Have you ever walked through a cemetery? People go to cemeteries to visit the gravestones of their deceased loved ones. They do this to feel some connection with the person who is gone and to help us remember the times they shared together.

            When I was growing up, I went to the cemetery to visit my mother’s gravestone at least once a month. Sometimes I would plant flowers or hang a wreath, but mostly I would just stare at the granite stone and remember my mother’s face. I would reflect on her life and death and the brief time that I got to spend with her before she was gone.

            After I visited my mother’s gravestone, I would often go for a walk through the cemetery. As I wandered through the maze of mortuous monuments, I would stop and read other people’s gravestones—mostly of people whom I’d never met. Even though gravestones come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, they almost always had the same information written on them—the person’s name, birthdate, and date of death.  

            But have you ever noticed the little horizontal line between the birthdate and death-date? There is usually a dash between the birth date and death date—a one-inch dash that represents the person’s whole life. Have you ever thought about the fact that someday your who life will be summed up by a one-inch dash etched in a piece of granite? It won’t tell anyone where we lived or what kind of work we did. It won’t tell anyone who we loved or what kind of impact we had on the world. What a sobering thought!

Reading Genesis 5 is like walking through a cemetery. As we trace the line of Adam through his son Seth all the way to Noah, it’s like reading a row of tombstones. The author of Genesis only tells us the name, whom the father was, that he had other sons and daughters, how long he lived, and that he died. Hardly any other information is given about these 10 men.

Walking through this biblical cemetery helps us reflect on the history of the human race. Remembering our ancient history helps us keep our modern history in perspective. Just as walking through physical cemeteries and looking at tombstones reminds us of days gone by, the author of Genesis walks us through this cemetery to remind us of four spiritual realities.

1.) Walking through this cemetery reminds us that we are all created in God’s image. (1-3)

            Before we even get into the cemetery, the author of Genesis already wants us to be reflecting on a spiritual reality. Verses 1-3 are like a sign on the cemetery gate that reminds us that we are walking on holy ground. He prepares our hearts for a walk through this cemetery by taking us back to Genesis 1 and 2 and reminds us that God created humans in the image of God.

We remember that after God created the heavens and the earth, he scooped up some dust, formed the first human, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. We also remember that God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and removed one of his ribs and created Eve, the first woman. He made them male and female and blessed the human race as the pinnacle of his creation.

What does it mean to be created in the image of God? It means that we bear a likeness or resemblance to God. We bear a resemblance to God in ways that animals and plants don’t. We bear a resemblance to God mentally, socially, spiritually, morally and even in some sense physically.

God gives us a good illustration of this in verse 3 when he says that Seth bore Adam’s likeness and image. Whenever someone has a child, relatives and friends make all sorts of remarks about the child’s likeness. They say things like, “Wow, junior is the spitting image of his father.” or “Mary has her mother’s eyes!” Sometimes comments like this backfire. “Laura, it looks like you got your daddy’s stiff chin!” What self-respecting girl wants her father’s chin? Well, you know what I mean! Children bear the image and likeness of their parents.

In the same way, we all bear the likeness of God. When we walk through a cemetery, we should remember that everyone buried there was created in the image of God. Since all human beings have a little bit of our heavenly father in them, we should treat all people with dignity and respect! Remember that every person is precious to God! Remember that you have inherent value and worth because you are created in the image of God! Remember that you matter because God made you!

 

2.) Walking through this cemetery reminds us of the consequences of sin. (4-30)

As you walk through the gates of the cemetery and glance across the rows of tombstones, you can’t help but be reminded of the consequences of sin. Likewise, the author of Genesis takes us through this cemetery to remind us of the effects of sin. He highlights two effects—shorter lifespans and the inevitability of death.

Shorter Life Spans (6:3)

When most of us walk through this cemetery and read the tombstones, we are perplexed by the people’s ages. The life spans appear to be beyond the realm of possibility. Did Adam really live to be 930 years old? Did Methuselah really live to be 969? This account seems to contradict the sensibilities of modern science. If the average lifespan in America today is 76, how could someone really live to be 900 years old back then?

Before the great flood people lived much longer. It was common for people to live for hundreds of years. Even the non-biblical literature from the ancient Near East attests to this. But as the number of people on earth began to increase, so did its wickedness. Remember, all of humanity had been affected by Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden. This sinfulness was passed down from generation to generation. The world became so wicked that God said, “My spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be 120 years.” (6:3) After the great flood, God reduced the life expectancy of man to 120 years to minimize the amount of wickedness that would accumulate on the earth.

If it wasn’t for the consequences of sin, our ancestors would still be alive today and we could have a firsthand account of the way things were back then. But sin has greatly reduced our life expectancy. Today very few people even live to see 100 years. Most of us are fortunate to live into our eighties. I hope that we appreciate all the time God gives us on the earth and that we use our years to serve the Lord.

