Stewards, Not Owners

Transcript

Auto-generated from the audio. Click a timestamp to jump to that part of the video.

[0:00] All right, so today we're diving right into the beautiful and awe-inspiring beginning of it all. We already heard most of it in our first reading, and we're going to focus on the final six verses for our sermon. So here is the rest of chapter one.

[0:22] Then God said, In the image of God, he created them. Male and female, he created them. Then God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Rain over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground. Then God said, Look, I have given... I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.

[1:41] Everything that has life. And that is what happened. Then God looked over. All he had... He had made. And he saw that it was very good. And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day. Let's pray.

[2:06] Our God, we ask for your blessing over this word. May you give us ears that hear and understand and hearts that are open. These things we pray in Jesus name. Amen. So this is where our story begins. Where our faith roots itself. And where our understanding of God's purpose unfolds. Our Creator didn't just haphazardly throw things together in the universe and toss things in and hope for the best. He carefully and lovingly crafted every little thing that we could. Every little detail with a divine purpose. And central to that purpose are you and me.

[3:00] His beloved human creations. I don't know who said this. I just found it. It's an anonymous source. But someone said, God created man in his own image. In the image of God, he created them. Here is the divine pattern. It is not man who is the pattern for God. But God, the pattern for man.

[3:30] So we are not an afterthought or a side project. Which, you know, it may feel that way because we were created last. It may be tempting to be like, well, we were just, everything else wasn't quite up to standard. So then God thought he'd give it one more try. It was that we are.

[3:50] God's pattern for the world. He made his own image and gave that to us. We are the pinnacle of his creation. Made to be like our very own creator. And then God didn't stop there. He didn't just create us and leave us. He blessed us. And he blessed the entire world that he placed us in. So not only did he provide us with a home filled with stunning mountains and flowing rivers and countless creatures. But he also bestowed upon us the honor and responsibility for caring for all of it. Let me say that again. It is our God-given responsibility to care for it. But it's also our responsibility to care for it. It's also our God-given honor to care for it.

[4:54] It's an incredible honor that God gave to us. Along with his blessing over us. This was part of it. Was being able to care for the world around us that he gave us. So in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And this sets the stage for the entire biblical narrative. Revealing the fundamental truth about God's purpose in creation. It's not merely about the physical formation of the universe. But rather it's a testament to God's divine plan. His love and his desire for a relationship with his creation.

[5:40] God in his infinite wisdom and power. Could have chosen to create anything in the universe. Anything in any way he desired. Yet he chose on purpose to create a world that is intricate. And involved. And beautiful. And perfectly balanced.

[6:02] So every star in the sky. And every creature in the sea. And every grain of sand on the beach. Was created with a specific purpose. This tells us. So much. About who God is. He's not a God of chaos and randomness.

[6:26] But a God of order and precision and intentionality. His purpose in creation was not just to showcase his great power. I mean we do see his great power in his creation. But that's not the purpose of creation. But rather to create a world that reflects his character. And his glory.

[6:49] And moreover. God's purpose in creation extends beyond the physical world. The creation story also shows God's desire for relationship. When God created human beings. He made them in his own image. And that's such an incredible truth. That sets us as humanity apart from the rest of creation. Being made in God's image. It means that we're capable of reflecting God's character.

[7:24] Of knowing him. And of having a relationship with him. God's purpose in creating us was to have beings who could freely choose. Not be forced. But freely choose to love him and serve him. And enjoy a relationship with him.

[7:44] And this purpose is emphasized. In the way that God interacts with his creation. He didn't just create the world. And then say hey. Humans are in my image. So they can take care of what I created. And then abandon us.

[7:59] Instead he continually sustains it. And cares for it. And interacts with it. He is a God who is intimately involved with his creation. Not some distant. Far off. God who doesn't care. But a God who is intimately involved. So this shows that God's purpose in creation is not just about making things. But about loving and caring for what he has made.

[8:34] God's purpose in creation is also giving humans a role to play. So our purpose for being created. Was partly that we have a role to play in what else was created. He didn't just create us to be passive observers. Instead he gave us the responsibility to care for the earth. And to steward it.

