St. Thomas Cru - 3/14/18

Jennifer Vang

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I. Intro Self and Series Imago Dei - ME

I. Intro Self and Series Imago Dei

a. Focus Statement (“Hook”)

a. We live in a world where are so many things fighting for our attention to try & define us

a. Hmong and American - “caught” between two cultures (molding myself) - this has informed my identity

i. Hmong and American (balancing act)

b. “Identity in Christ” or “You’re created in the image of God”

c. “I’m created in the Image of God”

i. Grown indifferent and apathetic, but if it’s the most important thing about us, we must understand what it means

i. Grown indifferent and apathetic

ii. Most important thing about us because it defines us

c. BIG IDEA - Jesus invites us to discover the image of God within us so that we can live as His ambassadors so others can discover His image in themselves as well

a. First place “Image of God” shows up

d. First place “Image of God” shows up

II. Genesis 1:26-27

III.

Genesis 1:26–27 ESV

Then God said, “Let us make man 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.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:26–27 ESV

a. The Image of God is complete in God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit — At humanity, it becomes a conversation

ii. The Image of God is complete in God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit

The Image of God is complete in God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit

b. The Hebrew root of the Latin phrase for image of God is Imago Dei.

i. Imago Dei is God planting His likeness, character, and glory in humanity that we would know and long for Him, and be fully satisfied in Him.

ii. BIG IDEA - Jesus invites us to discover the image of God within us so that we can live as His ambassadors to bring shalom so others can discover His image in them as well

iii. That Adam and Eve were created in God’s image means they were fully satisfied in who God created them to be

I. Who do I represent?

III. Problem

a. The story continues – – Humanity deceived

i. What was broken was not whether or not humanity bore the image of God…what was broken was humanity’s ability to be fully satisfied in that image

b. SLIDE - Henry Cloud quote

i. Tension in the fall – We look for our worth and true selves in things that can only give us a false identity – The longing is the same, but not where we turn to

ii. “I can relate to this” – Moving to Minneapolis – Worth in what doesn’t have the ability to give it

ii. Don’t we all do this? What is it for you?

iii. Don’t we all do this? What is it for you?

c. Where do you search for yourself?

i. Adam and Eve’s sin was an Imago Dei issue | All human brokenness (whether what we see in ourselves, others or the world) is an Imago Dei – We have forgotten that all bear the image of God

ii. All human brokenness (whether what we see in ourselves, others or the world) is an Imago Dei – We have forgotten that all bear the image of God

ii. Racism, gender inequality, violence, human-trafficking, slander…all of that is FIRST an Imago Dei issue

IV. In this conversation, there are two kinds of people in the world: those who do know they reflect the Image of God, and those who don’t know, and it is in knowing and believing that our place of identity begins to shift from creation to Creator

V. God - In Christ the fullness of God, the image of God

a. – For in Christ all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell

b. – Christ, the image of God

i. – This is the character that we were created to reflect – This isn’t just a passage about reflecting Jesus’ humility, it is a passage the tells us who Jesus understood Himself to be and what His purpose was

Philippians 2:5–8 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

a. Being a 1.5 generation kid – who do I represent?

b. We have been created in the image of God to remind others of Imago Dei in them — how? Let’s read from

i. Provide context for passage - Longing for things to be right again because we are not at home in our bodies

IV. SLIDE – calls us ambassadors for Christ

2 Corinthians 5:16–21 ESV

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

a. Explain passage!

i. Explain passage!

i. New vs. Old creation and AMBASSADOR

ii. US Ambassadors –We are his image bearers, and this is our identity.

iii. Passively bear Imago Dei – but must intentionally live our lives as image-bearers

b. Story of Michael – downtown St. Paul

a. Current cultural climate in America

i. “Image bearer” rather than “Homeless man” – saw him through worldly lens, not Imago Dei lens

ii. When you speak Imago Dei and identity into someone, they are reminded of who they are, which in turn could change the way they interact with you and others.

1. It’s a ripple effect of Imago Dei going from one person to another

iii. How would our lives and communities look if in every situation and conversation, we entered in with this thought “He or she is made in the image of God.”

c. We all reflect ONE image…God’s image, His likeness, but have been designed uniquely to express it in the places where God has placed you

d. “You don’t know me or my story” – Not the right time/place to do this – I don’t know how, I don’t feel worthy of it

V. Stories

a. SLIDE – Garden of the Gods

i. Last week – Cesar’s question “Do you believe you are a masterpiece?”

b. Current cultural climate in America

ii. Everyone taking pictures – but not of humans

iii. But it was “here” (SLIDE) where I had what feels like one of the most significant moments of my life

b. SLIDE – Story of sitting on the mountains

i. LITERALLY the most beautiful thing I have seen in my life

Big Idea - We (Identification)

1. “The depths of the earth are in His hands, and the mountain peaks belong to him”

ii. Then I just started to cry

1. “None of this is made in my image…but YOU are.”

c. We are a masterpiece because we bear the image of the Master—Creator God

VI. “Haymaker” (Heart)

a. Jesus’ story – The only thing greater than the truth that we are created in His image and that we are sent out in His likeness is that God sent His son in human likeness to restore and the image of God in humanity that was marred and broken when sin entered the world

b. The FULLNESS of the image of God walked on earth in human likeness/image. This is why the Gospel is what it is…it is GOOD NEWS because we no longer have to search for worth – It is offered to us in Christ

c. In fact, we get to bear the image of God and restore it in others…speak it in others

d. One day, we will know and be our true selves again. This is a hope that is certain. In the midst of a world that feels like chaos and violence are winning, in a world that feels like no one sees people, only another statistic, God has a redemption plan. He offers us hope and identity that isn’t fleeting or disappointing. And His name is Jesus.

VII. The story of the Gospel isn’t about….It’s about Jesus coming down, putting on a human body and pulling us out of the things that pull us away from our identity and SAVING us from those things that threaten to steal, kill, destroy Imago Dei in us.

a. Jesus leads with a kind of love, compassion, patience, genuine friendship, courage and boldness that drives out darkness and shepherds in HIS image in us

b. Our longing for goodness and peace in our world and in our hearts is Imago Dei. These longings are markers of Imago Dei in us…are the same things that God says “YOU are my markers in this world.”

a. Where do you feel you’re living in the tension of 1.5 or even expecting others to live in 1.5?

b. Big Idea – Jesus invites us to discover who we truly are, so others can discover who they truly are meant to be as well.

III. God – Illumination

b. Backdrop of Corinthian church – Paul’s letters; reality and difficulties in moving towards the church identity

c. Representation vs. Imago Dei

i. Greek word for Ambassador – “presbeuó”

ii. Hebrew word for “image” – “tselem”

iii. Differences and Similarities

IV. You – Application

a. V. 18-20 – Ambassador

b. What does it mean for us to live according to the economy of God’s Kingdom?

c. Where do you passionately plead for others to see Imago Dei in themselves?

i. Are you able to see it in yourself?

d. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, humanity can discover what the Image of God looks like in us, and journey ahead to image God to others.

V. We – Inspiration

a. The 1.5 of God’s Kingdom

b. Do you live as if you see what is already but not yet?

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