Podcasts about creation genesis

The End of the Beginning (Genesis 50 Summary) Today, Ally brought our incredible journey through the book of Genesis to a close with a powerful sermon titled "The End of the Beginning." As we conclude this foundational book of the Bible, we see that even in endings, there are new beginnings and enduring truths that resonate with our lives today, even here on the estate. Ally began by expressing her privilege in studying and sharing God's Word, especially as we reached the final chapter of Genesis. Reflecting on the "beginning" that the book's name signifies, she highlighted three key beginnings we've encountered: The Beginning of Creation (Genesis 1:1): Ally reminded us of the profound truth that "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." This foundational statement establishes God as the eternal Creator, a concept that can stretch our understanding. She shared a childhood wonder about who created God, acknowledging that some truths are simply beyond our full comprehension. God is, always has been, and always will be. This perfect creation was designed for humanity, made in God's image, to live in partnership with Him. The Beginning of Sin (Genesis 3:1): This perfect beginning was tragically marred by the introduction of sin. Ally recounted the familiar story of the serpent tempting Eve, but emphasized that the core issue wasn't just eating a forbidden fruit. It was an act of rebellion, of placing their own will above God's. Using the simple analogy of spelling "sin" with "I" in the middle, Ally explained that sin is fundamentally about putting ourselves in God's rightful place. The consequences of this act were devastating: a spoiled perfect world, the pain of hard work, banishment from the Garden, a shattered relationship with a holy God, and ultimately, death – a final separation from Him. Ally stressed the gravity of sin, explaining that it fundamentally breaks our relationship with God. The Beginning of the Covenant (Genesis 12): Despite the bleakness of sin's entry, Ally illuminated God's loving rescue plan, hinted at even in Genesis 3. This plan truly begins to unfold with God's covenant with Abraham. Defining a covenant as a formal, binding agreement, Ally read from Genesis 12:1-3, where God promises Abraham land, a great nation, and blessing, stating, "All peoples on earth will be blessed through you." She further referenced the symbolic covenant ceremony in Genesis 15 and the reiteration of these promises in Genesis 17:1-8, where God declares, "I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you, for the generations to come to be your God and the God of your descendants after you." This covenant with Abraham marks the beginning of God's plan to restore humanity and His creation. Following this reflection, Ally's son, Caleb, bravely read Genesis 50, our passage for today. This chapter details the end of Jacob's life and its aftermath, providing us with three significant "ends" to consider: The End of Jacob: Ally noted the extensive detail given to Jacob's death and burial (Genesis 50:1-14), far exceeding the accounts of other patriarchs like Abraham. Joseph's profound grief, the 40-day embalming process, and the 70 days of mourning by the Egyptians highlight the significance of Jacob's life. His burial in Canaan, fulfilling Joseph's oath, underscores his deep connection to the Promised Land and God's promises. Ally drew parallels to the New Testament description of Christians as "aliens" or "foreigners" in this world (1 Peter 2:11). Just as Jacob's true home was in the Promised Land, our ultimate citizenship is in God's kingdom (Philippians 3:20). She encouraged us to hold onto this identity, especially during the challenges of daily life, and emphasized the importance of gathering as a church to remind and encourage one another in this truth. Furthermore, Ally acknowledged Jacob's flaws, echoing Andy's previous sermon, yet highlighted that he "finished well" and was honored. This serves as an encouragement that God uses flawed individuals for His purposes, and He can restore us despite our shortcomings. Finally, Ally pointed out that Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, is arguably the true father of the nation of Israel, as his twelve sons became the twelve tribes. His death, holding onto God's promises, and the mourning by the Egyptians, a foreign people, speaks volumes. The End of Hostility: Shifting the focus to Genesis 50:15-21, Ally addressed the end of hostility between Joseph and his brothers. Following Jacob's death, the brothers, burdened by their past mistreatment of Joseph, feared his retribution. They fabricated a message from Jacob asking for forgiveness. While Ally expressed skepticism about the truthfulness of this message, she acknowledged their likely genuine remorse. Joseph's emotional response and subsequent reassurance revealed that he had already forgiven them. His powerful statement, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" (Genesis 50:20), illustrates God's ability to work through even the most evil intentions for a greater purpose. Ally drew a parallel to our relationship with God, highlighting the burden of unresolved sin and the power of God's unrestricted forgiveness, prepaid by Jesus' death on the cross. She encouraged listeners to "claim" this forgiveness through a simple ABC: Admit you're wrong, Believe in Jesus' death, and Commit to following Jesus as Lord. She urged anyone carrying the weight of sin to address it and encouraged those who have been wronged to consider Joseph's example of forgiving even before being asked. This counter-cultural act of forgiveness mirrors God's own initiative in sending His Son for us. The End of Joseph: In the final verses (Genesis 50:22-26), we see the end of Joseph's life. Unlike Jacob, his death is marked by less ceremony, and the blessing of the next generation had already occurred. However, Joseph's unwavering faith in God's covenant shines through. Even though the promises of a great nation in their own land seemed distant after over 250 years, Joseph declared to his brothers, "God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" (Genesis 50:24). He even made the Israelites swear an oath to carry his bones back to Canaan when that time came, a testament to his enduring faith, which was fulfilled 400 years later. Ally emphasized the theme of patience in waiting for God's promises. Joseph's faith was rooted in his understanding that God was for him, working out His purposes even through difficult circumstances. His statement in Genesis 50:20 – "God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" – reveals his understanding that God's plans extend beyond his own personal well-being. Ally concluded by reminding us that God is for us, even when our circumstances are challenging or His timing differs from our own. Drawing on Romans 8:28, she affirmed that God works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Jacob and Joseph died trusting in God's promises, and we are called to do the same. Ally concluded with a call to reflection, urging listeners to consider any unresolved sin, broken relationships, or struggles with feeling like a foreigner in this world or doubting God's care. The answer to all these challenges, she affirmed, is to come to the cross, to re-center on God's saving work, where His love and forgiveness are most powerfully displayed. Bible References Used: Genesis 1:1 Genesis 3:1 Genesis 12:1-3 Genesis 15 Genesis 17:1-8 Genesis 25 Genesis 37 Genesis 49 Genesis 50:1-14 Genesis 50:15-21 Genesis 50:20 Genesis 50:22-26 Genesis 50:24 1 Peter 2:11 Philippians 3:20 Romans 8:28 Thank you for joining us for this final reflection on Genesis. We pray that Ally's words have encouraged and challenged you. May we all live in the light of God's promises and the forgiveness found in Jesus Christ. Transcription Yes, so I'm Ali. I know some of you, not everyone. A bit about me, I'm Matt Richard, who unfortunately isn't here. He's gone out with the youth. And we have two boys, Jacob, who's also gone with youth, but Caleb, who has chosen to stay in and listen to mum. And he's going to have more later on. I think I was born just before Voyager 1 left, but there we go. Right now, I'm feeling extraordinarily privileged. Firstly, it's a privilege to study and delve