Class Lesson March 14, 2021

 

Question 1:

What’s your least favorite household responsibility?

THE POINT

God created us to serve

and honor Him.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

One of my responsibilities around the house is to take out the trash.

And let me tell you, I am horrible at it.

When I enter the house at night, I can tell by a single look from my wife whether I’ve fulfilled my end of that bargain. Sometimes, it’s not even a look; it’s an outright, straight-to-the-point question: “Did you take out the trash, Robby?”

Taking out the trash is not even a difficult task. The trash bins are right by the back door, but somehow I always manage to forget to do this one simple, obvious thing.

As kids, many of us dreaded responsibility, and we know firsthand that responsibility is handed to us in greater measure, as we get older. But responsibility is not a bad thing! God has built responsibility into us. He gave it to us when He put us on the earth. He coded us for it and gave us the tools to carry it out. And it is up to us to recognize what our responsibility is—and carry it out.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Genesis 1:1-5

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” There was an evening, and there was a morning: one day.

Question 2:

What impacts you most about

this first day of creation?

When we want to communicate with an audience, we have to keep three things in mind: 

• What are they familiar with?
• What do we need to tell them?
• How do we bridge the gap between those two things?

With this in mind, think about the original audience who would have read Genesis 1. Moses wrote the book, which means the people who first read it were still wandering in the desert after being freed from slavery in Egypt. These Israelites had never known a place to call home that didn’t include either the desert or slavery. What they knew about God had been passed down orally, the way most things were passed down in those days: they taught their children, who taught their children, who taught their children. 

The Israelites were surrounded by groups of people in settled and established civilizations: Egyptians, Canaanites, and Hittites. If these groups were perceived as more “civilized,” the Israelites would be tempted to think the stories of their gods were more established too. Maybe the Egyptians were right: the world was birthed out of a cosmic egg. And perhaps they should consider the Mesopotamian belief, that all we know was created out of the carcass of one of the deceased gods.

Genesis 1 reveals a wholly different account, one that quickly cuts to the chase. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” It’s almost as if the writer were saying, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “Listen, I know you’re hearing all kinds of confusing things from all kinds of people. Let me tell you about who is really in charge, what He did, and how you can know Him.”

The biblical worldview is unique in that not only do we know who created everything, but we can also have a personal relationship with Him. God invites us to have a relationship with Him. Through Jesus, we have access to the Father, the Creator of the universe. Jesus is in a special position to do that for us because, not only is He one with the Father, He was actually present at creation.

• The Word (Jesus) was with God in the beginning (John 1:1-2).
• Not a single thing that has been created was created apart from Jesus (Col. 1:16-17).

If you look up at the night sky, you will see a carpet of stars, most of which would make our sun look tiny. If you look down below your feet with a microscope, you will see an entire ecosystem of bacteria that work together to make sure plants can grow. God did all that simply by His word. And the Creator of all of that has invited us into a relationship with Him, to know Him deeply, and to remain in Him forever.

Genesis 1:26-27

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.

In Genesis 1:26-27, the word translated image is the Hebrew word selem. The word is used sixteen times in the Old Testament, and most of the time it is used negatively. However, in Genesis 1, God was not talking about stone images or icons. He was talking about us, and He said something amazing about how He made us. 

To be made “in the image of God” means we were made with something the rest of creation doesn’t have. Our ability to think, reason, and process morality is different. We have the capacity to adapt and tame the land around us, no matter what that land looks like. But the most unique thing about us is that we were created to be God’s representatives.

God made everything, but He made humanity with the unique responsibility of being His representatives on earth.

Question 3:

Why is it significant that we were created in the

image of God?

As His image-bearers, we were created to rule over the animals and over the earth. The Hebrew word rada is translated rule and means “to subjugate, to have dominion, or to reign.” Humans made in God’s image are capable of thinking, discerning, and making choices as God’s ruling representatives—of governing the earth in His place. In caring for God’s creation, including its creatures, we should seek to use—not abuse or misuse—what God has provided us. 

