Creation is Salvation
Commentary
It is interesting to discover just how many times creation and salvation seem to be concepts that are interchangeable in the scriptures. This contention is based on the understanding that he who created all things is interested in their well-being and wholeness and therefore offers his power of creation as the power of salvation. To put it another way, salvation is God's way of seeking to restore the peace and harmony of all the things he intended in creation.
There are those who imagine that some other force was involved in creation. The Gnostics thought of these as emanations from God that finally became so distant from him that his will had no influence on them when they created something and that what they created had a flaw in it. The early church soundly rejected such an idea.
Others, without thinking, maintain that Satan was present and sought to confuse the gift of creation. These have been more influenced by Milton's story of paradise rather than the Scriptures. One thing that the people of faith did was to embrace all things, both good and evil, as from the hand of God. They preferred that to the dualism that left unanswered the origin of the evil force and kept the image that God created evil and thus was responsible. Take another look at Genesis 3 and there you will discover that the woman and man are asked who misled them. The serpent is blamed as well as woman. But what would the serpent have said if he had been asked about his origin or the cause of what he did. It interests me that this step was not taken. What it means is that the scriptures acknowledge the evil that is in the world, but make no attempt to explain it. The problem of evil is treated not as something to be explained but as something to be overcome.
OUTLINE I
What God Thinks of Us
Psalm 8
Introduction: There are those who think that they find references to the coming Messiah in this Psalm and therefore miss the rich meaning that, in my mind, is intended. The Psalmist stands in awe of creation itself and most of all at the climax of that creation, the shaping of man and woman.
A. The Glory of God. Here is an opportunity for the preacher to expand on the glory of God. Search the scriptures and your thesaurus and find all the adjectives possible to describe that glory. When you are finished, you will, as does the poet here, find that words are poor servants and that you have only begun to speak of God's glory.
B. Building on signs. All around him the poet sees evidence of God's creativity. If those people of the time of the poet were so overwhelmed by what they saw in the skies, imagine that awe that ought to exist in us since we have a much broader concept of space and the heavens and since some of us have been there.
C. God's gift. In verses 5-8 the poet summarizes the gifts that God has bestowed upon us. Here he defines his understanding of the gift of dominion. Man is meant to be God's viceroy, ambassador, or representative on earth. He is charged with the keeping of creation. Here is an excellent opportunity to comment on that responsibility and apply it to all that we know these days about the pollution that we have visited upon the earth that is our charge.
Conclusion: There are those that imagine that when they read the Bible they are reading material applicable to other people at another time. Psalm 8 is a good example of the contention that Psalms take on a timeless frame. Here the words are as applicable today as they were when first written.
OUTLINE II
Listening for Wisdom
Proverbs 8:22-31
Introduction: It will prove interesting if you will do some background study on the role of Wisdom as is revealed in the Old Testament. It all began as a term to summarize what had been learned and then began to represent the wisdom of the elders of the community who were regarded as sages. Then it began to take on a much more personalized existence until finally Wisdom is speaking for herself in such passages as the one for today. If you listen carefully, it will sound as if there were three persons in the godhead in the Old Testament, God, the Spirit, and Wisdom. The writers of the New Testament solve their dilemma by identifying Wisdom with Jesus.
A. Before creation. It is important to note that the community of faith had no difficulty in assigning all creation to God. No other spirit, no other hand, no other consciousness is involved. God stands alone at creation and Wisdom is present and here personalized.
B. Read the list of those things assigned to the creativity of God and you are reading a summary of the scriptures. Do not fall victim to the error of the Gnostics who saw the creative force as removed from God, an emanation. Here the poet battles against such assertions and emphasizes the closeness of Wisdom and God.
C. Note that at the end of this selection God and the heavenly host rejoice at what has been accomplished. This is in contradiction to a school that maintained that the creation of man and woman was an act that the angels did not approve. Such an assertion was the basis of the Jewish understanding that the angels were hostile and not friendly to man. Little wonder that the writers in the Old Testament begin to treat angels as friends and envoys of God. The bringing of these strands together takes place in the New Testament when the angels herald the birth of the Son.
Conclusion: Take time to lead your hearers to do more than enjoy the poetry of the Old Testament. Help them to begin to understand what is behind these words and their lives will be enriched.
OUTLINE III
The Gifts of Love
Romans 5:1-5
Introduction: In the lines of today's lesson the Apostle Paul speaks to that part of the community of faith in Rome that is apparently having a difficult time with those who disagree with their contentions. Take time to read the last chapter of Acts again and you will discover that there was in Rome a group of Jewish (Christians?) who do not accept fully what is being declared about Jesus as Messiah.
A. Justified by Faith. Take time to clarify this matter for your hearers. Let them know that a people who have striven to win their salvation now have it offered to them without reserve. Check out Romans 7 for further clarification.
B. Rejoicing in Suffering. This at first may sound strange. But read the Sermon on the Mount once more and discover what Jesus said about suffering for his sake.
C. Suffering Produces Endurance. If the motive is right, one finally comes to the place where the pain can be endured. Remember that this is not just any suffering, but suffering which comes because one is faithful.
D. Endurance Produces Character. It may be worthwhile to recall many greats in history who rose above their sufferings to become models for us all.
E. Character Produces Hope. Those who are persons of integrity, whose lives match their confession -- these are those who share the hope of salvation as God's gift.
