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Weekly Message | April 11th, 2010
Passage: Genesis 1:1-2:25
Key Verse(s): 1:27, 2:15
From this week we will participate in a stewardship series. Stewardship is about practicing responsible management and due care in the world while acknowledging that we are not the real owners of any of it at all. Stewardship is a personal, national, and global issue. For the past forty years I have observed many people and ministries. One conclusion is this: stewardship matters. The quality of stewardship determines: (1) personal and family happiness; (2) ministry effectiveness; (3) having an impactful life in this world. We now have an expanded facility with the new worship hall and other rooms. This is a big improvement for us but a small event in this world. Anyway, Toledo UBF is becoming a more engaging ministry that requires the practice of stewardship in all areas—personal, family, ministry, and the world. Through this stewardship series we may have a better grasp on how to live a life that honors God. So we start with the foundational truths. This first lesson is about God’s intended stewardship for his people. The second lesson is about stewardship in the fallen world.
First, God, the Creator, owns all. (1-25)
Look at verse 1: “In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (1a) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. These are the opening words of the Bible. This is the declaration of truth. God does not try to prove himself to man. That’s why Genesis 1:1 starts with God in the beginning. The universe has a clear beginning. The beginning is not about eternity. The beginning is about the origin of God’s creation. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. This is the first important message in the Bible. God the Creator made all; thus, he owns all. In the entire chapter of Genesis 1 we learn that the word “God” is repeated 30 times (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 21, 22, 24, 25, 25, 26, 27, 27, 28, 29, 31). God started all. God made all. God is the owner of all. God is the owner of the universe. The sense of stewardship starts with this recognition that God owns all.
Second, God made male and female from the dust. (1:26-27, 2:7)
On the sixth day God created animals and man. So man has an animal nature. One may argue that people are just an extension of the animal kingdom. Scientists find similarities in the early stages of human and animal fetus development. In fact, some men have the appearance of a chimpanzee─harmless, funny, and wild. Man has an animal nature such as a desire for sleep, food, and pleasure-seeking and no more.
Look at 2:7: “the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” This is another way of describing the essence of man. First of all, man is from dust of the ground. Man has no inherent value in himself apart from his relationship with God. This is a very important truth to remember. One of the real problems of man is to forget this truth. As we study the lives of great people, one common mistake is pride. Almost all the kings of Judah, after tasting success and fame, become proud and useless. They forgot that they are from the dust of the ground. (2 Chron. 27:16) On the other hand, humble people remember that they are from the dust. Abraham said, “I am nothing but dust and ashes…” (Ge 18:27) It is no wonder why he could grow up as God’s friend. Here is the reality of man. On the sixth day God created man and animals from the dust of the ground. Man shares the animal instincts and practices of beasts. Many can behave like wild animals. Studies about the animal world thus provide an insight into people. Man like animals is also from dust. So here is the basis of nothingness about man.
However, God also made man to be great. Look at verses 26-27: Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” “Us” and “our” refers to God─the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The triune God created man in his own image. That does not mean that we are just like God. Rather, human beings posses the attributes of God. (Table 1) There are then two possibilities. People can pursue the image of God (godliness) or remain at the animal level.
(Table 1: Contradictory Nature of Man - Refer to the PDF file on Announcement page)
Man also has the breath of God. Man has a living soul from God. As long as we have the breath of God, we will live. Man is both body and soul. (ITh 5:23) Man as dust from the ground has visible elements─a physical body which is mortal. So it is easy for us to only pay attention to the needs of our physical bodies. Yet, man also has an invisible and living soul which is immortal. We must neither abuse nor ignore it. While we are young, our healthy bodies may overcome a weak soul (“sound mind in sound body”). However, as people get older, the soul which has not been nourished wanders in fear and anxiety. This is what it means to have no peace in one’s soul. We must care for our body through diet, exercise, and proper rest. What does this suggest about people? We are God’s creatures with contradictions. We are both great and nothing. We are like God—wonderful and excellent on one hand and like beasts—common and ordinary. To be good stewards in this world we need to live with these contradictions: (1) dusty and animal-like and (2) spirited and God-like.
Third, God blessed man for his workmanship. (1:28, 2:15)
Look at verse 28: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’” God blessed people to be “fruitful and increase in number.” God expects people to fill the earth and subdue it. God entrusted the earth into man’s care. Here, we learn how much God has blessed man. God showed so much confidence in what man could do that he told him what to do, but not how to do it. God blessed man to work on this earth.
