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Christ and Creation · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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We are in the middle this summer of a sermon series entitled Christ and Culture.
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! Another way to say that is a biblical worldview.
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! Gaining a biblical worldview so that in specific areas we can bring glory to God
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! by living out the gospel in those areas.
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For example, we had money and finances.
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We've had work, our vocation.
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We've had arts, creativity.
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We've had words, words we speak.
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We've had patriotism during the fourth couple weeks ago.
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How we live in that by not offending but proclaiming the gospel and having a proper biblical worldview
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in that.
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This morning, our topic is the environment or creation.
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What we live in and around and what is around us.
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What I want to do is begin by asking you a couple questions.
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The first question is, what do you think or feel when you're standing at the highest peak you've ever been on,
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the highest mountain you've ever been on, and you're looking out at the most magnificent view?
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What do you feel?
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What do you think?
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What do you think?
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Or when you look upon a beautiful flower blooming in springtime?
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What are your thoughts?
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How do you feel about that?
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Are your affections drawn to the creator of that vast valley, that beautiful flower?
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Well, how about, what do you think or feel when you drive by a normal field of pine trees?
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Or when you see a moth fluttering around the light on your house?
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Are your affections drawn to the creator as the same?
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Now, every leaf on the tree, every breeze that blows, every flower that blooms participates in a symphony
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proclaiming the glory and majesty of Jesus Christ.
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Every bit of creation, no matter how mundane, moths, pine trees here in Georgia,
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was crafted and made by God.
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And this is to point us to the creator.
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Turn to Colossians chapter 1.
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Colossians chapter 1.
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Colossians 1 verse 15.
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He, being Christ, is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
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For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
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whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through Him and for Him.
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And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
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Join me in a word of prayer.
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Father, we are here gathered together to hear a word from You.
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God, I pray that that would occur this morning.
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God, that You would use me this morning to speak Your word to all of us.
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That they would not be my opinions or my thoughts.
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God, they would be Your words to us this morning.
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Help us to not grow numb to Your word.
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Help us to not take advantage of Your word.
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Help us to be moved.
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Have our eyes opened to Your truth that affects the way we live and not just gains some knowledge.
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We look to You for all things.
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None of this can be possible outside of You.
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Be merciful to us.
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That Your will be done this morning.
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In Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Before we dig into Colossians, I want to kind of establish a starting point.
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And a lot of you, when I say this first point, you'll go, yeah, of course.
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Yeah, got it.
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Check.
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Which I've actually already mentioned it once already in the introduction.
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My first point is that God created everything.
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And everything was created for His glory.
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Now that's an elementary truth, but I think we need to establish this
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so that we can then move forward with our discussion this morning.
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God created everything.
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And everything for His glory.
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Genesis 1 says,
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In the beginning, God.
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In the beginning, God created.
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It was only God.
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We have God.
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And then we have everything else.
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We have God creating everything else.
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Everything we see.
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Everything we enjoy.
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Everything we breathe.
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The good and the bad.
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God is created by God.
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It's very important.
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And in the end of chapter 1 in Genesis, God says,
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Moses writes that it is very good what He created.
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Earlier in chapter 1, He said it was good.
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He finishes and says it is very good.
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Now, the Olympics are coming up at the end of the month.
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And I love the Olympics.
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A lot of people, I have a lot of friends who just hate the Olympics.
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I love the Olympics.
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I just love competition.
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And it's very important to be judged by someone who is qualified to judge.
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For example, the gymnastics.
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They're not going to walk out on the street and say,
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Hey, you, come on.
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We need to judge.
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No, they're going to have somebody who knows what they're looking for
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and have the specific scores.
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And if you've paid attention to gymnastics at all, it's a little complicated.
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So they just can't pull anybody off the street to do that.
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They're going to pull somebody who's qualified to judge.
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Well, in Genesis chapter 1, verse 31,
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God is the most qualified to claim His creation is very good.
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Because God is perfect.
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He is good.
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He is qualified to judge.
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He is perfect.
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He has no flaws.
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And His creation was without flaw.
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It was exact as He had designed.
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So we can say it was very good.
