I've mentioned to you before that wisdom is understanding God, understanding yourself and understanding
other people. Today, we're going to look at the second item in that list. Who
are you? What are you? Why are you? These are really important questions
because the answers you come up with will determine how you will choose to
live. The Bible has answers to these questions and the foundation for those
answers is found in this first chapters of Genesis
where God explains so much about how His creation works. Listen to what God has
to say.
Then God said, “Let us make man in
our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the
sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the
earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created
man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he
created them. Genesis 1.26-27
You are the image of God. This is true of each of you. This
is how God made you. This is how He sees you. So, this how you should
understand yourself.
It's all well and good for me to say that. You've heard the
phrase before. But what does it mean? That's where we'll start.
Back in the day, there was a little phrase that people
sometimes used to describe a child. 'He's the spitting image of his father.' In
one way or other, that boy was so very like his father. The same is true of
each of you. You are just like your heavenly Father. You are just like God. And
because of that, you reflect something of who He is. You reveal God to the
people around you. And you do that just by being yourself. To be sure, there
are many ways that you and God are very different. The same would be true of
that boy and his dad. But that does not take away from the fact of the
similarities. This is true simply because you are God's image.
Let me explain that. The Scriptures talk about God's hands,
His eyes and ears, His mouth and more. This does not mean that God has a physical
body. But by talking about God's hands and such, the Bible is saying something
about God. So, when the Bible talks about God's hands it is referring to His
power. He does things. His eyes and ears are about His ability to know exactly
what is going on. And talking about God's mouth points to the
fact that God speaks. Now, as you use your hands, your eyes and ears,
and your mouth you are saying something about God. You are a revelation of God.
In this you are different from the rest of creation. Just by being you, you
reveal God. You are His image.
This explains your importance. You are important not because
of what you can accomplish, not because of what you know, not because you have
lots of friends. You are important because of who you are, God's image. And
unlike the ability to accomplish things and knowing lots and all the rest, this
is something that will never leave you. It will never change.
That explains your purpose. Your greatest purpose is not to
do something so very noteworthy. Your greatest purpose is to reveal God. You do
this just by being you. Let me tell you one particular situation where this can
be so very helpful. I'm thinking here about people who are old. They are unable
to do the things they once did. They can no longer be creative with words or
thread or food. They can't help friends with a casserole or a strong back. In
their youth they could do so much, but no longer. As a result, so many of them
are tempted to think that they are useless. But they are not. They can still
reveal God to those around them. They are still God's image.
Let's consider something else from this idea of the image of
God. Listen again.
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Here, God is helping us to see that we do not all reveal Him
in the same way. There are differences among us even as we are all His image. And here is one very critical difference. God
has made some of you males and others of you females.
Because of how our culture thinks, the idea of male and
female is limited to biology. There are male bodies and female bodies. We are
told that we can make males into females and the other way around just by a
little surgery. But the fact of the matter is that God is not talking about
bodies when He describes us as His image. He's talking about persons. A man is
a man in his body and in his soul. A woman is a woman in her body and in her
soul. There are differences that go far beyond biology. So, a woman is the
female variety of the image of God and a man is the male variety. And while
they both are the image, they are, in certain ways, different in how they are
the image. So, a man will express what it means to be God's image in a way that
is somewhat different from the way that a woman will express it. This is not a
matter of better and worse or higher and lower. Men and women are equally God's
image. But they express that image differently.
Here's just one implication of that. When it comes to the
fullest expression of the image, each sex needs the other. Each is incomplete
in this without the other. Or to say it differently, the fullest expression of
God's image is through marriage. Together, with each expressing what is unique
to himself and to herself, a husband and wife are able
to reveal God in a way that one person alone will not be able to do.
So, let me review. Both men and women are equally the image
of God. Both are given the task of revealing God. There are aspects of that
where they reveal Him in the same way. But there are other aspects of that task
that they will do differently. They are not interchangeable. And both are
needed for the fullest expression of the image. What I've just told you has so
much to say about popular ideas concerning men and women, both in the culture
and in the Church. And as you can see, just like my last sermon, I am building
toward the future sermon when I will pull these things together to explain
important aspects of marriage.
Now, all of that sounds great - and it is. But there is a
problem. A large problem. The problem is sin. Sin
wrecks everything. Here, it does its best to wreck our ability to reveal God as
His image. As it does that, we become something that God hates: a false image.
That's the problem with all those idols of the nations. They are images of God
but they lie about Him; false images. Sin makes us into false images. So,
instead of using our hands to make things of beauty that reveal God's
creativity, we destroy the beauty of God's creation. Instead of using our eyes
and ears to know what's going on and respond with wisdom and justice, just like
God would, we buy into lies and respond with foolishness and corruption.
Instead of using our mouths to speak the truth in love, revealing something of the
nature of God, we gossip and slander and lie. Because of sin we become false
images.
This applies to marriage, too. Husbands do not act as men and
wives do not act as women. Because of ignorance and rebellion and confusion,
husbands and wives reject their respective callings in marriage, to be male and
to be female, as God defines that. So, instead of being a beautiful expression
of the image of God marriages become expressions of a false image.
And sin has resulted in some not being married. For some it
is something they have chosen for selfish reasons, but for many it is not
because of their choice. What could be a part of a fuller expression of God's
image in marriage is left solitary.
Sin
has entered the picture and made a mess of things
All of this helps to explain Jesus and His Gospel. He has
come to deal with sin. And part of that dealing with sin is restoring in you
the image of God. His first step was bringing about a decisive break with sin
in your life. That's when the Spirit gave you new
life, eternal life. That's where the process of restoring the image begins.
From that point on, Jesus, by the Spirit, slowly but surely removes the sin
that defaces God's image in you, and replaces it with what is good and holy and
beautiful. Because of that you are all being transformed from the false images
that sin had made you into a true and accurate revelation of God. And one day
that work of restoring you will be completed. You will be a beautiful and
perfect image of God. And on that day, we, the Church, the bride of Christ,
will be joined to Jesus, our husband, to become the fullest expression of the
image of God.
So, work with the Spirit as He restores the image in you.
Work to understand how you can reveal God by being you. Listen as the Spirit
points out to you the different ways in which you are being a false image by
your sin. Repent of those sins and come again to Jesus to be forgiven and to be
changed into a true image so that you can reveal God better to the saints as
well as to the world. And work to build up your hope in the promise of the
Gospel that one day your restoration will be completed. Doing these things will
encourage you as you wait for that day.
No comments:
Post a Comment