into God's Word and help other people understand it. It's one of the favourite things that I like to do. And secondly, what a privilege to bring this incredible series in Genesis to a close. And as I've been preparing this, the realisation that this really is the last chapter has weighed a little heavy. And the fact that this is the last of our one service Sundays just adds a little bit of extra pressure. Let's go. I've called the talk the end of the beginning. And we're going to get into the passage in a bit. Now, most of you won't have heard me preach before, but I'm one for going in and out of the text. So now is your chance to get your Bible or switch your phone on and find Genesis 50 because we're going to be needing it later, all right? But to start with, I wanted to reflect a bit on what's gone on before. So for those of you who haven't checked out the masterpiece in the entrance, well, you are missing out. It is an absolutely incredible collage of what we've been looking at over the last three months, and I highly recommend it. And I think it's just an absolutely fantastic job. So well done, Sheila, for that. Genesis means beginning, and there have been plenty of those over the past 49 chapters. And I'm just going to pick out three. Chapter 1, verse 1, in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, the beginning of everything. And it's hard to get your head round, isn't it? Once there was nothing, and then there was, well, everything. And those opening verses take us back to the very beginning of everything. They remind us that God is truly eternal. Now, I remember as a kid wanting to know who made God. And in fact, I'm not sure I've ever had a satisfactory answer to it. Some things are maybe just too big to understand. God just is. He always has been, and He always will be. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. God made a perfect world, and He put two human beings on it to enjoy and take care of it, to live in partnership with Him. We are the pinnacle of creation made in His image. But that didn't last. By chapter 3, the perfect world is spoiled forever. You see, we see the beginning of sin. Chapter 3, verse 1, now the snake was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden? And we know the story, or at least we think we do, don't we? But what really went on that day in the Garden of Eden? Was it simply that Eve stole a forbidden fruit? Well, of course, that was the action, but it's what was behind it that's the issue, isn't it? You see, in disobeying God's command, Adam and Eve effectively rejected His rule. Now, as a kid, I was taught to remember sin by spelling it out, F-I-N, and seeing that I is in the middle. And that essentially is what sin is about. All sin is, is when we put ourselves, that I, in the place of God, when we reject that rightful rule that He should have over us. And that is what Adam and Eve did in that day in the garden, spurred on by the devil. And far more important are the consequences of this event. You see, that perfect world was spoiled. No longer would life be pain-free for men or women. Life would be hard work. Adam and Eve, and with them the whole human race, were banished from the Garden of Eden, never to return. And worse than that, their perfect relationship with God was spoiled, shattered, broken. That's what I'm trying to get at with that picture there. No longer could Adam and Eve walk side by side with Him. You see, God is so holy, we've just sung it, He's so holy, so absolutely perfect, that He cannot be in the presence of people that are not. And ultimately the consequence was of death, and with it that final separation from God. Now sin spoils, and I don't know how well you've grasped this, but it is really important, so I am going to go on about it just for a little bit longer. Maybe you're here just dipping your toe in things. Maybe you've heard this all before but never quite understood it. Or maybe you've been in church all your life and you think you already know this. Wherever you're at, grasp this, that sin spoils. It means that we cannot be in relationship with God. That is gone, that is smashed to smithereens. It means we die, and that is bad news, depressing news, maybe even shocking news. But it's not the only news, and you see God is not only a holy God, He's one of perfect love, and He had a plan to put things right. Now when I was doing Bible training, one of our lecturers said that you can divide the Bible into two halves. The first three chapters of Genesis is one half, and the rest is the other. And the second half is basically God's rescue plan. It's not a plan B brought into force when Adam and Eve screwed the first one up. No, the Bible is clear that this was always the plan, and there is a hint of it in chapter 3, but let's skip forward to our last beginning, the beginning of the covenant. Now Google AI tells me that a covenant is a formal binding agreement or promise between two or more parties. And in chapter 12, we see Abraham, later to become Abraham, encounter God. And God states His promise to him as a threefold promise that involves a land, a people, and great blessing. So I'm just going to read a little section from Genesis 12. The Lord said to Abraham, go from your country, your people, and your father's household, to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who curse you, and whoever, bless you, sorry, and whoever curses you, I will curse. And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. And God repeats this twice more. Do you remember chapter 15, that weird ceremony with the blazing fire and the animals cut in half? I'll look it up later. And in it, Abraham looking at the stars in the sky, God using them as an illustration of His promise to make Him the father of a great nation. And God repeats these promises, makes it clear that it's Him that is doing it all. And finally, He repeats them a third time in Genesis 17. Abraham fell face down, and God said to him, as for me, this is my covenant with you. You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram. Your name will be Abraham. For I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you, for the generations to come to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and to your descendants after you. And I will be their God. So we've had three beginnings. We've had a perfect creation. We've had a spoiled creation. And we've got God's rescue plan, which starts with a covenant with one man. So can we just hold those beginnings in mind whilst you get a little break from me? And Caleb is going to read our passage for today, which is Genesis 50. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh's court, If I have found favour in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, My father made me swear on oath and said, I am about to die. Bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan. Now let me go up and bury my father. Then I will return. Pharaoh said, Go up and bury your father as he made you swear to do. So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh's officials accompanied him, the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt. Besides all the members of Joseph's household and his brothers and those belonging to his father's household, only their children and flocks of hurt were less than gotten. Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large company. When they reached the fresh floor of Etad near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly, where Joseph observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father. When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the fresh floor of Etad, they said, The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning. That is why the place near the Jordan is called Abel-Musraim. So Joseph's sons did as he commanded them. They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephraim the Hittite. After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father. When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him? So they sent word to Joseph, saying, Your father left these instructions before he died. This is what you were to say to Joseph, I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of the servants of God your father. When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. We are your slaves, they said. But Joseph said to them, Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Joseph stayed in Egypt along with all his father's family. He lived 110 years and saw the third generation of Ephraim's children. Also, the children of Micaiah, son of Manasseh, were placed at birth on Joseph's knees. Then Joseph said to his brothers, I am about to die, but God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised an oath to Abraham, Isaac and Joko. And Joseph made the Israelites wear an oath and said, God will surely come to your aid and then you must carry my bones up from this place. So Joseph died at the age of 110 and after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt. Well done little man. He was a bit upset that he wasn't getting one of these roving mics, so I've told him he's got to wait a little bit for that. So to the end of the beginning, our final chapter, and in it we see three ends. Firstly, the end of Jacob. So Andy talked last week about Jacob's final words to his gathered sons and grandsons. So technically his end was in chapter 49 when he, what did you say Andy, hooked up his feet on the bed and went to his father's, something like that. But the first half of this chapter is devoted to his end. Now I don't know about you, but as I've studied it and as I've heard it read just now, my overriding thought was, wow, they made a massive deal out of that. And there is a lot of detail for us, far more than other significant deaths in Genesis. I look back, in Genesis 25, there's just four verses devoted to the end of Abraham and we have 14. And I wonder why. So let's look at them in a bit more detail. Verse 1, Jacob has just died and Joseph is physically distraught. He throws himself on his father's body. He weeps over him and kisses him. And then there's the first ritual. Jacob's body is embalmed. This takes 40 days. Verse 3, the Egyptians mourned him for 70 days. And see who's mourning there? The Egyptians. Not Joseph and his brothers, although clearly they will have been too, but the Egyptians. Jacob is a foreigner in their land and yet they mourned him for 70 days. Jacob's end was a big deal and not just for his family. And the story goes on and preparations are made for his burial, which happens not in Egypt but back in Canaan, fulfilling an oath that Joseph had sworn to his father. And Jacob is eventually buried back at the family burial cave with his grandparents, Abraham and Sarah and his father Isaac, but not without more pomp and ceremony. Verse 7 to 9, we see all of Egypt's dignitaries, well done Caleb, accompanying the family. It was a very large company, such a large company that the locals living there remark in verse 11, the Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning. See it again? The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning. So what can we learn about all this fuss about the end of Jacob? Well, firstly, it seems like he's a foreigner in two places. You see, he dies in Egypt away from the Promised Land, yet when he's taken back to Canaan to be buried, he's a foreigner there too. And this should maybe resonate a little bit with us. You see, in several places in the New Testament, Christians are described as being aliens or foreigners in the world. But if it sometimes feels like you don't belong in this world anymore, well, that's true, we don't. We're citizens of a new kingdom. But for now, we still live in this one. And that can feel hard, especially on a Monday morning, can't it, when you're at work or college or you're with friends or family that don't know Jesus. Jacob knew his identity. He'd encountered God in a very personal way, illustrated in that picture there. And he trusted in his promises, the very same ones that were given back to Abraham. So for him, his choice of burial site back in the Promised Land, well, that was a given. And for us, well, we need to hold on to that identity. We are children of God and citizens of heaven, and that is why showing up here on a Sunday is so important, because we can remind and spur each other on when we go back into that week when we're having to live as aliens in another country. As well as being encouraged by Jacob as a foreigner, we can also take heart that he was in many ways a flawed man. And Andy covered this last week when he reminded us of Jacob's many failures along the way. So when we announced the birth of our son Jacob to our families, my dad commented on the name. His words were, well, you could have gone for a better character. Possibly a bit harsh for his first grandson. When Caleb arrived, I made a point of asking if that was a better choice. Make your mind up. Dad was right on one hand, but Jacob the Bible did make a lot of mistakes. But looking at the way his end is outlined for us, we see he finished well, and he was esteemed and honored by many. And I'd echo what Andy said last week, that this encourages me. See, throughout Genesis, throughout the whole Bible, God uses flawed individuals to work his purposes out. And so he can and does use us too. With all our flaws, all our disappointments, we let him down, and he gently restores us. And finally, the end of Jacob signals the real star of the nation of Israel. You see, indeed, his name was even changed to Israel. It's easy when there's an Israel on the map to forget that the first Israel was a person. And whilst Abraham is always referred to as the father of the nation, in many ways, I'd suggest that title really belongs to Jacob. You see, from his 12 sons came the 12 tribes, which grew into the great people. As Jacob blessed his sons individually before he died, I think he'd have reflected on that promise of becoming a people and seen a glimpse of what was to come. The end of Jacob, a man who died holding onto the promises of God, who finished well and who was mourned by a people from a foreign land. Let's move on. In the next verses, we see another very different end. We see the end of hostility. Check out verse 15, and you see an obvious change in the narrative. Jacob has died, and Joseph's brothers start to panic. When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, what if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him? You see, the brothers foresee a problem. Many years before, they had treated Joseph abysmally, and they know it. They might try to claim mitigating circumstances. After all, Joseph was, by all accounts, a pretty jumped up obnoxious teenager, but what they did was pretty unforgivable. You can read it in Genesis 37. They plotted to kill him. Reuben the Elbdis steps in and suggests throwing him an assistant instead. He plans to go back and rescue him, but the others then sell him on into slavery, and they take his bloodied robe, that technicolor dream coat, back to Jacob and make it look like Joseph was dead. And then they carry on with life, unaware of what happened to their father, living a lie at home with their father grieving his blooded son. But now they have a problem. Jacob is gone, and what's going to happen to them? Without the protection of their father, just how is Joseph going to react? So they preempt it. They get in first. See verse 16, so they sent word to Joseph saying, your father left these instructions before he died. This is what you are to say to Joseph. I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of your servant, the God of your father. Now we have no way or not of knowing what the brothers are saying here is true. The Bible does not document this conversation between Jacob and his sons. And as a mother of children who can be pretty convincing in their stories to explain away misdemeanors, sorry to call you out Caleb, but you know what is true? I have to say, personally, I don't believe them. But neither do I blame them. You see, in all honesty, I'd have probably tried something similar. You see, our sinful nature, that eye in the middle, it's always going to try and protect me, isn't it? And Joseph is moved to tears. And then the brothers come together in person. And whilst I'm skeptical about their story, I do believe they're sorry. Their repentance is genuine. They will have carried that guilt for years. And they literally throw themselves at their brother's mercy, aware that he has every right to punish them. And yet Joseph does respond with mercy. He has no intention of punishing them. You see, it becomes clear that he's forgiven them long ago. There is no hostility on his side. He has seen the bigger picture. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good. And this section of the story illustrates a couple of things, and I think in many ways mirrors our relationship with God. Firstly, it illustrates the power of unresolved sin. Joseph's brothers know they have done wrong, and they've lived for years in the knowledge that they sold him as a slave and lied to their father. Secondly, we see the power of unrestricted forgiveness. Joseph's response is gentle and loving. Twice, he says, don't be afraid. He promises to take care of his brothers and their households. And this is the same as us with God. Are you sitting here feeling the weight of unresolved sin? Is this something you've never dealt with, never taken that step of acknowledging to yourself that you've been living your life with I in charge and that that needs to change? Or maybe you're already a Christian, but there's something specific that you're struggling with, a habit you know you need to break, a recurrent thought or behavior that you can't seem to stop. Can I encourage you to come to God who is waiting there with unrestricted forgiveness? Our loving God who longs to say don't be afraid, I forgive you. And we don't earn that forgiveness. It's prepaid. When Jesus died on that cross 2,000 years ago, he was paying the price for every one of my sins and yours. Humanity's rebellion paid for by one perfect sinless man. So we don't earn it, but we do have to claim it. Last weekend was my birthday, and I got a message on my Costa app to say that I would receive a free birthday treat within the next seven days. So when I looked at it, there it was for me on the app. But I had to claim it. I had to click on it and show it to the nice lady in Costa, which I did on Friday, and I got a nice piece of free tip. God's forgiveness is kind of the same. It's there. It's prepaid. And unlike my treat, there is no time limit. All we need to do is claim it. And how do we do this? Well, can I suggest a simple ABC? A, admit I'm wrong. B, believe in Jesus' death that has taken the punishment I deserve. C, commit to following Jesus as Lord with him in charge instead of me. And whether you need to do that today for the first time or the thousandth time, I encourage people to do it. There will be space later to reflect. Use it. Think through the ABC. Grab someone to pray with afterwards. Don't leave this morning unresolved. Before we move to our final end, just a word about the power of unrestricted forgiveness. You see, maybe you're sitting here and you've been wronged by someone, whether deliberately or not. And that is hard to take. But we know in our hearts, don't we, that holding on to bitterness doesn't do us any good? Now, look at Joseph's reaction in the passage and in the earlier ones when his brothers first arrived in Egypt and were oblivious to his identity. He's forgiven them somewhere along the line. And crucially, before they have come and said sorry to him, he has forgiven them. And we can learn a lot from this, can't we? It's very countercultural. We live in a world where it's considered weak to make that first move, to forgive without being asked to, to not make people pay for what they deserve. But we have a countercultural God who did make that first move, who sent his own son to take the punishment we deserve. So maybe we should rethink. And maybe there are relationships that need fixing. Can we be a people who aren't afraid to make that move, either to apologize for where we know we're wrong or to forgive when we've been Time for our final end, the end of Joseph. And there is a lot less fuss and ceremony than the end of Jacob. And unlike the other patriarchs, we don't see a formal blessing of the next generation. That seems to have been covered by Jacob. But what we do see is Joseph's unwavering faith in God's covenant. Verse 24, then Joseph said to his brothers, I'm about to die, but God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, God will surely come to your aid and then you must carry my bones up into this place. There have been many repeated themes in Genesis, but the one that's really lodged with me is the need for patience when it comes to God's promises. And Joseph has got it, hasn't he? He knows the covenant promises given to his ancestors. Remember that they would be a great people in their own land and greatly blessed. But as Genesis closes, we see that more than 250 years on, there isn't much sign of any of this. The family is pretty small and they aren't even in the promised land. And Joseph has seen some blessing in his time in Egypt, but we know that by the time the next book Exodus starts, they're going to be enslaved in terrible condition. Not many people, no land, limited blessing. Yet Joseph's faith doesn't wobble. Twice he says, God will surely come to your aid. Joseph is convinced that this will work out, just as God has said. He's just not going to see it. And so his faith is demonstrated in his instructions for his body to be buried back in Canaan, something that isn't actually fulfilled for another 400 years. And how does Joseph have such great faith? Well, I think the answer comes for us a little earlier in our chapter in the section on the end of hostility. Remember Joseph's reply to his brothers in verse 20. You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. You see, somewhere along the line, Joseph has grasped the great truth that God is for him, despite circumstances and events along the way. Throughout the ups and many downs of Joseph's life, God was right there. Move the slide, Michelle, thank you. Joseph has got this. God was right there with him, working out his purposes. Joseph has got this, and this fuels his faith. And he's also got that it's about God and not about Joseph. God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. He doesn't say, God intended it for good, so everything would work out fine for me. Look, in the end, I got myself a family, decent job, some land for us to settle in. No, God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So as I finish, hear this, God is for you. I don't know how life is for you right now. Maybe things are going well. Maybe you feel at rock bottom, God is for you. But also hear this, God is for you in the context of his plans and his purposes. And they're not always the same as we maybe think they should be. And God's time scale may be very different to how we think it ought to be. And that means we may not see answers to situations. Things may not work out how we expect. It may feel that God isn't for us. But learn from the story of Genesis, he is. We have a God who is faithful to his promises, who remains in charge, however things might look or feel. As Paul famously wrote in Romans 8 verse 28, and we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. And Jacob and Joseph knew this, and they died trusting in their God's promises. So as we finish today, there is plenty to reflect on. Is there unresolved sin that needs dealing with? Maybe you've never acknowledged that till now, and do you need to claim that forgiveness? Maybe for the first time, maybe for the thousands. Is there a relationship that needs fixing? Do you need to make the first move? Be that one to say sorry or to forgive. Are you struggling with being a foreigner in this world? Are you a different person on a Sunday to how you are the rest of the week? Or are you finding it difficult to believe that God is really for you, especially with things how they are now? The answer to all of these is the same as ever. Come to the cross. Re-center on God at saving work for you. He is for you. He is for us. Nowhere do we see this more powerfully than at the cross. Shall we pray? Heavenly Father, I thank you for your word. I thank you for the book of Genesis. I thank you for all that we have learnt and can take away from it and keep learning and keep taking away. And Lord God, for wherever we're at this time, thank you for the cross. Thank you that in there we receive your unrestricted forgiveness. Lord, we know we have done wrong. We know we have messed up. We know we have spoiled things. But Lord, we come to you in repentance and in faith that your work on the cross is enough. Amen.

