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Help for preachers teaching congregations that already believe Genesis creation

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There are two subsets among our many correspondents whom we would actually have liked to have been in direct contact with one another.

The first category consists of lay preachers and pastors with little confidence in presenting scientific or technical matters, who write to ask us:

What can I do to ‘maintain the momentum’ since the recent visit of your CMI speaker?1 We’ve bought lots of your DVDs and books, which contain the technical info we need against evolution. However, do you also have some ‘non-scientific’ topics that I as a non-scientist can present in my sermons, to maintain and grow my congregation’s interest/belief in Genesis creation?

The second category also consists of lay preachers and pastors with little confidence in presenting scientific or technical matters, but who enthusiastically write to tell us:

Thanks so much for the Bible-teaching articles in Creation magazine. I’ve used several of them now as sermons to my congregation—keeps them ‘primed’ for when you next visit!

Indeed, over the years we’ve received much grateful feedback from readers of Creation magazine as to how certain articles in particular have provided ideas and material for sermons, and church small group studies.

The table below presents a selection of our past articles that we know have been used by pastors and lay preachers as sermon fodder, along with additional articles that we would recommend as being potentially suitable also. (Click on the hyperlinked title in the left-hand column to see the full article.)

walking tree
Half-way through the account of the blind man being healed by Jesus in Mark 8:22-26 he says: “I see men as trees, walking.” Why the two-step process? See: Walking trees.

Each article’s word length and the Scriptures cited within are provided to give you an idea of the time you’ll need to present.2 (Obviously, if you’re intending to allow time for the congregation to find each cited Scripture in their own Bibles it will take longer than if you are using Powerpoint to show the Scriptures. To substantially shorten your presenting time, decide in advance which of the cited Scriptures in the far right-hand-side column aren’t essential to your sermon.) Note that these articles leave room for a preacher to tailor the message (e.g. by adding an appropriate ‘call-to-action’) to the needs of each particular congregation.

My ‘top 4’ personal favourites are “Walking Trees” , “A tale of two fleas”, “The parable of the candle”, and “Adam and Noah—two beginnings”. And when my pastor has asked me to address the congregation at Christmas and Easter, I found these very useful: “Christmas and Genesis” and “The Resurrection and Genesis”.

Adam and Noah
The global Flood of Noah’s day destroyed “the world that then was” (2 Peter 3:6, KJV). With the new start, God gives instructions to Noah that parallel those given to Adam. See: Adam and Noah—two beginnings.

If you do explore the thirty-two articles in the following table, you’ll probably notice that quite a few have been written by our long-time writer on theological (and other) topics, retired missionary Russell Grigg. Other authors whose work is listed here are Lita Sanders, Jonathan Sarfati, Don Batten, Garth Wiebe, Carl Wieland, Harold Hunt, and Richard Pike. Many thanks to them all for providing this great material. We trust the fruit of their labour will be multiplied as you pass it on to your own congregations.

Happy sermon-preparing!

Table 1: Thirty-seven articles on creation.com potentially useful as sermon material. (Click on the hyperlinked title(s) in the left-hand column to explore the article(s) in full.)

Article title

Article word length

Key Scriptures/message

Other Scriptures cited

Unfolding the plan 1,400 words God has shown us He is Creator, Lawgiver, Judge, Saviour (Genesis 1,2,3, John 1) Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Isaiah 65:17, Revelation 21–22, Ecclesiastes 7:29, Ephesians 4:24, 1 John 4:8, Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22: 37–39, Genesis 6–9, 11, 18–19, Ezekiel 16:50, Acts 17:31, Romans 14:10
Who really is the God of Genesis? 1,700 words The plurality of God (Genesis 1:1,26, 11:27, Matthew 3:16–17, 28:18–20, Deuteronomy 6:4) John 1:1(-14), Colossians 1:16,17, 2:9, Genesis 1:2, 2:24, Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:8, Hebrews 1:3, 1 John 4:8,16, Exodus 3:15
Light, life and the glory of God 1,060 words Supernaturally-caused light without the sun (Genesis 1:3–5), cf. the glory of God (1 John 1:5) Genesis 1:14–19, Exodus 10:23, 13:21, 14:20, 20:11, 34:29, John 1:29,36, 8:12, Deuteronomy 4:24, Hebrews 12:29, Luke 2:9, 24:4, Matthew 17:2, 28:3, Acts 9:3, 12:7, Revelation 1:16, 21:23, 22:5

