Living Grace Foursquare Church
In The Beginning God Created...
In the Beginning God…The first 5 verses of Genesis 1 set the foundation for the rest of the creation story. They are filled with the awe, power and wonder of God our Creator. Remember, understanding Genesis tells much about our God and His amazing love for us. 1:1 In the beginning God ([a]Elohim) [b]created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth. AMP
Locations & Times
Living Grace Foursquare Church
3646 N Rancho Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89130, USA
Sunday 8:30 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
How does He reveal Himself to us?
1. Creation
a) Romans 1:19–20 “They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God” (NLT).
2. Conscience
a) Ecclesiastes 3:11, “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end” (NLT).
3. Jesus
a) “No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us” (John 1:18, NLT).
b) Paul told the Colossians, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation” (Colossians 1:15, NLT).
c) “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” (John 14:9, NLT).
4. The witness and work of the Holy Spirit
5. The Word of God
a) The Bible presents eyewitness testimony of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ:
“For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. . . . We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:16–19).
1. Creation
a) Romans 1:19–20 “They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God” (NLT).
2. Conscience
a) Ecclesiastes 3:11, “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end” (NLT).
3. Jesus
a) “No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us” (John 1:18, NLT).
b) Paul told the Colossians, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation” (Colossians 1:15, NLT).
c) “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” (John 14:9, NLT).
4. The witness and work of the Holy Spirit
5. The Word of God
a) The Bible presents eyewitness testimony of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ:
“For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. . . . We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:16–19).
The Bible must be understood literally; according to its literary context
1. It’s much more than a book; it’s a library of books, written in different literary forms.
2. Some portions of the Bible give a historical account, others are poetic, and some are prophetic.
“The only proper way to interpret Genesis 1 is not to ‘interpret’ it at all. That is, we accept the fact that it was meant to say exactly what it says.” (Morris)
If the Bible is false regarding science or other things that we can prove, then we cannot regard it as reliable in regard to spiritual matters that we cannot prove.
1. It’s much more than a book; it’s a library of books, written in different literary forms.
2. Some portions of the Bible give a historical account, others are poetic, and some are prophetic.
“The only proper way to interpret Genesis 1 is not to ‘interpret’ it at all. That is, we accept the fact that it was meant to say exactly what it says.” (Morris)
If the Bible is false regarding science or other things that we can prove, then we cannot regard it as reliable in regard to spiritual matters that we cannot prove.
The New Testament is by far the most reliable and exhaustively crosschecked ancient document in existence.
1. No more than 1/1000th of the New Testament text is in question.
1. No more than 1/1000th of the New Testament text is in question.
Jesus spoke of the importance of believing what Moses wrote:
a) John 5:46-47 “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
b) Luke 24:44-45. 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ESV
We can’t say we believe in Jesus if we don’t believe in the Book of Genesis!!
a) John 5:46-47 “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
b) Luke 24:44-45. 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ESV
We can’t say we believe in Jesus if we don’t believe in the Book of Genesis!!
The Holy Spirit moved, hovered, brooded, over the face of the waters.
1. Some make the mistake of believing the Holy Spirit first came to earth @ Pentecost, in Acts 2 and that He will leave @ the rapture of the church.
2. But here is God the Spirit in the 2nd verse of the Bible!
It was through The Holy Spirit that the Lord God sovereignly created everything that exists (v. 2b).
The Holy Spirit begins every work of creation or re-creation
1. Some make the mistake of believing the Holy Spirit first came to earth @ Pentecost, in Acts 2 and that He will leave @ the rapture of the church.
2. But here is God the Spirit in the 2nd verse of the Bible!
It was through The Holy Spirit that the Lord God sovereignly created everything that exists (v. 2b).
The Holy Spirit begins every work of creation or re-creation
Here is creation the pattern:
1. The creative word
2. The report of its effect
3. God’s evaluation of it as “good”
4. At times the God names
5. The numbering of each day.
1. The creative word
2. The report of its effect
3. God’s evaluation of it as “good”
4. At times the God names
5. The numbering of each day.
God Said…
1. “Thus says the Lord”, occurs over 400 times in the OT
2. “God said”, 42 times in the OT and 4 times in the NT
3. “God spoke”, 9 times in the OT and 3 times in the NT
4. “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through people
1. “Thus says the Lord”, occurs over 400 times in the OT
2. “God said”, 42 times in the OT and 4 times in the NT
3. “God spoke”, 9 times in the OT and 3 times in the NT
4. “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through people
Let there be Light…Light Be
1. Albert Einstein estimated the total amount of energy released from one ounce of water could easily lift 200 million tons of steel one mile above the earth
2. Various stars and galaxies were created by conversion of energy into mass. It has been determined that the amount of energy used in the creation of only one gram of matter 1/450th of a lb., is equal to 2.5 times the amount of energy generated by Niagara Falls in one entire day. Or, 10 million kilowatts!!
1. Albert Einstein estimated the total amount of energy released from one ounce of water could easily lift 200 million tons of steel one mile above the earth
2. Various stars and galaxies were created by conversion of energy into mass. It has been determined that the amount of energy used in the creation of only one gram of matter 1/450th of a lb., is equal to 2.5 times the amount of energy generated by Niagara Falls in one entire day. Or, 10 million kilowatts!!
The implications of God’s creation account are great.
1. It means that everything that exists must be under God’s control.
2. The account also reveals the basis of the Law. If God was before all things, and made all things, how foolish it would be to have any other gods before Him!
3. The account reveals that God is a redeeming God. It records how He brought the cosmos out of chaos, turned darkness into light, made divisions between them, transformed cursing into blessing, and moved from what was evil and darkness to what was holy.
Ultimately, He who caused light to shine out of darkness made His light shine in the hearts of believers so that we would become new creations (2 Cor. 5:17).
2nd Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ESV
1. It means that everything that exists must be under God’s control.
2. The account also reveals the basis of the Law. If God was before all things, and made all things, how foolish it would be to have any other gods before Him!
3. The account reveals that God is a redeeming God. It records how He brought the cosmos out of chaos, turned darkness into light, made divisions between them, transformed cursing into blessing, and moved from what was evil and darkness to what was holy.
Ultimately, He who caused light to shine out of darkness made His light shine in the hearts of believers so that we would become new creations (2 Cor. 5:17).
2nd Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ESV