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EMAIL SERMON SERVICE Vol. 4, No. 2 from Diversity Press

What’s The Good Word?
I-1. GOD CREATES US!
(Genesis 1:27-28)

After years of marital struggle, a couple finally decided to seek counseling. In the first session the counselor asked, “What seems to be the major problem in your marriage?” The wife responded, “Religious differences.” “Oh,” mused the counselor, “Can you give me an example?” “Sure!” the wife responded.” My husband thinks he’s God but I don’t.”

Well, we’re not God, but we are His creation. God made us in His image. The Scriptures say, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground’ ” (Gen. 1:27-28).

These very important verses are often ignored. We hear much more about the “fall of man”; the “sins of man”; and the “failures of man.” One discouraged individual said, “I gave up on the church years ago. I used to attend faithfully, but Sunday after Sunday I heard the same old broken record about how we are all miserable sinners, unfit to darken the door of God’s house. I finally faced the question, ‘Why should I go somewhere week after week to have a preacher tell me how awful I am? I already know that. I need someone to tell me about the goodness that’s in me and help me to reach it. And if there isn’t any goodness in me, then I might as well forget the whole thing!’ “

He’s right! Condemnation is not good news. The Gospel means good news. It says we are valuable creations. We have great worth. We are actually images of God Himself.

Jesus understood this. His ministry was devoted to helping people realize their spiritual potential. He said, “Nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matt. 17:20).

The Hebrew word for image means a representative with a close resemblance. The Hebrew word for likeness means a model which is similar in manner. So, how in the world do we resemble God?
How are we similar to God?

These questions may sound presumptuous; but they’re not.
Believing that God made us and values us and lives in us, makes us confident and secure and productive. It does not make us arrogant.

So, what does being created in God’s image mean for us?

I. FIRST, WE’RE TO BE LIKE GOD IN THE WAY WE FEEL.

God has love and patience. John said, “Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (I John 4:11).

If God is caring, then we must be caring. We must not be unconcerned and resentful. Jesus said we’re to be like our heavenly father in attitudes of tolerance and forgiveness. “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:46-48).

We must honor people. We must extend to others all the rights and privileges we claim for ourselves. Jesus said, “Love your enemies . . . that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt. 5:44-45).

If God created us all, then there is basic unity. Mankind is like a body. One characteristic of a body is that it cares for itself. We don’t say, “Well, I’m fine; but this leg hurts.”
Instead, when one member of the body hurts the whole body hurts. Likewise, if one member of the human race hurts, we all hurt.

We’re to be like God in the way we feel.

II. NEXT, WE’RE TO BE LIKE GOD IN THE WAY WE THINK.

God plans and reasons. Isaiah said, “‘Come now, let us reason together . . .’ says the Lord” (Isa 1:18).

If God is thoughtful, then we must be thoughtful. We must not be impulsive and illogical. God’s description of the Jews included intellectual abilities. "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people" (Deut. 4:6).

God was pleased when Solomon asked for wisdom. He said, "Since you have asked for (wisdom) and not for long life or wealth . . . nor . . . for the death of your enemies . . . I will give you a wise and discerning heart . . .” (I Kings 3:11-12).

Later, in the New Testament, Luke explains that the first deacons must have two qualities: Spirituality and wisdom.
“Choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom . . .” (Acts 6:3).

Wisdom is a gift God is eager to bestow. James said, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all . . . and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).

A student prayed that God would give him an “A” on his test; but he failed. At first he was very angry, but then he realized that God had answered his prayer, even before he prayed it. God had given him the mental ability to learn the material, but he had not used God’s answer.

Too many religions minimize the importance of sound reasoning.
In fact, some actually discourage the use of the mind in spiritual matters. Yet, when we say God is Omniscient, that means He has all knowledge. If we’re to be like Him, we must have knowledge. An illiterate man was scoffing at a minister who was working toward a seminary degree. He said, “God don’t need your learnin’”

“That’s true,” the minister replied; “but God doesn’t need your ignorance either.”

We’re to be like God in the way we think.

