Embracing the Goodness of Creation and Our Bodies

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus’ Physical Resurrection Affirms God’s Love for Creation

The resurrection of Jesus is not merely a spiritual event but a physical reality that affirms God’s deep love for the created world, including our bodies. This truth challenges the idea that the spiritual and physical are separate or that our bodies are simply vessels to be escaped. Instead, the physical resurrection of Christ is God’s stamp of approval on creation, showing that He values the tangible, sensory experiences of life and intends to redeem and restore all things, not discard them. As you reflect on the resurrection, remember that your body and the world around you are precious to God, and He delights in the beauty and wonder of His creation. [40:00]

John 20:19-23 (ESV)
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Reflection: In what ways can you honor God’s love for creation today—whether through caring for your body, enjoying nature, or expressing gratitude for the physical world around you?

Day 2: You Are Wonderfully Made—Body and Spirit

Humanity is a unique amalgam of the physical and the spiritual, intentionally created by God to experience life in both realms. God delights in the senses He has given you—the ability to taste, touch, see, and feel awe at the world. Your body is not a mistake or a burden, but a marvelous part of God’s design, woven together to reflect His image. Even when your body feels weak or imperfect, remember that God calls it good and desires for you to appreciate and care for it as a gift. [45:30]

Genesis 1:31 (ESV)
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Reflection: What is one thing your body allows you to do today that you can thank God for, even if it seems small or ordinary?

Day 3: Christ Shares in Our Humanity and Suffering

Jesus, though fully God, took on human flesh and experienced the fullness of human life—including pain, loneliness, and suffering. Because He became like us in every way, He understands what it means to be human and is able to help us in our struggles. When you pray, you are speaking to a God who truly “gets it”—who knows what it is to hurt, to be afraid, and to face loss. This truth brings comfort and hope, reminding you that you are never alone in your trials. [47:55]

Hebrews 2:14-18 (ESV)
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Reflection: Where in your life do you need to remember that Jesus understands your struggles and stands with you in them?

Day 4: God’s Love Is Tangible—Sacraments and Creation

God’s love is not abstract or distant; He gives us tangible signs of His grace through the sacraments and the created world. When you receive bread and wine at the Lord’s Table, or water in baptism, you are experiencing God’s love in ways you can touch, taste, and see. These physical elements remind you that God’s forgiveness and presence are real and close, not just ideas. Likewise, caring for creation and your own body is a way to honor the God who delights in the material world and uses it to bless you. [56:27]

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV)
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Reflection: As you encounter the physical signs of God’s love today—whether in communion, nature, or a loving touch—how can you let them remind you of His nearness and care?

Day 5: Hope for the Future—The Promise of Resurrection

Because Jesus rose from the dead in a real, physical body, you have hope that your future is secure and glorious. The aches, pains, and limitations of your current body will not have the final word; God promises to resurrect and renew you in a new creation where sin, death, and sorrow are no more. This hope empowers you to live with gratitude and anticipation, knowing that the best is yet to come and that every tear will be wiped away. [59:42]

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 (ESV)
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Reflection: How does the promise of resurrection and a renewed creation shape the way you face challenges, losses, or fears about the future today?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered to remember and celebrate the profound truth that God not only created the world but deeply loves it—including our physical bodies. We began by acknowledging our brokenness and confessing our sins, not to wallow in shame, but to be reminded of the overwhelming depth of God’s love and forgiveness. Through Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, we are called children of God, set free and made new. This freedom is not just spiritual; it is embodied, tangible, and real.

Reflecting on the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus, we see that our faith is rooted in the physical resurrection—not a mere vision or spiritual metaphor, but a real, touchable, bodily event. This affirms that God values the material world. He delights in our senses, our experiences, and the beauty of creation. The incarnation and resurrection of Jesus are God’s ultimate endorsement of the goodness of creation and the human body. We are not souls trapped in flesh, but a beautiful amalgam of body and spirit, uniquely made in God’s image.

