| As we come to the third week of our Apostles’ Creed sermon series, we will be considering the words, “…almighty, the maker of heaven and earth.” This refers to God the Father, of course. He is “almighty” and His great might has been demonstrated in His creation of heaven and earth.
The sermon text is Isaiah 45:9-12. This passage opens with God declaring “woe” upon the person who strives with Him. Why is striving with God so bad, worthy of a divine “woe”? Because God is the Creator of all things, including man. For man to strive with God is the equivalent of a piece of clay saying to the potter, “Why have you made me like this?” (see Romans 9:19-24).
What God is communicating through Isaiah 45:9-12 is that mankind does not have the right to critique God’s creation and design of the universe; no more than an earthen pot has the right to say to the potter, “Your work has no handles” (v. 9).
By reciting the Apostles’ Creed, we are affirming that God is the Maker of heaven and earth. Isaiah 45:9-12 teaches us that affirming God as the Creator automatically places us in a subordinate position to Him. As a subordinate, there are certain actions and behaviors that are improper for us to perform. Questioning God is just one of them.
This coming Lord’s Day, we’ll learn why it’s a joy for us to subordinate ourselves to God. We’ll consider the blessings and mercy that God bestows on those who bow their knee to Him.
In contrast to those who willingly subordinate themselves to God, we be a considering why some people rebel at this thought. We’ll address the heart issues that compel a person to resist God, to want to usurp God’s authority, and to propose alternative theories for the origin of the universe. |
