OCTOBER 20, 2024 Worship @ OPEN DOOR CHAPEL
“ Let There Be Light ”
Genesis 1:1~5
l There was Light
Today, we are reading the very beginning of the Bible. The Bible begins like this. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Looking out the window today, a blue sky spreads out before us. Today’s story is about how the sky was created… how everything under and beyond the sky was created. We will be looking at the creation story, in which God is the creator.
When we create or build something, we need materials. At Sapporo Baptist Church, there is a ping-pong table as soon as you enter the church building. Almost every Sunday afternoon, the children transform the table into a comfortable home. The children gather materials such as blankets, futons, chairs, tables, and cushion mats, and create rooms beneath the table and transform it into a magnificent mansion. A home for themselves. What I am trying to say here, is that to create something you need materials. Good materials.
When God created this world, what materials were available? The Bible says, right in the beginning "the earth was formless and empty." It seems that there was already dirt (soil). But it was "formless" and everything else was "empty." In the Bible translation that I normally use, it says "the earth was chaos" (New Interconfessional Translation). So, in the beginning "the earth was without form, without any recognizable shape, and it was full of chaos." What kind of situation is this? I think it's safe to say that it was not a comfortable or pleasant place at all. And I begin to wonder… what if this description is not only about a place but something within all of us. For example, what would it mean to say that our emotions are formless or chaotic.
Looking back on the past few days, was it a peaceful time? Or are any of you feeling unsettled and restless. Some may be carrying worrying thoughts that keep nagging them. When the Bible says "the earth was chaotic, formless and without anything" perhaps it's not just talking about a place in a distant past, but it's also talking about what's going on in our lives in the here and now.
The Bible goes on to say, "darkness was over the surface of the deep" What is the "darkness" that is spoken of here? It's darker than pitch black. You could say it's a “thick” darkness that you can feel on your skin. No matter how much you try to avoid it, all you get is pitch black... that's the darkness that was there in the beginning. And then there's "the deep"... what does "the deep" refer to? It's a deep hole. An abyss. A deep hole that can’t be filled no matter how hard one tries. If you drop a rock into a shallow hole, it hits the bottom right away. You hear a sound, a plop perhaps. But “the deep” is so deep that even if you throw a big rock down there, you won't hear it hit the bottom. It's that deep of a hole. So, when we say "darkness was over the surface of the deep" it means there was an incredibly deep hole, and above that there was pitch black darkness. Just imagine that... it's not a comfortable place, is it? When God created the heavens and the earth, the materials used were "a chaotic, formless, empty earth", "pitch blackness" and "an endlessly deep hole". Not very appealing building materials, is it? If I wanted to create something good and comfortable, I would not choose these materials. But these “not so good materials” were there at the beginning of creation. These were the materials that God had to work with.
I would like to read today's Bible passage again. But this time, I would like to listen with our eyes closed. I would like us to engage our imaginations to explore how the universe was created. If you do not mind, please keep your eyes closed until I say, "Open your eyes." Now, let us close our eyes.
Here we go... "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." But in the beginning, " the earth was without form, without any recognizable shape, and it was full of chaos.". Some of us may be feeling a calmness in our hearts. But others may be uneasy and restless. Carrying a burden that cannot be forgotten. The Bible says that at the beginning of the world, what was there was a restlessness. A darkness that was over an endless pit. Have you been feeling down lately? Perhaps you’ve lost something very precious to you. Perhaps you’re being dragged down by an anxiousness about the future. At the beginning of the world, there was a "deep hole that opened up" to a "pitch darkness". It is a cold world that chills us to our cores. But wait… there is movement in the air. Wind is slowing flowing over our skin (the "Spirit of God" in verse 3 can also be translated as "God's wind" or "God's breath"). And it's getting stronger little by little. "Woosh...woosh." If you listen carefully, you can hear a voice riding on the wind. At first, it's a small voice, but it gradually gets louder. What is it saying? It's the voice of God saying, "Let there be light." God's voice saying, "Let there be light." This penetrates the "chaos," the "darkness" and the "abyss." And what happened next? The Bible says "there was light." What do you picture in your mind right now? Perhaps a shining light? Perhaps it’s a warm light that gives you peace of mind? Let us open our eyes.
