The Unknown God

Sermon Sep 26 2021 - An Unknown Image of an Unknown God? How many times have you heard this expression? "The apple did not fall far from the tree" What does it really mean? . . . . Picture . . Apple tree. For me, an apple does NOT look like a tree, neither does the tree look like an apple. John 14:9 Jesus said to Philip: Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. Most of us know the meaning: the child looks very much like one of the parents. The IMAGE of the parent. . . . . Picture . . father child. You have NOT seen my father, therefor you cannot say I look like my dad (or I have his image.) Once you have seen my dad and me, then you can make such a statement, but not before. Acts 17:23 Paul spoke to the Greeks: Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: "To an Unknown God" . . . . Picture . . the unknown God. Paul says: This God, whom you worship is unknown". We read in Scripture that we've been created in the image of God, but we have not seen God, we don't know what He looks like. How can we know that we have been created in God's image? We have not seen Jesus, nor the Father. How do we look like then, like Jesus or like the Father? Have you ever thought what you will look like when Christ returns? John wrote: "We will see Him as He really is" 1 John 3:2 He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him. . . . . Picture . .Like Jesus. There was an offering today = The greatest offering that anyone can receive is to be "Created In the Image of God"? But what "Image"? It says; Let Us make man in Our image. Does it mean we were all made to look like God. There must be a different meaning about "IMAGE" here. But what? Yes, we are valuable because of God's love for us, it says, "While we were still sinners God loved us". 1 Corinth 15:49 Just as we have borne the "Image" of the earthly man, (Adam) so shall we bear the "Image" of the Heavenly Man. (Jesus) The earthly man vs the heavenly man. There are TWO images Since God is Spirit and God is the "Unknown God" it means that in Genesis, God created us physically but with a human spirit in order to yearn for an "UNKNOWN-Spiritual" God. So there must be an empty vacuum deep within us that wants to be filled with something. We're yearning for something, anything that will fill up that empty feeling. People will move mountains to fill that "emptiness" to satisfy that yearning" like possessions, money, status, precious stones, partners, love, and physical desires. It's all physical things, because we are physical human beings. We read in Psalm 139 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex. Your workmanship is marvelous. That means our physical creation has a deep Spiritual meaning. God created male and female and said "multiply and fill the earth". (That means "create an offspring as human-beings) Wow. Did we ever multiply, and did a good job of that. Also to have dominion over everything that was created. Are we ever messing up that instruction? I understand that Scripture explains it very clear that "male & female" were created to bear witness of God's "Spiritual plan" . . . . Picture . .Dual purpose. There must be a dual purpose for God's HUMAN creation, we learn and experience the physical creation and hopefully grasp the Spiritual creation. In our physical state our "maleness and our femaleness" we uphold the Glory of the Gospel. We can see God's hidden nature and His character by the things He created. Most living things have a male and a female, like the animals, plants and humans, it's all to "create" an offspring - to multiply. And the panicle of God's creation is the human male and female. No animal was given this understanding that we received as humans - this dual purpose. Our pet monkey on our farm did not know anything about tomorrow or make any decision regarding their children. Human beings can decide what to do tomorrow, no animal can decide that, only the "Spirit" within us can make it known as we seek God's Truth to fill that emptiness deep within us. It's in our human consciousness that decisions can be made about tomorrow, and by knowing the TRUTH we can grasp God's plan. God already knows what's going to happen in future, because the Bible informs us regarding His future plan, but God wants us to search for His plan and to grasp it. God created the physical, for humans to grasp the Spiritual. Peter wrote in 1 Peter Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (Grow in understanding-GRACE) Jesus told the Samaritan women at the well, "I will give you living water, never to thirst again, which means "participate in the fruit that came down from heaven. Jesus said. I am that food" If I put it in Biblical terms: "become that fruit of the Spirit of love, joy, peace and self-control". Jesus also said: Fear not, have faith, believe in Me and yet we continually "participate or eat the physical worries of the world". We fear the days ahead. - "God said: come, eat & drink milk and honey for FREE"? This can't be physical milk & honey, it must be Spiritual food. Satan is plaguing us with doubts in our mind, like saying: "did Jesus really promise you all that? Rom 1:20 For ever since the world was created, PEOPLE have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His INVISIBLE qualities, His eternal POWER and DIVINE nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (but to seek Him) (Dual purpose - The Unknown image of the Unknown God) This physical world the way God created, is for us to grasp God's "Promises that are being fulfilled every day, His DIVINE nature and His DIVINE IMAGE & DIVINE character. But the Spiritual realm remains "Unseen", He wants us to believe, to trust and to have faith in the unseen, to produce fruit. . . . . Picture . .Vine & branches Jesus spelled it out in many