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(11/21) Welcome to all of you today. And those of you watching online, it’s always great to have you with us. We are in part two of our series Beginnings today and we are in the book of Genesis which is literally the book of beginnings. Genesis is part of the Pentateuch, which is the first five books of the Bible, treasured by God’s people, Israel, and of which Moses is credited to be the author.

Now, Moses himself represents that generation of people who were enslaved in Egypt, but because he took things in his own hands and tried to bring about justice to his people in his own way, he ended up exiled away from Egypt. That was until God calls to him from a burning bush, revealing himself to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Of course, Moses had not met Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but he represents that generation of Hebrews that knew of them but had not experienced them.

And so, it is in Genesis that Moses writes to us out of the revelation that he received from God. Not like the other prophets of whom God said I have revealed myself in visions, spoken to them in dreams, but of his servant Moses he said…

"He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord" (Numbers 12:6-8).

And so, Moses had a face-to-face relationship with God, and God allows him to see things, writing about a time he hadn’t experience, because God took him all the way back to the beginning. Not the beginning of God, but before Noah, Methuselah, and Enosh, he took us back to the beginning of us, because not even Adam was in the beginning.

The book of Genesis opens with these words, "In the beginning," before there were angel choirs, before the prophets and apostles.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" (Genesis 1:1-2).

In other words, God takes Moses back to the beginning of our history, back through the volumes of eternity and says, "In the beginning, God." Notice, he doesn’t explain God, he doesn’t explore God, he just announces God who was there when the beginning started. Because God just is, and so he wasn’t created, but he is the author of the first day, the architect of creation, and he was there before anything or anybody to tell him that he was God.

God announces himself in the discovery of our beginning as being that absolute that preceded our beginning. And so, as Moses begins to scratch out words, going back as far as God revealed to him, God was still there. In fact, in the oldest Psalm recorded in Scripture, Moses praised God acknowledging that,

"Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God" (Psalms 90:2).

In other words, if you were to unroll the curtain of time all the way back to the first day, God was standing there, because he couldn’t create it if he wasn’t above it. And so, when thrones were set in place, and the ancient of days took his seat, Moses declared, "From everlasting to everlasting you are God."

And so, our understanding of time comes from this revelation given to Moses as we are looking back at Creation, not getting an eyewitness account of Creation, but Moses taking notes as God dictated saying,

"Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning — the first day" (Genesis 1:3-5).

In other words, God who lives in eternity, created time, both day and night, the first day, recorded in a 24-hour cycle for mankind to live in. And so, we understand that our calendar is just a sliver of eternity where our eternal God dwells. And in that context, he is indisputable, unchangeable, and absolute, because he is God all by himself. He declared,

"I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God… there is none besides me" (Isaiah 45:5-6).

And so, we must embrace the fact that God stands outside of time, because if we struggle to understand "in the beginning God", the rest of the Bible will mean nothing to us. That’s why scientists and evolutionists try to create opposing theories, anything but a biblical account of creation. That’s why lesbian, gay, and transsexual groups flaunt their lifestyle, opposing marriage as God ordained it, denying the Word of God, because they won’t accept any accountability for their actions. And so, they refuse to repent, but the truth is that not only does God transcend time, but he encapsulates time.

If you go all the way back to the beginning there was God, and if you go all the way to the end, to the new heavens and the new earth, there will still be God. In fact, the New Testament equivalent of Genesis, in John chapter 1 tells us,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made" (John 1:1-3).

All things were made by him, expresses the creative energy of God, not of Buddha, or Allah, or Mother Earth, but Scripture says your God is "God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light" (1 Timothy 6:15-16).

As far back as Moses could go, back to the beginning of time itself, because there is no other matrix or qualifier, God was still there. And so, when the earth was nothing but a ball of mud covered with water, before there was any light to be seen, God was still there. Before the "Morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy", God was still there (Job 38:7). They didn’t make him God, but they were just acknowledging that he always was God, and he always will be God. And until you can believe that you will stumble over everything else, because in the beginning God.

