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Over the years I have written several "book" or "booklets" and many, many, many newsletter and bulletin articles. Because the book market seeks writings to meet specific needs at specific times, my material has never been accepted. I have a tendency to write what is on my mind and so I am left with self publishing. So, with the encouragement from my wife and others, I am beginning this blog in order to put my "ramblings" "out there"! I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer

Please note that while my intentions are to use good grammar, because of the way in which some of the material presented here is presented (orally) the grammar and syntax might not always be the best English. Also note that good theology is not always presented in the best English so there may be times when the proper grammar rules are purposely broken.

Sunday, January 7, 2018

And God Said - January 7, 2018 - The Baptism of Our Lord/1st Sunday after the Epiphany - Text: Genesis 1:1-5

Today is the first Sunday after the Epiphany which was celebrated yesterday with little or no fanfare. Epiphany is one of those holy days that gets little attention. In my cynicism I would suggest it gets little or no fanfare because it is not a sellable holiday, in other words what can you sell to celebrate epiphany? Although, having said that, there is the sale of the “Kings” cake which is a cake that has a baby baked inside, obviously not a real baby. The one who finds the baby gets to host the Presentation of Jesus party on Feb. 2.
 
For us Christians, Epiphany has always been a special holy day. For many years epiphany was known as the gentile Christmas because this was the first appearing of the Savior of the world to gentiles, to non-Jews people. Epiphany is an important holiday, no matter how little fanfare it receives, because it is the day we gentile Christians are reminded that the covenant God made back in Genesis was a covenant for all people. We may further be reminded that although the Lord narrowed the line of the fulfillment of His covenant, His covenant never changed and we may be reminded that His covenant with Israel was not a new or second or different covenant, but was a covenant of the line of fulfillment. This covenant issue is what drives the heterodox teachings of millennialism as well as the politics of the Middle East, but that is not really for a sermon, rather that may be for a discussion for Bible Class.
 
This morning we move forward some 30 years to celebrate the baptism of our Lord. Jesus’ baptism was important because through His baptism He was ordained into His earthly Ministry, He identified with us, and this was the beginning of His earthly work. Our text for this morning takes us back to the beginning reminding us that this Christ who was baptized is also God who created all things out of nothing.
 
In our text we see the trinity of God way back in the beginning in Genesis. “1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (v. 1-2). Notice how we are told that “the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters”? This Spirit of God is indeed the Holy Spirit. What you do not notice in the English text is that the word “God” is in the plural. Now, do not misunderstand, we are not polytheistic that is we do not worship many gods, but we worship a God, one God who shows Himself to us as a plurality of God, that is that He is three persons in one Godhead as we humanly describe Him.
 
In Genesis Chapter two, in speaking of Himself, God says, “Let us.” this is another example of the plurality of God. In Deuteronomy the Lord tells us that although He is a plurality, He is one. We hear this in what is called the great shema which means “hear.” “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deut. 6:4). In this statement the word “God” is also in the plural and so God, in the plural, states that He is One.
 
What we are seeing here in Genesis is what we are shown throughout the Word of God, that God is a triune, a three-in-one God. What we see is also the fact that the trinity of the Godhead is never separate. God is always God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus this morning, we also celebrate that fact that Jesus was also with the Father and the Holy Spirit at the creation of the world. To deny the trinity of God is to deny the very essence of God and brings eternal judgement.
 
Moving on in our text we see God’s power and the power of His Word. “3And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. 4And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness” (v. 3-4). Contrary to the evolutionists belief and the religion of Darwinism, all things did not simply come into being by itself. As a matter of fact, no one has ever observed anything spontaneously appearing out of nothing. There is no evidence for this assertion. However, there is the fact that God tells us what happened at the creation of the world and since He was there we know we can trust His Word. God tells us what happened at the creation of the world, that is that God spoke and it happened, exactly as He said. God said “Let there be light,” and there was light.
 
God tells us that He created light and He separated it from darkness. These words remind us that before God created anything there was only darkness and a void or as some translations put it, chaos. The first thing God created or called into existence was light. Perhaps light was the first thing God created, because light is necessary for life. Interestingly enough, Jesus is often called the “Light of the world,” and no that does not mean He was created, rather it is a fitting title, because if light is necessary for life, Jesus, the Light of the world is necessary for eternal life.
 
