Sermon Notes
24 December 2006
Morning Worship
GOD CREATED
1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
INTRODUCTION:
a. think of the great verbs which are associated with God and which tell us
so much about Him, think of the word “created.” This verb is found in the
very first verse of the Bible
b. From “God is” the natural PROGRESSION IS “God created.” Now, if verse 1
of the Bible is not historical fact and truth, one can only wonder about the
credibility of the rest of the Bible
c. We know, however, with good reason, that verse 1 of the Bible is
historical fact
I. WHY DO I HAVE THIS CONFIDENCE?
A. Because of “cause and effect”:
1. The universe, the earth have not always existed
2. thus, the universe, the earth are an “effect”
3. A house is an “effect” -
Hebrews 3:4 ... there was a “cause” ... man
4
For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.
B. “Intelligent cause”:
1. Accidents, undirected force cause randomness, chaos?
2. However, the universe (like a house) bears the marks of intelligence:
order, plan, design, mathematical exactness ... not the marks of chaos, of
accidental cause
3. Logic insists upon intelligent cause - Hebrews 3:4 ... there was an
intelligent cause ... God
C. Genesis 1:1 answers the “cause and effect” question!
1. Genesis 1:1 names the “intelligent first Cause” - God
2. Atheists, theorists have offered all sorts of ideas on the existence of
the universe, the earth ... but most (if not all) of them would produce the
orderly natural world from a great cosmic accident ... illogical
3. We must believe Genesis 1:1 is historical fact, truth!
II. WHY DID GOD CREATE THE HEAVEN, THE EARTH, and MAN?
A. Revelation 4:11 For His pleasure!
11
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou
hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
1. Deuteronomy 29:29
29
The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are
revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the
words of this law.
2. the Revelation text simply tells us God created all things for His
pleasure
B. Isaiah 45:18 To be inhabited!
18
For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed
the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he
formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
1. >From the very beginning He intended earth to be inhabited!
2. All of the natural laws and phenomena which make life possible were
designed by God for that purpose!
3. Isaiah 45:12
12
I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have
stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
C. Isaiah 43:6, 7
To give Him glory!
6
I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my
sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
7
Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my
glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
1. Psalm 147:11
11
The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his
mercy.
and
Psalm 149:4 ...
4
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with
salvation.
He is glorified, He takes pleasure in our
reverence to Him, in those who place their hope in Him, who are truly His
people
2. II Thessalonians 1:11 “fulfill all the good pleasure ...”
11
Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy
of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the
work of faith with power:
3. Psalm 103:20,21
20
Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his
commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21
Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his
pleasure.
the angels, the heavenly hosts “do his pleasure” ... v.20 explains exactly
what is required in one who brings Him pleasure: do his commandments,
hearken to His word
4. Philippians 2:13
“... His good pleasure”
13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good
pleasure.
D. Hebrews 11:3,6 We believe ... we please:
3
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God,
so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by
which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his
gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not
found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had
this testimony, that he pleased God.
6
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God
must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him.
1. The great “cosmic questions” come down to two things: our believing that
God created and our desiring to please Him ... thus, glorifying Him
2. Note
Psalm 11 ... God is pleased by our being pleased in Him
3. Genesis 1 is not a fact of arbitrary science - it is a fact which has
everything to do with you and me ... and the good pleasure of His will –
Ephesians 1:5
5
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
CONCLUSION:
A. Yes, God created ... and the only suitable response is to glorify Him by
living at his pleasure -
Revelation 4:11
11
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou
hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Revelation 5
B. ECCLESIASTES 12:13,14
13
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his
commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing,
whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
GOD'S
WONDERFUL GIFTS TO HUMANITY
JESUS CHRIST
Lesson
One
Introduction:
A. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”
John 3:16
B. God knew what man needed and sent him the perfect gift
Psalm 8:4
"What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man,
that thou visitest him?"
C. Have you ever gotten clothes or something that did not fit quite right?
D. Have you ever gotten something that was just perfect?
E. Jesus is the perfect answer to man’s problem of sin
John 1:29
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
F. What kind of man is this?
1. His followers saw Him change water into wine.
2. He healed lepers.
3. With a word He had caused the lame to walk, the deaf to hear and the
blind to see.
4. His followers had even seen Him bring the dead back to life
5. They had left everything, their homes and their jobs, to follow Him
because they knew He was someone great
6. Christ is eternal. Christ created all things
7. Christ is the Son of God. Christ is God. Christ is Savior
8. Christ emptied Himself to become a man
9. Although they are distinctive, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
are one God
G. Jesus was so remarkable that some have questioned whether He could even
be called a man:
1. Yet the Scriptures clearly teach that Jesus is a man
2. Many times He is called the Son of Man
H. Christ is eternal:
1 The Scriptures teach that Christ became a man, that He became flesh.
John 1:14
"And
the Word became flesh and dwelt among us"
2. This indicates that Jesus existed before He was a man
I. This gift was an act of love:
Romans 5:8
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were
yet sinners, Christ died for us."
A. Have you ever received a gift from someone you really did not know (maybe
someone who did not love you)?
B. Did that gift mean as much to you as a gift that was an act of love? It
probably did not
C. Jesus was sent to this world from a loving God
D. Jesus' death for our sins was an act of love
II. This gift brings salvation:
Ephesians 2:8-10
8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God:
9
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which
God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Romans 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
A. This is just what we need
B. Because Jesus died for our sins then we certainly owe Him much
C. In truth we owe Him the rest of our lives
1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service.
2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God.
III. This gift is for everyone:
Titus 2:11
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to
all men."
Revelation 22:17
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let
him take the water of life freely."
A. On birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions gifts are
usually given to a few people
B. This gift is for the world
4
No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that
he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance.
C. God is no respecter of persons
34
Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no
respecter of persons:
35
But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is
accepted with him.
D. It does not matter if you are a male or female; rich or poor; black or
white. None of that matters to God
26
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is
neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to
the promise.
E. He wants people to receive this gift by obedience
6
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
8
Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he
suffered;
9
And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all
them that obey him;
IV. The benefits of this gift are indescribable:
II Corinthians 9:15
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."
A. Words can never fully express what this gift means to the world
B. How sad it is to think that there are some who will not take advantage of
this gift
C. It is refused today as it was years ago -
John 1:11
11
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Conclusion:
A. The price for this gift was paid at Calvary
II Corinthians 8:9
9
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich,
yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be
rich.
B. God Has Given Us Jesus.
C. Will you receive this marvelous gift today?