The sermon podcast of Redeemer City Church in Tampa, FL

Genesis 9 Michael Lawrence April 20, 2025

Weekly Sunday sermons from Pastor Mike Powers and other members of our Pastoral Body. Richland Creek Community Church gathers to glorify God in worship, grow as disciples of Jesus, and go on mission with the gospel. For more, visit richlandcreek.com.Main Idea: Only in knowing our Creator do we fully understand our true identity.Know the Main CharacterKnow the Brilliant DesignerKnow the Gracious Restorer

Our creator God transcends time, existing eternally before the beginning began, and delights in creating all things from nothing through the power of His word.• God is eternal, existing before and outside of time, with no beginning or end• Creation reveals God's power as He creates ex nihilo (out of nothing) simply by speaking• Every human being has infinite dignity and worth as image-bearers of God• God formed man personally from dust and breathed His own life into humanity• Work was part of God's perfect design before sin entered the world• God's commands are pathways to freedom rather than restrictive limitations• The Bible's story moves from garden to garden-city through Christ's redemptive work• Our Creator entered His creation to restore what was broken through sinIf you're here today and want to know more about having a relationship with your Creator, please come speak with one of our pastors after the service.

As Daniel starts his set of videos on Genesis, he picks up where we have left off, going over, more in-depth, things we have talked about before-the cultural context of Genesis. With help from Tim Mackie and John Walton in an interview, they did a few years ago. Listen to the Bible Project with Walton Here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/genesis-1-2-origins-or-identity/ Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-belfast-podcast/id1472441982 Follow us on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1s3aaP3pUkQKBVXbsP8Y34?si=ca588a6165424c61 Instagram: @thebelfastpodcast Email: belfastpodcast@gmail.com The Belfast Podcast exists to help recapture the Christian imagination. Luke and Daniel see the trend of modernism doing no favors for a vibrant view of scripture. Our goal is to widen the field of vision for modern people reading the Bible as we grapple with its ancient context, literary beauty, and symbolic underpinnings. You may have been taught to read texts with an eye for their literary and symbolic structures in English courses in high school and/or college, but rarely is this taught to seminary students or lay Christians alike when it comes to the Bible. We want to keep this eye for symbolism, repetition, and structure as we investigate the Biblical canon, linking it to modern and old examples that are extemporaneous yet connected to aid in giving the broader field of vision mentioned earlier. Come along with us on our journey to reread your bible for the first time. We hope that through the words of those who have come before us, we can give Western Christianity its imagination back.

Message #2 by Pastor Joe Rock -- "In The Beginning" (Genesis 1-11) Sermon Series

Worshiping The Creator Not The Creation Genesis 11:10-12:9 Speaker: Weston Brown Series: Genesis More info @ covenantshreveport.org

February 23, 2025 - Sunday AM Bible Class   Today Neal leads the class while Hiram is out of town.   Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 47:46

February 16, 2025 - Sunday AM Bible Class   Today Neal leads the class while Hiram is out of town.   Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 

The Exodus Way E2 — The main beats of the Exodus Way are the road out of slavery, the road through the wilderness, and the road into inheritance. These moments become a narrative theme that plays out over and over in the story of the Bible. We even see them show up in Genesis before the events of the Exodus even happen! In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the significance of Exodus imagery in two early stories from Genesis, the creation and flood narratives.CHAPTERSRecapping Exodus as a Narrative Theme (0:00-6:30)Exodus in Creation: Genesis 1:1-13 (6:30-20:26)Exodus in the Flood: Genesis 7-8 (20:26-32:11)Connections to Baptism in 1 Peter 3:18-22 (32:11-45:17)OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTView this episode's official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESThe Tabernacle Pre-Figured: Cosmic Mountain Ideology in Genesis and Exodus by L.M. Morales (Link is to PDF, since book is not available for sale)“The Use of Water Imagery in Descriptions of Sheol” by Dominic Rudman (From the journal Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft; not available for purchase online)You can view annotations for this episode—plus our entire library of videos, podcasts, articles, and classes—in the BibleProject app, available for Android and iOS.Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books here.SHOW MUSIC“Onteora Lake” by Kyle McEvoy & Stan Forebee“Tumble's Lullaby” by Kyle McEvoy & Stan Forebee“Bloom” by Kyle McEvoyBibleProject theme song by TENTSSHOW CREDITSProduction of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer. Frank Garza and Aaron Olsen edited today's episode. Aaron Olsen and Tyler Bailey provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Powered and distributed by Simplecast.

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2:3 Key Takeaways: “Today as I read Genesis 1–2 my thoughts go to high school biology and physics. How does the biblical depiction of creation relate to the big bang theory and evolution? No doubt, Genesis 1–2 has bearing on our evaluation of these modern scientific accounts of cosmic and human origins. But a moment's thought will jar us into remembering that this comparison would not have occurred to ancient authors and readers. It is certain that the biblical account of creation was not written to counter Charles Darwin or Stephen Hawking, but it was written in the light of rival descriptions of creation...Since God's people were constantly tempted to worship the deities of other nations, we shouldn't be surprised that the biblical accounts of creation were shaped in such a way as to provide a clear distinction from those of other nations.” – Tremper Longman III, How to Read Genesis + Creation is God bringing cosmos out of chaos + Creation is framing and filling + Creation is God revealing himself Romans 1:20 -       Declares the glory of God Psalm 19:1-2 -       Displays the wisdom of God + Creation is God's good gift to us + God brings about the new creation like he brought about the first creation 2 Corinthians 4:4-6

February 2nd 2025 – Creation – Genesis 1-2 by Exchange Church Shepparton

Nathan LeMaster • Genesis 1:1–2:25 • Sunday Seminars

January 26, 2025 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 44:54

Suzanne Simpson

"The God of Creation"Genesis Chapter 1The Book of Genesis Series - In The Beginning, GodPastor Nate ClarkeJanuary 26, 2025NEW KIDS SPACE NOW OPEN!We have expanded with 3x more space for the babies, kids, and youth in your family. https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/reel/C8FqHIipr3u/Learn about this year's Kingdom Builder's project: https://www.oasischurch.online/kingdom-buildersHow should Christians think about voting and politics? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak82aD16r04OUR NEW VISION STATEMENT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0WFhtL7h3ISERMON NOTES:- Genesis chapter 1- The God of Creation- Genesis: “origins” - Genesis 1:1- Bara: create from nothing (only God)  Asha: prepare from something that exists (God & us)  Ex Nihilo: “out of nothing”- Various Christian Views of Creation:  1) Historic Old Earth Young Humanity Creationism  2) Young Earth Young Humanity Creationism   3) Old Earth Creation / Intelligent design  4) Literary Framework View- There is one God who is all powerful- Psalm 33:6-7, 9- Colossians 1:16-17- Revelation 4:11- The Trinity - God the Father   Genesis 1:1- God the Father  Acts 4:24- Jesus the Son  John 1:1-3- The Spirit  Genesis 1:2- The Spirit  Psalm 104:30- Genesis 1:26- God is intentional and creative in His design- “The more I examine the universe and the details of its architecture, the more evidence I find that the universe in some sense must have known we were coming.” Freeman Dyson- Psalm 104:24-25- Psalm 95: 4-5- We can enjoy God's creation- Genesis 1:28-30- 1 Timothy 6:17 - Psalm 145:9- We should worship God the creator- Psalm 33:6-8- Psalm 19:1-4- Romans 1:20- Psalm 96:11-12- Romans 1:25- We are uniquely made in God's image - Genesis 1:26-27 - Genesis 1:1-2- Genesis 1:31Oasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Henrico north of Richmond, VA.STAY CONNECTEDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/Website: https://oasischurch.onlineOasis Church exists to Worship God, Equip the believers, and Reach the lost.We are led by Pastor Nate Clarke and are located in Richmond, VA.Stay Connected:Website: https://oasischurch.online Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oasischurchva/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OasisChurchRVA/

