Reflections Week 2

Into this topic, hopefully if you didn't don't have some I got to notes prepared for you or we're talking about the reflection last week. He was looking into James chapter 1 where we looked in to his word and some of them were forgetful. They look into the word like looking into a mirror and they'd immediately walk away and forget what they look like where is others looked intently and we talked about that even use the magnifying glass to express it, but the intently part was just like when the disciples rushed to the tomb looked inside of it and saw that it was empty. They examined that they notice there were is the cloth that covered his head. They noticed there was a the quasset wrapped his body, but there was nobody there was no head. Jesus has risen. And we looked intently into God's word and and it shows us how we are as it shows us who he is and who he is called us to be today. We're going to continue with that. Once you get looking at mirror. Remember the beer that they worked with was something of Highly polished metal. So they didn't have a clear glass mirrors like we have and sometimes it'll even translate that that is looking through a glass dimly, but this was no this was no window that we're going to talk about from First Corinthians 13th. This was a mirror that they would look into and it was not as as pretty As what Darren might look into when he looks in the mirror. It's very reflective. Like it was what we have in our high-quality mirrors of today. And so it would be dimly. They look into the mirror dimly and they see a a reflection but a distorted view of sorts. And so when we look into that we want to understand that we're looking into this mirror to get a picture. But it's not a completed or accurate or perfect representation. I think when we started our service we looked at, you know ourselves our thoughts words and actions Our Lives lived we could immediately pain assessment of ourselves realize that we are not perfect representations of God do while we'd like to have that be what shows to the world even more importantly what is in our hearts. We see a distorted view. It's not Christmas clear. It says looking into a mirror dimly or something that's been smudged a lot with little fingers and so here is what we want to see. We coming into this word. We want to see what God shows us in Genesis chapter 1 in Genesis chapter 1 we have the description of God's creation. He created why he created water and air and Division in between he created the land and the surface. He created The Cosmic.

Parts the moon and the stars and the Sun and all the planets and all the other solar systems in the galaxy and God created all of that on this last day the sixth day of his creation. He forms me. And the description I have there is from Genesis 1:27. So. I think you guys are able to fill in these blanks. So let's see how we go as we come across are so God created man in his own image. Okay, that's kind of important that we see it's his own image. It's not our image. It's not someone else's image. It's God's image in the image of God. He created him.

Male and female he created them and you know, that's kind of controversial these days. If you are a wrestling with the fact of whether or not there are male or female and some of some parents actually give have have their children born and refused to indicate on their birth certificate which is which but God made it pretty clear right from the very beginning didn't really want us to be confused about this and this was an important part of this being in the image of God that male and female because this was the procreative element other his first command to us was to be fruitful and multiply we couldn't do that unless he gave us the means and the tools my way to do it and that's making us male and female So that we could continue his creation and fulfill the purpose of being fruitful and multiplying that we got a couple images here. I think this first one is a famous image of a kind of God's creative work for made Man In His Image and you can imagine that spread out with the bigger image of God reaching down and touching man. But here's another image that I think is more reflective of the way that people view it now and that is from the perspective of the mirror, and this is kind of weird. I want you to think about this from the perspective of a caricature. You know, what a character is in your in your hand out. It has a definition. The character is a picture description or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect on people look into his word God's word instead of looking for the image that God has made them to be that they were formed in God's image. They look and they superimpose their image on God. You see we actually see this next slide and you see it. This is what I have on the top of my computer when I'm doing some of my work and it doesn't show up clearly here. But there's this little section where I can rotate my images. I can flip flop them. And this is a this is an editing tool. It's all people. I think a lot of times even unknowingly going to God's word and begin a mental editing process where they flip it around and instead of representing God represents them. So they is superimposed. They flip themselves over into his word and they start to God create God in their own image. and this is

how they flip and do this at this point. This is where that confusion comes from people just rotated around to mean something different than what it is or they don't quite understand or grasp what God has prepared for us in his creation and what God designed us for in his creation. So what I want what I want to share with you is a is a a little division here between the caricature which is where people would start to any kind of a strange way to look look at how this is done. I once went to A a conference where the the person that does the Creation Museum and I'm drawing a blank on his name.

