April 30, 2018 Monday

Genesis 1:1-5, John 1:1-5 Is there really a God?

Is there an active and interested God?

“1 ¶ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 ¶ And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night". And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” (Genesis 1:1-5 NIV)

“1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 ¶ The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (John 1:1-5 NIV)

There are really two questions here.  Is there a God?  Is God active and interested?  There are also two ways of looking for evidence.  One is with an acceptance of scripture and the other without.

Is there a God?

Biblically

First Statement assumes God- “In the Beginning God…”  God is assumed in all of scripture.  The Bible is history – His Story – the story of God working in creation.  God is the foundation of all that is, for nothing would exist without God.  All of that is in those first four words.  God creates, thinks, feels, cares, and plans.  All of this is seen in just the first chapter.

Non-biblically

Design –There is design to all of creation, an order that proclaims a designer.  Some things that could not have evolved because of multiple parts would have to evolve together.  All of the essential traits needed for a bird to fly; light feathers, hollow bones, unique respiratory system and many others would have to happen at the same time or the animal would be doomed.

A design with almost unlimited use as pig heart valves save human lives.  A common designer who designed everything in creation to work good together has to be involved.

The clock like intricacy of the universe as each solar system spins within itself and also within its galaxy and each galaxy within the Universe.

Information- Within our DNA is a library of information.  A code that spells out who we should be. At a minimum each cell contains 500,000 typewritten pages of information. Each line is a code that defines us physically. For there to be such volumes without an author or a code without a code maker would take a whole lot of faith. 

Some will say all of creation is because of many mutations happening over many millions and now billions of years.  But a study of mutations discovered that no mutation they studied ever-added information to the mix, it actually reduced the information!  Most mutations are also destructive to the host like cancer, which is a mutation of healthy cells.

A world of Gods- Why does humanity seek a God?  Why are there so many god’s out there?  Maybe because we were created by God and so desire God?  Every culture has either accepted or created a god.  Every culture usually has a small group who will not or can not accept the existence of God.

Is God active and interested?

Biblically-

All life comes from God! – Later in Genesis 1 we see God form man and breathe life into him.  The first CPR ever performed.  The word for breath and Spirit of God has the same root of breath and breathing.  God breathed His very Spirit into us and that is the source of our life.  In John we are told directly that Jesus is life itself and that life is the “light of men”  If you are alive than God is actively working in you with every breath you take!

God cared enough to give His Son to redeem you! – This Word named Jesus came to give you that life.  Jesus cared enough to come, to teach, to share, to suffer, to die and to rise again that we may have an abundant as well as an eternal life!  God not only gives you life but overcomes the darkness that threatens all of us.  The Light of Jesus Christ offers us hope and has overcome the terrible darkness that causes war after war and suffering after suffering.

Non-biblically

Spring – Every winter we go through a time of death and shutting down.  Winter reminds us of our death but spring reminds us of life.  Easter must be celebrated at spring time because both celebrate the coming of life and hope.

Cycles of renewal – There are many other cycles of renewal around us.  The life cycle of birth (a renewal of family and humanity), youth (a renewal of gifts and talents), adulthood (a renewal of creation), old age (a renewal of wisdom and grace), and death (a renewal of life itself)!

Every species or kind has a cycle of renewal.  The plants have a cycle of renewal.  So do the planets and the universe.  We live and exist within these cycles of renewal.

The fall has brought the curse to these cycles, but even in death God has redeemed the worst part of the cycle to become the one with the most hope.  How much more could God care?  How much more can God do? 

Life itself begs for the answer of God.  The continuity of life declares that God still cares.  God could have destroyed us at any time because of our arrogance and our foolishness.  But we are still here through the love and pleasure of God!

Next Week: Question 2: Just what is life?

Genesis 2:7, John 11:25-27

            The day after going to worship is always a weary and painful day.  Today I had an appointment with Dr Thomas and really I am on maintenance with Dr Thomas and Dr Byrd.  All they can do is try to relieve the symptoms with drugs and advice on how to maintain my strength.  So I went weary and came back even wearier.  Wednesday I will go see Dr Barker and try to discover why my CPAP machine is not working well.