 

The Inevitability of Death

When we walk through this cemetery, we not only see how sin reduced our life spans, but we also see that sin caused the inevitability of death.   The author of Genesis purposefully highlights this by repeating the refrain “and then he died” over and over again. It is truly a grave refrain!

These words are repeated over and over again to remind us that one day we too will die. I don’t think you can walk through a cemetery without meditating on your own mortality. The rows of stones, the names, the dates, and those little dashes all remind us that our bodies will return to dust from whence it came. As we ponder the inevitability of our death, what will that little dash on your gravestone represent?

            None of us knows when we will die, but since we know that we will die, let’s maximize the days that God has given us. Let’s love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength! Let’s love our neighbors as ourselves, even the ones who are really difficult to love! Let’s serve the Lord by sharing the good news that Jesus died and rose again to offer us forgiveness from all of our sins and the hope of everlasting life!

3.) Walking through this cemetery reminds us that the only way to overcome death is by  walking with God. (21-24)

As we walk through this cemetery and read this tragic list of names and hear the repeated phrase “and then he died” there is one name that stands out as a shocking exception. Verses 21-24 tell us that Enoch did not die. The author tells us the Enoch walked with God for 300 years and then he was no more—that is, God took him to heaven without experiencing death.

The author emphasizes the reason why Enoch did not die by repeating the phrase “walked with God.”  Enoch is an example of one who found life amid the curse of death. In Enoch, the author of Genesis shows us that the pronouncement of death is not the last word. He holds Enoch up as a way to overcome death. “Walking with God” is the way to overcome death and experience life the way God meant it to be.

The whole message of the Bible is essentially summed up in this cemetery passage: We have brought death on ourselves through sin, but God offers us hope by walking with him! “Walking with God” is Genesis’ equivalent to the New Testament’s “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.” Enoch overcame death through a relationship with God.

The only way to overcome death and inherit eternal life is by walking with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus suffered and died on the cross so that we could have forgiveness for our sins. Even though we will all taste physical death like Jesus did, we can overcome death through Jesus’ resurrection.

            Do you have the hope of eternal life today? Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ? Do you have a relationship with him? Are you walking with God as Enoch walked with God? This is the only way to overcome death!

 

4.) Walking through a cemetery reminds us of our family heritage.

Let me briefly point out the contrast between the family heritage of Cain in Genesis 4 and the family heritage of Seth in Genesis 5. Ironically, both lines contain a man named Enoch. The Enoch in Cain’s line carried on his father’s defiance and independence from God. The Enoch in Seth’s line lived such a holy life that God took him. Both lines also contain a man named Lamach. In Cain’s line, Lamech marries multiple wives and ends up murdering a man. (Gen. 4:19, 23-24). He perpetuated the same spirit of revenge and became a murderer like his great-grandfather Cain. The Lamech in the line of Seth became the father of Noah, whom God used to save the human race from the flood. These are not accidental details. The author of Genesis wants us to see the difference between these family heritages.

            Do you see the difference between these two heritages? One honored God and the other defied him! One walked in relationship with God and the other turned to their own human ingenuity and developed technologies to replace God!

            Some of us have inherited a godly heritage from our parents and grandparents. They brought us to church, read us the Scriptures, taught us how to pray, and led us to faith in Jesus Christ. If this is you, praise God and honor your heritage!

            Others of us inherited a sinful heritage from our parents and grandparents. They modeled a life of sin and destruction, and they have passed on ton of spiritual and emotional baggage. If this is you, I want you to know that your heritage does not have to determine your legacy. Walk with God and pass that walk on to your children and grandchildren!

            Someday we will all die, and our family will bury our body in the ground. When our spouse or children or grandchildren or friend comes to the cemetery to look at our gravestone, what will they say? When they look at the little dash between our birthdate and date of death, how will they remember us? When we die, what type of spiritual legacy will we leave behind?

 

 

In 1505, the Italian artist Michelangelo was invited back to Rome by the newly elected Pope Julius II. He was commissioned to build the Pope’s tomb, which was to include forty statues and be finished in five years. But under the Pope’s patronage, he experienced constant interruptions to his work to pursue other projects. Although Michelangelo worked on the tomb for 40 years, it was never finished to his satisfaction.

            During this same period, Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which took four years to complete (1508–1512). The architect Bramante, who was building St. Peter’s Basilica, resented Michelangelo’s commission for the Pope’s tomb and convinced the Pope to hire him in a medium with which he was unfamiliar, in order that he might fail at the task; for Michelangelo was a master sculptor, not a painter. He was originally commissioned to paint the Twelve Apostles on the curved walls that supported the ceiling, but he persuaded the Pope to let him paint a fresco on the whole ceiling, representing the Creation, the Fall of Man, the Promise of Salvation through the prophets, and the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

            Michelangelo’s most prestigious panel, “The Creation of Adam”, illustrates the creation narrative from Genesis 2, where God gives life to Adam, the first man. God is depicted as an elderly white-bearded man wrapped in a swirling cloak, while Adam, on the lower left, is completely nude. God’s right arm is outstretched to impart the spark of life from his own finger into that of Adam, whose left arm is extended in a pose mirroring God’s, a reminder that man is created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26). Another point is that Adam’s finger and God’s finger aren’t touching. It gives the impression that God, the giver of life, is reaching out to Adam who has yet to receive it. The image of the near-touching hands of God and Adam has become iconic of humanity. This painting has been reproduced in countless imitations and parodies and is considered to be one of the greatest paintings of all time.

