Southeast Christian Church - In The Beginning: In His Image

Hey, this is Kyle Idolman from Southeast Christian Church, and I'm going to thank you

for listening to the message today.

As we open up the scriptures together, I pray that this message inspires you, challenges

you, and is the right word at just the right time in your life.

Enjoy the message.

I am excited, always excited whenever Kyle is so kind to share this pulpit and allow

me to come back.

I love the way Kyle is leading.

I'm excited for those of you who just joined in the move journey, and maybe you're new

to the church, and you are a part of it.

It will be an exhilarating discipleship journey.

My wife and I have been on it for the last year, and thanks for joining and being a part

of it, you are going to grow a whole lot in your relationship with Christ.

Well years ago, my oldest daughter, Savannah, she was four years old, we went on a family

vacation to Colorado.

And we took my parents with us, and my daughter, Savannah, calls my dad, Daddo.

That's the name, that's the granddad name that he had.

And she didn't get to spend a whole lot of time with Daddo's stone, but she got to spend

three days with him and do everything with him.

She'd go and walk with him and they'd play together, and it was just really neat to see

them bonding.

Well the next week when we got back to Louisville, every once in a while we noticed that Savannah

everywhere she walked, she would stop, and she would spit.

And you know, this was very unusual, she had not been doing this before, and she had

not mastered the art even, so lots of times she would end up on her shirt.

And we're trying to figure this out how she'd gotten into that habit, and then we realized

she'd spent time with my dad, and she was unknowingly imitating something that she wanted

to be like.

And my dad just occasionally would spit, now it wasn't tobacco, you know, he was a preacher

back then, I always did feel sorry for the choir, but he just had this habit, I guess

from watching so much since they read baseball, that's just what he did, and so she picked

up this habit as well.

And when people would ask me later, who does Savannah look like, I said well, she's

a spitting image of her granddad, you know, come on, well today we're going to see who

it is that each of us should resemble, and we're in a new series that started last week

in the book of Genesis, we learned that the word Genesis means beginnings, and Genesis

describes the beginnings of the world, the beginning of the human race, the beginning

of God's covenant, the beginning of faith, the beginning of the promise of Jesus, turning

your Bible to page one, I've always wanted to say that, Carl taught us last week that

God is powerful, he's creative, he's kind, we are loved deeply by him, God created the

universe both purposely and purposefully, and you were on his mind, and this week we

want to go a layer deeper and discover the humans are different than animals, there's

something that distinguishes us, and it's more than fur or fangs, Genesis 1, verse 26,

then God said, let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness so that they may rule over

the fish in the sea, and the birds in the sky, over the livestock, and all the wild animals,

and over all the creatures that move along the ground, I love this, there's a conversation

taking place, you say, who in the world is God talking to? Well, look back in your handy

dandy Genesis notebook that you received at all of our campuses, for those of you who

are notetakers, I want you to fill in some blanks here, first of all see that a creation

there is God, the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, notice what it doesn't say

in your Bible, it doesn't say, let me create man in my image, that's not what it says,

let us create man in our image. In other words, Trinity appears in the Bible zero times.

Now the concept is all throughout the Bible, it's a great trivia question to ask somebody

sometime, but we learned that each part of the Godhead serves a function or a role, and

yet the three are united as one, we have God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, did

you notice I didn't drop my hand down as I went through those, because they're equal. It's

not like God the Father's up here and then God the Son is a junior partner, or that the Holy

Spirit is vice president, they are divine, they are deity, they are God, think of water in three

states, you can have water that's frozen in the ice cube, you can have water in a liquid form

that you drink, you can have water in a gas, it's a steam or mist or fog. In Genesis,

last week we read that God created the heavens and the earth, we read throughout Genesis that God

created everything, the Bible doesn't tell us that Adam evolved from a lower life form, says that