(Figure 1: The Order of God's creation - Refer to the PDF file on Announcement page)
Work is God’s blessing. Work is sacred and noble. It is through work that people glorify God. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God blessed his people to work hard. God expects his people and prepares his people in advance to do good works─this is our precious mission from God. By creating man (male and female) in his own image and blessing them to take care of the earth, God put people in a special position in God’s creation. “Subdue” and “rule over” suggests that nature is not the object of our worship. It does not mean that people can endlessly exploit nature either. Over the past 200 years there has been a phenomenal progress in modern science and technology. It was possible mainly because of the teachings in Genesis 1. By accepting the Creator God and orderly creation people could work on finding principles and laws that govern nature.
(Figure 2: Biblical Stewardship - Refer to the PDF file on Announcement page)
Look at 2:15: “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Verse 1:28 describes God's general blessings and command in dealing with the entire world. Verse 2:15 specifically indicates God's command for man to take care of the Garden of Eden. In other words, God expect his people to maintain a sense of stewardship over the whole world by taking care of specific places of their own. Adam had his place in the Garden of Eden. Likewise, we all need our own home, pasture, and place of mission. To Moses who spent 40 years in the Midian wilderness, God’s first message was ,“Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Ex. 3:5) Wherever we are, it can be a place of blessing as we love God. Wherever God puts us, it is a holy ground for us. We all need to find our Garden where we practice our stewardship before God.
What does this suggest? This suggests that people display greatness as they define their world and assume their roles within that world. What is your world? What are your roles? How can you display your God-given greatness? It is to find the roles in this life. In a micro level, our roles in this world in terms of family and work responsibilities defines who we are and what we can do. As children grow from childhood to teenage years, the real struggles are to define their roles, positions, and contribution potential in their small but growing world.
God’s workmanship does not mean that we work all the time. Work is important for our lives. But work is not all. We need rest. So God set the pattern of work and rest for us. God took six days to complete the creation process of the entire universe. In 2:1-3 we read about God’s rest: “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” God rested because he finished his work of creation. God is almighty. He never gets tired and weary. (Isa 40:28) Therefore, God rested not because he was tired but because he wanted to set a pattern for people to follow. Rest is needed for those whose work is finished. God recognized our need for rest.
What does it mean that God “blessed the seventh day and made it holy”? “And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” On a daily basis we need to work hard and rest well. On a weekly basis we must come to God and find rest in body and spirit. (Mt 11:28-29) That’s why God blessed the seventh day. It is holy in the sight of God. God set aside the day for rest and worship. Rest is a very important part of the creative process. Physically, we need regular rest. Mentally, we need time to reflect upon things. Spiritually, we need to come to God and worship. After Christ's death and resurrection, Christians no longer keep the seventh day as the Sabbath. Rather, we celebrate Sunday as the day of worship in memory of Jesus' resurrection. In reality, every day is sacred before God. (Ro14:5-7; Col 2:16). Ultimately, our real rest is in the kingdom of God. It is not eternal rest simply doing nothing. There we will find work that is eternally meaningful to God. There, we will follow the perfect pattern of rest seeing God face to face.
Fourth, God provides all freely. (1:29-31, 2:17-19)
Look at verses 29-30: “Then 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. 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.’ And it was so.” God provided man with food so that man could concentrate on accomplishing his mission and bear God's blessing, not merely struggle to survive. God did not tell man to eat animals or living beings (fish, and birds). It was originally a peaceful world.
Today so many people struggle with environmental problems, population growth, world-wide poverty, and economic issues. Even so, Jesus taught his disciples how to keep creation order and live according to the Genesis principle. Matthew 6:33 restates this principle: “But seek first his kingdom (God’s rule) and his righteousness (God’s image) and all these things will be given to you as well (God’s blessings).” Even in this fallen world God’s people are blessed with work to do─it is to seek God’s kingdom in this world and sustain his righteousness. Then, God himself will provide all we need─safety, security, and peace. Genesis 1:28 teaches that God has blessed his people with the image of God and appointed them to be stewards of God’s creation. Therefore, as leaders of God’s creation, people must be responsible caretakers of the environment. By God’s talents given to his people, they must keep finding solutions for our problems. We are to be over comers of challenges, not helpless spectators. This is the essence of Biblical stewardship in nature. (Figure 2)
Look at 2:16-17: “And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” In the middle of the garden were two special trees─the tree of life (for eternal life) and the tree of knowledge of good and evil (for freedom and creation order). This command assures Adam's freedom while providing him with a clear sense of his position in God's world. God is God and Adam is part of his creation. In that way, Adam can live happily in God's world. The matter of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is still in deep mystery. We may speculate, theorize, argue, oppose, and even accuse God because of it. Still, God’s word is clear.