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And because it was perfect,
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it was perfect for what it was created.
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What it was created to do.
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For it was created to bring glory to Him.
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See, what makes an artist special, I think, in my opinion, a sculptor, an architect,
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is that they make something out of nothing.
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They dream up.
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And, of course, an architect and an artist do it within the rules of this world.
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So if an artist would have a blank canvas,
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well, they'd have to have a canvas and paint and color within the creative order.
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An architect would have an old dilapidated building.
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A sculptor would have a piece of marble.
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So they'd have these rules that they would have to abide in.
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What makes God so amazing is that He had nothing.
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And He created out of nothing.
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What we see did not exist.
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And God created it.
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And God says it was very good.
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An artist has a picture in their head,
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an idea of what they want to create,
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what they want to draw or paint or carve out.
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They have this picture, but nobody can see it.
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Only the artist.
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Only the sculptor.
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It's only when that piece of work is finished
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that the audience, the people around,
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knows what it is
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and knows that the work is completed.
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It is that moment of completion
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when the artist or sculptor is proud of his work
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and quite possibly may say,
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it is very good.
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And that is what God has done.
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He has created,
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and He says it is very good.
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God created everything out of nothing.
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When you see a Frank Lloyd Wright house,
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and if you don't know who he is,
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he's a famous architect,
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you know it's a Frank Lloyd Wright house.
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When you see a Van Gogh painting,
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you know it's a Van Gogh painting.
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He just has his own style.
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And the painting, the picture, the art,
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points to the artist.
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The work brings glory to the artist or the author.
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And so God's creation then
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is to bring glory to Himself.
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So He can say,
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it is very good for His doing
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what it was created to do.
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Creation brings glory to God.
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It points to the Creator.
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Now Jonathan Edwards,
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in speaking about relationships,
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he's talking about relationships here,
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but the principle applies.
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Listen to this.
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Fathers and mothers,
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husbands, wives, or children,
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or the company of earthly friends,
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are but shadows,
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but God is the substance.
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These are but scattered beams,
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but God is the sun.
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These are but streams,
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but God is the ocean.
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Gifts should point to the giver.
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Creation points to the Creator.
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God created everything,
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and everything is to point to Him.
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Now, what about the fall?
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Some of you may be thinking,
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what about the fall?
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What about sin?
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Now everything can't be perfect.
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All of creation was affected by the fall.
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By sin.
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This was not just a man issue.
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It was not just hearts that had been affected.
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The choice of Adam and Eve
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affected nature and creation.
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They brought devastation upon creation
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in the form of things such as
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ugliness and corruption.
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In Romans 8,
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we know that nature is groaning,
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awaiting redemption,
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awaiting for that time of perfection.
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See, creation though is still beautiful.
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We can still look out and see
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shades of green that we haven't seen before.
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We can still see shades of color
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that we have not seen.
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We can still get our breath taken away by beauty.
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But this beauty is limited.
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And truthfully,
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it pales in comparison to the beauty of Christ.
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The beauty of the Creator.
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So, now that we have that established,
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we're all on the same page
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that God created everything,
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and everything for His glory.
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Everything was created for Jesus,
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by Jesus,
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and through Jesus.
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This is where we dig into
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Colossians chapter 1.
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Now, verse 15 says,
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He is the image of the invisible God,
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the firstborn of all creation.
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He being Jesus.
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The heading at the top of this section,
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my Bible says,
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the preeminence of Christ.
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Speaking of Jesus Christ,
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He is the image of the invisible God.
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Now, this statement here,
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the image of the invisible God,
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was considered blasphemous
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to Orthodox Jews.
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The Old Testament forbid images of God
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because every image
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and every picture
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that we tried to create
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would fall short
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of the beauty
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and the awe
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and the greatness
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of God
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and who He is.
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So they would ban,
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they would allow you,
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no,
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we do not do images of God.
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We do not try to create
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a picture of who God is.
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So for Paul to say
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that Jesus
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is the image
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of the invisible God,
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he's making a statement here.
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He is saying
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that Jesus is God.
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Not just that He's a representation,
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not that He's a reflection of,
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but He's saying
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that Jesus is God.
