Session #3 Man in the Image of God

Introduction

Hello again campers! How was your day today!! On the count of 3 I want you to say the favorite thing that you got from the candy shop today! ….

Okay I just want to answer the three questions that were asked before I start…

…

I need one volunteer to come up here…

Choose 1 volunteer

ILLUSTRATION: “The Mirror”

Little bobby joe comes up to mirror

“Okay bobby Joe, I want you to look in the mirror and tell me what you see

What colour are your eyes what shape is your nose

(The point: a mirrors purpose is to reflect the thing/person in front of it. We were created as image bearers to reflect God to the rest of creation. That is our purpose)

What is the purpose of a mirror? Well, a mirrors purpose is to reflect the thing/person in front of it.

Did you know that God says: You were made in His image. Not the image of a monkey. Not the image of a celebrity. Not a the image of you fortnite character or youtuber. Not even a messed-up mirror.

Today i want to explore this idea that humans were made in the image of God,

Does anyone know what that means?

The first point i want to go through is that…

1. God Created Man in His Image

When God created the first man and the first woman it was different from the rest of his creation. And that is what we are going to explore today!!

We are going to look at this idea of Man made in the image of God

And so when i say Man, this is not referring to men. But it is referring to humanity, humankind.

Continuing on in the book of Genesis

Genesis 1:26 NLT

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

God created Human Beings, it says in the NLT.

In the original Hebrew, the word used here for "man" is ’adam (אָדָם). And here’s what’s important to know:

It doesn’t just mean one guy named Adam.

The word ’adam can refer to the first man, yes, but it also means “human beings” or “mankind” in general.

But the word literally means one formed from the ground..

So when God said, “Let us make man in our image,” He wasn’t just talking about Adam. He was talking about Mankinnd or Human Beings.. male and female.

The first point i want you guys to know is that,

God made all of us in His image.

It means all people. When God said, ‘Let us make man in our image,’ He was talking about all humanity. And that he created humans to be Male and Female.

God made all of us in His image.

Continuing on in Genesis 1:27-28 it says

Genesis 1:27–28 NLT

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

It never says that he speaks to any of the animals or any of the plants or the earth.. When he is done creating.. He says its good..

But guys when he is done creating man, Reign over the fish and the sea and all the animals.

We see early in Genesis that God was in the garden with Man,

In Genesis 2:7 God forms man from the dust and breathes life into his nostrils

Genesis 2:7 NLT

Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.

Guys can you just think about that, God forms man from the dust and then breathes the first air into his nostrils.

God made man in his image… He did not make the trees in his image.. He didn't make dogs in his image. The Bible says nothing about that..

But the bible says when he made us with this ability to think, to feel, to have desires, to have emotions..

He made us in a way that he could walk with us and have a relationship with us.

Guys God created Man on purpose; He created you on purpose..

Guys, God didn’t just create Adam and walk away.

In Genesis 2, we see God place Adam in a special garden called Eden. This garden wasn’t just beautiful—it was full of life, rivers, trees that were good for food, and even a tree called the Tree of Life. God gave Adam a job: to care for the garden and to name all the animals. Imagine that, God trusted Adam to take care of creation and even let him name every animal!

But there was one problem, Adam was alone. There was no one like him. None of the animals were a match for Adam. And God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). So what did God do?

Genesis 2:18 NLT

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep. While he was sleeping, God took one of Adam’s ribs and made a woman, Eve. Here we see the first marriage ever. A perfect Helper for Adam. The Bible says they were both made in God’s image, and they were made for each other.

Adam and Eve weren’t accidents. God made them with care, with purpose, and for relationship, with each other and with Him.

And just like Adam and Eve, you were made on purpose. You were made by a God who loves you, who knows your name, who breathed life into humanity, and who wants to walk with you.

Not only did God create you on purpose.. He also knows you better than anyone ever could.

Does everyone have their Swords!!?

It is time for one of my favorite things we do at chapel…

Bible Sword Drill Time !

Grab your Bibles, hold them up high! Remember the rules:

Hold it above your head

No fingers in the pages

Wait for the reference

First one to stand up and read it clearly and correctly…wins!

Are you ready?

Psalm 139 Ready Gooo!!

Psalm 139:1–4 NLT

O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.

One of my favorite passages in the whole bible is Psalm 139 it is a beautiful and personal song by David that celebrates God's intimate knowledge of us, His constant presence, and His purposeful design in creating us.

