[0:00] Well, take your Bibles and turn to Genesis chapter 1.! Genesis chapter 1. We're going to read the entire chapter, and I'm going to ask that you would stand as we read.
[0:14] ! Genesis chapter 1. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty.
[0:27] Darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, Let there be light. And there was light.
[0:38] God saw that the light was good. And he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And there was evening, and there was morning the first day.
[0:51] And God said, Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water. So God made the expanse and separated the water above the expanse, or under the expanse from the water above it.
[1:05] And it was so. God called the expanse sky. And there was evening, and there was morning the second day. And God said, Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.
[1:19] And it was so. God called the dry ground land, and the gathered waters he called seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, Let the land produce vegetation, seed-bearing plants and trees, on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their kinds.
[1:48] And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning the third day. And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night.
[2:01] And let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years. And let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.
[2:12] And it was so. God made two great lights, the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness.
[2:33] And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning the fourth day. And God said, Let the water team with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.
[2:48] So God created the great creatures of the sea, and every living and moving thing with which the water teams, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.
[3:00] And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, Be fruitful, and increase in number, and fill the water and the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.
[3:11] And there was evening, and there was morning the fifth day. And God said, Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds.
[3:24] Livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind. And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.
[3:41] And God saw that it was good. Then God said, Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.
[3:58] So God created man in his own image. In the image of God, he created him. Male and female, he created them. God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, and increase in number.
[4:14] Fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves on the ground. Then God said, I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth, and every tree that has fruit with seed in it.
[4:31] They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth, and all the birds of the air, and all the creatures that move on the ground, everything that has breath of life in it.
[4:43] I give every green plant for food. And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.
[5:04] We're just beginning a new series on the topic of the goodness of God. And we're asking the question, why? And the first was just because God is good.
[5:16] We were made to know him. And he's revealed himself as good. And that's reason enough. And so we took as our launching point Psalm 119 and verse 68, where David says to the Lord God, You are good, and what you do is good.
[5:36] Teach me your decrees. And there we learn that good is what God is. It's his essence. It's his nature. He's a bubbling over.
[5:49] He has this bubbling over disposition to bless his creatures. A delight in their well-being. A joy in seeing them happy. He is good.
[6:00] But good is also what he does. It can't be kept in. It must find expression. And God's actions are always in line with his nature.
[6:12] He is good. And so everything he does is good. As the Puritan Sharnock said, He is so good that he cannot be bad.
[6:25] Children, you may be a good boy in daddy's eyes, but you're not so good that you cannot be bad. God is good and only does good.
[6:35] Even his judgments and punishments are good. So this morning we move on. Secondly, why study the goodness of God? Because this is one of the first things that God tells us about himself in the Bible.
[6:52] Maybe you started a new Bible reading program for this new year. And if so, you've recently read Genesis chapter 1, as we have this morning.
[7:03] What did you find there as you read? Well, that on the very first page of the Bible, we're bombarded with the goodness of God.
[7:14] Not once, twice, thrice, not four, five, six, seven times in the first chapter, we're told that God is good.
[7:29] You think God might be trying to teach us something right up front about himself that's important? Six times in the creation week, God the Creator pauses and he views what it is that he's made.
[7:43] And then he gives us his own assessment of it. Now remember when in the beginning God created, there was no one else, just God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
[7:59] And so he was his own quality control, let's say. And so he stops the work of creating six times to inspect it, to look at it carefully, and then to tell us what he finds.
[8:15] To see if it passes his highest standard, the highest standard of his own goodness. And each time he records the outcome. And God saw that it was good.
[8:31] God good. And then at the end of the sixth day of creation, after the whole of creation is done, with everything made that was made, God once more surveys the whole universe, with each part now working together with all the other parts in perfect harmony, and he gives his final stamp of approval, and says, God saw all that he had made.
[9:02] He purviews all that he's made, and it was very good. So if all the parts are good, then all of them working in harmony together, that's very good.
[9:17] And that's the way the chapter ends. That's the way creation ends. So in chapter 2 of Genesis, verse 18, it almost looks like God made something that wasn't good.
[9:32] We read there, the Lord God said, it is not good for the man to be alone. So that ought to strike us after we've read seven times, it was good.
