Gleanings From Genesis

A Study of Genesis 1-11

 

by

Pastor Craig Ledbetter

 

A series of Bible messages focusing on the issues closest to God’s heart!

 

STUDY LISTING

 

 

 Click Here to go to a more in-depth Study of the Book of Genesis


The Lessons of Creation - Part 1

Would Somebody Please Turn On the Light!

Genesis 1:1-3

DATE: 5 Feb, 1995  PM           PLACE: Bible  Baptist Church of Blarney

DATE: 19 Nov, 1995  PM           PLACE: Bible  Baptist Church of Blarney

 

I.      Introduction - 2 Cor 4:6

 

A.                According to 2 Cor 4:6, there is some incredible stuff to learn from Gen 1! And we will just skim the top surface tonight!

B.    We are either going to take this Book as a whole, or not at all! Wouldn’t waste my time just picking and chosing what to believe (Ps 199:160)

C.    In God’s record of events that very first Day in Gen 1, God explains a whole lot more than just how this universe got here! Let’s take the time and learn the lessons of creation!

 

II.    Message - The Lessons of Creation (Gen 1:1-3)

 

A.                Everything Begins With God (1:1)

 

1.     Not starting history with Man, or some aliens, but with a Creator!

2.        Notice that everything in this Book will center around God. The center of attention is NOT Man and his or her accompishments, but God!

3.     In one swoop (1:1), all of this present universe just appears. Let's face it; the universe is here. The basic problem is how did it get here? In order to be scientific, we will have to go by what we can observe and by what we can demonstrate. Let's look at the only possible explanations of how this earth got here.

 

a.     The universe always was here. The theory is that matter is eternal, and therefore has just always been here.

b.     The universe has not always been here. There was a time when "naturally," nothing produced something! This explanation describes matter coming into existence from nothing, and then life coming from dead matter.

c.     The universe is not really here, but just an illusion. You just think that it is here! This theory pleases some Buddhists (striving for Nirvana) and produces more drug addicts.

d.     The universe started suddenly, when a Creator made it. This is what Jesus Christ believed (Mark 13:19), King David (Ps 8:3; 19:1; 78:69; 145 and 147), and the Apostle Paul (Col 1:15-19)!

 

There can only be four possible explanations for the existence of this universe. The first two explanations are the basis for ALL evolution theories. Of the four, which is most scientific (observable) and logical?

 

4.     The last explanation (which is God’s word on the subject) goes against SIX major ideologies popular today:

 

a.     Athiesm (GOD) - They say that there is no God!

b.     Evolution (GOD CREATED) - Darwin taught that we all evolved. Not according to Jesus Christ!

c.     Ecumenticism (GOD singular) - People believe that “all gods”, and “all religions” are the same, and good

d.     Pantheism (GOD CREATED HEAVEN) - They beleiev that God is a part of creation, and so creation should be worshipped as God

e.     Fatalism (GOD CREATED) - This universe was created with purpose and order

f.      Materialism (GOD) - People waste all there time and efforts worshipping people (music stars), and statues (idols), human accomplishments, the stars and planets (astonomy and astrology) instead of the Creator!

 

B.                Everything Involves God (1:1; Col 1:16,17)

 

1.     God created things that needed Him. He did not create things that were completely self-sufficient. God created the universe to need Him to operate

 

a.     The earth at first was void and without form, needing a “make-over!” (Most women say that they need this too)

b.     Man at first was empty, lonely and without purpose until God shows up. God fills the heart, brings Adam a wife and companion, and gives life purpose and pride!

 

2.     It doesn’t end there - God is from this point forward is involved in man’s course (history), and involved in its outcome (Rom 8:28). God is not a Diest!

 

C.    The ‘Force’ or Power Behind Everything is the Spirit of God (1:2)

 

1.     God gives us no details of the size of this universe, nor of how everything came together because He is more interested in us connecting with the Spirit that works behind the scenes (Cf John 6:63)! That’s why people get all caught up in visions, and miracles, and not in the God of this Bible!

