Imagine if you will that you own a beautiful and lavish home, not a far stretch for most of us here who live in a style that most of the world can only imagine, but I digress. Imagine if you will that you owned a beautiful and lavish home, a home that you had designed and built yourself.
You may not have hammered every nail and laid every piece of flooring yourself, but you watched and supervised and hammered the occasional nail and picked out the cabinets and the flooring and the colours. And you truly loved your home.
I don’t know if there is a home as loved as the one you actually have a hand in building.
But the day comes that you decide that for whatever reason that the time had come to become a landlord instead of a homeowner. Perhaps you had built a nicer home, or maybe you had moved to another location but for whatever reason you decide that you will rent out your beautiful home.
So, you find a tenant, you check their references, discuss the terms of the lease, get your damage deposit, equal to half of the monthly rent, and sign the lease. As you are leave you tell the tenant, “Enjoy”.
The time finally comes that your tenant is moving out. Perhaps you decide you want to live in the house again or maybe they are simply moving for whatever reason. So, you come back to your house to move in, and you can’t believe your eyes. Your beautiful lavish home has been trashed. Literally trashed.
There is garbage all over what had once been a beautifully landscaped lawn. The front door is hanging off the hinges. You go in and can’t believe what has happened to the house that you had designed and built with so much care.
The hardwood floor is gouged and scratched. From the multiple cigarette burns, it looks like every flat surface has been used as an ash tray, and your tenants had promised they didn’t smoke.
If the bathroom had ever seen cleaner or a sponge it was only a passing acquaintance. You can’t even tell what the colour of the original fixtures were.
There are holes in the walls, the screens have been torn and it would appear that someone had swung from the light fixtures.
The house was permeated with the stench of garbage and filth, and you knew in your heart of hearts that no matter what you did that your beautiful lavish home would never be the same again.
In anger you confront your former tenant and they look at you blankly as if they don’t see the problem and they tell you, “I was paying rent so I assumed I could do what I wanted. After all, wasn’t it mine as long as I was paying you to live there?”
You start to sputter. Your eyes bulge out and homicidal thoughts race through your mind. You reach out to place your fingers around the neck of this inconsiderate lout when they say, “But hey, you can keep the damage deposit.” And they walk away whistling.
How would you feel?
Would you agree with them that they had indeed paid their rent on time each month and that by allowing you to keep the damage deposit that everything should be all right? By virtue of renting did they have the right to do whatever they wanted to while they lived in your home?
Of course not. There was a certain understanding either written or implied that they were not to intentionally damage your home and were to return it to you in close to the same condition that they had received it.
This is the third message in What Does it Mean to be Human series. In my first message, one of my points was that Humans were created with a purpose, and I said I’d be back to visit that point, and here we are.
Perhaps you are getting tired of the scripture that was read this morning, for the third time this month, but it is foundational to understanding what it means to be human. Because it is here that we see humanity first enter into the story.
And as they enter the story, we discover that God not only created them in his own image, but he also created them to be a part of his plan.
Now if we wanted to list all the various purposes that humanity in general and Christians in particular were created for and called to, we could do a yearlong series, I’m sure.
But instead, let’s go to the first point of obedience, and that means going back to the beginning of the story.
If we go back to Genesis 1:27-28 We read: Genesis 1:27–28 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
And in those two verses humanities initial and first purpose is defined.
They became tenants in the beautiful world that God had created. And God gave them the purpose of governing and stewarding the world for him.
And to quote Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben “With great power comes great responsibility”.
Some people have developed an entire cult around the protection of mother earth. Kind of an Eco-Theology and they have begun to worship the creation instead of the creator, and that is wrong.
The second of the 10 commandments is given to us in Exodus 20:4 You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.
Unfortunately for too many people the heavens, earth and sea have become idols. People miss out on the fact that there is a creator who is to be worshipped.
The opposite of that are those who believe that we have been given absolute dominion over the world and all that’s in it.
In other words, it has been given to us to use as we see fit and if that means that at the end of the game it is gone, while so be it.
After all we have been promised a new heaven and a new earth at the end of the story. They often will go back to the promise in Genesis 8:22 As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.
For them that is evidence that as hard as we might try to use it up or destroy it that the word of God promises that the earth will be around for as long as we need it, and then who cares.
They figure they can treat the earth like a rent-a-car they took out the optional insurance on.
But really what does it say about the view of our creator when we are intent on destroying that which he created.
My son is an artist and through the years he has given me various pieces of art that he has created. If I destroyed one of those paintings or ripped up one of his drawings because it was mine to do with as I like, what would that say to Stephen?
Would it say, “I love you and appreciate what you have done for me?” I think not.
The third option is something often called Creation Care, which sounds really good, and in many ways, it is, but we have to be careful that we don’t place creation and the environment on the same level of priority as the redemption of humanity.
David wrote in Psalm 8:4–6 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honour. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority—
And then we have Genesis 9:2–4 All the animals of the earth, all the birds of the sky, all the small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the fish in the sea will look on you with fear and terror. I have placed them in your power. I have given them to you for food, just as I have given you grain and vegetables. But you must never eat any meat that still has the lifeblood in it.
Face, it if God hadn’t wanted us to eat cows he wouldn’t have made them taste so good.
Although I think hunting would be a lot more sporting if the animals got guns as well.
But we need to recognize that when people are redeemed and come back into fellowship with God and his purpose, that ultimately it should lead us to taking care of what he has entrusted us with.
Listen to what Paul wrote to those who followed Jesus 2000 years ago, Romans 8:19–21 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.
When humanity rebelled and turned its back on God, it also turned its back on the purpose for which it was created.