Friends, I want you to know, God doesn’t just know your name, He knows your every thought. Your fears. Your dreams. Your struggles.

God doesn’t just know your name, He knows your every thought. Your fears. Your dreams. Your struggles.

Your strenghts and weaknesses And He loves you completely.

He’s not surprised by anything in your life. And he doesn't walk away from you when things get hard. God knows you better than you know yourself. Becaue he created you..

Illustration:

Let me tell you a story from my own life.

There was a time in my life, probably around my grade 11 year of life where i got really good at pretending.

I figured out how to wear the right smile, say the right things, act like everything was fine. I’d joke around, go to youth, do the “church” thing. But honestly? Inside… I wasn’t okay.

I was carrying stuff, my family had just moved from North Battleford all the way to Edmonton, and so all of the friends that i had made I never got to see. But I didn’t want anyone to know that. So you know what I did?

I hid it.

Not just in my heart, but physically. I started constantly wearing Headphones all the time. Pulled the hood up. Kept my head down.

It was like this wall I built between me and the world.

I thought: “If I look fine… maybe no one will ask.” And “If I hide, maybe I won’t have to deal with what I’m feeling.”

But here’s the thing Even with the Headphones. Even with the smile. Even when no one else noticed…

Guess who noticed… God did.

He saw me. He saw past the Headphones , the pretending, the silence.

For the majority of my life i struggled with Identity, I was adopted at a young age and for most of my life i really struggled with why am i here? Why didn’t my birth parents want me? what is my purpose? This was a struggle that happened all throughout my life, and even now at times i still fall into that head space of what is my purpose…

But He wanted to me to know that he, knows every trial that is going on, and that i can cast my burdens and my cares onto him.

Friends, The second point i want you to know is that

2. God Formed You with Care and Purpose

in verse 13-14 of Psalms 139 it says

Psalm 139:13–14 NIV

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Now I want you to think about that for a second.

God didn't just rush through making you. But he carefully formed you.

The third point i want to bring up is that

3. God Knows You Completely and Loves You Fully

It says He knit you together. How many of you guys crotchet or knit? You guys would understand then…

Like an artist weaving something beautiful, one thread at a time. Every part of you… your personality, your laugh, your thoughts, your dreams, your weird quirks ….all of it, hand-designed by God Himself.

Man i just think of that and i Just get so emotional, like guys he made me… He made you and He loves what he made in you!

He made each any every one us so unique.. the differnt fingerprints, the different hair types, your height. the freckles!

God took time making each and everyone of you fearfully and wonderfully

Some translations say that you “You are Fearfully and Wonderfully made”

when it says you were fearfully and wonderfully made , that word “fearfully” doesn’t mean scared. It means awesome. Incrediblly . Worth paying attention to.

You are incredbly made!

Friends, You’re not forgotten. Even when people overlook you or ignore you — God has never taken His eyes off you.

If you are keeping notes the next point is that..

4. You are Wonderfully Made

You’re not a mistake. You weren’t an accident. You weren’t born on the wrong day. You’re not “too much. too handle”

Now get this, stick with me here:

The same God who paints sunsets… The same God who makes stars… Says you are His masterpiece.

Eph 2:10 says

Ephesians 2:10 NLT

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

He didn’t just make your body , He made your soul. He breathed life into you and said, “This one is perfect”

And he created you to do good works

Friends, if you ever wonder if you matter… If you ever wonder if you have worth… If you ever feel invisible or unsure of who you are.

I want you to Remember this:

God knit you together on purpose, with purpose, for a purpose. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

…And guess what God has a plan for you..

Which starts the my next point which is

5. God Has a Plan for Your Life

in the book of Jeremiah it says

Jeremiah 1:5 NLT

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

Now sure .. Jeremiah was called to be a prophet. That was his mission.

But the truth here isn’t just about what God said to Jeremiah… it’s a truth about how God sees every single one of us.

Before you were born… God knew you.

Before you took your first breath… He had a purpose for your life.

You weren’t an accident… You weren’t “unwanted.”..You were made by God and for God for his purpose

He doesn’t just have a plan for “the important people” … He has a plan for you.

We Didn’t Come from Apes or Big Bang theories

Our world wants to tell us that humans just evolved over millions of years from other animals. But God’s Word tells us something very different:

We are not accidents of nature.We are not just advanced animals. We are not here by chance.