[9:43] It was good. Now, it is not good. What is this? Well, did God make something not good? Ladies, you're cooking cornbread, and you've mixed the cornmeal, and the milk, and the eggs together into one big bowl of goop, and a hungry husband comes rushing through the kitchen, and grabs a sample with a spoon, and says, it is not good.
[10:10] And you thank him for his assessment, and say, it is not done. Come back, and in 20 minutes, give me your assessment.
[10:22] And he does. And he says, it is very good. Now, that's the sort of thing we have in Genesis chapter 2, and verse 18. God takes us back.
[10:33] He rewinds the tape back into the sixth day, and we find that he's already made Adam, the animals, and all the rest that we read about, but he's not yet made Eve.
[10:47] So he's mid-creation. He's in the kitchen, but he's in the process of creating, we would say. He wasn't done yet.
[11:00] Then why would he give us his assessment here? Why would he break into the middle, and give us his assessment? Well, to correct any man, who might come along later, and think that the world would be a better place without women.
[11:15] No, he says, it was not good for the man to be alone. That was never my intention. That is not my good plan.
[11:26] man. No, without woman, you're half-baked, man. Here's your completer. Here's your helpmate. And so, he declares, this isn't what I was out to do, just to make man, and leave him like that.
[11:42] No, it's not good for the man to be alone. Therefore, this is what I intended, and I'm going to do. I'm going to make a helper suitable for him.
[11:57] Adam could hardly know what he was missing at that point, but God did, and so he created the perfect match for him. A woman, one like him, and yet gloriously different from him.
[12:14] Why? Because God is good, and he delights, to see his creatures, delighting, in what he's made.
[12:26] Proverbs says, he who finds a wife, finds what is, good, and receives favor, from the Lord. You see, that's the good plan of God.
[12:37] That's the good gift, that God has given. And so, it's after God performed the first wedding, and brought the woman to the man, that he then, gives his final assessment, that we read in chapter 1, verse 31, he saw all that he had made now, Adam and Eve together, in the embrace of love, and says, it is very good, very good.
[13:02] Now, when God sees all, he sees all. And if he declares, it is all very good, then it is all very good, without exceptions.
[13:14] And that means, then, that even the devil was good, as he came from the hand of God. God cannot make something not good.
[13:28] All, all, that he had made, was good. The New Testament, echoes the same, in 1 Timothy 4, 4, for everything God created, is good, and is not to be rejected, if it is received, with thanksgiving.
[13:43] You see, it's man, who takes what is good, and perverts it, to what is bad. But what God makes, is good. That's what he's telling us. And so, every creature, that God made, has the fingerprints, of God's goodness, all over it.
[13:59] Now, there's a whole lot, to learn about God, in the Bible, wouldn't you agree? Many different, attributes of God. But the first impression, we're given, as soon as we open, our Bibles, is this glorious display, of God's goodness, in creation.
[14:15] I think sometimes, we read over it. And we're so much, trying to figure out, what he's making, and when, that we must miss it. But seven times, he's telling us, something important, about himself.
[14:28] The first impression, that we are meant, to receive about, who God is, is meant to be, the lasting impression, that never leaves us. That this God, who made us, is good.
[14:41] He is good, and what he does, is good. All that he does, is good. This isn't a minor, footnote, stuck away in some, hidden place, at the bottom, of the Bible.
[14:52] No, it's front and center, in your face message. I'm good. And I want you to get that, at the very beginning, and never lose it. And that message, echoes right on, and grows, in volume, to the last page, of the Bible, doesn't it?
[15:10] We're looking at, God's goodness, in creation, this morning. But we're going to see it, in redemption, in providence, in promises, in many different ways. But he begins, with his goodness, in creation.
[15:23] And I want you to personalize, when we think of, God's goodness in creation, and we've got to, get to lunch today, I can't cover all of creation. So we're going to, have to be limited, in what we choose, to think about.
[15:34] But I want to personalize it. I want you to think about, God's goodness, in creating you, and the world, in which, he put you. All right?
[15:45] Now, we start, even before creation then. From eternity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist. And since God, never works without purpose, and plan, consider first, God's goodness, before creation, in planning, for you to exist.
[16:05] You say, where do we learn about that? David says it, in Psalm 139. All the days ordained for me, were written in your book, before one of them came to be.
