God Is Still the Creator

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This is a topical sermon based on various passages of Scripture speaking about God's creative activity in the world and in the lives of individual believers.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

(The idea for this message originally came from a message preached by Rev. Rex Bullock, “Is God Creating Anything New in 1992?” – 6/15/92)

A short while ago the Scriptures that were read for us were taken from the first book of the Bible and the last book of the Bible. In both of these references the God of the Bible is portrayed as a God that creates. He is portrayed as the all-powerful and creative source of everything, including the original heavens and earth, as well as the new heavens and earth. So the story of the Bible begins with the creative activity of God, and it ends with the creative activity of God.

Today, I want to talk to you about the creative activity of God in our world, but more importantly, in our individual lives.

I. God created the heavens and the earth.

How many of you believe the creation story in Genesis? Do you really believe that God created our world out of nothing? Are you convinced that God formed man from the dust of the earth? There was a time when nearly everyone in evangelical churches believed the Genesis account of creation, but that is not the case these days.

I know that I can’t answer all the questions that people might raise about the creation account, but in spite of that, I haven’t heard any alternative explanations that are any easier to believe than the explanation that is given in the Bible. I kind of feel like the old English author, G.K. Chesterton, and the comment he made about evolution.

G. K. Chesterton  – "It is absurd for the Evolutionist to complain that it is unthinkable for an admittedly unthinkable God to make everything out of nothing, and then pretend that it is more thinkable that nothing should turn itself into everything." 

The Bible begins with a definitive statement that is not argued or defended, but it is just proclaimed; “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The statement presupposes the existence of God and it boldly proclaims that He is the reason all things exist.

Genesis is not the only place in the Bible where the existence of the heavens and the earth is attributed to God. See these references

Isaiah 42:5 (KJV) Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth….

Isaiah 45:18 (KJV) For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited….

Malachi 2:10 (KJV) Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? ….

Mark 13:19 (KJV) For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

The account of creation in Genesis says that God said, “Let there be…” and there was. John 1:1-3 speaks about the Word that was in the beginning, was with God, and was God. This same Word of God is attributed with the creation of everything.  “… by him were all things made, and without him was not anything made that was made.” God has the power to speak and things that did not previously exist suddenly come into existence.

II. God will create a new heavens and a new earth.

It is prophesied in the Old Testament.

Isaiah 65:17 (KJV) For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Isaiah 66:22 (KJV) For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain.

It is reaffirmed in the New Testament.

2 Peter 3:13 (KJV) Nevertheless we, according to his promise [ie the one in Isaiah], look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Revelation 21:1 (KJV) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

I honestly do not have any more idea how God is going to do this than I do about how He created the original heaven and earth. But, I can boldly tell you today that I don’t have to understand it in order to believe it!

So…The Bible begins with the account of the original creation and it finishes with the account of a future creation. This fact highlights the important truth that God loves to create brand new things. But…   This isn’t the main point of my message today. I didn’t come here simply to re-emphasize how much I believe in the biblical account of creation.

III. God creates new creatures in Jesus.

The main point of my message today is to let you know that I believe the Bible teaches us that God is also in the business of creating new lives in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

If God can just speak the word and it causes planets and stars and galaxies to suddenly come into reality, then He most certainly can take a life that has been broken and scarred by sin and heartache and make it completely new again.

How does God do it? How does the Bible describe the process of making new creatures?

A. It starts with a new birth.

John 3:3 (NKJV) Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

It’s a radical new beginning. It is so drastic; Jesus describes it in terms of being born again. It is a point at which new life begins in the heart of the believer and the individual is no longer spiritually dead, but spiritually alive. It begins at the point a person abandons his own efforts at pleasing God and completely puts his trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.

B. It involves getting a new heart.

Psalm 51:10 (NKJV) Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

In this prayer King David realizes that the root of his problem and the cause of his sin of adultery and murder was a heart that was polluted with sin and turned against God. So David prays for God to create a clean heart in him.

The Lord, speaking through the prophet Ezekiel promises a new heart for the people of Israel.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NKJV) I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

God was going to remove the stony, rebellious heart from his people and give them a brand new heart – a heart that was wholly devoted and committed to loving Him. God still does that for people today.

C. It also includes a new spirit.

Ezekiel 36:27 (NKJV) I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Spirit is that part of us that communicates with another world. It is the part of us that can hear the voice of God. There was a time when we enjoyed a spiritual bond with the world and we were in tune with all that was diabolical and sensual and even evil, but after we are born again, our spirits tune in to a different world. It’s somewhat like tuning your radio to a different frequency. We suddenly find ourselves bonding with things that are heavenly, holy and godly. We may not immediately notice it, but it happens.

D. It includes a new song

Psalm 40:1-3 (NKJV)   …I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth-- Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.

When God makes new creatures out of us, He gives us a brand new song to sing. We no longer sing about the pleasures of sin and the brokenness and despair it leads to, but we sing about the “Wonderful Grace of Jesus, greater than all my sin, how shall my tongue describe it, where shall its praise begin…” and “My heart is stirred whene’er I think of Jesus, that matchless name which sets the captive free…”

E. This new life that God has created includes new works (deeds or actions.)

Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Dear friends, when God creates a new person in Christ Jesus, He does a thorough job. Some would have us believe that a born again Christian is someone that keeps on living the same kind of life he/she used to live. But the Bible describes it differently.

We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works. What God has done inwardly, He works outwardly. Good works do not earn our salvation, but they certainly testify to our salvation. They demonstrate that God has created a brand new person here and this is the proof.

Conclusion:

In all of God’s creative activity, He did something or made something that had not been done before. Remember, God can create planets, stars, galaxies, as well as, insects and micro-organisms out of nothing. The Bible states that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” God is still able to create a miracle out of your life.

What is your need today? What are your circumstances? What disasters or tragedies have you experienced? Really bad choices? Bad relationships? Broken marriage? A life that is completely ruined and futile?

Give it all to the Lord. He can take the ashes of your failures and create something of beauty. He may do something miraculous in an instant, or He may do it over a longer period of time, but He will do the work. All He asks is for you to come just as you are. Don’t try to get yourself straightened out good enough so He’ll take you. He wants you as you are. He won’t leave us the way we are, but He will take us the way we are.

Let us sing this song and apply its message: “Just As I Am”  (#488)