Today, as we head out to church in our various locations all over the world, let me encourage you in two simple thoughts as it relates to this week’s incredible images from the James Webb Space Telescope. NASA made the first images from Webb public this past week with both deep space initial images (as below) and even a couple of Jupiter (as above). The infrared cameras have provided images much different than the Hubble Telescope. In the deep space picture, they found additional galaxies of which they were unaware. In the near picture of Jupiter, they noticed a number of details about Jupiter’s moon they had not previously. The pictures are simply just new glimpses of the universe around us. This morning I want to encourage you along two lines – from space to your local church.

From Space

As followers of Jesus Christ who read the Bible as the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God, we view these pictures and read these reports from a young earth creation standpoint. From the Bible, the world is just over 6,000 years old. God graciously created the universe for us to enjoy as part of the creation week which ended with creating the animals and man on day six.

Adam and Eve were created with age. Had we met them on day six of creation, which would have been Adam and Eve’s day one, they would have looked something over twenty. They were not born as a baby but were created as adults. The animals were created with age. The same about the universe. On day six when Adam and Eve looked out into the expanse of the universe, they would have experienced an aged universe.

Therefore, today as fellow Christians, we can look at these pictures and rejoice with God’s incredibly planned universe. The heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1-2). Your attributes of eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen. Yet, because of our sin nature, mankind does not honor God inside His own creation. However, that does not have to be true for those of us who gather today to worship together. We can see these pictures and rejoice over God’s incredible attributes.

Even with the pictures from space today, we rejoice in our great God, His mercy, His grace, His power, and His Godhead.

As we gather in our local church from Sonrise to locations all over the world, we rejoice that we are not forced to just simply look into the universe for evidence of your power, mercy, and attributes. Instead, we get to experience God’s presence, power, love, mercy, and holiness as part of our church services. What a great blessing this is as well!

We get to enjoy your special revelation through the Bible. God is not simply powerful, but present. He does not simply hold the world together, He is active in our own lives. He did not simply provide us seasons, God provided us Jesus as the wrath-bearing sacrifice for each of us. Your Word tells us these things and so much more! We learn about the power of the Spirit, our union with Jesus Christ, our familial relationships as those in the body of Christ, and our wonderful justification by God through Christ. In these ways, we rejoice too. May we listen well as the Bible is expounded upon by those who are preaching and teaching the Word of God today.

Not only do we enjoy the Bible, we also enjoy the people. Brothers and sisters in Christ – those imperfect people that you saved, are sanctifying, and ultimately will spend eternity together with forever. Thank God He allows us to experience His grace and love through people as well. What a joy to gather, greet, experience fellowship, join in worship through the Word and song, and pray together. In these moments, we do not simply do these together with each other, but experience these things together with God through Christ empowered by the Spirit. We rejoice in this.

From Space to Our Local Church

As we get up, get around, and prepare for church today, may we rejoice in learning a bit more about the expanse and incredible nature of what God created just over 6,000 years ago, and may we rejoice with even a stronger voice in what God is creating in the church. May God be honored in our praise and worship today as we contemplate the message of General Revelation and specifically Special Revelation – from God’s incredible attributes to our beautiful Savior, Jesus Christ.

Stephan’s Quartet HD Version

Here is a NASA LINK to the picture above in high resolution.