God has blessed the use of the planet’s renewable and nonrenewable natural resources. As God’s appointed rulers, we should seek His wisdom as we make decisions about the use of the earth’s resources. If we make decisions selfishly and with shortsightedness, we cannot expect to “rule . . . the whole earth” (v. 26) with integrity the way God intended.

God gave all of us the responsibility to care for the earth; at the same time we are to use the earth’s resources for the betterment of humanity. Prayer and godly  counsel are needed as we seek to rule the earth and its resources with wisdom. When the world looks at us, they shouldn’t see people living for themselves, but people carrying out the highest calling imaginable: displaying the image of the God who made us, doing everything we can to bring Him honor and glory.

Genesis 1:28-31

28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” 29 God also said, “Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This will be food for you, 30 for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth—everything having the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day. 

As beings created in His image, God didn’t just place us in an elevated position in creation to sit and bask in it; He tasked us with being caretakers and to live in a way that brings honor to Him. 

We are tasked with filling the earth and  tending to it. But these commands went far deeper than just populating the earth; it is about spreading God’s image far and wide. Moreover, these commands didn’t go away after sin entered our world. We are still in charge of the earth, but after sin it would require hard work. Ruling over the creatures also comes with its own set of unique challenges. The work can be exhausting, but it can also be very rewarding. God blesses us as we take charge of what He’s given us—and when we do it in a way that honors Him.

Question 4:

How would you describe the

responsibility humanity was

given at creation?

God not only gives us direction on what to do, however, He also provides what we need to sustain life. God ensures both man and animals will have all they need to survive. The “self-made person” is a myth, but the God blessed person is a reality, because of His abundant provision. 

As soon as His creation was complete, God appraised it like a craftsman looking over His work. He had only one judgment: “it was very good indeed” (v. 31). As we live as Christians in the world God made, we have the unique opportunity to exemplify the kind of life God created us to live. Think of how blessed we are: we get to know our Creator in a personal way, we get to care for His creation, and we get to be His image-bearers. This realization leads us to see things differently.

Question 5:

How do these verses summarize

our mission and purpose as

stewards of God’s creation?

GOD’S IMAGE-BEARERS

God created us in His image. That means we are bearers of His image—

or we are reflections of His nature and qualities. Choose one of the

pictures below that best represents bearing God’s image.

Now jot down why you chose that image.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for

good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.”

EPHESIANS 2:10

LIVE IT OUT

Being made in the image of God is a great blessing, but it’s also a huge responsibility. Choose one of the following applications:

• Praise. Take a few minutes to thank God for creating you—and then thank Him for creating you in His image. Ask for His help to live out this great privilege and responsibility.                                                                                                            
• List. Write down a few characteristics that God’s image bearers should have and evaluate yourself on them. How can you better represent the Lord?                                             
• Disciple. We are to lead others to know and grow in Christ, the One who restores the sin-marred image of God in us. Who are two other people in your life with whom you can begin meeting regularly so that you can help them to be like Him? Make a plan to reach out to them this week.

Whether it’s a mundane task like taking out the garbage or designing a ship that can sail the deepest ocean, we are God’s creation; it’s an honor to be His image-bearers and represent Him well.

Teacher's Notes:

The Purpose of Humanity

 

We all have responsibilities—in our families, work, or church—accompanied by expectations for ways to accomplish those responsibilities. In general, most people are pleased to have something to do; work to accomplish; a purpose for being. That innate desire for purpose was instilled in human beings at creation. That truth becomes evident in the creation account.

 

When God created the first man and woman, He gave them the responsibility for caring for all His creation. Through the assignment given to them, we learn that God created us all to serve Him and honor Him; that is our purpose for being.

 

What responsibilities are new to your current season of life?

 

The Point: God created us to serve and honor Him.

 

Genesis 1:1-5

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” There was an evening, and there was a morning: one day.

 

What impacts you most about this first day of creation?

God created everything.

