Williamsburg Christian Church
The Gift of Difference & The Grace of Unity: Divine Dependance
Over and against these ancient origin stories is the origin story found in the Hebrew Scriptures. It is the Hebrew story—Israel’s story. In it, God creates without rival or conflict, and brings order from chaos by only God’s voice. We see how God takes great joy in all God has made declaring it “good.” It is the story we believe to be the true explanation of creation. It is a story that moves humanity toward increased dependance and self-giving love.
Locations & Times
Williamsburg Christian Church
200 John Tyler Ln, Williamsburg, VA 23185, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Live Stream Virtual Gathering
https://vimeo.com/event/24149Every people has a story. And every people, tribe, tongue and nation, has an explanation as to how the world was made. There is a deep longing in every heart to understand the nature and purpose of life, where it comes from and how it works. So every nation, long before Israel, had their own creation story.
The Babylonian Creation Story
In the beginning there was a battle between the gods. The older powers, led by Tiamat, a creature of the wild and powerful sea, threaten to attack and annihilate the younger gods.
(In ancient near eastern cultures the sea and all the waters represent chaos. Even in the bible when you hear the psalmist say that God is the Lord of the seas, that is the psalmists’ way of saying not even the most powerful and chaotic force in all creation can escape God’s powerful rule. Back to the story).
Greatly frightened and disturbed, the younger gods choose young Marduk, the god of thunderstorms as their champion. When the opposing forces meet, Marduk challenges Tiamat to single combat. The fight is on.
Tiamat and Marduk, engaged in single combat. Marduk spread his net encompassing her, conjured a raging storm and wind. When Tiamat opened her mouth to devour him, Marduk drove in the storm and the fierce winds filled her belly, her insides congested and she opened wide her mouth. At that moment he let fly an arrow, it split her belly, cut through her inward parts and gashed the heart and extinguished her life."
Marduk’s victory saves the gods and opens the way for him to create the cosmos and bring order to it. When these gods grew weary of tending to creation they created humanity as servants to the gods, to appease their every desire, and live fearfully underneath their rule. Marduk remained Babylon’s chief god—the chief god of their nation.
The Babylonian Creation Story
In the beginning there was a battle between the gods. The older powers, led by Tiamat, a creature of the wild and powerful sea, threaten to attack and annihilate the younger gods.
(In ancient near eastern cultures the sea and all the waters represent chaos. Even in the bible when you hear the psalmist say that God is the Lord of the seas, that is the psalmists’ way of saying not even the most powerful and chaotic force in all creation can escape God’s powerful rule. Back to the story).
Greatly frightened and disturbed, the younger gods choose young Marduk, the god of thunderstorms as their champion. When the opposing forces meet, Marduk challenges Tiamat to single combat. The fight is on.
Tiamat and Marduk, engaged in single combat. Marduk spread his net encompassing her, conjured a raging storm and wind. When Tiamat opened her mouth to devour him, Marduk drove in the storm and the fierce winds filled her belly, her insides congested and she opened wide her mouth. At that moment he let fly an arrow, it split her belly, cut through her inward parts and gashed the heart and extinguished her life."
Marduk’s victory saves the gods and opens the way for him to create the cosmos and bring order to it. When these gods grew weary of tending to creation they created humanity as servants to the gods, to appease their every desire, and live fearfully underneath their rule. Marduk remained Babylon’s chief god—the chief god of their nation.
The Canaanite Creation Story
Yam, the seven headed sea god, demanded that Baal be made his slave. He sent messengers to Baal, asking him to surrender, but Baal attacked the messengers and drove them away. Baal fought with Yam and, using two magic weapons, defeated him and seized control of the waters.
(In the story, Yam represents the destructive nature of water: rivers and seas flooding the land and ruining crops and killing animals. Baal represents water's positive powers: rain and dew providing the moisture needed to make crops grow.)
After conquering Yam, Baal complained that he had no house like the other gods did. El, another god, agreed to let the crafts god Kothar build Baal a fine house. When it was finished, Baal held a great feast—but he did not invite Mot, the god of death, or send him respectful presents (Which being the god of death and all I wouldn’t have invited him either—that party might go the wrong way). Mot was greatly insulted and asked Baal to come to the underworld for dinner. Although afraid, Baal could not refuse the invitation. The food served at Mot's table was mud, the food of death, and when Baal ate it, he was trapped in the underworld.