physical ways so that we can grasp the Spiritual eg; "I'm the VINE, you're the branches" But Satan said to Eve. "you shall surely not die if you eat it" That's why the Apostle Paul says that our bodies are going to be changed after death. We think of the physical life now, but we've been created to GRASP His UNSEEN Spiritual Image. What then does it really mean when Scripture says: we were created in the image of God? Is it a certain way that we function as human beings, is it that we can sing, or play musical instruments, to build airplane's, or build a rocket to go to the moon, or get married, or is it "other spiritual capacities" that we've been given that makes us different from animals? . . . . Picture . .Monkey - plane A question for you: Will you fly in an airplane when you know the pilot is an ape or baboon? Definitely not me. Created in the image of God - it could be the certain way we've been created that reflects our Creator, such as creativity, our ability of higher order of thinking, and NOT to look like Jesus, but to grow Spiritually in His Image. Human beings were uniquely created and nothing else have that ability to reflect or understand the Plan or the Power of a loving God that He has in mind for us through Jesus Christ, but NOT to look like Him, but to have Spiritual Wisdom(His image). We are not a Vine branch, but we represent part of that tree in Jesus' image (Spiritual Wisdom). This shows that God's fingerprints are all over us. Why?? The creation of "male and female" is something that shows the "fellowship of God to God" (God said = In OUR image - Father, Son and the Holy Spirit - all in ONE) that references relationships. The same as the relationship between a male and a female. It says "and the TWO shall become ONE in marriage". When we read Revelations we read about the ultimate marriage of the "Body-of-Christ = church" and the "Bridegroom", Jesus. A Spiritual bridegroom and a Spiritual Church become ONE. The ultimate plan of God is now coming to the forefront - In His Image we were created. It's unknown for us at the moment, but it's unfolding before our very own eyes every day. . . . . Picture . .Spiritual image Created by God We also read in Scripture about the distortion of Satan. Satan severely influenced politics, education and religions. Satan influenced the male and female understanding and the proper role of the two genders, the function of femininity and masculinity. Satan totally distorted it, and so is the physical marriage covenant. It's all messed up and it's getting worse. Recently we did a "Small Life Group Bible" study by Philip Yancy on: "What's so Amazing about Grace" This study was an eye-opener for everyone in our group, because one of Philip's close friends belonged to the LGB (gay) group and Philip explained to us how to love such a person. It's still very challenging for me. Doctors are making millions of Dollars by changing genders, it's now a money printing machine, even therapists encourage it. God hates their sinful lifestyle, but God loves the sinner. We're supposed to love the person but not their sinful lifestyle. How should our attitude be towards "trans-gender confusion"? As children of God we can learn the truth from God's Word and be a light in this dark world that was deceived by Satan back in the Garden of Eden. (These "trans-gender" people were also created in God's image, but it has been distorted by Satan) Perhaps God has put such a struggling "trans-gender" person to cross your path so that you can listen to them and pray for them, to love them regardless of their lifestyle and to be the light to shine in this confused world that's been distorted by Satan and perhaps such a person will repent and start to follow Jesus. How wonderful will that be? I would like to encourage each and every person in our congregation (every person) to participate in our "Home Cell Life Group Bible Study's" I want to encourage you to grow in the knowledge of the TRUTH and spend this SHORT period of time with God's people every 2nd week to gain Spiritual Wisdom. As facilitators we spend hours to prepare and pray for you, to get to know the Word of God. We volunteer our time for you. You'll find it Spiritually uplifting. During our previous "Small-group session we got to understand one another and love one another on a much deeper level. It was so beautiful. Can I hear a "Yes, I want to grow deeper to understand God's truth in a more meaningful way?" This question was asked to me: I did not know, until I studied it. Johannes, who sinned in the Garden of Eden? Adam or EVE? Who do you think? Let's read the Bible. Gen 2:7 The Lord God took dust from the ground and made a man. He breathed the breath of life into the man's nostrils, and the man became a living being. Look at this: Eve was not yet created - God spoke to Adam only. Only to Adam was alive at that time. Gen 2:16-17 The Lord God gave Adam this command: "You may eat from any tree in the garden. But you must not eat from the tree that gives knowledge about good and evil. (it's your choice, Adam) There was no Eve yet, Adam is alone with God. Adam is the only one who got this ONE command directly from Creator God. . . . . Picture . . .Garden of Eden. Adam must have informed Eve later after she was created. I found that Adam carries the weight of responsibility, because he was created first by God in the image of God and Adam should have known and stop Eve from eating it. Even though Eve ate the forbidden fruit first, Adam is held responsible for bringing sin into the world for the entire human race. God's instruction "not to eat" was directly given to Adam, but Eve ate the fruit and gave some to Adam and he ate some. Adam should have said, NO, it's forbidden, do not take it. Rom 5:12 Just as sin entered the world