·        All things have their beginning in the powerful word and creative execution of eternal, almighty Creator God

·        God’s creation was orderly, with purpose, and according to His plan.

 

Through Jesus, we have access to the Father, the Creator of the universe. Jesus is in a special position to do that for us because, not only is He one with the Father, He was actually present at creation.

·        The Word (Jesus) was with God in the beginning (John 1:1-2).

·        Not a single thing that has been created was created apart from Jesus (Col. 1:16-17).

 

If you look up at the night sky, you will see a carpet of stars, most of which would make our sun look tiny. If you look down below your feet with a microscope, you will see an entire ecosystem of bacteria that work together to make sure plants can grow. God did all that simply by His word. And the Creator of all of that has invited us into a relationship with Him, to know Him deeply, and to remain in Him forever.

 

 

Genesis 1:26-27

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image; he created him in the image of God; he created them male and female.

 

God created us in His image.

·        Human beings are God’s special creation having been created in His image and likeness.

·        God has placed human beings on the earth to fulfill His purpose and bring Him glory.

 

What does it mean that both male and female were created in the image of God?

·        To be made “in the image of God” means we were made with something the rest of creation doesn’t have. Our ability to think, reason, and process morality is different. We have the capacity to adapt and tame the land around us, no matter what that land looks like. But the most unique thing about us is that we were created to be God’s representatives. God made everything, but He made humanity with the unique responsibility of being His representatives on earth.

 

 

 

Genesis 1:28-31

28 God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” 29 God also said, “Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This will be food for you, 30 for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth—everything having the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning: the sixth day.

 

How would you describe the responsibility humanity was given at creation?

·        As beings created in His image, God didn’t just place us in an elevated position in creation to sit and bask in it; He tasked us with being caretakers and to live in a way that brings honor to Him. We are tasked with filling the earth and tending to it. But these commands went far deeper than just populating the earth; it is about spreading God’s image far and wide.

 

God commissioned us to care for and enjoy His creation.

·        As human beings, we have a unique relationship with God whereby He blesses us and communicates directly to us.

·        God has called us to serve as His agents in exercising responsible care for the creation in a way that honors Him as Creator.

  

The Point: God created us to serve and honor Him.

 

What Does It Mean to be Made in the Image of God?

Ever had one of those moments when you said something or reacted a certain way and then you caught yourself?  I just turned into my father!! Some of us look like our parents, but all of us tend to pick up some habit, mannerism, or phrase that makes people say, “You remind me of your mother (father)!” We shouldn’t be surprised. We’re made in their image in so many ways.

That may be a compliment to you. For others, being like their parents is the last thing they want. As teenagers, many of us yelled as we slammed our bedroom doors, “When I grow up, I’m not going to be like my parents!” We wanted to be our own person. We wanted to create our own image.

We still do. We create an image of ourselves on social media that paints us in a certain light. We control what we say and what images we display. We are our own spin doctors. We work hard to control our image. That’s unfortunate because the best image of you is the one God created you to have.

You are created in the image of God.

You were created to be like God and represent Him. Image has nothing to do with physical characteristics. We are made to commune with God and display His character. Let me use a phrase common to most Christians: We are to be like Christ.

 

Sin marred that image within us. Unfortunately, when we look at others, we rarely see the image of God. Instead, we see the evil dictator, the self-centered celebrity, and that annoying neighbor. We see ourselves.

 

We were created for the purpose of bearing God’s image, and Jesus came to earth to restore that broken image in us. Jesus gave us a perfect demonstration of God’s likeness.

 

Want to know what God is like? Look to Jesus.

 

 

 

Purpose Driven Life

“Every new generation must rediscover God’s purposes for themselves. But God also adds that the older generation is responsible to pass on what they have learned ‘so that each generation can set its hope anew on God’ (Psalm 78:7 NLT).” “There is no greater epitaph than that statement! Imagine it chiseled on your tombstone: That you served God’s purpose in your generation. “

 

“Preparing you for these two questions is the goal of this book. The first question will determine where you spend eternity. The second question will determine what you do in eternity. By the end of this book, you will be ready to answer both questions.”

