The Image of God (Gen 1:26-28)

May 9, 2010 in

One of the issues that perplexed me for many years is, “What does it mean that we are created in the image of God?” Despite serious attempts to uncover the meaning of God’s image, I found myself foiled and frustrated again and again. So what exactly does it mean that we are made in the image of God and how should we go about answering that question? These are the questions I would like us to answer this morning.

The question of mankind’s creation in the image of God is a question in the realm of what is called “anthropology.” The word “anthropology” is the study of two words “anthropos” – man and “logos” – word or doctrine. Anthropology therefore is the study or doctrine of man. What is man? In particular, what does it mean that man is made in the image of God?

I Have Sinned (Gen 38:1-30)

March 28, 2010 in

For the last several weeks we have been considering what it means to be citizens of heaven, what it means to bring a taste of heaven to earth. We have emphasized the centrality of thankfulness as well as the necessity of communal language. Last week we explored the way that communal language should drive us as we deal with conflict and sin – in particular, how we deal with others who sin against us. Today I would like us to consider a related but distinct matter. How do we deal with our own sin? First, how should we respond when we are confronted over our sin? Second, how should we view past sin?

Blessed are the Peacemakers (Gen 13)

March 21, 2010 in

For the last couple weeks we have spoken about what it means to be citizens of heaven. We found that as citizens of heaven our task is to bring a taste of heaven to earth; to Christianize the world in the same way in which Roman citizens were to Romanize the empire.

As we consider this call and our obligation to use Kingdom Language, we can be tempted to wonder how to apply communal language, pre-Fall language, Edenic language, in a fallen world? It can seem that this whole venture of speaking with communal language is an exercise in futility, wishful thinking. In particular, I would like us to take up the question: How do we deal with the sin that potentially disrupts the union that we share? Paul exhorted us to cease lying to one another, to speak the truth to one another, precisely because we are members of one another, we are of the same flesh and bone, united to Christ and to His Church. So how do we preserve this unity when sin intrudes and endeavors to destroy it?