You are made in the image of God

The bible says a lot about who we are, in this series we are going to look at some of those statements

Week 1: Made in the Image of God

Week 2: Sinner Saved by Grace

Week 3: Citizen of Heaven

Week 4: Child of God

Week 5: Disciple of Jesus

Week 6: Temple of the Living God

Plus others

Join me in Gen 1:26 - 28

Genesis 1:26–28 YLT

And God saith, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, and let them rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that is creeping on the earth.’ And God prepareth the man in His image; in the image of God He prepared him, a male and a female He prepared them. And God blesseth them, and God saith to them, ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over fish of the sea, and over fowl of the heavens, and over every living thing that is creeping upon the earth.’

So the main points to get from this is that you are MADE in the IMAGE OF GOD

This morning the question is WHAT makes YOU, YOU?

God said, “Let us make man8 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.”

What makes you , you?

Is it the clothes you wear? The place you were born? The hobbies you have?

The work you do? Or have done? Your family? Is it what people say about you?

This seems a very simple question, because it can be a loaded question

It can mean…..Do I matter? Am I valuable? Is there more than this?

If we are not secure in these things it can cause us to find comfort, belonging and worth else where.

I grew up in a loving house with a loving family, as a child I had no felt need

My Mum and Dad met in the RAF, and my earliest childhood memories are in Shetland and St Athens (Wales)

We moved to Nottingham (Long Eaton in the 80s)

I grew up in a safe world, enjoying summers full of adventure on my bike

We attended church each week and I was in the BB

When I reached Secondary school age I started to question the world around me

I found life empty….. I suffered from bullying……..

I remember waking up one morning and looking at myself in the mirror and feeling hatred towards what I saw

My life sunk in to a low place and I started drinking, which led to drugs , which led to harder drugs

Until one day…….

I was told I was loved by God?

When I met with Jesus I found a God, a savour and a friend.

But it goes beyond salvation, its about returning to the Truth God speaks over you

It doesn’t matter what is going on in my life God sees through all the mess.

It doesn’t matter what others say about me, or even what I say about myself…. Because the truth is God knows me, he knows you, and he says you are loved, you are valued and that he created you.

We started in Genesis

What is the importance of this statement

Gen. 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

The author wants us to understand this one point - we are different to the rest of Gods creation - HE created us - Up until Man God Said “let there be” - then “let us make”

He puts a value on us

In many ancient cultures the rulers are given God status - Pharaoh - Chinese Kings

But Genesis tells us everyone of us were created in Gods image - Not just Christians but humanity

You were made - created by God himself

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

Psalm 139:13-16 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Ephesians 4:24 And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

But Genesis real wants us to understand the intermacy of this creation

Gen. 2:7   then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

The image is of man and God face to face, There is a hands on intermacy of our creation.

He breathed in to us, a deposit John 20:22 Jesus breathed on the disciples

God, who is in fellowship with Himself and surrounded by the heavenly host then says it’s not good to be alone.

Gen. 2:18   Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

We were created to live in community, this is why its important to spend time together,

To gather as the church

God also gives us authority over His Creation

Gen. 1:28   And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God created you with an authority, you represent God on Earth

When we understand that we were created by God, to reflect God, with Gods purpose in our lives, we can find a real freedom.

Jesus said you will know the truth and the truth will set you free

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

So this morning know that you are made….. You are not a mistake, you are not lacking but you are a creation of the living God

Not only that but you are made in the image of God

You were created by God to live in relationship with Him

God created everything else so He could know us and we could know Him

So Who are you?

You are Made in the image of God

This means that

You are Valuable

You have a purpose

And You are loved

You are set apart from all Creation because you are made in Gods image

So what do WE do with this,

Firstly We need to acknowledge that God doesn’t make mistakes We all have a role and a purpose Everyone We meet has the likeness of God in them We can rest assured that God loves us because we are His handy work

It doesn’t matter what the world says to you,

It doesn’t matter what your own voices say to you

You are a child of the living God

God says you are created by God in His image - Gen 1:27

You were made with a purpose - Eph 2:10

You were made with a plan Her 29:11

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood a holy nation - 1 Peter 2:9

A child of God - 1 John 3