************ Sermon on Genesis 1:29-30 ************
By: Rev. Adrian Dieleman
This sermon was preached on May 2, 2002
Genesis 1:27-2:9
vs 29-30
"God Provides for His People"
National Day of Prayer Service - 2002
Introduction
Topic: Faith
Subtopic:
Index:
Date:
Title: Pay The Money At Once
Among those who served in the court of Alexander the Great was a famous philosopher who had outstanding ability but little money. He asked Alexander for financial help and was told he could draw whatever cash he needed from the imperial treasury. When he submitted to the treasurer a request for an amount equal to $50,000, he was promptly refused. The treasurer had to verify that such a large sum was indeed authorized. But when he asked Alexander, the ruler replied, "Pay the money at once. The philosopher has done me a great honor. By the largeness of his request he shows that he has understood both my wealth and my goodness."
Tonight is our national day of prayer service. Tonight – and every night – we should go to the throne of God in the same way as the philosopher went to Alexander's treasurer. You see, people who dare to ask God to provide for their needs show that they understand the vastness of His wealth and goodness.
I God is the Provider
A We see the vastness of God's wealth and goodness way back at the beginning, at the time of creation already. God not only made heaven and earth and everything in them, but He also provided for all His creatures. In fact, according to the Bible it was God's provision that completed His work of creation. It is fair to say that without this provision God's creation work would have been incomplete. Notice too, after God saw all that He had made – including the food He provided – He pronounced the verdict that "it was very good" (vs 31).
In the beginning, then, God provided for the creatures made by His hands. In the beginning, God gave food to man and to the beasts of the earth, to the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground (vs 30). God not only gave every creature its life and breath but He also provided them nourishment for life. Since the beginning already God was filled with a special concern for all His creatures.
We can and should ask about the food that God provided for man in the beginning.
(Gen 1:29) God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."
We should also ask about the food that God provided for all His other creatures in the beginning.
(Gen 1:30) "And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground -- everything that has the breath of life in it -- I give every green plant for food."
Added to these announcements of God is the statement, "And it was so." This statement occurs 6 times in the Creation story (vs 7,9,11,15,24,30). Obviously, what God has determined came to pass. His will cannot be thwarted. His Word cannot be broken. So from the moment God said it, every seed-bearing plant and fruit became food for man and every green plant became the food of all other living creatures.
B What God did in the beginning He does today as well. Today He continues to provide for all His creatures. Listen to what the psalmist says:
(Ps 104:14,21,27-29) He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-- bringing forth food from the earth ... (21) The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God ... (27) These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time. (28) When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. (29) When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.
Or, as the Apostle Paul puts it, "in him (i.e. God) we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:38). God is the supplier of every need.
II God is the Almighty Provider
A I've always had to marvel over what the creation story tells us about our God. It tell us our God is almighty. Only an almighty God is able to create heaven and earth and everything in them out of nothing. By the very breath of His mouth He called the entire universe into being. Let me review with you His creation activity:
Day 1 - God made the light and separated it from the darkness
Day 2 - God separated the sky and earth
Day 3 - God separated the water and dry ground and created vegetation
Day 4 - God made the sun, moon, and stars
Day 5 - God made the fish and birds
Day 6 - God made the animals and man
Thoughtful students of the Creation story see God's power and might in other things as well:
-God made light on the first day, but light giving objects were not made until the fourth day
-God made plants on the third day, but the process of photosynthesis which plants need to stay alive did not start until the fourth day
-God made time on the first day, but the means by which time is measured was not created until the fourth day
It is clear, isn't it? God is almighty, so almighty. There is nothing He cannot do.
B The message of Genesis 1 is that this almighty God is our provider. You see the connection, I am sure. The God Who created all things is more than able to provide food for all the creatures of His hand. God, in other words, is more than able to give us all that we need because He is almighty God. With Him we need not fear that we will ever encounter a need beyond His ability to provide.
We have a mighty great God. Now, do we believe He can do anything, anything He wants to do? Do we believe God is more than able to provide for all our needs? As Jesus put it:
(Mt 6:25) "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?
Conclusion
We are gathered together this evening to pray to the mighty great God. We are gathered together this evening to pray to the God Who since the beginning has provided for all His creatures.
We pray because of the words of Jesus I read at the beginning of the service:
(Mt 7:7-8) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (8) For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.