            “The Creation of Adam” is the perfect piece of artwork to help us transition from Genesis 1 to Genesis 2. Genesis 1 presents God as the transcendent creator of the entire cosmos (heaven and earth). With majestic imagination and omnipotent power, the divine artist designed a magnificent universe and spoke it into existence in six days.

            Genesis 2 zooms in telescopically and gives us a close-up view of the three divinely artistic roles that God plays in the creation of the human race. God is the divine sculptor who created human beings in his own image. God is the divine gardener who planted the perfect habitat for humans to flourish. God is the divine wedding planner who established the institution of marriage for humans to share relational companionship, enjoy sexual pleasure, and perpetuate the human race. Let’s take a look at each of these artistic roles.

 

God, the Divine Sculptor (2:7)

Genesis 1:26-27 already revealed that God created human beings in his own image and likeness and mandated them to rule over the birds of the air and the fish of the sea and all the creatures that move along the ground. The same verses told us that God created human beings with two distinct genders, male and female, thus giving them the ability to rule over the earth by perpetuating the human race through procreation.

Genesis 2 focuses on the process of how God sculpted human beings. Verse 7 shows us that God formed the first man from the dust of the ground. The word “formed” signifies that this act of creation was by design and is often used to describe a potter who shapes clay into pots, which is fitting because God molded the man from the dust of the ground. The Hebrew word for man is “adam” which is a wordplay since the Hebrew word for ground is “adama.” This is where we get the proper name Adam for the first human being that God created. Since the first man came from the ground, he and all human beings are inseparably bound to it.

After God sculpted Adam from the dust, he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. This word for breath is used in the Bible exclusively for God and the life imparted to humans—never for animals. This distinctive inbreathing not only produced animated life, but it also constituted humankind in the image of God, with spiritual understanding and a functioning conscience. By this verse, then, the nation of Israel would see that humankind was created with great care and planning, so that it would have the capacity to serve the Lord God. (Ross 122-123)

Since God uniquely sculpted human beings in his image and likeness, every person has value and worth, and therefore, should be treated with dignity and respect. This is why all forms of racism, classism, sexism, assault, abuse, and bullying are morally wrong— attitudes and behaviors that dehumanize human beings mar the image of God.      

             All human life is sacred and precious to God! It is the gift of God! This is why the taking of human life through homicide, suicide, genocide, infanticide, and abortion in most cases is morally wrong! This is why a military “mistake” like firing missiles at a passenger airplane is so egregious! This is why the assassination of a foreign general outside the bounds of a just war is immoral, regardless of how terrible he is! This is why we should be heartbroken when we hear our fellow Christians advocate for force so quickly and excuse collateral damage so flippantly! Human beings are God’s precious masterpiece!    

            Likewise, since God is the giver of life, we must remember that our lives are not our own—they belong to God. Over the past few decades, American popular culture has coined the catchphrase, “It’s my life! I can do whatever I want with it!” This motto is the epitome of arrogance and egotism! We wouldn’t have life, breath, family, friends, health, wealth, work, meaning, joy, or anything else apart from God’s gracious gift! Our lives do not belong to us; they belong to God! We are simply stewarding of what God has given us! God is the divine sculptor; we are the clay!

 

God, the Divine Gardener (2:4-6, 8-17)

In Genesis 1, we learned that God created the natural world, with sky and sea, field and forest, rock and rivers, and all the creatures that inhabit them. Now in Genesis 2:4-6, we catch an early glimpse of God as the divine gardener as he caused a mist to rise up out of the ground and nourish the vegetation—for he had not caused rain to fall on the land because he had yet created man to work the ground.

Then in verse 8, after he created the first man, God planted a special garden in the east, in a place called Eden. The Hebrew word for “garden” refers to a parklike setting featuring trees and what we would call landscaping. The word “Eden” means “to enrich” or “make abundant.” The abundance in this garden is seen in the mighty spring that gushes up from Eden and flows through the garden and waters all the trees. This river eventually divides into four rivers to nourish the fertile land outside the garden where gold and precious gems are found.

The author of Genesis draws special attention to the trees inside God’s garden. The trees were pleasing to the eye and provided plentiful food to eat. But there were two particular trees that held prominence over all the others. The fruit from the tree of life extended human life—it was like a fountain of perpetual youth. And Adam was allowed to eat from it freely. On the other hand, God forbid Adam to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. “The knowledge of good and evil” is a figure of speech that means moral knowledge or wisdom—the ability to distinguish good and evil. Since everything God had created was good, the man did not need this ability. All he needed to do was trust God and obey the prohibition to eat from this tree.