2.     All the issues of life are Spiritual in nature:

 

a.     Source of all problems are spiritual - sin, Satan,

b.     Correction of all problems is spiritual again (not psycological)

c.     Satisfaction is linked to spiritual order in life (not to possessions)

 

1)        Saved from sin and its consequence

2)        Serving the Lord

3)        Seeking a better world to come - not wasting time on this life!

 

D.    The Key to Understanding All This is the Word of God (1:3)

 

1.        Once you throw out the Bible, or minimize its authority, you throw out the only key to knowing ANYTHING! All truth becomes as Einstein said, relative!

2.        Notice the power of the word of God:

 

a.     When God spoke something, it always came to pass

b.     God did not wave a magical wand and sprinkle spakle dust over space, He just spoke, and it was SO (Heb 1:3)

c.     It convicts the sinner of his sin, and converts him to saint!

d.     It contains all the revelation of God that man needs

e.     Therefore, it is more important what God said, than what God did! And yet people spend all there lives trying to figure out how everything happened, and why people turn out the way they do, and never find out what God says about it all!!!

 

3.     The word is so important that Satan’s primary attack is not against God Himself, but against His word (3:1)

 

E.     What People Need Most Today Is the Light of God (1:3; 2 Cor 4:6)

 

1.     Not sunlight, or streetlights, or houselights

2.     But light that only Jesus Christ can shine into a cold, dark and hard heart that will melt the heart, and dispel the fear and despair, and start the life on a path of purpose and glory for the God who created them!

 

III.   Conclusion - The Lessons of Creation (Gen 1:1-3)

 

A.                Everything Begins With God (1:1)

B.                Everything Involves God - Make sure that you involve God in everything you do! God created things that needed Him.

C.    The ‘Force’ or Power Behind Everything is the Spirit of God (1:2) Until you have a new birth that is Spiritual and not physical, you are separated from God!

D.    The Key to Understanding All This is the Word of God (1:3) Beleive this Book, and study it!

E.     What People Need Most Today Is the Light of God (1:3; 2 Cor 4:6) Light that only Jesus Christ can give to those who ask in faith!


The Lessons of Creation - Part 2

Lesson’s in God’s Handiwork

Genesis 1: 4-31

DATE: 26 Nov, 1995  PM           PLACE: Bible  Baptist Church of Blarney

 

I.      Introduction - Psalm 19:1-3

 

A.    It has been said that you can tell a lot about a person by the quality of the work they do - at home, on the job, etc - time, effort, whether they ever complete the task, and how much they charge for the job!

B.    As we look at this universe, the handiwork of God is not only amazing, but very revealing - like inspectors who put all the clues and information out on a table to look for patterns and signatures pointing to who is the culprit in a crime, and why they did it - well, God wants the Christian to study His handiwork so that you can understand His motives and reasons for doing what He does in your life!

 

II.    Message - Learning from God’s Handiwork (Gen 1:4-31)

 

A.                Everything that God Creates, Starts Off Good (1:4,31)

 

1.     God did not create the mess that we call life - He created it good

2.        Everything therefore ONLY de-volves, not evolves, because nothing can “evolve” better than God starts it out as!

3.        Christian application:

 

a.     The problem is not with the GRAPE, but with what people do with the grape - alcoholic drinks!

b.     The problem is not with SEX, but what people do with it (Heb 13:4)

c.     MONEY is not people’s problem - the LOVE of money is (1 Tim 6:10)

d.     Christian, SIN is not your main problem, but rather your LOVE of sin!!!

 

We must re-energize our first love, set our affections back on things above (Col 3:1)!