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So Jesus is actually
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not just God,
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but He is Creator God.
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Same Creator
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who created everything.
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The firstborn
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of all creation.
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Now, some people
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want to make an argument
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and say that,
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well, see,
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Jesus was created,
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He comes in second here.
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Well, this statement
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is not about
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Him being born
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or created.
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It's actually about
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His status.
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That Jesus is above
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all creation.
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So Paul has established
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in one verse
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that Jesus is God
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and because He's God,
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He's above all creation.
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So,
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He's making a big,
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bold statement here
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for all of us readers
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to grasp.
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Jesus is God.
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Now, earlier I said
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that God created everything
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just a few minutes ago.
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And now I'm saying
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that everything was created
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for Jesus,
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by Jesus,
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and through Jesus.
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So what gives?
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Well, the easy,
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fast answer
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is that Jesus is God.
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that's simple.
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But let's dig in a little bit
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into verse 16.
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Verse 16,
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it says,
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For by Him
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all things were created.
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By Him
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all things
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were created.
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In John 1,
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verse 3,
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it says that
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all things were made
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through Him.
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And without Him
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was not anything made
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that was made.
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Hebrews 1,
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verse 2,
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says,
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Through Him
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also He created
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the world,
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Him being Jesus,
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John 1 being
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Jesus the Word.
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The picture here
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in Colossians
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and in John
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and in Hebrews
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is that
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the God the Father
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is the architect.
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He's the designer.
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He's the guy
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with the dream.
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He's the guy.
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Don't judge me
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on that statement.
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God is the architect.
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He's the dreamer.
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He's the guy
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who has the plan.
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And Jesus
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brings the plans
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into existence.
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So everything
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was created
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by Him.
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The Father
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is the developer
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of a property.
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Jesus is the builder
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of that property.
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Both working together
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to accomplish creation.
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And the Spirit
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then does
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the actual work
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of applying the plans
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in a hands-on
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relationship
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to creation.
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So the Spirit
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is even at work.
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In Genesis 1,
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the Spirit
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was hovering
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over the earth.
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The Spirit
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does the actual work.
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So creation
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then is
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trinitary.
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And this is as deep
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as I'm getting
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for you,
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I promise.
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Creation is trinitary
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like the Gospel.
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Okay?
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God the Father
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sends,
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calls,
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God the Son
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makes it possible
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by His life,
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death,
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and resurrection.
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And God the Spirit
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draws and opens
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the eyes of the heart.
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So creation
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is like the Gospel
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there,
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trinitarian.
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Creation
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by Him.
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Everything
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was created
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by Him.
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What we see
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came about
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through the working
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of Jesus'
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power and ability.
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Jesus is the power.
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He is the agent
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of creation.
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He brought the plans
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into existence.
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Look at the end
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of verse 16
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of Colossians.
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It says,
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all things
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were created
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through Him
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and for Him.
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creation.
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This means that
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Jesus is the goal
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of all creation.
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Of all creation.
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He is the goal.
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Everything exists
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to display His glory.
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That's the third point
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this morning
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if you're following along.
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Everything exists
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to display His glory.
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Creation declares
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the glory of Jesus.
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Now remember the artist,
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the sculptor,
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creating?
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Once the piece
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is complete,
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those who admire
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the finished work
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think of the artist
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and admire the artist
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who imagined
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and planned
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and accomplished
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this work of beauty.
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As long as that
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sculpture stands,
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as long as that
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artwork is on the wall
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displayed for people
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to see,
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people remember
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and admire the artist.
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Jesus is the artist
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to be admired.
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He is exalted
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through creation.
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He's the central point
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of creation
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and He is why we exist.
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So when we look out
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and we see something beautiful,
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we think of Jesus.
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We thank Jesus
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for it.
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Psalm 19.1 says,
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The heavens declare
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the glory of God
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and the sky above
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proclaims His handiwork.
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So when that cool breeze
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in a 90 degree day
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hits our cheek,
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rejoice,
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for Jesus had a hand
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in that breeze.
