MAN - Created in God's Image

February 21st, 2021

Colossians 2:6-7a | And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught…

As we continue to grow in faith as followers of Jesus, have you ever wondered, like David did in Psalm 8 — what is man that God is mindful of Him? Why does He care so much for them that He would give up a piece of Himself- His own Son- for the sake of man’s salvation? Maybe after reading about Heaven, God’s home, you wondered why in the world God needed this world anyway? Didn’t He have all He needed in eternity?

While we’ve learned so many essentials about the Bible, God, Heaven, Hell, and even our enemy, it’s time for us to understand our place in all of this. What is Essential about man?

This week we’ll explore why we were made, what makes us different than the rest of creation, and even our purpose while we’re here on Earth, awaiting our Heavenly home with the Lord.

Essential #1 - The Bible is Inspired (authored by God), Inerrant (free from errors), Infallible (will not fail/is trustworthy), and Authoritative (our ultimate guide).

Essential #2 - God is the perfect, loving Creator who is three-in-one: Father, Son, and Spirit. He is all powerful, all knowing, and all present.

Essential #3- Jesus is fully God and was fully man. Although tempted in every way, He chose not to sin and willingly laid down His own life to be the sacrifice for our sin. His example should be our benchmark for godly living.

Essential #4 - The Holy Spirit is God living in the follower of Christ. He helps the believer know and do right, convicts when we sin, and compels us to share the gospel with others. He comforts us, makes us more like Himself, and works through us when we use our Holy Spirit given gifts.

Essential #5 - Heaven and Hell are literal places where the spirit of man spends eternity (forever). Heaven is God’s perfect and unimaginably beautiful home, but man’s sin prevents his entry. Instead, sinful man earns eternity in Hell - a place filled with fire and torment where man is separated from God forever. God desires that everyone would join Him in Heaven one day, but the choice to join Him there is ultimately yours alone and determined by whether or not you put your faith in Jesus Christ.

Essential #6 - Satan was an angel in Heaven who rebelled against God as a result of his pride. Because of his sin, he was cast out of Heaven. He now roams the Earth, attacking unbelievers to keep them from God and attacking believers to keep them from growing in their faith or from sharing it with others. Even now, he must submit to God’s authority and in the end, God will crush Satan and throw him in Hell forever. Believers should stand strong in God’s power, resisting Satan’s attacks when he tempts them to sin.

Essential #7 - Mankind was created by God in His own image for His glory. Then man was entrusted as caretakers of God’s creation. Each person is loved unconditionally by God and has a unique purpose for which God has handcrafted them. Man should live each moment for the Lord, pointing others to Jesus.

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Genesis 1:26-27 | 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.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

What do you think it means to be made in the image of God? (Think about how people are different than animals or anything else God made)
Because people are made in God’s image, all people are important. Is there anyone in your life that you struggle to treat like they are important to God? If so, who? Why?
Do you ever struggle to see yourself as important to God? To others? Why?

Isaiah 43:7 | “Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I [God] who created them.”