One result of that brokenness has been our neglect and exploitation of the world that God gave us. But as redemption restores humanity, it also begins the healing of creation.
I think of it as a Global Stewardship model. This is where we are not only in charge of our environment but have a responsibility to respect it.
Theologian, Carl F. Henry once offered this sage observation: “Scripture does not set forth specific lines of ecological action, which may vary with time and place. But it does adduce fixed principles that indicate that God was not content to create a chaotic wasteland but rather a habitable universe and that he expects his designated stewards to maintain it that way.”
Let’s go back to: Genesis 1:27–28 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
The word that people try to define is translated “Reign over” in the NLT and ‘Rule over” in the NIV in the KJV it is translated “Have Dominion over” in the original Hebrew it can mean any or all of those things.
The interesting thing is that is the same word that is used in Psalm 72:8 May he reign from sea to sea, and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.
Or maybe you are more familiar with it in the old King James Version Psalm 72:8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. It was from that scripture that the name The Dominion of Canada came from.
And so, the scriptures do not lay out specific guidelines for how we are to protect our earth. No where does it say, thou shalt not drive gas guzzlers and thou shalt separate thine garbage. However, the implication is there if we are to be the earth’s ruler we are to be a benevolent ruler.
And the question might be: why? And the answer is: because it’s not ours.
It never was and it never will be.l
We are merely tenants, some of us might have a longer lease than others but ultimately it will all go back to the owner. God.
And so, God gave humanity their purpose For Our Own Benefit
For a minute let’s go back to our original analogy, a house.
If you don’t take care of the house that you live in, eventually it will affect the quality of your life.
The roof begins to leak. The wind blows through the cracks. Insects begin to breed and take over. After all bugs love dirt and damp.
We need to take care of this planet because we have to live here. That’s the bottom line, we have to drink the water, and we have to breathe the air.
And if that isn’t enough, if it sounds slightly self-serving to just do it for our benefit, humanities purpose is also For Our Kids’ Benefit
Going back to our original analogy if you knew that the house you were living in was the house that your kids were going to live in and that their kids were going to live in, would it make a difference to how you treated it?
If you knew that you weren’t just responsible for the house while you occupied it, would you take better care of it?
People are always commenting on higher rates of cancer and Alzheimer’s today than there used to be and they may very well have a point.
I wonder if it has anything to do with the amount of garbage that has been dumped into the environment over the past century?
Sometimes I think we have adopted the philosophy of former US Vice President, Dan Quale who famously said, “It isn’t pollution that’s harming the environment. It’s the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.”
Those of you old enough will remember what happened with the “Love Canal” in Niagara Falls NY, and closer to home with the Sydney Tar Ponds and even closer with the Halifax Harbour. And while we can’t change the past hopefully, we can change the future.
Bacteriologist Rene Dubos said, “The most important pathological effects of pollution are extremely delayed and indirect.”
We are not just poisoning this generation, but we are also poisoning the next generation, and the generation after that. We will not only pay the price, so will our grandchildren
Most of us are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the safety and well-being of our kids and grandkids.
But are we willing to change how we live?
And I know pollution and disregard for the environment isn’t a new problem and we’ve come a long way from having open sewers and garbage in the streets.
And we should be thankful for that, for many places in the world, that a reality and it’s still a part of everyday life. But that doesn’t excuse us from doing more.
And finally, humanities purpose was put in place To Honour Our Relationship with God
Let’s go back to the original analogy of the house. Someday the owner is going to want it back and what will we say? I mean seriously what will we say?
Each of those species that humanity has driven into extinction God created for a purpose and with the same thought he put into you.
Every river that is now clogged with garbage and chemicals was created pure and pristine. It goes back to how we treat the creation is a reflection on how we view the creator.
And maybe part of the problem is when we lost sight of the command in Genesis 1:27–28 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” The command was to fill the world not just the cities.
American author, Henry Miller wrote “What have we achieved in mowing down mountain ranges, harnessing the energy of mighty rivers, or moving whole populations about like chess pieces, if we ourselves remain the same restless, miserable, frustrated creatures we were before? To call such activity progress is utter delusion. We may succeed in altering the face of the earth until it is unrecognizable even to the Creator, but if we are unaffected wherein lies the meaning?”
So, what am I calling you to do? Just be responsible, separate your trash, don’t litter. Personally, I think people who litter should be publicly flogged but that is just me.
Choose wisely.
I’m not the greatest environmental example but I try. I’m lucky, because I prefer small cars to larger cars, so that’s not a sacrifice. At both or our campuses we use heat pumps, programable thermostats and we have solar panels on the roof at Gatehouse. We have changed to almost all LED lights and are trying to make that all LED lights.
Will that in itself save the world? Maybe not, but if enough people do little things they can make a big difference.
Do I believe the ice caps are melting and the polar bears are drowning? I’m not sure. But it seems like the past few winters have been warmer and so have the past few summers.
Two years ago, as we went through a summer of wildfires and floods, climate change suddenly felt a lot less abstract and a lot more personal.
On the other hand, I’m old enough to remember the 1970s, when the concern wasn’t global warming but global cooling and the possibility of a new ice age.
But whether the world is getting warmer or cooler is ultimately irrelevant to our purpose, which is to steward what God has given us. Whatever the data says, our responsibility doesn’t change.
We are only tenants and managers, and we are ultimately responsible for how we treat what has been given to us.
It was Albert Einstein who said, “It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.”
Time and time again in the New Testament Jesus tells parables of servants who were trusted with money, talents and properties who acted foolishly and wasted that which they were entrusted with, and in each case, they were condemned.
Not excused not commended but condemned for not doing the best with what they were given by their master. Interesting.