January 19, 2025 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 46:53

In Genesis 24 an old and faithful Abraham sends his faithful steward Eliezer to Haran in search of a lifelong covenant wife for his son, Isaac. Eliezer is bound by a covenant Abraham makes with him to diligently fulfill the obligation of finding a true believer, who will be a help meet for Isaac on the journey to God's kingdom. So Eliezer left Abraham accompanied by a large retinue of servants and many camels; and vast wealthy gifts. Upon arrival in Haran Eliezer makes his responsibilities a matter of prayer and asks of the Almighty a very specific sign. No sooner had he finished his prayer than Rebekah arrives and says the very words of his prayer. Eliezer is amazed at the power of his God and bows his head in reverence. The 10 camels are watered by Rebekah – an immense task – and the company taken to Laban's house; where Laban notices the wealthy jewels given to Rebekah by Eliezer. Laban's words, “Come in thou blessed of Yahweh”, indicates both some knowledge of God, and the familiar use of the LORD's divine name of Yahweh, the use of which goes back to the beginning of Creation (Genesis 4 verses 1, 25 and 26). Rebekah had reported the circumstances of meeting Eliezer prior to Laban's remarks. From verses 31and 49 Eliezer tells Laban of the mission he has undertaken and its importance. Note it is not just another task Eliezer was given, but the entrusted responsibility of securing a bride who will ensure the faithful continuance of maintaining the truth promised to Abraham and his seed. In verse 51 Laban asserts his agreement with Rebekah going to the household of Abraham. Once again Eliezer responds to his Sovereign reverently. Many valuable gifts were given to Laban, by way of a bride price. After all of this has happened Rebekah's thoughts are requested. She assented and is sent away the next day with her family's blessing. Isaac went out in the evening to pray (“meditate” verse 63); and after her enquiry as to the man meeting the homecoming troop, Rebekah shows Isaac respect and is taken into Isaac's tent as his God chosen bride. And Isaac loved Rebekah dearly. Psalm 29 ascribed to Yahweh the glory and majesty due to His awesome Name. The powerful and frightening displays in nature are attributed to “the voice of Yahweh”. This is of course consistent with what Genesis 1 said, Yahweh spake and it was done – ie it came into being. All things exist and are maintained and sustained by the Word of Yahweh. What magnificent poetic language the Psalm sets before us. Verse 6 for example describes figuratively an earthquake. The Psalm concludes with Yahweh enthroned in the heavens exercising dominion over all His creation. “The voice of Yahweh” is used in this Psalm seven times and is perhaps symbolic of the “seven thunders” in Revelation 10 verse 4. Praise and extol His Name for this. Psalm 30 is a Psalm focussing on the joy the Almighty can bring to His children. This can be true even when our foes rise against us bringing despair. Jesus found the same at the time of his greatest extremity and encouraged his disciples with the same message: compare with John 14 verses1 to 3 and 27 to 29. Despite being downtrodden the psalmist finds the joy and support from his Sovereign uplifting. God will never forsake His children (Hebrews 13 verse 5 and 6). In Him, even to some extent in our present life, our mourning can become dancing; and our sackcloth exchanged for clothes of joy. This will be so much more the case when the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ arrives and the clothing of our mortal sorrow is swapped for joyful immortal life. Slowly read aloud Psalm 45 verse 7and 8 and deeply reflect on those words. Matthew 15 described the lengths to which Jewish tradition could be taken to subvert Divine precepts and the Word of the LORD. The 5th commandment, described as the first with promise (Ephesians 6verses 1 to 3), was bypassed by a legal ruse known as Corban. It allowed the wealthy to avoid all responsibility to parents by declaring by oath than an individual's entire wealth belonged to God; whilst, at the same time, ensuring unfettered access to all of it. Just like the times of Jeremiah we have mere lip service substituted for the truth demanded by our Sovereign. Next follows a discussion on the true source of defiling people's corrupt minds not any external thing. These matters revealed Pharisaism as an example of the blind leadership of the blind. The faith of the Canaanite woman, whose daughter Jesus healed, was astonishing and, like the Roman centurion of Matthew 8, caused our Lord to marvel. She acknowledged that privilege rightly rested upon the covenant people of Israel and that all she requested were the crumbs that fell from the table. Jesus performed many miracles upon these Gentile subjects causing them to ascribe praise to the God of Israel. Lastly the chapter tells that he fed 4,000 of them despite his own Apostles' reticence to show any compassion- after all these were Gentile dogs. But our Lord never shared such prejudices. Rather he was always expansive in his love of all and freely distributed the gospel's bounties.