F. Hope Does Not Disappoint Us. Hope is not withheld nor does it go unfulfilled. One can trust God for that.
Conclusion: End with a consideration of verse 5 and expand on the meaning of the Holy Spirit and its influence upon us. Once again turn to and reread chapters 14-16 of the Gospel of John.
There are those who imagine that some other force was involved in creation. The Gnostics thought of these as emanations from God that finally became so distant from him that his will had no influence on them when they created something and that what they created had a flaw in it. The early church soundly rejected such an idea.
Others, without thinking, maintain that Satan was present and sought to confuse the gift of creation. These have been more influenced by Milton's story of paradise rather than the Scriptures. One thing that the people of faith did was to embrace all things, both good and evil, as from the hand of God. They preferred that to the dualism that left unanswered the origin of the evil force and kept the image that God created evil and thus was responsible. Take another look at Genesis 3 and there you will discover that the woman and man are asked who misled them. The serpent is blamed as well as woman. But what would the serpent have said if he had been asked about his origin or the cause of what he did. It interests me that this step was not taken. What it means is that the scriptures acknowledge the evil that is in the world, but make no attempt to explain it. The problem of evil is treated not as something to be explained but as something to be overcome.
OUTLINE I
What God Thinks of Us
Psalm 8
Introduction: There are those who think that they find references to the coming Messiah in this Psalm and therefore miss the rich meaning that, in my mind, is intended. The Psalmist stands in awe of creation itself and most of all at the climax of that creation, the shaping of man and woman.
A. The Glory of God. Here is an opportunity for the preacher to expand on the glory of God. Search the scriptures and your thesaurus and find all the adjectives possible to describe that glory. When you are finished, you will, as does the poet here, find that words are poor servants and that you have only begun to speak of God's glory.
B. Building on signs. All around him the poet sees evidence of God's creativity. If those people of the time of the poet were so overwhelmed by what they saw in the skies, imagine that awe that ought to exist in us since we have a much broader concept of space and the heavens and since some of us have been there.
C. God's gift. In verses 5-8 the poet summarizes the gifts that God has bestowed upon us. Here he defines his understanding of the gift of dominion. Man is meant to be God's viceroy, ambassador, or representative on earth. He is charged with the keeping of creation. Here is an excellent opportunity to comment on that responsibility and apply it to all that we know these days about the pollution that we have visited upon the earth that is our charge.
Conclusion: There are those that imagine that when they read the Bible they are reading material applicable to other people at another time. Psalm 8 is a good example of the contention that Psalms take on a timeless frame. Here the words are as applicable today as they were when first written.
OUTLINE II
Listening for Wisdom
Proverbs 8:22-31
Introduction: It will prove interesting if you will do some background study on the role of Wisdom as is revealed in the Old Testament. It all began as a term to summarize what had been learned and then began to represent the wisdom of the elders of the community who were regarded as sages. Then it began to take on a much more personalized existence until finally Wisdom is speaking for herself in such passages as the one for today. If you listen carefully, it will sound as if there were three persons in the godhead in the Old Testament, God, the Spirit, and Wisdom. The writers of the New Testament solve their dilemma by identifying Wisdom with Jesus.
A. Before creation. It is important to note that the community of faith had no difficulty in assigning all creation to God. No other spirit, no other hand, no other consciousness is involved. God stands alone at creation and Wisdom is present and here personalized.
B. Read the list of those things assigned to the creativity of God and you are reading a summary of the scriptures. Do not fall victim to the error of the Gnostics who saw the creative force as removed from God, an emanation. Here the poet battles against such assertions and emphasizes the closeness of Wisdom and God.
C. Note that at the end of this selection God and the heavenly host rejoice at what has been accomplished. This is in contradiction to a school that maintained that the creation of man and woman was an act that the angels did not approve. Such an assertion was the basis of the Jewish understanding that the angels were hostile and not friendly to man. Little wonder that the writers in the Old Testament begin to treat angels as friends and envoys of God. The bringing of these strands together takes place in the New Testament when the angels herald the birth of the Son.
Conclusion: Take time to lead your hearers to do more than enjoy the poetry of the Old Testament. Help them to begin to understand what is behind these words and their lives will be enriched.
OUTLINE III
The Gifts of Love
Romans 5:1-5
Introduction: In the lines of today's lesson the Apostle Paul speaks to that part of the community of faith in Rome that is apparently having a difficult time with those who disagree with their contentions. Take time to read the last chapter of Acts again and you will discover that there was in Rome a group of Jewish (Christians?) who do not accept fully what is being declared about Jesus as Messiah.
A. Justified by Faith. Take time to clarify this matter for your hearers. Let them know that a people who have striven to win their salvation now have it offered to them without reserve. Check out Romans 7 for further clarification.
B. Rejoicing in Suffering. This at first may sound strange. But read the Sermon on the Mount once more and discover what Jesus said about suffering for his sake.
C. Suffering Produces Endurance. If the motive is right, one finally comes to the place where the pain can be endured. Remember that this is not just any suffering, but suffering which comes because one is faithful.
D. Endurance Produces Character. It may be worthwhile to recall many greats in history who rose above their sufferings to become models for us all.
E. Character Produces Hope. Those who are persons of integrity, whose lives match their confession -- these are those who share the hope of salvation as God's gift.
F. Hope Does Not Disappoint Us. Hope is not withheld nor does it go unfulfilled. One can trust God for that.
Conclusion: End with a consideration of verse 5 and expand on the meaning of the Holy Spirit and its influence upon us. Once again turn to and reread chapters 14-16 of the Gospel of John.