You see, the revelation of Scripture was not given to prove creation, explain creation, or even to validate the authenticity of God, because God stands alone. In fact, the Bible says,

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse" (Romans 1:20).

And so, the Scriptures were not given to explain God, or to analyze God, because he doesn’t have to prove himself. God just is, he’s God all by himself, standing on nothing, and so when the Bible says, "in the beginning God", it all starts with God.

When God sent Moses back to Egypt to deliver the Israelites from slavery, Moses asked God, "Whom shall I say sent me?" God said,

"I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you…" (Exodus 3:14).

Because he just is, he’s not trying to be, he’s not wanting to be, he’s not wishing to be, he just is, he is God all by himself. He is God alone.

And so, the Scriptures were written to explain who we are, why we are, but even more so, to explain God’s plan of redemption; so that we would believe and come to him in faith receiving our salvation. And so, until we believe that he is, we are excluded, locked outside of the whole conversation, because God doesn’t have to prove himself to anybody. In fact, Job got a little arrogant and God put him in his place saying,

"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation" (Job 38:4)?

In other words, where were you when I cast the stars into the sky and made the moon to shine? You see, when you know who you are, you don’t have to explain anything, because you just are. And that’s why Genesis began declaring, "In the beginning God" because,

"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless" (Psalms 18:30).

This week I was reading this article about why so many people don’t make New Year’s resolutions, and many of the comments were amusing, but there was one that I believe really summarizes the sentiment of so many of us. One person said,

"My resolution for this year is to accomplish all the goals I made last year, which I should have done the year before, because I actually planned them the year before."

I wonder if it isn’t true that many of us don’t make New Year’s resolutions because we recognize the likelihood of not finishing what we began. But maybe we should look at it another way, looking at it from a different perspective, recognizing that we’re never going to finish anything that we don’t begin.

Today, I hope you will find motivation from God’s word, who used in the beginning to express that he created, he began, he started something. And being confident of this, you would be encouraged that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…" (Philippians 1:6). And I pray that would push you to begin something that God has called you to do, because everybody has something that God has said or impressed upon you that you want to begin. Whether it’s at the highest level as we recall the words of Jesus who said,

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48).

That’s our standard, where we all start, but let’s bring it down a level to where we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). And so, what is that for you?

We’ve been talking about beginnings, and we all have something that we simply need to get started. Maybe for you, it’s time to get fit, to eat healthier and lose a few pounds. Or maybe it’s time to start that business, to restore that relationship, or to be more generous with your time and your treasure. Some of you recognize that you’ve been too busy, distracted, and you want to begin making a difference in the people’s lives closest to you.

The best place to start is, in the beginning God, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith who said,

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing" (Isaiah 43:18-19).

But I know for myself, when I think about something that I need to begin, without having something to aim at, without having a fixed goal, I often end up staying right where I am. And so, when I find myself circling aimlessly, wrestling with indecision, I find it helpful to think about where I want to end up. Because when I have a clear picture of where I want to be, I understand more clearly where I need to begin.

Think about it this way for a moment, just fast-forward to the end of your life, the memorial service is over, and people are standing around talking about you as they’re eating those little sandwiches, cheese, crackers, and meatballs. What is it that you want them to say, or what would you hope that they would say about you? I believe that in answering that question, you may find where you need to get started. And so, are you willing to dream again, because what you never begin, you are never going to finish.

And we ourselves descended it out of the imagination of God. The Bible says, "In the beginning God created" (Genesis 1:1). In other words, creation began in the imagination of God. He thought us up and created us out of nothing. The word created in Hebrew means to make without the aid of pre-existing materials or substance. And so, God created the entire universe with no plans, no schematics, and no materials. He stepped out on nothing and said let there be something and it became what he said.

It’s no wonder that the Bible says,

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands" (Psalms 19:1).

Because in the beginning God created. It just flowed out of him, he didn’t need anyone beside him, no one behind him, he just created because he is a Creator. And he causes us to understand that there was a beginning, that he created time itself to tell us how long we experience life before we go back into eternity. In other words, we came from eternity, there was a beginning and an end, and then we go back into eternity.