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When you visit paradise
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here on earth,
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wherever that is for you,
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when you visit paradise,
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thank God for His creation,
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for Jesus making it possible.
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Don't complain about the weather
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that God in His sovereignty planned.
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He created it.
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He ordains it
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for that moment
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and that time.
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Every time I think of that,
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complaining about weather,
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my mind goes straight to Facebook.
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Facebook has become
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the complaining capital of,
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I don't know,
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it's where we can all
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just drop our complaints
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and just run away.
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We can just say whatever
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and just leave.
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And it doesn't take very long,
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so we had a warm winter
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and those cold days we had,
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we were waiting for summertime.
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And as soon as summer hits,
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we're waiting for wintertime.
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As soon as winter hits,
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we're waiting for summertime.
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It's just a cycle.
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Well,
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why complain?
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Because God has created it.
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He's ordained it
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for us in that moment
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and that time.
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Martin Luther said,
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Our Lord has written
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the promise of the resurrection
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not in words alone,
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which is what we hold
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in our laps and in our hands,
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but in every leaf in springtime.
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So when every leaf comes out
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and grows and blooms,
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speaks to the resurrection
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of Jesus Christ.
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And all of creation speaks
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to the glory of Christ,
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not just a leaf on a tree.
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Nature and creation
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performs a symphony
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for the glory of Jesus Christ.
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I want to combine
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a couple thoughts here for us.
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Now,
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if creation,
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all of creation
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points to Jesus,
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if everything
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points to Jesus,
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so creation is here
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and we are to enjoy it
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for the glory of Jesus.
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It was created
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for Him
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as the end of verse 16 says.
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And the Westminster Confession,
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which is not Scripture,
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but based on Scripture,
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says that the chief end of man,
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our Logos question,
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what we were made for
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is to glorify God
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and enjoy Him forever.
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We were created
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to glorify God
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and enjoy Him forever.
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We too join
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in all of creation
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and glorify Jesus.
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That's the end there.
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We join in all of creation
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and we also enjoy Him forever.
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And one way we enjoy Him
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is by enjoying His creation.
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We enjoy what He's created.
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We enjoy the weather.
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We enjoy a nice flat field
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to play football on.
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We enjoy these things
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that God has created for us.
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See, the builder of the boat,
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the builder of a boat,
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rejoices when that boat
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is finally put out in the water
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and it doesn't sink.
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He rejoices when people
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are on that boat
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and they're able to have fun
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in that boat.
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Same way,
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God rejoices in us
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enjoying His creation.
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That points to Him
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and is for our joy.
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Theologian Joseph Sittler said,
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delight is the basis
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of right use.
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The light is the basis
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of right use.
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Enjoying Him
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is the basis
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of right use.
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It's not just enjoying creation,
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but using it rightly
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for His glory and our joy.
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We can all think of abuses
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used here on earth,
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on the earth.
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You're growing a field of marijuana.
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Well, that's a negative.
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That's not good.
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If you're cutting down trees
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for lumber
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to build houses
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for people,
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that's not necessarily bad.
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You've got to kind of balance
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and think about
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using it rightly.
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If creation points to Jesus,
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then we can point to Jesus
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with how we use His creation,
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how we use what He has created
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for us.
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Now, that does not mean
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we all drive Priuses.
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It does not mean
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that we all recycle
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and wear hemp clothing
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and live in trees.
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It doesn't mean any of that.
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But it does mean
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that we have concern
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and care
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for this world.
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Apathy is not allowed
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where the Gospel is concerned.
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Apathy does not work.
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Just not care
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doesn't fit in the Gospel.
22:39
So if all creation
22:42
was created for Him,
22:43
Jesus,
22:44
by Him
22:45
and through Him,
22:46
let us make much of Him
22:48
in the way that we care
22:50
for this world.
22:52
In the way that we are concerned
22:54
for this world.
22:58
Now, I expect all of you
22:59
to go and sell your cars
23:00
after today.
23:02
Stop buying fuels.
23:03
No.
23:06
Here's five practical ways
23:09
we can live this out.
23:11
And I stole this from
23:12
Owen Strand's book
23:13
on Jonathan Edwards,
23:14
so these five points are his,
23:16
but they're right on.
