Fully Made in God's Image

Deuteronomy is a book that doesn’t get preached very often. I think that is because it seems repetitious of things already read. The name Deuteronomy literally means “second law” It is the second record of the law given to Moses in Exodus for the Jewish nation as they left Egypt.

You may recall that a lack of faith about God’s promise meant that the nation had to wandered in a desert for 40 years so that the unbelieving generation would die off and a new generation would be led into the land under Joshua. The book of Deuteronomy is the reminder of God’s expectations as a new generation received the promised land.

Although I was never in 4H, I appreciate clubs that impress values and skills upon emerging generations. I was a cub Scout, Webelo, and Boy Scout during my childhood and early teens. Through those activities and relationships with adult mentors I acquired skills that I use to this day.

As Gladstone club is with us today, and Diamond will be with us next week, I want to dig into this book that was given to help a new generation live out the blessings and commands of God.

TRANSITION: Join me in this text to observe 3 realities of God’s blessing and promise on a new generation.

God made you as a Whole Person (Deuteronomy 6:4 – "is one")

It is true that 6:4 is describing God, not us. But Genesis 1:26 says that the way we are made is a reflection of God.

Image and Likeness (Genesis 1:26)

How is humanity different from all other created beings?

The distinction of God’s image and likeness set us apart from EVERY other being.

Some like to separate into higher and lower beings. Is a worm higher or lower than a plant? Is a plant higher/lower than an animal? Is a pet higher or lower than livestock?

As fowl and deer seasons begin soon, sometimes a hunter has to admit that the hunted “outsmarted” the hunter. Does that imply that the one who got away is a higher life form than the one holding the gun? Has ANY animal figured out how to manufacture gun powder or form a rifle? While Animals cannot communicate to humans in voice, some animals seem capable of “learning sign language” or voice inflection.

4. "image" (authority) carries the idea of carrying on His purpose/intent. "Likeness" (appearance). God gave Adam the mandate to do to the Earth what He would do to the earth, fill and rule.

When I was in Chicago as a college student I encountered a few pieces of art by Pablo Picasso. Picasso's work is considered "abstract" it doesn't necessarily look like the thing it represents, it merely makes the viewer think about what He was thinking about. We don't "look" like God because He is immaterial, invisible, and yet His glory is everywhere, but when we look at another human we are to think of the God who made him or her.

5. NO human is a mistake, No human is incorrect. Your physical, mental and emotional character are exactly what God intends so that you will turn to and depend upon His grace.

6. NO human is beyond God’s grace and EVERY human needs God’s grace in order to view oneself the way God views him or her.

7. However, when we talk about image and likeness in Gen 1:26, we cannot separate that from the curse that fell upon ALL humanity because of rebellion in Genesis 3.

8. I really don’t care too much about your orientation, your identity or your pronouns because men AND women need to repent and believe to receive God’s grace. Those who identify as cats, cis or trans need to repent and believe JUST AS MUCH as those who identify as binary regardless of attraction.

9. Those with same sex attraction and those with opposite attraction BOTH need to receive God’s grace to undo the curse and reclaim the image and likeness the way God intended and created us to exist.

4-H pledge

1 & 3 encompass how we think and behave.

2 & 4 shape the way we feel and relate to the world around us.

School and sports have changed a lot from your parents and grandparents’ generation. Did you know that Bill Hatcher played football in college when the sport was first moving from leather to hard helmets? Did you know that Jan Crawford played basketball in High School? And both of them and others who have played collegiate sports admit that the game today is way different than the rules they followed. Athletics is (or should be) as much about teamwork, problem solving, sportsmanship, discipline and fairness as it is about physical ability. What you do is integrated into how you think. feel, and relate.

3. People think that religion is only about behavior (how you obey the commands) or thoughts (what do you believe about Jesus?).

4. Too often people have a religious experience, conclude that they are guaranteed Heaven instead of Hell, and go on living their life pretty much the same as it was before the experience.

5. But just as God made us complex, and the 4H pledge addresses the multiple dimensions of human life, God’s desire is that your whole person would relate to Him each moment of this life, as well as eternity after death.

God made you with a mind and imagination to think and reflect upon how He made this world.

God gave you a physical body and commanded us to rule over creation

God placed within you emotions that compel us help and serve others.

God did not isolate you. He placed each one of us in a family and in a community to carry out His work on this earth.

TRANSITION: God did now only make you whole and complex, He…

God made you as a Unique Person (Deuteronomy 6:5 – "all your")

Notice the heart, soul, and might language

Because you have a different heart, soul, and abilities than I, your life is going to look different than mine. But they should both honor God.

