Often sons want to be like their Daddy’s. Any boy who wants to be like his father, that father is a Daddy. Think about it men, did you ever at some point want to do what your father did? Did you admire him to the point that you wanted to be like him? I remember a commercial from when I was a child, you know how boys would shave when their dad would shave. He would have a face full of shaving cream and then use a comb or a closed razor to shave his face. Well, to help boys be like their dads they had a lawnmower for them. In the commercial you see a mom standing at the window watching whatever was taking place outside, and then the camera turns and shows you the outside. There is the dad mowing the lawn, clean and handsome because no one ever truly sweats when you mow a lawn, and then trailing behind the dad is the son with his lawn mower blowing bubbles as he goes. That son is desiring to be in the likeness of his daddy.
As believers we should desire to be in the likeness of our heavenly father. And thankfully we were created in his likeness and in His image, but unfortunately sin has marred that likeness but through the renewing of the Spirit in the life of a believer we can and will be made to resemble Christ. Through the inner working of the Spirit the former glory that dwelt in us will dwell again, but that glory is a mere reflection of the greatness and grandeur of our Savior Jesus Christ. What was it about our original state of creation that made us possess the Image of God? What is the Image of God? These are some of the questions that will hopefully be answered this morning. By a simple definition the Image of God is “A biblical description of the unique nature of human beings in their relationship to the Creator God.” (Holman Bible Dictionary, p. 687) We are created in the likeness not sameness but to resemble and reflect our God. We were never created to be equal to him but to display him.
This is a exposition of many Scriptures that further define and demonstrate what is told here in Genesis 1:26-28. First this morning we see the dwelling place of God is the heart and mind. This is the way that it has always been. The God of the Universe would dwell in our hearts. We are told in Colossians 3:15 to let the peace of God rule in our hearts. We are told that the Spirit will dwell in the hearts of the believer. We are told in Proverbs 4:23 “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it {flow} the springs of life.” Our hearts and minds are important. Look at Genesis 1:26-28 again. In verse 26, God says let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. Verse 27 says, and God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created them. What does God look like? Does he have two arms and two legs? They say moms have eyes in the backs of their heads, and God knows more than moms so he must have eyes in the back of his head. What color is his skin? What color is his hair? What brand of clothes does he wear? You see, God is spirit. So if God is not flesh like us, then what about us would resemble him? Our spiritual nature. Where does our spiritual nature reside? What in words do we know as our spiritual nature? It is our hearts and minds. What died the day that Adam and Eve sinned? Their spirits. What caused them to die physically? The corruption of sin in their spirits that affected their entire being. What matters more than anything else in this world is the condition of your soul. What will determine your eternal destiny is the condition of your soul. If your soul is not made new before your physical death, then you are doomed. It is our spirits that makes us in the image of God. It is not the fact that we walk upright. It is not that we can drive a car. What makes us in the image of God is our spiritual nature. You see that Christ was human and divine and we wonder how could he have been fully God and fully man. How can Christ be 100% man and 100% God stuffed into one body, but already we possess a human, fleshly nature and a spiritual nature. We are not God so we do not have the wonder of that issue.
While these groups were longing and praying for revival in western
One of the thirty volunteers was so set aflame spiritually that the other girls saw a vision of fire engulfing and surrounding her. One of the other girls ran across the room to grab a pail of water to throw on her, only to discover that the fire, though visible, was not literal. It was the fire of the Spirit as seen in Old Testament times and at Pentecost.
The next day, June 30, while Ramabhai taught from John 8, the Spirit came in power. All the women and girls began to weep, confess their sins, and pray for an endowment of the Holy Spirit. Girls became stricken down under conviction of sin while studying, attending the industrial school or at work. Lessons were suspended, and all Mukti began seeking God. Two young girls were so gripped with the power of the Spirit that they prayed for hours and hours, until their faces literally shone with a heavenly light.
As soon as the girls had fully repented and received the assurance of forgiveness, they began to pray for sanctification and baptism by the Holy Spirit. They searched their hearts before God until He showed them their inner impurities. Many girls had visions of the “body of sin” within themselves. They testified that the Holy Spirit came into them with holy burning, which they called a baptism of fire that was almost unbearable. The girls then became flooded with peace and joy until their faces radiated God’s glory. A report sated as follows:
“One little girl of twelve is constantly laughing –her face, plain, even ugly, is beautiful and radiant. She does not know it. She is occupied with Jesus. You think you have looked on an angel face. Some claim to have seen the Lord – one, a blind girl. All speak of His coming again. One sang hymns, composing them as she sang – lovely hymns to Indian tunes.”
Psalm 51:10 ¶ Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. When David sinned before God, what he needed more than a correction in his actions was a correction in his spirit. David did not need to go to counseling what he needed was the counsel of God within his heart. He needed to be corrected within his spirit. So often we determine our spiritual state based upon our actions. How many times did I look at someone lustfully? How many times did I lie today? How many times did I think an angry thought? How many times did I roll my eyes at people? How many times did I intentionally avoid my children and the responsibilities that I have to them? How many times did I ignore the Spirit’s prompting to share the gospel with someone? All of these are markers within our lives we should pay attention to but if this is all we are checking then we have a serious problem. What matters the most is the condition of our spirit. If we were to be taking in God’s regularly and consistently then our spirits would be changing and our actions would be changing. If God is gaining more and more control of us through our submission to him in spirit and prayer then our actions will change. If we let God control us then we will not want to be angry. If we let God control us then we will be concerned for the spiritual condition of others and not thinking angry or other sinful thoughts about them.
