Chapter 09, Page 253 Whose Image? Have you ever admire an art? Either its a painting, a photograph, a clay mold, a Ming vase, an antique model car, a matchsticks craft, or a figurine. What do you do when you see one? This was an opening discussion to my Christian Doctrine class a week ago. The answers that came out were: to appreciate, to give value, to take care of, to protect and to be enjoyed. Just like Da Vincis Monalisa, people set high value on it that now it is being placed in a special museum, guarded and kept safe. Or like our precious photographs, we arrange them in an album, decorate a scrapbook and put them in it. Or like our do-it-ourself nano blocks, we glass-boxed them and put it on display in our guest room. Now think about the people around us. We know that we, human beings, are Gods product of creativity. Genesis 1:27 recorded: So God created human beings in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female. (NCV) In the image of God, He created us. The Message Bible even translated: He created us godlike, reflecting Gods nature (MSG). But have we ever think, look, give value, and set such appreciation to people – like what we do to those art products, like they are creation of God? Dont think about those who are our family. Dont think about these friends we hang around with. Think about the people sitting next to us in the bus and the train. Think about the homeless people living below the bridge. Think about the mentally-disabled people in the street. Think about the people who hurt us. Think about the people who judge us. Think about the people who upset us. Think about the people who persecuted our faith. Think about the people who brought war to this world. They all, too, created by God in His image. Can you still love them, appreciate them, take care of them, guard them? That no matter what they have or have not done to us, we still give value to them? That when people ill-talked them behind their back, we protect them from any further judgement? Sometimes we use this verse to remind us how we were beautifully and wonderfully made. How we were made in the image of God. Have we ever think that its not just about us – but all people living in this world? Lastly, a creation talks strongly about its creator. Again, what does the Monalisa painting say about Da Vinci? What does Eiffel Tower say about Gustave Eiffel? What does iOS product say about Steve Jobs? What does a song say about its songwriter? When you look at people, do your impression on and judgement of them represent God? Christian Doctrine with Tracy Barrell Lecture 06: Humanity in the Image of God September 03, 2014 * * * * * This verse is a verse I have known for a long time, a verse I believe every Christian familiar with. But this one teaching really brought revelation to me. I hope this blesses all of you who read. Have you ever admire an art? Either its a painting, a photograph, a clay mold, a Ming vase, an antique model car, a matchsticks craft, or a figurine. What do you do when you see one? This was an opening discussion to my Christian Doctrine class a week ago. The answers that came out were: to appreciate, to give value, to take care of, to protect and to be enjoyed. Just like Da Vincis Monalisa, people set high value on it that now it is being placed in a special museum, guarded and kept safe. Or like our precious photographs, we arrange them in an album, decorate a scrapbook and put them in it. Or like our do-it-ourself nano blocks, we glass-boxed them and put it on display in our guest room. Now think about the people around us. We know that we, human beings, are Gods product of creativity. Genesis 1:27 recorded: So God created human beings in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female. (NCV) In the image of God, He created us. The Message Bible even translated: He created us godlike, reflecting Gods nature (MSG). But have we ever think, look, give value, and set such appreciation to people – like what we do to those art products, like they are creation of God? Dont think about those who are our family. Dont think about these friends we hang around with. Think about the people sitting next to us in the bus and the train. Think about the homeless people living below the bridge. Think about the mentally-disabled people in the street. Think about the people who hurt us. Think about the people who judge us. Think about the people who upset us. Think about the people who persecuted our faith. Think about the people who brought war to this world. They all, too, created by God in His image. Can you still love them, appreciate them, take care of them, guard them? That no matter what they have or have not done to us, we still give value to them? That when people ill-talked them behind their back, we protect them from any further judgement? Sometimes we use this verse to remind us how we were beautifully and wonderfully made. How we were made in the image of God. Have we ever think that its not just about us – but all people living in this world? Lastly, a creation talks strongly about its creator. Again, what does the Monalisa painting say about Da Vinci? What does Eiffel Tower say about Gustave Eiffel? What does iOS product say about Steve Jobs? What does a song say about its songwriter? When you look at people, do your impression on and judgement of them represent God? Christian Doctrine with Tracy Barrell Lecture 06: Humanity in the Image of God September 03, 2014 * * * * * This verse is a verse I have known for a long time, a verse I believe every Christian familiar with. But this one teaching really brought revelation to me. I hope this blesses all of you who read.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 12:10:55 +0000