Scripture Introduction
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle understood well creation’s testimony to the goodness of God. In his memoirs, Sherlock Holmes makes a rather remarkable speech to Watson: “What a lovely thing a rose is…! Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are all really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its color are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers” (Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, “The Naval Treaty,” 1892).
Holmes is right (as always): we do have much to hope from the flowers, and from the rest of the earth which God formed and filled as a perfect nursery for his children. Please give your attention to the creative work of God from Genesis 1.
[Read Genesis 1.1-25. Pray.]
Introduction
In Greek mythology, Echo pines for the handsome Narcissus, but he rejects her as he has rejected all others who longed for him. In response to Echo’s cry, one of the gods curses Narcissus so that he will experience unrequited love. One day, when passing a lake, Narcissus sees his reflection in the water and falls in love with himself. So captivated is he by his own beauty, that he stares at his own image until he wastes away and dies. Thus, “narcissism” is “self-love.”
A few years ago, Paulina Borsook, published her study of the culture of Silicon Valley in the book, Cyber Selfish. She concluded that this part of the country was “bizarrely narcissistic”; then “worried” that these same attitudes and values were seeping into every pore of America. I remind you of the human tendency toward narcissism to stress again that God is the center of the Bible’s story.
Genesis 1.1 describes the cosmic breadth of the miracle of creation with the sweeping pronouncement: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” All that is, is because God made it. He alone is eternal and self-existing; all other things have both a beginning and being which depends wholly on him. “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1.17).
The vastness of space and the complexities of the heavenly bodies have long fascinated mankind. Peering into what some call “the final frontier” well absorbs the considerations and meditations and inquiries of the most determined and diligent scientists and mathematicians. Yet for all the wonder of the stars and all the questions we long to have answered, verse 2 of Genesis quickly narrows the story of the Bible to one small spot in the universe: “[Now] The earth was without form and void.”
E. J. Young, Professor of Old Testament at Westminster Seminary, explains the transition between verses 1 and 2: “Thus, from a contemplation of the entire universe,… the Bible turns to a geocentric emphasis, and maintains that geocentric emphasis throughout to its last page.”
The universe has a significant, but supporting role in the great story. Attention must focus on center stage: where the main characters interact and the great drama unfolds.
Because God lavishes his attention on mankind, we might assume that humans must be the subject of the story. Sometimes people read the Bible that way, don’t they? We might see this book as a manual – how to have a more fulfilled life, a happier marriage, greater financial success, better behaved children, even how to ensure good “luck.” Almost as if the cover of our Bibles was embossed with the Day-Timer slogan: “It’s all about me” – virtually a hermeneutic of narcissism.
The Bible is about mankind, but not in that way. The earth is the center of the universe, but only because God reveals himself here. We have much to hope for from the flowers, but only as they mirror the goodness and greatness of our God.
Surely you have noticed that no matter how much you love yourself, the universe resolutely revolves around another center. The first and great commandment is: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” Deuteronomy 6.5). Obviously, that law imposes on mankind a duty. But it is much more. Because it is not all about me, the times when I am most self-absorbed produce the most pain. The command “to love God first” is the offer of life to my narcissistic soul by the One who can re-center my heart on him.
In the study of theology we say that God shows his nature to us and our duty to him in two ways. By “general revelation,” the universe bombards our senses with attributes of its maker. The first words of our Westminster Confession of Faith speak of general revelation: “the light of nature and the works of creation and providence manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, to such an extent that men are without excuse…” (WCF 1.1). We should see in the world the connection of the dots leading to praise and thanksgiving for the Creator. We sang earlier: “This is my Father’s world, and to my list’ning ears, all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.”
But notice the phrase which Pastor Babcock put in the center of the verse: “to my listening ears.” Nature sings, but I do not hear. Sin distorts the tune and muffles my ears. A narcissistic heart wants creation to serve its desires. So God gives another witness, what we call special revelation, the Word which supplies all things necessary for God’s glory and our salvation, faith, and life.
This morning then, we aim to have the Bible show us the glory of God as the hope of mankind in the creation of the earth and the things which fill it. As we do so, we will find that God is the answer for self-sick souls.
