Category Archives: God’s creation
TUMC Creation Story
Today we told the story of the genesis of TUMC. Every church has a beginning, which ultimately started from Jesus’ command to, “Go make disciples.” (Matthew 28) Some churches remember better than others that we exist for those outside the church. You see, as we grow and prosper we begin to turn inward, forgetting that we exist for those outside the walls of the church.
Today as we watched our “Year in Review Video” we remembered why we are here. We are here to serve and love as Jesus served and as Jesus loves.
It is a great honor and privilege for me to serve here at TUMC where we have a congregation full of servants. Thank you for the opportunity to be here among you, it is truly a blessing. As you watch this 12 minute video be thinking of the vision that Jesus gives us, to continue to serve in the world for nothing less than full transformation in the name of Jesus.
Finally, if you missed today’s message you may find it here. (Click on July 7th.) It is chocked full of scripture given by fellow members who believe these scriptures embody who we are as a church family.
Many Blessings,
Pastor Sarah
The Story Chapter 10 Reflection Questions
Israel is supposed to be in covenant community because God is to be their king. The people are not staying faithful to their covenant promise. A king is demanded, and God’s permissive will allows a king to guide the people. But once again, sin separates the people from God, Saul moves in his own direction and away from God.
Here are some study questions to guide you as you read Chapter 10 this week.
(Taken from the study guide)
- Eli’s encouragement helped Hannah move from deep sadness to hope. Share about a time when someone deeply encouraged you.
- What can we learn about prayer from Hannah and Samuel?
- Compare the three fathers in the story: Elkanah, Eli and Samuel. What were their best and worst traits? Which of these traits do you wish you had more of?
- Samuel was probably about 12 years old when God called him to be a prophet to Eli and all of Israel. He was required to speak the truth in love to his mentor and friend. Have you ever been in this position?
- The Israelites and the Philistines both treated the Ark of the Covenant more like a good-luck charm than the sacred presence of the LORD. How might people today try to manipulate God for similar gain?
- Samuel is hurt when he sees that the Israelites want a king like other nations, instead of recognizing God as their king. Do you ever struggle with a desire to be like the culture around you, instead of letting God rule your life?
- You are on the search committee for the first king of Israel. What would you look for in your applicants? What were Saul’s actual qualifications?
- How do you think Samuel would have described the “state of the union” at the end of his time as judge? Where do you see God’s grace in his statement after the battle with the Ammonites?
- Imagine you have a friend like Saul, who keeps taking matters into his own hands and ignoring what God’s word teaches him. What advice would you give him?
The Story Chapter 8 Introduction
It is never fun to land in front of a judge. When we are the one in front of the judge it is usually because we have done something wrong.
About 5 years ago I landed in front of a judge. I was on my way to the beach, I had just put on some tunes to enjoy when I saw the policeman in my rear view mirror. When the officer said to me, “We cannot even remember the speed limit here as they keep changing it” I knew I was in trouble. And so I landed before the judge.
Do you know there is an entire book in the Bible named judges? Joshua the leader of the Israelites had gone on to glory, now it was time for the Israelites to live in the land and be God’s people. The only problem was, they continually strayed from being the people God wanted them to be. So a series of judges appeared on the scene to help sort out right and wrong. They also helped people get out of trouble.
God’s people kept putting themselves into a never ending cycle of disobedience, discipline, declaration of wrong, and deliverance. Judges like Deborah (take note there is a female judge, all the way back in the pre-king days of the Israelites), and Gideon and Samson helped the people find their way back to God.
What did the people do that was so bad they needed judges? Two things. First, they failed to put God first in their lives (Judges 1:28). And secondly, they did not teach their children to know God (Judges 2:10). These two “sins” led to their downfall and ruin.
Are you making the same mistakes they made? If so, you have a judge that can help you––Jesus.
The good news is that when he “calls” you into his court room after you’ve messed up, you will look up to see your judge’s face and see your savior there.
