The Origin Of Humanity

THE ORIGIN OF HUMANITY

GENESIS 1:26-31 2:7,15-25

THE GERMAN PHILOSOPHER IMMANUEL KANT, USED TO LOVE TO TAKE LONG WALKS ON A SUMMER EVENING, MEDITATING AND THINKING. ON ONE OCCASION HE WAS SEATED IN A PARK WHEN A SUSPICIOUS POLICEMAN NOTICED HE HAD BEEN THERE FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE POLICEMAN CAME UP TO HIM AND SAID, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” KANT REPLIED, “I’M THINKING” THE POLICMAN ASKED “WHO ARE YOU?” KANT REPLIED, “THAT PRECISELY THE PROBLEM I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT. WHO AM I.”

WE’D ALL LIKE TO HAVE THE ANSWER TO THIS GREAT QUESTION AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN A SERIES WITH YOU THAT WILL COVER A LOT OF THE KEY DOCTRINES OF OUR FAITH, PARTICULARLY HOW OUR KEY DOCTRINES RELATE TO OUR ETERNITY. WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT ISSUES SUCH AS WHT IT MEANS TO BE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE? WHAT IS THE RAPTURE AND TRIBULATION? WHERE IS OUR ETERNAL HOME? MY HOPE IS THAT THIS SERIES MAY HELP US TO ANSWER THE QUESTION MR. KANT WAS THINKING ON, WHO AM I.

TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE ORIGIN OF HUMANITY. WE MUST UNDERSTAND HOW WE WERE CREATED IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ACTUALLY LOST WHEN WE FELL, AND WHAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN AGAIN BY ACCEPTING CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR AND DEVELOPING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

THIS IS WHY WE ARE GOING BACK TO THE BOOK OF GENESIS AS WE NEED TO SEE HOW HUMANITY DIFFERS FROM ALL OTHER CREATION. BY LOOKING AT WHO WE ARE HERE IN GENESIS, WE ARE ACUTALLY CATCHING A GLIMPSE OF WHAT WE WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN WE ARE AT OUR ETERNAL HOME.

NOW I DON’T WANT TO MAKE THIS TOOD DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND, AND SO WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON THREE ASPECTS TODAY:

1. WHAT WERE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUMANITY AND THE REST OF CREATION?

2. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD?

3. HOW DID THE FALL CHANGE US WITH RELATION TO BEING CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD?

POINT ONE: WHAT WERE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUMANITY AND THE REST OF CREATION?

WHEN MY NIECE ERIN WAS A LITTLE GIRL, WE TOOK HER TO CHURCH, AS WE OFTEN DID, AND SHE WENT TO HER NURSERY CLASS. AFTER THE SERVICE WE ASKED HERE WHAT HER WHAT THEY HAD TALKED ABOUT. SHE REPLIED, “OH, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW GOD MADE A MAN.” WE PROBED A LITTLE FURTHER AND ASKED HOW DID HE DO THAT? SHE SAID “IT WAS EASY FOR HIM. HE JUST USED A LITTLE DIRT AND GLUE.”

SHE DIDN’T REALIZE IT, BUT SHE WAS PICKING UP ON ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUMANITY AND THE REST OF CREATION. THESE ARE DIFFERENCES WHICH WE WILL LOOK AT NOW.

THE CREATION ACCOUNTS REVEAL THE MARVELLOUS AND ORGANIZED WAY THAT GOD CREATED THE WORLD. EACH PIECE OF THE PUZZLE HAD TO BE CREATED, IN THE ORDER THAT THEY WERE CREATED IN ORDER FOR LIFE TO EXIST. NOT ONLY THIS, BUT THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF CREATION HAD TO BE PRECISE FOR LIFE TO EXIST. IT WAS NOT ENOUGH JUST TO CREATE PLANET EARTH, BUT GOD CREATED IT IN A SPHERE, WITH ATMOSPHERE, AND JUST THE RIGHT DISTANCE FROM THE SUN FOR LIFE TO EXIST. WHEN YOU READ THE ACCOUNT OF CREATION, THERE IS NO WAY TO ESCAPE THE FACT THAT CREATION WAS CAUSED BY SOMEONE FAR MORE INTELLIGENT, POWERFUL, AND CREATIVE THAN WE WILL EVER BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND.

GOD SAVED THE CREATION OF HUMANITY UNTIL THE END, FOR ALL THE OTHER PIECES OF CREATION HAD TO BE IN PLACE FOR MANKIND TO LIVE.

THE CREATION OF HUMANITY WAS SPECIAL. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT AFTER EACH DAY OF CREATION GOD LOOKED AT WHAT WAS CREATED AND SAID IT WAS “GOOD.” BUT WHEN HE CREATED HUMANITY, GOD SAID IT WAS “VERY GOOD.” IT BEGS THE QUESTION WHY? AS WE LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUMANITY AND THE REST OF CREATION WE WILL UNDERSTAND MORE:

FIRST: HUMANITY WAS NOT CREATED TO SERVE THE REST OF CREATION, THE REST OF CREATION WAS PREPARED TO SERVE HUMANITY.

REMEMBER GOD’S TWO COMMANDS TO ADAM:

GENESIS 1:27-28:

“27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

FROM THIS VERSE WE SEE THE TWO COMMANDS OF GOD TO HUMANITY:

1. BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY

2. RULE OVER THE FISH OF THE SEA, THE BIRDS OF THE AIR, AND EVERY OTHER LIVING CREATURE THAT MOVES ON THE GROUND.