God's Good Design in Humanity

0:08 We're in week three of a series we're calling God's Good Design, looking at God's good design for creation, humanity, sexuality, work, rest, marriage, all in the first two chapters of the Bible, knowing we're living in a day where these foundations are being radically redefined in ways that are contrary to God's good design for us. And as a result, in ways that are not good for us. I love the way Mike put it the first week. He said, when oceans transgress their designed boundaries, we call that a disaster. And when we transgress God's good design for our lives, it's tragic. and tragic is the right word particularly as we approach this topic of humanity today. So here's the fundamental question we're going to answer today. What does it mean to be human? And how we answer that question can lead to tremendous good in the world or horrendous evil.

1:10 I think of all the good in history that's been done on behalf of the poor and the oppressed, the unborn, the enslaved, the abused, the disabled, when people have believed that all humans have dignity and worth. This last week at our church family meeting, we shared about a partnership we've started with an Afghan house church network. We're helping spread the gospel to literally hundreds of thousands of Afghans. And I was talking last week with one of the Afghan leaders of that work who told me about how when women in Afghanistan hear that God values them equally as much as he values men, it's shocking to them. Turns their whole worldview upside down and gives them dignity that they never had. And many, particularly women, are coming to faith in Jesus in Afghanistan. In any culture, in any country, in any relationship where a woman or a man is treated as inferior, then we are going directly against the good design of God.

2:11 And those who believe that will work for the equal dignity of women and men. But that's just it. So much evil occurs and continues when people don't promote or believe the truth that all humans are equally made in God's image. We know this from history. Listen to this. Adolf Hitler, in his book Mein Kampf in 1927, wrote that the stronger members of society are, quote, images of the Lord, while the weaker members are deformities of that image that need to be cleansed from society, which led, we know, to filling gas chambers with people who were deemed physically or intellectually disabled, only to be followed by millions of men and women who were gypsy or Jewish. But we don't have to cross an ocean to see this danger. Here in our history, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

3:04 argued that Native Americans were, quote, not as fully God's image as the so-called white man. So it was appropriate, he said, for the red man to be rubbed out. Similar arguments have been made to demean Asian Americans and really is at the root of all ethnic prejudice and pride. We know millions of Africans were enslaved by professing Christians and church leaders who believed Africans were less human than them. And it didn't stop with the Civil War. In 1900, in a book on the image of God, published by the American Book and Bible House, Charles Carroll wrote, If the white was created in the image of God, then the Negro was made after some other model.

3:50 Similar arguments have been made in our history to demean women because of their gender. Or when it comes to disability. Here in the state where I'm standing, the Virginia Sterilization Act of 1924 was passed and remained in effect until 1979, during which time thousands of women were sterilized because they were deemed mentally defective. And Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. famously said in a majority ruling of a Supreme Court case in 1927, three generations of imbeciles are enough. Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, said every feeble-minded girl or woman of the hereditary type, especially of the moron class should be segregated during the reproductive period. Otherwise, she is almost certain to bear imbecile children who in turn are just as certain to breed other defectives.

4:46 And just in case all this seems like a bygone era, just listen to conversations today about eugenics, arranging human reproduction, genomics, writing human genetic code. These conversations that are happening around the world right now. Josiah Zahner is a biohacker known for his self-experimentation with genetic material. He declared, not long ago, we did it. We genetically engineered an embryo. Our humanity has just been changed forever. I view it as one of the most groundbreaking things that's been done in science. In all of human history, we didn't get to decide what genes we have, right? Now we do. Walter Isaacson wrote a book on gene editing and those who are leading the way in this field. He put it this way from his evolutionary perspective. After more than three billion years of evolution of life on this planet, one species, us, has developed the talent and temerity to grab control of its own genetic future.

5:44 There is a sense that we have crossed the threshold into a whole new age, perhaps a brave new world, like when Adam and Eve bit into the apple. He wrote, figuring out if and when to edit our genes will be one of the most consequential questions of the 21st century. and this is all on top of discussions about artificial intelligence and the blurring of lines between man and machine. Stephen Hawking, who I quoted from last week, once said, the development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race. It would take off on its own and redesign itself at an ever-increasing rate. Humans who were limited by slow biological evolution couldn't compete and would be superseded. Now, just to pause there for a moment, It took God about one second in Genesis chapter 11 to confound the plans of man. So we have no reason to be worried or afraid.

