Big Idea: We were created by God for God. Purpose: To build the foundation for a biblical understanding of human nature and sexuality.

Transcription

1 1 Text: Genesis 1:26-31 Rise & Fall The Origin of the Species 9/28/14 Big Idea: We were created by God for God. Purpose: To build the foundation for a biblical understanding of human nature and sexuality. Big Idea: We were created by God for God. [OUTLINE & OVERVIEW] Genesis 1:26a 26 Then God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness I. Everything about the creative act that ends day 6 is different. (26a) Genesis 1:26b 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. II. God completed His creation by creating representatives to rule it. Genesis 1:27-28 female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth. III. God s image-bearers are distinct and differentiated. Genesis 1: And God said, Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food. And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day IV. God gives provision for His design and His plan.

2 2 Genesis 1:27 female he created them. V. Male and female are equal but distinct image-bearers. [MANUSCRIPT] Introduction: 1. Hook/Attention: Quote or illustration from non-theistic evolution crowd Orient: Up to this point we've learned about the origination of the universe, and the world we see around us, including the physical earth, plant life, and animal life. 3. Need: Now we learn where we came from and why we were made. Why were we made? Big Idea: We were created by God for God. READ Text: Genesis 1: 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. female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth. 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food. And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day READ Genesis 1:26a 26 Then God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness 1 Richard Dawkins is a start. Try to find a quote that speaks about the purposelessness of human existence alongside the theory of non-theistic evolution.

3 3 I. Everything about the creative act that ends day 6 is different. (26a) A. This is the culmination of it all. ILL: Quote - Ray Ortlund 2 : "the zenith of God's genius and benevolence" PRV: Translators: "then.." instead of "and" o Same conjunction, but this is meant to make us pause. B. God turns to God in collaboration. PRV: "Let us make man...": o God addressed Himself, not something else. EXP: Trinity: intrinsic Love/Communication o Deliberation, communication, intention wrapped up in this. This indicator means what it about to be created is utterly unique and reflective of God. C. The creation of man is utterly unique. PRV: "According to their kind" vs. "In our image/likeness" o Starting with the trees (11), sea creatures and birds (21), and land species (24)--all were created according to their kinds, but that is not said of humanity here. o NOT created "according to our kind"... BUT "in HIS image." APP: Human desire o Do you want to be special? Could it be that our human striving for uniqueness, special-ness, etc. is linked to the image within which we were created. We weren't created after our own kind, but in God's image. WE CAN'T FIND COMPLETION IN OURSELVES. Find yourself: you'll need to keep looking. Transition: What does being created in God s image entail? READ Genesis 1:26b 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. II. God completed His creation by creating representatives to rule it. A. God gives mankind dominion. PRV: "rule over, govern, exercise authority over." 2 Piper, John, and Wayne A. Grudem. "Chapter 3 MALE-FEMALE EQUALITY AND MALE HEADSHIP GENESIS 1-3 by: Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr." Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: A Response to Evangelical Feminism. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, Pg. 87

4 o Man stands between God an animals as God's ruling representative. EXP: Dominion o God can give this authority out because He owns in all, He created it all, He rules it all. APP: Humans & Animals: o We are created to have dominion over other creatures, not to be ruled by them. God subordinates sea creatures, sky creatures, and land creatures, yes, and even creeping things, to His image-bearers. We are above the animals. We are not simply another species of animal. We are imagebearers. APP: Sanctity of human life: o We alone are image bearers. Culture has this mixed up-- as if animals are our ancient ancestors, just a little downstream on the evolutionary food chain-- not true. Abortion is a bigger issue than "endangered species" issues. Dominion doesn't imply that we should be harsh... there is certainly a stewardship aspect here. But we must not confuse the issue. ILL: Pets: o Calling your dog a baby. Acting as if you are your cat s mom. I get that domesticated animals can feel like a part of the family--but let's get it straight here. Your puppy isn't a child. B. Mankind is distinguished in bearing God s image. ILL: Eric Mason, Mahood Restored 3 : o (PIC 1) Representative + Responsibility both lived out in context of Relationship. C. Reflecting God is at the core of what it means to be human. (27a) EXP: imago dei: "Image of God" o "soul's personal reflection of God's righteous character. To image God is to mirror His holiness." 4 (The narrative repeats this to emphasize it. Look at the next two verses.) READ Genesis 1:27-28 III. God s image-bearers are distinct and differentiated. A. Mankind is differentiated sexually. (27b) EXP: Animal Sexuality: 4 3 Mason, Eric, Matt Chandler, and Tony Evans. Manhood Restored: How the Gospel Makes Men Whole. 4 Ortlund, Ray; pg. 27