While Baal was in the underworld, famine struck the earth, and El searched for someone to replace Baal. Asherah, the lady of the sea, convinced El to give Baal's throne to her son Ashtar. But when Ashtar, the god of irrigation, sat on the throne, his feet did not even touch the floor. Realizing he could not fill Baal's place, Ashtar gave up the throne.
Meanwhile, Baal's wife and sister, the fierce goddess Anat, traveled to the underworld. After splitting Mot with her sword, she winnowed him with her fan, burned the pieces in a fire, ground them in a mill, and planted them in the ground. These actions brought Baal back to life. Later Mot was also restored to life, and the two gods again battled each other. In the end, the sun goddess Shapath separated them, Baal regained his throne, and the land became fertile again.
Yam, the seven headed sea god, demanded that Baal be made his slave. He sent messengers to Baal, asking him to surrender, but Baal attacked the messengers and drove them away. Baal fought with Yam and, using two magic weapons, defeated him and seized control of the waters.
(In the story, Yam represents the destructive nature of water: rivers and seas flooding the land and ruining crops and killing animals. Baal represents water's positive powers: rain and dew providing the moisture needed to make crops grow.)
After conquering Yam, Baal complained that he had no house like the other gods did. El, another god, agreed to let the crafts god Kothar build Baal a fine house. When it was finished, Baal held a great feast—but he did not invite Mot, the god of death, or send him respectful presents (Which being the god of death and all I wouldn’t have invited him either—that party might go the wrong way). Mot was greatly insulted and asked Baal to come to the underworld for dinner. Although afraid, Baal could not refuse the invitation. The food served at Mot's table was mud, the food of death, and when Baal ate it, he was trapped in the underworld.
While Baal was in the underworld, famine struck the earth, and El searched for someone to replace Baal. Asherah, the lady of the sea, convinced El to give Baal's throne to her son Ashtar. But when Ashtar, the god of irrigation, sat on the throne, his feet did not even touch the floor. Realizing he could not fill Baal's place, Ashtar gave up the throne.
Meanwhile, Baal's wife and sister, the fierce goddess Anat, traveled to the underworld. After splitting Mot with her sword, she winnowed him with her fan, burned the pieces in a fire, ground them in a mill, and planted them in the ground. These actions brought Baal back to life. Later Mot was also restored to life, and the two gods again battled each other. In the end, the sun goddess Shapath separated them, Baal regained his throne, and the land became fertile again.
I share these two creation stories so we can see the profound difference between the Hebrew creation story and the creation stories that surrounded them. The other creation stories are grounded in rivalries and conflict between various gods that bring about chaos that eventually leads to the creation of the world and of humanity. In almost all of the ancient near eastern stories, creation is inherently flawed and the chaos and rivalries remain. Both of them are rooted in violence, fear, and self-serving power. Humanity is created by these gods to serve them as slaves who must appease the easily-angered gods with sacrifices, including human sacrifices. These creation stories built from violence, fear, and self-serving power cultivate the more of the same within humanity. The Civilizations and societies that believe these stories to be their origin stories, namely the babylonians and the canaanites, find their purpose in asserting violence, fear, domination and self-serving power. Their creation stories move humanity toward independence and self-serving power.
Origin stories have always formed humanity’s vision for the world. These stories either form a vision of independence and self-serving power, or divine dependance and self-giving love.
Over and against these ancient origin stories is the origin story found in the Hebrew Scriptures. It is the Hebrew story—Israel’s story. In it, God creates without rival or conflict, and brings order from chaos by only God’s voice. We see how God takes great joy in all God has made declaring it “good.” It is the story we believe to be the true explanation of creation. It is a story that moves humanity toward increased dependance and self-giving love. That is a critical distinction. Divine dependance and self-giving love ran contrary to much of the ancient near eastern world and run contrary to much of our modern world.
Genesis 1:1-5
When God began to create the heavens and the earth— 2 the earth was without shape or form, it was dark over the deep sea, and God’s wind swept over the waters— 3 God said, “Let there be light.” And so light appeared. 4 God saw how good the light was. God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God named the light Day and the darkness Night. There was evening and there was morning: the first day.
