Preaching Through Genesis by Ken D. Trivette - Kentrivette.com ...

May I Introduce Myself—God“Preaching Through Genesis” by Ken D. Trivette1May I Introduce Myself—GodGenesis 1:11. A young preacher was to preach his first sermon. He asked an old preacher foradvice. The old preacher said, “You want a good introduction. A goodintroduction gets the attention of the people.” The young preacher then asked theold preacher if he knew a good introduction. The old preacher said, "There is anintroduction that I have used frequently and it has always got the attention of thepeople. When you get up, look at the people and tell them that the best years ofyour life were spent in the arms of another woman. Pause for a few seconds andthen tell them that woman was your mother.” The young preacher asked, “Areyou sure that will get their attention?” The old preacher answered, “Young man,it's a sure-fire attention getter. It always works. But let me warn you to tell yourwife about it before you use it.”2. The Sunday came for the young preacher to preach his first sermon. He wasscared to death. He had also forgotten to tell his wife about his introduction.Nervously he looked out at the congregation and said, “Folks, the best years ofmy life were spent in the arms of another woman.” He paused. Folk’s mouths fellopen. People gasped all over the building. His wife jumped up out of her seat andstarted to the pulpit. He was already scared to death and when he saw thereaction of the people and saw his wife storming up the aisle, it really rattled him.He stuttered and said, “And to save my life, I can't remember who it was.”3. I think you would agree he certainly got their attention. In Genesis 1:1, we havean introduction that gets our attention. It is an introduction that not only gets ourattention, but it also holds it throughout the Bible and throughout the ages. Godsuddenly steps out of eternity and introduces Himself. God steps into history andsays to humanity, “I AM GOD!”4. The word “Genesis” means “beginnings.” In Genesis we see the beginning ofall things. We see the beginning of such things as the universe, the human race,marriage, the family, death, human government, nations and races, languages,trades, occupations, labor along with many other things.5. The book of Genesis covers about 2500 years of human history - from thecreation of Adam to the death of Joseph. It basically gives us the history of threefamilies: the family of Adam, the family of Noah, and the family of Abraham6. In Genesis we see the beginning of both the human race and the Hebrew race.But the most important fact about the book of Genesis is that we meet God forthe first time.7. In our first study I want us to consider the first four words of Genesis: “In thebeginning God.” These four words are not just the first four words of the book of

May I Introduce Myself—God“Preaching Through Genesis” by Ken D. Trivette2Genesis and the Bible; they are first and foremost the first revelation we have ofGod.8. In the first 31 verses of Genesis, God is mentioned 32 times. Add the personalpronouns; God is mentioned no less than 43 times. Genesis chapter 1 is morethan a revelation of creation. It is a revelation of the Creator. Creation is theobject of Genesis chapter 1, but God is the subject.9. Let’s notice 3 truths about God in this introduction. First, think with me of:1. THE FIRST DECLARATION OF GOD1. The first statement in Genesis and the Bible is a statement about God. Wesee God revealing Himself. God is making Himself known and introducingHimself. In this opening statement there are 3 great truths about God that aredeclared.2. First, there is:A) The Existence of God1. In the opening words of Genesis we are told that there is a God. God declaresthat He exists. In so doing the matter of atheism (the belief that there is no God)is answered. Genesis 1:1 does not seek to prove the existence of God. It simplyproclaims the existence of God. It does not argue the existence of God; itassumes the existence of God.2. The Russian astronaut Gherman Titoy said after his return from space: “Somepeople say there is a God out there…but in my travels around the earth all daylong, I looked and didn't see Him…saw no God nor angels…I don't believe in God.”3. An atheist was once complaining to a Christian that Christians had all theholidays but atheists didn't have any. He said, “You have Easter, Thanksgiving,Christmas, National day of Prayer, and others.” The Christian said, “You do havea holiday. It’s April Fool's Day.”4. The Bible says in Psalm 14:1, “The fool hath said in his heart there is noGod." The natural assumption of the human heart and mind is that there is a God.It is unnatural to the heart and mind not to believe in a God. An atheist issomeone who chooses to believe there is no God. He chooses to doubt theexistence of God and deny the existence of God in spite of what his heart andhead tells him.5. The atheist cries, “Prove to me there is a God.” I would say to the atheist,“Prove to me there is no God.” The atheist may proclaim that there is no God, but