What's his name? Ken Ham, yeah, Ken Ham was doing he was the presenter and so he's talking about how our Sunday school lessons are are not doing a very good job because we're presenting a caricature or a cartoon of what God has done instead of a reality. So we we start to see Noah's Ark with a giraffe head sticking way out the windows and elephants and all cluttered on top. All these you seen the the cartoon like images which makes it more fantastic or more mythical, but it's not seen as real. We take God's word and we destroyed it like this. We create the character. It's no wonder that there's a confusion of identity or gender dysphoria or whatever because it seems unrealistic but God's word is real. It's true. It's only come at it from that perspective. We can see that is not intended to provide us with the means by which we create our own character of God and you know draw a picture of him in our minds that represents us, but instead that he shows us who he really is and what he's really like and if we allow it it helps us to see who we are as well. But we've got to let loose our superimposing will upon the word and let his word. Teach us the 2nd Timothy chapter 3. This is where we're going from a caricature to a character. So we're God's word wants to move us from a caricature, which is a comic or grotesque exaggeration of Truth to a real character building design that God has so 2nd. Timothy chapter 3 says all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching. No, one of the ways that I've understood this and just kind of take a little wander away from this briefly. When I read this word. It says all scripture is god-breathed or breathed out by God. I've often understood this only a speaking to the inspiration of his word and not as God breathing it out into those who would write it down not as him breathing out of the words written down into us and really this unless we understand it this way that is intended not only to go into the word but to come out of it into we miss its intended effect. God is breathing through this life into us by his word. And so all scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable and that's why it's profitable is because making its movement into us for that purpose for teaching for reproof for correction and for training in righteousness when God created them male and female there was a purpose for that creation, right? Had we not have male and female have been pretty hard to fill the Earth be fruitful and multiply in the same way. It's hard for us to be fruitful and multiply and fill the Earth with godliness and good character. If we aren't trained in godliness and good character as it comes to us through his work. If he doesn't teach us the purpose for our life beyond out of just populating the planet, you know, God's promise or God's word to us to be fruitful and multiply wasn't only intended for for population of the planet. It was first spoken with in Paradise. It was intended to populate Paradise. God says in his word that he wants a Godly Heritage you wants children offspring that are Godly that are born in His image. But after the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden, they cease to produce offspring that were born in God's image and they produced Offspring born in man's image in a fallen image it so you get Cain and Abel immediately. We have the first violent Act of murder perpetrated in one's own family.

This word is intended to produce Godly Offspring to teach us and train us and equip us. For righteousness. So this is completed by that the man of God may be complete. Equipped for every good work equipped for every good work. Now, that's not so that we do every good work, but that's that we are equipped for every good work. What's the difference between those two? It's what what what I was talking about when when we began the service and we talked about how I could how I could think have all knowledge and understanding but now I love how I could speak in all sorts of tongues, but have not love how I how I could have faith that moves mountains, but have not love how I could get my body up to the Flames would have not loved I could do all these things I could do these good works. But have not love the equipping. Is that love that he puts in us that enables us to do this in a Godly way? Okay, and I got the easy way and you can't do anything that pleases God apart from that. We can do we have a lot of people out there in the world that are doing what seem to be very good deeds. And honestly, I'm I'm thankful for them. But they don't please God because they don't recognize God as God. He's not going to be content as long as they ignore him or despise him. Take all Sim into faith into relationship with them. And he desires us out of that relationship with him to express a love like he expressed to us to Bear forth His image. So we love because God first loved us we experience the love that he has the image of man is transformed into an image of God.

So we we see that we may be complete in and equipped for every good work, which is that instilling or infusing of love into our hearts and then Colossians 3:9 and 10 says do not lie to one another seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of the Creator actually read a little bit more of that that chapter to you that which comes in front of it. He says put to death there for what is Earthly in you. In other words that part which is the image of man the Earthly nature the old nature. What is that sexual immorality impurity passion evil desires and covetousness, which is idolatry on account of these the wrath of God is coming in these YouTube Once walk when you were living in them, but now you must put them all away anger wrath malice slander and obscene talk from your mom. In other words. These are what are reflected in the image of man. You think about that won't when you look at the news and you see the war is Raging is that image of God or image a man?