6:39 But have I convinced you it's important to have the right answer to this question, what does it mean to be human? And today I wanna show you the answer to that question straight from the mouth of the one who makes humans. And we're gonna cover a ton of scripture because I want you to see what God says about you and me and every other human being on the planet. So get ready to take some notes, turn in your Bibles, and it's gonna get pretty dense at points, but hang with me, I promise you it will be worth it. So let me start by setting the stage for what we're about to read in Genesis 1. Tselem is a Hebrew word, so we're jumping right into the brew from the beginning. that's often translated image or idol. So if you were living in Old Testament times, when you saw this word, you'd likely have one of two pictures in your mind.

7:35 On one hand, you might picture an image that a king would set up to represent himself. And the king would require people to give homage to it. That's what happens in Daniel chapter three in Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold whose height was 60 cubits and its breadth six cubits. And he tells everybody in the kingdom to bow down to it as a picture of bowing down to him. And then the other picture that might come to your mind when you see Selem is a temple that's dedicated to a god. And in that temple, there would be an image or images of that god. 2 Kings 11, verse 18, talks about how all the people of the land went to the house of Baal, this false god, and tore it down, his altars and his images, they broke in pieces. But here's where God's people were totally countercultural because they didn't believe their king was a god and they were commanded not to make images, any images of any kind of God, including the one true God.

8:38 And that background makes what we're about to read stunning because Genesis chapter one, verse 26, after everything else in the universe has been created, sun, moon, stars, skies, land, water, fish, birds, animals, everything. Then God said, let us make man in our what? Image. And that's the word that we just talked about. Sell him 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 what? Image. In the image of God, he created them. Male and female, he created them. Three times we see this Hebrew word. God, in his word, is saying that humans, that's what man is a reference to, humankind, people are images. They're representations of him. Almost like this world is a temple and the images or idols in this world that represent God are human beings. And not just some humans, like the elite or a particular ethnicity or gender. No, this is stunning. God is saying all humankind, without exception, including male and female, regardless of ethnicity, disability, anything, all humans are created in the image of God, or the likeness of God, which is a parallel concept here. And then read what happens next. And God blessed them. And God said to them, be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. And God said, behold, I've given you every plant yielding seed that's on the face of all the earth. And every tree with seed in its fruit, you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and every bird of the heavens, and everything that creeps on the earth. Everything that has the breath of life. I've given every green plant for food. And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made. And behold, it was very good. And

10:45 there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Oh, there's so much here. And like I said, it's stunning. God has just described the crown jewel of all creation. And do you realize what it is. It's us. It's you and me. All of us, without exception, unlike anything else in all creation, you and I, people, are images of the creator. Mark it down. Humanity's defining characteristic is that we are all equally made in the image of God himself. This is who we are. Now, some might say, don't you mean were? This is who humans were before sin came into the world in Genesis 3?

11:40 And I don't mean that because the Bible doesn't say that. You look in Genesis chapter 5, verses 1 through 3, and Genesis chapter 9, verse 6. After sin has come into the world, the Bible still says people are made in the image of God, Which means this truth applies all the way to you and me today. God's image in us has not been lost or destroyed or broken. You and I, right where you're sitting right now, you are in the image of God. Which then begs the question, what does that mean about me? I wanna show you God's answer to that question in two ways, both of which answer what it means to be human. according to the Bible, to be human, to be made in the image of God means that you are designed, one, for close relationship with God. Just see the close connection here between humans and God in Genesis 1 and 2. Right before what we just read in Genesis 1 26, you see all these other creatures that were created according to their kinds. Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds, livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds. And it was so. God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. But then in the very next verse with humans, the language is totally different.

