\n\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload Audio\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\tText: Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:7<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nI. Have you made something? (No, no, besides that mess in your room.) Something that\noriginated in your own mind and formed with your own hands.\n
A. As creative as we are, man only takes existing things and joins them in new ways. <\/p>\n
B. The ancient language of Hebrew contains two words for making something:<\/p>\n 1. The word asha<\/i> refers to what we do with our talents. We make things\nfrom what already exists.\n 2. But there is another word, bara<\/i>, that is used in connection with God. It is\nthe creation of something from nothing, or in another way to look at it, to\ncreate something that never existed before.\n a. What would it take to make some that never existed before, whose\nidea is brand new?\n
b. There is a story circulating that illustrates this:<\/p>\nOne day a group of scientists decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God.\nSo they picked one scientist to tell God that they were done with Him. The scientist approached\nGod and said, “God, we’ve decided that we no longer need you. We’re to the point that we can\nclone people and do miraculous things. We can handle things on our own from now on; we don’t\nneed you.” God patiently listened to the man and after the scientist was done talking, God said,\n“Very well, to prove this let us have a contest. Let us see who can create a man.” The scientist\nwas a bit ruffled, this wasn’t going as he had expected, but he loved a challenge. He agreed. Then\nGod added, “We’re going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam.” The scientist\nrealized that starting from scratch might take a while, but he replied, “Sure, no problem” and bent\ndown to grab himself a handful of dirt. God just looked at him and said, “No, no, no. Create your\nown dirt!”\n
c. Romans 4:17 – God calls into being what did not exist<\/p>\n d. Exodus 34:10 – God promised to do marvels never seen before\n(bara<\/i>)\n
(1) The earth swallowing people – Numbers 16:30<\/p>\n 3. Task: Using a concordance or lexicon, go through Genesis 1 and mark the\nthings God created versus the things God made. What was new that did\nnot exist before?\n a. Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning God created the heavens and the\nearth\n
(1) Time (in the beginning)<\/p>\n
(2) Space (heavens)<\/p>\n
(3) Matter (earth)<\/p>\n
b. Genesis 1:21 – God created living creatures (life)<\/p>\n c. Genesis 1:27 – God created man in his own image (a spiritual being\nin a physical body)\n d. Everything else was a repackaging of existing things and ideas. But\neven that is beyond comprehension.\n
C. The extent of God’s creation<\/p>\n
1. Isaiah 44:24 – God made all things, including you and I<\/p>\n 2. John 1:1-3 – All things were made through Jesus. Nothing existing wasn’t\nmade\n
II. Implications of God’s creation<\/p>\n
A. The nature of God<\/p>\n
1. God pre-existed the world<\/p>\n
a. Nothing comes before Him – Job 41:11<\/p>\n
2. God is greater than His creation – I Kings 8:27; Isaiah 66:1-2; 48:12-13<\/p>\n 3. God’s knowledge far exceeds the combined knowledge of all mankind –\nIsaiah 40:12-17; 55:8-9\n
4. God is not dependent on man – Acts 17:24-25; Psalms 50:12<\/p>\n
B. The right of ownership – authority<\/p>\n
1. Everything belongs to God – Psalms 24:1-2<\/p>\n
2. Deuteronomy 10:14 – The heavens as well as the earth<\/p>\n
3. Psalms 50:10-12 – All life belongs to God<\/p>\n
4. Ezekiel 18:4 – All souls belong to God<\/p>\n
C. The right of respect – Psalms 95:1-7<\/p>\n
1. Respect is more than politeness in His presence<\/p>\n
2. Isaiah 29:15-16 – Trying to sneak things past God<\/p>\n
3. Respect means honoring His desires – John 14:15<\/p>\n
4. Not striving against his Maker – Isaiah 45:9-12<\/p>\n
III. The purpose of creation<\/p>\n
A. Made for Jesus to inherit – Hebrews 1:2, 10; Colossians 1:16<\/p>\n
B. Gave the earth to man – Psalm 115:15-16<\/p>\n
C. We exist for God – I Corinthians 8:6<\/p>\n
D. Our duty is to serve God – Ecclesiastes 12:13-14<\/p>\n
IV. God’s interest in His creation<\/p>\n A. Considering the vastness of God’s creation, why would He come among man? –\nPsalms 8:3-4\n
B. When you make something, you care about it. <\/p>\n C. When a couple has a child, they put a portion of themselves into him. They care\nabout his outcome.\n
D. John 3:16; I John 4:9-10<\/p>\n
V. God doesn’t want His work to be for naught – II Peter 3:9<\/p>\n
A. God created the world to produce righteous people<\/p>\n
B. He doesn’t want you or anyone else lost – Ezekiel 18:23, 32<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:7 I. Have you made something? (No, no, besides that mess in your room.) Something that originated in your own mind and formed with your own hands. A. As creative as we are, man only takes existing things and joins them in new ways. B. The ancient language of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[119,32],"tags":[302,90],"class_list":["post-63367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio","category-sermon","tag-creation","tag-god"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":38446,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/remember-lots-wife\/","url_meta":{"origin":63367,"position":0},"title":"Remember Lot’s Wife (Walker)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Download Audio by Ralph Walker Was Lot's wife's death an unfair result of a simple reflexive action? Preaching the Bloody Bible","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":29411,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/drinking-in-the-bible\/","url_meta":{"origin":63367,"position":1},"title":"Drinking in the Bible","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 4, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Old Testament Sermon with Audio: Drinking in the Old Testament Article: Old Testament Beverages New Testament Sermon with audio: Drinking in the New Testament Article: New Testament Beverages","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/scan0013_tif-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14682,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-appreciate-that-you-post-your-sermon-texts-and-not-just-audio-files\/","url_meta":{"origin":63367,"position":2},"title":"I appreciate that you post your sermon texts and not just audio files","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, Hope this email finds you well I just wanted to send a quick message to express my appreciation for your website.\u00a0The fact that you take the time to post sermons in text form rather than audio-only is a tremendous help in studying the word.\u00a0I have learned a great\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10298,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/gods-compassion\/","url_meta":{"origin":63367,"position":3},"title":"God’s Compassion","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 22, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 58 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God has the absolute right to judge \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Some get angry that He would dare to judge \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But it is the righteous God who gets angry - Psalms 7:10-11 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How can mankind who have shown repeated incidences of injustice sit in judgment on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":62628,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-good-name\/","url_meta":{"origin":63367,"position":4},"title":"A Good Name","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 29, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Mark 14:3-9 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0During Memorial Day, this country sets aside time to remember those who have died before us. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How do people remember those who have left this life? (Actual tombstones) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Beneath this stone, a lump of clay, Lies stingy Jimmy Wyatt. Who died one morning\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":48025,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/things-to-remember\/","url_meta":{"origin":63367,"position":5},"title":"Things to Remember","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ecclesiastes 1:3-11 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0There are so many things to remember! \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Need to tie a string around my finger, but then I wouldn\u2019t be able to bend it \u2013 there would be so many strings tied there. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Then there are organizers: paper and electronic, for the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63367"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63367\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}