Friends,
I want to try something new and post last Sunday’s message here. First let me share a couple of observations. A sermon is a spoken – not written – message. Each week I type up a manuscript and go over it a couple of times but don’t bring it into the pulpit. Sometimes the written message and the spoken one are very similar. Sometimes they are not at all.
One day this past week I took my written manuscript and edited it based on how I remember the sermon being spoken. I did this days after Sunday – so what is here is not what was shared last week. However, I hope it is recognizable.
I have edited and cleaned up the grammar, etc., but this is meant to be a ‘reasonable facsimile’ of the message you heard.
Notice many times I give credit when I refer to someone else’s ideas. I also recognize that there is no way to give credit every time someone else’s ideas have shaped mine, but I will do my best.
Blessings,
Ande
As usual - questions or comments are welcomed at ande.myers@gmail.com
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Ande Myers - Cornerstone Baptist Church
Genesis 1.1 – Searching for God
‘In the Beginning God’
Intro (to the series):
Last year one of the most reputable and most utilized Bible search engines on the web analyzed the searches done on their website and published the results. Between March and April of last year, BibleGateway.com was used to make over 25 million Bible searches. Late last year the results of those searches were published.
As I read this report, I realized that there were some sermons in here, sermons on the most searched passages in the Bible, and perhaps a sermon or two on the flip side – what people are not looking for. So, for the next few weeks we’ll examine some of these passages.
First, a word in general about what I’ve found. I’ve taken some time to read the top 100 verses and of them, sixteen (16% for those of you who are good at math) were from the Old Testament. This is not really surprising to me but I do believe it illustrates that we neglect God’s story in the Old Testament, many times.
I use an Old Testament Passage today and may use one more, but will focus the rest of the time on the New Testament. As I read through the most searched Scriptures I put them into categories: those dealing with courage to face fear, plans for life, sin, salvation and practical advice for the living of life. We will focus on these themes over the next few weeks. I am very excited about this journey and I hope you’ll plan to be here along the way.
I
One of my favorite singers (David Wilcox) has written a song called, Start with the Ending. In it he imagines a relationship that from the beginning has the honestly and clarity that often times is only revealed at the end of a relationship. Sometimes I’ve thought this would be nice, what about you? Start with the ending. Just this week I noticed a particular celebrity breakup. And this had been a very long relationship – at least in standards used for those that occur in the public eye. They said, When we were away from the lights and cameras we began to realize that we were headed different directions in life. We love each other, our time together was a blessing; we are just going different places in life.
This story told about the fact that after their breakup they both got away and asked some of these questions, Do I love myself? If I am to be alone am I o.k. with this? What will it take for me to be happy? What do I want in life?
At the end of their relationship they went back to the basics. Today I don’t want us to start with the ending. I want us to start at the beginning.
Some of us in life come to a point where we think we have some of it figured out. You see, there is a particular way that things ought and ought not to happen. We act and react and think and plan and have contingency plans for each situation. Yet, somehow, now we realize that in life one can’t plan for nor can one anticipate everything. This truth is compounded in family life. At this point we might find ourselves with no particular guiding clue. (Inspiration and Tolstoy’s words from Anna Karenina, part III, chapter 20.)
My advice at this point in life is unlike the singer’s advice to ‘start with the ending.’ My advice is to start with the beginning.
II
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. This is how the chapter starts…and over and over again, for seven days a pattern is repeated.
Unfortunately these verses have, in my opinion, been the source of the wrong kinds of attention. There are some who’ll read the Bible in general and Genesis specifically to answer certain questions in life, and this is alright. The questions they want to answer are, How, exactly did this happen? And, When, exactly did this occur? I really believe that these are the wrong questions and here is why.
These are some of the oldest Scriptures we have and the earlier Jewish audiences would not wonder about this. They would not ask, How old is the earth? Or, How did it come to be?
They were a minority people in the world and they had been surrounded by other people and their gods. Four hundred years in Egypt and then on to Canaan and eventually on to Babylon and back, and in each place they were surrounded by all these other gods. Some of these journeys were voluntary and some were not.
