SERMON OUTLINE:
Learning about the book:
• The Name
• The Key
• The Author
• The Language
Learning about God:
• God is…
• Personal.
• Powerful.
• Uncreated.
• Creative.
• Orderly.
• Plural.
• Singular.
• Good.
• Loving.
• Living.
• Like us.
• Unlike us.
• Distinct.
SERMONBODY:
Ill:
• On February 15th, 1970;
• Astronaut Edgar Mitchell was on board the Apollo 14 moon mission,
• He would soon be joining an exclusive club;
• He would become one of the twelve people who have walked on the Moon.
• (in fact he was the 6th man to walk on the moon0.
• While on the moon Mitchell deposited a microfilm packet on the moon;
• In that packet was a complete Bible (Revised Standard Version).
• The packet also contained one verse of the Bible in 16 different languages;
• The verse was Genesis chapter 1 verse 1.
• “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”.
• TRANSITION: “In the beginning…”
• Now no one knows for certain when that beginning was:
• But remember, the Old Testament is far more interested in the FACT of creation,
• Than the time of creation.
(A). LEARNING ABOUT THE BOOK:
(1). The Name.
• The Hebrew title of Genesis is (bray-SHEATH) Bereshith,
• Which, means “In the beginning.”
• In ancient times a book was almost always named after its first few words;
• ill: True today of our hymns and choruses.
• i.e. “When I survey the wondrous cross”
• i.e. “Oh for a thousand tongues to sing”
• i.e. “In Christ alone”
• i.e. Although some modern songs have broken that pattern;
• And are often known more by the title of the chorus;
• i.e. “10,000 reasons” by Matt Redman.
But in ancient times a book was almost always named after its first few words;
• Now when the Hebrew Old Testament was translated into the Greek language;
• The Septuagint - About 250 years before the time of Christ.
• It was given a new name; ‘Genesis’;
• Which means “Origin or source, generation or beginning”.
• That name ‘Genesis’ (beginnings);
• Carried over into the English Bible.
• Today nearly all Bible versions use the names for Old Testament Bible books;
• Coined from the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament).
Note:
• Now ‘Genesis’ is a great name:
• Genesis is often called the 'seedbed' of the Bible
• Because in this book are the origins, the beginnings of everything:
• The origin of the universe
• The origin of the sun, moon, stars.
• The origin of planet earth.
• The origin plants, birds, fish, animals, humans.
• The origin of sex, marriage and family life.
• The origin of civilisation, of government, culture, arts and science.
• The origin of sin and death and murder and war.
• The origin of sacrifice.
• It is the origin of most if not all biblical truth;
• All biblical truths are here in the book of Genesis, in essence.
• Quote: “Genesis is the seed bed of the Bible”.
(2). The Key.
• Genesis is the key that unlocks the rest of the Bible:
• Without the key of Genesis the rest of the Bible would not make sense.
• 3 examples:
(A). IT IS THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING OURSELVES.
• If the Bible started with Exodus, none of us would probably read it;
• After all who is interested in a bunch of Jewish slaves in Egypt?
• We have enough history of our own country to catch up on and enjoy,
• Never mind reading about a bunch of nobodies in a far away place.
• But the great thing about Genesis is this:
• We are reading about ourselves, this is our history,
• Contained in Genesis chapters 1-10 is the history of the human race & much more!
• And because it is our history:
• It unlocks the answers to life’s greatest questions.
Ill:
• Why am I here?
• What is the point and purpose of living?
• Why do we die?
• Is there a God and can we know him!
(B). ITS THE KEY TO THE OLD TESTAMENT.
• If we did not have Genesis the rest of the Old Testament would not make sense:
• The Old Testament is built on the book of Genesis,
• It is full of references to people like Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob (Israel) etc.
• i.e. The book of Job and Psalms is littered with references to Genesis,
• Without Genesis these books would be hollow and not make sense!
(C). ITS THE KEY TO THE NEW TESTAMENT.
• Genesis is more quoted in the New Testament than in the Old Testament.
• Every New Testament author quotes or alludes to Genesis.
• All the first 6 chapters are quoted in detail in the New Testament.
• The New Testament has a total of 60 allusions to Genesis chapters 1–11.
• And when we widen the search to include all of Genesis, the number grows to 103.
• (Full list of references available on request – gcurley@gcurley.info)
• Don’t forget that Jesus himself quoted and referred to the book of Genesis.
• Jesus regarded all the characters mentioned in Genesis as real historical figures.
• Not myths, not legends but historical people.
• i.e. He quoted Noah and the flood as an historical event (Matthew 24:37)
• i.e. When questioned about marriage what did he do? (Matthew 19:4)
• He answered by going back to the beginning to Adam & Eve and quoted Genesis 2.
Without the book of Genesis the rest of the Bible does not make sense:
• i.e. You will not understand the meaning or the message of the cross,
• Without the book of Genesis!
• Listen to how the apostle Paul explained the cross to his readers;
• Romans chapter 5 - this is what happened at the cross:
“Just as one man’s disobedience brought death to the human race,
One mans obedience brings life”
• To understand the meaning of the cross;
• Paul took his readers back to Genesis chapter 3.