[9:02] That shows God's purpose in creation is not just about him and what he can do. But also about us. And what we can do. He created us to be coworkers with him. To participate in his ongoing work. Of sustaining and caring for the world. However. Understanding God's purpose in creation. Is not just about knowing these truths. But about living them out. So it's about recognizing the value and purpose. Of every part of creation. And seeing the world as God sees it. And treating it with care and the respect that it deserves. It's about recognizing the value and purpose of every part of creation. And recognizing our unique role as image bearers of God. And striving to reflect his character. In all that we do. It's about embracing our role as stewards of the earth. And taking seriously our responsibility to care for it.

[10:04] The significance of being human beings. Is a profound and deeply impactful concept. It's a truth that resonates through every aspect of our lives. Through every page of the Bible. And echoes in the heart of every believer. We are not an accident. We are not insignificant.

[10:29] We are not forgotten. In fact. We are the crowning glory of God's creation. Made in his very image. The book of Genesis tells us that God created humanity in his own image. In the image of God he created them. Male and female he created them. It's a powerful statement. That sets us apart from all other creatures. It speaks to our unique relationship with our creator. Of our inherent worth and dignity. And our divine purpose. Being made in the image of God means that we reflect in some way. God's character. And God himself. We are capable of love. Of wisdom. Of creativity. Of mercy. Of justice. And of relationship.

[11:28] We are moral beings with a sense of right and wrong. We have the capacity for self-awareness. And self-determination. We are spiritual beings with a yearning for something beyond the physical world. And all of these. Are reflections of the image of God in us.

[11:49] So this is a little side tangent. I had the very best little dog in the world growing up. Her name was Hearts. I cared for her. Yes. And I learned responsibility by meeting her needs. Like feeding her and taking her out and cleaning up after her. I didn't go to church as a child. And I only knew bits and pieces about who God was. From other people in my life. My grandparents.

[12:20] Other people that I learned about who God was. But I remember wondering aloud about God with my only faithful dog. Just her and me. She was the only one around to hear me. And I think she taught me as much about God as I taught her. She taught me about relentless understanding. Unconditional love.

[12:45] She would sometimes get what people now call the zoomies. But my brothers and I used to refer to it as booga booga. But actually we referred to it as booga booga. You had to do the action with it. Because she would get this look in her eye. And then she would come speeding up to us and stop in this playful position. And stare at us. And we were required by law to say booga booga. To her when she did that. And then that was her cue to just take off zipping around the house. Like absolutely crazy.

[13:23] So in that she taught me to be playful. And joyful. She grew concerned when I would cry in front of her. Or when my brothers were rough housing. She would stand in front of me like you can't do that. And she was my guard. She always gave me an extra snuggle if I was down to feel better. She just had that instinctual way of knowing. In that she taught me to mourn with those who mourn. And to have compassion.

[13:57] Human beings are created in God's image. But I think that all of us can find there are many instances where we have learned about God. Through nature. And through the creatures that we have encountered. I just by show of hands how many of you have learned something about God. Through plants or through the stars or through creatures or somewhere through nature. Raise your hand.

[14:23] Yeah that's every last person I think. And so when we have that kind of relationship with creation. We must see that we also have a responsibility toward it. Because none of us. None of us are isolated from creation. So it is the responsibility of being made in God's image. We are called to represent God in the world. To be his ambassadors. To carry out his will on earth as it is in heaven. We are called to love as he loves. To forgive as he forgives. To seek justice where he seeks justice. And to care for creation as he cares for creation.

[15:10] In other words when the rest of creation sees us. It should see God. It should see the image of God reflected back. We are representatives of God himself to the rest of creation. And that is the weight of the responsibility that we hold. So we don't just have the responsibility to sometimes toss food to birds of prey. Or to sometimes recycle our bottle that we don't want to hold on to until we see the next recycling bin. We have a responsibility to reflect God's actual image to creation around us.

