw that it was very good all of<\/p>\n
that is a judgment from God God is<\/p>\n
making a judgment about what he has<\/p>\n
and when we meditate on this repeated<\/p>\n
refrain I think there are a lot of<\/p>\n
lessons for us in this<\/p>\n
one lesson<\/p>\n
is that God gets to decide what is good<\/p>\n
and what is not good<\/p>\n
God is the Supreme standard of what is<\/p>\n
good<\/p>\n
God has not left it up to us to decide<\/p>\n
when something is good or not<\/p>\n
in fact since we are sinners we're not<\/p>\n
very good judges of what is good at all<\/p>\n
our definitions of good change Through<\/p>\n
the Ages but God's Judgment of good<\/p>\n
never changes<\/p>\n
brother and sisters I just wonder it's a<\/p>\n
really important question I think for<\/p>\n
you to think about<\/p>\n
do you ever allow God's definition of<\/p>\n
what is good<\/p>\n
to contradict your own<\/p>\n
or do you assume that you're always<\/p>\n
right<\/p>\n
that you always know what is loving what<\/p>\n
is righteous what is just<\/p>\n
and what is good<\/p>\n
see if God's word never confronts you<\/p>\n
ever if it never challenges you<\/p>\n
ever if it never contradicts what you<\/p>\n
define as good or offends your<\/p>\n
conception of what is good it's possible<\/p>\n
that you're not reading God's word<\/p>\n
accurately you're not reading it with<\/p>\n
humility<\/p>\n
you know God's word speaks into<\/p>\n
topics that are very controversial today<\/p>\n
I mean Genesis alone talks about gender<\/p>\n
and marriage and sexuality and work and<\/p>\n
rest<\/p>\n
Genesis demonstrates God's Authority as<\/p>\n
well as his response as the judge over<\/p>\n
human sin<\/p>\n
and God's word God tells us what he is<\/p>\n
like and a lot of times it isn't exactly<\/p>\n
what we think he should be like<\/p>\n
friends we need to prepare ourselves now<\/p>\n
we are not the judge on any of these<\/p>\n
we are not the judge of what is good<\/p>\n
are you prepared to fully submit to<\/p>\n
God's word even when it contradicts your<\/p>\n
culture<\/p>\n
even when it contradicts you<\/p>\n
God is the judge we see that in Genesis<\/p>\n
chapter one<\/p>\n
and then finally<\/p>\n
0.7<\/p>\n
we see that God's sovereignty means that<\/p>\n
his work is good<\/p>\n
God's work<\/p>\n
is good<\/p>\n
so we've seen God's repeated refrain<\/p>\n
that his creation is good but just<\/p>\n
consider the trajectory of God's work in<\/p>\n
Genesis 1. look again at at verse 2.<\/p>\n
it says the Earth was without form and<\/p>\n
void and and darkness was over the face<\/p>\n
of the deep<\/p>\n
formless it's empty<\/p>\n
it's void kind of sounds like a problem<\/p>\n
doesn't it it's kind of like uh your<\/p>\n
child's unfinished craft it's really not<\/p>\n
all that exciting uh it's not that<\/p>\n
interesting you may be hanging on the<\/p>\n
fridge anyways because you love them but<\/p>\n
it's not that good<\/p>\n
that's kind of what was going on in<\/p>\n
verse two it's formless it's void it's<\/p>\n
it's empty<\/p>\n
and yet in this chapter God overcomes<\/p>\n
the problem of formlessness and<\/p>\n
emptiness so you just scan over the<\/p>\n
first three days verses 3 to 13<\/p>\n
describes the first three days says<\/p>\n
notice that God creates light and then<\/p>\n
he separates it from Darkness then he<\/p>\n
creates the sky and he separates that<\/p>\n
from the waters then he gathers the<\/p>\n
water into one place and he creates the<\/p>\n
dry ground do you see how in these first<\/p>\n
three days God fixes that first problem<\/p>\n
of formlessness<\/p>\n
and then you can scan through days four<\/p>\n
and six verses 14 to 31 and note that<\/p>\n
God fixes the problem of emptiness here<\/p>\n
God begins to fill up the Earth<\/p>\n
he creates the sea creatures and then<\/p>\n
the birds and then the animals and then<\/p>\n
Mankind and he tells each of these<\/p>\n
creatures to be fruitful and and<\/p>\n
multiply<\/p>\n