            The picture that emerges from this description is one of paradise. By his goodness and grace, God, the divine gardener, planted a perfect environment for the human race to prosper and flourish. He provided beauty for the eye to behold, abundant food to sustain life, and meaningful work in managing the garden. Adam only had to obey one commandment to preserve paradise.

            In these verses, God, the divine gardener, reveals the secret to living a blessed life. Even though we no longer live in the paradise of Eden, God has blessed us with a world where natural beauty abounds. Especially, here in Vermont, our eyes gaze upon a kaleidoscope of color in the springtime flowers, the marled green grass of summertime meadows, the awe inspiring arrays of autumn foliage, and the snow-capped mountains of wintertime. God has also blessed us with an abundance of food to eat and meaningful work to do.

            Just yesterday afternoon, Jennifer and I beheld God’s beauty while cross-country skiing the snow laden Mississquoi Valley Rail Trail. Then we came home and enjoyed God’s bounty in the form of a delicious venison stew with biscuits and butter. Then, with a clear mind and a full belly, I sat down and put the final touches on this sermon, which was meaningful work for me; hopefully it is meaningful to you too!

            The first part of living a blessed life is appreciating God’s gifts of beauty, abundance, and meaning!

            The second part of living a blessed life is obeying God’s commandments. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is long gone, but God has given us many commandments in his word. These commandments, which include “Don’t murder! Don’t lie! Don’t steal! Don’t commit adultery!” are parameters that protect us from the consequences of sin—guilt, shame, conflict, pain, and death! (For instance, if you lie to your wife, it will lead to conflict and pain, and it may result in death!) The Divine Gardener has given us everything we need to live a blessed life. Let us live within the parameters of his plan!

 

God, the Divine Wedding Planner (2:18-25)

After God sculpted the man out of the dust of the ground and planted him in the beautiful Garden of Eden with all of its bountiful provisions, Genesis 2 goes on to present God as the divine wedding planner. In Genesis 2:18, we see that God’s creative work was incomplete. Adam was alone and had no suitable partner to help him tend the garden and rule over God’s creation. He did not recognize his need or desire for human companionship until God had given him the task of naming the animals. Presumably, as the menagerie of animals paraded by him, he realized that there was no creature like him. Perhaps God waited to create the woman until the man could fully appreciate God’s gift of a wife. (Waltke 89)

So, God the divine anesthesiologist caused the man to fall into a deep sleep and then God the divine surgeon removed one of the man’s ribs and fashioned it into the first female human being. It is not altogether clear why God created the woman from the man’s rib. It may be a mere reference to the man’s flesh and bone, which would imply intimacy and harmony in the marriage relationship.

Either way, the best explanation I’ve heard comes from the nineteenth century commentator Matthew Henry, who famously said, “The woman is not made out of his head to top him, nor out of his feet to be trampled by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.”

When the man woke up from his slumber and laid his eyes on the beautiful woman standing before him, he explodes with the exuberant elegy: “This at last is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Can’t you here his joy? The point of this poem is that humankind has reached its goal in the complementary partnership of man and woman. (Ross 127)

The epilogue in verses 24-25 provides God’s model for marriage for the rest of human history. For the sake of the wife, the man leaves his family of origin and is united to his wife in a covenantal commitment and then they join together in a one flesh relationship. God intended that husband and wife be a spiritual, functional unity, walking in integrity, serving him, and keeping his commandments. If this pattern prevailed, humans would experience God’s blessing.

            When God, the divine wedding planner, brought the first man and woman together in holy matrimony, he established the pattern for human marriage. Notice the components of God’s plan: Marriage is between one man and one woman—not two men or two women or one man and multiple women! Marriage necessitates a separation from the family of origin—our spouse becomes our primary relational priority—not our parents or even our children. Marriage requires a lifelong covenant commitment to our spouse. Marriage is a spiritual, emotional, and sexual relationship—body, mind, and soul are shared with our spouse.

            Notice also the order of these components—marriage begins with leaving your family—then it involves a cleaving to the spouse—and then it involves the weaving of bodies in a sexual relationship. Leaving, cleaving, and then weaving! When this order is inverted in any way, it breaks God’s pattern for marriage. Any departure from this pattern is unsanctioned by God and therefore forfeits his blessing. Since God is the divine wedding planner, let’s follow his pattern for marriage and family life!

Well, Genesis 2 has given us a close-up view of God’s marvelous masterpiece. Since God is the divine sculptor of the human race, let’s respect and support the sanctity of human life! Since God is the divine gardener, let’s appreciate his beautiful and abundant provision and obey his commands! And since God is the divine wedding planner, let’s follow his master plan for marriage!

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And God stepped out on space,
And he looked around and said:
I’m lonely –
I’ll make me a world

And far as the eye of God could see
Darkness covered everything
Blacker than a hundred midnights
Down in a cypress swamp.

Then God smiled,
And the light broke,
And the darkness rolled up on one side,
And the light stood shining on the other,
And God said: That’s good!