13:05 There's no other kind like them. They're made in the likeness of God. And God didn't just use the more impersonal let there be or let the earth bring forth this or that. Instead, God says very personally, let us make. A reference, by the way, to the Trinitarian nature of God. Let us make man in our image after our likeness. And then check this out. Genesis chapter 2, verse 6, describing how God created man. We read, then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. How close, intimate is that? God breathing life. God sharing breath with man. And then the first thing God does after he makes man and woman is he blesses them, and he gives them all these things. We see that word give twice. I give you all these things. And then God, looking at humanity, says, I saw everything that I made, and behold, up until now, God saw what he made, and it was good. God saw what he made, it was good. This day, God saw what he made, and it was what? Very good. Like, really, really, really good. See it. God made you and me for close, unique, special relationship with him, unlike anything else in all creation. Just let this soak in. The God who spoke the world into being, the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, infinitely holy, just, righteous, loving, sovereign creator and sustainer of everything has personally made you for close relationship with him. You've been made for intimate relationship with God. That's awesome.

15:15 And I do not use that word lightly. This is breathtaking. What we're made for. and then second so to be human to be made in the image of God means that you are designed watch this as a royal representative of God remember this is what it means to be an image images represented kings or gods and what the Bible is saying is that you and I have the responsibility and privilege in place of representing God in the world. And I say responsibility because, to be clear, we are not God. We're creatures. He's the creator. We're dependent on God, and we're accountable to God to carry out a royal commission that is also breathtaking. You and I represent the king of the world to all the world.

16:11 it's what we do as people made in God's image which is what God means when he says I give you dominion the word means royal rule I give you royal rule to represent me to reflect my goodness and my justice and my benevolent rule over creation I've made you to do this now make the connection here to represent me in close relationship with me, which makes sense. You can't rule creation as a representative of God apart from close relationship with God. This is where the way Genesis 1 and 2 is written is amazing. If you were here last week, we talked about how Moses wrote this creation account for God's people when they were journeying from slavery in Egypt through a wilderness to the promised land. And we saw last week the parallels between the promised land and the Garden of Eden. As God was intentionally saying to his people through the way this story is written, I'm bringing you back to my good design for you to dwell with me.

17:21 and that word dwell is a key word in this whole story. So when Adam and Eve in Genesis three are driven out of Eden, the Bible tells us, verse 24, that God drove out the man and at the east of the garden of Eden, he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. Now, look at this word placed. It's the Hebrew word shekan, which means to dwell. so the picture is God causes these cherubim or angels to dwell at the spot to keep Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden from the tree of life but then what's interesting is when you get to Exodus the next book in the Bible as we read about these wanderings in the wilderness God uses this same word to describe how he's going to dwell among his people in what's called the tabernacle. This is really important. So the tabernacle was like a portable temple that signified God's presence in the middle of his people. And after God rescues them from slavery in Egypt and gives them his law, the Ten Commandments, God says in Exodus 25 verse 8, let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell in their midst. Same word, Shekin, that we saw in Genesis chapter 3, verse 24, at the entrance to Eden. And that's what leads into God giving specific instructions. I'm going to show you the pattern for the tabernacle, all its furniture, so you'll make it exactly how I said to make it.

18:57 And then we have all these specifications about the tabernacle, this place where God will dwell among his people. And what's interesting is when you look at how the tabernacle is described, it looks a lot like Eden. And I wish I had time to turn all these places with you. I don't. So I'll just give you a list of parallels between Eden and the tabernacle. And you can go back and look later if you like. So first, in Genesis 1, seven times we read, and God said. We see seven specific creative acts. And after the seventh time, we read about God resting on the Sabbath. Well, in the construction of the tabernacle, you look from Exodus 25 to 31, exactly seven times we read the Lord said. And after the seventh time we read that, the Lord talks about the Sabbath. Then in Genesis chapter 3, verse 8, we read about how God was walking in the Garden of Eden. And in Leviticus chapter 26, verses 11 and 12, specifically verse 12, we see the exact same language describing how God is walking with his people in the tabernacle.