[15:59] It's a responsibility so powerful that you can't fully imagine it. Take for a moment. To think about all that God has done. To think about all that God has done for you. I mean he keeps us breathing. He provides for every need. He gives us companionship.

[16:22] He gives us more than we can possibly imagine. We are supposed to be a reflection of that kind of love and care back to the rest of creation. We need to be God's image and act on behalf of creation for all of its needs to help us understand or to help creation understand who its creator is. The significance of human beings is also underscored by the fact that God chose to become one of us in the person of Jesus Christ. So the Apostle John tells us, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. This is the ultimate affirmation of our worth and dignity.

[17:16] God did not consider it beneath him to become a human being and to live among us and to share in our joys and sorrows and ultimately die for us. Karl Barth said, The fact that the Word of God became a human being means that the eternal God has united himself in a special and unique way with humanity, with our flesh and blood, with our joys and sorrows, with our life and death. He has become like us in all things except sin so that we may become like him.

[17:57] So the significance of human beings is not something we can earn from. It is a gift. It is a grace. It is a divine declaration. And it is rooted in the very nature of God, in his love for us, and in his purpose for us. It is a truth that should fill us with awe and gratitude and responsibility.

[18:24] This leads us to our last point, the blessing of creation. God, in his wisdom and love, didn't just create a world for us to live in. He created a world that in itself is a blessing. Every element of creation, from the vastness of the heavens to the unfathomable intricacies of a single cell in our bodies, it's a testament to God's power, creativity, and care. When we look around the world, we see a planet that is brimming with life. We see ecosystems, each perfectly balanced and interdependent. We see the changing seasons. We see the ebb and flow of tides, the migration of birds, the blooming of flowers. Each of these things is a testament to God's intricate design and his desire for life to flourish. The blessing of creation is about both the physical and spiritual world that creation reveals about God.

[19:36] All of these things remind us of his transcendence, his immanence, and his love for beauty and order. God didn't just create the world and then step back, though. He continues to sustain it moment by moment. The sun continues to shine, the rain continues to fall, the seasons continue to change, all because of his sustaining power. It's a blessing that we often take for granted, but it's a reminder of his constant presence and care. And God has given us the privilege and responsibility of caring for it.

[20:12] We are meant to take stewardship of the earth, to cultivate it, to protect it, and use it for our benefit and his glory. We are not, however, meant to exploit it for our benefit. We are allowed to use it for our benefit and his glory.

[20:34] This is a sacred trust, a divine assignment that we need to take seriously. And finally, the blessing of creation is meant to be shared. It is not just for our own personal enjoyment, and that goes back to we aren't allowed to exploit it for ourselves, because the world belongs to all of us. We are all part of God's creation, not just us. So yes, we were given dominion over it, but part of that dominion means that we share it with others. And so we can't just ruin it and exploit it and take advantage of it for our own glory, because that means others can't share it with us. It is for God's glory.

[21:25] The fruits of the earth, the fruit of nature, the resources of the planet, all of these are gifts from God that we are to share generously and wisely. They are meant to bring us together, to foster community, and to promote justice and peace.

[21:45] So the next time you are thinking about how to care for the earth, think also about how to use this earth that God has given to promote justice and peace. That is our God-given responsibility. In all these ways, the blessing of creation is a profound and multifaceted gift from God. It is a testament to his power, his wisdom, his care, his generosity. It's a reminder of our place in the world, our responsibilities, and our potential.

[22:23] And it's a call to gratitude, stewardship, and generosity. Now, like I said earlier, we don't often celebrate the saints in this church, but today we remember St. Francis of Assisi, who had the right idea when it came to creation. He cared for it. He proclaimed the gospel to all of creation, and he saw God through creation.

[22:49] So in honor of St. Francis Day, let's carry this truth in our hearts. We are not accidental beings in a random universe. We are God's masterpiece, created in his image and placed in a world that he has lovingly created. Let's honor our creator by cherishing and caring for his creation and by living out the divine purpose he has for each of us. Let's pray.

[23:21] God, we thank you that you have given us this unfathomable gift of your creation. We pray that we would take responsibility for the world around us and use what you have given us to your glory. These things we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.