This understanding challenges the old heresy that devalues the body and elevates only the spiritual. Instead, Christianity uniquely proclaims that matter is good, that God himself took on flesh, and that our future hope is not an escape from the world, but its renewal. The sacraments—bread, wine, water, oil—are God’s way of meeting us in the physical, assuring us of his love in ways we can touch and taste.

We are called to honor creation, care for the world, and respect our bodies as gifts from God. The world may tell us our bodies are never enough, but God’s perspective is radically different: our bodies are wondrous, capable, and destined for resurrection. The aches, pains, and imperfections of this life do not have the final word. Because Jesus rose, we have hope for a future where all things are made new, where our bodies and relationships are restored beyond what we can imagine.

As we receive the bread and wine, we remember that God’s grace is not abstract—it is as real as the food we eat. We look forward with hope, knowing that the resurrection means everything will be okay, and that God’s love will have the last word.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s love for creation is not abstract or distant; it is deeply personal and physical. The resurrection of Jesus affirms that God values the material world, including our bodies, senses, and experiences. This challenges us to see our daily lives and physical existence as sacred and beloved by God. [40:00]
2. The Christian hope is not about escaping the world or our bodies, but about their renewal. The resurrection points to a future where our bodies are restored, our work is meaningful, and our relationships are whole—free from sin, pain, and fear. This hope gives us courage to face aging, loss, and imperfection with gratitude and anticipation. [51:08]
3. The sacraments are God’s way of meeting us in the tangible. Bread, wine, water, and oil are not just symbols, but means by which God assures us of his presence and forgiveness. When we receive these gifts, we are reminded that God’s grace is as real and present as the elements themselves. [54:54]
4. Caring for creation is a spiritual calling. If God loves the world and intends to renew it, then we are called to steward it with respect and love. Our treatment of the earth reflects our understanding of God’s heart and our hope for the future, reminding us that what we do with creation matters to God. [56:27]
5. We are invited to appreciate and honor our own bodies, resisting the world’s messages of inadequacy. Our bodies, with all their limitations and abilities, are gifts from God—capable of wonder, connection, and joy. Even as we age or struggle, we hold onto the promise that these bodies will be resurrected and perfected in Christ. [58:59]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[05:22] - Confession and Assurance of Forgiveness
[25:57] - Announcements and Community Life
[29:38] - Children’s Blessing and Offering
[37:09] - Gospel Reading: John 20
[37:54] - Prayer for God’s Presence
[38:44] - The Physical Resurrection of Jesus
[40:00] - God’s Love for Creation and Our Bodies
[43:12] - Humanity: The Amalgam of Body and Spirit
[45:30] - The Wonder of Being Embodied
[47:55] - Jesus Understands Our Physical Experience
[50:21] - Rethinking Heaven and Resurrection
[53:08] - The Mysteries: Creation, Incarnation, Resurrection
[54:54] - Sacraments: God’s Love Made Tangible
[56:27] - Caring for Creation
[57:27] - Loving and Honoring Our Bodies
[59:42] - Hope in the Resurrection
[62:43] - Closing Prayer and Communion
[69:05] - Blessing and Sending Forth

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 20:19-23 — _When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”_

2. Genesis 1:31
_And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day._

3. Hebrews 2:14-18
_Since therefore the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested._

Observation Questions

In John 20, what does Jesus do to show the disciples that he is really, physically alive after the resurrection? ([37:09])
According to Genesis 1:31, how does God view the world and everything he has made?
In Hebrews 2:14-18, what does it say about why Jesus shared in our flesh and blood? ([47:55])
The sermon mentioned that Jesus’ resurrection was not just spiritual, but physical. What are some ways the disciples experienced this in the gospel story? ([38:44])

