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Hendersonville Seventh-day Adventist Church, NC

The Spiritual Connection Between Creation And Salvation

Brian Hindman

The Spiritual Connection Between Creation and Salvation Part 1

Well, our subject this morning, this is the longest sermon title I've ever had, by the way.

I hope that's not a harbinger of a long message.

The spiritual connection between creation and salvation.

This is coming from my own personal study in scripture and something that has impressed upon me just recently, and I'm gonna try to present that to you this Sabbath and next Sabbath.

But before we get into our message, I'd just like to share a quick, brief testimony, and I shared this at prayer meeting Wednesday night.

I'll repeat it again, but for those of you that were not at prayer meeting, by the way, if you have not come to prayer meeting yet, please come.

Please come, it is a tremendous blessing to study and pray together as God's family.

Well, as many of you know, a couple months ago in April, I was in Mongolia.

And while I was in Mongolia, I had the opportunity to teach English at a public school.

Most of the people in Mongolia are Buddhists.

And by far and away, that's the majority of the population.

Well, there were several kids there as we were teaching English during the week, I was there with Fountainview Academy, who were so impressed with the young people in our group that they wanted to spend extra time with us.

And so they started asking us, where are you staying?

Well, this 1 fellow in particular, in the top left, there's a person standing beside me, his name was Hansen.

He spoke English fairly well and they wanted to come to, they found out we were doing a concert, a music concert, Friday night, the orchestra and the choir.

Then on the right, top right, was church service.

I mentioned to Hanson that if you wanna see us again, we were leaving Sunday, but if you wanna see us again, obviously school's out for the weekend, but we go to church on Saturday and I'll be speaking.

And so that's actually him on the left side of that picture on the top right.

He came the first time going to a Christian church ever, Came to church and then there in Sabbath afternoon, he didn't really want to leave, he just wanted to hang out with us some more.

So there he is that Sabbath afternoon, the bottom left picture, this is all in a progression.

And then on Sunday, the picture on the right, our plane got delayed over 12 hours and he found out where we were staying.

We'd all checked out of our hotel and loaded up at the airport, and when they told us it was 12 hours, the airline paid to send us to another hotel where we could sit and wait.

And so he found out about this and came and saw us there.

And I was just so impressed with the opportunity to connect with that young man.

Anyway, well, I got an email just this past week, this past Sabbath, and I was blown away.

Here is the same young fellow right there and he got baptized last Sabbath into the Seventh-day Adventist church there and is a Christian.

I'm trying to find a way to contact with him.

I don't know how his family feels about this.

I don't know how his friends feel about this.

I mean, it's 1 thing to make a commitment when you have 700 other people that are with you and surrounding you, but to take a stand when you're singular and by yourself, that's a different situation.

So I got this email from the pastor there and I've asked him to try to convey to him that I'm praying for him and I want to do all that I can to encourage and support him from on the other side of the world, from where he is living.

By the way, we have some evangelistic meetings coming up this September, which I'll be presenting, and I hope and pray that you will really want to invite someone to come to those meetings.

Really, the best invitation is a personal invitation.

I'm sure we'll probably do some handbills and some flyers and some posters and some ads in local newspapers, but there's really nothing more meaningful than a personal invitation from somebody that you know.

So I just wanna plead with you for the Lord to put that burden on your heart for other people because that's the same burden he has.

And he invites us, take my burden or yoke upon you because my burden is light.

Well anyway, let's get into our subject this morning and how many of you know much about the Renaissance?

I used to teach world history for many years and 1 of the things about the Renaissance, it was known as being an explosion of creativity and art.

This is 1 of the most famous pieces of sculpture from the Renaissance, Michelangelo's Pieta.

I guess Pieta is the Latin word for pity.

And it's a picture of Jesus after he had been crucified being held there by his mother Mary.

Just an artist thinking, I'm not sure it went down exactly that way biblically, but nonetheless, here they have this illustrated.

And this is a tremendous piece of artwork, skillful, creative, It was sculpted over the course of 2 years out of Carrara marble from 1498 to 1499, over 500 years ago.

And it is incredibly lifelike and realistic.

And I know this in part because I've seen it in person.

Probably Pastor Ferguson has probably also seen it there in the Vatican in Rome.

And it was actually attacked several years back by someone with a hammer and pieces were chipped off so they have bulletproof glass barrier up there now so you can't get too close to it, but nonetheless it is an impressive piece of sculpture.

