OCTOBER 4, 2020 SUNDAY MESSAGE

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Review of: O X > † > O  

I didn’t grow up in the digital era.  Facebook & cell phones weren’t a  normal item you carried with you  and communication has come a  LONG way…I read this newspaper  clipping online from… ———-> 

The prediction was eerily  accurate…and with the phone, not  only translation, but it has ushered in  a new digital language (short hand:  LOL, IRL, BRB, BTW). It doesn’t  stop there b/c we now have the  ALMIGHTY EMOJI!! …and there is  an emoji anything/everything…�

Emojis are helpful, right? Small/ simple images help us communicate  our tone, emotions, feelings, & add  

nuance to our text:  

• Interview: Good luck � or �/� • In fact, your most commonly used  EMOJI just 

might says something  about you!! 

• I want to invite you to think  Communally about this: what is the  most popular EMOJI online right  

now and what does it say about  our country? No GOOGLE  

Lots of qualifiers but a few appeared  consistently in multiple platforms  (Graphic up with EMOJIS):  

• Crying Laughing 

• Heart Eyes and  

• Kissing Face. 

• Paints a little more hopeful pic  of 2020 b/c I may have guessed  the vomit character! 


Symbols are useful tools!!  We can use them to…  

• convey messages, large concepts,  and our communal identities! • Civilizations throughout history     

have used symbols for ALL KINDS  of things! Think about… 

• Statues, monuments, flags, or  religious icons  

• We might grab on to them  simply because we..LIKE THEM


• LIKE them OR  

• They can represent something  deeper (an affiliation or  

allegiance, even a moment in  your life like a tattoo) to communicate some greater meaning!  

• this guy even legally changed his  name to just a symbol <PRINCE> • If it’s true that images and  

symbols have representative  power & help communicate, 


As you have considered what image  best represents you, I want you to  know today that GOD chose an  IMAGE that best represents HIMSELF. You might first think  CROSS but that’s not it…it’s US! 

God CREATED us with the IMAGE  OF GOD. It is HUMANITY alone which has:  

• the IMAGE - the THUMBPRINT -  of God OR  

• (as theologians call it) the IMAGO  DEI!…embedded in them! 

This is STAMPED upon our  existence & changes EVERYTHING  about how we: 

• View ourselves,  

• View others, and  

• View our relationship to God. OPEN YOUR BIBLES TO…  

 GOD  

GENESIS 1:26-31  

26 Then God said, “Let us make  humanity in our (1) image, in our (2)  likeness, 


There is a lot to unpack here so  we will camp out on this one  phrase for a bit then fill in some  gaps with the rest of the section.    

Essentially, He gave the world   “IMAGES” of HIMSELF. God’s  images are not static - like wood, or  

stone idols by human hands -  they are LIVING monuments that  REFLECT WHO HE IS. 


NT Wright uses a mirror illustration  to communicate the image of God: You typically think of a 

mirror as  something you look directly into and  see your own reflection but what if  you angle the 

mirror. Like one of the  round street mirrors you use to see  around a sharp corner than you  drive. 


You can see things you  wouldn’t typically be able to see and vice versa. NT Wright says: 

“It seems to me that God has put  humans like an angled mirror in  His world so that God can 

reflect  His love and care and  stewardship of the world through  humans…” 

Though we are just the MIRROR and  NOT GOD, the world sees God in us as  we reflect it! 

It also says we have God’s  “likeness” SO, we are LIKE GOD. There is a DISTINCTION about us -  

in comparison to all of the other created living things.  


 MEANING, if you want to know  what God is like don’t look at your  Golden Retriever or FLIPPER.  

As adorable and smart as they are,  they DO NOT have the IMAGO DEI…IN the midst of all the  

created things, WE - humanity -  are MOST like GOD and IMAGE  BEARERS. 


BUT what about us is LIKE God?  Traditionally there are a few  categories to describe this. Our  

image bearing status: 

• ENABLES us with a greater CAPACITY than other creatures (Mental, emotional, intellectual) 

INSTILLS SACRED VALUE in  Human life above all other creatures and assumes a level of  

DIGNITY for all human life 

• TIED to our RESPONSIBILITY to  represent God’s KINGDOM. 

1. CAPACITY  


When we think of CAPACITY, the  IMAGO DEI has been seen as the  

special set of capabilities that set  humanity apart from the other  animals…”these are the ways in  

which humans resemble God, such  as in the characteristics of reason,  morality, language, a 

capacity for  relationships governed by love and  commitment, and creativity in all  forms of art.”  

All these insights can be put  together by observing that the  resemblances (man is like God in a  

series of ways) allow mankind to represent God in ruling, and to  establish worthy relationships 

with God, with one another, and with the  rest of the creation.1 


2. SACRED VALUE/DIGNITY  This distinction does not just  separate us from the other creatures,  

it INSTILLS a SACRED VALUE IN US  and informs the way we treat  humans vs. the other 

creatures. • Inherent Understanding -  

We recently got a cat - we named the cat ALEXANDER  HAMILTON (for obvious  

reasons). The cat is fun and we care for it - if we fall on difficult  times, wherein we had to choose  

between feeding ourselves or the  cat…there is not a part of us that  contemplates what to do in 

that situation! 

