FOUNDATIONS (Part 1) - WHO IS GOD?
[Matthew 7:24-27 ESV]
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house,
and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”
FOUNDATIONS
Your foundation will determine the outcome of your life.
[Genesis 1:1-3 ESV]
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void,
and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
WHO IS GOD?
GOD IS ETERNAL
[Genesis 1:1-3 ESV]
In the beginning, God…
Everything and everyone has a beginning point,
EXCEPT God,
Who has no beginning and no end.
[Revelation 22:13 ESV]
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
[Revelation 1:8 ESV]
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
[Psalm 90:2 ESV]
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
[Hebrews 1:10-12 ESV]
… “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”
If God is without beginning…
and if everything else has a beginning…
than ONLY the God of the Bible can be God.
[Isaiah 43:10 ESV]
… Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.
[Isaiah 44:6, 8 ESV]
… “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. … 8 … Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”
GOD IS THE CREATOR
[Genesis 1:1-3 ESV]
In the beginning, God created…
Because God created, He’s distinct from His creation.
Because God created, everything belongs to Him, is under His authority, and is accountable to Him.
[Psalm 89:11 ESV]
The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
[Job 12:10 ESV]
In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
[Hebrews 4:13 ESV]
And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Why did God create?
[Acts 17:24-25, 28 ESV]
The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth,
does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands,
as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. … 28 for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’…
God created because it was His will to create.
[Revelation 4:11 ESV]
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
The God of the Bible is not a needy God.
[Isaiah 43:6-7 ESV]
… bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, 7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
[Psalm 19:1 ESV]
… The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
GOD IS ALL-POWERFUL
[Genesis 1:3 ESV]
And God said…
God created by His Word.
[Hebrews 11:3 ESV]
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
When God created there was no matter or material.
He created the universe out of nothing.
That is power!
[Psalm 33:6 ESV]
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
[Hebrews 1:3 ESV]
… he upholds the universe by the word of his power…
GOD IS ONE AND YET DISTINCT IN PERSONS
[Genesis 1:1 ESV]
… God…
[Genesis 1:2 ESV]
… the Spirit of God…
[Genesis 1:3 ESV]
… God said…
[Genesis 1:26 ESV]
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…
God is One God, yet three distinct Persons:
The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.
[Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV]
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
What do we see about the Persons of the Godhead in creation?
[Genesis 1:3 ESV]
… God said…
[Hebrews 11:3 ESV]
… the universe was created by the word of God…
Who is the Word of God?
[John 1:1-4 ESV]
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
[John 1:14, 18 ESV]
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of
the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. … 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Who is John talking about?
Nothing was created apart from the eternal Word of God.
It is essential that we believe in God as revealed by the Bible.
The Biblical Jesus is…
the eternal Son of God - conceived by the Holy Spirit.
and the Son of Man - born of a virgin, Mary.
He is Eternal God, Who also became fully Man…
Died, was Resurrected, and is forever the God/Man.
[John 14:6 ESV]
… “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you get the Cornerstone wrong, it’s all coming down.
[Colossians 1:16-17 ESV]
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
[Hebrews 1:2 ESV]
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,
whom he appointed the heir of all things,
through whom also he created the world.
[Hebrews 1:10 ESV]
… “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;
God created.
The Father created through the Son.
[Genesis 1:2 ESV]
… the Spirit of God…
What was the Holy Spirit’s role in creation?
[Genesis 1:2 ESV]
… was hovering over the face of the waters.
[Psalm 33:6 ESV]
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
[Psalm 33:7 ESV]
He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.
[Psalm 104:30 ESV]
When you send forth your Spirit, they are created…
[Luke 1:35 ESV]
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy–the Son of God.
*The same Spirit Who carried out the Word of God, giving life to His creation; is the One Who gives spiritual life to those who in faith believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. *
[John 3:5 ESV]
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
[John 6:63 ESV]
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
In Genesis 1 we see…
One God in three Persons at work in creation.
The Triune GOD created.
The Father created through the Word, by the Spirit.
If we’re talking about foundations, we must believe the Biblical God as He has revealed Himself.