A Unique Creation Demands a Unique Creator

The Evidence for God’s Existence Based on the Universe

Main Point:
When looking at the many complexities of our universe, it becomes obvious that it couldn’t have “just happened” on its own. The universe we live in shows remarkable evidence for a Creator.

The Discussion Starter:
Atheists and skeptics like to believe that our universe had a completely random beginning. But the more we understand about our universe, the more we realize just how unlikely that is. Likewise, many unbelievers tend to think that life on Earth is equally random, but again, the numbers simply do not allow for this mindset.

In this science-based video, author Eric Metaxas discusses just how unlikely it would be for our universe – or even our home planet – to randomly form by itself. The complexities of life point to a finely tuned universe that makes it all possible. But then that raises another question: who tuned it?

With each new discovery, our very existence points to the existence of a Creator.

NOTE: It may be best to explain the premise of this video before showing it so your students will know what they are watching. In a nutshell, the narrator is basically saying, “Earth – and our whole universe – could not have magically appeared in some cosmic explosion. The complexities of life just don’t allow for it. Beyond that, it seems as though our universe has been “tuned” to support life. The One who did the tuning is God.”

The Video Clip: This clip is available online at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjGPHF5A6Po

Transitional Statement:
I know that video may have required some focused concentration, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Eric Metaxas, the guy from the video, wrote a book entitled Miracles, and this video is based off the early chapters from that book. In the video (and book), he argues that our home planet, Earth, as well as our massive universe, simply cannot be accidental. There are just too many moving parts for us to believe everything fell into place…by pure chance. So, if it wasn’t chance, what was it? Or, better yet, Who was it? Let’s talk about what the Bible says on this subject.

Divide into Small Groups: Let’s go ahead and split up into our discussion groups, and then afterward we’ll come back together for a final word.

CLICK HERE for a quick training article on how to maximize your small groups using our small group format – a great resource to equip your small group leaders.

Discussion Questions: 

1. AROUND THE CIRCLE: As we get started, let’s all take a second to share our names and a place on Earth you’d love to visit.

2. ASK A FEW: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being “not very” and 10 being “very much,” how fascinating do you find Planet Earth? Why?

3. ASK A FEW: How would you sum up the video we just watched in your own words?

4. ASK A FEW: In the video, Metaxas says there are at least 200 different criteria that must be met for life to happen on a planet (the right kind of star, the right distance from it, a gravity-rich “sweeper” planet nearby, etc.). Our planet has all of them…all 200 of them! What’s the best explanation for that: a totally random accident or a God who planned it that way? Why?

5. ASK A FEW: In your opinion, which takes more faith: to believe that God created the universe or that the universe “just happened” on its own? Why?

6. ASK A FEW: What are some of the evidences you see for our universe having a Creator?

7. ASK A FEW: What are some of the questions or doubts you have about there being a Creator God?

8. ASK A FEW: The video was all about what the evidence points to, and in it, Fred Hoyle, a leading astronomer, was quoted as saying, “My atheism was greatly shaken by these developments.” In other words, he admitted his beliefs about the universe and God may have been wrong. Are you truly willing to look at the evidence and go where it leads…even if it means shifting your beliefs? Why or why not?

Read the following passage:

Genesis 1:1-2:2 (NLT)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  2 The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness. And the Spirit of God was hovering over its surface.  3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  4 And God saw that it was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness.  5 God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” Together these made up one day.  6 And God said, “Let there be space between the waters, to separate water from water.”  7 And so it was. God made this space to separate the waters above from the waters below.  8 And God called the space “sky.” This happened on the second day.  9 And God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky be gathered into one place so dry ground may appear.” And so it was.  10 God named the dry ground “land” and the water “seas.” And God saw that it was good.  11 Then God said, “Let the land burst forth with every sort of grass and seed-bearing plant. And let there be trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. The seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And so it was.  12 The land was filled with seed-bearing plants and trees, and their seeds produced plants and trees of like kind. And God saw that it was good.  13 This all happened on the third day.  14 And God said, “Let bright lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. They will be signs to mark off the seasons, the days, and the years.  15 Let their light shine down upon the earth.” And so it was.  16 For God made two great lights, the sun and the moon, to shine down upon the earth. The greater one, the sun, presides during the day; the lesser one, the moon, presides through the night. He also made the stars.  17 God set these lights in the heavens to light the earth,  18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.  19 This all happened on the fourth day.  20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”  21 So God created great sea creatures and every sort of fish and every kind of bird. And God saw that it was good.  22 Then God blessed them, saying, “Let the fish multiply and fill the oceans. Let the birds increase and fill the earth.”  23 This all happened on the fifth day.  24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth every kind of animal– livestock, small animals, and wildlife.” And so it was.  25 God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to reproduce more of its own kind. And God saw that it was good.  26 Then God said, “Let us make people in our image, to be like ourselves. They will be masters over all life– the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the livestock, wild animals, and small animals.”  27 So God created people in his own image; God patterned them after himself; male and female he created them.  28 God blessed them and told them, “Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. Be masters over the fish and birds and all the animals.”  29 And God said, “Look! I have given you the seed-bearing plants throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.  30 And I have given all the grasses and other green plants to the animals and birds for their food.” And so it was.  31 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was excellent in every way. This all happened on the sixth day.  (NLT Genesis 2:1) So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed.  2 On the seventh day, having finished his task, God rested from all his work.