Who was the serpent? 1,500 words Genesis 3, John 8:44 Revelation 12:9, 19:7, 20:2,10–15, 22:5,17, 2 Corinthians 11:14, John 12:31, 13:26–27, 14:30, 16:11, Mark 5:1–13, Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13, Job 1:6–12; 2:1–6; 1 Peter 5:8, 1 Timothy 3:6, Genesis 1:31, 2 Corinthians 4:4, 11:2, Ephesians 2:2, 6:11–12, Hebrews 9:14, 1 Peter 1:18–19, 5:8, 1 John 1:7, 3:8, Acts 17:31, Romans 8:16–17
What’s in a name? 1,680 words Elohim and Yahweh: no contradiction! (Genesis 1&2) 1 Corinthians 15:26, Revelation 20:14, Exodus 3:13–15, 2 Kings 23:34
First Adam—Last Adam 1,380 words Why is Jesus called the ‘last Adam’? (1 Corinthians 15:45) Genesis 1,2,3, Isaiah 53:5, John 1:1–14, 8:58, 10:30, 17:21–22, 19:34, Colossians 1:15–20, Hebrews 1:2, 7:26,27, 9:28, 10:10–14, Micah 5:2, Matthew 1:20–23, 4:1, 19:4, Luke 1:26–35, 4:1–3, Acts 2:27, 10:36, 13:36–37, Romans 3:23, 5:12,18, 8:22, 1 Corinthians 15:1–4,21–23,26,47, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 1:20–22, 5:23,27, Philippians 2:8, Hebrews 2:9,14, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 3:14, Revelation 2:7, 5:11–14, 19:6–8, 21:1,4, 22:3
Made in the image of God 1,550 words “Let us make man in our image …” (Genesis 1:26–27) Hebrews 1:2, Genesis 1:11,20,24,28, 2:7,15,18,19–20,21–24, 3:8, 9:6, 18:1–2, 32:24,28,30, Luke 3:38, Revelation 13:8, Matthew 19:4–6, 26:39,42, Mark 10:6–8, John 1:12, 4:24, Acts 15:18, 17:28, Romans 8:28–29, 1 Corinthians 3:1, 6:19, 11:7, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 4:24, Philippians 2:7, Colossians 1:15, 3:10, Titus 3:5, Hebrews 1:3, James 3:9, 2 Peter 3:9, Habakkuk 1:13
Does God have body parts? 1,270 words God speaking (Genesis 1:3), God seeing (Genesis 1:4), God walking (Genesis 3:8), God making clothes (Genesis 3:21), God smelling aroma (Genesis 8:21) John 4:24, Genesis 1:26–27, 22:11; Judges 6:11; 2 Kings 1:3; Isaiah 37:36
Adam and Noah: Two beginnings 1,210 words There are many parallels between what happened in Creation Week and in the global Flood of Noah’s time (Genesis 1–3, 6–9) Leviticus 17:14, Ephesians 5:2
Strategy of the Devil 1,160 words Genesis 3:1–6 Genesis 2:16–17, Deuteronomy 4:2, Proverbs 30:5,6, Revelation 22:18–19, Isaiah 14:13–14
Why did God impose the death penalty for sin? 2,330 words Genesis 2:16–17 Genesis 3:4,5, 3:7–8,9,11,12,13, 5:3–5, Romans 3:19,23, 5:12,17–21, 11:36, John 3:3–6, 1 John 1:9, 1 Corinthians 15:21
Curse and catastrophe 1,990 words Genesis 2:17, Genesis 3:16–24 Genesis 3:15, 6:5–13, 7:1,21-23, Genesis 9:1, 11:1-4, 18:25, Revelation 20:11–15, John 5:22,27, Acts 17:31, Matthew 28:18, Romans 5:1, 2 Corinthians 4:4
Could Adam have appealed the verdict? 1,720 words Genesis 3:14–19 1 Corinthians 15:45, 2 Corinthians 6:2, 11:14, Genesis 1:28, 3:3,5,12–13, John 17:3, 1 Peter 1:18–20, Revelation 13:8, Ephesians 1:4, Hebrews 9:27, Acts 17:31, Isaiah 53:6, 1 John 2:1, Revelation 20:12, 15
Walking trees 1,400 words Jesus’ two-step healing of the blind man (Mark 8:22–25) Genesis 1, 2:7,21–22, John 1:1–3, Colossians 1:16, Exodus 20:8–11, Mark 8:14–21,27–30
Inscriptions on the Cross 970 words Why do all four Gospels contain different versions of the written notice of Pilate’s charge against Jesus? (Matthew 27:37, Mark 15:26, Luke 23:38, John 19:19)
Meeting the ancestors 1,000 words Lamech, the father of Noah, could have asked Adam what it was like to live in Eden, and similarly, Abraham could have asked Shem what it was like to live in the pre-Flood world. (Genesis 1&5) Genesis 7:6, 1 Chronicles 1, Luke 3