III. FINALLY, WE’RE TO BE LIKE GOD IN THE WAY WE ACT.

God creates and labors. Jesus said, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working” (John 5:17).

If God is active then we must be active. We must not be passive and subservient. Too many Christians over-emphasize the submissive and obedient aspects of their religion. But God told us to control things. This earth is our realm. We are responsible here. The Psalmist said, “You . . . crowned (man) with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet” (Psa. 8:4-6).

We don’t have to be afraid of “playing God” in scientific and technical areas; because we have a divine commission to discover; to develop; to invent and to explore. We are in charge.

Jesus reinforces this idea in his parables. He said the kingdom “will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.” The one who had been afraid to try was condemned. The master said, ‘Throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness . . .' ” (Matt. 25:14,19,30).

In this story, the master rewarded those who had made independent decisions and taken risks. He actually punished the one who avoided angering his master by being too careful and obedient. We are here to do God’s work.

Years ago, in New York City, a young priest began to doubt his vocation. As he walked down a street in the dead of winter, he passed a little homeless boy huddling over a street grate trying to absorb the heat from the subway tunnel below.

"God!" the priest exclaimed, in frustration, as he looked at the shivering child, "Why do you allow this? Don’t you care? Why don't you do something about it?”

Then, to his astonishment, he heard for the first time what he
knew was the voice of the Lord: "Certainly I care. And I have
done something about it. I created you.”

We’re to be like God in the way we act.

The fact that God created us in His image gives us enormous value and enormous responsibility. Our self-image defines what we can and cannot do. Most of us evaluate our personal worth by what parents and teachers and associates think of us. Instead we should evaluate our personal worth by what God thinks of us!
If we really believe that God created us in his image, we can accomplish much.

Furthermore, If we really believe that God created all men and women in His image, we will treat everyone with respect. James said, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness . . My brothers, this should not be. ” (James 3:9-10).

As human beings, we have an unrealized greatness. Van Gogh created over 800 oil paintings, but only one was sold during his lifetime. Now these creations are recognized as priceless masterpieces; but the artist’s greatness was unrealized during his lifetime. It’s the same with us. We are representatives of God. We’re stand-ins for Christ. John said, “As He is, so also are we in this world” (I John 4:17).

The word Christ is not a name, but a principle. Jesus discovered the Christ principle within himself; but he revealed it as a principle that involved all humanity. Every person is a potential Christ. The word Christian means “a little Christ.”
Unfortunately, only a few know this, and even fewer succeed in expressing it.

Jesus saw the divinity in people, and he challenged us to see it. In essence he kept saying, “You can be free! You can be whole! You can overcome; not because I am something special, but because you are something special! You are children of God.”

Not one person in a million really does his best. When you feel helpless and inadequate, ask yourself, “Could Jesus have done this?” If the answer is “yes,” then remember, the Lord insisted that all he did you can do, too! Such thinking may seem strange and sacrilegious; but that is exactly what Jesus said, “Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these . . .” (John 14:12).

So the good word for today is that God creates us and we are valuable and capable. This knowledge should make us caring and thoughtful and productive.

In Europe during World War II, a G.I. fed a starving child. The little boy looked up and said, “Mister, are you God?” The soldier said, “At that moment I realized that maybe I was feeling and thinking and acting for my heavenly Father.”

God created us in His image so that we could feel and think and act for Him in this world.

***

(Word Count 1802)

These messages are from an unpublished manuscript © copyrighted by Miles and Maralene Wesner, Idabel, OK. Please use them in any way you think appropriate. The only thing we ask is that you give credit for original material in published works.

Material in our sermons usually present the Gospel from a psychological point of view.

My ministry has been blessed immeasurably by reading other people’s sermons. When I started preaching 56 years ago, I waited for “inspiration” (usually Saturday night, about midnight) before I began my sermon preparation. Then, I discovered it wasn’t inspiration at all—it was sheer PANIC. I would have welcomed this service.

Comments are always welcome. (Please indicate if you do not want your comments to appear in New Perspectives).

Miles E Wesner