I mean do you see how thoroughly and<\/p>\n
creatively God solves the problems of<\/p>\n
emptiness and formlessness<\/p>\n
and the result is a pronouncement in day<\/p>\n
seven<\/p>\n
before day seven that all was very good<\/p>\n
and then on day seven God rests<\/p>\n
Church The God Who worked so well in<\/p>\n
is the same God who is now at work in<\/p>\n
you in Christ<\/p>\n
the same power that was on display in<\/p>\n
Genesis 1<\/p>\n
is the power that is at work in you who<\/p>\n
are in Christ<\/p>\n
what God has done in creation<\/p>\n
is a pattern for his new creation<\/p>\n
see because of the death and<\/p>\n
resurrection of Christ God is creating a<\/p>\n
new creation of which all who trust in<\/p>\n
Jesus are apart so just consider what<\/p>\n
happened<\/p>\n
when God saved you Christian<\/p>\n
Paul tells us about the day that God<\/p>\n
saved us in second Corinthians chapter 4<\/p>\n
verse 6. Paul thinks about Genesis 1 in<\/p>\n
that verse he says for God who said let<\/p>\n
light shine out of Darkness made his<\/p>\n
light shine in our hearts to give us the<\/p>\n
light of the knowledge of God's glory<\/p>\n
displayed in the face of Christ so God<\/p>\n
saved you<\/p>\n
and in Saving you the power that was at<\/p>\n
work and creation<\/p>\n
was at work in you<\/p>\n
when the light of God Shone into your<\/p>\n
heart and your Christian life began and<\/p>\n
on that day you were immediately saved<\/p>\n
you were forgiven you were Justified<\/p>\n
but of course we all know that there's<\/p>\n
still sin in our life isn't there sin<\/p>\n
continues to affect our hearts and our<\/p>\n
minds the reality of death haunts our<\/p>\n
fears maybe the the burdens of our sin<\/p>\n
and fears and our deceptive Hearts maybe<\/p>\n
maybe those are things that are weighing<\/p>\n
heavily even on your mind this afternoon<\/p>\n
and you think if I'm a Christian I'm I'm<\/p>\n
a weak and pathetic one<\/p>\n
if I'm a Christian you think I'm I'm<\/p>\n
formless I'm empty<\/p>\n
dear brother and dear sister look at<\/p>\n
what God can do with a formless and<\/p>\n
empty<\/p>\n
today our Sovereign Creator is our<\/p>\n
Sovereign Redeemer and he promises to<\/p>\n
save you through faith in Christ and<\/p>\n
sustain you and everything he does<\/p>\n
he does well<\/p>\n
what will be the end result<\/p>\n
of his forming and filling in your life<\/p>\n
Romans 8 29 tells us for those God<\/p>\n
foreknew he also predestined to be<\/p>\n
conformed to the image of his son dear<\/p>\n
brother and dear sister in Christ the<\/p>\n
one true God<\/p>\n
is The Sovereign Creator ruler and<\/p>\n
sustainer of all that exists and all of<\/p>\n
his power is at work in you<\/p>\n
even now<\/p>\n
and his power<\/p>\n
when it is at work<\/p>\n
it does good things<\/p>\n
Our Father in heaven we praise you that<\/p>\n
we can trust that you are a God who does<\/p>\n
all things well<\/p>\n
and we are comforted this afternoon and<\/p>\n
we praise you this afternoon that you<\/p>\n
are at work in US<\/p>\n
to preserve our faith and keep us going<\/p>\n
Lord we pray that we would leave here<\/p>\n
with a greater understanding of who you<\/p>\n
are as our Sovereign creator<\/p>\n
help us leave here marveling about your<\/p>\n
power and wonder and might<\/p>\n
and we pray all these things Lord in<\/p>\n
Jesus name amen<\/p>","english_search_text":"","":"","original_publish_date":"20230403","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZXQQXtloSUE","video_id":"ZXQQXtloSUE","video_duration":"46:09","channel_name":"Grace City Bangkok"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=694"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/694\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":695,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/694\/revisions\/695"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gracecity.machakosconsulting.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}