OPEN: In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
On the 1st day He spoke “Let there be Light” – and there was light.
On the 2nd day He spoke and He created the sky (atmosphere) above the earth.
On the 3rd day He spoke and dry land appeared/ and plants & trees began to grow
On the 4th day He spoke “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky” and the sun, and the moon and the stars came into existence
On the 5th day He spoke and the waters filled with living creatures & the sky with birds
On the 6th day God spoke and animals walked the earth/ livestock and wild animals
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’" Genesis 1:26
“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7
(PAUSE - I had talked to a volunteer ahead of time and called him up at that point). I want you your “sanctified imaginator” for just a minute. I want us to go back in time and imagine what it might have been like to be there the day that God created the most perfect man who ever lived.
(I paused and looked doubtfully at my volunteer which drew a laugh)
I want to visualize God kneeling down in the mud and beginning to shape Adam. Some believe that God may have started with the feet and worked His way up but I think it was more likely He began at the head. This is where the mind is/ nerve center/ spinal cord begins.
(I began to pretend to shape the head, the eye sockets, the nose and mouth, standing a little off to the side so the audience could see).
Then God began to work His way down the body (had the volunteer extend his arms and stood behind him as I moved my hands just above his arms and hands) and as He shaped and formed the arms and hands, you can almost see sparks coming from God’s hands as he formed and shaped the man.
THEN, when God had completely formed the man He breathed the breath of life into the man (pause)
Anyone have some breath mints?
(I let the volunteer sit down without “breathing the breath of life” into him).
Everything else God created… HE MERELY SPOKE and they appeared.
BUT when God created man He climbed down into the mud and got His hands dirty.
Nothing else in all of creation required…
Nothing else in all of creation called for that degree of attention that depth of involvement by God.
And the reason was simple: Man was the only created being on earth that was formed by God. Man was the only created being made in the image of God.
Evolutionists believe there is no divine in man… just dirt. They tell us that man gradually evolved from lower life forms. They’ll tell us that life was just an accident and man is nothing more than a higher order of animal. To evolutionists you and I are animals borne of chaos and lacking any real reason to exist. We have no higher purpose. We no real value beyond being a scientific curiosity.
But the Bible tells us that’s not true.
You’re not just dirt.
Evolution may see us as one step above apes.
But Scripture sees us as one step beneath angels. Allen Webster.
You and I are NOT like the other creations of God.
We’re not like Apes, the Chimps, the Orangutans.
We are a special creation MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD!
Now, why is that important?
It’s important for a couple of reasons.
1st – Because you are made in the image of God… you have intrinsic value.
If for that reason alone – you are WORTH something.
ILLUS: Norman Vincent Peale told of seeing a tattoo parlor in Hong Kong. In the window were displayed samples of the tattoos available. On the chest or arms you could have tattooed an anchor or flag or mermaid or whatever. He said: “what struck me with force were three words that could be tattooed on one’s flesh, ‘Born to lose.’
“I entered the shop in astonishment and, pointing to those and, pointing to those words, asked the Chinese tattoo artist, ‘Does anyone really have that terrible phrase, Born to lose, tattooed on his body?’
“He replied, ‘Yes, sometimes.’
‘But,’ I said, ‘I just can’t believe — that anyone in his right mind would do that.’
“The Chinese man simply tapped his forehead and in broken English said, “Before tattoo on body, tattoo on mind.’”
In other words: What you THINK you are shapes WHO you are. If you THINK you were born to lose/ no purpose or value, that’s how you’ll live. But if you realize you have intrinsic value… you will tend to live up to that image.
ILLUS: I have a here a $20 – how much is it worth? (WHO WANTS IT?)
What if I tear it?
What if I crumple it up?
What if I throw it on the floor and stomp on it?
Why?
Because it’s still a $20 bill.
It has intrinsic value that makes it worth $20.
But WHY is it worth $20?
Is the paper?
Is the ink?
Are the pictures on it worth $20?
No.
It’s worth $20 because somebody made it who had the authority to say it had that value.
You have been made in the image of God.
He has the authority to say you have value and worth.
No matter what’s happened to you
No matter what you’ve done with your life
No matter how many bad decisions you’ve made
You are STILL created in the image of God.
But… how do you know you have that value?
ILLUS: Let’s say you have car for sale, and I’m interested. I come over and ask you what you want for that car. You say you want $150,000 for your car. I ask why you want so much for that vehicle.
Now, let’s say you tell me you want $150,000 because the car has deep sentimental value to you.
That’s nice. But the car has NO sentimental value to me. It’s not worth that kind of money to me just because you think it should be worth that much. You may be sentimental over that vehicle… but I’m not. It’s not worth $150,000 just because you say it is.
But now, let’s say you tell me it’s worth $150,000 because there were only a few of that model made. And other cars like it have gone for that much money. Now I might but that car for what you’re asking. Why?
Because that’s how much somebody else was willing to pay for it.
Something is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it.
So, how much are you worth?
Well, God says you’re worth so much… that He gave His only begotten Son
Not only have you been created in God’s image, you’ve been bought with a price… with the precious blood of Jesus.
SO 1st because you’ve been created… you have value.
BUT ALSO - because you have been created in His image – you have a responsibility.
In evolution - there is no God to live up to the image of. You’re just an accidental collection of matter. You are who you are … and you can’t help being who you are. Without the DIVINE… all you have left is DIRT. As dirt, all you’re left with is animal instincts and emotions that are base and uncontrollable.
‘Cause, if that’s all you are, that’s all you’re going to be.
And many people think like that… they will say that:
- that’s just how I am
- I was born this
- I can’t help myself.
Essentially they’re saying they’re just dirt… not divine.