When they would find themselves at wits end and in need of help they would lift their eyes unto the hills for help and what would they see? (Do you remember from our look at Psalm 121?) They would see other gods carved into the hills and temples there. But they were reminded by the psalmist, Your help will come from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
So, specifically, verses one and following say, In the beginning was God. We’ll also know him as the great I AM, I was, I have been, I will be. Each person was reminded that there is something that always was, and this is the Lord God.
Verse two shifts the focus to the earth and says, The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep…
Here we see an image of formlessness, of void, there was nothingness and chaos. But, notice - a ray of hope, and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. And God said…in chapter one, ten times God speaks and it comes to pass.
The early Jewish person is not concerned with How? or When? But she is burdened by Who? and What? In the beginning there was God and God made order out of chaos. God spoke and it came to be. And because of God’s Spirit, God’s presence, there is always hope.
III
I want to come at this Scripture from two angles this morning. The first one I have alluded to, Let’s start at the beginning.
A friend called me on Monday very excited about his team’s advancement in the playoffs. (I always am eager to talk football.) He then shared with me that this past year his father passed away, something I had not known. He decided, really, he committed, to spend more time with his family. His words were, Dad was my rock and without him I’ve been spinning, but now I know what I am to do.
I have spent 18 years giving my all for my company and they’ve moved me to Fredericksburg. And I realized, All this toil and all this giving I’ve done for them has gotten me nothing. And in the process I have neglected my responsibilities and obligations at home. I am not going to make this mistake again.
He had to go, but I hope our conversation is not over. You see, we didn’t touch on the spiritual aspect of things, but I recognize as clear as you are sitting here today that God’s Spirit was hovering – moving over the face of the waters. There has been darkness. There has been disorder. There has been chaos. But, the Good News of the Gospel is that there is Hope.
Genesis one has a pattern. God speaks, it happens, and it is good. Do you remember that God looks at each day, at all of what he’s made and sees that it is good?
Now, if you look at your days, if we look at our lives we see that all is not good. I believe this is because we – mostly un-intentionally – step further and further away from God and his goodness. We don’t do this on purpose or with malice. We just, like sheep are prone to wander and stray. We nibble and nibble and walk and walk and low and behold we are a long way from home.
IV
The second angle is related to the first. Remember that when God created human beings he made us in his image. What does this mean? Not only are the fingerprints of God all over us, but each of us is made in God’s image. So, when we look at one another we should remember this and watch closely for images of God.
Perhaps today – in our world – we should remember, when we look at our enemies or our adversaries (a better word) that God has created them in his image. I have fingerprints of God all over me…you have them over you…our neighbors do to…as do our enemies.
Recently there was an older couple retired from ministry looking for a church. (Gordan MacDonald’s Seat Selection for Worship.) As they came into the empty sanctuary they chose seats near the front – out of habit.
Not long after an older man in his eighties came in and sat in front of them. He was alone. Once the music began they sang and sang and sang and the older gentleman had to sit down. The former pastor asked, Are you o.k.?
Yes, I’m fine.
Knees, hips or ankle problems?
All three.
During the announcement he and his wife moved over and asked the gentleman to sit with them. He wanted to decline but did not and gathered his coat and moved back.
After the service he said that it was nice to have someone to sit with, for his wife died two years ago and he had no one to come to church with him. He also shared that his son’s family was having problems and he was quite worried, as they were all the family he had. They seemed to bond well together as fellow worshipers can.
The retired pastor said, May I pray for you? And he did.
This week you will get these chances, for they don’t just happen from eleven to noon on Sundays. This week you will have opportunities to serve the Lord, will you take them?
On last Saturday evening I went to Asheville to see a member of our church in the hospital. Afterwards Michelle had given me the go-ahead to take some personal time and find a Barnes and Noble.
I knew there was one south of town on 26 but had missed the exit. As I asked a young man how to find my way he said, You need to turn around and go back.
I said, Can’t I just go up here and through there and so on and so on?
He realized I would never find Barnes and Noble that way so he said, No, you need to turn around.
The Scripture has a word for this and it is Repentance.
Some of us are heading the wrong direction. It isn’t malicious. It has been gradual. Either way no length of travel down the wrong road will lead us to the right place. This morning maybe we need to stop, turn around, start with the beginning, even. This may be the best thing you can do today. If so, use this time of commitment and respond to the Lord’s leading in your life.
Amen.