Then God reached out and took the light in his hands,
And God rolled the light around in his hands
Until he made the sun;
And he set that sun a-blazing in the heavens.
And the light that was left from making the sun
God gathered it up in a shining ball
And flung it against the darkness,
Spangling the night with the moon and stars.
Then down between
The darkness and the light
He hurled the world;
And God said: That’s good!

Then God himself stepped down –
And the sun was on his right hand,
And the moon was on his left;
The stars were clustered about his head,
And the earth was under his feet.
And God walked, and where he trod
His footsteps hollowed the valleys out
And bulged the mountains up.
Then he stopped and looked and saw
That the earth was hot and barren.

So God stepped over to the edge of the world
And he spat out the seven seas –
He batted his eyes, and the lightnings flashed –
He clapped his hands, and the thunders rolled –
And the waters above the earth came down,
The cooling waters came down.

Then the green grass sprouted,
And the little red flowers blossomed,
The pine tree pointed his fingers to the sky,
And the oak spread out his arms,
The lakes cuddled down in the hollows of the ground,
And the rivers ran down to the sea;
And God smiled again,
And the rainbow appeared,
And curled itself around his shoulder.

Then God raised his arm and he waved his hand
Over the sea and over the land,
And he said: Bring forth! Bring forth!
And quicker than God could drop his hand,
Fishes and fowlsAnd beasts and birds

Swam the rivers and the seas,
Roamed the forests and the woods,
And split the air with their wings.
And God said: That’s good!

Then God walked around,
And God looked around
On all that he had made.
He looked at his sun,
And he looked at his moon,
And he looked at his little stars;
He looked on his world
With all its living things,
And God said: I’m lonely still.

Then God sat down –
On the side of a hill where he could think;
By a deep, wide river he sat down;
With his head in his hands,
God thought and thought,
Till he thought: I’ll make me a man!

Up from the bed of the river
God scooped the clay;
And by the bank of the river
He kneeled him down;
And there the great God Almighty
Who lit the sun and fixed it in the sky,
Who flung the stars to the most far corner of the night,
Who rounded the earth in the middle of his hand;
This Great God,
Like a mammy bending over her baby,
Kneeled down in the dust
Toiling over a lump of clay
Till he shaped it in his own image;

Then into it he blew the breath of life,
And man became a living soul.
Amen. Amen.

“The Creation” by James Weldon Johnson

            This poem, titled “The Creation” was composed by James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938) and published in The Book of American Negro Poetry in 1922. Johnson used a poetic style called “pulpit oratory” to retell the creation story from the Book of Genesis. This style, which incorporates vivid description and grandiose expression, is common in African American rhetoric. It’s a form of literary art that brings a story to life. 

            With one caveat, I love Johnson’s poem! I take theological exception to his affirmation that God created the world because he was lonely. To the contrary, God was not lonely at all. In the eternal self-existent triune Godhead, the persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have supreme relational fulfillment among themselves. God does not need the universe or even angels or human beings to satisfy some emotional deficiency or longing. He did not create the world because he was lonely; rather, he created the world to display his glory! (Psalm 19:1) 

            Apart from this, I think Johnson’s poem is brilliant! It utilizes creative imagery and artistic expression to exhibit God’s masterpiece. He uses a form of human art (poetry) to showcase the divine artist! This creative interpretation of Genesis 1 certainly incites our imagination as we reconsider the creation story.  

What Genesis 1 Does Not Teach Us

            Before we take a closer look at what this text teaches us, let me begin by mentioning a couple of things that this text does not teach us, and hopefully avoid some mistakes that well-intentioned people have made in the past. First, Genesis 1 does not tell us everything about creation. Even the iconic opening line of the Bible, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” does not tell us when God created the universe. When you read this verse, have you ever asked yourself the question, “In the beginning of what?” It is obviously not referring to the beginning of God and therefore not the beginning of everything. Does the author mean the something abstract like the beginning of time or history? Is it perhaps a more scientific beginning—like the beginning of matter or the universe? Or is it possible that this is a simple literary summary that means “in the beginning of the story?” (Walton 67)

            Notice, in verse 2, the actual creation story does not begin with the creation of matter; it begins with the cosmos already in existence, albeit in in a chaotic state—“The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep.” This verse raises many questions about creation: How did the earth become formless and void? Where did the darkness and the deep come from? The text does not answer these questions. We know from other places in Scripture that God created the universe out of nothing, but the author of Genesis begins the creation story with God bringing order out of chaos! The purpose of Genesis 1 is not to answer all of our questions about how the world came to be; rather it is to affirm God as the original artist who transformed a chaotic cosmos into a picturesque planet where life could flourish.   

            Second, Genesis 1 is neither a scientific treatise nor does it address our scientific questions about cosmic origins. When the ancients wanted to describe or discuss creation, they had little interest in the material structure or formational history of the cosmos. Rather, their concerns focused on the functional cosmos. Genesis 1 was never meant to answer scientific questions like the Big Bang, the age of the earth, or even evolutionary process. When we reduce Genesis 1 to an apology for creation against evolution, we miss the whole point of the passage. Genesis 1 is not even primarily about creation; it is about the creator! 

