1. Albrecht…21^st Trinity…Genesis 1:1-2…The Power of God’s Word: Creating Ex Nihilo…Nov. 9, 2025

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. ² 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.

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be yours from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

INJ Who is the power of God, made manifest to deliver us from our sin, DFR:

Have you ever stood outside on a clear night, far from the city lights, and looked up into the sky? As you gaze into that endless, star-dusted darkness, what happens inside of you? The sheer vastness of it all has a way of making us feel small, and it stirs up the deepest questions of the human heart: How did all of this get here? Where did it begin? Why does it exist?

For thousands of years, this search for our origins has driven science, philosophy, and religion. Science offers us the theory of a Big Bang—an unimaginable explosion from a single point of infinite density. But even that incredible theory only pushes the question back one step further: Where did that single point come from?

The Bible does not offer us a scientific equation, but it gives us a profound revelation. In the beginning God created. When we let the Bible speak for itself, not only do we begin to see a taste of God’s power, but we also see how God uses that power for you and me.

Ex Nihilo is a Latin term that originated in the 2^nd Century A.D. It means, “out of nothing.” Early Christians used this term to testify to the origins of the universe. It was not random change, but an intelligent designer whose powerful Word called all things into existence. Ex Nihilo is based of the Hebrew Word found in Genesis 1:1, Bara. This word always references divine activity in the Old Testament.

Why are these terms important? First and foremost, it gives us the clearest and most logical answer to the most common question today: “How did all this get here.” Hebrews 3:4 says, “Every house is built by someone,” meaning, that everyone we know and see around us did not just appear. It was created by a carpenter, an electrician, a mason, etc. The last part of Hebrews 3:4 asserts: the builder of all things is God. The wood used to make the pews, altar, and pulpit came from trees created by the divine Creator on day 3 of creation.

Food and water that we eat and drink – created by God on days 1,3,5,6. The clothing we wear can come from plant material, or from animal skins – each created according to their kind at Creation. What we can begin to realize is the purpose God had in creating each of these things. It was all done for your benefit. Do we need all the luxuries we enjoy in life? No. We could live off the essentials. Do we need all this technological advancement? No, but God gave us intelligent minds to explore and discover more about Him. Everything has a purpose and Creation’s purpose was to point you to your Divine Creator who loves you.

Ex Nihilo. Out of nothing. Not only does it point us to God’s eternal power, but also His eternal will. It was not part of God’s will for mankind to fall into sin. His will was that the created world He called into existence would run without blemish for eternity and the mankind He created, would honor and love Him by keeping the very world He gave them. Does that mean God’s will changed with the fall into sin? No. God’s will still remained that we, His prized creation, would return to the image of holiness and perfection He created us to be in.

But to do so was impossible. That is, without the power of God’s Word. Many times in the Bible we are considered “dead in sin,” or “dead in trespasses and sin.” Do you remember when Jesus said that it is easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven? The disciple’s reaction was justified, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus’ apt reply, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” It isn’t just a rich person, but anyone born into sin, it is impossible to come to faith without God.

Just like creation, faith is borne ex nihilo by God’s power. Having nothing meritorious within us, it is wholly by God’s grace and deep love that we are rescued from sin and death and restored in the image of God. We saw this happen in our Gospel lesson this morning. The nobleman came to Jesus because he heard that Jesus could heal the sick. Jesus’ reply was to test the man. The Jews relied upon signs as the way to prove one’s authority is from God. But faith doesn’t come from signs, it comes from the Word. When Jesus sent the nobleman back to his home, he could do nothing but rely upon the Word of Jesus. There was no sign, only that God said it would be done.

When the man returned home, heard his son was healed at the very moment Jesus said so, he and his household believed. Not because of the miracle Jesus did, but because the miracle proved the Word Jesus had spoken. It was the Word that created and confirmed faith in their hearts. The same is true for you and me.

We don’t have Jesus performing supernatural miracles in our day, but we do have Him speaking to us in His Word. His Word that declares Jesus to be our Savior from sin by His perfect life and innocent death on the cross. His Word testifying that the waters of Baptism are a means of salvation as the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. His Word that declares the Lord’s Supper to be our Lord’s body and blood truly present in, with, and under the bread and wine.

All of God’s Word, from the beginnings of creation, to the prophecies of the ends times, it is all God’s Word. And all of God’s Word has one purpose: To bring you to faith and to keep you in that faith.

How many times has your world just fallen apart? Gut punch after gut punch and the only thing that stuck around is God’s Word. Friends, family, or loved ones might abandon ship, but there, never leaving your side, are the promises of your Savior. His promise to never leave you; to offer you a burden that is easy and light; His promise to walk through your trials and temptations by your side that you may endure suffering. These promises are backed by a 6000-year history of fulfillment. As God’s Word called forth the light in the sky, the plants, planets, and animals, and they came forth, so also do God’s promises obey His command.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, ¹¹ so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Says the Lord in Isaiah 55. God’s Word has authority and it accomplished that which He declares. Whether that purpose is to call you to faith in His Son, or to keep you in the faith by His Holy Spirit.

In our Epistle Lesson, we considered the Armor of God. This armor, which is used to guard and defend you from attacks by the devil, the world, and our own flesh, hinges on one thing: The Sword of the Spirit, meaning, the ex-nihilo power of God’s Word. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, for shoes the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit come to you through the Word. They act together to make you stand innocent in the sight of God.

The most comforting thing about the ex-nihilo power of God’s Word? It stands alone. What I mean by that, is it doesn’t change based on the circumstance in which it is being applied. Yes, you use different parts of the Word depending your situation, but the truth and its power remain the same. Guilt is the perfect example. Guilt is a condition of conscience and of heart. It is the alarm bell that I did something wrong. God’s Word says, “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in the full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience, and having our bodies washed with pure water,” (Hebrews 10:22). Even if we feel guilty, Christ has removed our guilt forever. God has the authority and power to do that. That is why Christ died for the whole world – to ensure that every spec of sin and shred of guilt is taken care of.

The ex-nihilo power of God’s Word is certainly evident at creation. But don’t think it ends there. That Word became flesh and dwelt among us. His power and authority was put on display for all to see. Then, He died. He died in order to deliver you and me from a world of pain and endless death. He rose again to assume all authority in heaven and on earth so that the very same powerful Word from the beginning may be your foundation for eternal life. Amen.