Is God Green?*
Revelation 11:18
Sermon Objective: To show God’s concern and redemption of the earth as well as man’s obligation as care-taker.
Supporting Scripture: Genesis 1-2; Genesis 6:11-12; Exodus 23:10-11; Leviticus 18:26, 28; Leviticus 25-26; Numbers 35:33-34; Deuteronomy 20:19; Psalm 8:3-8; Psalm 19; Isaiah 11:1-9; Isaiah 24:4-6; Isaiah 35:1-2; Isaiah 55:12-13; Isaiah 65:17-23; Hosea 4:1-3; Romans 1:20; Romans 8:19-23; Colossians 1:15-20; Revelation 21:1, 5
INTRO:
When I bought my truck, many years ago, a friend asked to borrow it to pick up some furniture they had purchased. When I got the truck back the gas gauge was on empty, some of the radio presets were changed, and there were surface scratches on rear quarter panel and the tail gate.
It was an expensive truck and only three months old. As you can imagine I was rather disappointed. Most of my disappointment was because someone who called themselves my friend showed such disregard for my property.
REV. 11:15-18
Rev 11:15The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." 16And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17saying: "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
Rev 11:18The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great—and for destroying those who destroy the earth."
“The time has … for destroying those who destroy the earth.”
Interesting. It seems our Heavenly Father also gets a bit perturbed at those who show disregard for his property too.
In the beginning, God, creates the heavens and the earth. The earth begins as a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, or as some like to say “without form and void.” But God’s Spirit moved above all of this, and the voice of God begins speaking the worlds into existence. Light and darkness, water and sky, land and plants, stars and planets, fish and birds, and land animals.
And then, God speaks “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 the Earth.” Rather than just speaking humanity into being, God forms and molds humanity from the earth itself, connecting man and woman to the ground from which they are formed. Genesis calls the earth “adamah” and the first man “adam.” These words emphasize humanity’s identity as part of creation. Consider this: if Genesis were translated in English to illustrate the closeness of this connection, God might call the first man “earthling.”
God endows earthlings with a special gift and calling: humanity reflects God’s very own nature and bears the Divine image by creating and cultivating life.
God speaks to them saying: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill the Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for the fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of the Earth.” “Take Care” (Genesis 2:15) = is the Hebrew word, “Shamar” and means protect, attend to, or watch over. THEY ARE NEVER GRANTED PERMISSION TO EXPLOIT OR DAMAGE THE EARTH.
But things do not stay this simple; humanity decides not to follow Gods orders. Adam and Eve violate the instruction of God, and their mistake leads to the corruption of the earth. Their disobedience curses the earth.
Genesis 3:17-19 reads, “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
When they have children, Cain and Able, and Able is murdered by Cain, and the blood that is shed causes a curse on the ground again.
By the time of Noah (in Genesis 5), things get so out of control that God sees his creation as ruined. So God decides that things must be made right. There needs to be a clean sweep, a new start of the earth, a recreation if you will, to purge the earth of its wickedness. God decides that the one good man, his family, and two of all the living animals on the earth will begin again as new and good. A flood is sent to fulfill the chaos that has taken over the earth, and from this chaos of rain and rushing waters, God once again brings order. His chosen few have survived on a boat, an ark, and when they step out of it, God intends for them to fulfill humanity’s first calling as image-bearers of God: the creation and cultivation of life.
WHAT STANDS OUT IN THE STORIES OF THE EARTH IS THAT IT IS DYNAMICALLY CONNECTED TO HUMANITY. Not only does the it suffer in the fall of man but humanity’s actions continue to have effects on the land.
• In the Law, Numbers, the people of Israel are instructed that bloodshed will pollute their land. And while God cared for the land He gave to Israel, He warns his people in the giving of the law that if Israel turns from Him, the heavens will be shut, the land will not produce, and they will lose their land. If Israel remains faithful to God, the land will flourish.
• In the prophets, the land mourns because of our sin against each other and God—creatures are dying because of our sin. Our sin brings violence and the destruction of land. The prophet Hosea (4:1-3, NRSV) speaks saying,
“Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel; for the Lord has an indictment against the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or loyalty, and no knowledge of God in the land. Swearing, lying, and murder, and stealing and adultery break out; bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefore the land mourns, and all who live in it languish; together with the wild animals and the birds of the air, even the fish of the sea are perishing.”