Continuing on in our text, we have God giving us the framework of time. This framework of time often brings the question of what is meant by “a day.” “5God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day” (v. 5). I find it quite interesting that although the Sun was not created until day four, God gives the framework of a day on day one. So, when God finally created the Sun on the fourth day, He placed the Sun and the revolution of the earth into the predetermined time framework He had already created on day one. As for the question of what is a day, in the Bible, a day is always in reference to a 24 hour period of time. We have talked about this in Bible class that all the times the word “day” is used in the Bible, and the reference is always a 24 hour period. A day is a day. Those who would propose otherwise are very much like Satan and his first temptation of Adam and Eve when Satan asked, “Did God really say . . .?”
 
Just as a brief aside, let me encourage you in your faith and trust in God’s Word. Although so called human, earthly scientists would like to theorize and even suggest that it is a fact that the world is millions, even billions of years old and that all this came about by itself by millions, even billions of accidental mutations, which always made things better and even though they would present “evidence” for these datings, understand this, they were not there, they have never observed what they are suggesting happened, and their methods of dating are very unreliable. As we have heard in Bible Class there are more reliable methods for dating and the most reliable methods for dating give the earth a young date, but since this does not fit the paradigm of the evolutionist, this is not what we are publicly given. God was there. He saw how He created all things out of nothing and He tells us how He accomplished creation. The Bible traces the age of the earth through the genealogies so we know and we can believe and trust God and His word.
 
Contrary to the wisdom of the world, which we often see is foolishness, God’s wisdom is seen in His creation. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Just look at the complexity of this world in which we live, a world which literally takes care of itself, within the always present all preserving hand of its Maker.
 
What does this mean, say, suggest, or tell us today? First and foremost, we know that God’s Word is true and it can be trusted. We need this reminder and encouragement quite often because of our constant doubt and unbelief. Not that this is necessary for our faith, but of all the findings of archeology none have ever disproved the Bible, as a matter of fact all have confirmed what is in the Word of God. Likewise, when creationist, that is the name given to scientists who actually believe the Bible and the fact that God created the world and so use the Bible as a starting point in helping to unlock and explain the world, when creationists look at the same evidence, which does not speak bu must be interpreted, that the evolutionist have, the explanation of the creationist is more consistent and more logical than that of the evolutionists who very often must change and continue to change their explanations as new discoveries are found. And we should admit, to deny God’s Word here in Genesis as trustworthy and true is to deny all of His Word as trustworthy and true. If God lied in Genesis, what is to say He did not lie in Matthew, Mark, Luke or John? This is indeed a foundational issue and we can either believe God and His Word or the word of fallen, sinful human reasoning. Indeed this was what Luther was fighting, for the authority of the Word of God.
 
God’s Word is true. Thus, God does not lie. When God speaks to us we know we can believe Him because He is God and He speaks truth. As Jesus said of Himself, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Jesus is God, Jesus is truth, God is truth.
 
Not only is God’s Word truth, God’s Word does what it says. There is a distinct difference between the Bible and all the other books in the world. God’s Word does what it says. When God speaks it happens, just as He speaks it. We see this in our text for today, in the beginning God spoke all things into being. We saw God’s Word doing what it says this morning when we confessed our sins and heard those most beautiful words, “your sins are forgiven,” and we know that is exactly what happened, our sins were forgiven. We see this happen at the Lord’s table wherein we are given His body and blood to eat and drink for the forgiveness of sins. We see this happen every time we bear witness of a baptism how God creates faith. We see this happen in our lives as we read and hear His Word and as His Word has its way with us.
 
God’s Word has power. Unlike all the other books in the world, God’s Word has power. An ordinary book can only present you with information. Certainly you may be moved emotionally, but no book, except God’s Word has the power to do anything. God’s Word is a Word with power, power to do what it says. Again we saw this power this morning in our Old Testament lesson, in our text, so that when God said let there be, there was.
 
Best and most important is the fact that God’s Word gives gifts. We see this especially in the Epistle, and in the Gospel lessons for this morning. Through the very means of Grace, that is through God’s Word, through Holy Baptism which is water connected with God’s Word, through the Lord’s Supper which is bread and wine connected with God’s Word, through confession and absolution, which is God’s Word, God does great things and gives great gifts, faith, forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. And in all these things it is God who is active and we who are passive. When it comes to our salvation, when it comes to good theology, we remember that God is the one who is always doing the doing and we are the ones who are always being done to.
 
Perhaps you have heard the old adage, “God said it, I believe, that settles it.” I believe the adage adds too much baggage and gives me too much credit. Why should I impose myself onto what God can do? We do so because of our nature, that is because we have a hard time believing in God’s perfect grace. The fact of the matter is that “God said it and that settles it.” It does not matter what we do or do not do. As a matter of fact, it does not even matter how we might get in the way in attempting to impose ourselves on what God can do and does. God does because He is God. God gives because He is God. And we are done to and given to because we need to be done to and given to. Thanks be to God. To Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

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