The Six Days of Creation & The Seventh Day, God Rests

Genesis 1:3–2:4

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture. Also read: Deuteronomy 4:19; Exodus 31:12–17; Psalm 33:6–9; 104:1–9; Philippians 4:2–9; Revelation 21:1–8.

1.         Following the two opening verses of Genesis, which serve as an introduction to the creation accounts, we have a majesty and poetic story of how and why God created the universe.

2.         “God said” is central and lets us know that God “spoke” the entire universe and all that is into existence. Prior to that there was no material universe at all.

3.         All that was created, light, water, the “expanse” between the upper heavens and the waters that covered all the earth, all the starry host, and all manner of living things, and all vegetation, is declared “good” by the Creator. All this on the first five days. And, as hinted at in 2 Peter 3:8, the day (yom in Hebrew) could be of any length of time.

4.         The crown of creation however is made in the image of God. All that was created prior was not so made, meaning such could not have a relationship with the Creator. But the man and the woman, spiritually made and endowed, meaning these humans could have a conscious relationship with their Creator, are created on the sixth day.

5.         On the 7th day, the Creator God “rested.” Not that God was tired from all the work of creating, but that the creating work was complete.

6.         Down through the centuries “resting” is seen as prophetic, pointing to the finished work of Jesus on the cross. We “rest” in the salvation Jesus gives to us through His love and grace which He pours out on us.

The Creation of the World & The Word Became Flesh

The Word Became Flesh

Genesis 1:1–2 & John 1:1–5

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture. Also read Deuteronomy 31:24-­26; Exodus 20:11; Isaiah 45:18–19; and John 1:1–5.

1.         Both our passages in Genesis and John speak of a beginning, and intentionally so. The author of Genesis speaks of the creator God as creating all the physical universe. In John we find the Word, the Logos, was in the beginning also. The Word was not created however, but is God.

2.         The verb of being, “was” found in John 1:1 three times has no past tense to it. The verb can be translated, was and is, all three times. Thus, it is the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who created all that there is. The “was” highlights the idea of reality and certainty.

3.         Genesis 1:1–2 is often understood as the introduction to the whole of the book of Genesis. Also, it is to be noted that the Hebrew word for God here in Genesis 1:1, transliterated from the Hebrew into English, is Elohim and is the plural of El. This literary device is used to describe “majesty” or “ultimate power.”

4.         Both Genesis 1:1–2 and John 1:1–5 declare that the entire universe is created by God. The apostle John, as is made plain in John 1:14, states that the Word is Jesus when he says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…”

5.         We notice also that the darkness that was over all that there was hovered “over the face of the deep,” then in John’s Gospel the Word, through whom all things were created, is the Light which now shines in the darkness. And this darkness cannot overcome that Light.

6.         Reading the opening words of both Genesis and the Gospel of John we find the entire history of both our universe and the saving work of the Creator God. However fallen our world, there is the bright Light of redemption and glory.

Benediction and Final Greetings

Hebrews 13:18–25

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture. Also see: Psalm 23:1–6; John 10:1–18; 2 Thessalonians 2:13–17; 1 Timothy 6:20–21.

1. This week we are going to use the word FAT as our theme. F = faithful  A = available  T = teachable.  Let’s start by giving thanks to Heavenly Father who is in all, above all, and loves you through it all. Thank Him for what is seen and unseen. Our verses for this week are Hebrews 13:20-25. Notice the word equip in your reading, this will take you far in your understanding this week and also for next week sermon.

1.  Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep. Here we can easily see the Gospel message in a single verse. 

2. Equip you in every good thing. Much of this weeks sermon will come from this verse, notice equip. God does the calling, He does the gifting, and how the Devine mixes with humanity is our mystery to grasp.

3. But I urge you brother. Here our writer is again making his case with words that compel, he’s pleading with his listeners to get this amazing Gospel truth.

4. Take notice. Watch, see, listen. Notice the hand of God at work.

5. Grace. Isn’t it just that easy and simple. Grace. It’s by God grace that He chooses whom he will and bestow his love down upon whom he will. 

6. In ending. I ask that as you go about your busy week, try to season all you do and say with philo (brotherly) love. 

Sacrifices Pleasing to God

Hebrews 13:1-19

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still, and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture. The following passages can be read now: Matthew 25:31–40; Romans 16:1–16; Colossians 2:16–17, and Hebrews 13:1–19.

1.         Closing out the letter to Jewish Christians, who are likely in Rome, the author, who is probably in prison somewhere, urges his/her readers to  apply their faith in real ways.

2.         Showing hospitality to strangers, not a small thing in that day, remembering those in prison, and others who are mis-treated, is something they are urged to do.

3.         Also, all are encouraged to be faithful in terms of sexuality, and all sexual expression outside of marriage between one man and one woman, are sinful and God will judge those who do otherwise.

4.         Then the readers are to keep their lives free from the “love of money,” which indeed is behind so much pain and evil, but they are to be content with what they have.

5.         The author speaks of the leaders among them, likely pastors and preachers, that these should be respected.

6.         Also, the readers are to beware of strange teachings, which were as plentiful, and deceptive, then as they are now. And especially those diverse teachings focused on rites and rituals, which the readers were accustomed to.

7.         These readers are to no longer look to priests offering sacrifices since the one great sacrifice has been made, and so it is to Jesus they are to look.

8.         The worship now is to offer up praise to the name of Jesus; this is the true sacrifice.

9.         Leaders are to be obeyed and submitted to, not in a cultic sort of way, but these leaders are set to keep watch, or protect, them.

10.       The readers of the letter are asked to pray for “us” for they are sure their cause is just and that they desire to act honorably in all things.

11.       And the readers are urged to do so that “I” may be restored to them, which wording may even puzzle the readers.