            Therefore, lets shift our focus to what Genesis 1 actually teaches us about the creator. Since I don’t have enough time to address every aspect of Genesis 1 in a single sermon, let me highlight two things we learn about this creator God.

What Genesis 1 Does Teach Us

1.) God is the original artist.

            The Bible begins, in the very first verse, by telling us that God is the original artist. He conceived the universe in his creative mind and then spoke it into existence with incomparable craftsmanship. He created the heavens and the earth and everything that is within them. The story really begins in verse 2, when God brought order out of chaos. He brought form to the formless void—his breath was hovering over the surface of the deep and he spoke into the darkness and filled the empty and uninhabitable earth! Like a master painter who begins with a blank canvas and a palate of many colors, God took the formless earth and fashioned it into a marvelous masterpiece.   

            Throughout Genesis 1, we witness God’s creative qualities and artistic abilities. His creation was not randomly or haphazardly thrown together; it was formed with intricate order and structure. There is a clear plan and a consistent pattern in the six days of creation. Do you see rhythm of creation? Each day begins with an announcement (“And God said”), and then a command (“Let there be…”), separation (“and he separated”), a report (“and it was so), a naming (“and God called”), an evaluation (And God saw that it was good”), and finally a chronological marker (and there was evening and morning…”). 

            The six days of creation are also divided into two triads, which contrast with the unformed and unfilled state of the earth when the story begins. On days 1, 2, and 3, God creates light, sky and sea, and land and vegetation. Then on days 4, 5, and 6, God creates the sun, moon, and stars to bear the light, fish to swim the seas and fowl to soar the skies, and livestock and wild animals to inhabit the land and eat the vegetation. 

            Like a Bach concerto or a great work of Jazz, the original artist displays a brilliant blend of unity and diversity in his creation. God brought order to the uninhabitable chaos and created this picturesque planet as a place for life to flourish. Therefore, every time we gaze upon the mountains and meadows, rocks and rivers, forests and flowers, we should pause and appreciate the intricacies of the original artist! Whether it’s the glimmer of a glorious sunrise or the glow of a harvest moon hanging in the southern sky, the scent of pine while walking through the woods, the sweet taste of sap dripping from the maple trees, or the sparrow singing in the bloomed dogwood, we should praise the original artist for his beauty and creativity! Every time we stroll through God’s multi-dimensional art gallery, we should pause and thank him for his handiwork. And as we enjoy and subdue God’s glorious creation, we should do our part to preserve his marvelous masterpiece! 

2.) God created human beings to be cocreators with him.

            As we consider God’s artistic creativity through the first five days of creation, we must zoom in on the second part of the sixth day, the crescendo of creation, when God, the Holy Trinity, spoke and said , “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Gen. 1:26) He created humans, male and female, with anatomical and reproductive diversity, so that they might perpetuate the human race. Then God commanded them to “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion…” He created human beings to be creative—to take the raw materials he made and use them to create more human life and subdue the earth. 

            Since God created us to be cocreators with him, we uniquely reflect God’s image and glory when we apply our creative abilities. God gave us the unique ability to create other human beings! He gave us the ability to subdue and have dominion over the earth by painting pictures, composing melodies, crafting quilts, penning poems, telling stories, forming sculptures, baking cakes, building buildings, shooting photographs, planting gardens, brewing beer, designing clothing, drawing blueprints, roasting coffee, choreographing a dance, and making maple syrup. 

            Consider two powerful quotes. The Nobel Prize winning Russian novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn once said, “It is the artist who realizes that there is a supreme force above him and works gladly away as an apprentice under God’s heaven.” Likewise, the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn once said, “Never was I so devout as when I composed The Creation. I knelt down each day to pray to God to give me strength for my work….When I was working on The Creation I felt so impregnated with Divine certainty, that before sitting down to the piano, I would quietly and confidently pray to God to grant me the talent that was needed to praise Him worthily.”

            Let us live out Genesis 1 by joining Solzhenitsyn, Haydn, and the great cloud of artists who have glorified God by using their creative abilities to cocreating with him! What creative abilities has God given you? How are you using them glorify God and bless other people around you? You never know how God might use even a modest work of art to inspire the masses! I recently heard the story of a lowly Catholic priest collaborated with an elementary school teacher to compose the famous Christmas Carol “Silent Night!” It’s amazing how God can use a forgotten poem and a simple guitar tune to teach the world about the birth of his son, our Savior, Jesus Christ!  

           As we contemplate everything that we have learned from Genesis 1 today, let me bring this sermon to a climactic conclusion with a quote from comedian Demitri Martin who said, “The earth without art is just eh.” Let us pray! 