[16:17] David knows, that the lifespan, that he's given, has been planned by God. It was in his book, before he lived the first, of those days. God, has, has planned, and chosen, to bring you into existence.
[16:33] I know this. God has secrets, and we don't know, all his secrets. But I know something, that he, he planned, before the creation, of the world.
[16:45] He planned, that you exist. How do I know that? I wasn't there. Because you're existing. And that's where, his goodness begins with you.
[16:56] Wasn't God good, to plan, to bring you, into existence. existence. And then in time, he made you, snatching you, right out of nothingness.
[17:09] And he brought you, into existence. Kids, that's what you were, 20 years ago. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Just, just a thought, in God's mind.
[17:23] But he's good. And he snatched you, out of that nothingness, and he made you something. And there you are. You're a real, living being. Something wonderful.
[17:34] A human being. When's the last time, you thank God, that you were not, made a worm, to crawl around, underground, eating dirt. Well, he could have chosen, to make you a worm.
[17:46] He chose that, for a lot of things, didn't he? They're all over, out there. And don't get me wrong, worms are good. Just ask the robins. God made them, so we know they're good.
[17:58] And indeed, they're aerating, and fertilizing, the ground, so that it will produce, more for us, in our gardens. God is good. And God made, all creation, to contribute something, to the well-being, and joy, of mankind, his highest creation.
[18:18] And worms, put a happy song, in the mouths, of robins, so that we might enjoy, their sweet songs, on a spring morning. Yes, all God's creatures, are good.
[18:28] And God, sovereignly, distributes his goodness, to each creature, as he wills. And there's greater goodness, to some creatures, than to others. And there's far more, of his goodness, in a human being, than there is in a worm.
[18:42] And that's what he made you. A human being. One made, in the image, of God. It was God's goodness, not to make you a frog, to hop around on all fours, eating flies, with a sticky tongue.
[18:58] But we're glad, that God made somebody, to eat all those flies, aren't we? Less for us, to mess with. He didn't make you a pig, to provide bacon, for someone else's breakfast.
[19:10] A fish, to live in the sea, and be chased around, by bigger fish. But he made you, the highest of all creatures. A human being, made in the likeness, of God.
[19:22] Oh, that men would praise, the Lord for his goodness, for his wonderful works, to the children of men. Now, your life began, the size of a very small crumb.
[19:35] You might see some crumbs, on the table, today. And your life began, as a very small crumb. And yet, tucked into that crumb, was all the genetic information, to make you, you.
[19:48] And over the next, nine months, this good God, knit you together, in your mother's womb, according to his plan, for you. With all the genetic information, stored up in every single cell, as it divides.
[20:00] And so you grew ears, and eyes, and arms, and legs, and lips, and lungs, and a lot more. And everything, in their rightful place. And it was his sheer goodness, that put your eyes, in front of your face, and not in the back, of your head.
[20:19] Why? He's just good. He's just good. He didn't put your ears, on your feet, but on your head. And he gave you two ears, instead of one. Only gave you one nose, but he gave you two ears, so that if I hear a sound, back there, this ear is going to hear it, just a millisecond, before this ear is going to hear it.
[20:42] And my brain is able, to distinguish the difference, of that, and immediately know, that the cry is coming back here, and not over here. Is God good, or what?
[20:54] What has he done for us, in making us? Consider the organ, of your heart, muscle that just, pumps continually.
[21:12] You don't even have to think about it, you haven't been thinking about it, have you? And yet, there it is. Ba-boom, ba-boom, it's pumping. Shooting blood, through millions of miles, of tubes, to keep your whole body alive.
[21:26] Without you needing, to change the filter, grease the valves, change the oil, the heart beats, some three billion times, in the average lifetime. Our friend, Stuart Elliott, from Great Britain, had a tough summer, and fall.
[21:42] Didn't feel himself, weak, hurting. The end of the year, angiogram of the heart, discovered that, his heart's undamaged, all of his major arteries, are clear, but one of his secondary arteries, that provides blood, to the muscle of the heart itself, was blocked, and is still blocked.
[22:04] But amazingly, three to four months ago, the heart realized, that it was blocked, and called for help, and slowly, over a period, of three to four months, started to build, its own detour route, a new artery, to get blood, to the heart.
