Jan. 14, 2024

Believe Again

Maker of Heaven and Earth

Primary Text: Colossians 1:15-17        

1)  Maker 

Genesis 1:1:  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  

Isaiah 44:24:  "This is what the LORD says--your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself…."

Revelation 4:11:  "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." 

DQ 1) Why is recognizing God as Creator essential to understanding the nature of life? 

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

2)  Seen and Unseen

Colossians 1:15-17:  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 

Hebrews 11:3:  By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 

DQ 2) What can be known about the unseen realm?

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

3)  Unseen Darkness

Revelation 12:7-9:  And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.  But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.  The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.  He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Ephesians 6:10-12: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 

DQ 3) What evidence exists of the demonic activity in the overall world, as well as in individual lives?

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

4)  Angelic Spirits

Hebrews 1:14:  Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? 

1 Corinthians 6:3:  Do you not know that we will judge angels?

Mark 8:38:  If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.

Revelation 7:11-12:  All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures.  They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen!  Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever.  Amen!”  

DQ 4) Have you ever suspected angels were specifically at work around you?  When? 

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

5)  The World to Come

1 Corinthians 2:9-10:  However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”— but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:1-2, 5:  Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.  Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling….  Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 

Revelation 21:1:  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 

DQ 5) What does the Scripture reveal to us about heaven? 

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________