23:20
Five practical ways
23:21
that we can live this out.
23:25
Point number one.
23:26
We can appreciate
23:27
the design of creation.
23:28
We can appreciate
23:30
the design of creation.
23:33
God's wise design
23:35
from spiders,
23:36
if they creep you out,
23:38
eight legs walking on webs,
23:40
that's pretty amazing.
23:43
To silkworms spitting silk.
23:47
To the human body,
23:48
the cell,
23:49
just the cell in the human body
23:51
that makes up who we are.
23:53
God's complexity in His mind.
23:56
Appreciate the design of creation.
24:00
And this next statement
24:01
may hurt some of us,
24:03
and it hurts me
24:03
just writing it down.
24:05
Take a break
24:06
from our technologically
24:08
saturated lives
24:09
to see God's creation
24:12
in His mind.
24:14
To see His design.
24:15
To see His work.
24:18
Put praise on God,
24:21
to God,
24:22
and not on humanity
24:23
and our accomplishments.
24:24
Because reality check
24:26
is our accomplishments
24:27
are going to pale
24:27
in comparison
24:28
to what God has created
24:30
and what He has accomplished.
24:36
Next practical way.
24:39
Marvel at the beauty of nature.
24:42
Marvel at the beauty.
24:44
We must find time
24:45
to consume God in nature
24:48
within our busy schedules,
24:51
our busy worlds
24:52
that we live in.
24:53
We must find time
24:55
to consume God,
24:56
to be with God
24:58
outside of four walls
25:00
and a roof
25:01
and a cubicle
25:02
or a cell phone
25:03
in our face.
25:06
Romans 1.20 says
25:07
that God's divine nature
25:09
and eternal power
25:10
has been clearly displayed
25:12
in creation.
25:14
Clearly displayed.
25:16
We can go out
25:17
and see God.
25:19
Now hear me,
25:20
I'm not saying
25:20
God is in nature.
25:21
I'm not making up
25:23
a new religion here
25:24
at Christ Family Church.
25:26
We can go out though
25:26
and see His creation
25:27
and see His mind
25:28
and see His design
25:29
and enjoy
25:30
what He has created.
25:36
God reveals Himself
25:37
in nature
25:38
and His creation.
25:40
We can start
25:41
by watching
25:42
far less TV
25:43
or taking in
25:45
far less web content.
25:47
We can stop
25:48
by taking in
25:49
our experiences
25:49
through a three
25:50
and a half inch screen.
25:52
I don't have my
25:53
iPhone on me
25:54
but I can hold that up
25:55
and start
25:55
reporting you guys
25:56
for that.
25:59
Get out for a walk.
26:01
Enjoy creation.
26:01
This does not mean
26:02
to go to the Appalachian Trail
26:03
and start hiking.
26:05
Get outside.
26:06
We can get outside
26:07
and enjoy His creation.
26:08
We can play football
26:09
and enjoy His creation.
26:10
We can play basketball.
26:11
We can do all sorts
26:12
of things
26:13
and enjoy God's creation
26:14
and marvel
26:16
at the beauty
26:17
of nature.
26:19
We can praise God.
26:21
We can sing to God.
26:22
We can celebrate God
26:23
while being in the very realm
26:24
that was created
26:25
to testify for Him.
26:33
Third point.
26:35
We can look
26:35
for spiritual truth
26:36
in nature.
26:39
Joseph Sittler,
26:40
I quoted him a second ago,
26:41
says that nature
26:42
is a theater of grace.
26:46
Nature is a theater of grace.
26:48
We can sit
26:48
and just be
26:49
in awe of God's grace.
26:51
In awe of His creation.
26:53
Nature is a theater
26:54
of grace.
26:55
Psalm 19.1
26:56
I quoted a second ago.
26:57
The heavens declare
26:59
His handiwork.
27:03
Look for natural signs
27:05
of truth
27:05
of the Bible.
27:08
Mercy.
27:09
Judgment.
27:10
Mercy.
27:12
A long-needed rain.
27:14
A rain that comes
27:15
on a drought.
