dirt week 1 God creates

As we begin this new series, think about this. 

How did you get here? 

Were you thought of before you were conceived?

How was mankind created? 

Did everything here just show up?

Universe creation theories, just a few:

10. Mayan Account

Three water serpents and three heaven dwellers created the Earth, according to their sacred book, the Popol Vuh.

9. Ancient Creation Stories

During the ancient days of Greece and Rome many believed in polytheism and some of their gods just “emerged from the void” and created everything.

8. Protouniverse

Matter is created from a white hole. Opposite of a black hole, which sucks in everything near it, a white hole “spits out” matter from nothingness at the speed of light.

7. Bouncing Theory

The Universe is described as having an infinite number of beginnings and endings, where it continuously expands and contracts through numerous big bangs and big crunches.

6. Intelligent Design

While not necessarily being “God created the universe”, something of a higher power, or super-scientist, designed everything and did not necessarily act alone. Some sort of entity outside our knowledge of existence created everything throughout the observable universe.

5. Bubble Universe

With this theory, our universe is one of many multiverses that formed through a vacuum. According to the energy changes of the “parent universe” multiverse, if the level changes become too large, our entire universe may just erase from existence.

4. Biblical Account

A popular Christian belief that God created the Heavens and the Earth and the rest of the universe in seven days.

3. “Always Has Been”

Just as God doesn’t have a beginning or an end, the Universe could be argued for in the same fashion.

2. Big Bang

The Big Bang gives the Universe an age of 13.7 billion years. However, what caused the Big Bang is still unknown, and their are even more theories that try to explain it, such as the Theory of Everything, or “God started the Big Bang”, etc.

1. Darwinism-theory of evolution.

1.      Truth tell us that God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 1:1-5, 26-27

[1] In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [2] The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. [3] Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. [4] And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. [5] God called the light "day" and the darkness "night." And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.

[26] Then God said, "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground." [27] So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them."

1.      Created-not formed from any pre-existing materials, but made out of nothing.

1.      God is so creative that He created us from DIRT. 

1.      Illustrate here: grab a handful of dirt and ask the next question.

2.      How can anyone create Life out of this?

1.      Life?

2.      Dirt brings life, brings nourishment, brings the "organic" to life.

1.      Organic is not a new, novel idea, it was God's.

3.      Only God can bring life out of the dirt that is for sure. 

3.      God spoke and the world was framed, constructed to His perfection, the clouds are the dust of His feet, carving rivers with His fingers, forming mountains out of the dirt, like a child in a sand box, creating.

1.      Always creating life.

2.      Speaking life, propelling life forward.

3.      Speaking, creating, designing life.

1.      I believe our words can create life, I believe the church should speak life, model life, create new life, I believe this church should create life, speak life, impart life.

2.      Speaking into the darkness, the void, the formlessness and out of that coming life, destiny, purpose, design, eternity, life.

3.      That's some power filled, destiny charged, life changing, life altering, miracle growing Dirt...

4.      Do you know what happens when man and woman get together?

1.      Life!

2.      When we work as a unit, serve His purposes together in unity, life is always created.

Genesis 2:7 NLT [7] "Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living person."

5.      We must know that we were created from DIRT.

Psalm 100:3 NLT "[3] Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are His. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture."

2.      We were created with purpose. 

1.      God’s purpose that is.

2.      Every part of the creation is under God's intuition and influence.

Psalm 139:13-15 NLT "[13] You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. [14] Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-how well I know it. [15] You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb."

3.      I believe God made us and formed us from dirt to show us that He can take nothing and make something.

1.      Something of great and lasting value.

2.      Something out of the formlessness, the empty void, the darkness, the nothingness and create.

1.      He speaks, and everything is created out of the nothing.

3.      He can take the simplest of things here in this life and make the most complex thing that has ever been created.

4.      God can take the dirt and create masterpieces, works of art, beauty unimaginable, He is the ultimate designer original manufacturer.

1.      You could line up the greatest inventors in the world against God and God would still win because they have to launch, they have to start, they have to dream using His materials. 

4.      Humans are by far still the most complex and greatest of all of God's creative works.

1.      We came from dirt.

2.      Did you notice that in Genesis 2:7 this verse of scripture God formed us with His hands.

1.      He spoke everything else into existence but He formed us, designed us, fashioned us with His own hands.

2.      This shows great love, concern, compassion and grace in and through our Creator.

1.      Every time a baby is conceived God begins to work forming, creating, designing, building humanity.     

1.      Formed man from out of the dust of the ground.

2.      Science has proven that the substance of mankind's flesh, sinews, and bones, consists of the very same elements as the soil which forms the crust of the earth and the limestone that lies embedded in its bowels.

3.      But from that very important material an admirable structure has been built in the human body. 

Ephesians 1:11 NLT "Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan."

3.      It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.

4.      Long before we first heard of Christ…

1.      He had His eye on us, had designs on us for admirable living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in every thing and in every one.

1.      Knowing your purpose simplifies your life.

2.      Knowing your purpose gives your life meaning.

3.      Knowing your purpose focuses your life.

4.      Knowing your purpose motivates your life.

"Surely God would not have created such a being as man to exist only for a day! No, man was made for immortality. Abraham Lincoln

1 John 2:17 NLT "[17] And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever."

1.      You were planned for God’s Pleasure:

1.      A heart for worship, designed for relationship.

2.      Developing your friendship, sonship, eternal relationship with God.

3.      James says;draw close to God and He will draw close to you, this is personal.

2.      You were formed for God’s Family:

1.      A place to belong.

2.      Experiencing life together.

3.      Cultivating community.

3.      You were created to become like Christ:

1.      Our heavenly Father’s desire is for us to mature, develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ, living a life of love and humble service.