This weekend I watched little girls kick their legs higher than I can, I watched young men run faster than I can, and I watched parents supporting their students in ways that I never could.

God doesn’t call you to act and live like I do, He calls you to act and relate as He wills for you.

All your heart (5a)

This Hebrew word is not the word for the organ that pumps blood through your body. It is the idea of your awareness or conscience.

It is the part of you that is aware of your surroundings and makes choices about what you should and should not do.

It is the part of you that decides not to jump off a cliff just because everybody else is doing it.

It is the part of you that chooses a drug-free lifestyle that Red Ribbon week is soon to celebrate.

It is the part of you that has to decide to go to bed at night, and get up in the morning.

In essence it is your decision-maker.

Your decisions impact more than just you, and your decisions have consequences.

This text says, because there is a God who loves you and has been good to you, you should make decisions that honor Him and His purposes.

All your soul (5b)

1. This Hebrew word is not about rhythm of a song, or religious devotion. It is literally the personality or breath of an individual.

I have done significant first aid training over the years as a Boy Scout who is always to “be prepared”, as a college student who needed a phy ed credit in college, as a reserve police officer, and as a person who works with a lot of volunteers. While the recommended number of breaths and compressions have changed depending on if Red Cross or American Heart Association was doing the training, One thing has remained consistent. ABC – the order we check on a person in distress is clear the airway, ensure breathing is happening, then increase circulation of blood.

2. There have been times when I have “had the wind knocked out of me.” When the wind gets knocked out, a person feels like he cannot move or make any intentional action.

3. This is the idea of nephresh – that breath within you that enables you to act on the decisions of your heart.

All your might (5c)

This is the word for strength or power. Once your mind and breath determine that something should happen, it is your might that brings it about.

Some of us have more might than others, Some of us have less might than we used to have. Some of us have learned to work smarter, not harder. But each of us is commanded to love God in a way that our bodies live it out.

Our faith and obedience is not just a warm fuzzy that gets us through from Sunday to Sunday. It is not just a hope or trust for the afterlife. The Life that comes forth from having God’s forgiveness and blessing is a life that uses whatever abilities we have to convert our ideas and intentions into actions.

TRANSITION: Allow me to camp out on this idea of turning ideas into actions for a few more minutes.

God made you as a Capable Person (Deuteronomy 6:7-9 – "you shall")

Consistency (v.7)

I have a pastor friend in the Kansas City area who had an eye opening experience a few years ago. He concluded that he was guilty of “ministerial malpractice” because he had not been intentional about connecting Sunday to Monday. He had a growing church in Johnson County with lots of activity and volunteers on Sundays, but he felt like what they did when they gathered in Church had negligible impact on the Monday-Friday of the church attendees.

Look with me at v.7. The application of a heart, soul and might set on love of God does NOT primarily happen in a church building.

Right now none of us are siting in your house, none of us are walking, very few of us are lying down, and in a moment you will rise.

The awareness, decision and actions of loving God is something that integrates into our daily lives, not something that is reserved for this property.

God commands us to do and to teach a heart of obedience in everyday living.

Direction (vv.8-9)

Much of the differences between churches can be traced to literal, symbolic or memorial interpretation of words.

In our own county there are various understanding of what actually happens when the bread and wine are shared in Christian Worship. There are various ideas of how, when and why water is to be used in baptisms or blessings.

In front of us is one of those examples of our Jewish friends taking something literally whether the symbol finds its way into everyday life or not.

In very conservative, orthodox observance you will find phylacteries and mezuzot (plural for mezuzah). They literally make leather boxes with long leather strands. The box contains a piece of Torah parchment and the strands are used to tie the box to the forehead and arm during morning prayers. The Mezuzah is the same Scripture that is placed in a metal tube attached to the front door of a Jewish home.

These practices give way to later statues of Mary in homes or artwork of Bible verses that may be found in your home or tattoos on bodies. The touching of the mezuzah and kissing of the fingers is likely the origin of making the sign of the cross when praying or entering a church.

Some think that the very presence of Scripture provides spiritual power. Others believe these are reminders to incorporate Scripture into our conscience, decisions and behaviors.

My conclusion is that the meaning is more important than the physical object. It is better to allow Scripture to shape our values and our direction even if a statue, crucifix or art piece is not present than it is to have it there, but ignore it.

Conclusion:

Devout Jews cite Deut 6:4-5 as defining their covenant relationship with God. 4-H clubbers make 4 pledges to communicate priorities of their club.

God calls you and me to 1) Receive and place your trust in Christ alone for salvation, then 2) respond to that gift by living with Him as the center of your affection as a whole person who is unique and capable of loving Him in return.