Acts 17: % Naturalistic Evolution Humans evolved but God did not guide the process.

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1 12 GOD Abba

2 THE QUESTION Who is God? 2 There doesn t need to be a God for me. There s something in people that s spiritual, that s godlike. I don t feel like doing things just because people say things, but I also don t really know if it s better to just not believe in anything, either. Angelina Jolie SUPERSTOCK God is Sustainer of all. The God who made the world and everything in it He is Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in shrines made by hands. Neither is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives everyone life and breath and all things. Acts 17: For this is what the Lord says God is the Creator of the heavens. He formed the earth and made it. He established it. Isaiah 45: KNOWN 12 Survey says A 2010 poll by Gallup showed that Americans do not believe that humans evolved, and the vast majority say that even if they evolved, God guided the process. Just 16 percent say that God was not involved...support for evolution is more heavily concentrated among those with more education and among those who attend religious services rarely or not at all. 40% Creationist View God created humans in their present form. 38% Theistic Evolution Humans evolved, but God guided the process. God is Creator of all. 16% Naturalistic Evolution Humans evolved but God did not guide the process. sustain 1 to support, hold, or bear up; 2 to bear a burden; 3 to undergo, experience, or suffer without giving way or yielding; 4 to keep from giving way; 5 to keep up or keep going; 6 to supply with food, drink, and other necessities of life Creation Stories CHINA In the beginning only dark chaos prevailed. This darkness took the form of an egg, and in this egg Pangu, the first living being, was born. When he awoke after many years, Pangu had grown into a giant. He stretched himself, breaking the egg. The lighter, purer parts of the egg rose and formed the heaven; the heavier and impurer parts fell and formed the earth. This was the origin of the forces called yin and yang. EGYPT From Nun, the primeval ocean, Amen rises in splendor. He takes the name Re, thus merging two rival deities. He produces a divine son and daughter. These two dieties breed a race of gods, while the tears of Amen-Re become mankind appropriately enough, for man s behavior soon persuades the creator to withdraw from earthly affairs. He retires to the heavens, where he reigns as the sun.

3 America, do you believe in God? 71% Absolutely certain 17% Fairly certain 4% Not too certain/not at all certain/ unsure how certain 5% Do not believe in God 3% Don t know/ refused/other Where does it come from? The food you eat The air you breathe The car you ride in The books you read 3 Lord God is of all. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to You. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 JAPAN Before the heavens and the earth came into existence, all was a chaos, without definite shape or form. Something light and transparent rose up and formed the heaven. This was the Plain of High Heaven, in which materialized Ame-no-Minaka-Nushi-no-Mikoto (the Deity-ofthe-August-Center-of-Heaven). Next, the heavens gave birth to Takami-Musubi-no-Mikoto (the High- August-Producing-Wondrous-Deity), followed by a third called Kammi-Musubi-no-Mikoto (the Divine-Producing-Wondrous-Deity). These three divine beings are called the Three Creating Deities. NORSE In the beginning there was nothingness. This space filled with water, which froze and then melted. From the drops of melting water a giant in human form, Ymir, emerged. From his armpit a man and a woman appeared giants like himself, but capable of producing others by more conventional means. A cow licked the melting ice and revealed another giant, from whom the god Odin (or Wotan) descended. Odin and his brothers killed the Ymir. Of his flesh they made the earth, of his skull the heavens, of his blood the sea, of his bones the mountains, and of his hair the trees. SUPERSTOCK Lord & Vassal Feudalism was a political and military system that developed and was in place in medieval Europe between the ninth INDIA Purusha is a primal man sacrificed by the gods as the act of creation. The sky comes from his head, the earth from his feet, the sun from his eyes, and the moon from his mind. The four castes of Hindu society also derive from his body. The birds and animals come from the fat which drips from him during the sacrifice. and 15th centuries. It centered around three terms: lord, vassal, and fief. In this system, the lord was a noble who had acquired land. The vassal was a man who was granted possession of a section of the land by the lord. These sections of land were called fiefs. In exchange for the land, the vassal pledged his military assistance to the lord. The vassal also provided the lord counsel in times of a major decision. In some cases, the vassal had to also give the lord some of the output from the land. THE POINT: God is Creator and Lord of all. 009

4 My Prayer Lord, please help me to be committed to You the way You are committed to me. From Start to Finish It was the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and Derek Redmond was seemingly destined to win the gold medal in the 400-meter competition. As the race started it looked as if Derek would win the race easily. Then, suddenly, 175 meters from the finish line, he heard a pop in his right hamstring. He collapsed on the track. He knew his gold medal dreams had passed him by. But he didn t give up. He pushed through the pain and agony and picked himself up. With the help of his father, he hobbled across the finish line. He finished last but he never quit and he never looked back. List three things you are committed to accomplishing in your life. What sacrifices will you have to make in order to fulfill these commitments? Read Revelation 1:8. What does this verse say about God s commitment to His creation? What does that mean to you? How does that impact you? Revelation 1:8 tells us that God is the beginning and the end of all things. When God started His process of creation, He didn t stop until it was completed. God was committed to finish what He started. Part of His commitment was sending Jesus to die on a cross for the sin of the world. What are some areas in your life that need more commitment? Do you struggle to finish things you ve started? Commitment is a big deal! God can be trusted to stick to His commitments. Can you? Stand up and be recognized as someone who keeps his or her commitments. VEER 010 KNOWN 12

5 Something from Nothing There s a popular television program called How s It Made? on the Science Channel that explains how many everyday objects come to be. It walks you through the steps of making everything from light bulbs to locomotive engines. While it s an interesting and educational show, every episode has the same thing in common: it always starts with something that has already been invented. It never shows something created from scratch. Read Genesis 1:1-5. What does the Bible say about how the universe was created? Is it possible for you to build something when you have nothing to work with? So how did God create something from nothing? The Bible tells us that God spoke the entire universe into existence. He created everything from nothing. The earth and everything around it was once a great void. This means there was nothing for God to use to help Him create the world. The fact is, He didn t need anything. He simply spoke and it appeared. Every piece of grass, every star, and every person was created by God. He is your Creator and Lord. Why is it so easy to take the things God has created for granted? What are two things from creation that remind you of God s greatness? Why? The next time you are outside at night, look up at the stars and try to imagine how great our God is! Challenge yourself to see everything around you as a great creation by a great God. My Prayer Dear Jesus, help me to see You as the Creator of everything. 011

6 Only One You A few years ago, Build-A-Bear workshops took malls and shopping centers by storm. Everywhere you looked there was a Build-A-Bear store. The idea behind it was very unique and original: You could go into one of the stores and build a teddy bear exactly the way you wanted, selecting every detail about your bear. You could decide on everything from the color of the eyes to what the bear would wear. You designed your personalized bear and then received a birth certificate with your bear s name (that you created) and its date of birth. What is one thing you ve designed by yourself? Are you proud of your work? Why? Read Genesis 1: What do these verses say about who designed and created you? It was God s plan from the beginning to create a very special you. God designed and approved every detail that went into your life. He knew what color your eyes were going to be and He knew you would have acne and bad hair days. He loved you enough that He created you to be very special. You are not here by accident. You were created by a loving God for the purpose of praising and worshipping Him! Do you ever feel like you re not special? When? Why? Always remember, you were designed by the Creator of the universe! My Prayer Lord, help me to remember that I am wonderfully created by You. Unique GETTYIMAGES 012 KNOWN 12