August 7, 2022
Opening Prayer
The Psalms of Ascent
Psalm 123
To you I lift up my eyes,
O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
2 Behold, as the eyes of servants
look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he has mercy upon us.
3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord,
have mercy upon us,
for we have had more than enough of contempt.
4 Our soul has had more than enough
of the scorn of those who are at ease,
of the contempt of the proud.
Romans 8:18-24 (ESV)
18 For I consider that the sufferings
of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be
revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with
eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For
the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of
him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the
creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom
of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know
that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of
childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation,
but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan
inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of
our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved.
Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But
if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
8:22
For we know that all the creation groans together and suffers agony together until now.
1. We know –
a.
The text is saying that this is evident.
b. All we have to do is look around.
2. The whole creation
a.
Everything
b. Everyone
3. Groans together
a.
This is a compound word combining with + groan/sigh.
b.
This is the only usage of this particular form
in the N.T.
i. There
are other compounds with the root meaning groan/sigh.
c.
The word carries a sense of community lament.
d. “Sighing takes place by reason of a condition of oppression under which man suffers and from which he longs to be free because it is not in accord with his nature, expectations, or hopes.”[1]
4. Suffers agony together
a.
Another compound word – with + birth
pains.
b.
He is describing a painful process – but one
that ends in life!
c. This is also the only usage of this particular form in the N.T.
5. What is the image that this verse is giving us? What does this mean?
6. Notice the combination of suffering and hope.
a.
Where do we see suffering in creation?
b. What is creation’s hope?
7. Two extremes in relating to the rest of creation.
a.
We worship it.
i. This
is Paganism.
ii. What
might lead someone to worship nature?
b.
We enslave it.
i. “Let
us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over …
all the earth [and every type of animal and insect].” – Genesis 1:26 (with
paraphrasing)
1.
Dominion – charge, authority, rule
2.
Is there a difference between dominion and domination?
3.
We should repent of how Christians (and
humanity!) have misused this passage.
ii. Materialism
8. A Third Way – Creaturely Stewardship
a.
The creation is there for our use – not abuse.
b.
Calls for consideration of other creatures –
even the earth itself.
i. Habitats.
ii. Strip
mining.
iii. Pollution
iv. Disposable
goods and planned obsolescence.
v. Unrestrained
consumerism.
vi. Meat processing.
9. Somethings Gloria Dei does out of love for the creation and our Creator.
a.
Recycling paper.
i. We
keep the recycling bin in the parking lot.
ii. Bulletins.
iii. Boxes.
b.
Recycling plastics.
i. Water
bottles.
ii. Grocery
bags.
iii. Lunch
containers.
c.
Committed to the Prayer Path woods.
i. Removing
invasive plants
1.
Garlic Mustard
2.
Multifloral Rose
3.
Thank you to Richard Bunt and, now, Bob
Brantsch!
d.
Growing meadows.
e. Schedule our thermostats on A/C and heat.
10. Living in light of Christ’s salvation.
a.
Hold loosely.
b.
Not enthralled to the things of this world.
c.
Free to use and enjoy.
Together with All Creatures
Verse of the Week
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so
closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and
perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured
the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of
the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:1-2
[1] Johannes Schneider, “Στενάζω, Στεναγμός, Συστενάζω,” ed. Gerhard
Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI:
Eerdmans, 1964–), 601.
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