27:19
Judgment.
27:21
We'll look at the
27:21
raging storm
27:22
of lightning and thunder.
27:24
Raging storms
27:25
of tornadoes
27:25
and hurricanes.
27:29
Jonathan Edwards.
27:30
Now,
27:30
none of us in here
27:31
are Jonathan Edwards.
27:32
None of us have the mind
27:33
of Jonathan Edwards.
27:34
I've got to say this
27:35
before I read this.
27:35
Okay?
27:36
Because this is a little
27:37
out there,
27:38
but the principle here
27:40
we can certainly grasp.
27:43
Jonathan Edwards saw
27:44
a silkworm
27:45
as a type
27:46
of Christ.
27:49
Listen.
27:51
The silkworm
27:52
is a remarkable,
27:53
this is his words,
27:54
the silkworm
27:54
is a remarkable
27:55
type of Christ,
27:57
which,
27:58
when it dies,
27:59
yields us
28:00
that of which
28:01
we make
28:01
such glorious
28:02
clothing.
28:03
Christ became
28:05
a worm
28:06
for our sakes,
28:08
and by his death
28:09
finished that righteousness
28:10
with which believers
28:11
are clothed,
28:13
and thereby
28:14
procured
28:15
that we should be
28:16
clothed
28:17
with robes
28:18
of glory.
28:19
Jonathan Edwards
28:20
saw biblical truth
28:21
in a silkworm.
28:25
We can look
28:26
for spiritual truth
28:27
in nature.
28:29
Fourth point,
28:30
practical ways
28:32
we can live this out.
28:33
We can care
28:34
for creation.
28:36
We can care
28:37
for creation.
28:39
There are,
28:40
of course,
28:40
extremes of this
28:41
on both sides.
28:43
We have the guy
28:44
who cares too much,
28:46
who doesn't
28:48
buy a vehicle,
28:49
rides a bike,
28:50
uses a bullhorn,
28:51
and yells at people
28:51
who doesn't ride bikes.
28:54
We have the people
28:55
who are the other side
28:56
of that,
28:56
who don't care at all,
28:57
who litter
28:58
and throw their stuff
28:59
all over the place
28:59
and don't take care
29:00
of their property
29:01
and do all sorts of things
29:02
because,
29:03
well,
29:04
if we know
29:06
the Bible says
29:07
that this is not a home,
29:08
that this is going
29:09
to be perfected,
29:09
it's going to all burn up,
29:10
well,
29:11
let's just leave.
29:11
Let's just not
29:12
take care of it.
29:13
Well,
29:13
that's silly
29:14
as well.
29:16
if we have a God-centered
29:20
understanding of creation,
29:22
a gospel-centered
29:23
understanding of creation,
29:25
then we will preserve
29:25
and take care
29:27
of this creation.
29:29
We will manage it.
29:30
We will be faithful stewards
29:32
of it
29:32
because God has given it
29:35
to us.
29:37
Now hear me here.
29:38
we will then possess,
29:41
we will then possess
29:42
a great opportunity
29:44
to witness before people
29:46
who too,
29:47
love the earth
29:48
but have no faith
29:51
in the Creator.
29:52
It would give us
29:53
an opportunity
29:53
to share with those
29:55
who love the earth
29:56
but don't love
29:57
the Creator.
29:59
Our care for the world,
30:01
properly done,
30:02
can be both
30:04
an act of worship,
30:06
worshiping the Creator
30:07
for what He has created
30:08
and a means
30:10
of evangelism,
30:11
being able to share
30:12
with others
30:13
the truth,
30:15
the hope that we have
30:16
in Christ Jesus.
30:18
Finally,
30:20
last practical way
30:21
we can live this out.
30:23
We can yearn,
30:25
we can yearn
30:26
for a greater realm,
30:29
a future glory
30:30
to come.
30:32
This world
30:33
is not our home.
30:35
We should look forward
30:37
to what's to come.
30:40
Not dismissing
30:41
what we have here,
30:42
not being the guy
30:42
who just says
30:43
it's all going to burn anyway.