 

If God created things good, then the Christian is supposed to learn how to enjoy all things! Learn to enjoy life (1 Tim 6:17) correctly - not abuse it

 

B.                Everything God Creates is Fully Mature (1:11,12) - No evolution of the species. Everything is already capable of doing all it now does

 

1.        Because of Inherent Age

 

a.     The Sun and Moon were created already mature - the same as they are today - capable of sustaining the life on this planet (1:14) - not as a “proto-star” on its evolutionary way up to the status of a Sun

b.     All the stars were created with their light rays already extended to the earth (1:16), or else the earth would have been in blackness for billions of years until their light started to arrive!

c.     All the aquatic animals were created at the same time (1:20)

d.     All the birds were created with the inherent ability to fly (1:21) there was no evolutionary process by which they developed the ability

 

2.        Because All things were already capable of reproducing

 

a.     The trees, and grass were created with seeds in them (1:11,12)

b.     All creatures were created with the ability from the start to MATE (not single celled), and reproduce (1:22)

c.     The same with mankind (1:27) He was created a full grown male, with a full grown female who both were ready to procreate!

 

3.     The application to Christianity:

 

a.     Christ is all you need - He is your maturity (Col 3:4; 1 Tim 4:12,13) - whenever a person is born again, they have everything that they need to:

 

1)        Get to heaven (John 14:6; 1 John 5:12)

2)        Get the victory over sinful habits (2 Cor 5:17; 1 John 5:4,5)

3)        Reproduce - The Christian is designed by God to produce spiritual fruit (John 15:5-8, 16) - like a fruit tree, or married couple

 

b.     Therefore, Christ has given you everything that you need to serve Him, and succeed as a Christian - maybe not succeed as a businessman.

c.     God is interested in us reproducing “after our kind”

 

1)        Flesh only produces flesh - lots of that kind of reproducing going on

2)        Spirit reproduces spirit - be a soul-winner!

 

C.                Similarities throughout creation do not point to a common ancestor (some big protoplasmic big bang) - but to a common Creator - God’s signature, or fingerprints - His ways of doing things (Heb 3:10)


D.    Only Man is Created in God’s Image (1:26-28)

 

1.     No other animal, mineral or vegetable has the image of God

2.        God’s Image is a “multiple” image (2 Cor 4:4) - trinity (let US make man in OUR image) transferred to DUST!

2.        How we are like God:

 

a.     We have a Free-will - choice (Gen 2:16,17)

b.     We are a Tri-part being (1 Thes 5:23) as God is

c.     We are Eternal - we will never cease to exist!

d.     We have all of God’s emotions - they came from God!

e.     We communicate on multiple levels - animals only communicate danger and emotions - not thoughts, understandings, ideas, instructions. No animal has the ability to speak, or the ability to write - Our ability came from God!

 

3.     God created man with BOTH man and woman in mind (1:27) - not capable of surviving without each other (2:18). God did not create us without NEEDS - especially the need for HIM!

4.     God expects man to rule, and take care of this world, and NOT be ruled by it! PRINC: God designed man to run his schedule, not be overwhelmed by it; man should control his appetites and desires, and not be controlled by them!

5.        What happened to that special “image?” It was “marred,” broken, and dead in trespasses and sins.

6.        That’s why Jesus Christ came to restore the “fallen” image of God (Col 1:12-15)

 

III.   Conclusion

 

A.                Everything that God Creates, Starts Off Good - Enjoy life!

B.                Everything God Creates is Fully Mature - No evolution of the species - everything is already capable of doing everything it now does

 

1.        Because of Inherent Age - Christ is all you need

2.        Because All things were already capable of reproducing - especially a Christian, the NEW creature in Christ!

 

C.                Similarities throughout creation do not point to a common ancestor (some big protoplasmic big bang) - but to a common Creator - God’s signature, or fingerprints - His ways of doing things

D.    Only Man is Created in God’s Image What condition is your image in? Broken, fallen, marred, ruined by sin, or restored by Jesus Christ?!