[22:26] And that explains, why he felt, poorly, this summer and fall, but why he feels fine now. For that new artery, has got to where, where it needs to be, so the heart, has all the blood, that it needs.
[22:45] I don't think, David knew that, but what he did know, of his own body, brought him to say, praise the Lord, for I am, fearfully, and wonderfully made. And so are you.
[22:56] Isn't, isn't God, good to make us, with these self, fixing mechanisms? My car, doesn't fix itself, when it breaks down. my computer, my appliances, they don't fix themselves, and yet my heart, that organ, that I need to live, that can fix itself?
[23:16] Oh, thanks to a good, and caring creator, who designed it, and made it that way, for my good, because he's good, and all he does, is good. A leaf in my roof, doesn't fix itself, when I get a cut, in my skin, that leaks blood, it sends out, a call of distress, for help, and stuff comes, running down, the blood veins, to plug that hole, to form a scab, without God's goodness, in making us that way, we'd all, bled to death, by now.
[23:51] He's good, he thinks about, what's good for us, and he made us, fearfully and wonderfully, he made our bodies, to self heal, from so many illnesses, good guys, in the bloodstream, to attack the bad guys, and kill them, and eat them up, and spit them out, and they usually win, and that's why we, usually, have good health, oh, we're very conscious, when we're, we're in, without good health, but the wonder is not, that one out of the billion, parts breaks down, the wonder is that, that it's, it's working so well, the goodness of God, that has you here, today, a testimony, to his goodness, the body, an intricate machine, with billions of parts, working together, and in the beginning, it did work perfectly, for God, he's good, oh, that men would praise the Lord, for his goodness, let me say something, about the five senses, and God's goodness, mankind, was God's last creation, he first created, the home for man, his entire environment, and then, he filled that world, with good things, with every creature, a conduit, of God's goodness, to man, it's like he spread the table, first, with his exquisite, good gifts, and then, he makes man, and he invites man, to the feast, this, this is, this is for you, enjoy, indeed, he richly provided, everything, for our enjoyment, first Timothy 6, 17, but, but how are we, to enjoy, all the good things, of the earth, that God has created, for us, well, by creating us, with five senses, sight, smell, hearing, tasting, touching, these are the sensory, receptors, receptors, by which we're enabled, to personally experience, the goodness of God, that fills the whole creation, the earth is full, of God's goodness,
[26:12] Psalm 33, 5, and so he gives us, the five senses, that we might taste, and see, that the Lord is good, that we might touch, and hear, and smell, that the Lord is good, why five senses, instead of one, I don't know, other than the fact, that God is just that good, it could have made us, one sense, creatures, but no, he said, I'm going to bless them, with five, he loves to see us, enjoying this goodness, oh, we enjoy it, far more with five senses, than we would with one, and, I'm struck with the way, God has filled the earth, with such a variety, of delightful objects, to gratify our senses, why such variety, we have a saying, variety is the what, the spice of life, we like, food with spice, I mean generally, okay, in other words, God doesn't want, a bland life, for his creatures, and so he gives us five, and a variety, of things, to satisfy, those five senses, so taste, a sheep, is satisfied, with grass, for breakfast, lunch, and supper, every day, now grass, is nutritious, and I suppose, that we could live on grass, and Nebuchadnezzar did, for a long time, didn't he, grass could have, sufficed for us, and you'd have given, thanks for it, you'd have had it raw, and cooked, and steamed, and every way, that mom could fix it, but God sought, our greater enjoyment, at the table, and so he filled the earth, with such a variety, of food, that's not only nourishing, but it's delicious, and delightful, to our taste buds, with different flavors, to make us happy, as well as healthy, oh that men, would praise the Lord, for his goodness, you've been, to a large grocery store, and you step inside, and you're just hit, with a panorama, of God's goodness, you're in the fruit, and vegetable section, and it's, it's not only pleasing, to the taste, it's a pleasing thing, to see isn't it, the way each apple, is just lined up, perfectly, you're afraid, to pick one out, or you'll have applesauce, in front of you, no, and that's just the red ones, and right beside, are the yellow, and then the green, and the pink, and they each have, a little different flavor, and then you go, to the citrus, area, and limes, and lemons, and different kinds, of oranges, different kinds, of grapefruit, fruits from all, over the