Modified from a sermon preached @ Thomas’ Church, Bintulu on 3rd February 2002)
Texts: Gen. 1: 1 – 2:3; Rom. 8: 18-25; Matthew 6: 25-end

The title of the first book of the Bible Genesis comes from a Greek word meaning ‘birth’ or ‘beginning’. The title was used when the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek. Some people who see the words ‘In the beginning’ think that the book was written to give us information as to how the world and all the things in the world started. Some non-believers use this story to make fun of the Christian faith.
But Genesis was written not to show how and when the world began. It is not a record of historical events or a scientific research: it is a reflection of a man who had faith in God. So we cannot use Genesis for the study of world history, astronomy, biology or science. It is meant to proclaim that the universe was created, and that it did not come about by accident. And the Creator is the one true God who should be praised and glorified. That is why the book looks a poetry or hymn.
This morning we have two other readings in Romans 8: 18-25 and Matthew 6: 25-34. Romans 8 speaks about suffering while Matthew 6 tells us not to be anxious and worried. There are so many things to study in these three passages. I don’t have time to go through them so I shall just talk about Genesis 1: 1 & 28b, and relate them to the epistle and gospel readings.
First, we look at Genesis 1:1, ‘In the beginning God created’. The intention of the writer is not to tell us that Creation was something that happened at a certain point in the past, and stopped there. For the writer, Creation is a continuous process. That is the teaching of the Christian faith. After God created the universe he did not leave it alone; he continues to sustain his creation. In other word, God continues to watch over his universe.
It is important to understand this because it is the basis of our understanding of the words of Jesus in Matthew 6: 25-34. When we stand to proclaim in the Creed that we believed in “God, the Maker of heaven and earth” we are not just proclaiming an event that took place millions of years ago. We are in effect proclaiming that God created the universe and that it belongs to him, so he continues to sustain and watch over it. Now, if you believe that God is watching over your lives and your needs, is it logical to be excessively anxious and worried about things that God is providing? Jesus said that people who worry and who run after worldly things are pagans – meaning that they are people who do not believe in God the Creator and Provider.
However, I don’t want you to stretch this too far, because we have to differentiate between a person who is a worrier and one who has concerns for something or somebody. When Jesus said that we are not to be worried about food and clothes and other needs, he is not saying that we should not be concerned about these. What he is saying is that we should not focus all of our attention, and use up all our energy to acquire these things that we forget about God who provides them. It is a reminder that we should work, so that we have enough to live on and to share with others. We need food so that we continue to live healthy lives. We need clothes to help us to keep warm and make us look decent. We need cars and other means of transportation to help us move about quickly. During the time of Jesus their only means of fast transport was by using animals, like donkeys and horses. We need houses for shelter, to protect us from storm, rain and sun.
Material things are good, but if we put them above God and above people we are supposed to love and care, then it opens up opportunity for sins to come into our lives. We have seen cases where family members or friends are no longer in speaking term with each other because they quarrel over things. There are people who refuse to be seen with those who are poor because they want to maintain their high status. I have come across cases where parents ration the food of their children simply because most of the money goes to paying off loans as the result of their high lifestyle. These are the some of the things that Jesus warns us against.
So remember when we recite the creed, saying that we believe in God the Creator, we are in effect proclaiming that God is also our Provider. Our possessions are the gifts of God, and we are to use them prudently, unselfishly, and not with greed. It serves to remind us that worrying about things that we don’t have, serve us no purpose at all.
Gen. 1: 28 highlights on human relationship with things and other living beings. God said to man, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish and the sea and birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
There are two things that we can learn from this verse: First, it reminds us that human beings are different from other living creatures. God gives us the ability to choose between doing right and wrong, while animals act by instincts and need for survival.
Another difference is in the term of power we have over other creatures and created things. All animals, birds, fish and other creatures survive by what is already provided for them. They do not have to work or earn a living to survive. But we have something extra - the power of thinking and reasoning. With this power we can carry out research works and exploration, make new inventions and new discoveries, and upgrade our living standards. We can use the raw materials to invent new things.
This verse also teaches us about prayer and worship. The verse reminds us that things created by God are not meant to be objects of worship. It is wrong to worship rocks, trees, spirits, animals, birds or human beings even how magical people claim them to be. We are meant to worship God alone and not the things he has created.
Our understanding of the created things only comes into proper perspective when we know who God is. When people fail to know and worship God, they will worship something other than God. And if we are not careful, any one of us can end up worshipping our possessions. Furthermore, when people do not believe in God they will not feel accountable to God. Such people will have no sense of responsibility towards their fellowmen, to other creatures and the environment. One purpose of reciting the Creed is to remind us who we are in relation to God. Christians need to remember that it is wrong to dump rubbish and toxic waste anywhere we want, to chop up trees in our forests without proper control, to burn up jungles, to indiscriminately poison the fish our rivers, to put up shoddy construction works. This is what we are seeing in the Island of Borneo nowadays. In Sarawak, thousands of acres of virgin forests are being replaced with oil-palm estates. The fertilizers and weed killers to clear the bushes are washed into the rivers, polluting that water that the people are drinking and poisoning the fish and prawns that they are eating. Some of these big companies are not satisfied with destroying the forests: they even grabbed rice-farms and lands used by the long-house people to plant their rubber trees and fruit-trees, because these lands are without titles. I have no other words to describe it except sin. The blatant destruction of the good things God has created for us is a sinful act.
According to Paul, human sin plays a major role in the suffering and disorder in this world. It is because of sin that creation cannot attain the purpose for which God intended it. When man disobeys God, the whole creation suffers. Scientists now have discovered the truth of this belief. Excessive emission of smoke and poisonous gases, and extensive deforestation have caused an adverse climatic change in our planet. Floods, droughts, landslides, and bush fires, are more than just works of nature but something we have brought upon ourselves. If human attitude is not changed we can expect more catastrophes in the years to come. We can only imagine the sufferings of the future generations. One reason why the world is slowly wasting away is because less and less people actually believe that God created and own the world. And many Christians are not doing their part telling the world that God is the Creator, and that we are his children called to look after his creation.
Thus the word of God is read to remind us of our responsibility as people with power from God. The collect for today has that prayer: “Teach us to discern your hand in all your works, and your likeness in all your children…”
As a church we must discern the hand of God at work in this world. What does it imply?
(i) As a church we must be the hand of God that is at work, and his voice that speaks against all the injustices and evil work of man in this world. We must look beyond our immediate selves, and have concerns over something that affects the whole world.
(ii) As a Church we have a mission, and our mission is to let the world to know about God the Creator, and that God has sent Jesus Christ to be the Saviour. God does not choose us to be church members so that we get comfortable with ourselves. We must be a church that looks beyond ourselves. Last Sunday the Spiritual taskforce has a meeting whereby we discussed several issues in and outside this community, which this church must be involved in. These will be revealed to you during the course of the year.
(iii) As a Church we should realise that that God wants us to become his instruments to bring the good news to others. If we are always worried and anxious about material things that we have or do not have; or if we are always hungering, coveting, and fighting for the material things we want in this world – we cannot become useful and effective instruments of God. Christians should have a different attitude towards material things if they are to be effective in bringing the Good News to others. I sincerely believe that the teaching spread by the proponents of prosperity theology has somewhat undermined the image of the church. If our God is there just to prosper us, give us good health and comfortable life in this world; how is he any different from the gods worshipped by people in the temples or private shrines?