God created him, and in the first verse, everything that we need to believe is right there. In

everything that we read in today's passage is consistent in parallel with that first verse, we are

image bearers of God. We have a purpose in a mission, our purpose is to reflect the image of God,

to glorify God, to worship Him, and what is perplexing to me is that some believe that we are

here as a result of a cosmic explosion, that you're just here by accident. The other, the Bible,

says that you are here for a purpose, do you see the two? The Bible says you're here for a reason,

there was a study done in 2024 of the Western world, and this is how America faired in it,

three out of five Americans in between the ages of 18 and 25 say that their life lacks meaning and

purpose. Sixty percent, I can see why. If you think you just got here as a result of an accident,

and you don't believe the fact that God has you here for a purpose, you see you are not an accident

of biology, you are a reflection of the creator of the universe, you bear his image. We are loved by

the creator in a way that he does not and cannot love animals, plants, or matter, because they do not

have the capacity to love him or relate to him, they don't have a soul. God identifies with us through

Jesus Christ, God greets for us in spirit. He rejoices in our triumphs and I'm convinced he intervenes

in our lives in response to our prayers. Look at verse 27, the next verse. So God created mankind

in his own image, in the image of God, he created them. Male and female, he created them.

I've been preaching for 40 years and if you would have told me that when I began preaching,

if there would come a time when our culture would be divided over whether or not there were only

two genders, I would have been shocked if you said that, or to think that a person can choose what

their gender is, I just think that that defies logic and yet our culture sees it differently.

And our culture has been hijacked as a result and there is a reality with a lot of teens and young

adults and there is gender confusion, there is gender dysphoria and please don't shake your head

at that and say, oh, I don't think so. It is a real thing and our enemy Satan specializes in

creating confusion where God has given simplicity and order and I think that the implication that

is troubling to my heart, the idea of choosing one's gender is the thought that somehow we know

better than God does. I don't want to cavalierly dismiss a person's feelings. I know a lot of people

who are in this boat and in the season of life that they are in, they are struggling in this area

but at the same time you must remember that feelings are not facts. There is a difference

and this culture is like a battering ram that chips away at you day after day and they want to

alienate you and they want to separate you and let me just say if you are struggling with some

gender confusion or you are having question marks or you feel that way or you feel like God made a

mistake. I just hope you will talk to someone, someone who believes the Bible, some trusted friend

rather than just rushing into some decision that perhaps seems like it is your only option

because it is not your only option. Well look back in your notebook, there is another

film in the blank here. This next line is human beings are a unique creation unlike any of God's

other created beings because we are image bearers of God. As human beings we uniquely reflect God

in ways that no other part of creation does or can. The phrase doesn't mean that physically we look

like God but it doesn't mean that we share certain capacities and responsibilities that mere his

nature. So to bear God's image means that as humans we reflect God's character. So let's divide

our talk into two different areas. Here is the first one. The privilege of being an image bearer.

I mean it is a privilege. The Hebrew word used here for that word image normally refers to a

representation, a statue, a carved image. In the ancient world idols or royal statues would be

placed throughout the kingdom to represent the authority of the king. So the idea is that we as

human beings image bearers of the creator himself. Now we've been placed as living representatives.

Instead of lifeless idols spread throughout the creator placed men and women who he created all

throughout his creation. And as image bearers we testify to him in Kentucky, in Indiana, in Tennessee

wherever it is that he plants us. God's word says let us make mankind in our own image and our own

likeness. And that word likeness is an interesting one too because it represents similarity or

resemblance. So we are to represent the God who made us and we should resemble him. So when I read

when I read this I'm reminded that because we are image bearers every single person,

every single person has value, dignity, purpose. We're called to reflect and resemble the God in

whose image we've been made. When I was growing up our family was really close with a family

of Sims family and we did all sorts of stuff with them. We were at their house all the time,

they were at our house all the time. But the Sims family they had like-minded values that we had

as well. And when we start to leave their house to go to the park to play ball or ride bikes whenever

their kids would start to walk out that door their parents would say this, remember who's you are

and who you are. Remember who you are and who's you are. And what they were saying is remember

your Sims, remember your family. And then they were saying remember who's you are you belong to

Christ. The longer I was there through the years they dropped that down just to remember who and

who's and finally just got to who and who's I just say who and who's is walk out the door

and the Sims boys knew what they meant and the Stone boys knew what they meant. That's a good

thought for all of us you might want to jot those words down in your note page because it serves

as a reminder to remember who and who's I wonder how that simple thought could transform how we

approach the moments in our everyday life when we walk into the workplace we remember who and who's

when we start to lash out somebody on social media we remember who and who's when our basketball team

loses in March. Yeah and it'll happen again. So remember who and who's perhaps you put it on

the post it note on your cubicle or on your dashboard or next to a picture of your family.