The world God created in the beginning was unformed and unfilled—it was chaos and disorder. And as we read on in the creation story, God spends the first three days forming the world and the last three days to fill it. There is a rhythm to creation. . . .In the first few verses we see the power of God’s word tame the chaos and bring order from disorder. God brings life from desolation. And what we see in the creation story is that as each day passes God forms a world of dependence and interdependence. Each day exists because the day before existed first. . . .On the first day Light is formed. Light is necessary because it reveals the things being set in order in creation. Without light we cannot see. Without seeing we cannot know. Without the light of day life of all kinds, from plants and trees to living things, cannot be nurtured and nourished.
When God began to create the heavens and the earth— 2 the earth was without shape or form, it was dark over the deep sea, and God’s wind swept over the waters— 3 God said, “Let there be light.” And so light appeared. 4 God saw how good the light was. God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God named the light Day and the darkness Night. There was evening and there was morning: the first day.
The world God created in the beginning was unformed and unfilled—it was chaos and disorder. And as we read on in the creation story, God spends the first three days forming the world and the last three days to fill it. There is a rhythm to creation. . . .In the first few verses we see the power of God’s word tame the chaos and bring order from disorder. God brings life from desolation. And what we see in the creation story is that as each day passes God forms a world of dependence and interdependence. Each day exists because the day before existed first. . . .On the first day Light is formed. Light is necessary because it reveals the things being set in order in creation. Without light we cannot see. Without seeing we cannot know. Without the light of day life of all kinds, from plants and trees to living things, cannot be nurtured and nourished.
Genesis 1:6-8
6 God said, “Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters to separate the waters from each other.” 7 God made the dome and separated the waters under the dome from the waters above the dome. And it happened in that way. 8 God named the dome Sky. There was evening and there was morning: the second day.
On the second day the sky is formed, moving God’s creation to increased dependance. Without the sky there is height, no expanse. Without the light there is no sky. . . . What is created on the second day is dependent upon what was created on the first, and what will be created the next day is dependent upon what was created on the days before.
6 God said, “Let there be a dome in the middle of the waters to separate the waters from each other.” 7 God made the dome and separated the waters under the dome from the waters above the dome. And it happened in that way. 8 God named the dome Sky. There was evening and there was morning: the second day.
On the second day the sky is formed, moving God’s creation to increased dependance. Without the sky there is height, no expanse. Without the light there is no sky. . . . What is created on the second day is dependent upon what was created on the first, and what will be created the next day is dependent upon what was created on the days before.
Genesis 1:9-13
9 God said, “Let the waters under the sky come together into one place so that the dry land can appear.” And that’s what happened. 10 God named the dry land Earth, and he named the gathered waters Seas. God saw how good it was. 11 God said, “Let the earth grow plant life: plants yielding seeds and fruit trees bearing fruit with seeds inside it, each according to its kind throughout the earth.” And that’s what happened. 12 The earth produced plant life: plants yielding seeds, each according to its kind, and trees bearing fruit with seeds inside it, each according to its kind. God saw how good it was. 13 There was evening and there was morning: the third day.
On the third day, the dry land is formed, along with seas, plants and trees, moving God’s creation to increased dependance. Without dry land where can all of creation live . . . . What is created on the third day is dependent upon what was created on the first and second, and what will be created the next day will be dependent upon what was created before.
9 God said, “Let the waters under the sky come together into one place so that the dry land can appear.” And that’s what happened. 10 God named the dry land Earth, and he named the gathered waters Seas. God saw how good it was. 11 God said, “Let the earth grow plant life: plants yielding seeds and fruit trees bearing fruit with seeds inside it, each according to its kind throughout the earth.” And that’s what happened. 12 The earth produced plant life: plants yielding seeds, each according to its kind, and trees bearing fruit with seeds inside it, each according to its kind. God saw how good it was. 13 There was evening and there was morning: the third day.
On the third day, the dry land is formed, along with seas, plants and trees, moving God’s creation to increased dependance. Without dry land where can all of creation live . . . . What is created on the third day is dependent upon what was created on the first and second, and what will be created the next day will be dependent upon what was created before.
Genesis 1:14-19
14 God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will mark events, sacred seasons, days, and years. 15 They will be lights in the dome of the sky to shine on the earth.” And that’s what happened. 16 God made the stars and two great lights: the larger light to rule over the day and the smaller light to rule over the night. 17 God put them in the dome of the sky to shine on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw how good it was. 19 There was evening and there was morning: the fourth day.
