Who Is This God
Genesis 1:1-3
Intro: A couple had two little boys, ages 8 and 10, who were excessively mischievous. They were always getting into trouble and their parents knew that, if any mischief occurred in their town, their sons were probably involved. The boys’ mother heard that a clergyman in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The clergyman agreed, but asked to see them individually. So the mother sent her 8-year-old first, in the morning, with the older boy to see the clergyman in the afternoon. The clergyman, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Where is God?" The boy’s mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there with his mouth hanging open, wide-eyed. So the clergyman repeated the question in an even sterner tone, "Where is God!" Again the boy made no attempt to answer. So the clergyman raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy’s face and bellowed, "WHERE IS GOD!" The boy screamed and bolted from the room, ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him. When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "What happened?" The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied "We are in BIG trouble this time, dude. God is missing - and they think WE did it!"
. That’s a question that many people ask .
. Where is God or maybe who is God.
. What is He like.
. How do I know I can trust Him?
. There are many questions about God that need to be answered.
. This morning we are going to start in Genesis.
. We will work this much like we did Nehemiah. We will move in and out between Genesis and a New Testament book with other messages thrown in as God leads.
. There are many ways we can start this great foundational book. We could look at science verses the Bible in the account of creation.
. Was there a big bang. My answer to that is yes.
. God spoke and Bang there it was.
. As I read these first three verses, one thing we can glean from them is that they tell us much about God.
. Who is this God that created the universe?
. What is He like?
. This morning I want us to look and see Just who this God we serve is as taught from the beginning.
. Lets read our scripture.
. Genesis 1:1-3
. 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the cearth.
2The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
3Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
. The first thing we see here about this God we worship is that:
. He Is The God Who Is Eternal
. Verse 1 says
. In the beginning God …
. Not from the beginning God.
. You know why, God had nor does He have a beginning.
. He just was. He has always existed and always will.
. This beginning that the narrative of Genesis is talking about is the beginning of the heavens and the Earth , not the beginning of God. He was and always will be.
. When we think that Gods existence started with Creation, we diminish who He is.
.R. C. Sproul called this half sentence “probably the most intense, unfathomable, profound statement in the whole Bible. Contemplating God’s self-existence stretches our thoughts and vocabulary beyond their ability to comply. Yet it provides great comfort also. Here is the ground for your faith that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. Here is assurance that he can wipe away every tear. Here is confidence that God is big enough to bring all things to the pinnacle of his glory and your joy. We have faith that love and mercy and grace and compassion sustain God’s people throughout eternity because these attributes come from within God! They are not outside of him, things which he may or may not subscribe to. They are the overflow of his being, so that we can trust him forever.
. He is the Eternal God whom we can place our faith and trust in.
. The next thing we see here in the first three verses is.
. He Is The Triune God Of The Universe
. Look at verse 1-3 again
. 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
3Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
. I know, you look at that and you say where do you see the trinity in that pastor.
. When we translate Hebrew into English we lose meanings sometimes.
. The Hebrew name used for God here in this first verse is Elohim.
. Other places in the Bible different names are used for God such as Yahweh or Jehovah.
. Moses uses this name for God here though so that the people and us will understand that this God we serve is more .
. This is the plural form of the name of God.
. It is used to signify his different personalities and His triune existence.
. In these three verses we see God as plural or more than one.
. In verse 2 we see the Spirit part of the triune God.
. “…And the Spirit of God was hovering …
. One part of the triune god was hovering over the waters.
. Then in verse 3 we see this:
. “3Then God said …”
. Any time we see Human qualities of God coming forth Folks This Is Jesus.
. God in the Flesh.
. Pastor just how do you know that this is Jesus. Because John tells us.
. Look at John 1:1-4
. 1In the beginning the word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2He existed in the beginning with God.
3God created everything through him,
4The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
. Right here, in the first three verses we see the essence of the triune God.
. God the Father
. God the Spirit
. God the Son Jesus.
. That’s a lot to wrap your head around isn’t.
. I have spent many hours trying to understand the Trinity.
. I still have trouble comprehending this concept sometimes.
. We can perceive the God of the cartoons who sits on a cloud with lightning bolts held in his hands.