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            Mokoto Fujimura is a renowned Japanese American author and painter. In his recent book Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Lives, he tells an interesting story about the time his wife infuriated him by bringing home a bouquet of flowers. Listen to the story in his own words: 

            “As newlyweds, my wife and I began our journey with very little. After Judy and I got married in the summer of 1983, after college, we moved to Connecticut for Judy to pursue her master’s degree in marriage counseling. I taught at a special education school and painted from home. We had a tight budget and often had to ration our food (lots of tuna cans!)  just to get through the week. 

            One evening I was sitting alone, waiting for Judy to come home to our small apartment, worried about how we were going to afford the rent and pay for necessities over the weekend. Our refrigerator was empty, and I had no cash left. 

            Then Judy walked in and had brought home a bouquet of flowers. I got really upset.          “How could you think of buying flowers if we can’t even eat?” I remember saying, frustrated. Judy’s reply has been etched in my heart for over thirty years now. “We need to feed our souls too!”   

            The irony is that I’m an artist. I am the one, supposedly, feeding people’s souls. But in worrying for tomorrow, the stoic responsibility I felt to make ends meet, to survive, I failed to be an artist. Judy was the artist: she brought home a bouquet. 

            I do not remember what we ended up eating that day (probably tuna fish.) But I do remember that particular bouquet of flowers. I painted them. “We need to feed our souls too!           Those words still resonate with me today. Is Judy still right? Do we, as human beings, need more than food and shelter? Do we need beauty in our lives? Given our limited resources, how do we cultivate and care for our souls?”

            For just a moment, put yourself in Mokoto Fujimura’s shoes! How would you have reacted to Judy’s exhibit of aesthetic extravagance? Would you have complained about her choice of aesthetic impracticality over nutritional necessity? Be honest with yourself: which would you value more, a bouquet of flowers or a basket of food? 

            This story compels us to contemplate the question: Do our souls need beauty as much as our bodies need bread? What value do you place on aesthetic beauty in our life? 

            Jesus helps us answer some of these questions in Mark 14:1-11, where we encounter the surprising scene of Jesus defending an act of aesthetic extravagance against the conventional concerns of his disciples. As we examine this story together, notice how Jesus values art, aesthetics, and beauty for our common lives. You just might become convinced that beholding beauty is essential for a healthy soul. 

An Act of Aesthetic Extravagance (1-3)

            It was a few days before the Passover Feast. As Jerusalem swelled with people from all corners of the country to celebrate this sacred Jewish holiday, the chief priests and teachers of the law were conspiring to kill Jesus.

            But just three miles outside Jerusalem, in the little village of Bethany, Jesus and his disciples were attending an intimate dinner party at the home of Simon the Leper. We don’t know much about Simon the Leper or the reason for this meal. He was probably one of the lepers whom Jesus healed; perhaps the meal was given as an expression of gratitude. Mark doesn’t tell us what was on the menu that night, but in a Jewish home like this we can be certain that shrimp scampi or pulled-pork BBQ didn’t appear on the plates. 

            After the meal was finished and everyone was relaxing around the table, a woman came to Jesus with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. Mark doesn’t tell us the woman’s name, but John’s gospel reveals that it was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who were also from the village of Bethany. We don’t know how Mary acquired this precious jar of pure nard, but we know that it was rare and very expensive because spikenard was imported all the way from India. (Back in those days, Amazon Prime didn’t offer free delivery.) 

            Nevertheless, Mary took her most precious earthly possession, broke the alabaster jar, and poured a year’s worth of wages over Jesus’ head, and as John’s gospel tells us, she also poured some on his feet and she washed them with her hair. A beautiful fragrance filled the room. What an extraordinary expression of aesthetic extravagance! What a demonstrative display of devotion to Jesus!      

            When we consider Mary’s audacious act, it induces us to think about how we express our love and worship for Jesus. Would we be willing to sacrifice our most precious earthly possession for such an act of adoration to the Lord? Would we offer our time, our talent, and our treasure?

Wasteful Spending (4-5)

            Well, not everyone was impressed with this act of aesthetic extravagance. Mark does not name those who reacted negatively to the “waste” of perfume, but Matthew tells us that it was the disciples and John tells us that Judas Iscariot led the charge. They protested by asking, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” Judas’ indignant objection seemed pious, but he didn’t really care about the poor; he was the treasurer of the Twelve and he had a habit of dipping into fingers into the money bag for his own selfish purposes. 

            It is also interesting that these disciples railed on Mary for her wastefulness when they were often the beneficiaries of her hospitality. I guess they never learned the proverb: “don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” 

            People always like to complain about other people’s wasteful spending. For instance, how many of you have family members or coworkers who waste money? How many of you believe that our government wastes money? Accusations of wasteful spending are always due to differences in values. What you think is a waste, someone else may consider important; what you think is important; someone else may consider a waste. Our spending always shows what we value! 

            What do you think? Was Mary’s act of aesthetic extravagance a waste? Mary certainly didn’t think so! Did Mary not care about the poor? I’m sure she did; but she valued Jesus more. What do you value most in your life?   

