"I had always felt life first as a story,” said G.K. Chesterton. “And if there is a story, there is a story teller.”
From his childhood Chesterton knew in his heart that somehow he had stumbled into a great Tale. His life was a journey to understand that Tale, and his quest took him - quite naturally - to the Author of the Story. It is the search we all must take if we would ever understand our lives, find the reason for our existence.
Life is a story, after all. That’s how it comes to us. But like a movie we’ve arrived at forty minutes late, life doesn’t make sense until we understand the rest of the Story. That’s just as true for people with faith as it is for people who have no faith - yet. We all need to understand the Story of this life we’re living, and find our place in it.
As Neo said in The Matrix Reloaded, “I just wish I knew what I am supposed to do.” -- that will always be the struggle and question until we know our origins; what we were built for.
When it comes to figuring things out in this life you’re living, you’d do well to know the rest of the story.
You are part of a much larger story than your life and present situation. If you want to know what the story is about you have to go back to the beginning.
Our story begins with creation (not at birth -- it is much bigger than that; much grander and glorious and adventurous).
-- Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"
The stages of creation are the settings for the story -- light, sky, earth, sun and moon and stars, plants, animals; similar to how the props on the stage and the stage itself, as well as the lights, sound system, music are necessary for the play.
Q: Where else did everything come from if not from God?
-how do you get everything out of nothing? -- science itself denies this! Our minds cannot conceive of "nothing". If there was a time when there literally was nothing -- no air, gas, liquid, heat, light -- then there could not have been anything to explode.
By the way, Genesis 1 doesn’t necessarily deny a Big Bang. We are simply told that God created the heavens and the earth. HOW he did that is not described.
-there is a design to the universe -- the perfect distance from the sun; rain and water; light and heat; everything to sustain life -- air, plants, water; constants of physics -- speed of light, gravitational constant, the strength of the weak and strong nuclear forces -- the probablity that these happened and fell into place by mere accident -- what are the odds?
SEEKER: Are you willing to bet your life on those odds? Can there be anything more irrational?
-the sense of right and wrong, good and evil. If we have moral standards there must be a standard maker behind it.
But to prove the existence of God, we don’t go first to Genesis 1 or look at nature and ID. Instead, we begin with Jesus and with Easter. For if Jesus really was who he said he was and really did what the Bible records that he did -- dying and rising from the dead, then, although we might not be able to reconcile or at least explain or understand how the Bible and science fit together, we have a compelling case for the existence of God, as well as basis for hope, purpose, peace and happiness.
But WHY did God create? (a much more fundamental question than "how?")
"Let us make man in our own image"
Not because he was lonely and needed someone to love. -- Trinity
-the reason why the very essence of being human is to be in relationship and to love, is because we are made in the image of God and that is what he is by nature.
God made everything for
1. His glory
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. (Ps.19:1-2)
Creation is really an overflow of and expression of his glory.
-we get a sense or taste of what God is like when we look at creation -- His wisdom, power, goodness (seen in beauty, provision of air, water, food, etc.), life
-cp to the work of an artist or musician -- you learn much about them through their art
-cp. to my house -- pretty soon you will figure out that I am married, have three girls, am a pastor, evangelical (theological persuasion), a counsellor, hockey fan; what kind of music I like, movies I like, books I read
-the universe is ultimately a pointer; a sign pointing to something even greater than itself. The universe isn’t near big enough!
Don’t treat science as the enemy of God or of faith. Real science should stir up awe and wonder and worship towards God -- biology, chemistry, physics, algebra, astronomy. The lab can be a place of worship! Science should be studied in order to broaden our knowledge of the greatness of God.
YOU are not the central figure in the story! And until we get that part sorted out, we will never know purpose or satisfaction.
2. our enjoyment.
You personally were created for the purpose of glorifying God, and finding your joy and satisfaction in that glory.
The reason we were made in his image -- relationship, communion; to get in on what the Trinity had known for all eternity before creation and time.
God gave us the best thing he could give us; that which would truly satisfy us and fill us with joy: Himself.
If you think that is a drag or couldn’t possibly be as good as living for yourself and your own glory, you just aren’t thinking clearly.
What else is there? What better thing could he give?
More pointers: sense of awe and wonder, pleasure
The sense of awe we experience at the edge of the Grand Canyon, top of a mountain, airplane, star gazing, sunset/rise, ocean or at a U2 concert, or the thrill of snow boarding, jet skiing, scoring a goal or winning a race -- all are just hints that we were made for something ... spectacular, out of this world.
Be careful not to make the things that you see, feel, experience, do, know as an end in themselves -- as if they made themselves and have the power to make you yourself (satisfy, complete, elevate). That is what the Bible calls idolatry, and it is at the core of all sin.
THE STORY CONTINUES...
25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator
-"they" = Adam and Eve, the rest of humanity -- you and me
-- "worshiped and served" = lived for, pursued, made the ultimate
-you WILL worship SOMETHING!
-there are consequences to doing so -- personally: emptiness, futility, disatisfaction. Puts us at odds with God: wrath, judgment, punishment (thus the fear of death; fear of ANYTHING)
"Oh no, the story is a ’tragedy’!"
STORY CONTINUES: In the same way in which God intervened in eternity; he intervened in time and history.
Not only did God have humanity in mind when he created, but also the fall, and also how he would rescue us from it. He had the cross in mind -- the ultimate display of God’s glorious love, wisdom, justice, grace.
-the purpose of it was to get us back to the glory we were made for:
"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world." (Jn.17:24)
-that is why he came, lived for us, died for us and rose again.
Becoming a Christian is about turning from whatever or whoever you are ultimately living for (yourself!), and turning to the Maker of Heven and Earth as your God and King and Centre. It is to ask Jesus to come into your story and to change the plot and the ending.
Application:
When you take in creation, allow yourself to get taken aback with God -- let it direct you to the glory of God; allow your heart to be wowed
-take in his glory, power, wisdom revealed, and express your praise; rejoice;give thanks for being made for THIS purpose. Can there be anything more satisfying to the human heart?
Personally: I love the fact that creation is so much more than what I am, and God is so much more than what he has created.
-there is going to come a time when the "hint" is going to be a reality
cp. to watching an Olympian from your nation getting that medal -- the pride, etc. -- vs. BEING that Olympian!
It means that if there is a God who created everything for a purpose, then you must have a purpose as well. If he has written you into His story, then your story will only make sense in light of THE story. Your story HAS to be more than getting an education, raising a family, career, vacation and having fun.