The Story Chapter 1 Post Sermon Thoughts-Creation
If you were in worship at TUMC this am you received a golf ball to remind you of the bigness and the greatness of Go. Sometimes we have too small of a view of God. We referred to the teachings of Pastor Louis Giglio. You may click here to hear a short teaching by Pastor Giglio. Giglio is also an astronomer and a pastor, which is one of the things that makes his teachings so interesting.
If you missed this morning’s message on chapter one of The Story, please click here to have an audio version of the sermon.
So what has been your view of God the Creator until now? How does Giglio’s teaching about the “Star breathing God” change your conception of who this God is?
Is it hard for you to imagine that this huge God cares about you?
The Story Chapter 1 Guide and Reflection Questions
Timeless Truth: Sin changes everything.
Chapter Summary
In the beginning, God. God is the central character of the grand story of the Bible. It really is all about Him and His desire to be in relationship with people. In the opening chapters of Genesis, the Upper Story is in full view. God has a grand vision to be with us, and enjoy harmonious life with us on the newly created perfect earth. Man and woman together reflect God’s image as community. As images of God, they are to rule as His benevolent representatives over the earth. In the garden, there is perfect communion with God, one another and with the creation itself. It is all about relationships—relationship with God and relationship with each other.
But God doesn’t force those relationships. When man and woman choose to listen to a creature rather than the Creator, the vision is ruined. Sin enters in and brings with it physical death and separation from God and expulsion from the garden. The whole earth is cursed and begins to die. The sin nature is inaugurated by Adam and Eve, and its tragic consequences are passed on to their offspring. Cain killing Abel demonstrates that every human is infected with sin. But sin is more than what we do, it is what we are—it is now our very nature.
Relationship between God and man has now been broken as has the harmony between man and woman. Even the earth itself no longer relates well to man. Immediately, however, God begins His plan to get us back into a right relationship with Him; and that Upper Story never changes even to the last chapter of the Bible. Even after God brings judgment upon a wicked earth, Noah and his family still emerge from the ark with their sin nature. It is going to take something beyond people to solve the sin problem. A clue to the solution is subtly given to us in God’s response to Adam and Eve. God Himself makes for them clothes from an animal’s skin to cover their nakedness—blood is shed to cover their sin. And a promise is made that sin will one day ultimately be vanquished.
This first chapter of The Story is vital to understanding God’s Upper Story. The major doctrines of our faith are rooted here, namely sin and redemption. In the Bible, only the first two chapters of Genesis and the last two chapters of Revelation give us a glimpse into life in a world without sin, a world as God intended it to be. When we compare our world with what the world was like before sin, we learn that nothing is as it should be. Nothing. Sin changes everything. Since the fall in the garden, man exists in a fallen world under the dominion of Satan. But the believer’s hope lies in knowing that one day the Messiah, promised from the beginning, will return to earth, conquer evil and fully restore the relationships lost in the garden.
Consider taking one or two of the following questions and journaling about it.
- Chapter 1 shows that everything began with God creating and ordering. How is this different than other explanations you have heard of how the world began? How might knowing that life has purpose and direction affect your daily decisions?
- What do think it means to be made in the image of God (page 2)?
- Part of the meaning of being made in the image of God is that we were made for relationships and community. When sin entered the world relationships were destroyed. Describe the change in relationships that occurred between the following:
- God and mankind
- Adam and Eve
- Mankind and the rest of creation
- Mankind and everlasting life
- After each event in the creation story, God said “It is good.” Where does God say it is not good? (page 3) What does this say about God’s plan for the human family?
- What do you think Eve’s real sin was? What role did Adam play in the process?
- Explain how Adam and Eve played the “blame game.” (page 5) Why is it so hard for us to accept the responsibility for our bad choices?
- What can we learn about work from Chapter 1 of The Story?
- Discuss the parallels between Noah’s culture and our own. What attributes and actions of Noah can help us face the challenges of godly living in the world today?