• In every way Genesis really is the seedbed of the Bible:
• Without it the rest of the Bible is incomplete and does not make sense.
• Disregard this book and you might as well disregard the rest!
(3). The author.
• Most evangelical scholars believe Moses wrote Genesis along with four other books;
• Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
• Any good Bible commentary will give you the reasons;
• Why we believe Moses to be the author and answer critics objections.
• So you can do your own homework if you want to know more.
• Now in the Jewish Bible these five books form a unit:
• The Jews call them the Torah (which means instruction ill: Makers instructions).
• That’s why they read through the Torah continually throughout the year (ill: 4th bridge).
• Greek: ‘Penta-tuech’;
• ‘Penta’ means ‘five’ ill: Pentagon is a 5 sided building.
• ‘Teuchos’ means ‘tool’.
(4). The language.
• Genesis chapter 1 is not a science book,
• It is not written in scientific language (Hallelujah).
• If it was most of us would not understand it.
• It is written in very simplistic language.
Ill:
• Only 3 kinds of vegetation mentioned.
• Grass, plants and trees.
Ill:
• Only 3 kinds of animals mentioned in chapter 1.
• Domesticated animals, animals you hunt for food & wild animals.
The language used is brilliant:
• On one hand it is so simplistic anyone can understand it,
• Yet it is so comprehensive that it manages to capture everything!
Quote: David Pawson:
“There 76 separate root words in the whole of Genesis chapter one, that’s remarkably few.
Further more everyone of those words are to be found in every language on earth”.
That makes Genesis chapter one the easiest chapter to translate of the whole Bible.
It takes a genius to be that simple”.
• The language of Genesis chapter 1 is very simplistic yet very profound:
• A child can read Genesis chapter 1 and be captivated by it.
• And yet the highly educated;
• Professors and scientist have continually been arguing and debating for and against it;
• For hundreds and hundreds of years.
(B). LEARNING ABOUT GOD:
(1). God.
Verse 1: “In the beginning God”.
Verse 2: “..and the Spirit of God”.
Verse 3: “And God said”.
Verse 4: “God saw”.
Verse 5: “God called”.
Verse……………
• If you thought Genesis chapter one was about creation, read it again.
• First and foremost it is about the creator – God!
• In these 31 verses, the word God appears 35 times.
• This chapter is primarily about God, the creator not just the creation.
Quote:
“Every river has its source and every story has a beginning”.
• As we have mentioned already Genesis is full of beginnings,
• The beginning of everything else, except God.
• God does not begin in this verse or any other verse in the Bible,
• God is already there!
• In the Bible God’s existence is never debated;
• It is always assumed.
Ill:
• The school boys question “Who made God?” Is really nonsense!
• It’s nonsense because it is asking an incompatible question;
• i.e. it is like asking can you have a square circle, or can you fry ice?
• It’s nonsense because it is an incompatible question;
• Because eternal God was never made, he did all the making!
• And throughout the Bible it is a fundamental assumption:
• That God has always existed, he is eternal,
• He has always been there, is there and shall always be there.
Now remember that before there was creation there was God:
• Genesis chapter 1 is first and foremost about the creator not the creation.
• It is NOT about HOW our world came to be, but WHO made it to be.
• And as I mentioned earlier in 31 verses, the word God comes 35 times.
• This chapter is primarily about God, the creator and not just about the creation.
• The things that make up creation;
• Light, air, water, dry land, vegetation, sun, moon, stars, fish, birds, animals etc
• Are objects in a creative process where God alone is the subject.
Question: What does this chapter tells us about God?
Answer:
• Quite a lot!
• You can end up with a long list of things, I’ve chosen twelve:
(1). GOD IS PERSONAL.
• Genesis chapter 1 shows us;
• That God has a heart, a mind that thinks, a will that makes decisions.
• These are the things that make up a personality.
• God is not an it, but He,
• He is a divine person with feelings and thoughts and motives like we have.
• Therefore creation was his idea, his decision.
• And that decision was executed according to his plan.
(2). POWERFUL.
• This chapter illustrates incredible power and authority,
• To be able to say something, to give a command and see an instant response.
• The first 10 commandments of God are not found in Exodus chapter 20;
• The first 10 commandments are in Genesis chapter 1;
• (The term "God said" occurs ten times - verses 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 28, and 29)
• Notice every command is perfectly obeyed.
• Our God is powerful and authoritative.
(3). HE IS UNCREATED.
• He is already there because he already was there.
• He is self-existent.
• Everything for us in our world has a beginning and end;
• ill: Space is the only thing I can think of that is said to be ‘infinite’.
• Everything else in our world depends on some other thing or someone,
• But not God!
• He is self-existent and self-sufficient, he is the eternal God!
Ill:
• “In the beginning” is only another way of saying;
• “Before there was anything else there was God”.
(4). CREATIVE.
• Did you know that there are 6,000 verities of beetle?
• What incredible imagination God has.
Ill:
• We humans can produce 7 million Volkswagen Beetle cars - all the same.
• God is the ultimate creator, with fantastic imagination and variety!
