Begin Here
Seeing where it all began
There’s joke, credited to the writer Micheal Giordano, that goes like this.
A new ambassador for the country of Norway to the United States is appointed to
his position in the late fall. While he was a politician in his home country, he had
very little international experience and had never served as an ambassador before.
One day he received a call on his cell phone from a New York Times reporter who
asked what he wanted for Christmas. The ambassador politely explained that he
could not accept gifts in his position, in case it may seem like bribery. The reporter
ended the call with a confused tone. Two days later the reporter called back and
asked the same question, again, the ambassador declined the offer. Finally, the
following day, the reporter called a final time, this time, the ambassador stated he
would take a fruit bowl. After all, who would be upset over a fruit bowl? Besides, he
felt rude turning the man down so many times. Again, the reporter sounded
confused, and asked the ambassador if he was sure that was what he wanted, and
the ambassador assured him it was. The following day, the New York Times ran the
following story:
What the foreign ambassadors here want for Christmas
During a few hectic days, I've been calling all the embassies here, and asking the ambassadors
what they want for Christmas. This is the result.
Great Britain. Good economic welfare.
Western Germany. Even better east-west relations
France. Free trade between Europe and USA.
Switzerland. Better European cooperation, and better US relations.
Sweden. End of the starvation in the third world.
Belgium. Better environmental care.
Norway. A fruit bowl.
Icebreaker discussion: If you were selected as the ambassador of the United
States to a foreign country, what do you think would be the first thing you’d do
to introduce yourself? Think of a country you’ve always wanted to visit. If you
met them ambassador for that country, what do you think they’d be like?
We’re going to be talking today about what it means to be God’s representative, his
“image” or ambassador on Earth. How does this affect the way we view ourselves?
How should it affect the way we treat others? And how should it affect the way we
approach the world around us?
Let’s start with prayer:
Father God, you’ve given us the awesome responsibility of being your
representation here on earth. As we meet together tonight, tear down any walls
of understanding that might be in place to let us look at this in a fresh light.
Take away our assumptions and our prejudices and replace them with your
truth. Help us to see the truly glorified dignity that we have been given through
you and how it’s rescued in your Son Jesus. Amen
The opening chapters of Genesis are incredibly interesting, but there are some
things about it that we may not see when we’re reading in the English translations
that most of us use today. When it’s read by someone in the original Hebrew, some
really interesting patterns begin to develop, namely that these chapters were
originally written in a poetic method. Hebrew as a language in poetry was less
concerned with rhyming words together so much as ideas. That’s why when we read
Psalms or Proverbs, we find things either repeated or contrary thoughts stated
together. For example Proverbs 19:5 says “A false witness will not go unpunished,
and whoever pours out lies will not go free.” This is interesting when we compare
Genesis 1 and 2, which list the order of creation. Some people reading in the English
might think there’s a contradiction here. In Genesis 1, it lists all of creation, with
human beings coming last, but then Genesis 2 lists Adam first, then all other animals
followed by Eve. A Hebrew reader, however, knows that this is actually due to the
construction of the poem of the verses. Don’t forget, the chapter breaks and
numbers that we use for reference were added much later on and were not an
original part of the verses, so while they are helpful, the text is often meant to be
read straight through rather than stopping at some of these artificial breaks. So
when you read these passages together in the Hebrew mindset, you see this as a
great epic poem that builds and then recedes like a mountain, with the creation of
human beings at the top. (remember, until Eve is separated from Adam, he is
actually a representation of all humans, both male and female)
So the story of Creation is a story about a special place in it for human beings that’s
been set aside by God. We are considered the rulers of this world, as His
representatives, but what kind of rulers are we? That’s ultimately the question we
have to answer, how are we taking care of the possession we’ve been given. There’s
a parable that Jesus tells in the Gospels that often gets used by teachers as an
illustration regarding talents or finances, but let’s read this together and consider
how God might see this regarding our place as his representatives as rulers of this
creation. [leaders, ask a volunteer to read the following verses or take turns if
more comfortable]
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted
his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to
another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The
man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and
gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the
man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s
money.
“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with
them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’
he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with
a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s
happiness!’
“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with
two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with
a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s
happiness!’
“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that
you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you
have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground.
See, here is what belongs to you.’