The 16 grandsons of Noah 1,980 words Noah’s sixteen grandsons were real people whose names/descendants are indelibly written into the world’s geography: France/Spain/Wales/Armenia/Turkey/Germany, Romania/Ukraine, Iran/India, Greece/Cyprus, Iberia/Georgia/Tobolsk, Moscow/Meshchera Lowland, Thrace/Macedonia/Yugoslavia, Ethiopia/Chus, Egypt, Libya, Palestine, Persia/Iran, Assyria, Chaldea/Arabia, Lydia/Western Turkey/Sardis, Syria (Genesis 10) Genesis 11, 50:11, Ezekiel 38:6,15, 39:1,2, Daniel 6:8,12,15, 8:21, 11:43, Psalms 105:23,27; 106:22, Daniel 11:43, Judges 19:10, Acts 2:9, Revelation 3:1, 2 Kings 18:26 ff, Mark 15:34
Does the Bible say pi equals 3.0? 840 words 1 Kings 7:23, 2 Chronicles 4:2 1 Kings 7:26
Christmas and Genesis 2,730 words John 1:1–18, Genesis 1, 3:15, 4:1, Ruth 2:20, 3:1–4:17, Isaiah 7:14, 59:20, Luke 3:38, 1 Corinthians 15:45, Hebrews 2:11–18
Remarkable witness to creation—Satan 940 words Matthew 4:1–4 Genesis 1, Deuteronomy 8:3, John 2:1–11, 4:46–54, 5:1–15, 6:1–21, 8:44, 9:1–41, 11:1–44, 20:31, James 2:19, Revelation 20:10
The use of Genesis in the New Testament 3,750 words Matthew 1:1–3, 2:18, 3:8–9, 10:15, 11:23–24, 19:4,5, 22:21,31–2, 23:35, 24:37–39, 26:52, Mark 10:6,7, 12:17,26, Mark 13:19, Luke 1:25,48,55,73, 3:8,29–37, 10:12,19, 11:51, 13:16, 16:22–31, Luke 17:26–27,28–29,32, Luke 20:25,37, John 1:1–3,51, 4:5–6,11–12, 7:22, 8:33,44, Acts 7:2–14, 14:15, 15:20,29, 17:24,26, Romans 1:19–20, 4:1–25, 5:12–21, 8:20–23, 9:7–13, 15:8, 16:20, 1 Corinthians 6:16, 11:7–8, 15:21–22,38,45,47, 2 Corinthians 4:6, 11:3, Galatians 3:6,8,16, 4:4,22–30, Ephesians 3:9, 5:31, Colossians 1:16, 3:10, 1 Timothy 2:13–14, 4:3–5, Hebrews 1:10, 4:3–4,10, 5:1–10, 6:13–14,20–7:17, 11:3,4,5,7,8–12,17–22, 12:16–17,24, James 2:21–23, 1 Peter 3:6,20, 2 Peter 2:4–5,6–8, 3:5–6, 1 John 3:11–12, Jude 6,7,11,14, Revelation 4:3, 5:5, 6:12–14, Revelation 10:6, Revelation 20:2, 21, 22:1–6
Resurrection and Genesis 2,610 words The account of the Resurrection in the Gospels Titus 2:13, 1 Corinthians 15:12–18,23,45, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Philippians 3:20–21, Romans 5:12–21, Isaiah 53:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Genesis 3:19
Psalm 8:1 devotional 990 words “Oh Lord our lord, How majestic is Your Name” (Psalm 8:1) Exodus 3:2,6,12,14, Revelation 1:8, Psalm 19:1, 20, 1 Kings 8:27, Job 26:13,14, Hebrews 7:26, 8:1, John 1:14, Ephesians 4:10, Romans 11:33
A tale of two fleas 760 words Two perspectives on where everything came from—suitably contrasted. Although not cited, the story would provide a great youth group/outreach segment leading to Romans 1:20, then concluding with ‘Wow!’-evoking information from an appropriate Design article
Is Jesus Christ the Creator God? 1,840 words John 1:1,3, Colossians 1:16 Genesis 1:1, 2:7,21–22, John 4:46–53, Luke 7:6–10
Yahweh the Creator God of Israel 2,980 words Genesis 2:4 Jonah 1:9, 2 Chronicles 2:5–6,12, 6:18, Jeremiah 10:11,16, 31:35, 32:17, 33:2; Zechariah 12:1, Isaiah 37:16–20, 40–43, 44:24, 45:9,18, 51:12–13, Psalm 8:3–4, 24:1–2, 33:6, 95:3–5, 96:4–5, 102:25–26, 135:6, 136:4–9, 146:5–6, 148:1–5, Nehemiah 9:6, 1 Kings 8:27, Ecclesiastes 11:5. Deuteronomy 10:14. 1 Chronicles 16:26, 29:14, Job 1:21, 9:8–9, 23:2–7. 38:2–7, Joshua 2:11, 2 Kings 19:10–13,15,17–18, Proverbs 8:22–31, John 1:1–3, Colossians 1:16–18
