August 16, 2026
In the Beginning
Pastor Ricky Smith

Sermon Notes

You are not a cosmic accident floating in chaos; you were made on purpose, by a Person, for a purpose.

Genesis 1:1-2
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

I. God Precedes Everything

II. God Creates Out of Nothing

He does not need your raw material. He needs your surrender.

III. God Brings Order to Chaos by His Spirit

The God who hovers over unfinished creation is still patiently working in unfinished people.

Next Steps

• I confess my sin and turn to Jesus as King for the first time.
• I choose to trust that God is not finished doing a work in and through my life.
• I commit to move toward what may look like chaos and be a light in the darkness.

Deep Dive

1. The Hebrew word bara, translated “created,” is used only with God as its subject throughout the Old Testament. Why does it matter that this kind of creating belongs to God alone?
2. Genesis 1:2 describes the earth as formless, empty, and dark, yet the Spirit of God is hovering over it with care. What areas of your life feel formless or empty right now, and how does knowing God’s Spirit hovers there give you hope?
3. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. How does Paul’s description of new creation in Christ connect back to the pattern we see in Genesis 1:1-2?

Springboard

1. Think about your typical week, your job, your routine, your chores. If you’re honest, does it feel like your days add up to something, or does it just feel like a treadmill?
2. Read Genesis 1:3-25. What’s one detail in the passage you’ve never noticed before, something that surprised you or made you go back and reread a verse?
3. Where do you tend to look for proof that you matter? Your job performance, your kids’ report cards, how many likes a post gets. Name it honestly, even if it’s just to yourself.