5 o Sexuality of the animals God created wasn't mentioned. It was there, but it wasn t emphasized. APP: Equality of God s image in both male and female. o Both male and female reflect God s image equally. BUT: male and female are different. EQUAL BUT DIFFERENT. C. Sexual differentiation is a key part of God s design. (28) PRV: be fruitful o God blesses and gives the command to be fruitful and multiply [Have babies]- differentiated sexuality is a key to fulfilling this purpose of God. EXP: Design passed on o As this first husband/wife team starts having babies-these future children will also carry with them the unique image of God, divine blessing, and job description (dominion) that their parents carried. Transition: Look at what comes next, this is big READ Genesis 1: And God said, Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food. And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day IV. God gives provision for His design and His plan. A. God doesn t leave them to fend for themselves. PRV: Where God directs, God supplies. o Divine favor here-- God sets them up for success with the circumstances and environment he places them in. B. God has set his image bearers up for success. CXT: Ancient Near Eastern Mythology o Taught that humans had been created by the gods to bring them food; this flies in the face of that God created us in his image and provided food for his image bearers. PRV: "very" good o Emphatic end to 6th day of work week APP: We often want God s supply without God s directive. 5

6 6 RE-READ 1:27 female he created them. V. Male and female are equal but distinct image-bearers. EXP: Differentiation between the sexes o To be male is not the same as being female. To be female is not the same as being male. PRV: God created sexuality: it is not an accident. o We must begin our understanding of sexuality with the reality of differentiation. What we see here in the creation of sexuality by God is equality between the sexes as image bearers, and distinction between the sexes as image bearers. Male/Female are equal, but different. Bible teaches: Equal/Distinct; Culture teaches: Equal/Same Conclusion: ILL: Quote - Laverne Cox 5 "The key is listening to individuals in terms of how they describe themselves and define themselves, and taking them at their word." APP: We see where our culture is at in this: so we need to be biblically informed. Sexuality was created by God in the beginning. 1. Gender is not a matter of personal preference but of God's providence. 2. It's not about a decision, it's about a design. Not our design-- God's. Remember our context: this is creation. God created all things, and all of it is His. If God is the sovereign Creator and designer of it all, and this narrative is the account of his creation and design, then this develops our worldview on the issues it covers. Sexuality is a HUGE issue this narrative covers. If God doesn't exist, or if this world is just a product of an impersonal process, then Laverne Cox is right...it is about listening to the opinion of an individual on the issue of their gender identity-- it is about their personal choice, not about nature as God designed it. 5 Steinmetz, Katy, and Eliza Gray. "America's Transition. (Cover Story)." Time (2014): 38. "The Transgender Tipping Point: America's Next Civil Rights Frontier"

7 The culture around us is on a vigilant mission when it comes to these issues. The demand is for self-determination and self-designation when it comes to sexuality. God, as revealed in Scripture, has been completely cut out of the discussion, and the exchange has been made for gods resembling ourselves. If we are god, sure, we can self-determine and self-designate no matter what nature accidentally hands us. Appeal: Marry grace and truth in this dialogue. Reality: God didn't make a mistake when he created mankind male and female in His image. And He didn't make a mistake when he made you a male or a female. 7