But with the advent of the story of Christ, we see a new understanding of creation unfold and a turn in the drama of the story.
• John writes that in the beginning, Christ was present and active in the work of creation, that all things were made by him and that nothing was made without him.
• In Colossians (1:15-17) Paul echoes this new revelation of Christ’s role saying that “in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
But the text of Colossians in its reflection of Christ and creation does not end there. Its author knows the Old Testament, and understands that humanity’s choices have altered the original state of God’s Creation. What was once created good has become tainted by the sins of man. Creation is still good, but definitely not the way it was designed to be. Colossians provides us with the resolution of the story, God’s solution to sin and the brokenness that has overcome the earth. And this divine solution is JESUS THE CHRIST.
The text speaks to us saying: “all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of [Christ’s] death, his blood that poured down from the cross” (Col. 1:20, The Message)
Or as the NIV puts it this way: “and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Colossians (1:20)
In the book, Velvet Elvis, Rob Bell comments on the Colossians passage. He says, This is “an interesting word here: reconcile. To make peace where it has been lacking. To bring back together. To mend what is torn and to fix what is broken”. This is the resolution to the story of Creation: a creation that was once created good became tainted by sin, but this creation, ALL OF IT, IS ABLE TO BE FIXED BY THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS.
Bell goes on to say, “And Paul wants us to make sure we grasp that this is a much larger issue than just human souls”. All too often, we see ‘salvation’ as an issue between God and humanity alone. But as the stories in Genesis showed us, while God is concerned with the well-being of his people, He is also concerned with the well-being of his creation. And in the cross, the act by which we are reconciled to God, we are not the only beneficiaries. The Cross is so much bigger and important in its scope than just humanity. He uses the phrase “all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven” because Paul wants us to see that this is all of creation… every bird and tree and mountain and star and every single square inch of the physical creation. ALL OF CREATION, IN ITS ENTIRETY, IS FIXED BY THE SHED BLOOD OF JESUS. God chose Christ’s death on the cross as the means of bringing all creation back into harmony.
WRAP-UP
We can miss message the message of creation-care and creation’s redemption if we are not careful but some of the most famous verses in the Bible teach it. For example, John 3:16-17 says, “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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” The word “world” is the word “cosmos” it refers to all of the created order.
To quote Bell once again, “In Jesus, God is putting all of the cosmos back together. To make the cross of Jesus just about human salvation is to miss that God is interested in saving everything. Ever star and rock and bird. All things”.
When I got my truck back from my friend and how it was impaired by his use I set out to “fix” it. I reset my radio presets, and an auto body shop buffed out the scratches. Before long, it was as good as new ... but not without a price.
Creation will be resorted and repaired too. It is all accomplished in Christ on the Cross. Jesus’ death and resurrection make this new life, this grand fixing of creation possible; in fact, they initiate it. But we know that it is not fulfilled now. While Christ is the firstborn of Creation and the firstborn of the Resurrection, all the rest of Creation is still waiting to experience this in its fullness. In Romans (8:19-21), Paul describes this present state of incompleteness saying:
For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
We are told of this final climax to the story in the last chapters of the Bible, found in the Book of Revelation. Then, the old creation is remade to be new, and the reconciliation of all things becomes a concrete reality, the groaning of creation ends as the curse of Eden and sin is finally reversed. John describes the New Jerusalem, the dwelling place of God, coming down to earth, so that heaven and earth intersect as creation is remade and recreated, its brokenness fixed, and its goodness shines forth once and for all in a way to be untouched and untainted by sin.
So what are we supposed to do with this story? How does the story of the earth and creation in the Scriptures affect me individually and us corporately as the body of Christ?
Do we, the church, sit back and just wait for this restoration to occur? Does this mean we have license to do whatever we will with God’s creation since God is ultimately in control?
• If God saw his creation as good, then we should see it as good as well.
• If the creation is valuable to God, then we should value it as well.
• If Christ was willing to sacrifice himself, not just for us, but for the restoration of all things, everything, should we not be committed to the same goal?
In his book, “Pollution and the Death of Man” Francis Schaeffer says “Christians who believe the Bible are not simply called to say that “one day” there will be healing, but that by God’s grace, upon the basis of the work of Christ, substantial healing can be a reality here and now…On the basis of the fact that there is going to be total redemption in the future, not only of man but of all creation, the Christian who believes the Bible should be the man who—with God’s help and in the power of the Holy Spirit—is treating nature now in the direction of the way nature will be then.”
