Blessable Covenant Partners

Update

Shalom Anglican will be launching Sunday services on Easter of this year. This is a big move as they go from Saturday night services (interest services) to worshiping and gathering on Sunday. We are taking the collection that we took this year and giving that to Shalom Anglican as a way of supporting God’s work there. Let’s pray for them… Amen

Let’s continue to keep them in your prayers. I’ve made it a habit, a practice, a discipline, that as people, churches, ideas come into my mind that I try to pray for them (over them) right there in the moment. It’s not a close the eyes and fold the hands, but it is a “Lord, Jack just popped into my head… man, I miss him. I hope he’s doing well. Wherever he is, whatever he has going on, would you make your presence known to him. Would you provide for him in ways that are uniquely you? Thank you for blessing me having him in my life. Amen.” That beautiful discipline keeps me in communion with the Lord and expressing my heart to those that come to mind. So as the Lord brings Shalom Anglican, Pastor Rob, or church planting to mind, would you take a moment and pray for God’s will to be done.

Introduction

Groundhog Day (w/ Bill Murray) or any movie where they have to unlearn what they thought they know… what is love, what is commitment, what is meaningful relationship, what is the quintessence of life?

Reframing? What is true? What is good? What is right?

Identity of people coming out of slavery in Egypt?

Identity of people coming out of wandering the wilderness for 40years?

Genesis helps remind and let people know their history, their purpose, and their function (existence in the ancient near East)

It speaks to us today about who we are, where this faith we have comes from, why we are here, what purpose we have, that when things are difficult/chaotic in our lives there is beacon of light that shines in our darkness to lead us to hope, truth, and life.

As we enter into the sixth day of creation we see the last of the parallel texts (Graphic)… the third day dry ground appeared… in preparation for the animals and humans.

If you have your Bibles, or on your devices, please turn to Genesis 1:24-31. If you are able and/or willing, would you stand with me as I read God’s word this morning. “This is the word of the Lord”. Let us pray

You may be seated.

Creatures on the Land

On in vs24 God speaks again and says Genesis 1:24–25 “And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.”

“according to their kinds”- We could look at this and start to ask our 21st century questions. When others look at the Bible and try to discredit the Bible they might point to arguments that others have made through the recent past and try to defend the Bible.

We’ve established through our journey in Genesis that having these questions are great, necessary, but the Bible doesn’t care about these questions. I know that might be jarring to some of us… what we will find to be true that God is true and His word is true. That as the Ancient Near Eastern person would look at a cow give birth to a cow, God’s word lines up. The mystery of birth and reproduction lines up with God’s word.

Suffice it to say… Day 3 he made the dry ground and all the vegetation that was coming out of the ground. There’s a preparation here for the sixth day. So that the animals on the land and the humans that He creates have sustenance to live and flourish.

God looked at what He had made and saw that “it was good”… ever do that… make something that is exactly what you wanted… you take a step back and you’re lack, “yeah… that’s good!”

God delights in creation. God delights in what He has made.

Mankind in His Own Image

There is a lot to say here that this Sunday can not contain it all… but suffice to say we’ll be coming back to humanity when we look at Genesis 2.

Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let us make mankind 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.””

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֛ם בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ

God said// make (Qal, Imp, 1cp)// man// in image our (1cp-sfx) // like likeness(shape/resemblance) our (1cp-sfx)

What we see here, in my opinion is God a description of the Trinity. I think this important to point out. It’s arguable (and many scholars do) that Moses or ancient Israelites may not have understood the doctrine or the concept of the Trinity. I don’t think we have to understand something to be able say what it is. In fact of someone tells you they completely understand the Trinity… they either don’t understand it or they’re trying to sell you something. But here in the original Hebrew language, we see that Moses in writing this, uses a plural form of these verbs to recount what God said in this creative act.

I think it’s cool that God does this throughout scripture, but also in our lives. To use a movie term, there are “hidden Easter eggs” in our lives where upon time, reflection, and wisdom we can see where God was at work before we even knew it. An Easter egg is a message, image, or feature hidden in software, a video game, a film, or another — usually electronic — medium. God has placed Himself throughout our entire story/life and we often times miss Him, until we don’t… we say… oh there you were Lord.

Could be a difficult experience where then having clung to the Lord through it, you are able to now walk with others going through the same situation with greater care and compassion that they need. You get to be God’s hands and feet.

