2018.10.13 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 1:9-13

Read Genesis 1:9-13

Questions for Littles: What did God command to gather into one place in v9? What did He command to appear? What did God call the dry land (v10)? What did God call the gathering of the waters? What did God see in v10? What did God command the earth to bring forth in v11? According to what was it determined what type of seed each grass or plant or tree would produce? What did God see about this in v12? What did evening and morning bring a conclusion to (v13)? 

In the Scripture for tomorrow’s sermon, we will be hearing about God’s creation of the all of the amazing, thriving vegetation in our world. All of this plant life needs two things: place and power.

First, God gives it a place. He commands the water to gather in one place and reveal the dried out land. He commands the land itself to bring forth all of the grass, and all of the plants, and all of the trees. When we marvel at all the different types of soil that are perfect for so very many types of plants, we marvel at the power and wisdom of God.

And we need to apply this to our own place, too. The country into which we were born. The family into which God brought us. The church in which He makes us to grow up. Sometimes, we may be tempted to give ourselves credit for putting ourselves in a place or position to do well. But there is enough in our lives to affirm what we see here in Scripture, in the creation of all of the vegetation: God created the place for us and put us there.

Second, God gives the vegetation power to reproduce. Did you notice that God’s Word makes the ground produce the plants? Usually, it’s seeds that do that! So, God shows that He is ultimately the One who enables the plants to reproduce. He doesn’t just give them the seeds; He does the same work later with seeds that He did at first with His Word.

Now—whether with His Word in our spiritual lives, or any other success or fruitfulness that comes from us, don’t we know that the same is true? The Lord gives us means, and He expects us to make use of them. But He also teaches us to recognize that He is the One who makes them effectual. So, we need to put all our trust in Him (not us!) and give all praise to Him (not us!)

How does trusting help against fear? How does praising help against pride?

Suggested Songs: ARP189 “Universal Praise” or TPH551 “We Plow the Fields”