Concretely, participating in this work is very simple. SMALL, DELIBERATE STEPS CAN AND DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. The National Association of Evangelicals [From the ReVision Project] advocates the following concrete ways that we can participate in creation care:
CREATION CARE: TEN STEPS anyone can take
1. The Easiest “One Thing” to Do:
Replace five regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent energy saving bulbs.
If every home in America did this, we could save energy equivalent to 21 coal burning power plants!
In fact, if every household in America switched out one compact fluorescent bulb it would reduce energy consumption as much as taking a million cars off the road
2. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle:
If our recycling rate increased from 30% to 60% we would save 315 million barrels of oil in a year
A ton of recycled paper saves:
• 17 trees
• 3 cubic yards of landfill space
• 7,000 gallons of water
• 4,200 kilowatt hours of energy (that’s enough to heat a home for half a year)
• 390 gallons of oil
• and it prevents 60 lbs of air pollutants
3. Insulate Your Home:
Add insulation to walls and roof, install weather stripping, and caulk windows. You could save more than 25 percent in heating costs.
4. Be Thrifty With Heating and Cooling:
If everyone in America would turn their heaters down just 2 degrees we would save over 5% on carbon dioxide emissions.
5. Leave the Car at Home Whenever You Can:
Even something as simple as every American’s tires being properly inflated would save more than 4 million gallons of gas a day
6. Buy Energy-Efficient Products:
If every American household used energystar appliances, it would be the equivalent of taking 3 million cars off the road
7. Turn Down Your Appliances:
Set your water heater at 120 degrees to save energy, and wrap it in an insulating blanket if it is more than 5 years old. Buy low-flow showerheads to save water. Wash clothes in warm or cold water.
8. Don’t Leave the Water Running:
Remember to turn off the water when you’re not using it. For example, while brushing your teeth, shampooing the dog, or soaping up your car, turn off the water until you actually need it for rinsing. You’ll reduce your water bill and help to conserve a vital natural resource.
9. Get a Report Card From Your Utility Company:
Many utility companies provide home energy audits to help consumers identify areas in their homes that may not be energy efficient. In addition, many utility companies offer rebate programs to help pay for the cost of energy-efficient upgrades.
10. Become an Informed Steward:
Learn more about environmental issues so that you can make wise choices and encourage public officials to do likewise.
In 2005 a study of the umbilical cord blood of ten randomly chosen newborns in the United States was tested for toxic chemicals. A total of 287 [toxic chemicals] were found, with the average for each individual infant being 200. Nearly three-quarters of the chemicals were known carcinogens, and the rest were identified as threatening the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems.
Who cares?
Some don't care.
Some make fun of those who do care.
To refer again to the National Association of Evangelicals’ ReVision Project: “If Christ has created the universe, gives it life and sustains it, and has reconciled everything to God, then our actions should participate in Christ's creating, sustaining, and reconciling work.”
As those who confess Jesus Christ to be Savior and Lord, our relationship with all of creation must be in keeping with Christ’s relationship with all of creation. If the Bible teaches us that Christ has created the universe, gives it life and sustains it, and has reconciled everything to God, then our actions should participate in Christ’s creating, sustaining, and reconciling work.
Who cares?
Some don't care.
YOU CANNOT, HOWEVER, READ SOMETHING LIKE PSALM 8, OR 19, OR 104 AND NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THE GOD OF CREATION CARES! If the God of Creation cares, and if we care about what He cares about, then we will to care, too.
Rev. Rodney Romney of Seattle’s First Baptist church wrote: “The universe was not made in jest nor as an experiment but in solemn incomprehensible earnest expectation by a power that is secret, holy, and loving. Then, wonder of wonders, into our fragile hands this universe was placed. There is nothing to be done about it but to accept it, ignore it, or throw it back into the face of the one who gave it.”
Rev 11:18The nations were angry; and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your saints and those who reverence your name, both small and great—and for destroying those who destroy the earth."
He Who Has An Ear
Let Him Hear
+++++++++++++++++++
* Special thanks to my son-in-law, Rev. Kris Adams, for the vast majority of this sermon’s content.
This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