“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have
not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put
my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received
it back with interest.
“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For
whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not
have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant
outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Discussion question: How do you think God will see the way we humans have
used the Creation He gave us? How do you think He’ll respond to your
individual actions?
How we treat the world around us is a crucial part of the Good News of the Kingdom
of God, in Romans 8:19-21, Paul writes recognizing that it’s not just individuals, but
all of Creation that will be remade by the work of Jesus.
“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For
the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the
one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage
to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.”
This is God’s Kingdom at work, and as His image, we have a great part in it!
Finally, the fact that we are created in God’s image and our relationship with
Creation has another consequence. It affects how we view ourselves each other.
Each of us is formed by God, made in His image. Consider the following verses:
Psalm 139:13 “For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”
And
Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
When we recognize that all of Creation is a gift from God, and that human beings are
set as the ruler of that Creation, we have to recognize that we, too, are a part of that
Creation! What’s more, as the image of God, we have a responsibility for how we
view ourselves and our fellow humans. Look around the room, imagine that god is
someone who is the ultimate original from which each of us is made. How does this
affect your view of God? Ultimately, how does this affect the way we see each other?
Discussion Question: When we consider that we are all created in the image of
God, how does this affect, or should affect our marriages? Our dating life? How
should the way you interact with your boss or co-workers be defined by this?
Think about some of the news stories that Barry mentioned. When you consider the
way that the weak and helpless are often treated in our world, what is the place for
those of us who know that we are all created in the image of God when dealing with
these issues? It should be noted, Christians are not the only ones who try to serve
others. Right now in downtown Cincinnati, there is a group of anarchist activists
that are giving out donations of food and clothes to the homeless. While it’s certainly
true that there are Christians who are members of this group, it’s also true that a
large number of the group are not Christians. They aren’t caring for the homeless
because they know that they’re made in the image of God, but because they care
about their fellow human beings. These actions alone are not the Good News of the
Bible, but on the surface it might look like it.
Imagine you could travel anywhere in the world instantly. First you go to the shore
of one of the Great Lakes, maybe Lake Superior or Lake Erie. Everywhere you look,
you see water, stretching off to the horizon. When you look to either side of you, you
see the shore running off in the distance. You may see seagulls flying along, and
swimmers going out into the waves. Boats will almost certainly be in view, and they
may be of a variety of sizes. Now, imagine you could travel then to the shore of the
pacific ocean. Again, you see the water, stretching as far as you can see. The shore,
seagulls, and boats are there too. On the surface, the two places look very much the
same. If you did some digging, you’d certainly start to come across clues as to where
you are, but the initial impression is quite likely to be the same. But the ocean is
different. Hiding beneath its waves is the largest body of water on earth. There are
whales in there, and sharks, and microscopic creatures that are responsible for most
of the air we breathe. The ocean has depth. When you look on the surface, some
actions can look very much like the Kingdom of God. The sick are cared for, the
homeless are fed, but there is a heart that’s missing. It doesn’t have the same Why.
At the same time, there are vibrant churches you can go to. People show up every
Sunday to worship and pray. Some might wear crosses as jewelry, and say “God
bless you” in conversation. But they would be disgusted at the idea of caring for a
homeless person, or helping to feed someone diseased and dying. They may know
the Why, but they fail to Act.
This combination of the Why and Action is shown throughout scriptures. Jesus said
to the Pharisees, Matthew 23:23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin. But you have
neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You
should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” The Pharisees were
highly religious people, they went to temple, they prayed, they tithed, but they’d
forgotten their place as God’s image. They’d failed to care for the Creation around
them that included their fellow human beings. Let’s consider the following verses
from James 2:14-19
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no
deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and
daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does
nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if
it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You
believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”
Discussion Question: Knowing what we know about ourselves as the image of
God and His ambassadors to Creation, how do we act on this in a way that
shows the depth we have in our Why? What will set us apart from others who
also want to take care of those in need?
Let’s close in prayer
God, we thank you for your gift of Creation. We pray for your strength as we look for
ways to serve our purpose. Help us to see others through your eyes. Help us to do
them same when looking at ourselves. Let us see your image. And let us treat it with
the dignity it deserves. Amen.
January 17th and 18th
Original Teaching by Barry Long
Facilitation Guide by James Scott
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