You know that this last week, I don't know what it was that Sean and I were doing some work and she said something to me and I snapped at her. Yeah, tell me about it image of God image of man. That was not an image of God time that was image of man time. You know, this is this is the kind of stuff that separates us from God not that draws us closer to him. This is the kind of stuff that gets us out of the garden drossos into it. And God is calling us to look into his word and not wanted superimposed image of man unto God but instead to have his word teach us how we are to be like him. I mean, I can't imagine all the times that God could snap at me. What would that sniffing be like? When is God straighten me out? And you know, I don't have to really imagine that much honestly, I think every time we experience something whether good or bad. We should question how it fits into God's plan. What is God teaching me through these circumstances? How was God walking with me or better yet? How am I walking with God through these circumstances and actually bring it into the reality of his present and my presence with him. This is a daily walk that we have this is not just walking through an accidentally stumbling into God but walking along with God and God walking along with us that's image of God stuff putting aside the Earthly and saying that this is all happenstance, and I'm just going to go on with my day like everyone else. Who walks apart from God? Walking with him is taking this seriously saying God. Desires me to walk with him. What is that walk look like well, it doesn't mean having these things as part of my toolbox. I got to empty this box out and fill them with something different so I can put aside that anger that route that malice at slander that obscene talk from your mouth. Let me just ask ask you to how many of you have noticed that the the the language. Has just deteriorated tremendously. I'm Blown Away by what how the language has just changed in just a matter of a few years. So that whole crowds are saying what used to be called a bomb. And they're all speaking it. Unanimously, it just blows me away. We got to watch herself. Is easy to be pulled right into that behavior and think that that's okay. God does not call us to walk like the rest of human beings to put aside the Earthling doesn't mean that we should Echo their sentiments when joined in big crowds. We're not going along with the crowds as God's people were called to something different something better something bigger. So we put these things aside. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. We should be sure of that. And then he goes and says do not lie to one another seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and it put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of the Creator here. There is not Greek or Jew circumcised or uncircumcised Barbarian Skippy and slave free but Christ is all and in all that Christ is all in in all is essential. We're just empty vessels if he's not in US. If it's not about him. So keeping that image of Christ image of his creator as a focal point of how we live and I want you to if you have a Bible and you can turn to 1st Corinthians chapter 13. I'm going to be reading through this and I'm going to I'm going to ask you to fill in the blanks here a is caricature be is character. We want to have the character of Christ. Not a caricature of Christ. We don't want to read Russ him into our grotesque imaginations of ourselves. We want to have the character that he has created us to be. Okay, so First Corinthians 13 It starts like this and I'm going to ask you which do you think this falls under love is patient patient. Is that a caricature or a character? Character so that's the character that God wants us to have love is kind. character love does not envy Envy is that Yeah, I saw it when I I might put that on God, but he doesn't put that into me. Okay, so that's that's gross. I mean think about that grotesque to God Envy boasting love is not boasting boasting. Caricature. Okay, it is not arrogant arrogance. that caricature. Yeah arrogance that I love is is not arrogant arrogance is a gross mess of of what love is love is not rude as rudeness. Caricature. Yeah, you get the hand here. These are these are negative if they're negative. They're not love. It does not insist on its own way. It's not it's selfish is love selfish. No, that's a character that we would say all this is this is good. We should be selfish with our love to look out for number one. It's not irritable. That's when I was sniffing. That was the character that was not justified resentful. It's not resemble either. That's a caricature. It does not rejoice at wrong doing I would I put this I just said sour as a character if I was drawing a picture and this was how image of God was to be drawn using these this would be a gross description of God. instead it goes on and says

it rejoices with true. So I'm going to divide that into its joyful and it's true. So these are this is the character that God wants us to have he wants us to be. Joyful. He wants it to be true and it says love bears all things. Now that Bears all things that's actually a description of of like a roof that cover something. So the word there is talking about something that's covering or protecting or preserving to me. This is talking about a person who is forgiving and helping someone to to deal with sin not by shaming them or outing them, but helping them by covering soon James who we were looking at last week says whoever leads a person from the error of his ways. Covers a multitude of sins that would be this type of roof construction. That would have I put the word trustworthy here. This person is trusted by others and goes on and says Bears all things believes all things that is faithful not only is trustworthy but his trusting a hopes all things hopeful and then endures all things in this is really the word that we we rested on last week. Remember we looked at men are we looked at parameno and and implementing that was enduring with and enduring through and you can adore through if you can endure with I mean, how can you endure through the worst of times if you can't even enjoy it with God through the best of times and this is the love endures all things. It's able to weather the storms. I think about the different resemblance. Is there of this and your character? It looks at God whose love indoors with us and through us God is promise. I will be with you always even unto the end of the age. He has said never will I leave you never will I forsake you he's promised over and over again his abiding presence who buys with me I abide with him and that's what this word is that enduring is about a bike riding with God. 1st Corinthians, 13:13 put it this way. So now faith hope and love.

abide, okay, so we might hear it remain faithful these three remain But the greatest of these is love. When you think about yourself as being one of you don't want to be a caricature, and you don't want God to be a caricature you want to be real not a cartoon image. You don't want a cartoon God, you're a real God and you want to be his real creation a new creation created in Christ Jesus. and ask such remaining or abiding with God is essential not to be just the heady guy that knows all things or the faith. The guy that has Faith to move mountains which oftentimes means to a thrilling and able to risk all things. Or someone who is fluent in a lot of different speech. You want to be the one that's not just something on the outside for other people to see? The one who's Scott got a biting on the inside and is inviting with God through all things. So that's where we commend ourselves to God is to to be these people in a world where everyone else is doing Earthly things to be the guy the people that are pursuing Godly things and God things and this how we wait. So I think maybe I told you maybe I didn't had a call about person saying, how do I what do I think about all this stuff going on in the world? And the answer is we abide with Jesus and Jesus abides with us. We aim for him. Our goal is to be filled by him and feel for him. And this is how we live. So when the world falling apart when people are you know, just going all different directions. We have One Direction that we're going and that's too God bless pray. God we thank you and praise you that you have promised to be are good and faithful companion. That is Jesus ascended into heaven. He said he would not leave us as orphans, but would send his holy spirit in you promised that you would be with us everywhere we go as long as we go. God we thank you for your presents. Phyllis up help us to not be shallow show pieces, but instead to be people that are faithful and Faithfully representing what you have transformed in our hearts to be for you in the world. God help us not to just chase after whatever everyone else is doing but it be constantly in pursuit of your will and your way to fulfill your good purpose whether it's being fruitful and multiplying in filling the Earth or being fruitful and multiplying and filling Paradise. God lead us in these directions and lead us to serve you Faithfully in always in Jesus name we pray. Amen.