But that we were created by God, in the book of Isaiah God says,

Isaiah 45:12 NLT

I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command.

God made us.. and He made us with purpose.

And so what was the purpose for us being created?

We Were Made to Reflect God’s Image

When God made us in His image, it meant He gave us something nothing else in creation has:

….The ability to love and be loved….

…We have the ability to receive love from God..

In the bible it teaches that God is Love (1 John 4:8)

1 John 4:8 NLT

But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

And so God creates us in his image so that we could be recipients of his love

I want you to stop and think about this for a second… God made you because he is a loving God.. and he made you to be a recipient of his love..

You are loved by God..

And so why? Why did God make us? Well that leads us to our 6th point of the night

6. God made us to glorify Him.

That’s the first and biggest reason.

Isaiah 43:7 NLT

Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.’ ”

Eph 2:10 which we have already read says this..

Ephesians 2:10 NLT

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

That means you weren’t made for popularity… You weren’t made just to “live your best life”… You weren’t made by accident.

You were not made just to play video games, or watch Tik Toks all day

You were made on purpose and for a purpose; to reflect how awesome God is.

Okay but… what does “glorify God” even mean?

Let’s make this super clear.

To glorify God means to show the world what God is like.

It’s not about walking around being all holy and perfect. It’s about your life pointing people to Jesus.

Being a Christian isn’t about perfection. It’s not about having it all together or never messing up. But it is about recognizing the One who is perfect—Jesus—

John Piper Says this in one of his sermons

“You don’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be broken and dependent on Jesus.”- John Piper

Easy ways to do this are:

When you forgive someone who hurt you…that glorifies God.

When you love the person everyone else ignores ... .that glorifies God.

When you do the right thing when no one’s watching..that glorifies God.

When you show love, forgive, do the right thing — you reflect God’s light to the world.

It’s like your life becomes this big arrow pointing up—saying, “Look at God. He’s good. He’s powerful. He’s loving. He’s worth following.”

Illustration: The Moon

You ever look up at the night sky and see a full moon?

It’s bright. It lights things up. It looks powerful.

But here’s the thing: The moon doesn’t have any light of its own. Zero. it’s just a plain white moon… Did you know that if the sun wasnt shining off the moon, you wouldnt see it at all. It only shines because it’s facing the sun and reflecting that light.

and so the same applies, we don’t shine on our own. But when we’re walking with God, trusting Him, loving Him, we reflect His light.

Now friends let me tell you something… The last point that i want to share tonight is that

7. You Have a Purpose That Starts Now

We have a purpose that starts right now.. Not to be the sun, but to reflect Jesus Christ.

The same as the moon reflects the sun, our purpose in being made in the image of God is to reflect him in the way that we act.

God didn’t just make us to exist on this Earth. He made us to reflect him. The same way a mirror was made to reflect what is in front of it, we are made to reflect God

To summarize tonight,

1. God created man in the Image of God

God created humans (you)uniquely male and female— not like animals or stars, but in His own image (Genesis 1:26–27).

That means we were made to reflect God — to think, feel, love, and have relationship with Him.

2. God Formed You with Care and Purpose

In Genesis 2:7, God personally formed man from the dust and breathed life into him — it wasn’t rushed or random.

Psalm 139 says you were knit together in your mother’s womb — every part of you was designed by God.

3. God Knows You Completely and Loves You Fully

Psalm 139 reminds us God knows when we sit, when we stand, and even our thoughts before we speak them.

Even when you try to hide (like with your hoodie and headphones), God sees you and stays close.

4. You Are Wonderfully Made

“Fearfully and wonderfully made” means you are valuable, special, and worthy of attention.

Every detail — your fingerprints, your laugh, your weird habits — they show how unique you are in God’s design.

5. God Has a plan for your life.

Before we were even born God had a plan for each and every person.

6.Man was Made to Glorify God

To glorify God means to reflect Him — like the moon reflects the sun.

When you show love, forgive, do the right thing — you reflect God’s light to the world.\

7. You Have a Purpose That Starts Now

God didn’t just make you — He prepared good things for you to do (Ephesians 2:10).

He has a plan that includes your life right now, not just someday.

You’re not too young, too weird, too broken — you are exactly who God chose to work through.