I think there are times when we feel confused and uneasy. Especially when we have enduring doubts and worries. But when we read the Bible today, God said, "let there be light" and "there was light." When we feel uneasy, God's voice penetrates that darkness and delivers a message of hope, a message of love… "let there be light". Even if we ourselves cannot muster up the strength to keep our chins up, God’s comforting words strikes our hearts. It sparks something new.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus risked his life to share of God's love, an enduring hope. Jesus was crucified for us, so that there is always a light in the darkness. Here on the cross is the light that says "It's okay" Daijyobu. There is light because Jesus is with us forever and ever. Don't you want to put your trust in this on our weekly journey that starts now?
l The Creation Story Told in the Babylonian Captivity
Today we are reading the first day of the "Creation Story". But under what circumstances was this story told and passed on? It is said that it was first written down when the nation of Israel was invaded by Babylonia and the people of Israel were forcibly taken to a foreign land. The people of Israel were defeated after a long war. They suffered an unexplainable pain. In this sense, the world and the future before their eyes was full of "chaos", "darkness" and "emptiness" … a despair. The longer they lived in a foreign land, their culture faded, their religion faded, and important questions were asked. “Who are we?” “Where did we come from?" Today's creation story was told considering the turmoil that the Israelites were facing.
l God is the Beginning
The people of Israel confessed, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth". In other words, this world was not created by an empire like Babylonia, nor by any our human being, but by God. They confessed that our lives are a gift from God. It was probably difficult for the Israelites to stand up to their Babylonian rulers. If the Babylonian authorities decreed something, they had to obey. In this sense, the Babylonians were the "beginning" of everything in their lives. But they knew of a different reality. A reality where God is the beginning and the end... the Alpha and Omega. They confessed, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.". They confessed that "God is the beginning" and nothing else. This is the starting point of the Bible.
In our lives, too, we are bombarded with countless issues. Things to do with work, family, studies, hobbies, career paths, retirement and caregiving… the list is endless. It is easy to lose track of priorities, let alone have a clear idea of what is our beginning. What is first in our lives. But the Bible clearly says that God is the beginning. God becomes our number one. Even in our hectic lives that seems like a chaotic mess. In this way, God's order, God's rhythm, penetrates the disorder and chaos before our eyes.
l God's Rhythm of "Good, Good, Good" Embedded in the Chaos
Many of you have probably read and heard the creation story many times and would note that there is a certain repetition embedded in the creation story. Like for example, at the end of a certain creation event the narrator will say "And there was evening and there was morning. It was the Nth day". And as if to summarize this repetition, God looks at each of his creations and repeats, "And he saw that it was good". We hear the repetition… the rhythm of "good, good, good." Interestingly, light was the first creation, but darkness did not disappear. Darkness was named night and remained (verse 5). It would be nice if the issues that trouble us would disappear in its entirety, because God has become our beginning, but in most cases that does not happen. Disorder continues to exist, just as darkness continues to exist as night. But even as the darkness and chaos continues to exist, we are allowed to experience that God is alive working in the midst of it all. Because God has embedded the rhythm of "good, good, good." in our daily lives. Right from the beginning of creation.
l Creation From Chaos, Darkness, and the Abyss is Considered a "Good" Creation
It was right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when I first came to Sapporo. That year, all Easter gatherings were canceled. Public health issues restricted us from gathering. Hundreds of flyers that were prepared for easter celebrations were about to be discarded. But someone noticed that the backs were blank. So a few people began to write words of gratitude on them and placed these messages on the church windows. Words of gratitude to the delivery people who deliver our goods and to the cashiers at supermarkets and convenience stores. What started as a few scribbles on flyers that were about to be discarded, grew to a rather noticeable collection of voices of gratitude. I remember reading a comment that said, "Until now, I did not appreciate the precious work done by the delivery workers. You have been a true life saver! I cannot thank you enough!" We began to collect these messages of gratitude, and our church windows filled up very quickly. The 7-Eleven that is across the street lent us their windows as well and placed these messages of gratitude.
I believe this sort of attempt is what today's creation story is telling us - in the midst of a situation that seems nothing but chaos and negativity, God's words "let there be light" are pushing us to create something good. Amid the restlessness and tension, we can confirm our gratitude and joy, and we can help each other...that is the kind of brilliance we need to create. I remember how moved I was at that time that something good can be created from the chaos. In our personal lives, or our journey as a church it is not always smooth sailing. However, in the midst of all of our ups and downs, God's story of creation continues. God's rhythm of "good, good, good" is embedded in it. I hope and pray that Open Door Chapel will continue to be driven by God's words, "Let there be light".