The obvious truth is that God gave this command in love and truth. God established the creation order between him and Man. It was through the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Man was free to obey God. He was free to disobey God. Man can exercise his freedom and serve God voluntarily. God does not force us to serve him. Even worms would rather go where they want to go. How much more does man? God gave the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil because man needs eternal life from God and under God. Later, Jesus emphasized this truth when he said, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Mt 6:33) God provides all we need as we obey and work.
Look at verse 31: “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning─the sixth day.” God created a good world. Everything God created was good. The original world was morally pure and absolute. No evil was included in God's original design. All things in the universe except man = GOOD (B grade). All things in the Universe plus Man = VERY GOOD (A grade). Here we learn that man makes a big difference in the eyes of God. This also teaches about the purpose of God’s creation. It is for God’s pleasure. This is the concept of God’s glory. God created everything including man for his glory. Ultimately the purpose and meaning of God’s creation is God’s glory. Therefore, the real value of people is found in their relationship to God. What matters is not how we view ourselves (self-esteem) but how God views us (God’s point of view). God alone provides the basis of man's real worth.
Fifth, God blessed Adam and Eve for their happiness. (2:4-7)
Chapter 1 gives an overall picture of the entire creation. Chapter 2 focuses on the Garden of Eden (the original home of Adam and Eve). In a sense, the Bible is God's love story of man on earth. That’s why God’s focus is the earth among the planets and trillions of stars of the universe. Then what was the earth like without man and without the Garden of Eden? Look at verses 4-5: “This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens─and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground…”
God not only created male and female. God also brought man and woman together in love. In verses 8-14 we learn about the Garden of Eden. God made a very special and beautiful home for man. It was a perfect environment. Four major rivers flowed through the Garden of Eden. It also was the source of blessing for entire world. Some of the names of the rivers (Euphrates and Tigris) are still familiar to us. It indicates that the Bible is dealing with a real place and with real people.
In this final section we learn about the secret of a happy home. The first and foremost truth is that a happy family is God’s design. Look at verse 18: The LORD GOD said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Everything was good in the Garden of Eden. Adam was old enough to enter into a relationship but he was still alone. God said that it was not good. Adam needed a helper─a companion and coworker for God’s mission.
What did God do about it? Look at verses 19-20: “Now the LORD GOD had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.” Adam was very busy giving names to the creatures in the Garden of Eden. It shows that Adam exercised his authority over the animals. The significance of giving names to animals is like parents giving names to their children. Parents have enough authority to take care of and discipline them properly. But children are never the properties of their parents. Likewise, man under God's authority should protect, raise, and lead the animals as the steward of the Garden.
(Figure 3: Garden of Eden - Refer to the PDF file on Announcement page)
How did God provide a suitable helper? Look at verses 20-23. Lions are powerful and gorgeous, but God did not find a suitable helper among the lionesses. Dogs were very faithful, but God could not find a suitable helper for Adam among dogs. Animals were animals and no more. So God did something special for Adam. God made Adam fall into deep sleep. Then he had careful surgery. God took one of the man’s ribs. Woman was not from man's feet. Neither was woman from man's head. Woman was from man's ribs (his side). In that way, man loves and honors women. He neither worships nor despises women. God created a woman and brought her to the man.
“The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” (25) Before God, Adam and Eve had nothing to be ashamed of. They were blessed and happy. Although we are from dust we have the breath of life. This life is not merely existing but is for living. Jim Collins who studied great businesses and leaders of the world made this comment: “For, in the end, it is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life. And it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work. Perhaps, then, you might gain that rare tranquility that comes from knowing that you have had a hand in creating something of intrinsic excellence that makes a contribution. Indeed, you might even gain that deepest of all satisfactions: knowing that your short time here on this earth has been well spent, and that it mattered.”
For such a meaningful life it is important for us to reflect on who we are, how we are made, and why we are here in this world. In this first lesson we reflect on five foundational truths about stewardship: (1) God owns all; (2) God made man and woman to be great and yet humble; (3) God’s design for man is for workmanship; (4) God freely provides for all; (5) God blessed the first family for happiness. May God help each of us to learn how to live as a blessed steward in this world.
April 11, 2010; Dr. Paul Hong; Toledo, UBF.
Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