• You may have a specific conviction about eating animals, but nobody calls a detective when I 

eat a steak or when a lion kills a gazelle. They are animals!! Does this mean we can ABUSE  

animals? NO: the abuse of our responsibility to cultivate and  steward creation is  

wickedness.  


…but if I kill a human being  that’s different. WHY? Our life is sacred above all other  living things.  

• This is inherent but there are  other aspects that cause 

• Cultivated Understanding.  • The part that needs to be  cultivated IN US as seen by  

history because the SACRED VALUE of humanity is directly connected to our sense of  

human DIGNITY and how we  treat all other humans around  us… is this:  

• our lives are absolutely sacred  simply BECAUSE of God’ IMAGE  IN US and no other factor! 

• This means that our VALUE is  NOT based on merit, survival  

capabilities, or contribution to  society.  

• This thinking is what leads to  genocide and holocaust 

• …because basing the value of  life on MERIT (or survival of the  fittest mentality) strips others of  

their God-given dignity. 

• This belief will affect our view of  how christians respond to  human needs: those who are  sick, 

imprisoned, bereaved,  poverty-stricken, differently  abled, or defenseless! 

• The IMAGO DEI informs our  understanding of human rights  (gender equality, abortion, sex-

trafficking), equality and racial  justice in our social landscape. 


LISTEN, as Christians, we believe  ALL people bear the image of God  and, therefore, all deserve 

to be treated with the dignity afforded to  them by that IMAGE AND any assault on God’s image 

bearers is an assault on God. 

This is not to say working out the Kingdom Ethic in all of these areas is  simple. There are 

complicated  systems of injustice (built to take  advantage of some at the benefit of  others and to 

do so covertly). These things take intentionality, awakening,  and untangling but it says we are not  

allowed to hit the eject button and  disengage from it even if it is difficult! 

SO, as Christians, we are to seek to  shape the culture around us in ways  that will preserve 

human value,  dignity, and cultivate a thriving  society which leads me to…  

The 3rd implication of being image  bearers which is our  RESPONSIBILITY. Now, our  

responsibility is represented better in  the following verses. Let’s read it… 

Verse 26: 

Let us make humanity in our image,  in our likeness, so that they may rule  over the fish in the sea 

and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all  the wild animals, and over all the  creatures that 

move along the  ground.” 


3. RESPONSIBILITY 

We are meant to rule and reign, to  steward and cultivate. The beginning  of that verse “Let us 

make humanity  in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over" “links the image of God 

with the exercise of dominion  and we…see that humanity is  endowed here with authority to rule  

the earth as God’s representatives or  vice-regents” 2 

Not going to spend a lot of time on  this because we covered this a few weeks ago and talked 

about how this affects our understanding of  work/vocation and how the Gospel isn’t escaping 

those things but understanding how we glorify God -  helping humanity to thrive like EDEN  (which 

is what God intended). 


There is a second part to this that  we are going to get to in a second  but our IMAGE BEARING  

RESPONSIBILITY - our Gospel  Responsibility - is to be rule in the likeness of God over creation 

and build neighborhoods, cities, and cultures that are embedded with His Kingdom! 


Let’s read verse 27 

27 So God created humanity in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and 

female he created them. 

Male and Female representation!  There is a binary representation of  physically different beings, 

and there  is absolutely no distinction of status  as bearers of God’s image…this is what reflects 

the creator. 

“…no more interesting and telegraphic comment exists on the  nature of being human and on the  

nature of God. The male aspect and  the female aspect implicitly are part  of the first human and a 

reflection of  the Creator.” 3 

They are equal while having  distinction as they fulfill the divine  mandate to steward the earth. 

This  is important because when we talk RENEWAL, REDEMPTION, RECONCILIATION and 

Heaven Coming to Earth, THIS IS THE  GOAL!  


28 God blessed them and said to  them, “Be fruitful and increase in  number; fill the earth and 

subdue it.  Rule over the fish in the sea and the  birds in the sky and over every living creature that 

moves on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I give you every  seed-bearing plant on the face of the  

whole earth and every tree that has  fruit with seed in it. They will be  yours for food. 30 And to all 

the beasts of the earth and all the birds  in the sky and all the creatures that  move along the 

ground—everything  that has the breath of life in it—I give  every green plant for food.” And it was 

so.  

31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning— the sixth day. 


As I mentioned before, our image responsibility includes ruling  “in the likeness of God over 

creation and to build neighborhoods, cities,  and cultures that are embedded with His Kingdom!” 

You can’t build these things without filling them with humans. 

So, having children is a part of the  creation mandate that God gives His people.


• As male and female, they are meant to multiply faithful followers  of Yahweh. Who love God and  

carry on his representation and  stewardship throughout the world. 

• You actually see the adherence to this mandate becomes a hindrance and a threat to Pharaoh  in EXODUS. Their multiplication leads to earthly persecution but, ultimately, their deliverance! 