Lessons From Creation (Part 3)

The Important Things That Never Change

Genesis 2:1-17

DATE: 7 May, 1995   PM           PLACE: Bible  Baptist Church of Blarney

DATE: 3 Dec, 1995   PM           PLACE: Bible  Baptist Church of Blarney

 

I.      Introduction

 

There are so many practical lessons that we can learn from God’s actions in Scripture. Did you know that when we study the Bible, we are studying how God does things? He is our perfect example, and pattern. From Genesis through to Revelation - from the life of Adam through the Life of Christ and Paul, there are patterns and examples to learn! Let’s learn some from Genesis chapter 2 this evening!

 

II.    Message - Lessons From Creation - Part 3 (Genesis 2:1-17)

 

A.    The Importance of Accomplishment (2:1)

 

1.        When God Finishes Something, It Is Finished (John 1:1,2)!

 

a.     God had a clearly defined goal, and He achieved it! Nothing was left to “chance” or “haphazard!”

b.     So proved Einstein (E=MC2) There is no more matter being created at all!

 

2.        What we see now is the effects of a universe “in motion”

3.     But this universe is slowly winding down (Ps 102:26,27; Heb 1:10-12)

4.        Everything starts off perfect, and disintegrates - it does NOT evolve (2 Tim 3:1-5).

5.     And the only thing to keep everything from collapsing in on itself is God’s intervention (He did it before at the cross, and He will do it again at His return)!

 

B.    The Importance of the Seventh Day (2:2-3)

 

1.     The seventh day is the Last day - It is an important thing! The number seven is the most important number in the Bible. God works in sevens

 

a.     All calendars work on a 7 day system - creation calandars

b.     All pianos work on seven notes

c.     There are only seven base colours- the rainbow (ROY-G-BIV)

d.     In the last Book in your Bible, the Lord has 7 churches, 7 seals, 7 candlesticks, 7 trumpets, 7 years of tribulation, 7 angels, and 7 vials!

e.     In Joshua you have 7 priests blowing 7 trumpets for 7 days, and 7 times around Jericho on the 7th day!

 

2.     The seventh day is a Pattern day

 

a.     Work six days, and rest from labours to survive!

b.     Work towards an accomplishment, and really be able to rest! God accomplished EVERYTHING in six days! Don’t get too busy, and never accomplish anything. Get something accomplished, and finish it so that on THAT DAY you rest!

 

3.     The seventh day is a Sanctified day (Gen 2:2,3; Ex 20:8-11; 31:12-17) But only for that Jew! Did you ever see Adam being commanded to keep the 7th day holy? What about Noah? By the way, did you know that God got right back to work after that? He had to when Adam sinned (John 5:17)!

4.     The seventh day is a prophetic day - I will just touch on this.

 

C.    The Importance of Man (2:4-15) What Is Man (Ps 8)?

 

1.        Man was made by God! Life is important then! Not something just to be played around with in some bed, or in some test-tube (Genetic engineering)

2.        Man was made for God (2:4-8). All the rest of creation was made for man. Humanity is different than anything else God created. Man is NOT an animal!

3.        Man however was made from dust, top-soil, muck (2:7)! Not from gold. That’s our physical worth! It’s spiritual worth that matters

4.        Man was made to work (2:15)! Not to be lazy!

5.        Man was made to explore - that is the purpose for this massive universe - to be explored and enjoyed, without fear - in the future!

 

D.    The Importance of Rules (2:16,17) God always has rules!

 

1.        Rules are good. Thank God! Rules make things dependable. Like math! EX of space ship launching from earth and arriving at a distant planet that is all the while moving. Apollo astronauts!

2.        Rules are safe! Keep us out of trouble (as it would have Adam)

3.        Rules test our commitment and submission. Adam will fail, but that proves free-will!

 

III.   Conclusion - What Important Things Have We Learned from Creation?

 

A.    We have seen The Importance of Accomplishment

B.    We have seen The Importance of the Seventh Day

C.    We have seen The Importance of Man

D.    We have seen The Importance of Rules  God always has rules!