That’s Why We Worship - Worshiping God As Creator
"Worshiping God As Creator"
Creation Joke: There were these three professionals sitting around a table talking about the oldest profession. The Doctor says, "well, the Bible says that God took a rib out of Adam to make woman. Since that clearly required surgery, then the oldest profession is medicine. The engineer says, "No, the Bible also says that God created the whole world out of void and chaos. To do that, God must surely have been an engineer. So engineering is the oldest profession. The lawyer smiles and leans forward and says, "Ah, who do you think created the Chaos?"
The Christian faith maintains as a foundational belief from the Bible that the universe was created by the infinite God, simply by speaking it into existence.
Revelation 4:10, 11 - "the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the One who lives forever and ever. And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, ‘You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For You created everything, and it is for Your pleasure that they exist and were created.’"
There is a battle today over the origins of the universe. The tension is really one between philosophical beliefs rather than scientific evidence. The famous Scopes trial was the beginning of the public battle, but it rages on even more furiously today.
- competing thoughts - evolution vs. Creationism - there is no ground for cooperation, and the true evolutionists understands this. Christians, in ignorance, often are willing to say, "I believe both can be true." But there is no legitimate mix. Why? Because the foundation of evolutionary thought is that there is no design or designer to our universe. All is governed by time, chance, survival of the fittest, mutations and natural selection that bring us to where we are today. The existence of a God posits purpose and design, and most importably dependance upon a God.
That’s why there is and always will be a fierce battle by evolutionists to keep any theory of intelligent design or creationism out of the classrooms. Their philosophical and unproven presuppositions demand it.
Take for instance the recent controversy with the decision of the Kansas Board of Education. Interestingly, the Associated Press voted this controversy as the top story of 1999. By a vote of 6-4, they voted to de-emphasize speculative aspects of evolution. They did not ban evolution from the classroom. To the contrary, they insisted on it, but they reacted to a new set of guidelines handed down in 1995 by the National Academy of Sciences calling for "dramatic changes" in the way public schools teach science. The guidelines insisted that evolution in the classroom be elevated from theory to "unifying concept" or in other words foundational truth on an even par with standards of measurements. That was too much for some on the state board. They were willing to increase the teaching of micro evolution -testable, observable variations in the world caused by adaptation, natural selection and genetics, but macro evolution - the "particles to people" variety, they regarded as theory, speculative. The wanted to give local districts the freedom to set their own standards for this. For that minor act of intellectual independence, the board members were castigated mercilessly. A Washington Post article called the "pinheads," certain to be eliminated through natural selection. Many other derogatory labels followed.
Many in the scientific community responded in like manner, but more quietly. Why? First, because what the board asked for was reasonable. Evolution is a theory, especially at the macro level, and even scientific proponents acknowledge this. But more importantly, they are careful not to reveal their motivations.
What is at stake here is the very definition of "science." Science has historically been defined as objective investigation (discovering and testing facts). But there is another definition held implicitly in the scientific establishment, which is the idea that science may legitimately employ only natural causes in explaining everything we observe. This is materialism or naturalism. The way this definition operates is to outlaw any questioning of naturalistic evolution. Darwinists don’t ask "whether" life evolved from a sea of chemicals; they only ask "how." They don’t ask "whether" complex life forms evolved from simpler forms; they only ask "how" it happened. The presupposition is that natural forces alone must account for the development of all life and material on earth. They begin with an unproven presupposition that they insist cannot be questioned.
Harvard biologist and renowned evolutionist Richard Lewontin gave the game away in a revealing article in The New York Review of books in January of 1997. While expressing skepticism for "unsubstantiated just so stories," he nonetheless accepts the standard story of evolution. Why? Here is what he said. "We take the side of science in spite of the absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, . . . Because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism. It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a divine foot in the door."
There it is. Science is willing to go where the evidence does not lead in order to keep the possibility of a God out of the equation. And why is this? Because admitting that a God is behind it all is to admit our dependance, our accountability to someone outside ourselves. And so the battle rages, but it is not really a scientific battle, but a philosophical one. Never forget that. On March 11, the Denver Post reported that a poll by The People For The American Way, an organization certainly not friendly to religion, revealed that 79%, almost eight out of ten Americans believe that the theory of creation ought to be taught alongside the theory of evolution in the public schools. That scares proponents of materialistic evolution. So the battle will rage on . . . not for a true examination of the facts and the evidence, but a battle for the minds of mankind, for the right to declare our independence from God, for the right to determine our own standards of right and wrong, to worship no one but ourselves. That’s what is at stake. It is a battle of foundations. Evolution and Intelligent Design theories are not compatible, and evolutionists know and acknowledge it. One rejects the existence of God altogether while the other glorifies God.
Romans 1:20 says that, "From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see His invisible qualities - His eternal power and diving nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks."