He said it this way to the prophet Jeremiah, before you had a birthday, before you had a beginning,

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart…" (Jeremiah 1:5).

Because I knew you before you entered the matrix of time, I sanctified you and appointed you as a prophet to the nations. And so, God said, I knew you in eternity past and I formed you because I have appointed you for a purpose.

We find Jesus acknowledging an eternity that preexisted when he prayed,

"Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began" (John 17:5).

And so, in Genesis chapter 1, we’re at ground level, down at the foundations of the world, and Jesus said he had a relationship with the Father before all of that. He prayed, "take me back and glorify me with the glory I had with you before the world began."

I’m afraid that sometimes we get so concerned, so caught up with what’s going on in the world, that we forget that this is just a dress rehearsal for something so much bigger than life itself. The Bible says,

"He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight" (Ephesians 1:4).

In other words, before you had a birthdate he chose you, he called you out of eternity, and yet life as we know it is fleeting. James said, you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. The psalmist said,

"As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone…" (Psalms 103:15-16).

And so, the time to begin is today. You need to bloom where you are planted, because God is still God and eternity is still in eternity. But you can’t have a beginning without God, because in the beginning God, and he is the architect of everything that comes after those four words. Abraham knew that because the Bible says,

"He was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (Hebrews 11:10).

In other words, everything after in the beginning is the result of the architectural design of God. Without pen and paper or a computer he created the universe and set it spinning without ever having to get up and do it again. He did it once and it was settled, because whenever he commands a thing, it is done. The Bible says that,

"He sustains everything by the mighty power of his command" (Hebrews 1:3, NLT).

Scientists will tell you that the smallest atoms and molecules are held together by something that doesn’t even exist. In other words, they can’t explain what holds them together, but the Bible tells us that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

"For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:15-17).

In other words, Jesus is that invisible force that is holding things together, the glue connecting one molecule to another. He is that dynamic balancer keeping all things in balance. By him all things exist, and John tells us,

"Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made" (John 1:3).

In the beginning God, lets us know that there wasn’t anything before him, there wouldn’t be anything without him, and there won’t be anything after him. And so, like an artist signing the canvas of a portrait, God is the architect putting his signature on creation. He writes, in the beginning God, telling us that this is my creation, this is my business and I’m in charge.

I don’t want you to miss the power of that, because many of us have discounted what God can do through us because of our past and the mistakes that we’ve made. But as his creation, we simply need to understand that God is with us, he is for us, and he upholds all things by his mighty hand. And so, as he said to the prophet Isaiah,

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10).

And so, when you understand who is with you it gives you a certain confidence no matter what your past, and no matter what challenges you are facing today. When God says "I am with you" that means we’re doing it together, we’re going through it together, and we’re going to make it through because in the beginning God.

He created you and he has something he wants to do in you and through you, but you’ve got to start. It doesn’t matter where you are, but you just need to get moving, anything to get you started, because you’re never going to finish that which you don’t begin. And so, today is the day that you get started, you’ve got to get moving, and I believe God is ready to do something extraordinary. Because whenever you take what you have, the simple and ordinary things, and you entrust them to God, no matter what it is it becomes extraordinary in the creative hands of God.

And so, today, we simply need to get going. It’s time to get started, using what you have, doing what you can, just taking one step after another. And what you will find as you keep in step with God is that he’s going to take your ordinary thing and he’s going to do something extraordinary with it.

One day when people are sitting around talking about you, your memorial service is done, and they’re eating those little sandwiches and meatballs. What if they said about you what they said about Moses?

"By faith, when he had grown up... He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward" (Hebrews 11:24-26).

It’s so important today that we are looking ahead, because we’ve only got one shot at this, one shot at life, and we’re never going to finish what we don’t start. And so, today is the time to get started, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you are, because when you know who you’re with, and you use what you have, God can be as creative as he wants to be. Would you bow your heads and as we pray?

Read Part 3

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