A New Creation

Sitting in her car - on a dark road just outside of town, a young high school girl looks at her life. This is what she sees:

„Y I am overweight

„Y I have no friends

„Y My future holds no promise

As she slides the bullet in the chamber of her father¡¦s 38 revolver, she thinks; "It¡¦s no use - there is no hope."

A middle aged executive sits alone in a motel room, a day of meetings just completed. He thinks about his life;

„Y The kids are all gone

„Y My wife doesn¡¦t seem to care or love me anymore

„Y My job is a dead-end

As he reaches for the phone book to look up the number of a local escort service, he thinks to himself, "Maybe, at least, I can have a couple hours of pleasure."

A housewife sits at home, alone. As she sits there, she looks at her life:

„Y My husband has his job

„Y The kids are all in school

„Y I am so alone

As she pours herself another &ink, she thinks to herself-, "Thank God I have my soaps . . .

And so it goes. Everyday, we hear about it, or read about it. People are checking out on life.

„Y Children running away from home

„Y Someone committing suicide

„Y Alcoholism

„Y Drug Addiction

„Y Divorce

„Y Adultery

„Y and depression

And as this is going on, we have to ask ourselves; Why? Why are people checking out on life? The answer to that question is as varied as the people themselves. However, if you were to analyze the answers, there would be one consistent. All of the answers would reveal that most of these people have found that their life, or at least an important aspect of their life is meaningless - it is empty - it is unfulfilling. It¡¦s as if there is a dark hole that they are living in, and they can¡¦t get out.

It is a feeling that many of us can relate to. In fact, there may be somebody here this morning ¡V listening to this message right now, and within your own heart, you feel that way about your life, even as we speak. You understand the idea of emptiness, meaninglessness, and being unfulfilled."

Now, it may not be your entire life, it could just be a very important aspect of your life. Maybe it¡¦s your career, or your family, or your marriage, or maybe it¡¦s a relationship with your children or with your parents. It seems as if no matter what you do, you still feel the emptiness, the hopelessness of the entire situation.

Well let me tell you something this morning ¡V there is hope. Your life can be meaningful and fulfilling. So can be your career, your marriage, and your relationships. Whatever it is in your life, that feels empty - can be fulfilling. Take your Bibles, and turn with me to the very first chapter of the very first book ¡V the Book of Genesis. It may surprise you to find out that the promise of that hope can be found right here in the first chapter of Genesis.

This is the chapter that reveals to us our beginnings. It tells the story of God¡¦s creating the universe, the earth, and mankind. I will admit that this chapter has taken a lot of abuse over the past several years. The fact of the matter is ¡V science has gone a long way to prove that everything had a beginning. Most of science has also gone a long way in trying to explain those beginnings without God.

But, all you have to do is look at the beauty, the synchronization and the organization of the universe to know that an intelligent, loving and creative God was behind it.

It occurs to me that mankind has set off literally billions of explosions. But only those that are carefully planned by pyrotechnic engineers can be said to beautiful and creative. And yet we are told that all of the beauty of creation began with a giant and unplanned explosion. How many of us have sat and watched an incredible 4th of July display fireworks display? Or how many of us were amazed at the wonderful celebrations around the world as we ushered in the new millenium? Wonderfully designed and choreographed displays of fireworks everywhere. Each one of those was a small explosion. The only way that those marvelous scenes can be created is by someone sitting down and thinking them out. Unless they are planned and supervised, an explosion leaves nothing but chaos.

We can sit outside on any clear night and gaze at the stars and wonder all we want about them and where they came from, or we can open the Bible and read the first sentence and meet the engineer who designed and created them. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.