The First Message
CCOTR/ss082006
When the Apostle John wanted to introduce Jesus to us, he did not take us back to Abraham, Noah or Adam as did Matthew, neither did he take us back to the miracles as did Mark nor back to His birth as did Luke. Rather John, the one closest to Jesus, the one who leaned upon Jesus’ breast at the last supper, the one who was given charge of Jesus’ mother, Mary, at the crucifixion, John, the Apostle who outlived them all said this:
Key Scripture: John 1:1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (NKJV)
John took us back to the very beginning. He continued:
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Why did the Jesus come to us in human form?
John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
* God’s Word was with Him in the beginning.
* The Word was clothed in humanity.
* The Living Word shows us the Father.
Moses, like John, was also given the privilege of introducing someone to all mankind. Inspired by the same Holy Spirit who would one day guide the Apostle John, Moses, in his introduction of God, goes all the way back, past the Red Sea, past the burning bush, past the Nile River, back past Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, back past Noah and Enoch, all the way back to the beginning as well.
Since we can go no farther this morning, allow me to take us back to The First Message, back to the beginning, and let’s see if we can find out anything about God today.
This same Holy Spirit Who inspired Moses and John, will no doubt inspire us right here, right now, as we give ourselves over to His expert guidance.
After all, teaching us is one of the Holy Spirit’s main duties.
John 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. (NKJV)
Ok, are you ready, let’s go to the beginning of the book of beginnings, Genesis, Chapter 1.
Genesis 1 (NKJV)
1 ¶ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
What can we learn from this?
* God is the One ultimately responsible for all that we see and know
* God is a creator - a forward thinker - not a stagnant God - but One Who has plans for the future - not lazy or apathetic - a doer - active - involved - willing to start something new - accepting of a challenge - unafraid to begin - God is a creator, Who can make nothing into something.
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. (NKJV)
Perhaps if we want to be more like God, we should consider how He is and work on ourselves in these areas.
2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Now I don’t know when the beginning was or what was before the beginning however, the beginning is as far back as we can go.
It’s hard for me to imagine that God originally created the heavens and the earth in such chaos. Some think that there was a long, as yet undisclosed period of time between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2, called the pre-Adamic age, wherein the earth fell into chaos.
I don’t know. For one thing I am just not that smart, for another thing I don’t have to have an answer for all the questions of the universe. Perhaps the biggest reason I haven’t studied or considered it more is because I am still trying to get a handle on all of the things that I do know for sure, things which the bible does address.
Anyway, if I did study it out to some personal conclusion, all I would be left with was unsubstantiated theory. Why bother, in my mind, when I have so many documented facts to work with already.
So: Verse 2:
2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
* God had a dream - the heavens and the earth.
* God was not experiencing His dream - (chaos was not His dream)
* God did not become reactionary to the chaos and just go off on a rage, or in fear, or in depression or denial, hastily changing stuff
* God meditated and deeply considered what He wanted.
* God allowed a plan to develop in His mind so He could act responsibly instead of reacting irresponsibly.
1. Consider what you want
2. Consider if what you are doing is getting you what you want
3. Consider what will achieve the results you want
4. Do something about it
* hover - Used only 3 times in the bible. Once in Deuteronomy 32:11 in respect to an eagle settling over her young, taking them in under her wings; once in Jeremiah 23:9, speaking of the relaxed and limp state of a drunk man’s body; and then here in Genesis 1:2.
> to grow soft; relax; brood as a hen on a nest of eggs; settle down over; ruffle up and sit on or stretch over, rest upon
> incubate; meditate; consider; relax and ponder with purpose.
God created the heavens and the earth and then, at some point, found them in need of change.
Here is God’s process to get Him from where He is to the future He wants.
1. Inspiration
2. Observation & Consideration
3. Declaration
1. Decide what you want
2. Decide how to get it
3. Decide to start now
verse 3:
3 ¶ Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
* God made a declaration
* This is where ownership takes place
* This is the first official action - adding works to faith
* This is where commitment is born - the starting bell
* Like the Declaration of Independence
The founding fathers of the United States were men who were not just rebels in a hostile reaction to the chaos of their day. They were men who had an inspired dream, observed and considered what it would take to make that dream a reality, and then after they had their plans all thought out and had counted the costs, the time was ripe, they made their declaration of that dream and the rest is history.
So, today we can leave here with the understanding that:
* God has a dream of a better future
* God has plans for that future
* God is verbally committed to the dream
Now, I encourage us all to be more like God:
* Dream the dreams of God
* Think, don’t react - meditate and develop a plan
* Commit - declare
Job 22:28 You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.
An inspired declaration shines it’s own light on the pathway of life.
If you want a fourth step: Verse 4 continues to reveal the process:
4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
* God inspected and kept tabs on the progress and tweaked it as necessary all along the way.
* We must also stay tuned into and take advantage of every opportunity to make the dream God has for us become a solid reality.
1. Decide what you want
2. Find out how to get it
3. Commit to the future
4. Keep track of the progress
This is the first thing God reveals to us about Himself
* How He did planet earth and the heavens.