19:58 And then in Genesis chapter 2, verse 10 through 12, Eden is described as a place filled with gold, delium, and onyx, all of which are represented in the tabernacle. And delium's really interesting because you might say, well, that's just kind of a coincidence, but delium is only mentioned one other time after Genesis 2. And it's referring in the book of Exodus, Exodus 16, 33, to the manna that God provided in the wilderness in Numbers chapter 11, verse 7, those two verses together make clear there was some of that manna that was to be included in the middle of the tabernacle. Then Eden had the tree of life at the center of it, and the tabernacle had a lampstand in it, Exodus 25, verse 31 through 40, that's described, depicted like a tree, complete with blossoms and branches and flowers. And then, so I'll show you this one. Remember the cherubim, those angels that were flanking the entrance to the Garden of Eden, keeping Adam and Eve from the tree of life? Well, in the center of the tabernacle, you have what's called the mercy seat, which symbolizes God sitting among his people.

21:09 And look what's flanking both sides of the mercy seat. Exodus 25, verse 18. You shall make two cherubim of gold, of hammered work shall you make them, on the two ends of the mercy seat. Make one cherub on the one end and one cherub on the other end. So in both places, you have cherubim guarding the way to the presence of God. And then one last parallel, just like we saw last week, the entrance to Eden was on the eastern side, Genesis 3, 24. And you'll never guess where the entrance is to the tabernacle. Also on the east. The point is that when God was giving very specific instructions for the construction of the tabernacle, which we sometimes wonder, Why this? Why that? God was very intentionally giving his people a picture that paralleled Eden in Genesis 1 and 2, the place that he originally designed for humanity to dwell with him. Now, here's where humanity comes in, what it means to be made in the image of God. So check this out. I promise, hang with me. This is going to be worth it. Look at Genesis chapter 2, verse 15.

22:16 In this creation account, we read, the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to keep it. Now, we're gonna talk more about work in the coming weeks, but I wanna show you today this combination of work and keep. These two Hebrew words that Moses uses here, he only uses in what he writes to refer to one other thing. And that one other thing that he uses these two words to describe is priests who were working in the tabernacle. I'll show you an example. Numbers chapter 18, verse seven. You and your son shall guard your priesthood for all that concerns the altar and that is within the veil, and you shall serve. The word here for guard is the same word that's translated keep in Genesis 2, 15. And the word that's work or serve here is the same word that's translated work in Genesis 2, 15.

23:13 And so what is happening here is Moses, in describing the priest in the tabernacle, is drawing a parallel between the priest and Adam in the Garden of Eden. And you'll never guess what the priest would wear. They'd wear gold and onyx, just like we see in Eden in Genesis chapter 2. God is telling us in his word that Adam, this human made in the image of God, was like a priest in a tabernacle or a temple. and just like priests dwelled with God in the tabernacle, Adam, this human, was made to dwell with God in Eden. But then what happens? Adam and Eve sin, right? They turn away from God and his presence. They decide they know better what is best for their lives than God does, the one who made them. And as a result, they lose their innocence. They realize their nakedness.

24:06 They experience guilt and shame before God, before each other. guilt and shame like we all experience and struggle with as humans in this world. And God provides a sacrifice to create a covering for them. Genesis chapter 3 verse 21 says, the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin and clothed them. So that word garments right there, picture it here in Eden, they now needed clothes associated with a sacrifice to cover over them. So watch this. Now we're getting really close to how all this applies to you and me, hang with me, you fast forward to the tabernacle. Every year on the day of atonement, which means the day of covering for the people's sins, the high priest would put on particular clothes. Leviticus chapter 16 verse 4 says, he shall put on the holy linen coat. And that word right there is the same exact word that was used in Genesis 3 verse 21 to describe Adam and Eve's garments here. He shall put on this holy linen coat and shall have the linen undergarment on his body. He shall tie the linen sash around his waist and wear the linen turban. These are the holy garments. He shall bathe his body in water and put them on. So got this picture of covering.