- Many people perceive God as vengeful and distant when they encounter an event such as the Flood in the Old Testament. While God clearly establishes Himself as Judge of His creation, chapter one is overflowing with examples of His love and grace. How many can you identify?
- God made a promise to Noah never again to destroy mankind by a flood and He confirmed it with a rainbow. What promises has he made to you?
- We’ve all had prized possessions: gifts given to us as children, family heirlooms, and expensive purchases. And most likely, at one time or another, someone or something has ruined or broken something we cherish. Can you share such a time in your life, and what was destroyed?
“The Story” prequel Why study the Bible?
We are now switching our blog over from a Psalm A Day to a blog about The Story. Tomorrow we will put up personal reflection questions on chapter 1. Today we the focus is on the reason this study is important for you and for your friends.
The Bible contains an Upper Story and a Lower Story. The Upper Story tells the big picture, the grand narrative of God seeking relationship with mankind as it unfolds throughout history. The Lower Story contains the details of particular people, the episodes we’ve become familiar with: Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, the flood, etc. This Upper Story is really a framework around which we approach and apply any one part of the Bible. It unifies God’s whole message to us and helps guide us through the hard times in life by doing two things:
a) reminding us of God’s eternal, long-range plan and,
b) putting our experiences into a divine context formed by a perfect Creator.
For example, without the “Upper Story”, a lost job could be seen as an event without hope. But put into the context of the larger chronicle of our lives, and God’s perfect design, that lost job can be seen in a very different light, perhaps as an opportunity for God to reveal something better.
So, by putting all we read into the larger picture, we can make modern-day application from the Bible that takes into account the grand, mysterious ways of God, and guards us from misapplications that can result from an isolated “what this verse says to me” approach. In other words, the Upper Story creates the context for the Lower Story.
At TUMC we want to use The Story to help everyone gain a better understanding of the big picture of the Bible and to better understand God’s redemptive plan for us today. As we journey together through The Story we will take note of both the temporal events and characters (Lower Story), as well as the eternal purpose of God: to restore and build a relationship with His creation.
As we launch into The Story there are several questions you might want to use for personal journaling.
- Has your experience with studying and learning the Bible been fulfilling or frustrating? Why?
- Do you have a favorite Bible story or Bible character? What is it about the story or character that most fascinates or resonates with you?
- The Bible has been attacked by skeptics for centuries. A July 9, 2008, headline reads, “Dead Sea tablet casts doubt on death and resurrection of Jesus.” The DaVinci Code is on the national bestseller list for weeks. Other religious groups declare that the Bible is full of inconsistencies and is therefore untrustworthy. How have similar experiences impacted your personal trust in the Bible?
- List a benefit (or two) that you expect to personally experience from going through The Story this year. How do you think our church as a whole will benefit?
- Who in your life has been the most influential in your spiritual journey? Why?
We pray as we make this journey together that you will grow in your understanding of how God has a bigger plan for you, that is part of God’s “upper” plan.
Psalm 121
Psalm 121 is a Psalm that reminds us and assures us of God’s protection. This is a joyful Psalm and one that perhaps produces joy in the mist of struggle. If we look at the question in verse one: “I lift up my eyes to the hills – from where does my help come from?” we may begin to think and remember times when we have asked that question.
When we look at the overwhelming issues that surround the world today and when we look at our own lives that are often accompanied with brokenness and pain, we ask “from where does our help come from?” There are moments in our lives where we all ask this question.
Praise God we have an answer! We see that whether we are overflowing with joy in life or struggling to make it another day God is the one who provides us help. God is the creator and is bigger than any issue or circumstance that we face. God is the creator of all and is loving enough to be our help and ever present strength in the good and tough times.
In verse six we read “the sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.” Some scholars say this phrase including both the sun and the moon indicates that God’s care is day and night, it is continual! God’s love is not conditional or seasonal but it is all the time to all people.