On the fourth day, sun, moon and stars are formed, moving God’s creation to increased dependance. Without the sun, moon and stars how would we know the difference between day and night . . . .What is created this day is dependent upon all that was created before.
14 God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night. They will mark events, sacred seasons, days, and years. 15 They will be lights in the dome of the sky to shine on the earth.” And that’s what happened. 16 God made the stars and two great lights: the larger light to rule over the day and the smaller light to rule over the night. 17 God put them in the dome of the sky to shine on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw how good it was. 19 There was evening and there was morning: the fourth day.
On the fourth day, sun, moon and stars are formed, moving God’s creation to increased dependance. Without the sun, moon and stars how would we know the difference between day and night . . . .What is created this day is dependent upon all that was created before.
Genesis 1:20-23
20 God said, “Let the waters swarm with living things, and let birds fly above the earth up in the dome of the sky.” 21 God created the great sea animals and all the tiny living things that swarm in the waters, each according to its kind, and all the winged birds, each according to its kind. God saw how good it was. 22 Then God blessed them: “Be fertile and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” 23 There was evening and there was morning: the fifth day.
On the fifth day, creatures of the air and sea were formed, moving God’s creation to increased dependance. Without these creatures how would the ecosystem survive and thrive . . . .What is created this day is dependent upon all that was created before.
20 God said, “Let the waters swarm with living things, and let birds fly above the earth up in the dome of the sky.” 21 God created the great sea animals and all the tiny living things that swarm in the waters, each according to its kind, and all the winged birds, each according to its kind. God saw how good it was. 22 Then God blessed them: “Be fertile and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” 23 There was evening and there was morning: the fifth day.
On the fifth day, creatures of the air and sea were formed, moving God’s creation to increased dependance. Without these creatures how would the ecosystem survive and thrive . . . .What is created this day is dependent upon all that was created before.
Genesis 1:24-25
24 God said, “Let the earth produce every kind of living thing: livestock, crawling things, and wildlife.” And that’s what happened. 25 God made every kind of wildlife, every kind of livestock, and every kind of creature that crawls on the ground. God saw how good it was.
On the sixth day, animals that live on land were formed, moving God’s creation to increased dependance, where each part of creation depends upon another bringing together the perfect habitat—the perfect dwelling place for God’s crown jewel of creation: humanity.
24 God said, “Let the earth produce every kind of living thing: livestock, crawling things, and wildlife.” And that’s what happened. 25 God made every kind of wildlife, every kind of livestock, and every kind of creature that crawls on the ground. God saw how good it was.
On the sixth day, animals that live on land were formed, moving God’s creation to increased dependance, where each part of creation depends upon another bringing together the perfect habitat—the perfect dwelling place for God’s crown jewel of creation: humanity.
Genesis 1:26-31
26 Then God said, “Let us make humanity in our image to resemble us so that they may take charge of the fish of the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and all the crawling things on earth.”
27 God created humanity in God’s own image,
in the divine image God created them,
male and female God created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and master it. Take charge of the fish of the sea, the birds in the sky, and everything crawling on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I now give to you all the plants on the earth that yield seeds and all the trees whose fruit produces its seeds within it. These will be your food. 30 To all wildlife, to all the birds in the sky, and to everything crawling on the ground—to everything that breathes—I give all the green grasses for food.” And that’s what happened. 31 God saw everything he had made: it was supremely good. There was evening and there was morning: the sixth day.
26 Then God said, “Let us make humanity in our image to resemble us so that they may take charge of the fish of the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and all the crawling things on earth.”
27 God created humanity in God’s own image,
in the divine image God created them,
male and female God created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and master it. Take charge of the fish of the sea, the birds in the sky, and everything crawling on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I now give to you all the plants on the earth that yield seeds and all the trees whose fruit produces its seeds within it. These will be your food. 30 To all wildlife, to all the birds in the sky, and to everything crawling on the ground—to everything that breathes—I give all the green grasses for food.” And that’s what happened. 31 God saw everything he had made: it was supremely good. There was evening and there was morning: the sixth day.
Genesis 1 declares that the God of Israel is the sovereign Creator of everything that exists and that whole creation depends upon God’s power expressed in self-giving love and magnified by God’s just reign to bring shalom—peace—human flourishing for all. . . .Each part of creation works in rhythm with the other, creating a divine symphony that plays the music of God’s glory and divine self-giving love. All of creation, including humanity, moves toward increasing dependance upon God and one another. Even in the formation of male and female, both dependent upon another to fill the earth with the image of God.