world, with a taste, that maybe, we've never tasted, before, things, to zing our taste buds, with pleasure, because God is good, and delights, to see, his creatures, delighted, and we're not even, to the ice cream aisle yet, and all the flavors, we find there, or the meat, area, or the breads, the cheeses, that's one sense, whereby we, we taste, the goodness of God, we're going, to do that afterwards, and I want to be sure, we get there, so I'm going to skip, all the rest, you, you unpack it yourself, your eyes, all the pleasures, for your eyes, some of you drive, hundreds of miles, to see, some of the parks, that God has made, and the mountains, and the waterfalls, things that thrill the eyes, smells, the hearing, the voice of a loved one, the gifts of music, the music of birds,
[30:12] each with their different songs, streams, and rain, falling, touch, it's a wonderful thing, to have a newborn baby, wrap her fingers, around one of yours, and you feel it, why did he give us, that pleasure, of feeling that, just because he's good, he delights to see us, enjoy his gifts, oh that men, would praise the Lord, for his goodness, it's not just, our bodies, it's, we're made body, spirit, body, soul creatures, aren't we, the body without, the spirit is dead, no, we have the two parts, to us, and, the spirit, that he created, as well, is, part of his goodness, to us, indeed, a higher goodness, than even, the things of the body, that we've just, spoken of, you see, the soul, is that part of us, that is made to know, and enjoy,
[31:22] God, isn't that a wonderful thing, not just, the physical senses, to enjoy what God makes, but now he gives us a soul, to enjoy, he, himself, so, back to the sheep, he eats and he enjoys, the good gifts of God, but man was, made to eat, and enjoy God, in all, his gifts, you see the difference, the sheep eats, and enjoys the grass, we were made to eat, and enjoy, not only, the green beans, but, God's goodness, we were made to know, and enjoy God himself, the highest goodness, of all, he's given us, five senses, with which to enjoy, his good gifts, and a soul, with which to enjoy, him forever, well, that's my poor attempt, in a few minutes, to set before you, the goodness of God, in creation, it would take, a million lifetimes, to unpack, the goodness of God, in creation, but I challenge you, to begin, to search, it out, four things, by way of application, first, let us enjoy God, in all his gifts, every creature, has something, of the goodness, of God in it, so, and I'm not talking, about pantheism, the tree is not God,
[32:53] I'm talking about, the difference, between the stream, and the fountain, everything God, has created, is stream, it's delivering, goodness to you, but God, is the fountain, and so, all creation, has a voice, that says, God is good, are you hearing, God's goodness, are you seeing, God's goodness, are you tasting, God's goodness, are you feeling, and smelling, God's goodness, well, if you're alive, and well, on planet earth, there's one sense, in which you are, you can't live here, without experiencing, God's goodness, without enjoying, God's goodness, but are you enjoying, God, in it, now that's, a different question, it is more, beast like, to just enjoy, God's gifts, sheep, without enjoying,
[33:54] God, in them, to miss him, to miss God, is to miss, the ultimate purpose, of his gifts, which is to amaze, you with God himself, to amaze, you with his goodness, and so, to draw your heart, heavenward, to lead you, from the streams, of goodness, to the fountain, of all good, that's the ultimate thing, and simply, to take his gifts, without, and to enjoy them, without him, is to miss, everything, and if the creature, is so good, as our five senses, find it to be, what must the goodness, of its creator be, for the created gift, is never as good, as the uncreated giver, so let's not enjoy it, without enjoying him, together, together, that's the chief end of man, to glorify God, and to what, enjoy, him, forever, and it begins now, it begins now, so let's go further, then, in learning to enjoy,
[35:04] God himself, in all his gifts, to taste the goodness, of God, and the good things, of creation, do you know, that gives us, greater enjoyment, that's why the believer, has greater enjoyment, in God's gifts, than the unbeliever, the unbeliever, eats with the sheep, like the sheep, and he enjoys, the good flavors, and sights, and sounds, and feelings, and all the rest, but he misses God, and that's the sweetest part, of all of his gifts, is to realize that, do you know, that behind this good thing, that you're enjoying, is a God, who made you, and that thing, and that he delights, in you enjoying it, do you know, that's the kind of God, that made you, he's just that good, and the person, that knows that, enjoys, everything, in a deeper, broader way, than those, that miss God, so a poor man, eating his rice, three times a day, with a taste, of God's goodness, in it, enjoys his food, more than a king, who eats from his lavish table, without tasting,