1.   “What did you do with my Son, Jesus Christ?”

2.   “What did you do with what I gave you?”

 

“You need more than self-help advice. The Bible says, ‘Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self.'”

 

“This is not a self-help book. It is not about finding the right career, achieving your dreams, or planning your life. It is not about how to cram more activities into an overloaded schedule. Actually, it will teach you how to do less in life — by focusing on what matters most. It is about becoming what God created you to be.”

 

“God is not just the starting point of your life; he is the source of it. To discover your purpose in life you must turn to God’s Word, not the world’s wisdom. You must build your life on eternal truths, not pop psychology, success-motivation, or inspirational stories.”

 

“Money has the greatest potential to replace God in your life. More people are sidetracked from serving by materialism than by anything else.”

“The Bible is very clear: God uses money to test your faithfulness as a servant. That is why Jesus talked more about money than he did about either heaven or hell.”

“You will never know that God is all you need until God is all you’ve got.”

 

Character Development

“God’s ultimate goal for your life on earth is not comfort, but character development. He wants you to grow up spiritually and become like Christ. Becoming like Christ does not mean losing your personality or becoming a mindless clone. God created your uniqueness, so he certainly doesn’t want to destroy it. Christlikeness is all about transforming your character, not your personality. “

 

·         “God is far more interested in what you are than in what you do. We are human beings, not human doings. God is much more concerned about your character than your career, because you will take your character into eternity, but not your career.”

·         “Never forget that life is not about you! You exist for God’s purposes, not vice versa. Why would God provide heaven on earth when he’s planned the real thing for you in eternity? God gives us our time on earth to build and strengthen our character for heaven.“

·         “We must ‘put on’ the character of Christ by developing new, godly habits. Your character is essentially the sum of your habits; it is how you habitually act.“

·         “Nothing shapes your life more than the commitments you choose to make. Your commitments can develop you or they can destroy you, but either way, they will define you. Tell me what you are committed to, and I’ll tell you what you will be in twenty years. We become whatever we are committed to. “

·         “Every problem is a character-building opportunity, and the more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual muscle and moral fiber.”

·         “What happens outwardly in your life is not as important as what happens inside you. Your circumstances are temporary, but your character will last forever.”

·         “This next sentence is one of the most important spiritual truths you will ever learn: God develops the fruit of the Spirit in your life by allowing you to experience circumstances in which you’re tempted to express the exact opposite quality! Character development always involves a choice, and temptation provides that opportunity. “

 

 It all Starts with God (it’s not about you)

“Unless you assume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless.” — Bertrand Russell

“The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.”

·         “You were made by God and for God — and until you understand that, life will never make sense. It is only in God that we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance, and our destiny. Every other path leads to a dead end.“

·         “Fortunately, there is an alternative to speculation about the meaning and purpose of life. It’s revelation. We can turn to what God has revealed about life in his Word. The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the creator of it. The same is true for discovering your life’s purpose: Ask God.“

·         “God wants to use you to make a difference in his world. He wants to work through you. What matters is not the duration of your life, but the donation of it. Not how long you lived, but how you lived.”

 

Most people struggle with three basic issues in life:

1.   The first is identity: “Who am I?”

2.   The second is importance: “Do I matter?”

3.   The third is impact: “What is my place in life?”

The answers to all three questions are found in God’s five purposes for you.

 

God’s 5 Purposes for Your Life

“God wants to redeem human beings from Satan and reconcile them to Himself so we can fulfill the five purposes He created us for: to love Him, to be a part of His family, to become like Him, to serve Him, and to tell others about Him.”

Of these five purposes, the fifth can only be done on earth. The other four you will keep doing in eternity in some way. That’s why spreading the Good News is so important; you only have a short time to share your life message and fulfill your mission.”

 

The Point: God created us to serve and honor Him.