. We can perceive the God who is there to listen to our prayers and help us.
. Most Christians today perceive God like one person noted: God is a lot like our pastor. I don’t see him through the week and I don’t understand him on Sunday.
. Augustine, while puzzling over the doctrine of the Trinity, was walking along the beach one day when he observed a young boy with a bucket, running back and forth to pour water into a little hole. Augustine asked, "What are you doing?" The boy replied, "I’m trying to put the ocean into this hole." Then Augustine realized that he had been trying to put an infinite God into his finite mind.
. I am probably not doing a very good job of explaining this Trinity because to me the concept is fleeting.
. But the God of Genesis, The creator God, is also the Triune God of the universe.
. We see that in the first three verses of scripture.
. Next we see that our God Is:
. The God who is all powerful.
.Look at verse 1 again
. 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth
. When this world started God created it.
. A little more Hebrew for you. I don’t want to get bogged down in Hebrew word studies but this is important.
. The Hebrew verb used for create is bara. It is used exclusively for God. Humans can make or build or add on to something but they cannot create.
. There are other words used in Hebrew for build or make.
. There is only one for create and that word is used to describe what God does exclusively.
. God is the only being than can truly create.
. There was a group of scientists who got together one day and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell God that they were done with Him.
The scientist walked up to God and said, “God, we’ve decided that we no longer need you. We’re to the point we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so we just don’t need you anymore.”
God listened very patiently and kindly to the man and after the scientist was done talking, God said, “Very well, how about this, let’s say we have a ‘man-making’ contest.” To which the scientist replied, “OK, great!”
God added, “Now, we’re going to do this just like I did in the old days with Adam.” The scientist said, “Sure, no problem” and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.
God just looked at him and said, “No…you get and make your own dirt.
.Our God is powerful enough to speak us into existence folks.
. With all the hubbub about evolution and the big bang and all this other noise, we lose sight of the fact that the one who created this is so powerful that all that needs to be done is to speak and things come into existence.
. I don’t know about you this morning but I stand in awe of such power.
. There’s a little chorus that we sing.
. I stand I stand in awe of you, yes I stand I stand in awe of you, Holy God to whom all praise is due I stand in awe of you.
. This is the foundation of our faith.
. If our God, if my God is not the creator God, then this book is a lie.
. We can’t possibly say that we believe only part of what this says.
. Our God is the powerful creator God.
. Lastly we see that Our God Brings Order Out Of Chaos.
.He brings Light Out Of Darkness.
.Look with me at verses 2&3 again
. 2The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
. 3Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
. The earth was empty and void and God brought order to the universe.
. There’s a young teenager out there this morning that longs for someone to love and care for them but theres no one, she places the gun to her head and and pulls the trigger.
. There’s a Family that has been wrecked due to infidelity in the marriage and the children are watching as their family is torn apart.
. There’s a business man out there who’s business has failed and he can’t provide for his family.
. There’s a young man out there whose family life is in such turmoil that he contemplates mass murder.
. Our world today is surrounded by emptiness and darkness.
. People are living in a formless world, just moving like robots day by day.
. Peoples lives are in chaos and they are living in darkness.
. We know the one who can bring order to their empty dark lives.
. We know the one who did this in the beginning.
. God, Elohim, the triune God is the only one who can bring order and light into the dark and empty lives of the world.
. Are we telling people about this God?
. We know who He is and what He can do in the lives of people.
. If we say we love people, then we must tell people who this God is that we serve and who this God is that can bring light into the darkness of their lives.
. God brings order and light into our chaotic and dark lives.
. As we close, do you believe what this book tells you.
. Do you believe that we are here for a purpose.
. Do you believe that God created us and has provided a way to have fellowship with Him?
. We do that through accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, 1/3 of the Triune God, for our sins.
. That belief and acceptance can bring order and light and clarity to our lives.
. Do you know him today.
*** To my Christian brothers and sisters, thank you for taking the time to read this sermon. I ask that you take another second and score this for me. I am always open to feedback so that I can continue to grow in the proclamation of God’s word.
May God bless you as you continue to strive to walk worthy of His calling.
Sources: The Holy Bible, NLT
Illustrations from sermon central