25:23 And then you see it four different times. Linen, linen, linen, linen. Just remember that for later. Why is linen emphasized so much like that? So the picture is the priest going into the tabernacle, the most holy place, where the mercy seat is flanked by these two cherubim, these angels. He offers a sacrifice for the people's sins, and then afterwards he takes off those linen garments, leaves them there, and changes into clothes, to other clothes to signify that the offering is complete. Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting, shall take off those linen garments that he put on when he went into the holy place and shall leave them there. And the priest would do this once every year, year after year after year, as a picture of the need for humans to have their sins covered or atoned for in order to be able to dwell with God.

26:21 And it was a continual, annual reminder to all humanity that we are all separated by our sin from a holy God, the God in whose image we were made. And this is the human story. It's not just the Old Testament of the Bible. This is all of our stories. You and I, so now bring it into your lap. You and I were made for close relationship with God. I'll just make it specific to you just to let this soak in you were made for close relationship with God you are made to be a royal representative of God in this world but you just like me and every other human you have turned from God you have said you know better what is best for your life than the God who made you you have sin in your heart that keeps you from experiencing all that you are made for and you and i feel this every day in this fallen world as sinners in a world of sinners this is the human story but it is not the end of the human story You turn the pages of the Bible after just spiraling sin throughout the Old Testament.

27:58 A picture of what looks like the hopelessness of humanity. Until, check out how the book of John opens in the New Testament. In the what? Beginning. That's the same language as Genesis chapter 1, verse 1. John's pointing us back to creation He says in the beginning was the Word, in the beginning God Said, God said, God said The Word of God And the Word was with God and the Word was God, He, now wait a second The Word Is a person The revelation of God is not Just words on a page, it's a person He was, who was in the beginning With God and all things were made through Him, without Him was not anything made that was made. Wait a minute. Who's this talking about? And the more we read on, we start to realize John is introducing us to Jesus as the Word, the revelation of God. And it all becomes clear when we get to verse 14. And John writes, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. What? Do you know what this word dwelt means? It's the same word that is translated tabernacle in the Old Testament.

29:24 You realize what this is saying? Jesus is the tabernacle. He's the dwelling place of God in the world. God has come to us such that when you see Jesus, you see the glory of the Father face to face. This is what, this is revolutionary. Jesus is not just a prophet. He's not just a great human teacher. He is the image of the invisible God. He's not made in the image of God. He is the image of God. He's the epitome of humanity. God in the flesh, Hebrews 1, 3. He is the radiance of the glory of God. He's the exact imprint of his nature. He's the one who upholds the universe by the word of his power. He is Emmanuel, God with us. Who, so now just come back to the book of John here, which just so happens to be our church's Bible reading right now, and you're not going to be able to write all these down, so just sit back and just soak it in. All the ways John points us back to this whole picture. John tells us that Jesus has come to offer his life as a sacrifice of our sins.

30:32 Listen to the language. Behold, the Lamb of God, that's Exodus language, who takes away the sin of the world. God's people delivered out of slavery in Egypt. Jesus came to deliver us out of slavery to sin and death. Then in John chapter two, Jesus is the temple. Jesus answered them, destroy this temple, talking about the building. And in three days, I will raise it up. The Jews said, it was taken 46 years to build this temple. You raised it up in three days? He was speaking about the temple of his body. Jesus says, I am the place where you encounter the glory of God. Not just this building. You're going to kill me, and I'm going to be raised up in three days. That leads to John chapter 4. Remember the river flowing from Eden? Well, Jesus is. Oh, sorry. I skipped John 3, verse 3. Tells Nicodemus, anyone who is born again can see the kingdom of God. In other words, you were made in the image of God. You need to be remade from the inside out to experience the life that you're designed to live.

31:28 which then leads to John chapter four, the river flowing from Eden. Jesus is a spring of water who wells up to eternal life. John chapter seven, whoever is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Or John chapter six, think about the manna in the tabernacle. After Jesus feeds the 5,000, people are saying, God gave his people manna in the wilderness. What are you gonna give us? Jesus says, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger. Whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John chapter eight, thinking about the lampstand in the tabernacle, Jesus says, I am the light of the world who causes people to say, John nine, I was blind, but now I see. John chapter 10, he is the door to dwelling with God. Then you think about the tree of life. John chapter 11, verse 25, Jesus says, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live.

