“More Responsibility” Genesis 1; 28-31; Colossians 1:15-20; SAPC, Denton; August 21, 2022; Richard B. Culp
Genesis 1: 28-31 26Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” 27So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”
29God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Introduction: Because of my somewhat flexible schedule, I chaperoned many of my kids' field trips when they were in elementary school.
Three times on Earth Day, I chaperoned my daughters and their classmates to the Banana slug festival at the county park, where they learned lots of things about the earth and
The gatherings included singing along with the Banana Slug String Band.
songs like “the Water Cycle Boogie: “Evaporation….Condensation….Precipitation…the water cycle boogie goes round and round, The water cycle boogie goes up & down”
Or my favorite: “Dirt Made My Lunch”
Dirt made my lunch. Dirt made my lunch. Thank you dirt, thanks a bunch. For my salad my sandwich my milk & my munch. Cause dirt, you made my lunch
I am not sure I realized it then, but I was living into one of the expectations Presbyterians have of members and others living out their calling as disciples of Christ. that is, that we care “for God’s creation.”
Let’s reflect for a few minutes this morning about “caring for God’s creation.” (G.1-0304)
Move 1: Implications of what it means to call God creator.
a. the first verse of the Bible;
the opening statement of the story we often understand as the story of God’s relationship with humanity, with us,
it all begins with: “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep,”
and then Genesis goes on to describe how God creates everything, including humans.
1. God is creator of all things, human and otherwise, and God is in relationship with what God has created.
2. As biblical scholar NT Wright reminds us: We are not pantheists who see “God and the world are basically the same thing: the world is, if you like, God's self-expression.”
2. We are not Deists, who see “the world may indeed have been made by God (or the gods), but there is now no contact between divine and human.
The Deist God wouldn't dream of “intervening” within the created order; to do so would be untidy, a kind of category mistake.”
3. No, our understanding of God that traces back to the ancient Israelite and the early Christian forbearers sees “the creation of the world” as “the free outpouring of God's powerful love.”
The one true God, whom we know as a Trinitarian God - creator, redeemer, and sustainer - made a world that was other than God’s own self, because that is what love delights to do.
And, having made such a world, God has remained in a close, dynamic, and intimate relationship with it, without in any way being contained within it or having it contained within God’s own self.” Simply Christian, N. T. Wright (65).
b. We often hear the Psalmist speak of how all creation gives glory to God, its creator.
1. For example, the psalmist can itemize how God made the heavens, the earth, the light, the sun, the stars, the heavens - and speak to its glory (Psalm 135).
2. from a human perspective, we lay claim to the God who intimately knew us and made us in the womb.
3. that type of care is also understood to be how God made all of creation.
4. We are expected as members or as disciples of Christ to care for “God’s creation.”
5. not the created world, but God’s created world.
6. to call God creator means creator of all things, human and otherwise.
c. We also not that God calls all of creation good, not just humans.
1. God does not creates humans and say “humans are good,” but the rest of what I created is so-so!
2. when creates, God puts all of creation in right relationship.
we read in Genesis how the plants will feed the animals and the humans
We read about humans having dominion over all living things.
We see a picture of creation that has everything in right relationship with one another to support and sustain - and God calls it good.
Move 2: This leads to our human responsibility toward creation.
a. “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”
1. Theologian Shirley Guthrie gives us three ways of understanding the relationship between humans and the rest of creation as described in the biblical text.
2. One option is to be earth-centered.
in that approach, care for the earth, and the environment tops all other considerations.
All other issues or desires or use of resources is secondary.
Those who think environmentalists go too far might accuse them of having an earth-centered theology.
2. A second option is a human-centered approach.
In this way of thinking, all of creation exists for the use and support of humans.
How we determine what to do with our environment and other resources is solely determined by what best supports humans.
Environmentalists might accuse those who they think care only about business interests and have little concern about how natural resources are used of being human-centered.
3. Guthrie points to a third approach - God-centered.
This approach begins with the reminder that all of creation, all of our resources, and all of humanity are God’s creations.
Thus, how we determine the use of natural resources or approach the environment is guided by our role as stewards of all God’s gifts.
Humans are not here to serve creation; creation is not here to serve humans, but we are called to find the right relationship between all things that speaks to the goodness God saw when God created the world.
b. We humans play an important role in defining that relationship because God has given us that responsibility.
1. Older sibling being left in charge of the younger sibling while the parents go out.
2. how the sibling in charge manages the others often determines whether the house will be a wreck or not when the parent returns.
3. How we use the resources of God’s creation speaks to how we live out the responsibility God has given to us.
4. Theologian Daniel Migliore: “Let your faithful ordering of the world image the way in which God the gracious God exercises dominion.” (Daniel L. Migliore, Faith Seeking Understanding, 82)
5. Being given dominion over creation is a special privilege.
6. We do well to remember again where Genesis begins - God creating all the heavens and the earth!
Move 3: A final thought - All of God’s creation is part of God’s future and our future.
a. consider how much of the biblical imagery about how God is at work in the world uses images from creation.
1. Isaiah describes God’s future as being a time when the wolf is “lying down with the lamb” (Isaiah 11);
2. The revelation given to John depicts a “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21)
3. Paul describes our transformation as a call to a new life as being “new creations.”
4. We also hear Paul describe how in Christ God was reconciling all the world.
5. the transformation of creation is more than turning a dead human body into a resurrected body; it is about God’s transformation of all things.
b. As we live out our calling as disciples of Christ, we are called to embrace our role as those God has called to care for all of God’s creation.
Conclusion: finish with a story told about A scientist walked up to God and said, “God, we’ve decided that we no longer need you. We’re to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don’t you just go on and get lost.” After listening patiently, God responded, “Very well, how about this? Let’s say we have a man-making contest. Winner takes all.” The scientist quickly agreed and God added, “Now we’re going to do this just like I did it in the old days with Adam.” “sure, not a problem,” said the scientist as he bent down to grab a handful of dirt.” “No, no,” God replied, “Get your own dirt.”
God created all the heavens and the earth.
God created humans and gave us the responsibility to care for all of God’s creation.
God is transforming all of creation.
God sends us to be part of that transformation.
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