In Genesis 24 an old and faithful Abraham sends his faithful steward Eliezer to Haran in search of a lifelong covenant wife for his son, Isaac. Eliezer is bound by a covenant Abraham makes with him to diligently fulfill the obligation of finding a true believer, who will be a help meet for Isaac on the journey to God's kingdom. So Eliezer left Abraham accompanied by a large retinue of servants and many camels; and vast wealthy gifts. Upon arrival in Haran Eliezer makes his responsibilities a matter of prayer and asks of the Almighty a very specific sign. No sooner had he finished his prayer than Rebekah arrives and says the very words of his prayer. Eliezer is amazed at the power of his God and bows his head in reverence. The 10 camels are watered by Rebekah – an immense task – and the company taken to Laban's house; where Laban notices the wealthy jewels given to Rebekah by Eliezer. Laban's words, “Come in thou blessed of Yahweh”, indicates both some knowledge of God, and the familiar use of the LORD's divine name of Yahweh, the use of which goes back to the beginning of Creation (Genesis 4 verses 1, 25 and 26). Rebekah had reported the circumstances of meeting Eliezer prior to Laban's remarks. From verses 31and 49 Eliezer tells Laban of the mission he has undertaken and its importance. Note it is not just another task Eliezer was given, but the entrusted responsibility of securing a bride who will ensure the faithful continuance of maintaining the truth promised to Abraham and his seed. In verse 51 Laban asserts his agreement with Rebekah going to the household of Abraham. Once again Eliezer responds to his Sovereign reverently. Many valuable gifts were given to Laban, by way of a bride price. After all of this has happened Rebekah's thoughts are requested. She assented and is sent away the next day with her family's blessing. Isaac went out in the evening to pray (“meditate” verse 63); and after her enquiry as to the man meeting the homecoming troop, Rebekah shows Isaac respect and is taken into Isaac's tent as his God chosen bride. And Isaac loved Rebekah dearly. Psalm 29 ascribed to Yahweh the glory and majesty due to His awesome Name. The powerful and frightening displays in nature are attributed to “the voice of Yahweh”. This is of course consistent with what Genesis 1 said, Yahweh spake and it was done – ie it came into being. All things exist and are maintained and sustained by the Word of Yahweh. What magnificent poetic language the Psalm sets before us. Verse 6 for example describes figuratively an earthquake. The Psalm concludes with Yahweh enthroned in the heavens exercising dominion over all His creation. “The voice of Yahweh” is used in this Psalm seven times and is perhaps symbolic of the “seven thunders” in Revelation 10 verse 4. Praise and extol His Name for this.Psalm 30 is a Psalm focussing on the joy the Almighty can bring to His children. This can be true even when our foes rise against us bringing despair. Jesus found the same at the time of his greatest extremity and encouraged his disciples with the same message: compare withJohn 14 verses1 to 3 and 27 to 29. Despite being downtrodden the psalmist finds the joy and support from his Sovereign uplifting. God will never forsake His children (Hebrews 13 verse 5 and 6). In Him, even to some extent in our present life, our mourning can become dancing; and our sackcloth exchanged for clothes of joy. This will be so much more the case when the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ arrives and the clothing of our mortal sorrow is swapped for joyful immortal life. Slowly read aloud Psalm 45 verse 7and 8 and deeply reflect on those words. cont reading here https://christadelphianvideo.org/thoughts-on-the-bible-readings-for-january-13th-genesis-24-psalms-29-and-30-and-matthew-15/

January 12, 2025 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 45:05

January 5, 2025 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 33:24

December 29, 2024 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 44:00

December 22, 2024 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 45:37

December 15, 2024 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 42:45

December 8, 2024 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic: humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism: life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 43:23

December 1, 2024 - Sunday AM Bible Class   This quarter Hiram starts a new class.    Living an Ancient Faith in a Modern World "Unprecedented Times" Climate change / Environmental disasters Global Pandemic Technological advancement Political Polarization and Social Unrest Mental Health Crisis Workplace and Societal Expectations Things that Never Change... Unchanging World - (Eccl. 1:9-10, 3:15, 7:10) Unchanging Character & Nature of God - (Mal. 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17) Unchanging World - (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35) Lesson 1: Christian Worldview Defined and Explained Defining Worldview... World view: the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world Engaging other world views wisely and well: Listen well (Prov. 18:13) Observe closely (Acts 17:22-23) Don't assume (Matt. 7:1-2; John 7:24) Be charitable (1 Cor. 16:14) Remain convicted (2 Tim. 1:13) Worldviews to Engage Humanistic : humans are the center of everything (Gen. 3:6; Prov. 16:18; Rev. 3:17) Materialism and Hedonism : life is about pleasure and pleasing oneself above everything else (Luke 12:15-21; 1 Tim. 6:9-10) Fatalism: events are predetermined and inevitable (1 Cor. 15:32) Relativism: truth and morality are determined by everyone (Judges 17:6, 21:25) Naturalism: everything can be explained by nature (Psa. 14:1) Christian Worldview What is a Christian worldview? Christian worldview: view of the world that believes a person's primary purpose for existence is to love and serve God (Deut. 6:4-5; Isa. 43:7). Key elements to the Christian worldview: Creation (Genesis 1-2; John 1:1-5) Humans made in God's image (Gen. 1:26-27, 5:1) Fall (Genesis 3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 5:12) Redemption/Salvation (John 3:16, 14:6) Restoration/Glorification (1 Cor. 15; Phil. 3:20-21) The Role of Bible in a Christian Worldview How would you describe the Bible and its relationship to the Christian life? The difference between a Christian reading the Bible and others (Psa. 119:97, 119:104; Prov. 30:5-6) Passages to consider: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Matthew 4:4 Psalm 119:105 How the Bible shapes the Christian's view of everything Challenges to a Christian Worldview Desire to be accepted/liked by everyone (John 9:22, 12:42-43) Forgetting our roots (Jude 3; Ephesians 4:4-6) Inherited faith (Luke 3:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:14-4:5) Culture vs. Christianity (Col. 2:12-23) Ignorance (Hosea 4:6) Persecution/suffering (Acts 5:40-41; 1 Peter 4:16) Concluding Thoughts Applying the Christian Worldview A worldview as a starting point Discussion Questions   Duration 43:04

Today is Text-Driven Tuesday, and Jay and George are continuing their discussion of Genesis. In 1:26-31, we read about the creation of mankind, and the text helps us address some important questions that we should all ask: Where do we come from? Who are we? Why are we here? May the guys' discussion help you think through the answers to these questions for yourself. Conformed to Christ aims to engage the mind, affect the heart, and call people to follow Christ. Additionally, our aim is to introduce and explain passages of Scripture and difficult theological doctrines in a down-to-earth and easy-to-grasp manner. Theology and the Bible should impact your life, and our goal is that we might play a small part in seeing that happen. Conformed to Christ is a ministry of Christ's Fellowship Church. https://cfclawton.org/ ***Be sure to subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, and Amazon Music Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCgQBeT-Mj1CmngPdhZyWybQ iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conformed-to-christ/id1503247486 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2NvbmZvcm1lZHRvY2hyaXN0L2ZlZWQueG1s Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5YruCZu4hla6Ll3rBu7UPY Podbean: https://conformedtochrist.podbean.com  

On today's Text-Driven Tuesday, Jay and George are discussing God's Creation. The guys begin with a conversation on how to actually interpret Genesis Chapter 1 and then move on to the three central truths that all Christians can affirm. May the conversation be an encouragement. Conformed to Christ aims to engage the mind, affect the heart, and call people to follow Christ. Additionally, our aim is to introduce and explain passages of Scripture and difficult theological doctrines in a down-to-earth and easy-to-grasp manner. Theology and the Bible should impact your life, and our goal is that we might play a small part in seeing that happen. Conformed to Christ is a ministry of Christ's Fellowship Church. https://cfclawton.org/   ***Be sure to subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, and Amazon Music Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCgQBeT-Mj1CmngPdhZyWybQ iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conformed-to-christ/id1503247486 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2NvbmZvcm1lZHRvY2hyaXN0L2ZlZWQueG1s Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5YruCZu4hla6Ll3rBu7UPY Podbean: https://conformedtochrist.podbean.com  

Audio of a talk given on Genesis 1:26-31 at a Christians in Parliament Chapel service in St Mary Undercroft on 29 October 2024

Creation - Genesis 1:1-31

Pastor Jason shares his message, The Good News of Creation, related to Genesis 1:24 - 2:3.