2.      Creation takes time. Life takes time.

3.      Spiritual Growth is not automatic, it is an intentional commitment. 

1.      We must want to grow, decide to grow, make an effort to grow and persist in growing.

2.      Discipleship the process to become like Christ.

Romans 12:2 NLT "[2] Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

3.      You were shaped for serving God:

1.      Understand your gifting.

2.      Use what God gave you.

3.      How real servant’s act: laying down our lives for the sake of others.

4.      You were made for a Mission:

1.      Share your life’s message: when telling others of your life change, they will be inspired with your Mission.

5.      We were created for Spiritual Growth.

1.      As we serve God we must consider the process.

2.      It all begins with DIRT. 

3.      We were created from DIRT.

1.      DIRT gives:

1.      Life

2.      Nourishment

3.      Stability

4.      Foundation

5.      Covering

4.      The Dirt of our spirituality:

1.      Value God, Value others, Value the mission. Love God, Love people, Live the Gospel.

2.      We should give, create, and exude life.

“Christians get very angry toward other Christians who sin differently than they do.” Philip Yancey

5.      I grew up in an era that made judgment, condemnation, sin measuring, and self righteousness famous.

1.      Many of the people were conscientiously self-righteous when it came to certain sins.

2.      Those who didn’t commit the sins they deemed the worse (externally, that is) saw themselves as more “pure” than others who may have stumbled in those areas.

1.      I regret to say that in my early years as a Christian, I adopted this same attitude.

2.      Oh let's talk about dirt.

3.      Ironically, these same people winked at the sins of gossip, slander, outbursts of rage, condemnation, judging the motives of others, pride, and lying.

4.      Excuses routinely made in an attempt to justify these “lesser” sins.

5.      In addition, most of us were monumentally disinterested and unmoved by things like poverty, racism, sexism, genocide, imprisonment, and homelessness.

6.      Now in our culture and day many view the worst kinds of sins as being societal.

1.      These people regarded failure to try and alleviate poverty, stop genocide, and curb homelessness to be the worst kinds of sins, while unfortunately sexual sins, standard less ness, and modeling their lives after culture is winked at.

2.      Their view on sin is the exact opposite of the first group I mentioned.

7.      In this regard, James makes an eye-opening statement:

James 2:10 NLT "[10] For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God's laws."

8.     In the same vein, Jesus turns the conversation on its head when He says, Matthew 5:21-22 NLT [21] "You have heard that our ancestors were told, 'You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.' [22] But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell."

9.     And again: Matthew 5:27-28 NLT "[27] "You have heard the commandment that says, 'You must not commit adultery.' [28] But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

1.     Illustrate here: I refuse to turn over others peoples dirt or dig around in their past, present or future because I am busy worrying about my own "dirt."

10.Then there’s Paul:

Galatians 5:19-21 NLT "[19] When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, [20] idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, [21] envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God."

1.      In these texts, James, Jesus, and Paul level the playing field on sin, showing that every believer is guilty of so-called “dirt.”

1  John 1:8-10 NLT "[8] If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. [9] But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. [10] If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that His word has no place in our hearts."

George MacDonald famously said,

“I understand God’s patience with the wicked, but I do wonder how He can be so patient with the pious.”

1.      Let me close by saying that if we’re going play the “your sins are worst than mine” game, we shouldn’t be negligent in looking at what made Jesus’ blood boil when He walked this earth.

2.      Who was He the angriest at?

1.      The answer is a cinch for any student of Scripture.

2.      It was the self-righteous, pious, condemning, judgmental Pharisees.

3.      The self-appointed monitors of other people’s righteousness.

3.      Who was Jesus the most patient with?

1.      The very ones looked down upon as being the worst “sinners.”

2.      The dirt of society.

4.      The person who is adept at calling “dirt” in others, but fails to see the dirt in himself/herself, is in a very dangerous place.

1.      Such is the nature of a Pharisee.

2.      Those sins which blind a person from seeing the weight of their own transgressions against that of others are treated as more serious by God.

1.      In short, every sin comes off the same tree.

2.      All sin is serious.

3.      All sin put Jesus on the cross.

4.      Therefore, we are deluded whenever we lessen the sins we’ve committed and magnify the sin of others …whatever they might be.

5.      Deal with your dirt.

3.      Thank God that Jesus has paid the price for all our sins, every spec of our dirt, and given us the power to walk free from sins rule over us.

4.      Let us, therefore, be harsh with ourselves in the matter of sin and compassionate to everyone else.

1.      When it comes to the issue of sin, the New Testament puts the emphasis on a person’s present walk.

2.      This is where the issue of repentance comes in.

1.      To repent means to stop doing it.

2.      It means to “Go and sin no more,” as Jesus put it. 

3.      So if we know a brother or sister who has been “overtaken in a fault” let us seek to restore them in Christ, not destroy them.

2.      But it is paramount that as we do, we treat them the same way we would want to be treated if we were standing in their shoes, knowing that we are just as sinful as they are, “taking heed, therefore, lest we fall into the same thing or worse.”