The Beautiful Rebuke (6-9)

            What did Jesus think about this act of aesthetic extravagance? We would expect him to react with the same modesty and utility as the disciples, but he doesn’t. He immediately comes to Mary’s defense. Instead of condemning her, he commends her audacious action as a beautiful expression of love and gratitude toward him, and she should not be berated for it.

            In addition to this being an expression of sacrificial love, Jesus interpreted Mary’s artistic act as a pre-anointing of his body in preparation for burial (This is somewhat like making funeral prearrangements). Typically, bodies were anointed with perfume after death, not before. Time for such an act of adoration while Jesus was with them was running out. On the contrary, opportunities for helping the poor would continue. As one commentator notes, “Mary seems to have been the only one who was sensitive to the impending death of Jesus and who was willing to give a material expression of her esteem for him. Jesus’ reply shows his appreciation of her act of devotion.” 

            In fact, Jesus was so moved by Mary’s gesture that he says, “Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” In a stroke of unintentional irony, Mark quotes Jesus predicting that this story will always be told in memory of a woman whose very name escapes him. Nonetheless, here we are some 2000 years later still telling this story! 

            But still, you may be wondering: Does Jesus’ rebuke show a lack of concern for the poor? Absolutely not! Jesus constantly showed his compassion for “the least of these” throughout his ministry, but he would not take this expression of love away from Mary.  

            Some people have posed the questions—how, as Christians, are we able to feast in a world where there is so much hunger? How can we celebrate when there is so much sadness and suffering all around us? How do we reconcile our lavish Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas gifts when there are so many people living in poverty? How can we purchase a painting, attend a concert, go to a play, put on a dab of perfume, or buy a bouquet of flowers when there are so many more practical needs in life? Is there ever a place for aesthetic extravagance in the Christian life?

            Here is the way I believe Jesus would answer these questions: balance! If we constantly neglect the poor to support an extravagant lifestyle, we are guilty of selfishness. On the other hand, occasional extravagance can be a beautiful thing and have a profound and lasting impact on our souls. So, enjoy your holiday feasts and celebrations; just don’t do it every day! And when it comes to art, aesthetics, and beauty, we must remember the importance of feeding our souls!

A Costly Betrayal (10-11)

            Immediately, after the anointing, we learn about Judas’ duplicity as he offers to betray Jesus to the chief priests. Mary’s extravagant act of devotion stands in stark contrast to Judas’ act of betrayal. Isn’t it ironic that right after Judas complains about Mary’s extravagant waste, we find him betraying Jesus to the chief priests for a few silver coins? He is willing to sacrifice Jesus to obtain material gain for himself; on the other hand, Mary sacrificed her most precious material possession for Jesus. Mary will always be remembered for her act of devotion; Judas will always be remembered for his act of betrayal. 

            These verses cause us to ask some penetrating questions: How will I be remembered when I’m are gone? Will I be remembered for my greed or my generosity? Will I be remembered for my duplicity or my devotion? Will I be remembered for my selfishness or my sacrifice? Will I be remembered for my betrayal or my faithfulness to Jesus?Conclusion

            Some of you may be familiar with Isaak Dinesen’s short story “Babette’s Feast.” It was adapted into a film and won the Academy Award for “Best Foreign Film” in 1987. It is my favorite film of all time and I watch it every year on the night before Thanksgiving. It is the perfect illustration of beholding beauty in aesthetic extravagance.

            The story is set in 19th century Denmark and centers around two sisters who live in an isolated village with their father, who is the honored pastor of a small Protestant church. Although they each are presented with a real opportunity to leave the village, the sisters choose to stay and serve their father and their church. They always ate a meager meal of bland fish soup so that they could use their modest resources to help people in need.

            Many years later, after the sister’s father is dead and buried, Babette, a refugee from the French Civil War, arrives at the sister’s door, begs them to take her in, and commits herself to work for them as maid/housekeeper/cook. Sometime later, the sisters decide to hold a dinner to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth. Meanwhile, Babette unexpectedly wins the lottery and implores the sisters to allow her to prepare an authentic French feast for the celebration. Although they are secretly concerned about what Babette, a Roman Catholic and a foreigner, might make, the sisters allow her to go ahead, but the church members all agree in advance not to enjoy the meal. 

            Babette purchases fine china, crystal, and linen with which to set the table and imports the most luxurious ingredients from France. Then she prepares the feast of a lifetime, with the perfect wines to complement each of the six courses. The church members simply cannot resist enjoying the meal and the whole experience transforms their lives—old conflicts are healed, prejudices pass away, memories are celebrated, and new relationships begin. After the feast, they discover that Babette was the famous former Chef of the Café Anglais, the most prestigious restaurant in Paris. They also discovered that the meal cost 10,000 francs, the full amount of her lottery winnings. 

            Babette sacrificed everything she had to show her love and devotion to her friends. She, like Jesus and Mary of Bethany, knew the value of aesthetic extravagance! For even a tuna fish sandwich tastes better when you’re looking a beautiful bouquet of flowers!