• We are meant to be fruitful and  multiply upon this earth (including  making disciples) as we 

spread  the Kingdom rule/reign of God to  the ends of the earth! 

• This isn’t to say that you are  necessarily sinning if you  choose not to have kids but  these verses 

should be considered in your decision making process.  

• If you have desired to have children but couldn’t - or have  had difficulty in this process  

(especially recently) - the first thing I want to do is extend my heartfelt sympathies. 

• I know how difficult and  heartbreaking this can be -  for three or four years, my  wife and I were 

unable to get  pregnant. During that time,  she had several miscarriages and I want you to know 

that  God sits with those who mourn and this is NOT God’s  intention when he created the  world 

but a result of a broken state of creation.

• Remember too: that, in the  context, large families were part  of the household and created  

survival capabilities like provision through trade (farming, fishing, etc) and protection (enemy at 

the gate) 


We are to multiply and bring God’s  rule with us. The way in which we rule is incredibly important!!  

As we opened up today, we looked  at the power of symbols and and IMAGE BEARING symbols 

were not  uncommon in ancient times. Pictures of rulers were created and placed on coins and 

statues which  were distributed to lands they could not (or didn’t care to) govern directly  but 

wherein they still wanted to  keep. It was a way to make sure that  the citizens in that area knew 

who their ruler was, who had power, and  who had control.  

WHILE some image bearing  symbols are EVIL: 

• meant to instill fear (confederate  monuments install after CivilWar)

• God’s people are not to instill  fear 

• Symbols like this can be co-opted for  evil purposes (Swastikas). 

• God’s people are not to be co-opted 

Other IMAGES are GOOD:  

• meant to inspire courage in  adversity ( ______ ) 

• Designate accomplishment or finishing a task (Checkered flag  and gold, silver, bronze medals) 

• Meant to inspire hope (fire & rescue) 

If you are a good news image bearer,  do people think it is good news when you are coming over? 

When you  walk into a room are people relieved, excited, put to ease, uplifted and  inspired?? Or 

are you a threat to their  security, do you put people on edge, and make people want to leave? 

Simply put, is  it GOOD NEWS when you enter the ROOM because JESUS was  good news to 

those who needed  Him. Only those who operate in evil  need fear Him. 

Furthermore, we are not to sub create IMAGES of God ourselves.  Some of the ancient societies  

created picture, statues, and idols to represent the presence of their Gods  or their affiliation with 

that God.


• YHWH, however, sends living/ breathing images of himself by  way of His people to represent  

Him in all that we do!  

• While idols that were lifeless and  mute, God’s image bearers had  the very winds of God 

breathed  into them as they portrayed the  Kingdom. 


Interestingly, we are not to make an  image of God… 

Deut. 20:4-6  

4 “You shall not make for yourself an  image in the form of anything in  heaven above or on the 

earth  beneath or in the waters below.  5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the 

Lord your  God, am a jealous God, punishing  the children for the sin of the parents  to the third 

and fourth generation of  those who hate me, 6 but showing  love to a thousand generations of  

those who love me and keep my  commandments.” 


God knows we are likely to begin  worshipping the work of OUR hands or making God in OUR 

image (like  white Jesus) and using it to RULE and REIGN in ways that dishonor  God. 

I Love the way the Gospel Project  puts it: “People are not supposed to make images of God 

because he  has already made images of  Himself.” 

And our singular focus, if we want to  be GOOD image bearers is God’s word and the life of Jesus. 

It is our IMAGE BEARING. Our representation that creates a  responsibility is meant to bring about  

shalom, healing, deliverance,  restoration, and the good news of  the Gospel to all people.




COMMUNION:

 (1 COR. 11:23B-26)

“The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”






ANNOUNCEMENTS:






PRAYER REQUESTS:

We are hosting prayer team meetings for both the congregation at large and individuals to sign up for individual prayer. 







SUGGESTIONS FOR WORSHIP:

  • Coty Miller’s own “Praise & Worship” Spotify playlist and “Praise & Worship” YouTube playlist (slightly different from each other), both of diverse music that are being constantly updated!





  • Bethel Music :

    • Bethel Music’s hours of live music YouTube Playlist, also being constantly updated

    • Bethel provides chords to most (if not all) of their songs here (just have to register email, but free!) 






  • Live worship moments from the Upper Room YouTube Playlist

  • Journal writing! (I’m a writer too, so sometimes creative writing and writing my thoughts to God is my form of worship.) 

  • Declare and worship with truth by singing and praying scriptures. 

  • WORSHIP NIGHT! Dedicate a night to worship with friends and family, your house church or neighbors, those who need prayer, love worship, or just enjoy music through a video chat platform like Zoom. You can have one person leading at a time (switching off to whoever else wants to lead) while others sing along, pray, or prophesy, etc.

  • Serving your community, both online, in person, or both, is a great way to worship God, from spreading encouragement and God’s Word online to physically serving food to others. If you are able to go out and serve, click here for opportunities.






COMMISSIONING:

As Jesus said in John 20:21,

"Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."

Go, be the Church! 

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

Amen.