They’re declaring “I wasn’t formed by God, but Goo.
And that’s what society continues to try to push on us. They tell us:
· You can’t help yourself
· That’s just the way you ARE
· You were born to live a life controlled by your emotions and your appetites and there’s not a blessed thing you can do to change it. And when things get too far out of whack because you’ve lived like that: Just take this pill or this drug and it will all go away.
But the Bible says NOOOOO! That’s not true.
You were created IN THE IMAGE of God.
You were created to live a life that reflects your Creator
God believes you can change who you are and how you live.
That’s why the Bible says:
"Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.” Leviticus 19:2
Jesus said “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:36
And again He said: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48
Now just an explanation about that last verse. Many people read that word “Perfect” and think it means to be without sin. But the Greek word used for perfection in Matthew 5 actually means something else – “to be complete” or “to be mature” – as in Hebrews 5:14 where the word is translated that way “But solid food is for the MATURE, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
So Jesus is telling us “Grow up!”
Grow up to be like your daddy!
Grow up to reflect the image of your Father that’s within you.
The Bible teaches us that we can’t be saved by our good works
We can’t earn our way into heaven by accumulating enough brownie points.
We don’t get past the pearly gates because we’ve been merciful
We don’t earn a place in Paradise by how nice we’ve been
We don’t get into heaven because we’ve been holy
But if holiness doesn’t get me into heaven… why SHOULD I be holy?
Why should I do good things?
Well, Jesus said:
Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, SO THAT they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 ESV
Everything we do and say should reflect our creator because you and I are created in HIS image.
(We showed a picture of a Pepsi and Coke deliverymen)
Who do these men work for? How do you know?
(We showed a picture of a John Deere salesman)
Who does this man work for? How do you know?
(We showed a picture of a nurse)
Where does this woman work? How do you know?
You can tell who they belong to by the garments they wear.
They’ve been entrusted with the IMAGE of that business or hospital.
They are stewards of the reputation of the organization they belong to.
And we tend to judge their company/hospital by how they conduct themselves.
ILLUS: Lou Holtz arrived at a Chicago airport in the middle of the night and went to check into a nearby hotel. For what seemed like 10 minutes he banged on the desk bell before a sleepy clerk dragged in to tell him they had no rooms.
"I have a reservation," Holtz said.
"Maybe you didn't hear me," the clerk replied, "we are full."
"Sir," said Holtz, "I have here a written confirmation guaranteeing me a room in this hotel."
"Yeah," said the clerk, "but I have the keys and I'm saying you are not getting a room here tonight."
Lou Holtz said, " I walked out into the night with two things on my mind: how to find a room in Chicago in the middle of the night, and for the rest of my life, to never miss an opportunity to slam (that) Hotel!"
That night clerk didn’t realize he was the IMAGE of that hotel.
What he did/didn’t do… shaped the opinion of those who were guests there.
Had the hotel done anything to Lou Holtz? No, it was their representative that made an enemy of a very powerful man… and enemies of everyone he spoke to about it.
So, as stewards of the image of God, we’ve got to realize what we do/don’t do reflects back on our God. When we treat someone rough, or lose our tempers, or say things we shouldn’t say, or do something we shouldn’t do… that reflects back on our creator
BUT – by contrast - if we live a life that where dedicate ourselves to being His Image in world we can change the lives of those around us.
ILLUS: Years ago the communist Chinese commissioned an author to write a biography of a missionary there named Hudson Taylor. The author was paid to distort the facts and present Taylor him in a bad light. The communists wanted to discredit him and ruin his ministry. But as the author was doing his research, he was increasingly impressed by Taylor's saintly character and godly life, and he found it extremely difficult to carry out his assigned task with a clear conscience. Eventually, at the risk of losing his life, the author quit his job renounced his atheism, and decided to follow Jesus.
Taylor won this man because, without even knowing he was being watch, he lived his life as one having been made in the image of His God.
CLOSE: The story is told of a preacher that was traveling with his wife and had stopped at a restaurant for a meal. They just wanted to eat and be on their way. But an older gentleman walked over to their table and wanted to talk. They really didn’t want to talk… but they were too polite to say so.
“What do you do for a living” the older man asked.
“I’m a preacher,” was the reply.
“Well then, I have a story you may find interesting.”
“My mother wasn’t married when I was born. When I started to school my classmates had a name for me, and it wasn’t a very nice name. I used to go off by myself both at recess and during lunch time because of the taunts of my playmates, which cut me deeply. What was worse was going downtown on Saturday afternoon and feeling every eye burning a hole through you. They were all wondering who my real father was.
“When I was about 12, a new preacher came to our church. I would always go in late and slip out early. But one day the preacher said the benediction so fast I got caught and had to walk out with the crowd. I could feel every eye in church on me. Just about the time I got to the door… I looked up and the preacher was looking right at me.
“‘Who are you, son? Whose boy are you?’
“I felt the old weight come upon me. It was like a big, black cloud. Even the preacher was putting me down, I thought.
“But as the preacher looked down at me, studying my face, he began a big smile of recognition. ‘Wait a minute,’ he said, ‘I know who you are. I see the family resemblance. You are a son of God!’
“With that, he slapped me across the back and said, ‘Boy, you’ve got a great inheritance. Go and claim it.’
At that, the old man got up and left.
When the preacher and his wife finished their meal, they went to the cash register to pay their bill. The waitress said: “Do you know who that old man was that was speaking to you? That was Ben Hooper, the former governor of our state. This is his home town, and he retired here a few years ago.”
Just a few words from a preacher telling this young he was born in the image of God changed his life. And it can change yours too. That’s why we offer an invitation at the end of every service…