The use of creation in the Old Testament 2,560 words Nehemiah 9:6, Exodus 20:8–11, Job 9:9, 12:15, 26:10, 38:8–11, Psalm 8:4–8, 114:1–6, 33:6,7,9, 90:9–10, 104:6–9, 104:14–15, 104:24–26, 136:7–9, Jeremiah 4:23–26, 31:35, Genesis 1:27, 2:7, 6:1–6, Malachi 2:10, 2:15, Ezekiel 31:8–9, 28:13, 31:18, Isaiah 11:6–9, 65:17, 43:27, 54:9, Hosea 6:7, Numbers 13:33, 2 Samuel 21:15-22. John 1
The parable of the candle 530 words A simple story that highlights the folly of the assumptions behind radiometric dating. Although no Scripture is cited, the story provides opportunity to refer to Deuteronomy 19:15; Job 38:4,21; 2 Corinthians 13:1, and to draw from the lay teaching in our earlier article: ‘It’s not science.
Preaching the Gospel in today’s society 1,480 words Acts 17:16–34 Acts 9:1–20, 14:6,15, 17:2–3, 22:1–16, 26:9–18), 1 Timothy 1:12–16, Romans 1:20, 2:4,15, 5:8
Romance at the heart of the universe 1,770 words In the New Testament, Jesus is revealed as fulfilling five glorious, fundamental roles: Creator, Saviour, Lord of the harvest, Judge, Heavenly bridegroom. These roles not only disclose to us the sweep of the Word of God as a unity from Genesis to Revelation, but they also show us God’s purpose in human history from before the first Day of Creation to beyond the last great Day of Judgment. John 1:1,4, 6:37, 11:25–26, 16:7,13–14, Ephesians 1:22, 4:11, 5:22–33, Genesis 1:2, 1 Peter 1:19–20,21, 3:11,22, Hebrews 1:2, 2:9, 4:14, 8:1, 9:12,24, Matthew 9:36, 24:14, Luke 10:2, Acts 17:31, Isaiah 54:5, Jeremiah 31:31–32, Hosea 1, 2, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 20:10–21:2, 22:17
The importance of the Resurrection of Christ to our salvation 1,780 words Galatians 3:13, Romans 5:6, Hebrews 9:26, 1 Peter 2:24 1 Corinthians 5:7, 15:3–4, 15:12–19,21–23, Genesis 1, 2:17, Ezekiel 18:4, 1 John 2:2, Isaiah 53:6b, 1 Peter 1:18–19, 3:18a, Acts 1:5,2:24, 4:12, 17:30–31, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 1:19–20, 3:17, 4:7–8, Philippians 4:13, John 15:26, 16:7b, Romans 1:4, 6:5,23, 1 Thessalonians 4:16
2 Peter 3:8—‘one day is like a thousand years’ 576 words Wrongly assumed by some to refer to the days of Creation, the actual context of 2 Peter 3:8–9 instead speaks of the frailty of mere mortal man in comparison to God. (No matter how long a time interval is from man’s time-based perspective, it is like a twinkling of an eye from God’s eternal perspective.) Psalm 63:6, 90:4, 119:148
The Serpent 1,336 words Is the account of Eve’s temptation by the serpent (Genesis 3) meant to be taken literally, or is it merely symbolic? For many compelling reasons, Genesis is meant to be understood as real history, and the serpent as a real entity, too. 2 Corinthians 5:21, 11:3, 1 Timothy 2:13-14, Numbers 22:22-35, Genesis 18:1-19:29, Revelation 12:9, 20:2, John 3:14-15, 8:44, 1 Peter 2:24, Galatians 3:13, 1 Corinthians 15:21,22,45-47