Illus: When we started out 8-9 years ago to love people well, we started down the journey of learning about and being aware of trauma informed care. The staff is trained in it, the volunteers in City Kids are trained, it has transformed how we do ministry… Trauma-informed care shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” A trauma-informed approach to care acknowledges that we as Christians and minsters of the Gospel become more effective when we understand someones life situation — past and present — in order to understand how the gospel will meet them in their fears or in their hurt. I shared this at recent trip to a pastor/leaders conference for Calvary Chapel in February and was met with a very positive response and wanting to explore this further. Pastor Josh and I are going down to the Calvary Chapel conference in CA this summer to share with 100’s of other pastors and leaders. I get excited to think what this might do for the church moving into this new generation if we stopped going, “What’s your problem” or “Get your act together” or “Just stop sinning” and we take the time to find, “What happened to you?” and ask those questions of God, “Jesus how are you moving in this person?”

Not only do we see God cluing us into a greater knowledge of Himself… but he creates us as his image bearers : tselem

Throughout the Old Testament, God forbids the children of Israel to form and fashion idols. Do you know what the word is used for idol… tselem.

Why would God say, “Don’t make an image of me!” … because He’s already done it. He’s made you and me in His image. We are created to worship (more of that in chapter 2)… and we as humanity throughout time look at creation and go… let’s worship that!! (Sun, moon, stars, ‘gods’ associated with things we don’t understand… sun moon stars… now technology, things, stuff, intellect) But God says, when you look at someone else, they represent me.

What does that mean… you have value, worth, and importance. Every person does. When you look at someone, you can literally think to yourself (or pray), God what do you want to teach me about yourself through this person or my interaction with them.

This is GOOD NEWS!

We’ve talked at length that in the ancient near-eastern context, that in order to exist, it meant that you had function and role. Our non-existence is substance based… but the more I see those around us struggle with identity and purpose, how appropriate the message of the gospel is that in the very beginning starts that you have function, purpose, and worth. You are valuable . You have purpose. You have meaning. You are to reflect the attributes and character of God to those around you. You are God’s beloved creation that He has invited into partnership in this world.

Understanding this brings a new light and understanding of what it means to take God’s name in vain (Ex 20)

No other Gods before me

You shall not make idols or graven image

Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain

It’s not swearing. No it’s misrepresenting who He is. We are His made in His image. As an idol is used to communicate a truth about what it represents, in the same way God created us in His image to reflect His character and attributes.

Genesis 1:27 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

Same in value and worth, distinct/unique in their roles. (more of this in chapter 2)

Our role: Distinct

Both Men and Women: Both are image of God and separate are image of God.

Blessable covenant partners

Be fruitful and increase upon the Earth. Fill the Earth… subdue it. Bring it into subjection, take control of it.

Rule with Him; we’ll see in a few weeks (because we have Palm Sunday and then Easter) that part of God’s creation in giving it purpose and function is naming. But God will bring this part to Adam to take part in this.

He gives provision (v29)… plants, seeds, fruits… yours for food

It was very good… It is worth noting that up to this point, God’s creation was good. But it was on the sixth day that God created humans that we see it was VERY GOOD.

Conclusion

Church, I can’t stress enough your beauty, your purpose, your value, your worth to God. That those we encounter outside, those we employ, those that we work for, those that we patron, and those that patron our businesses, those who live next to us and across from us… some of them are difficult. Some of them are just not kind. Some are amazing. Some are not safe. In those that we come across, those that we have in relationship, ask yourself, ask God, what do you want to teach me about Yourself God through this person?

What if in some way you might be able to communicate their value and worth as God sees them.

Write them a note of appreciation (you don’t have to get churchy… that’s what I do) but call out something good that you see in them.

Notice and call out those things that mean something to them.

If God sees them as worthy enough to bear His image, how can we recognize and call that out.

Maybe its a nice smile, maybe its an encouraging word, it’s a character quality being called out worthy of recognition, maybe its the environment they help create when they are around.

We have value and worth, and it is my prayer, that God would reveal that to you in new and significant ways.

Let’s stand

This is your mission if you choose to accept it… recognize and express to someone this week in a tangible way their value, worth, uniqueness, that recognizes/acknowledges God’s attributes coming through them. Don’t tell them, my pastor gave me homework, and don’t make it weird, “You remind me of God in the way that you make paper airplanes, cause God makes cool things and so do you.”

But genuinely look for a way to call out a characteristic that lines up with God’s in someone’s life and let them know that you value that and you value them.

Maybe you have never sensed or known your self-worth. You’ve never thought that God looked at you with favor or love. He does. He wants a relationship with you. If that’s you, between the time we start to sing and the time we leave, would you come down to receive prayer? Let us pray for you. Come down and start your relationship with Jesus today. Come down, be encouraged, know your value and worth in God’s eyes.

Let’s pray.