God doesn’t create creation or humanity to be his forced labor. God creates humanity to partner with God to bring about God’s vision of shalom in tending to earth and all the things that fill it. This intention is even expressed in the language of the story, specifically of humanity being made in “God’s image.” Those words in the Hebrew language is the language of divine royalty. That is very different language from the other creation stories where humanity are created as slaves. We are created as God's personal image-bearers. We are created to be God’s beloved children and royal family.
Divine dependance should form our vision for the world, but it rarely does. Instead, individuality expressed in personal independence most often forms our vision.
You see this pattern of independence and self-serving love played out in the Scriptures once Israel entered in to the land promised and were established as God’s nation. When they embraced the God of Israel, they embraced their dependance upon God and one another demonstrated in their commitment to the welfare of others—goodness, generosity, hospitality, and self-giving love....But when Israel embraced the false gods of Baal, El, or Asherah, they embraced a decreasing vision for dependance and opted for violence, fear, domination and self-serving power.
Like them we are prone to the same.
We can subtly submit our lives to a different kind of story, one that promises the vision of a “good life” as defined by the American dream of entitlement and independence. It becomes our standard by which we measure our success—home ownership, the nuclear family of spouse and children, personal professional credentials, and a retirement packages. Although there is nothing wrong with these things, in my opinion, they become easily twisted when we lose sight of divine dependance upon God’s abundant provision and our divine dependance upon the Church—the family of God also called the Body of Christ.
We can subtly submit our lives to a different kind of story, one that promises the vision of a “good life” as defined by the American dream of entitlement and independence. It becomes our standard by which we measure our success—home ownership, the nuclear family of spouse and children, personal professional credentials, and a retirement packages. Although there is nothing wrong with these things, in my opinion, they become easily twisted when we lose sight of divine dependance upon God’s abundant provision and our divine dependance upon the Church—the family of God also called the Body of Christ.
In our American society that lifts up a declaration of independence we are a Kingdom-society that holds up a declaration of dependance.
This divine dependance upon God in Christ leads us to a divine dependance upon one another. I need God, and because of God’s divine self-giving love, I learn that I need you, who like me is a Holy Spirit-filled image-bearer of God as Creator. . . .Out of this vision grows the kind of unity we all long for.
It is also why unity is accomplished not by believing the same way in total agreement but by belonging to one another in Christ despite the disagreement. It is why dominance has no place in the Church and why differences should be embraced and celebrated. It is unity over uniformity that comes from a deep sense of humility that declares, we are God’s chosen and beloved people, God’s royal priesthood, God’s holy nation, a people for God’s possession to proclaim the mighty deeds of the One who called us out of darkness and all of its false forms of unity and independence, into God’s marvelous light, where true unity is revealed by God’s love as Creator of heaven and earth and our complete dependance upon God as the Liberating Lord of Love.
Giving to God: Four Ways
Online via Bank Routing Number // Text by Phone to 844-221-3092 // PayPal Giving // Bill Pay Online with Your Bank // Mail to 200 John Tyler Lane, Williamsburg VA 23185<br>
http://williamsburgchristianchurch.org/givingNew Small Group Forming
Watch the short video from Mike McGee and Jason Thornton about their new small group, “Misreading Scripture With Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible.” Email Mike or Jason for info.
https://vimeo.com/671454689Women's Ministry Updates and Upcoming Opportunities
Take a few minutes to catch these updates from Erin and Anne
https://vimeo.com/671268441/6b4c725deeAre you interested in a Small Group option? Want to lead?
We are looking for leaders! Watch the 2:20 minute Small Group video if you are interested. Email Jon.<br><br>
https://vimeo.com/450343343Interested in WCC Connections?
Are you a college student and want to connect with a WCC family? Are you a WCC family and are willing to 'adopt' a college student? Watch the 1:48 minute video. Email Brian and Maggie Will for more info.
https://vimeo.com/455132505
Organizations that Promote Goodness and Beauty in Our City Each organization we will feature is uniquely connected to members of the WCC family and promote goodness and beauty in our city. We encourage you to consider these wonderful organizations if you are looking for ways to serve our city above and beyond the local mission efforts organized in and through WCC.