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says that God’s love for creation is “deeply personal and physical.” What does it mean for our faith that Jesus rose in a real, touchable body, not just as a spirit? ([40:00])
The pastor talked about the old idea that the body is bad and only the spirit matters. How does the Bible challenge this idea? ([40:51])
Hebrews 2 says Jesus became like us “in every respect.” How might this change the way we think about our own bodies and experiences, especially when we suffer or feel weak? ([47:55])
The sermon described the sacraments (bread, wine, water, oil) as ways God meets us in the physical world. Why do you think God chose to use these ordinary things to show us his love? ([54:54])

Application Questions

The world often tells us our bodies are not good enough. What are some specific ways you have felt this pressure? How does the truth that God calls your body “very good” change the way you see yourself? ([58:59])
The sermon said that caring for creation is a spiritual calling. What is one practical thing you can do this week to care for the world God made? ([56:27])
When you take communion or remember your baptism, do you usually think about God’s love being as real as the bread, wine, or water? How might this change your experience of these sacraments? ([54:54])
The pastor shared that Jesus understands what it’s like to hurt, to be lonely, or to lose a friend. Is there a place in your life right now where you need to remember that Jesus “gets it”? ([48:23])
The sermon said our hope is not to escape the world, but to see it renewed. How does this hope help you face things like aging, pain, or loss? ([51:08])
Think about one thing your body can do that brings you joy or wonder (walking, eating, hugging, seeing beauty, etc.). How can you thank God for this gift this week? ([58:29])
The pastor mentioned that the aches and imperfections of this life do not have the final word. How can you encourage someone else this week who is struggling with their body or with pain? ([59:42])

Sermon Clips

We believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus. We believe that the disciples saw and touched Jesus. We believe that others, 500 people, also saw and touched Jesus. We believe that sin, death, and the devil could not hold him down, and he burst forth. And so, therefore, when you think about the future, you can say, yes, there will be a day when this body will stop breathing. But it will not be my last day, because God will resurrect this body, and I have something to look forward to. I have a new body to look forward to that this body is but a seed for. [00:59:32] (35 seconds) Edit Clip

which believes that matter is good, that God himself once took on the human body, that some kind of body is going to be given to us even in heaven and is going to be an essential part of our happiness, our beauty, and our energy. God, Christianity is alone in believing your body matters. [00:46:44] (25 seconds) Edit Clip

He loves that he made mountains to look at and cause awe. He loves our bodies. C .S. Lewis in Mere Christianity says it like this. He says, Christianity is almost the only one of the great religions which thoroughly approves of the body. [00:46:25] (18 seconds) Edit Clip

You're my child in the waters of baptism. Marking with oil. Right? He's using stuff you can touch so that you know you're loved. So, you take that bread and that wine today and it goes into your mouth and you feel the texture and you taste the flavors and you chew it down and you say, God loves me. He forgives me. And he's given me bread and wine so that I can hold on to it and know that he's with me. The love of creation. Christians, we should be the ones who are advocating and striving for keeping our world beautiful. [00:55:42] (45 seconds) Edit Clip

It's why a therapist will say, a simple thing you can do, hold your head up, pull your shoulders back, look out. Where your body goes, your soul will follow. [00:45:30] (17 seconds) Edit Clip

Paul says this in the book of Philippians in the great ancient hymn that we believe that they sang and spoke. Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness, and being found in human form. He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Christ, took on the form of a body, became human, knows what it is to have the spiritual and the physical meet in humanity. Christianity affirms creation. It affirms the body. It affirms everything that we're in. N .T. Wright, in this book, Surprised by Hope, it's an amazing book. If you haven't read it, it talks about the physical resurrection. It talks about this. [00:48:45] (50 seconds) Edit Clip

When you look at what the Bible speaks to, in terms of heaven, it does not speak about pulling us out of creation, but remaking creation in a new way without sin. [00:50:35] (20 seconds) Edit Clip

He loves the fact that it can taste good food. He loves the fact that going to the beach and walking along the strand or laying in the sand as the beautiful sun hits your skin and your ears hear the crashing waves can bring you to a new place of relaxation. [00:46:09] (16 seconds) Edit Clip

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