Ill:
• No two blades of grass the same,
• No two snow-flakes the same,
• What imagination, how creative.
(5). ORDERLY.
• The creation record is clearly shows God creating his world with order and form.
• Have you ever noticed that the six days mentioned are dived into three and three.
• i.e. Verse 2:
• “The earth was without form and void” That means it was uninhabitable.
• “And empty” That means it was uninhabited.
• If you read on in this chapter and you will discover:
• God takes three days to form the earth;
• And three days to inhabit it.
• In the first three days God creates an environment.
• In the second three days he creates things to inhabit that environment.
• Again and again;
• The creation record is clearly shows God creating his world with order and form.
(6). PLURAL.
• The word translated God in verse 1 is not in the singular but in the plural.
• ‘Elohim’ - which means three or more.
• Did you notice verse 26: “God said, ‘let US make man in OUR image’”
• Now for the Christian that mystery is explained throughout the rest of the Bible;
• The one singular triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit made the world.
(7). SINGULAR.
• As mentioned Elohim is a plural word used;
• And yet it is used in the singular:
• All the verbs used in this chapter are in the singular.
• e.g. “In the beginning God created” The word ‘created’ here is singular.
• When ‘Elohim’ is used it usually uses singular pronouns referring back to it,
• Emphasising the fact there is only one God!
• As Christians we do not believe in three gods but one!
• What the Bible calls the ‘Godhead’ (Colossians chapter 2 verse 9)
• “For in him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the GODHEAD bodily.”
• We often use the word ‘Trinity’ (from the Latin noun "trinitas" meaning "three are one")
• We believe in one God who is revealed to us in three persons: Father, Son & Holy Spirit.
• God is one Being made up of three distinct Persons;
• Who exist in co-equal essence and co-eternal communion as;
• The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
(8). GOOD
• God is good,
• Therefore everything he makes is good, because he is good.
Quote Schaeffer:
“This means that a tree is not good because we can cut it down and make a house out of it or because we can burn it in order to get heat. It is good because God made it and has pronounced it good. It is good because, like everything else in creation, it conforms to God’s nature”.
• God’s finished creation is summed up in verse 31:
• “And God saw all that he had made and it was very good”.
(9). LOVING.
• Again as you read through chapters 1 and two;
• God blesses all the things he has made:
• i.e. vs 22: “God blessed them and said…”
• i.e. vs 28: “God blessed them and said…”
• Now God did not have to add a blessing – but he did!
• His blessing is always a sign of his reflective, calculated love.
(10). LIVING.
• He is active in this world,
• Speaking in this world, doing things in this world.
• This God is not an imaginary God,
• He is not the God of our inventions.
• This chapter makes it very clear that God has not been made by mankind,
• Bur rather this God has himself made mankind.
(11). HE IS LIKE US.
Verse 27:
So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
• If we are made in his image – whatever that means!
• Then in some way God must be like us.
• And therefore we must be like him.
(12). UNLIKE US.
• One thing we cannot do is create,
• We can make things out of something else.
• But we cannot create things from nothing.
• We cannot speak and there it is.
Note: This might surprise you;
• But God only creates things three times in Genesis chapter 1.
• The Hebrew word ‘Bara’ is only used three times in this chapter;
• The word ‘Bara’ means to create something out of nothing
• i.e. it is used at three key points in this chapter:
• When God was creating something absolutely new.
• Verse 1: Universe. Verse 21: Animate life. Verse 27: Human life.
• And in between those three key verses another Hebrew word is used (‘asa’).
• Which is translated into our English Bibles as ‘made’ (Hebrew: ‘asa’).
• Which means to make something, out of something else.
Ill:
• Now we humans can manufacture things, and we can make things.
• i.e. make something, out of something else – a clay pot from a lump of clay.
• But we cannot create something, out of nothing!
• i.e. create the raw materials in the first place.
(13). DISTINCT (GOD IS SEPARATE TO HIS CREATION).
• In a multi faith society & in a society influenced by new age teaching;
• Often pantheism is taught, Pantheism means “that is God is in everything”.
• Genesis chapter 1 clearly teaches us that pantheism is wrong:
• God is separate to his creation.
• And notice he is not dependant on his creation;
• Chapter 2 verse 2 tells us that he can even take a day off!
• The Bible makes it very clear;
• That to worship his creation is idolatry – it is wrong!
• That’s we worship the creator i.e. Father God and not mother earth!
In Conclusion:
• Genesis chapter 1 is such a rich chapter;
• That we could spend weeks just looking at on this passage alone;
• I hope I have we your appetite to go away and study it a bit more;
• I hope you will find the discussion time on Thursday in the House-groups stimulating;
• But I hope most of all you will not get bogged down in detail;
• Or side-tracked in your appreciation of God.
Please remember chapter 1 is first and foremost about the creator and not just the creation!
• And as I mentioned earlier in 31 verses, the word God comes 35 times.
• This chapter is primarily about God, the creator and not just about the creation.
• God is…
• Personal.
• Powerful.
• Uncreated.
• Creative.
• Orderly.
• Plural.
• Singular.
• Good.
• Loving.
• Living.
• Like us.
• Unlike us.
• Distinct.
