Sermon for the fourth Sunday in Lent
You know
that first chapter
of Genesis.
God creates the world
in six days
and rests on the seventh.
So which day are we in?
[PAUSE]
If you believe that
this first chapter of Genesis
means that the universe
really was created
in six periods of twenty-four hours,
then the question seems silly
as there are over a million days
since the creation.
It's true that the universe
could have been created in that way,
but that's not really what
the Biblical account of Creation is for,
nor does the Bible say that
it has to be that way.
Which day are we in?
You might say the seventh.
We don't see God
active in the world,
so He must be resting.
No new animals
are springing into being
before our very eyes,
are they?
In fact,
we are seeing animals
change and evolve all the time.
From this point of view,
Creation is still happening.
Are we really in the sixth day?
[PAUSE]
And then there is evidence
from the Lord Himself.
Five barley loaves
and two small fish.
Five thousand men,
not counting women and children.
Twelve baskets of leftovers.
Do the maths!
We see God Himself
create Woman from one single rib
from the side of Man.
This is how we know
that Jesus is God.
Only God can create,
and here, in front of our very eyes,
Our Lord doesn't bake bread -
He creates bread.
It's interesting to note
that the Hebrew word for creating
also means to make fat.
When He creates,
God makes things substantial.
Our bodies are fleshed out
by His act of creation.
You see this happening
before your eyes
as five loaves and two fish
are fleshed out,
made substantial,
Forming a banquet
to fatten the hungry multitude.
God, Our Lord Jesus Christ,
is creating in front of
five thousand men.
This is indeed a miracle,
but only one that
can be performed by someone
with a control over matter
that is unparalleled.
So we must be in the sixth day.
[PAUSE]
This means that the seventh day i
s yet to come.
The Eternal rest of God
when Creation is complete,
when Creation is perfect.
Are you perfect? No?
Then you are still being created!
And God, being Love,
does not insist on His own way.
This means that
you have a hand
in your own creation.
You can choose how you turn out.
This is God's gift of free-will to us all!
Do you understand that?
You play an active part in your creation.
What you choose to do
will and does
affect who you become.
It means that someone
can reject God's destiny for her
by preferring her idea of perfection
instead of His.
That separates her from God
because she prefers
to err from His way.
And God says of those
who err in their hearts
and who do not know His ways
that they shall not enter His rest.
[PAUSE]
In feeding us,
God is fattening us up for His rest.
He gives us His substance,
our daily bread,
so that when the sixth day is over,
we are complete perfected in Him,
and fitted for Heaven to live with Him there.
Only then can
we behold the face of God and live,
truly live.
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