Theology Ship

Theology Ship - God, Theology & Us – Genesis 1:26-27

Ship Equivalent - Cargo Ship

Cargo Ships do not seem interesting. Shipping containers are not particularly fun.

Intro: Sit-ups

Cross Bought Grace, Transforming Us, Given to Them

Theology is the cross bought grace - Definition of theology

Starting with the Trinity & Theology

We don’t think theology is practical How many of you

Theology is practical, a study of how God relates with everything

Theology is just a study on how God relates to us in our sin, a study of how he relates to the church, how he relates with the world and man, and time and space and Mountain Dew and Doritos everything else.

We are all Theologians, We all do Theology

The question is if we are good theologins. whether that theology is true. We all have a system of what we think is true and accurate about God and the world and everything in it. Whether that theology is accurate and good is the question. We all live out that theology, whether good or bad. Does it line up with reality and what the Bible says is true.

Genesis 1:26–27 ESV

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Knowing God & Knowing Us

Made in the Image and likeness of God

We reflect God. We are like him - One of the ways we are like him is that we have dominion like him

In order to find out who we are we must know who God is and what he is like.

God (Who God is) Is always the bottom foundation - Us (Who we are) Out of those two things comes what we do. Examples =

God in Relationship: Trinity

God is Triune,

Existing in relationships: Trinity

God is relational

Three persons in Unity He is three persons existing in perfect relational unity

Trinity is a way of referring to God’s relationship with himself

Gen 1:26 26 “Let Us” “Our”

Genesis 1:26 (ESV)

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

Is Trinity Really in the Bible?

Matthew 28:19 ESV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Ephesians 4:2–6 (ESV)

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

1 Corinthians 12:4–6 (ESV)

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

Diversity & Unity reflecting God in the Trinity Here’s what that means practically.

We image and reflect God in loving others as diverse, relational, loving, self sacrificing people

We may be of a different races or backgrounds, or personalities, but we are to reflect honor and worship God by being unified with someone that differs from us.

But are relationships Worth It?

Our deepest joys & greatest hurts happen in relationships

Some people love relationships

Others Loathe them

Still Others try so hard to make it work it hurts

We all long for & need relationship, We all long to know others & be known

This is what the rest of this series will be about.

Here is the reality. God so believed that relationships are worth it that:

The Trinity was broken for us

Matthew 27:46 ESV

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

This makes relationship with God possible

Relationship with God makes all other relationships possible

Would you rather work a job where you used you hands or your head AND would you rather work a job talking or a job listening?

Regular book/kindle or audiobook? NO book?

“Theology is practical, a study of how God relates with everything” What comes to you mind when we say theology? Is it usually positive or negative?

“We all long for & need relationship, We all long to know others & be known”Do you feel this to be true?

What are the biggest obstacles to knowing others and being known?

In what ways does what you know about God translate into how you pursue friendships?

What Happens if we value our relationships with others more than our relationships with God? (leading answer or rephrase? What happens when we make our friendships the foundation for our happiness)

When things are going badly in a relationship with someone else are you more tempted to run to God or away from him? Why?