Games of Life Day 1

Guess Who:

Let’s play a game. Kind of Reverse Guess Who. Explain the rules.

Small. Prone to following a human around. A rodent. Yellow. Electric…

His body is green. Lives in the Sewer. Wears a purple headband. Proficient in Karate.

She lives on an Island. Wears a flower crown. Hangs out with a demi-god. She’s strong willed.

He’s furry. He’s cute. He’s red. He has his own wonderful world. His neighbors are Mr. and Ms. Noodle

This guy is huge. Likes to smash stuff. Strongest Avenger. Green.

What do all of these characters have in common?

All of these characters were created by someone, with a purpose!

Humans are incredibly creative. What is something artistic that just blows you away?

Who here considers themselves creative? What do you like to create?

The awesome thing is that creative isn’t a box. Creativity has so many different expressions.

Music, art, engineering, computer programming, content creation, math, all of these are creative expressions

Here’s something that I think is just the coolest part about all of that. We were created to be creative by a God who is creative. Look at what scripture says about you —

Genesis 1:27 NRSV

So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Genesis 2:7 NRSV

then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.

Each of us is created in God’s image and carries the divine breath of God. That means that each and every one of us is special. Just like Pikachu, and donatello, moana, elmo, hulk were all created as the special masterpiece of their creator. And so are you and me!

So remember that. In fact let’s say it together. I am God’s special masterpiece.

Introduce self

Pics of family in order of appearance

I had the really cool experience of making my own people. And they look a lot like me. And they have parts of my personality already. That’s sometimes good. Some times not so good.

But I want to tell you something. I love them. They are part of me. And so are my pets and my wife.

Now, you don’t have to answer this, but if you feel comfortable you can. Does anyone here have a family that’s not traditional… and by that I mean is anyone adopted, have foster parents, or anyone other kind of situation where the grownups who you live with aren’t your biological parents?

Dude thats really awesome, because you know what. Your people chose you!

I was adopted too! Well half adopted. My dad adopted me. And a really cool thing happened. My dad has green eyes. I was born with blue eyes. But right around the time my dad adopted me, my eyes turned green. And all of my childhood people would tell me i had my dad’s eyes. They had no idea.

So why am I talking about families. Well because here’s the deal. We’re all created as God’s special masterpieces. But we’re all brought into this world with a whole host of different circumstances. Most of them we don’t get to choose.

We don’t get to choose our family, our name, our genetics, our looks, our IQ level, certain genetic medical conditions. All this is really given to us. We don’t choose it. They aren’t our fault.

And in a lot of ways we don’t really get to choose the ways that we are created by God. Remember all those different ways that we are creative? Well all of that creativity is the way that God’s gifts — or the way that God uniquely created us — shows to the world around us and makes the world around us better.

But sometimes, actually almost all of the time, people try to use these things about us to give us a new identity. And often that identity isn’t good. And often it means that we are told something opposite of the truth that we are God’s special masterpiece.

Do you guys know what I’m talking about?

When I was in middle school and even into high school I had a couple of different identities that I was given. I was really small. So I was called things like shrimp and scrawny.

I’m a musician and I was in lots of different school bands, and because of that I was called a band nerd. I acted like these things didn’t hurt, but in reality they did. They messed with how I saw myself.

Here’s the deal though. Nothing, no identity, no name, no rumor can take away God’s view of us. Nothing can take that dignity away from us.

Jesus was God’s son, actually God on earth in human flesh. And he knew that, but he got called a lot of other names. He was kind of an expert on the matter of mistaken identity. He liked to tell stories, and I want to share one of those stories with you

Luke 10:25–37 NRSV

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Samaritans were given a bad name.

Any of you like history? Ok here’s a story for you.

Tell the origins of Samaritans.

They had a bad reputation. a bad name

Jesus rewrote that name. Now they are neighbors.

Exercise, cards at the altar.

Exhortation: you all are neighbors.