1. God Offers Himself as the Hope for Self-Absorbed Souls by Creating Light
Darkness shrouds the earth, and unless God intervene, life will not exist. Light is essential; it provides the power, the energy for life itself. God himself is life; therefore “God is light and in him in no darkness at all” (1John 1.5).
Satan’s works are works of darkness; God’s are of light. And just as the world would have remained eternally dark without God’s sovereign intervention, so the darkness of sin remains on mankind until and unless the true light comes into the world. 2Corinthians 4.6: “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Jesus came “into the world as light, so that whoever believes in [him] may not remain in darkness” (John 12.46).
Notice that God not only creates light, he also separates it from the darkness. Three things about that act:
First, the separation of day and night remind you that light and darkness have no fellowship – where light is, darkness flees; night is defined as the absence of the sun. So those who know the light of the glory of Christ must have no fellowship with the deeds of darkness, the sins which we hope will be hidden from God. We have been called out of darkness into his marvelous and life-giving light.
Second, the separation of night and day warns us of the reality of heaven and hell and the eternal chasm which divides them. In heaven there is no night; “the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21.22-25). Not so the place of judgment reserved for Satan and his demons. In the “gloom of utter darkness” (2Peter 2.17) there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8.12). Since “the day is at hand…let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13.12).
Third, the separation of day and night preaches God’s Lordship over both. Other religions may propose a yin and yang, two deities equal and opposed. But the Bible insists that the one true God created and rules all, including the dark lord. Psalm 74.16: “Yours is the day, yours also the night.” Psalm 139.12: “Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” The Devil understands only darkness; in him there is no light. God knows all things; thus he alone provides the way out of darkness.
During the first half of this year, we have asked how God would have us reach out to our community in word and deed. Now that we have collected and collated and considered the options, we must implement of a plan. This week I tried to think about why doing that can be so frightening. I believe that part of the answer is that real ministry exposes my heart and motives to the light. There were times last year, in the middle of Whiz Kids, when I found out that I do not always enjoy serving unappreciated children. My selfishness was exposed when I was disrespected by kids I was giving so to help.
And when that happens, my heart quickly offers one of two answers of its own. Sometimes it suggests grit: “this is the right thing to do, buck up and endure.” Other times my heart responds with guilt: “true Christians and pastors do this kind of ministry – so should you.” God offers a third choice, not grit or guilt, but grace: “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness” (John 12.46). God shines the light of the glory of Christ into dark souls that trust in his creative power. God said, “Let there be light – and there is.”
2. God Offers Himself as the Hope for Self-Absorbed Souls by Revealing the Creative Power of the Word
In the first 25 verses of Genesis, the phrase, “God said,” occurs seven times. Every day of the creation week, God speaks his desires into existence. In his word is limitless power, boundless strength, unhindered resolve.
There are powerful people in this world. The stock markets listen intently and often respond dramatically to the President’s words on the economy. The fate of thousands is often affected by the language of political posturing among despotic rulers in oil producing nations. But in each and every case, there is a step between the words and the results. Not every speech produces the expected outcome; even powerful men cannot bend all things to their wills.
But no transition exists between what God says and what happens: “‘Let the dry land appear.’ And it was so.” Wesley captured this idea in the hymn, O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing: “He speaks, and, listening to his voice, new life the dead receive, the mournful, broken hearts rejoice, the humble poor believe.” What God speaks, becomes; his words throb with power, creating the reality they describe.
You have likely noticed that self-pity frequently rises from wanting so badly what we cannot get. We speak and no one responds, at least not the way we want, so we are angry or pouty or bitter or lash out at others. Frustrated self-absorption has many ugly faces. At other times, however, we do get what we want, and discover it is not enough. Our wants are insatiable; nothing completely satisfies, no success truly satisfies. Brett Favre retired at the pinnacle of quarterback fame, but now he wants to win again.