The Incarnation: Why did God become Man? 4,706 words (Actually, this comprehensive article could appropriately be presented across several sermons.) Jesus’ existence didn’t begin with His birth or conception, but pre-existed Creation, as made by Him and for Him. Jesus was both with God and God Himself. That such a divine Person exists is taught throughout Scripture, starting in Genesis. In Jesus, God took on human nature, so He could die for our sins as a fellow human, taking the penalty we deserve for our sins. Genesis 1:1, John 1:1, Colossians 1:15–20, Philippians 2, Hebrews 1:3, 1 John 4:8, 16, Daniel 7, Genesis 1, Genesis 18–19, Revelation 17:8, Revelation 13:8, Ephesians 1:4, Romans 3:23, Hebrews2:14–17, Isaiah 59:20, Ruth2:20, 3:1–4:17, Luke 3:38, 1 Corinthians 15:45, Isaiah 53:10, Isaiah 43:11, 1 Timothy 2:5, Romans 6:23, John 1:14, Genesis 3:15, Galatians 4:4, Genesis 4:1, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 9:6–7, Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1–6, John 8:58, Exodus 3:14, Philippians 2:5–11, Matthew 24:35, 28:18, John5:30, 8:28, John 3:12, John3:16, Genesis 3:15, Genesis 4:1, Luke 1:26–28.
Why Bible history matters (and the timing of the Fall and Ark-building) 1,807 words The Bible is a collection of 66 books of many types, including poetry, biography, romance, instruction and theology. And it was written over 1,500 years, by many types of authors: e.g. kings, generals, fishermen, prophets, scholars, a tax-collector and a doctor. But over-arching all this, the Bible is the true history of the universe, showing how God glorifies Himself all the way from Eternity Past to Eternity Future. A central theme is God’s eternal plan for His Son to take on human nature as the Last Adam (1 Corinthians15:45). Romans 4, Genesis 15:6, Genesis 17, 1 Timothy2:11–14, Genesis 14, Leviticus 19:19; Leviticus 11:9–12, Ephesians 2:14, Galatians 3:28, Col. 3:11, Hebrews 8:13, Hebrews 10, Luke 3:1–2, Genesis 5, 11, Gen. 1:31, 1 Corinthians 15, Romans 5, Romans 8, Genesis 2:3,1:28, 6:3, 6:4, 6:14–18, 5:32, 7:6, 5:32, 11:10, 9:24, 5:32,11:26, 11:32, 12:4.
What the New Testament doesn’t say 1,369 words That so many of the references to Genesis 1–11 are able to be ‘passing’ references or references without much context given beyond what’s necessary for the argument is actually evidence that the early church taught believers about Genesis, and to take it as authoritative. So Paul doesn’t argue with the Corinthians about whether they should believe Genesis—he assumes that they do. For him, that’s just part of being a Christian. So in a sense, what the New Testament doesn’t say is powerful affirmation of the importance of Genesis in the earliest church. The Gospels, Acts, the epistles of Paul, Peter, John, James, and Jude, Romans 5:12–21, Matthew 24:36ff, Matthew 19:3ff, Acts 17:22b–26a, 2 Timothy 3:16.
Creation in Isaiah 1,550 words God as Creator described in Isaiah as having Absolute Power over all of Creation. (Isaiah 2:19-22, 11:12,15-16, 13, 24, 29, 40, 41:18-20, 42:5, 43:1,2,7,15, 44:21,24, 45:7,12,17-18, 48:12-13, 51:12-13, 54:5, 65:17-18, 66:22) Psalm 8:6, 104:24, Revelation 21:23, Genesis 1:2,28, 2:15, Deuteronomy 22:6-7, Proverbs 12:10, John 1:3, Colossians 1:16-17, Revelation 4:11, Romans 1:20-21, 2 Peter 3:13

Check this powerful preaching resource:

Genesis-verse-by-verse
Published: 19 February 2014

References and notes

  1. We see excited joy as we minister to the churches that invite us to address their congregations, and afterwards as the resources they purchase both strengthen their own faith and others they witness to or pass the resources on to. If your church is interested in exploring what CMI has to offer, see Ministry programs for your church. Return to text.
  2. As a rough guide, most speakers average about 100 words per minute. Return to text.

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