Sermon Text: Genesis 2:1-3

Sermon Title: Day 7: “It’s a Done Deal!”

*The Main Idea: The Creator/creature distinction highlights God’s enjoyment as the security of our enjoyment.

*The Central Point: God “takes the time” to enjoy the fruits of his work—we should too.

*The Big Question: What’s the JOY of work?

*The Big Answer: Getting to reflect God’s enjoyment by…

1. Finishing Well (vv. 1-2a)

2. Finding Rest (v. 2b)

3. Freeing Time (v. 3)

*The Main Idea: The Creator/creature distinction underscores the likeness of humankind to the Creator!

*The Central Point: “You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they can find rest in you.”

*The Big Question: How does God make good on making our lives good?

*The Big Answer: God makes good on this by moving us into our new home where he…

1. Adds Some Finishing Touches (vv. 24-25)

2. Makes Some Formal Introductions (vv. 26-28)

3. Gives Some Fundamental Instructions (vv. 29-30)

4. Enjoys Some First-Class Enjoyment (v. 31)

*The Main Idea: The Creator/creature distinction tells me that our God tells us that our life is going to be good!
*The Central Point: God gave us purpose through time experienced in movement.
*The Big Question: How do we feel at home on the earth?
*The Big Answer: God gives us purpose by…


1. Giving the Security of Fixed Movement (vv. 14-19)


2. Giving the Joy of Animated Movement (vv. 20-23)

*The Main Idea: The Creator/creature distinction insures that our God truly does us good!

*The Central Point: God structures an ideal framework to ensure we prosper to his glory.

*The Big Question: How does God do us good?

*The Big Answer: He sets us up for success by…

1. Pounding out the Best Atmosphere (vv. 6-8)

2. Putting up the Best Playground (vv. 9-10)

3. Laying out the Best Spread (vv. 11-13)

*The Main Idea: The Creator/creature distinction challenges my comfort because I don’t want to look dumb.

*The Central Point: The world will always send troublers our way…(but see John 16:33)

*The Big Question: What does the text actually say about “day”?

*The Big Answer: The text says a day is an earth-rotated day as evidenced by…

1. The Word-flow “And”… AND History

2. The Work-flow: “All in a DAY’S Work…”

3. The World-flow: “Time, Like an Ever-Rolling Stream…”

*The Main Idea: The Creator/creature distinction gives me hope because God is Goodness itself.

*The Central Point: “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

*The Big Question: How does God change things for the better for me?

*The Big Answer: God, who is good, brings about change for my good by…

1. Using His Will to Focus His Goodness to Create Goodness (vv. 1-2)

2. Using His Words to Focus His Light to Change Darkness (v. 3)

3. Using His Wisdom to Focus His Skill to Call Reality by Name (vv. 4-5)

*The Main Idea: The Biblical teaching on the Creator/creature distinction is where my hope for change rests.

*The Central Point: I can’t change unless I believe the reality that God exists and I’m not him.

*The Big Question: Why can’t I call the shots?

*The Big Answer: I can’t precisely because I believe I’m the one who calls the shots and…

1. I can’t be There Before THE Beginning! (v. 1)

2. I can’t Speak Things into Being From NOTHING! (vv. 2-3)

*The Main Idea: God, the above-it-all Creator of all things, meets me here below.

*The Central Point: I won’t change until God shows up.

*The Big Question: What does God do to make me change?

*The Big Answer: He’s so much more than I expect because:

1. He AUTHORS… I am silenced. (v. 1)

2. He ORDERS… I am humbled. (v. 2)

3. He WORKS… I am awed. (v. 3)

*The Main Idea: God, the above-it-all Creator of all things, meets me here below.

*The Central Point: I won’t change until God shows up.

*The Big Question: What does God do to make me change?

*The Big Answer: He’s so much more than I expect because:

1. He AUTHORS… I am silenced. (v. 1)

2. He ORDERS… I am humbled. (v. 2)

3. He WORKS… I am awed. (v. 3)

*The Main Idea: Paul’s closing appeal for you to have as much FOMO for yourself as he does.

*The Central Point: In battle, you’ll live into your “boasts”.

*The Big Question: What makes it all worth it to you?

*The Big Answer: ONLY TWO LOYALTIES…

1. LOYALTY TO A DYING ORDER – Which FEELS Most Alive (vv. 11-13)

a. Pay Attention to Their Focus on Self (vv. 11, 12)

b. Pay Attention to Their Hypocritical Boast (vv. 11, 13)

2. LOYALTY TO A NEW CREATION – Which IS Most Alive (vv. 14-18)

a. Pay Attention to What Makes Me Boast (v. 14)

b. Pay Attention to Why This is My Boast (vv. 15-18)