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09/08/2024 - Chad Lewis

On Sunday morning, we read through Genesis 1 together and saw the Lord's glory in creation. While there are differing opinions on creation, there are also some absolutes. Namely, the Lord spoke the universe into being by the power of his word, the Lord created out of nothing, and the Lord made creation good. We hope this message blesses you in the Lord. Originally August 18th, 2024. Hank Atchison. Covenant Church. Tuscaloosa, AL.

In this sermon, Pastor Christopher talks about the seventh day of Creation. He discusses three things God does after the climax of the sixth day and the summary statement of Moses. He breaks down the differences between Christian practices before and after the coming of Christ, and how our interactions are different compared to early Christians. What commandment did Christ not affirm? Why did God sanctify the seventh day? What are the differences between God 'creating' and humans 'inventing'? Listen to learn more! Thanks for listening! LAKEVIEW MISSIONARY CHURCH, 810 S. Evergreen Dr., Moses Lake, WA 98837, 509-765-5270, www.LakeviewMissionaryChurch.com Pastor Christopher sends a weekly update to our church every Wednesday with an encouraging article, prayer requests, and announcements. Subscribe here, http://eepurl.com/hC7SHD Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Who are we and what is our purpose? In this sermon, Pastor Christopher talks about the sixth day of Creation, and the design of man. He talks about the climax of the Creation story, and the true focus and structure of the sixth day. He describes how we are made in the image of God, and in what ways we are not made in His image. Finally, he breaks down our role on earth, and our value as people made in the image of God. Thanks for listening! LAKEVIEW MISSIONARY CHURCH, 810 S. Evergreen Dr., Moses Lake, WA 98837, 509-765-5270, www.LakeviewMissionaryChurch.com Pastor Christopher sends a weekly update to our church every Wednesday with an encouraging article, prayer requests, and announcements. Subscribe here, http://eepurl.com/hC7SHD Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

For more information about our church, visit www.vivehouston.org.To give online: https://vivehouston.org/givewww.facebook.com/vivehoustonwww.instagram.com/vivehouston Support the Show.

Preaching: Mike RothIf you grew up in the church, chances are that you attended Vacation Bible School (VBS) during summer break. For one warm week you sat on green grass, drank apple juice, and ate graham crackers while an adult used the Flannelgraph to teach you stories from the Bible. For many, these stories sit deep in our consciousness. For some, these stories scared us into Christian faith. This sermon series intends to explore a handful of VBS stories told to children. However, rather than scary storytelling as a motivational tool, this series intends to elevate loving storytelling that bears the weight of good authority and inspires us into ever-deepening Christian faith.Pearl Church exists to express a sacred story and to extend a common table that animate life by love. A primary expression of our sacred story is the weekly sermon. If our sermons inspire you to ponder the sacred, to consider the mystery and love of God, and to live bountifully, would you consider supporting our work? You can donate easily and securely at our website: pearlchurch.org. Thank you for partnering with us in expressing this sacred story.

Audio of a talk given on Genesis 1:24-31 at a Christians in Parliament Chapel service in St Mary's Undercroft.

PCPC Middle School Sunday Morning Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration Speaker: Will Peters Scripture: Genesis 1:26-31

Week 1: Creation Genesis 1:31 The Bible is 16 Verses is a biblical theology course that will take us from Genesis to Revelation and  show us what the unfolding plan of God is for His Kingdom, His people, and His entire earth.  Join us as we go through the book chapter by chapter.    You can buy the book here:  16Verses The pdf of the biblical timeline is here:  TIMELINE   The podcast episode can be found here:    Reformed Rookie is #2 in the Top 10 Reformed Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/reformation_podcasts/   Web: www.ReformedRookie.com Podcast: https://anchor.fm/reformedrookie Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReformedRookie Twitter: https://twitter.com/NYapologist   Semper Reformanda!

Week 1: Creation Genesis 1:31 The Bible is 16 Verses is a biblical theology course that will take us from Genesis to Revelation and  show us what the unfolding plan of God is for His Kingdom, His people, and His entire earth.  Join us as we go through the book chapter by chapter.    You can buy the book here:  16Verses The pdf of the biblical timeline is here:  TIMELINE   The podcast episode can be found here:    Reformed Rookie is #2 in the Top 10 Reformed Podcasts: https://blog.feedspot.com/reformation_podcasts/   Web: http://www.ReformedRookie.com Podcast: https://anchor.fm/reformedrookie Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReformedRookie Twitter: https://twitter.com/NYapologist   Semper Reformanda!

Could the very design of your eye reveal something profound about the universe and your place within it? In this session we take a journey through Genesis, uncovering the divine craftsmanship behind creation. It's a thought-provoking exploration of our personal God's intimate involvement with us, His creation, and the overwhelming evidence of love and intention woven into every aspect of our existence. Genesis chapter one stands as a monotheistic declaration of a single God's sovereignty over the cosmos, and in this session, we're seeking to understand the depth of this claim. Join us for a session filled with spiritual enlightenment and a celebration of the grandeur of our world.Support the show

Paradoxology

Message from Bro. Ricky Cunningham on February 18, 2024

Hello and Welcome to Silverdale Baptist Church's Podcast! We hope this episode is helpful to you in your relationship with Jesus. We would love to connect with you! To contact Silverdale, click the link to our website below, then click Connect at the top right. ABOUT SILVERDALE BAPTIST CHURCH Silverdale exists to lead people into an authentic relationship with Christ so they will worship God, grow in their faith, and serve the Lord in our community and world. Silverdale's Lead Pastor is Tony Walliser. FIND US ONLINE Website http://silverdalebc.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/silverdalebcInstagram https://www.instagram.com/silverdalebcFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/silverdalebc