God The Creator Series

Stories of God – Attributes of God. May 4, 2003

Genesis 1

God is Creator

Worship in heaven

Revelation 4

7In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,

who was, and is, and is to come."

9Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11"You are worthy, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they were created

and have their being."

There are two things that God is praised for in this vision of heaven – for His holiness, and for his creation. Last week we talked about the Holiness of God, this week – his creation.

It makes sense – The Church_SHIFT Conference is about connecting the Church with creation. Tuesday was earth day, and the weather is such that we are coming out of our basements and enjoying the whole of creation, not just the cave with the TV.

Creator is such a huge part of who God is, to ignore it is to ignore God, let’s listen to the story of creation once again in some new words.

Genesis 1 (The Message)

Heaven and Earth

1First this: God created the Heavens and Earth--all you see, all you don’t see. 2Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God’s Spirit brooded like a bird above the watery abyss.

3God spoke: "Light!"

And light appeared.

4God saw that light was good

and separated light from dark.

5God named the light Day,

he named the dark Night.

It was evening, it was morning--

Day One.

6God spoke: "Sky! In the middle of the waters;

separate water from water!"

7God made sky.

He separated the water under sky

from the water above sky.

And there it was:

8he named sky the Heavens;

It was evening, it was morning--

Day Two.

9God spoke: "Separate!

Water-beneath-Heaven, gather into one place;

Land, appear!"

And there it was.

10God named the land Earth.

He named the pooled water Ocean.

God saw that it was good.

11God spoke: "Earth, green up! Grow all varieties

of seed-bearing plants,

Every sort of fruit-bearing tree."

And there it was.

12Earth produced green seed-bearing plants,

all varieties,

And fruit-bearing trees of all sorts.

God saw that it was good.

13It was evening, it was morning--

Day Three.

14God spoke: "Lights! Come out!

Shine in Heaven’s sky!

Separate Day from Night.

Mark seasons and days and years,

15Lights in Heaven’s sky to give light to Earth."

And there it was.

16God made two big lights, the larger

to take charge of Day,

The smaller to be in charge of Night;

and he made the stars.

17God placed them in the heavenly sky

to light up Earth

18And oversee Day and Night,

to separate light and dark.

God saw that it was good.

19It was evening, it was morning--

Day Four.

20God spoke: "Swarm, Ocean, with fish and all sea life!

Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!"

21God created the huge whales,

all the swarm of life in the waters,

And every kind and species of flying birds.

God saw that it was good.

22God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean!

Birds, reproduce on Earth!"

23It was evening, it was morning--

Day Five.

24God spoke: "Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind:

cattle and reptiles and wild animals--all kinds."

And there it was:

25wild animals of every kind,

Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug.

God saw that it was good.

26God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them

reflecting our nature

So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,

the birds in the air, the cattle,

And, yes, Earth itself,

and every animal that moves on the face of Earth."

27God created human beings;

he created them godlike,

Reflecting God’s nature.

He created them male and female.

28God blessed them:

"Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!

Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,

for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth."

29Then God said, "I’ve given you