God is with us, God cares for us, and God is active and alive in the world. This Psalm is a beautiful prayer of us proclaiming that we believe God to be concerned with God’s own creation and proclaiming that God is our keeper and our help.
Psalm 115
What a great psalm. This psalm writer has a sense of humor. The writer begins by giving glory to the One true God of Israel, and then mocks the other nations who worship idols who are mocking the one true God. Perhaps our human nature likes this because it totally makes fun of the idols.
Can you picture this scene of rhetoric? Your idols are only made of human hands, what good can that do? Our God is the One who made the humans! They cannot walk, they cannot hear and those who made them will be just like them. In short, is something made out of human hands worth putting your entire trust in?
We ask the same question a few thousand years later. Is something made out of human ingenuity worth putting the trust of your life in? Is something that is inanimate worth putting all your hopes in? We can say a resounding no to that question.
The psalmist reminds us, it is the LORD (remember all caps means the proper name of God), who blesses you and who created you. The highest of the heavens belong to God, but he has given the earth to humans.
What are we to do with this earth that God the creator of the universe has given to us? We are to be good stewards of it. Back in the story of creation, in Genesis we see how we are to care for the earth. How can you care for what God has entrusted us with?
In closing, this psalm reminds us that we are a community set apart. A community with a common understanding that we are different because we put our trust in God and others put their trust in idols. To put our trust in God means that we intend to live first and foremost to the glory of God. That becomes a huge statement of our faith.
Click here for a great worship song about not worshiping idols and using our hands for God’s glory. Give Us Clean Hands, by Chris Tomlin
Psalm 113
Read Psalm 113 here in the message version. (To change this to NIV just click the drop down box on version.)
What a great psalm! This is a testimony to who God is and to the very character of God. From the rising sun to the place where it sets, let the name of the Lord be praised! Have you ever watched the sun rise? Sitting on the beach this summer watching the sun rise reminded me, once again that God, is the one who set the world in motion, but is also the one who continues to allow the rhythm of creation to work on a daily basis. Watching the sunrise was a reverent event. There was a hush over the beach as the sun once again rose to take its position in the sky. It was a daily reminder of the power of our God, who “causes the sun to rise on the just and the unjust on a daily basis.”
Verse 9 reminds us that God not only makes the created rhythms of the world, but also cares about the individuals–about all the people, even the woman who is barren. Remember that the psalm writer lived in a time when the purpose of women was to bear children, and they were to bear sons. The barren woman was a disgrace to her family and to her husband. The writer is reminding us that the God of all creation is also active in our personal lives. So much so that God cares about the woman who has been shamed and lost her honor. Yes, that same God cares about you and me. Let the name of the Lord be praised!
Psalm 105
Psalm 105 is another psalm of praise, but this one moves away from praising God for creation and instead begins to give thanks for the mighty acts of God in relation to God’s people. The key verse could be verse 4, “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”
The psalmist reminds us of the covenant God had with Abraham that was passed on to all of Abraham’s subsequent descendants. (See that covenant in Genesis 12:3.) We are reminded that God is faithful to God’s promise. Even Joseph being sold into slavery was used for good by the Almighty God who is always faithful to His chosen people. Subsequently God rescued God’s people from Egypt when they became enslaved. The psalmist retells the story of God’s saving grace for God’s people. God is faithful to God’s people.
Here is the amazing part for today’s application of this psalm to our daily lives. Christians inherit this covenant promise through Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul reminds us that we are grafted into the promise through Jesus. (Romans 11:11-24) As such, we too can count on God to be faithful. God remembers his covenant forever. As if that were not enough, God has redeemed us not out of Egypt, but out of the bondage of sin due to the saving work of Jesus on the cross. Now that is worth rejoicing for! Let’s join the writer of the psalm as we too give shouts of joy to our God who never forgets us and keeps His promises from generation to generation. How has God kept His promise to you on recent times?
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