On Sunday morning we talked about influence and I told you the story of Helen Ewing and that was saved as a young girl in Scotland and gave her life completely to the lordship of Christ. When she died at the age of 22 it is said that all Scotland wept. She had expected to serve God as a missionary in Europe and had become fluent in the Russian language. But she was not able to fulfill that dream. She had no obvious gifts such as speaking or writing, and she had never traveled far from home. Yet by the time she died she had won hundreds of people to Jesus Christ. Countless missionaries mourned her death because they knew that a great channel of their spiritual strength was gone. She had risen every morning at five in order to study God's Word and to pray. Her diary revealed that she regularly prayed for over three hundred missionaries by name. Everywhere she went the atmosphere was changed. If someone was telling a dirty story, he would stop if he saw her coming. If people were complaining, they would become ashamed of it in her presence. An acquaintance reported that while she was at Glasgow University she left the fragrance of Christ wherever she went. In everything she said and did she was God's salt.”

And we spoke about the impact that you can make on the people God has place around you. Now, I want to change lanes here for a minute and tell you about a big story over the past few days.

As most of the nation was preparing for the end of their day, a shockwave was sent through the world with power so undeniable that the eruption of American’s on both sides of the isle have been bursting forth with anthems of praise and shouts of anger. If you’ve been watching the news, you know that I’m talking about the leaked document stating that there is a possibility that the Supreme Court may overturn Roe V. Wade. With that being said, I want us to take a look at Genesis 9:1-7 for a moment as we discuss the value of human life, murder, and what this Supreme Court ruling means for us and how you and I can make a difference as Christians.

But first, lets read our text for today.

Genesis 9:1–7 NKJV

1 So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man. 7 And as for you, be fruitful and multiply; Bring forth abundantly in the earth And multiply in it.”

The Value of Man

Illustration: When I was growing up people would stop be in stores and at school all the time and say, “Oh, you must be Josh Strength’s son! You look just like him!” and I would walk away crying. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve escaped that and I’ve began to look more and more like my Mom.

Well, the Image of God is stamped upon you, me, your parents, and even the Atheist and there is no way we can escape it. (Expound)

I want to go ahead and give you three quick examples from the Bible of God’s image on us. And that is what makes us so valuable as we see here in Genesis 9:6

A. God is Rational, so is Man.

Colossians 3:9–10 NKJV

9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

Genesis 1:26 NKJV

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

As you and I went over Genesis 1 many months ago, we noticed God naming the things He existed for two reasons. The first was a display of His authority, but the second is a display of His wisdom. In Genesis 2:19-20 we see Adam preforming the same task of naming things modeling the Image of God’s wisdom and authority.

B. God is Relational, so is Man.

As we read through Genesis 1 we see the usage of the Word “Us” as God speaks and throughout the NT we see the developing of the doctrine of the Trinity. See, just as the Triune Godhead is relational, so are we and this further emphasizes the need for Adam to have Eve as we read in Genesis 2:18-25

Genesis 2:18–25 NKJV

18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” 19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. 23 And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

This also emphasizes the need for us to defend Biblical marriage. A healthy marriage, though not perfect, is an illustrative witness to the beautiful harmony of the Trinity!

C. God is Moral, so is Man.

Ephesians 4:24 (NKJV)

24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Colossians 3:10 (NKJV)

10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

As we pair these two verses together we get beautiful imagery. If mankind is as a mirror reflecting the image of God to the world, and sin has shattered that mirror, then as we have been redeemed and as we are being sanctified, God is actively putting the pieces back together and one day, when we see Him, it’ll be complete!

And so, as we look out and see people, even unbelievers, feeding the homeless, helping little old ladies, building shelters for the needy, etc. They are reflecting the Image of God! If that is the case, how much more should we be reflecting our love for Him and our neighbors as He actively moves in our lives as Christians?

The Depictive Aspect - We Express The Image of God in Our Actions

Note: In Genesis 1:28, the first words of God to man is not words of burden, but of blessing. As we go through this life, and as we get older it becomes more and more real to us how broken this world is and so, it is needful and helpful for us to look back in Genesis 1-2 to see both how is should be and one day, how it will be and as we look at Genesis 1-2 today we will see a few things in the creation mandate that are ways in which we actively reflects God’s image in us.

A. Dominion (1:26, 28; 2:5)

Ian Hart puts it, "Exercising royal dominion over the earth as God's representative is the basic purpose for which God created man. Man is appointed king over creation, responsible to God the ultimate king, and as such expected to manage and develop and care for creation, this task to include actual physical work."

Another writer says, “Our work in God’s image begins with faithfully representing God. As we exercise dominion over the created world, we do it knowing that we mirror God. We are not the originals but the images, and our duty is to use the original—God—as our pattern, not ourselves. Our work is meant to serve God’s purposes more than our own”

In Genesis 2:5 learned that God hadn’t prepared the Earth to be worked because He hadn’t yet created Adam to till the ground.

Think about that. God has created everything in the universe and He could’ve easily created the Earth already full of restaurants, airplanes, boats, museums, art galleries, beautiful architecture, etc. But He didn’t. He Has given man the privilege of working with the world with the potential to create great things for the glory of God!

Think of how this effects you as you head to school tomorrow and take that test, or take those notes, or answer those questions. Or maybe after school when you’re training for sports or maybe if you’re heading to work instead. God has placed you on Earth to care for it as He does and to harness it’s potential for His praise!

B. Relationships (1:27-28, 2:18, 21-25)

Just as I said earlier, our relationships are a reflection of our God who is relational.

Notice a few things concerning the marriage of Adam and Eve in Genesis.

Adam needed Eve. (2:18)

Adam adored Eve. (2:23)

Adam labored and communed with Eve. (2:18)

Adam had children with Eve. (4:1)

So, since we are made in the image of God, to kill another image bearer is a violation against God Himself.

The Violation Against God and the Verdict Delivered

Kid told Ella to shut up at the park. It bothered me because she’s my girl.

Notice the repetition of phrases like “I will demand” and “I will require”. The murder of people who are made in God’s image is a blow against God Himself. And what He is saying here is that in these cases He takes the place of a plaintiff against the murderer.

Another thing to highlight here is that only God and God alone is to have sovereignty over human life and death, to do with men as He pleases. Deuteronomy 32:35

Deuteronomy 32:35 NKJV

35 Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.’

And what is important to notice is that those who take human life are attacking God’s authority as the One who truly holds the power of life and death.

v6 shows that God places the burden of delivering the verdict upon men. What God is doing is delegating responsibilities. Obviously He holds all power, but He is going to use governments to bring forth judgment on things like murder. And it’s important to notice that its not up to the family to get justice. In Roman’s Paul acknowledges that a legitimate government should enact punishment for crimes. And here in Genesis we see what is called the Lex Talionis Romans 12:19

Romans 12:19 NKJV

19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Romans 13:1–5 NKJV

1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.

The Vocation Given

So here, after God makes clear that there is value in the lives of men. He shows that instead of being killers of life, men should be celebrators of life. With this in place society can thrive and little children can run around only if human life is protected and valued.

Now, what does this have to do with whats going on around us and how can we make a difference?