through one man, (Adam) and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned. (in the human image) . . . . Picture . .Snake & apple. Where do we stand now with our image as it says in Genesis? "Created in the image of God" We are all sinners? Let's study the Scripture again- I said study. Eph 1:5 God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. We now have a NEW identity that can never be changed - Halleluiah. (God wanted to do it) We have been adopted by the One who created us. Changed from our human image to God's image. That's the DUAL PURPOSE of "created in His IMAGE. As Christians we are living in God's earthly garden right now. Here is another question: Do we still eat the "forbidden fruit"? Jesus said: do NOT judge so that you will not be judged, Love your neighbor as yourself. (it means every one) Jesus said: "Put your Trust in Me, Fear Not, have Faith. Are we really fulfilling all this? I think Satan is still persuading us to eat the "forbidden fruit" Satan continually say: Did God really say this about Judging, or Love, or Trust or not to Fear? God clearly told us NOT to do this but we continue to "participate in eating the forbidden fruit" just like Adam and Eve. We have to choose in whose image are we living -our choice? The words in Genesis are still ringing in our ears today. Acts17:28 For in Him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, "We are His offspring". Therefor we ought to bear good fruit in our physical state, and not "eat the forbidden fruit". We have to be full of the knowledge of Scripture. We can only achieve this by reading the Bible then meditate on what is written and participate in the Life-Group-Bible studies. ("Don't give the enemy a seat at your table") I do what my parents taught me when I was a child, I am the offspring of my parents, ( created in their image ) Am I still bearing my parents fruit - but it's my choice. When I study the Bible it says: That I have been adopted as a child of God, which means I have to learn from His Word and understand that I am now created in God's image and I have to bear Spiritual fruit. Jesus now lives in us. Jesus said to Philip: "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father". - (In God's Image) I'm now God's "offspring of the Invisible God" in a Spiritual sense. That emptiness (or vacuum) has been filled with the Holy Spirit. I can do this by getting baptized, because I have NOT SEEN GOD, but I accepted Him as my New Father. Col 1:10 That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: "BEARING FRUIT" in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God (growing in the knowledge by studying His Word & His image) For a number of years I had two Passports, one from my old country (S. Africa) and then I became a Canadian citizen. . . . . Picture . .passport. When I visited S.A. I showed my S.A. passport and I whipped through the lines. When I return to Canada, I pull out my "Brand New Can. Passport" and whip through the lines. I was adopted by this new country. It is so wonderful. I am treated as a citizen of this country, it gives me preferential treatment to go through the gates. No questions asked. "Preferential treatment" by the ONE who adopted me, I must bear the IMAGE of the ONE who called me out of this world. This applies to everyone who has been adopted as a child of the "UNKNOWN God. - In His Unknown Image. When God adopts us and sets us apart, that's when we inherit a "new IMAGE", the "old IMAGE" of sin has been washed away by the blood of Christ on the cross. We are now a "New creation" we have a New Citizenship. Thousands of people (young or old or Trans-Genders) are struggling with their gender identity because Satan has deceived so many people by saying: Did God really say that you cannot choose? "There is a MIGHTY battle going on for control of our minds" When there is a struggle, it doesn't mean we're on the wrong path. You and I struggle continuously, but we must choose who to follow: our "known" parent image or God's "Unknown" Image. Christianity itself is a struggle, obeying God is a struggle, Holiness is a struggle, but it's worth the struggle to do the right things God's way and to honor God who changed our ( "lost-human parent image") into His "Unknown Godly IMAGE that is Holy that will last forever and ever and I don't care what my image will look like when Jesus returns, my desire is to have God's Unknown Spiritual Image. 2 Cor 3:18 And we all, with unveiled faces, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the SAME IMAGE from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. Let's leave behind the human image the (old citizenship) and accept the new citizenship which is the "Unknown Image" of a loving God to go through the gates to eternity. The world is going in the wrong direction and it cannot continue like this for very long. Let's love the sinner, love our neighbor, love the trans-gender, and let us be a light to anyone in this deceived world and bring people to Jesus. . . Jesus Himself will cleanse them. . . . That's how we were instructed to love others in our brand new UNKNOWN IMAGE, in His IMAGE we were created. God is Spirit and God is LOVE and we shall worship Him in Spirit and in LOVE. What will happen in the end after all this physical creation that we now live in is behind us? Let's read the FINAL Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15: 23-24 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. Then the end will come, when Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father after Christ has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. (This is the greatest offering that anyone can offer. Then the end will come and we all shall become ONE in His image) - Hallelujah. . . . Pray Picture - - - Amen - let's pray. 5