QUESTION
ANSWER
- How and why did God create us?
ANSWER
- God created us male and female in his own image to know him, love him, live with him, and glorify him. And it is right that we who were created by God should live to his glory.
Warm-up
- In our creation, part of the reason that God gave us work was so that we would be able to grow in God’s image and then reflect it. Think back on your career, life as a student, or as a participant in a relationship. What changes have you noticed in yourself from that time up until now? What brought about those changes in your life?
Word
BIG IDEA
READ
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.
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
WATCH/LISTEN
- When we can answer the question of “why” God created us, it can address many of our questions and shows us how we fit into God’s bigger story, which is to bring glory to God by reflecting his image.
- The use of our talents, gifts, influence, knowledge, strength, time, memory, intellect, and affections are reflections of God’s image.
- Our existence is about reflecting God’s glory, but sin has altered the image of God that we reflect.
- God created us male and female so that we could reflect God’s glory to each other as an example of God’s nature.
- We were created to go out into the world and reflect His glory. This work is progressive as we grow, as we develop, and reflect more and more of God’s glory.
- To be able to reflect God’s image, we must also know God.
READ
Genesis 1:26-27
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.
2 Corinthians 3:18
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Colossians 3:9-10
Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
WATCH/LISTEN
To hear this sermon in its entirety, please click here.
Old Self
- There are many negative consequences of not recognizing that all humans are created in God’s image both for society at large and for ourselves. The sermon mentioned two specifically: (1) justice will inevitably fall short, and (2) creates an atmosphere where people cannot grow as God has created them.
- Where might you have noticed this taking place in our own culture?
- Where have you noticed this in our city?
- Where might you have noticed this taking place inside yourself?
New Self
- When God created us and told us to be fruitful and multiply, this was an invitation to go and do work in the world, and enter into relationships to reflect the glory of God.
- Where do you feel especially gifted to do this work well?
- Christianity is unique in that we create space for growth, knowing that our transformation is an ongoing process.
- What are the areas that God can form more of you into his image? Or asked another way, where is there an opportunity to reflect more of God’s image in our own life?
- What might the “new self” look like as it is renewed into the image of God? (Col 3)
- To be able to reflect something, you have to know that “thing.” To be able to transform into God’s image, we must also know God.
- What are the main ways that you seek to know God? Is there room for expansion, where do you want to know God more?
World
- Ask God this week to continue the work of renewing you in his image.
- Pay attention to the world around you and take notice if we as a society treat each other as image-bearers of God. Where might you have opportunities to speak into this?
Prayer
Maker of All, let us not lose sight that we, and every human being you have made, are created in your image. Never let us doubt this about ourselves. Never let us doubt this about any other man or woman, for to do so denies you the glory that is due to your name. Your likeness glimpsed in us testifies that we belong to you, body and soul. Amen.