1. Questions To Ponder  Does it really matter if God created the world or not? What about theistic evolution? Is it wrong to look for natural processes to explain God’s actions? Science?  Does the record of creation matter? What Does The Bible Say?

2. The Creation Report Genesis 1-3

3. God’s Report  (Genesis 1:1) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (NKJV) Who? – God When? – In the beginning What? – Heavens and the earth How? – Created  “God’s report is that there was a beginning. There was a time before which the heavens and the earth did not exist, and there was a time after which they did exist.” (Larry Dickens)

4. 6 Days For Creation  (Genesis 1:5) God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day. (NKJV)  (Genesis 1:8) And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day. (NKJV)  (Genesis 1:31) Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (NKJV)

5. God Rested On The 7 th Day  (Genesis 2:1-3) Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. (NKJV)

6. The Days of Creation  All six days of creation were “in the beginning.” (Genesis 1:1) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (NKJV) (Mark 10:6) "But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female.' (NKJV)

7. God, The Creator  (Psalms 148:3-5) Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you stars of light! Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, And you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD, For He commanded and they were created. (NKJV)  (Isaiah 42:5) Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it: (NKJV)  (Isaiah 45:11-12) Thus says the LORD, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: "Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My hands, you command Me. I have made the earth, And created man on it. I-My hands-stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded. (NKJV)

8. God, The Creator  (Matthew 19:4) And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' (NKJV)  (Colossians 1:15-16) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (NKJV)

9. The Word  (John 1:1-3) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (NKJV)  (John 1:14) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (NKJV)

10. How Did God Create It All?  Read Genesis 1:3-31  (Psalms 148:5) Let them praise the name of the LORD, For He commanded and they were created. (NKJV)  (Psalms 33:6) By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. (NKJV)

11. Why Did God Create the Heavens and the Earth?  (Genesis 1:27) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (NKJV)  (Hebrews 2:6-8) But one testified in a certain place, saying: "What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. (NKJV)

12. Why Did God Create the Heavens and the Earth?  (Ephesians 3:8-10) To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, (NKJV)

13. The Scheme of Redemption  (Ephesians 1:3-4) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, (NKJV)  The creation of the heavens and the earth was not the end of the plan – only the start!

14. God Is To Receive Glory  (Revelation 4:11) "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created." (NKJV)  (Revelation 5:13) And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!" (NKJV)

15. Creation Demonstrates The Great Power Of His Word  The gospel is a “word-message.” (2 Corinthians 4:1-5) Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. (NKJV)

16. The Creation Demonstrates The Great Power Of His Word  The parallel to the creation. (2 Corinthians 4:6) For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (NKJV)  God’s word had power then.  His word has power now!  God’s word caused the creation then.  His word, today, causes the new creation!

17. Conclusion  The record of creation does matter!  Part of the Plan of God!  “Let us all believe the inspired reporters record of the creation… to be impressed with the power of God’s word, not just to create man in the beginning, but to be impressed with the power of His Word to save mankind!”

18. God Has Spoken!  (Hebrews 1:1-2) God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; (NKJV)  (Ephesians 2:10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (RSV)

19. Acknowledgements  Tract by Larry Dickens.  Published in the “Florida College Magazine”, Volume 5, Number 1, Summer, 2003.