[36:13] God's goodness, in it, because the poor man, eats in fellowship, with his good God, he eats with him, he eats enjoying him, tasting his pleasure, in giving this to me, and that gives sweetness, even to a meager portion, so let's work more, on consciously, making the connection, when you see something good, let it lead you, to God, when you hear, delightful music, don't miss, God's goodness, in it, when you smell, and feel something good, trace the good gift, back to the giver, and enjoy him, right there, right then, that's the first thing, let's learn, in fuller ways, to enjoy God, in all his gifts, secondly, make, let's make a fitting response, to God's goodness, with praise, and thanksgiving, praising God, for his goodness, and thanking him, for his good gifts, oh, that men, would praise the Lord, for his goodness, that's the fitting response, it's one of them, is he worthy of this,
[37:23] Psalm 116, 12, David's beside himself, an overwhelming sense, of God's goodness, to him, and the burning question, in David's heart, is, how, how, how, how can I, repay the Lord, for all his goodness, to me, folks, we're just talking, about creation, this morning, but, there's a greater goodness, in giving his own son, for us, that we're going to come to, Lord willing, and David, is, is standing, before this panorama, of God's dealings, with him, his good providence, to him, his good promises, his good redemption, in the coming Messiah, and he just says, how can I repay God, for all his goodness, folks, if that question, is not a burning reality, in our hearts, something's wrong, we have disconnected, the good gifts, from the giver, the goodness, that he scatters, around us, in creation, much less, talking about, providence, promises, redemption, it's meant, to give us, this sense, of God's goodness, what can I do, how can I repay him, for all his goodness, that question, should be percolating, in our hearts, or we're missing, the goodness of God, in our lives, where we're awake, to God's goodness, and where we're not, forgetting all his benefits, we'll be saying, with the psalmist, praise the Lord, for the Lord, is good, sing praise, to his name, for that is pleasant, we'll be declaring, his goodness, in our speech, our songs, in all our ways, we'll be acknowledging, the Lord, as the giver, of every good gift, so that's to praise him, that's a fitting response, isn't it, praise him, for his goodness, but then also, give thanks, for specific gifts received, again, first Timothy 4, for everything,
[39:27] God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received, with, thanksgiving, so we're never, to do this, without, doing this, we're never, to receive the gift, without, giving thanks, for it, because that's why, mom and dad, pause, to pray, before we eat, you see, unlike sheep, we know, that the food, we enjoy, is a good gift, from God, so when food, comes to our tables, we pause, to pray, and to receive it, with thanksgiving, we receive it, with thanksgiving, the fitting response, to the goodness of God, is to give thanks, and each, individual goodness of God, deserves, its own, thanksgiving, and so, this thanking, is done best, by thanking him, even as we enjoy, the gifts, to wait, is often, to forget, do you find that true, to wait, is to forget, and that's why,
[40:36] David's saying, don't forget soul, all the benefits, that God's giving, the best way, is just to keep, short books, with God, and as he gives, to receive, with thanksgiving, I wonder, if we should not be, thanking God, as we're, in the grocery store, that the shelves, are full, of his goodness, and, I wonder, if we shouldn't, pause, as we're listening, to a favorite piece, of music, that delights, our souls, and say, God, thank you, thank you, for giving me ears, and then filling, the earth, with good things, to dazzle my ears, I wonder, if we shouldn't be, pausing, as we're holding, a grandchild, in our hands, or feeling, a wife, in our embrace, and saying, thank you, God, for your goodness, to me, in this gift, let's receive, created gifts, with thanksgiving, and go to heaven, thanking, and praising God, all the way, because his goodness, and mercy, is following us, all the way, shouldn't our, thanking, and praising, follow, all the way, to heaven, third, don't miss, the wickedness, of ingratitude,