We might suppose that hope lies in having power like God so that we actually get everything we can speak. After all, as Woody Allen complained, “the heart wants what the heart wants.” So if the heart wants but cannot obtain, happiness would seem impossible. The problem, however, is that my heart is not pure – what I want is not best for others, much less myself. I do not need to get the desires of my sinful heart, but to get a heart with new desires! My hope is not in the power to get what I want, but the purity to want what is good!
Then we turn to Genesis 1 and find great hope in creation! Just as God’s words expressed his will and spoke creation into existence, so James 1.18 says that, “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth.” This is why Jesus can say, “whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life” (John 5.24). The word of Christ preached and believed produces the promised work! The Word cannot fail! We are “born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God” (1Peter 1.23).
Yes, my heart contains a selfishness which leads to death. But I need not remain rooted at edge of the lake of Narcissism. God will protect us from both the misery of sinful wants supplied and the frustration of sinful desires thwarted. He who creates the world with his word, creates new hearts with the word of the Gospel! Ephesians 1.13 promises that when you hear the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believe in him, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit. The creative power of the Word gives hope to self-absorbed souls.
3. God Offers Himself as the Hope for Self-Absorbed Souls by Pronouncing All Creation Good
We live in a sin-torn world. Everywhere are shadows of sorrow, signs it’s not the way it’s supposed to be. We may escape (for a season) personal suffering or awareness of the problems in the world, but death, pain, hatred, hurt, grief – these evils eventually spread their darkness across every life. It was not so in the beginning; God made all things good. There are (at least) five reasons creation is good:
• It is good because it shows God’s nature to us: beauty, order, provision, care, power, kindness – these and other attributes of God are seen in his works.
• It is good because there is no sin, no evil, no corruption. Nothing is damaged, broken, hurt, groaning.
• It is good because it functions according to God’s will. Everything made delighted to do obey.
• It is good because it fulfills God’s plan and purpose. Not only does it function as designed, the results are exactly as intended.
• Mostly, however, it is good because God declares it so. Not a relative judgment, as if the flowers in Eden were better than those we grow. This is an absolute statement: the flowers God are good. The pronouncement confers an innate, essential goodness upon creation.
What a stark and strange contrast is the moral description of mankind after the fall: “None is righteous, no, not one…. All have turned aside…; no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3.10,12). What hope have we for good?
The self-focused person imagines they should themselves do good sufficient to please God and restore their claim to the fullness of joy in his presence. But the Apostle Paul tried this method. In Romans 7, he explained the power of the sin in his life: “For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate…. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing…. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”
The God who creates all things good also recreates good in his people. Ephesians 2.10: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Philippians 1.6: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 2.13: “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
The answer is neither to screw up the courage to finally be good, nor to magnify the guilt which prevents another failure, but to believe in the gospel of grace, which creates good works in the lives of those who hope in God.
4. God Offers Himself as the Hope for Self-Absorbed Souls by Creating a Perfect Provision
Light, water, trees, fruit, seed, fish, animals, land, sun, moon, stars – nothing needful is missing. God forms the world and fills it with everything for our happiness and blessing.
He still does! Yes, there are weeds and cabbage worms in the garden. Fighting off deer and raccoons seems at times a hopeless cause. But we put dry, hard seeds into dark soil and reap fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And the taste delights the senses while the body is fueled and strengthened.
Isn’t the hardest part of true faith letting go of the feeling that I can grab enough to be happy? Some grab for the gusto, others for success. Some grasp at the hope of perfect children, or living our lives anew through our kids. Maybe you desire acceptance or respect. Some seek money, or the toys money can buy; others think to be content with a better vacation. No matter what your soul claims will make it happy, they all fall short.
But the filling of the earth with every good thing reminds us to set our “hope on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1Timothy 6.17). A self-absorbed search for happiness by providing enough for ourselves always pulls up an empty bucket from a dry well. The answer to the inexhaustible thirsts parching our souls is not hoarding away another bottle. We need God to provide a kind of water that when drunk “will become in [us] a spring…welling up to eternal life” (John 4.14), a water that causes those who drink to never thirst again.
The God who perfectly supplied the garden with every provision, gave his only son, living water, that you might have life and have it abundantly. He is the hope for every need of your soul. You can trust him to provide. Amen.