May I Introduce Myself—God“Preaching Through Genesis” by Ken D. Trivette3he cannot prove that there is no God. There is much proof that there is a God butno proof that He does not exist. Atheism is a choice.6. A Quaker and a rationalist were talking. The rationalist was explaining why hebelieved there was no God. He said, “My mind refuses to believe in that which noone has ever seen. No one has ever seen God thus there must not be a God.”The Quaker asked, “Hast thou ever seen Paris, France?” The rationalist replied,“No, but others have and that allows me to believe there is a place called Paris,France.” The Quaker said, “I think I am beginning to understand your reasoning.Hast thou ever seen thy brains?” “No.” “Hast thou ever met anyone who hastseen thy brains?” “No.” “Reckon thou hast any brains?”7. Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “It takes no brains to be an atheist. Any stupidperson can deny the existence of a super-natural power because man's physicalsenses cannot detect it. But there cannot be ignored the mystery of first life…orthe marvelous order in which the universe moves about us. All of these evidencethe handiwork of a beneficent Deity. For my part, that Deity is the God of theBible, and Christ, His Son. ”8. The second truth revealed about God is:B) The Eternalness of God1. In this opening statement we not only have the answer to atheism, but we alsohave the answer to Pantheism (the belief that God is nature and in nature). Wefind a beginning but not a beginning of God. God is not nature for He was beforenature. God existed before anything or anyone.2. We read in John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God,and the Word was God." It is hard for us to imagine something without abeginning. Yet, God had no beginning. There has never been a moment whenGod did not exist. He always has been!3. Furthermore, He will have no end. We read in Isaiah 57:15, “For thus saith thehigh and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity.” Also in Psalm 90:2 we read, "Beforethe mountains were brought forth, Or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and theworld, Even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God."4. He is an eternal God. Thirdly, we see:C) The Exclusiveness of God1. We not only see that Atheism and Pantheism is answered in the openingstatement of the Bible, but also Polytheism (the belief that there is more than oneGod). Genesis 1:1 declares that there was a time when there was nothing but

May I Introduce Myself—God“Preaching Through Genesis” by Ken D. Trivette4God. He was not one among many gods; He was the only God. There wasnothing else and there was no one else.2. If there is more than one god, then the God of the Bible had to create them.Yet, nowhere do we read in the Bible that God ever created other gods. Themany gods of this world were created by man, not by God. Man has made godsout of the sun, moon, stars, trees, rivers, and almost all of creation. They haveimagined and designed gods of wood, stone, and marble. Yet there is only oneGod, and He is the Lord God of Genesis 1:1.3. We read in Deuteronomy 4:35, “Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightestknow that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.” There is no otherGod but God!4. When God introduced Himself in Genesis 1:1 He was declaring His eternalexistence and that He was exclusively God. Secondly, we see in this introduction:2. THE FOUNDATIONAL DESCRIPTION OF GOD1. Genesis 1:1 is not only important in that we see God revealing Himself, but itis also important in how God revealed Himself. As God introduced Himself, Hesimply revealed Himself as “God.”2. There are many names for God in the Bible. Each name is a revelation ofGod's person. In each name something about God is revealed or taught.3. When God first revealed Himself, he could have revealed Himself as Jehovah,or Father, or LORD, or by one of His many other names in the Bible. But whenHe first made Himself known He did so as "God." In so doing so, He was layingthe foundation for all that he would reveal about Himself.4. In any phase of Bible study there is what is called “The Law of First Mention.”By that we mean that the first mention of a person, place, doctrine, or word in theBible gives us an understanding of that truth through-out the rest of the Bible. It isas one said, “The first mention of a person, place, doctrine, or word, is an embryoof a feature or fact for which there is fuller development.”5. When God revealed Himself as “God” it was foundational. At the verybeginning God wanted us to know Him as “God.” He wanted us to know that Hewas “God.” The name “God” is the Hebrew word “Elohim.” Elohim is a compoundof two names, “El” and “Alah.” It is found some 2,500 times in the Old Testament.6. The name teaches us two great truths about God. First, it teaches is thatGod’s:

May I Introduce Myself—God“Preaching Through Genesis” by Ken D. Trivette5A) Power is Unlimited1. The name “EL” literally means “strong one or Almighty.” The very first thingGod revealed about Himself was that He was the “Strong One,” the “AlmightyOne.” He was declaring that in Him was fullness of might. God was telling us thatthere was nothing impossible for Him to do. He was a God of unlimited power.2. We read in Jeremiah 32:17, “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made theheaven and the earth by thy great power end stretched out arm, and there isnothing too hard for thee.” In the beginning God declared Himself to be a God ofunlimited power and throughout the rest of the Bible and history He displayedHimself to be a God of unlimited power.3. There are many examples of His unlimited power. Job said in Job 38:22,“Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?” Job said there were certaintreasures to be found in the snow. One of the treasures we find is that the snow isa demonstration of God's unlimited power.4. A certain physicist has stated that to produce from the vapor of water aquantity of snowflakes which a child could carry would demand energy competentto gather up the shattered blocks of the largest stone avalanche of the Alps, andpitch them twice the height from which they fell. If it would require that muchpower to form enough snow for a child to carry, think of the power that isnecessary for the formation of a snow that would blanket the earth.5. God wanted us to know that He was able! He said, “I am God. I am a God ofunlimited power. There is nothing too hard for Me. There is nothing impossible forMe.”6. Furthermore, the name declares His:B) Promises are Unbreakable1. The other half of the name, “ALAH” means “to swear, to bind with an oath, or tomake a covenant.” In the beginning God was declaring that He was a God Whoalways keeps His word. His word is unbreakable. Anything and everything Hesays is true.2. God was letting us know at the start that He never lies. Hebrews 6:18 tells usthat is impossible for God to lie. He is a God that can be trusted. His Word istruth!3. A preacher noticed a group of boys standing around a small stray dog. Hewalked up and asked, “What are you doing boys?” “Telling lies,” said one of theboys. “The one who tells the biggest lie gets the dog.” The preacher was

May I Introduce Myself—God“Preaching Through Genesis” by Ken D. Trivette6shocked. He said, “Boy's when I was your age, I never thought of telling a lie.”The boys looked at each other and finally one shrugged his shoulders and said, “Iguess he wins the dog.”4. God wanted us to know at the start that everything else He was going to say inthe Bible was true. That's so important for it tells that what God said aboutcreation is true, sin is true, salvation is true, heaven is true, hell is true, andeverything He says about Jesus is true.5. He is God! His power is unlimited and His promises are unbreakable. This isfoundational to all else that is said about Him and by Him.6. Thirdly, think with me:3. THE FEATURED DESIRE OF GOD1. In the first four words of the Bible there is a desire of God that is featured andemphasized. He makes Himself known, but the truth is He didn't have to revealHimself. He is a self-sufficient and self-sustained God. Back in eternity past, Godnever had a need for anything nor anyone. He needed nothing to exist. Heneeded no one to survive. He could have existed in eternity without ever havingto make Himself known.2. But He wanted to be known as God. He wanted others to know that He wasGod. So He began time as we know it and created a universe. In that universe hecreated a particular planet called earth. He prepared that earth for a human race.On that planet he put man and it was to man He revealed Himself.3. This desire reveals that God wanted us to:A) Know Him Intellectually1. He wanted to bring us to a mental realization of Himself as God. He wanted usto learn of Him and about Him. He gave man a mind to seek Him out in creation.He gave man the ability to think, reason, and conclude so that we would be filledwith wonder and know Him as God.2. The great tragedy of mankind is that they spend a life time learning aboutscience, history, and humanity and miss God in it all. Men don’t see God becausethey don’t look for God. They don’t know God because they don’t seek to knowHim.3. Yet, He revealed Himself to humanity that they may know about Him. But Hewanted our knowledge to be more than an intellectual knowledge. He revealedHimself that we might:

May I Introduce Myself—God“Preaching Through Genesis” by Ken D. Trivette7B) Know Him Intimately1. He not only wanted us to know about Him, He wanted us to know Him. He notonly wanted a mental realization of God, but a personal relationship with God.2. We read in Genesis 3:8, that Adam and Eve heard the voice of God walking inthe garden in the cool of the day. Adam and Eve enjoyed personal and intimatefellowship with God. God wants to be more than a fact of science and history. Hewants to be a personal God that we know and are intimate with.3. Here is the great truth of Genesis 1:1. This God that has revealed Himself wecan know in a personal way. He can be to us more than our Creator. He can beour Heavenly Father. We can have a personal relationship with Him.4. There was that first moment in time as we know it when God stepped out ofeternity into history and made Himself know. That my friend is an introduction thatgets our attention. In fact, it keeps our attention as we behold in awe the God thatis as well as the God we have.Copyright © by Ken Trivette. These sermons made available on the Living Word website can befreely used by anyone who finds them helpful. If used on another website or any publication,permission must be obtained.