That’s the issue - ultimately - WORSHIP - expression of dependance, adoration, obedience and thanks. Man, in his fallen state does not want that. He wants to be independent. It started back in the Garden of Eden. Satan tempted Eve with the possibility of being like God, independent of God, and she fell for it. And we keep falling for it.
But I proclaim to you this morning that God is the Creator of all things, and we do owe Him our obedience and our worship. What else does the Bible say about God as Creator?
I. How God Created
A. Out of nothing - ex nihilo -He did not start with something else that was equally as eternal as Him. He called into existence that which did not previously exist.
- Gen. 1:1,2 - "in the beginning" coupled with "bara - created" means this.
- John 1:3 - "all things came into being by Him, and apart form Him nothing came into being that has come into being."
- Romans 4:17 - "God . . . Who calls into being that which does not exist."
- Heb. 11:3 - "By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible."
- It takes faith. It is beyond our observation and experience. God tells us this is how it is, and we are to trust Him. It is not contrary to the scientific evidence we have to observe, but we cannot explain it with our finite understanding.
Thus, God alone is eternal and uncreated.
II. Why God Created
A. To manifest His glory and be glorified in creation.
- This is not egotistical for God, for He is not a finite creature.
- Is. 43:7 "I have created for My glory."
- Is. 48:11 - "For My own sake, for My own sake I will act . . .My glory I will not give to another."
- Ephesians 1:12-14 - We exist "to the praise of His glory."
- Heb. 2:10 - "for Whom are all things and through Whom are all things."
- Psalm 19:1 - "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands."
- Psalm 104 - in the midst of a great description of creation, it says, "Let the glory of the Lord endure forever."
B. To bestow His goodness upon rational creatures who could acknowledge and enjoy His goodness. He wants relationship with us.
- 1 Timothy 6:17 - God, "richly supplies us with all things to enjoy."
- James 1:17 - "every good and perfect gift is from above."
- Acts 14:17 - God’s goodness satisfies our hearts with food and gladness."
- Habbakuk 3:17-19 - the greatest joy is God Himself, not the gifts He gives. He wants us to love Him, not only the gifts He gives.
- Matthew 6:33 - both purposes in order
- We are to seek first His kingdom and righteousness (rule and glory)
- And all these things will be added unto you (enjoy His goodness)
- He did not have to create. God was not lonely or incomlete without creating. It was a free will choice. Like a parent, God enjoys giving and sharing with us.
- Ps. 115:3 - "Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases."
- Revelation 4:11 - "because of Thy will they were created."
III. How God Relates To His Creation
- creation is dependant upon Him - He holds it together. Colossions 1:16,17
- He is in control, sovereign, yet man has true free will
- How? - by the wisdom and power of God - His eternality allows Him true foreknowledge without causing all things. He controls through several methods, but can even use the evil free will choices of man to bring about His purposes.
- Romans 8;29 - "Whom He foreknew He also predestined . . ."
- free will -
- sovereignty -
- what is logically impossible for a finite being (man) is not impossible with the infinite God.
III. What Is Our Appropriate Response?
- absolute dependance and worship - God alone is eternal and uncreated. He alone is infinite and uncontigent, unlimited by creation, unless He decides to limit Himself.
- this is what Satan attacked even in the garden - you can be independant.
- any teaching that says man is divine or will become divine is not from God. We are and always will be dependant, contingent upon God the creator.
- contrary to Mormonism, radical envirionmentalism, materialistic humanism, eastern religions, etc.
God and God alone is infinite . . .
1. Unlimited is His existence - alone eternal and uncreated
2. In respect to time - eternal
3. In respect to space - omnipresence
4. In His power - omnipotent
5. In His knowledge - omniscient
So what is our response to the God who created all things?
- Acknowledging that man is a creature with meaning and purpose. - to enjoy God’s goodness and give Him glory. Worship! Without creation, there is no answer to the question, Who am I and Why am I here or even Why should I behave a certain way? But if the Bible’s teaching on creation is true, we know exactly who we are and why we are here and what God wants of us.
A. We are created in His image - His children
B. We are to follow His laws and serve Him. The fact of creation is the source of our oughtness, the source of moral absolutes. They are found in God who created.
Ps. 24,1,2 - He owns it all as creator - including us.
Creation gives us the foundation for "moral absolutes"
C. We exist to worship Him and glorify Him and enjoy His goodness. He is the center of our lives, the sustainer of our lives.
- response of awe, reverence and honor
- Revelation 4:10,11
When we don’t, He provides for our forgiveness - that’s next week.
- Creation by itself gives us all the motivation needed for worship, but sin also gives us a reason to be terrified, "for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." But at the cross we find out more about God. There we see Him not just as the good Creator, but as a merciful and faithful and loving Savior.
- the response of terror is replaced with a response of thanksgiving. And the once again, we can apprecciate God for being creator and ruler of creation and of our lives.
- Will you worship Him - enthusiastically - with abandon?
How we do that is other areas of our life so naturally - e.g. cheeseheads. LA Lakers fans,