In fact, it's so impressive that after Michelangelo sculpted this, there were whispers that other people maybe had, people were marveling so much at this piece of artwork that there were some people giving credit to other sculptors for having done this.

Now Michelangelo did something that he'd never done for any of his other pieces of art.

When he was hearing these things, he went into the church at nighttime and he chiseled his name across the sash there of Mary.

Michelangelo, and then he instantly regretted it for having done such a vain thing, but nonetheless it's still there.

He wanted to get credit for the fact that he had sculpted this incredible, lifelike, realistic piece of artwork.

Well creativity, Where did this marble come from?

Did Michelangelo create the marble or did he use the marble and create something with it?

Where did the tools come from to sculpt with, the hammer and the chisel?

Where did the intelligence and the thinking ability come from in order to do this?

You know, it was interesting, I heard a little story some time ago about a group of scientists that were meeting together and they were so convinced that science had reached such a point and pinnacle of advancement that they said, we're as smart as God now, we don't really need God.

We can create things with DNA and with modern science.

And so they sent 1 of the members of the scientists to go tell God that they didn't need him anymore and that they could create just like he could.

And as the story goes, God said, okay, well, if that's the case, well then let's have a man-making contest.

And so, to which the scientists readily agreed, because they did not need God.

And God said, okay, well you can go first.

The scientists scooped down and began to pick up some dirt to which God replied, no, no, no, get your own dirt.

I know it's just a funny story, it's not true, it's not real, but it captures an idea, get your own dirt.

Where does dirt even itself come from, a basic element of building material?

And science, as great as it might be and claim to be, they cannot create even dirt.

Only God has the power to create out of nothing.

Well, brothers and sisters, this morning, I am convinced that creation is under attack.

In fact, this was an article that came out in a paper not too long ago.

More Christians, quote Christians, that call themselves Christians, believe in evolution than creation.

More Christians believe in creation than evolution.

Well, let me just quote a few lines from this article that was in Slate magazine under their science section.

It says there, few things have been as divisive in our country as the idea of evolution and creation.

While the majority of people in Europe and in many other parts of the world accept evolution, the United States woefully lags behind.

In terms of believing, and this is of course, their writing lamenting that people still believe in creation.

Today, 4 in 10 adults in America believe that humans have existed in our present form since the beginning of time, and in many religious groups that number is even higher.

But then it says, now at long last there seems to be hope.

National polls show that creationism is beginning to falter.

The belief that God created the world himself.

This is faltering and Americans are finally starting to move in favor of evolution.

After decades of legal battles, resistance to science education, and a deeply rooted cultural divide, evolution may be poised to win out once and for all, the author writes.

And then here, take notice now, here's why.

The people responsible for this shift are the young.

Young people, you better sit up and listen more carefully.

A study shows that people younger than 30, 73% of them express some sort of belief in evolution.

The Spiritual Connection Between Creation and Salvation Part 2

We are in the midst of a series, a two-part short series on the spiritual connection between creation and salvation.

We looked at in our last time together last week, we looked at part 1, where we were dealing with kind of the physical aspect of creation and God's power to create life from its beginning.

But today we look at something that impacts and relates to all of us, God's power and ability to create a new life in each 1 of us.

I think there's a connection between the 2 on how they function and operate.

Well, this morning, are you wanting to study your Bible today?

I hope you're hungry for the Word of God.

I want to ask you a question as we begin.

There's a few times in the Bible when God the Father himself actually spoke and it's recorded in Scripture.

Do any of you know what God the Father said when Jesus was transfigured?

Without looking, don't look just yet, I'm looking to see, no cheating, Don't look it up.

What did God the Father say at the transfiguration of Jesus?

Because there's just a few times, only a few instances, where We have actually the recorded words of God the Father himself.

I think it might be important, don't you?

And so as our introduction, if you would turn there in your Bible, Mark chapter 9 verses 2 through 7, this is our introduction as we listen to what God the Father said to the disciples, and I believe he's saying the same thing to us today through his word.

Looking forward to studying the word of God today.

The Bible says, I'm reading from the King James Version beginning in verse 2, and after 6 days Jesus taketh with Him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves.

They had the ability to see Jesus' form change and see him as much as mortal eyes could behold in his glorified state.

