“ALWAYS CREATING"

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 461, 17 September 1928, Page 14

“ALWAYS CREATING"

DIVINE WORK IN WORLD SERMON AT ONEHUNGA “The world as we know it and as we read its story gives us ample reason to refuse assent to the doctrine that there is nothing new under the sun,” said the Rev. H. D. Scott in the Onehunga Presbyterian Church last evening. He drew a distinction between the texts, “Is there a thing whereof men say, ‘See this is new?’ It hath been already in the ages which were before us” (Eccles., i:10) and that in John, 1x.:32, “Since the world began it was never heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.” The one verse hinted at stale repetition, the other—new departure. The writer of the first three chapters of Ecclesiastes was obsessed with the futility and monotony of nature and human life; the futility of the search after knowledge and the futility of human effort in the light of the fixed order of the world and the futility of hoping for the redress of injustice m some future world. No believer in Cod had the right to speak with such despondency. When man abandoned faith in God’s goodness he might be eager about progress, but more logical minds marvelled at the doctrine of progress having no connection with one ruling purpose. This parade of futilities should not accompany belief in God. Bright hopes were the natural consequence of any living faith in God’s prevailing and wise purpose. If a nation gave itself to doing right such activity would be attended with unalloyed joy and peace. In the New Testament, the note of high hope was paramount, despite disappointments, treachery and the dark shadow of the Cross. Jesus died apparently defeated, baffled and overthrown, yet there was no sign of despair. He saw the lustre of the divine presence flashing over the world. We must refuse therefore to accept the dictum that there is nothing new under the sun. Such a doctrine assumes that this world and all others are one huge closed system. God is dispensed with and everything the consequent of a composition of natural forces. There could be no closed system where God is. In the past, creation had been regarded as a big machine with the clatter of revolving wheels, and that we were simply parts of it. This was a dreadful picture of materialism. In the 18th century, it had been said that God was dead and that creation went on by itself in obedience to initial impulses, without constant and special direction from Him. Eastern philosophy, again, held that

God existed as an unknown something that was the cause of motion and the source of light, or as a power diffused over every spreading flower, mountain top and ocean. Christianity, however, held that God is always creating, always acting, ruling, guiding and directing. He was continually creating something new. It might be said truly that there is nothing but what is new under the sun.

Heath was continually giving place to birth and fresh life. The recent flight over the Tasman Sea was something new, and there are other great divides that man must cross. Every infant child was something new. Creative power was always at work producing that which is new, regarded up till now as impossible, but not finally impossible. Jesus Christ himself was new and those who were influenced by His spirit were renewed. The great system had by no mea/is closed after all, despite the rash theories made about it. It was impossible to assign any limit to what may be accomplished in the future. It may be within man’s compass to even span the bridge between the living and the dead. The future of the Kingdom of God was open to us and great discoveries may be made within the sphere of our spiritual existence. “Behold I make all things new,” said the Maker to his inspired servant. We were not bound by fate, but were urged by the spirit of Christ and the adventurous spirits of the men who dare; the investigators and the discoverers, are the creations of God, and all their discoveries are His revelations to man. The possibilities for discovery and attainment were ever open. There were still fields to be explored, chasms to be bridged, and darkness to be illumined in order that our lives might be made better than they were.