30:46
Or thinking selfishly
30:47
about the future
30:48
and not being concerned
30:49
with here.
30:50
Thinking,
30:51
that day is going
30:52
to be great,
30:53
right now I'm just
30:54
going to get by.
30:56
Our future here,
30:57
here,
30:58
our future home
31:02
will be better
31:03
because the triune God
31:05
will be there.
31:06
There will be no need
31:07
for the sun.
31:08
God's glory will be
31:09
the light.
31:11
The grass will be greener,
31:13
but not because
31:14
it's going to be better
31:15
for us,
31:16
although it will be.
31:17
Not because we're going
31:18
to gain something,
31:19
something selfish
31:19
out of it.
31:20
It'll be greener
31:21
because of Jesus
31:22
is there.
31:23
And God's glory
31:24
is radiating.
31:28
It will be perfect,
31:29
happy,
31:30
and a holy place.
31:33
So,
31:33
when we see
31:34
the effects of sin
31:35
in our daily lives,
31:36
whether it be
31:37
in a person
31:38
or in this creation,
31:41
we can rejoice
31:42
because this is not
31:43
our home.
31:44
We can rejoice.
31:47
We will enter
31:48
a place
31:48
of beauty
31:50
and love.
31:51
where God dwells
31:53
for all eternity.
31:57
And I,
31:57
if we have this
31:58
proper biblical view,
32:00
if we have this
32:00
proper mindset
32:01
of creation
32:03
and creation
32:04
pointing to Jesus,
32:07
then I know
32:08
the way we live
32:09
and how we treat
32:10
and how we manage
32:10
and how we deal.
32:11
We would be
32:12
conservationists.
32:13
We would love
32:14
this world
32:15
and take care of it
32:19
and manage it.
32:19
this sermon
32:21
was incredibly
32:22
convicting for me
32:24
because I've been
32:25
the apathetic one.
32:27
I've been the guy,
32:28
just enjoy it.
32:30
I've got to cut the grass.
32:32
Geez.
32:34
Those things.
32:35
It's been a burden
32:37
to me.
32:38
But now,
32:40
after studying this
32:41
and really seeing
32:41
the implications
32:42
that everything
32:43
was created for Him
32:44
and by Him
32:45
and through Him,
32:46
everything points
32:48
to Jesus.
32:49
We should revel
32:50
in that
32:50
and celebrate that
32:51
and rejoice in that.
32:53
God created
32:54
everything
32:54
through Jesus Christ
32:55
and everything
32:57
points to Jesus.
32:59
We as Christians
33:00
should love creation
33:01
more than any,
33:03
enjoy it
33:03
more than any,
33:05
and conserve it
33:06
more than any.
33:07
We should enjoy it
33:09
more,
33:09
love it more,
33:11
and conserve it more.
33:14
That's a biblical worldview
33:16
in the arena
33:17
of creation
33:18
and environment.
33:21
So,
33:22
Colossians chapter 1,
33:24
when we read
33:25
15, 16, and 17,
33:27
which I didn't even
33:27
get into,
33:28
He, Jesus,
33:29
is the image
33:30
of the invisible God,
33:31
the firstborn
33:32
of all creation.
33:34
For by Him
33:35
all things
33:36
were created
33:36
in heaven
33:37
and on earth,
33:39
visible and invisible.
33:40
Whether thrones
33:41
or dominions
33:42
or rulers
33:42
or authorities,
33:43
all things
33:44
were created
33:44
through Him
33:45
and for Him.
33:47
And He is before
33:48
all things
33:48
and in Him
33:49
all things
33:50
hold together.
33:52
All of creation
33:54
points to Jesus.
33:57
Our lives
33:58
are not compartmentalized.
34:00
Nature is not
34:01
this thing
34:02
that we just
34:03
have to deal with.
34:05
We live
34:06
in God's creation.
34:08
We live
34:08
in nature.
34:11
We can bring
34:11
great glory,
34:13
great honor
34:14
to Him
34:15
through the way
34:16
that we live.
34:17
Not just
34:18
with people.
34:20
Not just in communication,
34:21
but how we live
34:22
with creation itself.
34:24
Pray with me.