In the Beginning

Studies in Genesis 1-3

Preparing for GodImagine my wife, Sally were to walk into my kitchen and sees the kettle boiling. 'Why's that kettle boiling,' she asks me?

I might say, 'Well, darling (in my least patronising voice) the alternating current from the plug is providing the electricity to excite the nickel & chromium molecules in the element, which in turn gets hotter & hotter, before conducting the heat to the water. This causes the water molecules to vibrate more & more, until after around a minute, water liquid turns into water gas and it starts to boil.'

At which point Ella-Beth looks up from the table: 'Daddy, don't be so silly: it's boiling, because you're making Mummy a cup of tea.'

I was answering the how questions of the kettle: mechanisms, timings, processes and systems. Whereas the really important question was the 'why' question, the purpose question: Why's that kettle boiling?!

The early chapters of Genesis are much more concerned with why questions, purpose questions, questions of significance:

  • Why are we here?
  • Why is life is as it is?
  • Why is the world both so dazzling beautiful & achingly broken?
  • Why do we need to spend so much of our lives working?
  • Why is work so hard?
  • Why do we need to rest?
  • Why are relationships so hard?
  • What are to we make of things like art or culture or the environment?
  • Why have things gone wrong with our world?
  • What’s can be done about it?

And I'm convinced that Genesis studied correctly, and science studied correctly should lead to no conflict whatsoever. Which incidentally should be no surprise as God is God of them both—as philosopher Francis Bacon taught four hundred years ago. 

This term, on Sunday Mornings at Highfields, we’re going back to the very beginning to explore some of these foundational, ultimate questions together. I very hope you'll be able to join us.

Dave Gobbett

All services in this series:

Title Description Location
Rebellion 15 Nov - Morning Service - 09:30am - Dave Gobbett - Genesis 3 Highfields Cathays
Hope 15 Nov - Morning Service - 10:00am - Matt Bownds - Genesis 3:14-24 Highfields Pontprennau
Rebellion 15 Nov - Morning Service -11:15am - Dave Gobbett - Genesis 3:14-24 Highfields Cathays

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Welcome

You are welcome to come along to Highfields Cathays at 9:30am, 11:15am or 6:30pm, Highfields Pontprennau at 10:00am or you can listen to the talks here a day or so after the service has taken place.

If you would like to discuss any of the issues further, we would love to help.

Please email us or call 029 2065 0740.

Away from Home

Living Under GraceOn Sunday evenings  this Autumn we will look at the first two chapters of 1st letter of Peter. After a breakfast barbeque on the beach by the Sea of Galilee the risen Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, gave the apostle Peter the task of feeding and strengthening the flock of God. The early chapters of the Book of Acts record the ways in which Peter did that in the opening years of the life of the New Testament church ...

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