9. ASK A FEW: Interestingly, the very first verse of the Bible, Genesis 1:1, does not take the time to introduce God or even try to explain His existence. Instead, Genesis 1:1 shows God already at work. Why do you think that is? (Leaders – There may be several reasons. First, the Bible, the Word of God, cannot exist without God, so it assumes God’s existence. Second, Moses, the guy who wrote Genesis, already knew God existed. Maybe that’s why he didn’t take the time to explain who God was, at first. Moses experienced Him in miraculous ways! Third, it makes an appeal toward faith, which is the way we please God.)

10. ASK A FEW: By the way, did you catch how God created each of the parts of our world? (Leaders – Technically, God created the entire world as we know it by speaking. Each day begins with “And God said….”)

11. ASK A FEW: Does there appear to be order and rationality in this account of Creation? In other words, does it seem to make sense, or does it appear to be random? Why?

12. ASK A FEW: Think about this for a moment: if the universe is completely random, then it would have no purpose. If it just popped out of nowhere, it really doesn’t have an assigned function. But according to Genesis 1, the birds, the fish, the animals, and most importantly, mankind, all had a purpose. What were some of the purposes mentioned in this chapter?

13. ASK A FEW: What might it tell us about God that He assigned purpose to His creation?

14. AROUND THE CIRCLE: Is there anything holding you back from believing God created the universe? If so, what is it?

Wrap Up:
In our time together, we watched a video that seemed to argue for God’s existence from the standpoint of science. In it, author Eric Metaxas never talked about “what the Bible said” or “what Christians believe.” Instead, he talked about what scientists had discovered, even though the scientists themselves didn’t believe in God’s existence. 

I’m no astrophysicist, but let me try and boil down all that math and science-y stuff from the video in one simple demonstration. For a life-sustaining planet like ours to exist, over 200 different criteria must be met. We have to have a certain kind of star. We have to be the right distance from it. We have to have an atmosphere. We have to have a sweeper planet that shields us from comets and asteroids. And about 195 other things! 

So, here’s what I’m gonna do. I brought a quarter with me, a completely normal quarter that has a heads and a tails. Let’s suppose that to get the right atmosphere, the right star, the right distance from it, and all the other criteria requires me to flip a “heads.” If I get just one “tails,” – just one! – our world can’t exist. 

By show of hands, how many of you think I can flip this quarter and get heads 200 times in a row? How many think it’s unlikely? 

(Flip the coin, over and over again. As long as you get “heads” keep going. Make sure to count out loud with your group so they know where you are. You may even want to get a student up front with you to “verify” the coin toss. As soon as you flip the first “tails” inform everyone that they ceased to exist!)

Look, I know it requires faith for you to believe God created everything out there. But it also requires a whole lot of faith to believe that everything out there lined up perfectly. And by the way, we said we were shooting for 200 “heads.” The likelihood that our universe would exist as it does by random chance is 1 in 10 quintillion (10,000,000,000,000,000,000)! Maybe – just maybe! – we could flip a coin 200 times and get heads. We aren’t ever going to flip it 10 quintillion times in a row and get heads! 

Here’s what everything boils down to: Either you are here because of some random cosmic explosion that allowed everything in the universe to settle just right…or you’re here because a God who loves you more than you can imagine wants to have a relationship with you.

We’re going to close in prayer in just a moment, but if you’d like to talk more about God, His love, His plan for your life, or anything else, just walk up to one of our adult leaders. We’d love the opportunity to talk with you one-on-one, give you help, or just pray. We love you!

Close in Prayer

Written by David R Smith