32:23 Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. John chapter 14, In my Father's house are many rooms. The word means dwelling places. It's the same word that Revelation uses to describe heaven. In my Father's house are many dwelling places for you, and I am the way there. I am the truth. I am the life. I am the vine, John chapter 15. John chapter 16, to all who are burdened by sin in this sin-sick world, in this world, in your fallen humanity, you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome this world. John chapter 17, Jesus is the high priest who intercedes for us. And then, check this out, John chapter 18, we come to guess what? When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with the disciples across the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden. Well, that's interesting.

33:15 Which he and the disciples entered. This garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus, the image of God in the flesh, faces a choice. Back in the garden in Genesis, there was a man made in the image of God who failed and said, not your will, but mine be done. Here in the garden, we have the sinless man who is the image of God, who says, not my will, but yours be done. And then he's arrested in John 19. Listen to what Pilate says in verse six. Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns, the purple robe. Pilate said to him, behold the man. Do you see this? Pilate literally says, behold the human. Pilate has no idea the significance of what he's saying. Behold what humanity is designed to be. Close relationship with the father. And what's the next thing Pilate says in verse 14? Behold your king, royal representative of the king, which leads to Jesus's crucifixion, where on the cross he cries out, it is finished. The work is done. And once the creator on the cross finishes his work of redeeming his creation, what do we read about in the very next verse?

34:30 Sabbath. None of this is coincidence. It all fits together. There is no book like this book, written by all these authors in different languages at different times over centuries that all tell one overarching story that points us to Jesus. And check this out. It gets even better. So Jesus is buried. We saw this last week, but I want you to pay attention to something new this week. When they go to the tomb, so Peter and John run there. Peter went out with the other disciple. That's how John refers to himself. And they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. That's kind of funny that John points out for all history that Peter was slow and he was fast. Is this not like sibling rivalry? Like, I beat you. Just want to write it down for everybody to talk about for history. So anyway, they get there, stooping to look in. John saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came following him and went into the tomb.

35:24 He saw the linen cloths lying there and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a place by itself. Well, that's interesting. Three times there's a focus on what kind of cloth? linen cloths. It's like John's trying to tell us something, and he specifically tells us they're folded up. Why? Why is he? It would have been sufficient to tell us Jesus died and rose again. John's telling us Jesus died, rose again, and he made his bed. Why is he telling us this? Well, I'm glad you asked. Look, a couple of verses later, we read, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. And as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. Get the picture. You got two angels flanking this scene with linen cloths nicely folded up and left between them. Does that sound familiar? Remember when the priest on the day of atonement would put on linen clothes, would go into the center of the tabernacle where the mercy seat was with two angels, one on each side, and the priest would offer the sacrifice, and then he would leave those clothes there, change into something else. Are you seeing this? Jesus, the complete human, the perfect priest, has gone into the most holy place. He has offered not the blood of another sacrifice. He has offered his own blood once, and for all sinners, he has said, it is finished. And he has walked out, leaving those sacrificial clothes behind, neatly folded up forever, because there is no need for sacrifice anymore. He has paid the price for sinners to have their sin totally covered by his blood.

37:09 And then, then he speaks to Mary. And what is Jesus, this man who is the image of God? What's the first word that he speaks after rising from the dead in the book of John? He says, woman, which is, takes us all the way back to Genesis chapter two, where Adam looked Eve and said, woman. And they began working together in God's presence. So here Jesus commissions Mary to join him in spreading the good news that he's risen from the dead. Then Jesus gets together with his disciples. Watch this. Jesus said to them, peace be with you as the father has sent me. Even so I'm sending you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. That's Genesis 2. God in the flesh is now breathing new life by His Spirit into a new humanity. Are you serious? The Holy Spirit of God, the Holy Presence of God, is going to dwell inside all who trust in Jesus? For what purpose? For this purpose, 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 17. The Lord is the Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

38:14 and we are all with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit to all who believe in Jesus you have the Holy Spirit in you and you are free from the penalty of sin in your life you are free from the power of sin in your life you are free to be transformed into the image of Jesus from one degree of glory to another This is the Christian life, becoming more and more and more like Jesus every single day. Romans chapter eight, verse 28, God's working everything together in your life for good. What's that good? So you'll be healthy and wealthy and have all you want in this world and everything works out the way you want? No, we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. What is that? For those who are called according to his purpose. What's his purpose?

