A.Two books of the Bible begin with the same phrase: “In the beginning…”
1.Genesis begins with this phrase: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).
a.The title we use for this book, Genesis, is a Greek word that means “origin,” “source,” “generation,” or “beginning.”The original Hebrew title of this book is Bereshith, which means “in the beginning.”
b.Let us recognize that in this one brief verse of Scripture we learn enough to forever establish the complete power, authority, and sovereignty of the Almighty God.
2.The gospel of John also begins with this phrase: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
a.As in Genesis, the gospel of John declares the creative work of God in the beginning.
b.However, in John’s writings we are given greater insight into the Christ’s involvement in the creation – “All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being” (John 1:3).
B.Both of these books begin by referring to the creation of the world, but John gives a different perspective on the Creator.
1.Genesis tells us that God created the world and everything in it and about it in only six days.
2.John tells us that the Word, who is God and the one through which all things were created, came into His creation in the form of a man so that He could take away the sin of the world.
C.Let us consider the work of the Word, who is Christ, in the creation of the world and in the salvation of the world.If we will consider this, then we will be humbled and thankful beyond measure for the amazing grace, mercy, patience, and love of our God.
II.CREATION
A.The means that God used to create the world was His spoken word.
1.The creation account in the first chapter of Genesis tells that God spoke everything into existence.See Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26.
2.This demonstrates the great power of God and of His word, for He alone can simply speak and bring something into existence out of nothingness.
a.Notice Psalm 33 – “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host” (v. 6); “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (v. 9).
b.God’s word is irresistible, as He said in Isaiah: “So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:11).
B.The Word, which was the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, was God’s executive power for creating all things.
1.Whereas Genesis tells us that God spoke, John tells us that Christ acted.
a.The account of Genesis 1 and the writings of John 1:1-3 speak of the same events.There is no distinction between the event of God speaking in Genesis and the event of Christ acting in John.However, there is a distinction between God the Father who spoke and Christ the Word who acted.
b.While this may be difficult for us to grasp, it is a revelation of both the diversity of God in the Trinity (Father, Son, and Spirit) and the unity of God.
2.Other passages of Scripture corroborate the writings of John, showing that Christ not only created the world, but He also sustains it with His power even now (Col. 1:16-18; Heb. 1:1-3).
C.God’s creation now stands as a testimony to the power and authority of God, including the Christ through whom He made all things.
1.Notice Psalm 19.
a.Verses 1-6 tell how God’s creation (His general revelation) speaks of Him without audibly speaking.God’s power and authority are obvious through that which He has made (Rom. 1:20).
b.Verses 7-14 tell of the greatness of God’s law (His specific revelation), which we must learn to value as the word of the great God who created the world.
2.All that is revealed in nature and in Scripture about God is true about Christ, who is God.Therefore, it is important to appreciate God’s creation in order to appreciate the Christ.
a.Those who discount the Genesis account of creation or attempt to modify it to comply with man’s wisdom are actually discrediting the Christ.
b.The issue of creation is not just a matter of ancient history, but it is a matter of respect for God, His word, and His Christ.Ultimately, it is not a question of whether or not one believes in creation but of whether or not one believes in Christ.
III.SALVATION
A.When God made the world, it was all very good.However, man defiled God’s creation with his sin.
1.When God had completed His creation, He saw that “it was very good” (Gen. 1:31).It was as God intended for it to be.
2.Let us understand that the world that we know now has been marred by the effects of sin.
a.Because of man’s sin, death entered into the world (Gen. 1:16-17; 3:19; Rom. 5:12).
b.The ground was cursed by God as a result of man’s sin (Gen. 3:17-19).
c.The climate of the earth was changed because of man’s sin and the effects of the worldwide flood (Gen. 2:5; 6:5-7, 11-13, 17; 7:4).
B.Even though we are sinful and unworthy of the great God who created us in His own image, our God is still mindful of every one of us.
1.When we consider the vastness of God’s creation and the power of God who made it, we must be impressed with the insignificance of a single human life.James even wrote, “You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” (Jas. 4:14).
2.Moreover, as insignificant as we are, we have been so rebellious, arrogant, and irreverent that we have rejected God and embraced sin.
3.Even so, our great God is still keenly aware of every one of us to the point that He even numbers the hairs of our heads (Matt. 10:29-30)!
a.How humbling it is to consider the omniscience and concern of our great God.
b.How thankful we should be that He has not only spared us, but He cares for us still.
C.Despite God’s greatness and our own insignificance and sinfulness, God gave His Son, the Word who made all things, to die in our place so that we might live.
1.John wrote, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
2.When John the baptizer saw Jesus, He said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
3.Jesus Himself said, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
4.Ultimately, the Word who created all things and became flesh was crucified in the flesh for the sins of the world (John 19:17-30).
a.Just before Jesus died, He cried out, “It is finished!”The purpose of the Word coming into His creation and putting on flesh was satisfied with His death.
b.After He was buried, God raised Him from the dead, and these things were “written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31).
IV.CONCLUSION
A.As the old song says, “What more can He say than to you He has said?”
1.If the story of God’s loving redemption of mankind does not stir you to respond to Him, then you are beyond reach and there is nothing more for you.
2.Even so, God still appeals to you through the gospel of His Son.What great patience He has!
B.The simple, profound truth is that in Christ we are created, and in Christ we are saved.
1.God accomplished His purpose in creating the world through Christ.
2.He accomplished His purpose again in saving the world through Christ.
3.Be saved in Christ, and make God’s purpose complete in you.
