Genesis 1:26,27
DATE: 8 July, 2001
PLACE: BBC Mallow
I.
Introduction (Luke 20:24)
A.
In order to make that coin, Caesar had to sit for a craftsman to carve a
picture of his profile, and made an image of him to go onto the coins throughout
the Roman Empire. Caesar was probably very careful about his “image”
wouldn’t you say? If YOUR profile was going onto every coin in the Empire?
B.
Companies are all the time worried about their “image” aren’t they?
Whether people think well of them or ignore them.
C.
As are movie stars, and musicians, and famous authors
1.
Their hair
2.
Their dress
3.
The houses they live in
4.
The neighbourhood they live among
5.
The way they talk
D.
As a matter of fact, God HATES images that end up being bowed to (Ex
20:4; Lev 26:1)
E.
What about the image of Christians – should WE be worried about OUR
image as well? I mean, maybe it is important to worry about what WE wear, and
how WE live, and how WE talk?
F.
To help us with “our image” let’s learn just what our image
really is!
II.
Message - The
Image of God (Genesis
1:26,27)
A.
The Image of God – What is it? It is What God is Like (Gen
1:26,27)
1.
Man started off like God – on the inside!
a.
Not physically – his body, eyebrows, fingernails
b.
But internally - His soul
c.
The fact that man is tri-part (body, soul, spirit)
d.
Our free will, our emotions, our desires – all came from God’s heart!
2.
When God made Adam and Eve, it took the TWO of them to adequately reveal
what God is like (Gen 1:27)
3.
Remember, the image of God was at the first PERFECT
a.
Perfectly represented what God is like
b.
Adam and Eve together showed just what God is like
B.
The Image of God - What
Happened to It?
1.
It became marred, ruined, broken, smashed – when?
a.
In Eden, by Adam (Gen 2:17) – that is what disobedience did – it
ruins, marrs, kills!
b.
Ever since that time, Adam passed on a ruined image of God through to all
his descendants (Gen 5:3)
c.
All of us are born WRONG
d.
Not totally wrong – there still is a bit of that image there, it just
is all messed up
2.
It is that part of you that is hated by Satan
a.
Did you ever wonder WHY the devil had to bother with Adam and Eve, or why
he ever bothers with the likes of US? It is because we still have a bit of that
LIKENESS of God in us
b.
Because our soul is messed up – sinful in nature – we sin because we
are sinners, not the other way around:
1)
No matter what we do, we cannot please God
2)
No matter how hard we try, nothing can ever RESTORE that image again
3)
EX: of breaking an egg – can’t be put back together
c.
So the devil goes after your emotions, your heart, your mind – every
part of you that still has ANY resemblance to God!
d.
Religions over-look this fact, and attempt to make their nature into God
(Rom 1:23) – not a good reflection anymore – too twisted
C.
The Image of God – How to Restore it
1.
It Is Restored Through Jesus Christ (Col 3:9,10; 2Cor 4,4; Col 1:14,15;
Heb 1:3)
2.
Not Jesus’ hair, or eyes, or hands, or purple rob, but the ONE inside
the Man Christ Jesus!
3.
When a person repents, and accepts Jesus, you are accepting the image of
God back into your life
4.
There are two ways people deal with the marred-image syndrome
a.
Imitation - Imitate it – religion, self-help psychology
1)
Faking it
2)
Really believing you have the true way
3)
But it is not a way, or a belief, or an act, or a prayer – it is the
indwelling of a PERSON who has been surrendered to
b.
Transformation – (Rom 8:29) – The work of transformation is both:
1)
Instantaneous (Rom 8:1; Act 26:18)
a)
Passed from death unto life
b)
From the power of darkness to light
2)
And Continuous (Philp 1:6)
a)
He’s still working on me…
b)
Sanctification – salvation is instant – my spirit has been given life
– sanctification can take a little longer!
5.
So, how is God’s Image Restored?
a.
Christ, the image of God got MARRED (Isa 52:14)
b.
The sinner whose image was marred from birth goes to Jesus, and accepts
JESUS in his or her place
c.
My sins are that instant transferred to Jesus
d.
Jesus’ perfection is transferred to me
e.
And from that moment, I am a CHILD OF GOD – I am like “my heavenly
Father”!
D.
The Image of God – What is the Purpose of God’s Image in Me Again?
1.
It is what Shines through us – let my light (Jesus) so shine! It is my
testimony
2.
It is what Satisfies us – just the fact the HE is in control now
3.
It Soul-wins – Jesus through me is the only way ANYTHING gets
accomplished for eternity (John 15:3)
E.
The Image of God – What is our Problem today?
1.
The Image of God needs to be Unburied – too much stuff overwhelming us
(make-up, fancy talk, high education; see 1 Cor 2:1-f)
2.
It needs to not be ashamed of – it is different than the world expects
3.
It needs to be protected
a.
From being watered down – into religion
b.
From being mixed together with the things of this world (1John 2:14)
c.
From being buried under all the make-up, and fancy talk
III.
Conclusion/Invitation
A.
Trade in your old self – the marred image – for a new life - salvation
B.
For those of you who ARE saved – this is called sanctification
1.
Bury your own old image – baptism was you making that decision –
don’t go back and become again what was supposed to be left behind!
2.
Let the new you, the image of God shine through you – no need for a
different light – a more modern light – just LET CHRIST shine!
3.
Protect the New Image – your testimony
a.
From being watered down – into religion
b.
From being mixed together with the things of this world (1John 2:14)
c.
From being buried under all the make-up, and fancy talk