Verse 3, and here's the description that they recorded, and his raiment, or clothing, became shining, exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can white them.

And there appeared unto them Elias, that's Elijah, with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.

And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here.

And let us make 3 tabernacles, 1 for thee and 1 for Moses and 1 for Elijah.

We don't have to guess because the scripture tells us in the next verse why Peter said this, looking at verse 6.

For he, Peter, wist not what to say, for they were sore afraid.

He didn't know what to say, so he just blurted something out.

Just said whatever first thought that came to his mind.

Verse 7, and there was a cloud that overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud saying, now here's where I want you to really pay close attention.

Here's where we're quoting God the Father.

Because certainly He was glorious to look at.

Thinking of the 5 senses, taste, touch, sight, sound, and so on, the 1 that he focuses on is the hearing.

Today, we don't have the privilege of seeing Jesus in person.

We don't have that privilege like the disciples did.

We don't have the privilege of touching Jesus, hugging Jesus, or touching Him in person.

But can we hear Him the same way the disciples did?

Can we not hear the words of Scripture and hear the same message and the same truth and the same promises given to us today.

Brothers and sisters, I think what's most important about Jesus is hearing him and listening to him.

And it's interesting as I had just looked at this and had thought of this as I had read through this some time ago and I thought, God the Father is speaking to me, trying to tell me, listen to what Jesus says and what the Bible says.

It dawned on me that God the Father was actually quoting scripture, referring to scripture himself.

Really quick now, this is just bonus material.

Back in the Old Testament, and I thought that's just awesome that God the Father would quote scripture in saying this to the disciples.

Deuteronomy chapter 18, And we'll look at verse 15.

Anyway, Deuteronomy chapter 18, verse 15.

This is a bonus Bible verse, it's not in my notes.

Notice what it says, the Lord thy God, This is Moses speaking to the children of Israel.

The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me.

And now what does he say under inspiration?

Unto him shall ye hearken or hear or listen to.

Is it possible God the Father is actually referring to this prediction or prophecy back in Deuteronomy that God would raise up a prophet that we should listen to and hear him?

Well, I think it's most important for us today to hear and study what God has shared with us in His Word.

And so I hope it is your desire to hearken unto Him or hear Him.

As we launch into our study, if you'll just bow your heads with me, I wanna seek the Lord in prayer as we study some important material today.

Father in Heaven, Lord, I thank you so much for the opportunity to hear your words.

Lord, may we have clear discernment as we study our Bibles today.

We don't wanna know what man has to say or man's convoluted ideas even.

We want to hear a clear, plain, thus saith the Lord.

So Lord, give us your Holy Spirit to guide us and lead us into all truth.

And may we be transformed by the power in your word is my prayer in Jesus' name, amen.

All right, the connection between creation and salvation, part 2.

And Just reminding you of a couple of things that I said last week it occurred to me in my own study This is two-part series has emerged out of my own study of the scriptures and and studying some of these themes But it occurred to me as people began to question or doubt God as the physical creator of the earth and the universe, they also question and doubt His power to make us a new spiritual creation.

If He can't create you and we just evolved some way, then how in the world does He have enough power to change your life completely and entirely?

And so as people waffle on God's power to save them, I think it's a reflection of doubting God's power to even create them.

Number 2, as we believe and uphold and recognize God's creative power in the physical creation of this world, we will also believe, uphold, and recognize God's creative power in spiritual recreation.

But if 1 is strong, the other will also be strong because we recognize the power that God has.

So it seems to me that it's important to realize or recognize this.

Both physical and spiritual creation are accomplished in the same manner, in the same way, how?

Hearing Him and listening and obeying and following Him and being converted.

The same manner for both creation and salvation.

And it also occurred to me that what you believe about creation also impacts or determines what you believe about salvation.

If God is not strong enough to create us, powerful enough to create us, then he's not strong enough, powerful enough to save us completely and to keep us from all iniquity.

Somewhat what launched me onto this idea is very recently I heard a minister speaking And I won't say who or where or whatever, I was not there in person, but he expressed the notion that God is really not powerful enough and strong enough to give you the victory over whatever you're facing in your life.

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The Spiritual Connection Between Creation And Salvation

The Spiritual Connection Between Creation and Salvation Part 2

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The Spiritual Connection Between Creation and Salvation Part 1

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The Spiritual Connection Between Creation and Salvation Part 2

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