According to the news the world was supposed to end with the Mayan Calendar. So what happened? The world didn’t come to an end did it?
Did you believe what the world was telling you? So, did you know what the Bible said about the same thing?
Matthew Chapter 24 and look at verse 36 in particular.
You know there are many different ideas out there on God and the end of the world. There are many different ideas on even the Bible. This year I have challenged you to read through the Bible in a year, why?
Because we need a straight path don’t we, we need something to guide us?
God’s Word should be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path right? Where is that found? Psalm 119:105
What does the Bible say about when the world is going to end? Well this year we are going to read what the Bible has to say and what God has for our lives.
This past week we started reading in the Bible, in Matthew, Acts, Psalms and Genesis. I want to look at only one of those verses with you today. Amazing…out of all those verses, I only chose one.
Although before going to that verse I just say that I was encouraged by Psalm 1. Even when Pastors make decisions we sometimes second guess things and for me Psalm 1 was a nice confirmation to the idea of going through the Bible in a year together. Please open your Bible to Psalm 1 with me for just a moment.
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Point 1: Readers of the Word are stable and prosperous.
Now let’s go to the verse I feel the Lord wanted me to center the message on this morning.
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.
Now you might not know it but even reading this verse there are problems with our understanding of it. Let me tell you why. We have preconceived ideas on what we read.
Has anyone heard of a word called presupposition?
A presupposition (or ps) is an implicit assumption about the world or background belief relating to an utterance whose truth is taken for granted in discourse. Examples of presuppositions include:
• Jane no longer writes fiction. Presupposition: Jane once wrote fiction.
• Have you stopped eating meat? Presupposition: you had once eaten meat.
• Have you talked to Dale? Presupposition: Dale exists.
What is the presupposition of Genesis 1:1?
Each and every Sunday each of us brings something with us. What we bring depends on where we have been and who we have been with. We also bring thoughts that have been influenced by others. When we interact and learn from others, it influences what we believe to be true. Let me give you a practical example of what I am talking about.
Illustration: school and children voting to think that the child was completely justified in keeping the money they found.
So what do we believe about life and how to live?
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Point two: Are we influenced by the world or by the Word.
There are all kinds of views about how and why we exist? There are many beliefs about God and who He is. But what do we believe about God? What do we believe about this God first mentioned in Genesis 1:1?
Let’s first take a look at what others believe. The following are five major world beliefs about God. In looking at these major belief systems and their views of God, we find tremendous diversity:
• Hindus acknowledge MULTIPLE gods and goddesses.
• Buddhists say there is NO supreme being.
• New Age followers believe they ARE God.
• Muslims believe in a powerful but UNKNOWABLE God.
• Christians believe in a God who is loving and approachable.
Are all religions worshiping the same God? I know that you have seen the bumper sticker:
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Coexist
Let's consider that.
Christianity isn’t the only religion that discounts the others… anyone ever see the coexist bumper sticker? It’s not true… and once again it is worldly thinking…
New Age teaches that everyone should come to center on a cosmic consciousness, but it would require Islam to give up their one God, Hinduism to give up their numerous gods, and Buddhism to establish that there is a God.
The world's major religions (Hinduism, New Age, Buddhism, Islam, following Jesus Christ) are each quite unique. And of these only one affirms that there is a personal, loving God who can be known, now in this life. Jesus Christ spoke of a God who welcomes us into a relationship with him and comes along side us as a comforter, counselor and powerful God who loves us.
In Hinduism a person is on their own trying to gain release from karma.
In New Age a person is working at their own divinity.
In Buddhism it is an individual quest at being free from desire.
And in Islam, the individual follows religious laws for the sake of paradise after death.
In Jesus' teaching, you see a personal relationship with a personal God -- a relationship that carries over into the next life.
The true nature of God has been one of life's great mysteries, but the general consensus among the world's mainstream religions is that God is the divine creator of the universe. God is said to be all-knowing, all-powerful, present everywhere, and perfectly and absolutely good. Most mainstream religions such as Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are monotheistic, meaning that there is only one God. The opposite of monotheism is polytheism, or the belief that there are many gods. Many ancient religions such as those of the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans were polytheistic, and some polytheistic religious beliefs that still exist today include Shintoism, Buddhism, and Wicca to name just a few.
I don’t want to get too far away from Gods Word but I want you to understand that there are many beliefs out there and only one is true.
Our God is the only one to send His son to die for his peoples sins. And who was that? And what did Jesus say about how to get to heaven and to be with our God.
Let’s look at John 14:6 and see what Jesus said.
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Point 3: There is only one God and one way to heaven.
Remember that we first of all have to believe that there is a God which brings us to something else to talk about briefly. Who is someone who doesn’t believe in any God or gods? An Atheist, that is right. I there are lots of people out there who hold that as their belief. We have had youth, one of which was my neighbor that came to youth group.
We need to know and be able to understand what people believe around us. I guess that bring us to the next part of the message. Just who is this God whom we find in Genesis 1:1? Does anyone have a study Bible at home? Do you use it when reading the Bible?
Here are some wonderful references that I want to share with you from other parts of the Bible and what it says about this God of ours in the Bible that we are supposed to love with everything we are.
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God is:
Jesus, The Creator of all, The giver of life, The Owner of it all, Our Helper, He is Powerful, wise and understanding… knower of all.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 He was with God in the beginning.
Acts 17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
Nehemiah 9:6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
Psalm 89:11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.
Psalm 124:8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Isaiah 42:5 This is what God the LORD says--he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:
Jeremiah 10:12 But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.
God is:
Jesus, The Creator of all, The giver of life, The Owner of it all, Our Helper, He is Powerful, wise and understanding… knower of all.
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Point 4: Who is God to you from the scriptures?
I bet we could continue on huh? Are you getting the point this morning?
Don’t be swayed by the world around us. Why? Their ways are wicked! Did you read in the book of Genesis this week about Noah? Why did God bring the flood in Genesis? Go to Genesis 6:5-6.
Finish this sentence: In the beginning…
There is only One and Only One true God amen? One who created it all… who is sustaining it all… and only one way to Him and that is through Jesus Christ!
Do you remember Jesus exact words with me this morning… Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life…
