Scripture Passage
Genesis 1:1-5
When God began to create the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Sermon Script
Happy New Year! Today is the first Sunday of 2024. I’m glad that we can begin the new year together in worship. Today is also the last day of your winter break. Tomorrow will be your first day back in school in the new year.
New year means new chapter and new beginning. How we start the new chapter in our life is very important. It will set the direction of our journey. There is a famous Korean proverb that says, “If you don’t put the first button (on your shirt) on right, the rest will be off too.” Whenever we start anew, we should be intentional and thoughtful. Some of you shared your new year’s resolutions at the Hi-C Winter Break Party. We don’t make resolutions for their sake. We do it so that we can head into this year with a different mindset and attitude than before.
As you look ahead to this year, I’m sure you have your worries as much as your hopes. Even though we call it a ‘new’ year, we are not starting with a completely blank slate. Our school semester will continue after a brief pause. Some of us will be heading into the exam season soon. We will have to face what we’ve put aside during our break. Things of the previous year will spill into this year. The thought of it fills us with anxiety.
In that sense, I’m glad that we are reading the passage we read today. It comes from Genesis. The first book in the Bible. The passage is the first five verses of the Bible.
On this first SUNDAY of the new year, we read the first five VERSES of the first STORY in the first BOOK of Scripture. These five verses not only tell us the beginning of human history, but they tell us something fundamentally important about our life.
Before God created the heavens and the earth, what God saw before him was… DARKNESS. CHAOS. EMPTINESS. VOID. That’s what the writer of Genesis tells us. There was NOTHING. It wasn’t a beautiful sight.
God could have left it the way it was. God was not obligated to do anything. It’s GOD. God can do whatever God wants. Yet, God responded to the darkness, chaos, and emptiness he saw.
Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light
Genesis 1:3
God brought something into existence. God SPOKE it into existence. Into the dark, empty, and formless space, God brought LIGHT.
And God saw that the light was GOOD, and God separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good, because it ENRICHED the creation. In other words, God provided what was truly needed. God knew what would ultimately be good for the creation. Out of the contrast of light and darkness, which God called DAY and NIGHT, came the FIRST day – the very beginning of history.
In the same way, the cosmic, creator God who brought light into the dark world know and will bring what’s GOOD into our life. God will provide what is lacking. God will supply what you need in all circumstances. God will brighten and enrich your life. That is why these verses are so foundational to our living.
LIGHT plays an important role in Scripture. It isn’t only in Genesis. In Exodus, when Egypt is struck with a plague of darkness for three days, God provides light to the Israelites. When the Israelites are in the wilderness, God leads them during the night by a pillar of fire. Also, we celebrated Christmas a few weeks ago. In the Gospel of John, Jesus is described as the light that shines in the darkness. Even Jesus called himself the ‘LIGHT of the world’.
When God is with us, our life will never go completely dark. We may feel chaotic, and even empty at times. But there will always be a glimmer of light that shines. Remember that as you head into the new year.
When you wake up each morning, look out the window. Look at God’s creation. The fact that it’s bright outside should tell you God is with you. Mary Oliver, the American poet, once wrote—
Why do people keep asking to see
Mary Oliver
God’s identity papers
when the darkness opening into morning
is more than enough?
God sees you. God sees what you are going through. God will never leave you alone. God will respond and take care of you.
When you are lost, God will help you see the path. When you are confused, God will give you a clear mind. When you are discouraged, God will fill your heart with hope. No matter how today goes, God will bless you with a tomorrow. Each and every day, God will provide what is good in your life.
Don’t try to think about the entire year all at once. You will get overwhelmed and worry yourself to death.
Instead, entrust this year to God. Begin each day with a complete trust in God. Don’t put your trust in your circumstances. Trusting God means trusting God as the Giver of all good things. That total and complete trust is, what we call FAITH.
With faith, you can overcome your worries. You can start pursuing your goals and dreams wholeheartedly. You can live your life differently than you did before. It all begins with how you start. Make 2024 a meaningful year.
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