IN THE BEGINNING…CARING FOR CREATION

Matthew 10:16 …be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Principles of Creation Care 1.We should care deeply about the earth because God made it because it belongs to God

Principles of Creation Care Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.

Principles of Creation Care Psalm 50:10–12 “For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is Mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and all it contains.”

Principles of Creation Care 1.We should care deeply about the earth because God made it because it belongs to God because God cares deeply about it

Principles of Creation Care Psalm 104:10–11,14,27-28 He sends forth springs in the valleys; they flow between the mountains; they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst… He causes the grass to grow for the cattle…They all wait for You to give them their food in due season. You give to them, they gather it up; You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.

Principles of Creation Care Luke 12:6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.”

Principles of Creation Care 1.We should care deeply about the earth because God made it because it belongs to God because God cares deeply about it because it reveals God’s glory

Principles of Creation Care Psalm 19:1–2 The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.

Principles of Creation Care Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.

Principles of Creation Care Psalm 104:24–26 O Lord, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your possessions. There is the sea, great and broad, in which are swarms without number, animals both small and great. There the ships move along, and Leviathan, which You have formed to sport in it.

Principles of Creation Care Psalm 65:13 The meadows are clothed with flocks and the valleys are covered with grain; they shout for joy, yes, they sing.

Principles of Creation Care 1.We should care deeply about the earth because God made it because it belongs to God because God cares deeply about it because it reveals God’s glory because it’s our job to care for it – “cultivate” – maximize its fruitfulness – “keep” – guard & protect it

Principles of Creation Care Leviticus 25:2–4 Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I shall give you, then the land shall have a sabbath to the Lord. Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard.’

Principles of Creation Care Proverbs 12:10 A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, but even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.

Principles of Creation Care Ray Bohlin “As Christians we have a responsibility to the earth that exceeds that of unredeemed people. We are the only ones who are rightly related to the Creator. We should be showing others the way to environmental responsibility”

Principles of Creation Care 1.We should care deeply about the earth because God made it because it belongs to God because God cares deeply about it because it reveals God’s glory because it’s our job to care for it – “cultivate” – maximize its fruitfulness – “keep” – guard & protect it

Principles of Creation Care 1.We should care deeply about the earth 2.We should care even more about humanity

Principles of Creation Care 1.We should care deeply about the earth 2.We should care even more about humanity Matthew 12:12 “How much more valuable is a man than a sheep!...”

Principles of Creation Care 1.We should care deeply about the earth 2.We should care even more about humanity because we alone are made in His image because we alone are eternal

Principles of Creation Care Revelation 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.

Principles of Creation Care 1.We should care deeply about the earth 2.We should care even more about humanity because we alone are made in His image because we alone are eternal so He made the earth to provide for us

Principles of Creation Care Deuteronomy 8:7–9 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper.

Creation Care Applied GOOD: Care for non-human creation BETTER: Provide for people’s physical needs

Creation Care Applied Isaiah 58:7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Creation Care Applied GOOD: Care for non-human creation BETTER: Provide for people’s physical needs BEST: Provide for people’s spiritual needs Do the GOOD and the BETTER so you’ll get to do the BEST

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