39:05 For those whom he foreknew, he predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. That's our purpose, to look more like Jesus. God's working all things together in our lives so that we will be more conformed to the image of Jesus, knowing that being conformed into his image is the highest good of humanity. Was it Elizabeth the Elliott who said, God will not protect you from anything in your life that keeps you from becoming more like Jesus. This is a high calling, that everything in your life, even things you don't understand, are working together toward. So Colossians chapter three, verse nine and 10, let's put off the old self with its practices. Let's put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. This is the purpose of your life, to be conformed into the image of your creator. So let this soak in.

40:00 Takeaways today, man or woman, every man or woman made in the image of God, that's all of you. You have sacred dignity. So worship God with humility. You, let this soak in right where you're sitting right now. You have sacred, holy dignity. Unlike anything else in all creation, you are made in the image of God. So yes, look at the Grand Canyon to see God's glory. Look at the sunrise over the mountains. Look at the sunset over the horizon and see God's glory. Look at the billions of stars in the sky at stellar galaxies and see God's glory. But do you really want to see God's glory?

40:43 Look in the mirror. Look in the mirror. When you look at your reflection, do not believe the lie from the adversary who's telling you you're not enough this or you're not enough that. When the truth is you are God's prized creation. He doesn't make mistakes. So do not believe the messages of this world that you have to do certain things in order to earn dignity. Because good news, true dignity is received from God, not achieved by you. So worship your creator as the one you're created for. Your heart is made for God. In the words of Augustine, you have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you. And it's not just you.

41:39 Everyone has sacred dignity. So love others with honor. love every other person made in the image of god with honor this includes your friends and this includes your enemies this includes the people in your camp and this includes the people not in your camp this includes every single person on social media without exception honor them this includes every leader in the government without exception honor them first peter to honor everyone even the emperor who's looking to kill you, honor them. They are made in the image of God. This includes the poor, the oppressed, the needy, the disabled, the broken, the hurting, from the womb to the tomb, every human being in every tribe, language, people, and nation. We are royal representatives of God in this world, which means we do justice. We love mercy, and we walk humbly with God, loving others with the dignity God has told us they possess.

42:40 And not just dignity. Let this soak in. You have an eternal destiny. So behold and become more like Jesus. Your destiny is to be conformed into the image of Jesus. 2 Corinthians 3. So behold him every day in his word. Fix your eyes on him. Walk with him in the world. And make it your aim by the power of his spirit in you to look more like Jesus tomorrow than you do today. More like Jesus next week than you do today. This is what you're made for. 1 John chapter three. Beloved, we're God's children now. What we will be has not yet appeared, but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him. We shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he's pure. And we know one day these bodies in this world are gonna stop working, but praise God, that won't be the end. 1 Corinthians 15, 49. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

43:35 All who know and trust in Jesus as Lord will have a new resurrected body, just as Jesus does. And check this out, Revelation chapter five, verse nine, the song of heaven to Jesus, worthy are you to take the scroll to open its seals, for you were slain by your blood, you ransomed, you redeemed people for God from every nation, tribe, and language, and people, nation, from all across humanity, and you have made them a kingdom and priest to our God. and they shall reign on the earth. Talk about destiny. Your destiny is a kingdom and priests. Yes, we love countries here, but we're living for another country where we have a kingdom where we are priests to our God and we will reign forever on the earth. Oh, heaven is not sitting on clouds in endless choir practice. It is a physical place where we are gonna fully experience what we're made for in a new heaven, in a new earth, close relationship with God, royal representation of God in a world with no more sin, no more sorrow, no more sadness, and no more death. Which leads to the last implication, because it's not just us. Everyone has an eternal destiny. So make disciples of Jesus among all the nations. Every single person in this city, every single person in the world was made for close relationship with God. And the only way they can experience