Teens are Asking

Introduction:

'big q’s’: May Serm. Ser.

Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.”

To G’s glory when things are hidden, not spel’d-out | Glori’s task to search deeply — BE CURIOUS!

cur’sity of kids— "Why does bad hap’n?” “If I do s’thing bad?”

Reality of spir’l evil + human evil + jud’t… grace!

TODAY: Teens asking two big Q’s: >>

"Who am I & What is My Purpose?”

Summed up simply, then dig into it w/ script:

'I was created to know God & to make His plan known.'

Identity & purpose.

Genesis 1:26–27 “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.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

In ancient times, an “Image” was an representative (with auth'ty)

Where image was, the auth. of that king/deity was (Sphinx)

Pharaoh (img. Ra/Re) - deal dir. with & make decisions that gods would have wanted

Said to know the heart of gods & do their will!

Great… except FALSE && every1 else slaves of gods (phar)

Our creation acct. tells diff. story — democratized status…

An Israelite believed that ALL humans are called to represent the interests of the Living God!

The first humans in garden got this 100% correct… until fail!

Rather than just being our looks, ability to comm., attrib. we can lose, Img. is calling — a verb.

Not just an IMAGE of God… You IMAGE God.

But, Pastor… “what does this mean for me? I’m not an ancient anything?? What the heck is IMAGING anyway: floor of hospital?”

The concept of ‘imaging’ God is actually very practical. We can each say: >>

I am an Imager of God

Practically imaging God leads us to 2 inevitable Q’s - posed on your sheet

“What does an Imager look like?” [“How… act?”]

It looks a lot like You. God created you uniquely.

The Best version of who God created me to be. Best parts of you.

Uniquely personal—1 of 1, patented, copyrighted. Sealed.

We don’t turn into Xian robots when we saved! Not clones…

Jeremiah 1:5 ““Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.””

Much like Jer. G has call on your life. (may not look: preach @ pres.)

Might be call to be a mom; work blue collr job; own bus.; sci, constuc., pastor??

Way you’re wired gives you clues as to where/how can influ’ce!

MyFit, 102 — SHAPE assessment **self-awar'ss

Who are you? You are the person God made you to be!

We can look at how we're designed for who we are — not at how I feel about how I’ve been desig’d.

Lie: ID is found within me. I/’SELF/FEEL’GS are source truth.

Truth: Identity found in Jesus, in family, community.

You have been made distinctly YOU.

Bad xp, Healthy xp, perso’ty, lies believed (cult’re enemy), truth know… mixed bag!

However…

The more we look like the Jesus-version of ourselves, the closer we are to our ‘best self’! See 2 Corinthians 3:18.

The more we KNOW Him, the more we reflect him!

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all… are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord.”

**Important** Come back to this again.

Jesus transforms us when we spend time reflecting on and reflecting His character! Def. of ‘best self, character’.

We still look like our old personality or giftings or facial feat., but we adopt a way that looks more like X!

glory upon glory upon new glory upon more glory…

process!

Colossians 3:10 “[We] have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

Uses word-pic. of putting on a coat

That leads us to our next inevitable question: >>

"How does an Imager act?”

If we still look like our unique self… more Jesus-y… what that mean??

A healthy imager acts a lot like Jesus.

Trait of Christ Human Ideal Scripture Humility Right relationship to God & others: Phil. 2:5–11 Compassion Loving, others-centered humanity: Mt. 9:36; Jn 11:35 Obed. to Father Full submission to God’s will: Jn 5:19, Lk 22:42 Wisdom Discernment & truth-alig't: Lk 2:52, Mt. 22:15–22 Righteousness Moral & relational integrity: Heb. 4:15 Servanthood Power used for others, not self: Mark 10:45

Promise: Noth’g changes ur att’de toward job or marr. or family like view’g as calling — divine appt’t!

Walk thru couple of theorh ex.

Mechanic - Willing to search out solution, doesn’t know it all;

Coupon to legit. needy pers., tithes; Invite cards @desk; Genu’ly kind to ppl; hard-wrker+ makes time 4fam; hard 4 them also knows need’d @home as father.

Not as much about putting crosses on bus. cards, but doing excellent work!

White Collar - Trusts others with resp; Seeks help from others;

Will sit w. cow’kr when has prob, pray for!; Open about faith, X Deadlines; Xtra touch of excel’ce; Gives church; respect spouse

Pastor: "Just describes a decent human being!”

Kind of… except not. Outside of ethic of X, don’t do those things!

Left to own devices, monotony, old habits, bad motiv. (success, $, pleasure) start being the ‘goal’ in life. Living life thru kids…

Family left in dust… OR a means to my own ego boost!

Cycles created in families; downward spiral — hard to stop!

We need to pursue constant image re-alignment.

Image-Alignment Tools:

2 Corinthians 3:18 – “...we are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”

Can this transformation happen in a flash? Yes! {addiction, distract, habits disapp!]

Are there always areas still need to work on, clean up? Yes! God’s grace!

Note; Don’t like word “tools”, but fit the mechanical metaph.

1. Through the Word - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Scripture trains us in righteousness.

➡️ This is not self-help; it’s Spirit-led formation toward becoming what Jesus is: fully human, fully obedient, fully alive.

2. By His Holy Spirit - 2 Corinthians 3:17

2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

The Holy Spirit internalizes Christ’s character in us.

3. In our Obedience - Philippians 2:8

Philippians 2:8 “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”

Through act of faith, we do what God says… that grows us!

Not easy to suck it up & obey! But, but, but… we want XYZ!!

Jesus was obedient unto death (Phil. 2:8), and we grow through our own obedience.

4. When we Suffer - James 1:2-4

James 1:2–4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

James: Suff’g > persev'ce > maturity…

Suffering shapes us into Christlike endurance and humility (Rom. 5:3–5, Heb. 5:8).

Spend time Close to Him

Read your Word. Spend time praying. Ask Him to

Committal?

Altar time?

Salvation call?