This Week's Sermon- Man and Woman

Genesis 2:4-25. The Special Creation of Mankind.

God takes dirt, and makes man. The Hebrew says he formed man. That is more than just calling him out of nowhere. God forms man out of the earth, to link us physically to the earth. God, having planted a garden in Eden, then took the man and placed him there. The Hebrew says to serve the earth, and to tend it.

Then, after God had been pronouncing everything “good” something is “not good.” It is not good for man to be alone. God says he is going to make a helper, someone to help him care for the earth, someone to be with him so that he is not alone. And the Hebrew says God is going to make him a helper “as in front of him.” A helper that will be obvious. A helper that will be his mirror image, and his opposite. And God wants to make sure that man knows he needs her.

God wants the man to recognize that there is nothing else that will fill that place, that position as his helper.God brings the animals in front of man. He brings each one, and man gives them names based on their characteristics. And having seen all the land animals, all the birds, all the beasts of the field, man finds no helper that is obviously for him.

God made man out of the dirt so that he would be connected to the earth. God crafted woman out of man’s bone and flesh so that the two would be irrevocably connected. There is no doubt then for either man or woman that they belonged together. God brought woman out and man immediately says, “this one!” God had man looking among all of the other living creatures for a helper, and finally man says, “this one!” "This one was once bone of my bones and flesh from my flesh, this one will be called woman, from man she was taken, this one!"

God brought us into the world to tend it, to care for it, to rule over it. And so often, we depend more on the earth than we do on its creator. God so carefully planned it all. He made arrangements for all of mankind’s needs to be met. He planted a garden. He surrounded it with sources of good water. He brought in animal life. He gave mankind companionship. God walked with man and woman in the garden. God did not stop caring for mankind when he put them together in the garden and told them to be fruitful and multiply. He is still caring for us today. God has promised to meet our needs, and he is still faithful to fulfill his promises. If there is a need in your life, pray, feel free to present that to God. He cares about your every need. He already knows it is there. Perhaps he is simply waiting for you to turn to him for the answer. Whether it is a physical need, an emotional need, or a spiritual need, he is able to provide. Seek him. He will answer.