[42:02] God's purpose, in creation, was to put on display, the glory, of his goodness, he would make, in creation, his goodness, so evident, that no one, can miss it, Romans 1, tells us exactly that, that there is enough, goodness of God, revealed in creation, to find all men, guilty, and without excuse, for not thanking him, and not giving him, the glory, for what he has done, and what is more common, than people daily, taking God's good gifts, and enjoying them, without a thought, of thanksgiving, to God the giver, without a thought, of receiving those gifts, and using them, to the glory, of God, who made them, worshiping, praising, thanking, serving him, for his goodness, thanks, not only, refusing, to give him thanks, but actually, taking the good gifts, to serve, themselves, rather than, the God, who gave them, taking his good gifts, and using them, to serve other idols, idols of the heart, other things, and so, he gives us this body, and he means, for this good body, that we've talked about, this morning, to be offered back, to him, the whole of it, every one of our five senses, all of our organs, to offer them up, to God, as instruments, of righteousness, unto obedience, to serve God, with this body, and men, take that body, and they pervert it, to serve their sin, and their lusts, and themselves, don't miss, the wickedness, of ingratitude, to God, it's right there, in the different lists, of the Bible, neither were they thankful, disobedient, to parents, unthankful, in the list, as it goes, don't miss, as you see, the greatness, of God's goodness, you'll appreciate, the greatness, of ingratitude, and lost person, if you've not, offered yourself, to God, that's the greatest, abuse of his goodness, stop your abusing, his goodness, and offer yourself, up to this good God, what are you afraid of, this God's good, this God delights, in doing good, to his servants, and lastly, the creation, we see today, is not what it used to be, why do you suppose,
[44:41] God is so determined, in chapter one, of the Bible, page one, of the Bible, to emphasize, that everything, he made was good, seven times, because he knew, that when mankind, rebelled against him, and their sin, and evil, brought the consequences, of death, and pain, and suffering, and disorder, that men would see, such evils in the world, and would blame God, for it, we'll see that, perhaps next week, how they do that, but if they try, to blame God, for all the bad stuff, in the world, they've got Genesis one, as a testimony, that's not the way, I made it, when I handed it to you, it was very good, it was very good, it was man, that I made, upright, at the beginning, who has, devised many schemes, and gone astray, and has corrupted himself, freely of his own choice, and ruined himself, and his environment, and so, they have no one, to blame, but themselves, so when men, complain today, of the suffering, and evil, in the world, how can God be good, if there's such evil, and suffering, in the world,
[46:05] God can say, read Genesis one, it stands as a defense, for the goodness of God, the character, of God, and everything, that he's made, so we need to remember, that the creation, that we see today, is not what it used to be, before sin, and the curse came, and yet, there's still goodness, isn't there, in God's creation, we just spoke of it, this morning, and nature's remaining, goodnesses, are echoes, of a better time, in the past, pointing us back, to Eden's, untainted goodness, but also, God, these remaining, goodnesses, around us, are shadows, pointing us forward, to the untainted, goodness of God, in a new heaven, and a new earth, are you going there, what a shame, to only have experienced, this world, in its tainted form, under the curse of God, what a shame, to have lived out, your earthly life, never having seen it, as God may have made it, perfectly, the only way, to get into that, new heavens, and new earth, is through Jesus Christ,
[47:16] I'm the way, I'm the way there, you've got to walk me, you've got to receive me, you've got to take me, oh, don't, don't live out, your existence, and only have, the remaining, goodness of God, to be followed by, an eternity, without, any, good gifts, any mercy, any love, why, when he offers, eternal life, in his son, and every blessing, in him, and his heart is, he would rather, have you come, and receive Christ, and eternal life, in him, take him, take him today, God is good, he's just that good, even when we had strayed, and ruined ourselves, and our environment, he sent the son, that he loved the most, his one, and only son, to redeem us, to, to rescue us, to restore us, to himself, let's praise him, thank you,
[48:17] Father, that, you have given us, such a, dazzling display, of your goodness, in the scriptures, defining, the way the world, once was a creation, and even what, you're going to make it, again to be, but, but forgiving us, to exist, as human beings, with our senses, in this world, and to, to see everywhere, how good you are, forgive us, that we run right, over these things, that we, stuff them down, our throats, and into our eyeballs, and our ears, and our, feelings, and all these things, without enjoying you, give us a new sensitivity, to be looking for your goodness, and making the connection, and immediately, thanking you, for your good gifts to us, and oh, draw others, to taste and see, that the Lord is good, and his goodness, in Jesus Christ, is willing to have them, we pray in Jesus name, Amen.