NEW SERIES - Covenant and Kingdom

Sermon CK1 Gen 1:24-31

Covenant and Kingdom is a framework. Bible 66 books but connected.

Big Picture – one story, lots of themes, how does it fit together? Framework OT -> NT

Covenant – identity, relationship, commitment, promise

Kingdom – deeds, responsibilities, obedience, fruitfulness

Answers 2 useful questions – who am I? What am I here for? – These are common outside church, more common?

God loves you unconditionally and he has a purpose for your lifeJer 29:11

11For I know the plansI have for you,” declares theLord, “plans to prosperyou and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Background to Genesis reading - reveals a creator God

Uncreated
Creatio ex nihilo, unlike other creation stories, unlike Freemasons, separation, creation / creator, unlike big bang theory, only God is pre-existent
God didn’t create evil, evil is a result of the exercise of freewill – probably come back to this
Primary originator and ongoing providential guidance
God’s decision to create the world is from his freedom and goodness – act of love
Makes mankind of all creation in his image – our hearts are restless

Christology

John 1 – same opening words as Greek translation of OT ‘In the beginning’

In the beginning was the Word,and the Word was with God,and the Word was God.2He was with God in the beginning.3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.4In him was life,and that life was the lightof all mankind.5The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness has not overcome[a]it.

Jesus is God and the one through whom creation comes about Logos - eternal

Jesus is the light of mankind, an inward light not an external one

The image of God is therefore not just external, but internal

Not just a painting, something more, character, creativity, 3D, body, mind, spirit

Jesus is not calling a new Israel, not making a new humanity but in John’s gospel making a new creation

Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end of the whole story, a story that starts and finishes outside time.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT GOING TO CHURCH!!!

Genesis account of creation too long. Evolution / Creation – Chaplain – you are strange Mr Marsh, false dichotomy , not only one...

Chose last section as represents covenant and Kingdom

Covenant in Gen 1

26Then God said, “Let usmake mankindin our image,in our likeness...”

27So God createdmankindin his own image,
in the image of Godhe created them;
male and femalehe created them.

29Then 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.

Royal we, let us...
What is the image of God?
Freely addressed by GodPERSONAL GOD, and free to respond to GodFREEWILL
Primarily existence through relationships with God and other people
Restlessness without God, a God shaped hole.
The provision of God .. unconditional love

Kingdom in Gen 1

26b “so that they may ruleover the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky,over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a]and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

28God blessed them and said to them,“Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earthand subdue it. Rule overthe fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

About stewardship of Creation rather than exploitation.

As regents of God to act for God and like God would.

Kingdom is then responsibility for the establishment, spread and care of God’s Kingdom of creation.

At this point there is no alternative kingdom, everything is God’s kingdom so taking care of it is the task.

How does it apply to us St Tim’s 2015

Well here’s a thought and its a bit of a digression but I think it applies Covenant and Kingdom in the creation story to mission and a culture not too dissimilar to ours

Paul in Athens Acts 17

24“The God who made the world and everything in itis the Lord of heaven and earthand does not live in temples built by human hands.25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.26From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.27God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.28‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[b]As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[c]

29“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.30In the past God overlookedsuch ignorance,but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.31For he has set a day when he will judgethe world with justiceby the man he has appointed.He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

Its all joined up, the Bible!

Paul is speaking to a culture that inspired our worldview whether we are conscious of it or not, Greek philosophy.

God made people that they would inhabit the Earth, Gen 1, and appointed the places they would live so that they would seek him and find him.

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.28‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[b]As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[c]

THE CREATION COVENANT AND KINGDOM IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND A PURPOSE IN LIFE THAT WE KNOW HIM AND HELP OTHERS TO KNOW HIM

1 # Our God is ultimate – not one of many, absolute with an absolute claim on his creation, OTHER FAITHS, IDOLATORY OF CREATED THINGS, EVEN ANXIETIES – CANT BE ABOVE GOD – ROM 838For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k]neither the present nor the future,nor any powers,39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of Godthat is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

His love created us and His love sustains us. This is not about ‘going to church’!!!!ITS ABOUT GOD IN ALL AND THROUGH ALL AND ABOVE ALL

2# God’s covenant is that we bear his image so we are defined in relationship to Him and to every other human being on the planet.

There is no human being that does not need God, either us or those we know but how will they know if we don’t tell them?

‘This isn’t just about going to church!

3# God’s kingdom responsibility is that we are stewards of all creation and since creation is everything that exists we have a task to share.

Not just about being ‘Green’ and ‘Eco-friendly’ but to be working towards that day when in Christ all creation is made new and everyone who chooses will re-enter the full and complete right relationship with God.

Covenant and Kingdom

Identity and Purpose

You and me and those we don’t even know yet.

Rest in your identity and work at your purpose, don’t just come to church.