Second we see that being made male and female reflects the Trinity. You might be thinking well there is only two of us and three of them. That is true that is why it is a reflection. You might be thinking well, how can our marriages demonstrate the Trinity when we are only people? How can we demonstrate in any way what God looks like when we are people and he is perfect? Again we are a reflection. We are not a perfect representation we are a reflection. And honestly, I do not believe we were ever intended to be a perfect representation otherwise he would have made us like him. We are expected to be perfect, but we will never be perfect. We are to resemble him but we are never going to be a perfect copy of him. Look at Adam and Eve were they ever exactly like God? No. We are not to be God. Only God can be God. Satan tried to be God and that was his problem. You can never be like God. We are to resemble and reflect him. God is three in one. Look at Jesus’ Baptism. There Christ is baptized in demonstration of a submission to the will of God. He did not need to repent but he had to submit. The Father proclaims that Jesus is His Son. The Spirit descends upon Him in order to fill Him. The three work together and fulfill their roles in the work that God has initiated in our world. The roles of marriage demonstrate this principle of the Trinity. God has given the head to the man. A great responsibility and not to be taken lightly, but his actions as head are actions of sacrifice and commitment and devotion. The role of submission and caretaker is given to the wife. She cares for the children more as often demonstrated by the tendency of women on the average, but she also is to support and encourage her husband. Men, could you make it without your wife? Women, could you make it without your husband? There is no less value for either, there is merely different roles. We submit to God and demonstrate our faithfulness through how we submit to the roles in life he has given us.
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Gen
When I went to work that Friday morning, I had no idea that later in the day I would fulfill one of my oldest son's wildest dreams. I was busily working on a project in my office when, for some unknown reason, I had the urge to go to another department. It is highly unusual for me to go there without some specific purpose, but the urge was strong, and a few moments later, I found myself standing inside the door.
The receptionist was busily admiring a large box of shells on the counter when I entered. Since one of my son's passions is Conchology, the study and collection of shells, I was immediately intrigued, and I walked over to look at them more closely.
"Are you sure you want to get rid of those?" the receptionist was asking a technician.
"Absolutely!" responded the technician. "I have no room for them in here." Then he turned and left the room.
I nonchalantly picked up a shell and began to examine it. "What are you planning to do with all of these?" I asked.
"Oh, I will probably pick out a few of them to decorate the plants in the entrance," the receptionist responded. "Don't you think that will look nice?"
"I'm sure it will," I said. "You have a keen eye for such things!" I waited a few seconds, then I told her about my son and how much he loved shells. "He's fascinated by how the shells form and how the animal survives," I said, "and he can name almost any shell and tell you where it can be found."
I didn't really intend to be dropping hints, and I couldn't have been more surprised when, later that day, our receptionist brought a huge box to my office. "Take these home to your son," she said simply.
She couldn't have known how much this gift would be appreciated, for to my son, receiving a shell is like receiving a precious treasure. When I tried to thank her, she simply responded with, "He can come and check out my plants, if he likes. If there's something I kept back that he would like, he is more than welcome to take it as well!"
You can imagine my son's excitement when I brought that box of shells home that evening. He checked each shell, named it and told where it was from, and when his younger brother joined in the fun, he gladly shared the duplicates. Wow!
"Why did I get these?" he asked.
The answer was simple. God's perfect timing and a kind receptionist. As I reflected on all of this, I couldn't help but think about His love towards us. These words came to my mind: "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." (Mark
We were created in the "image of God" for a reason: to act and love the way He does towards each one of us.
"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (1 Cor 11:1 NIV)
"Follow the way of love." (1 Cor 14:1 NIV)
Will you share your treasure with others?
Ephesians 5 demonstrates how the marriage is to demonstrate the work of Christ. As the husband loves his wife he is to work for her purity and holiness. Men do we pray for our wives and their spiritual growth? Men do we seek to encourage them in their faith and spiritual development? Men are we willing to lay our lives down for them if that is what is required? Men are we willing to give of our own time and energy and forsake our ambitions in order to better them? Church are we willing to place God’s work above our own ambitions? Are we willing to give of our own time in order to see God’s work accomplished and forsake that extra time at work trying to get ahead? Are we willing to give up that extra time in front of the TV, fishing, hunting, shopping, or even in quiet solitude in order to be with others serving them and leading them to Christ? Are we willing to sacrificially give of ourselves on a regular basis in cooperation with the church in order to accomplish God’s will? Are we willing to be a demonstration of God’s love and of even who he is? Are we willing to serve our families and spouses and grow them spiritually in order to be a better reflection of God and his nature? To what lengths are you willing to go? Would you be willing to help lead a portion of VBS? Would you be willing to serve even where others will see what you do? Are you willing to even reflect Christ likeness in giving of yourself in a tiring and exhausting and sometimes stressful way? Are you?
As we close today, three thoughts of response on how we can reflect Christ in our lives. We are to demonstrate him to this world. Col. 1:15 tells us that Christ was the Image of the Invisible God, may we be an image of Christ to others.
- As our hearts and minds are the dwelling place may we seek to develop inner spiritual holiness that will change our actions. May our lives demonstrate holiness and purity by our devotion to the things of God. May we be devoted to His Word. Already this year you could have read through Proverbs once and now working on another book. May we be devoted to studying his word. Those opportunities that are in place are Sunday mornings at
- May you seek to make your marriage a reflection of the Trinity by serving within the roles God has given. Simply this. Fulfill the role in your marriage that God has given you. Women if your husband has made an unwise decision, support him by encouraging him as you together seek to work out the consequences. Men, listen to the advice and counsel of your wives. Just because you are the head does not mean your wife is unimportant. Listen to them. But most importantly, be tender and gentle with them. Some translations say that the woman is the weaker vessel. Well one translation says they are the fragile vessel. Easily broken. Serve them in their needs. Make them know they are important to you however that is most clearly demonstrated to them. Also, fulfill your role in the church that God has given you.
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