You know in the New Testament in the in the gospel of John Jesus makes seven I am statements all right

and these are assertions of his deity and he says some really powerful things seven different

places in John I am the true vine I am the bread of life I am the resurrection of the life I am

the good shepherd I am the door or the the gates for the sheep I am the way the truth in the life

you remember what the other one was he says in John 8 verse 12 he says I am the light of the world

now hold that thought because back in the sermon on the mount Jesus looks at his followers and he

says you are the light of the world a contradiction well which is it is Jesus the light of the world

are we the light of the world yes both hopefully because if we are image bearers who are drawing

near to him and and being Christ of this world then it's who he is and it's who we are we are to

resemble and reflect I am the light of the world Jesus says you are the light of the world

and this is a beautiful sight to look out at all of our campuses and to think that every single

one of you represents a light an image bearer you can shine that light but just understand this

beautiful sight as this is at every single one of our campuses it only serves its purpose when

it's in darkness we come here to worship to get our lights charged up we go out to illuminate the

darkness there's a church I've been to several times in Orlando Florida it has a sign as you

pull onto the campus as you as you pull on it says insert a worship and then as you leave on the

backside of that same sign it says depart to serve I thought that's pretty cool I like that at

southeast at our Nelson County campus we have a sign too it says you're in the wrong lane stupid

but they got a sign all right that's not that's not true some some of you that's the only

note you're taking okay I'm right nothing avoid Nelson County people all right no they're great

they love the Lord there I promise you but notice this is the only one of the seven I am statements

where Jesus says that we are that as well because we can't be the good shepherd we can't be the

resurrection life we can't be the bread of life but we can reflect his light we resemble and reflect

and as this world becomes increasingly dark the hope of the gospel shines that much more brightly

think back to it this way when you think of likeness maybe even when you're in high school or

or middle school or a college sports team that you made you recall how excited you were to have

the name of that school or that mascot on the front of of your uniform I attended a very small

Bible college was fortunate enough to make the basketball team there we had a really good team

we had a 12 man roster I was the 11th of the 12th man depending upon who you spoke with

but I was at the bottom of the heat but our team was good and our starters were exceptional and

they would blow teams out and you know what that means if you blow teams out the final minutes of

the game the coach would put the starters on the bench because he didn't want them to get injured

and he didn't care about me so he would put me in the game and I get to run around and play the

final two or three minutes I was somebody that the coach put on the team so that after the game

was over the cheerleaders would have somebody to hug that wasn't all sweaty that was my role

but when I made that team and I got that uniform and those colors those symbols meant something to

me it was an honor and a privilege to wear that same thing could be said of you for your first

job that you had or maybe you served in a branch of the military and when you put that uniform

on with pride you represent this country now I want you to take that concept I want you to

multiply it by like a million and that's that is the honor and privilege that we should feel

in bearing the image of the creator of the universe it is not a logo branded on your clothing

it's his likeness etched on your heart recently I was talking with a man who had suffered a severe

stroke and he shared how it really affected his identity I mean I can understand that I think

God wired men in such a way that we tend to feel significant and oftentimes we get ourselves

from our job or our accomplishments he said when it came to his identity he said I just wasn't

the same man afterwards he said I had to recalibrate all that he said just imagine Dave I'm

literally driving to work one morning and in a moment I'm on the phone with 9-1-1 and I'm

suffering a stroke and one half of my body I'm slumped over in the seat and I can't even pull

myself up I'm about to pull on a busy interstate he said instantly I'm no longer able to work

I can't do my job in that instant I'm I'm now retired he said my new job became recovering

through grueling physical therapy for the next two years he said but the moment I realized

that there was one piece of distinctiveness that wasn't changed my identity in Jesus

he said I began to develop an even richer deeper identity than ever before I could have a

confidence in Christ and all the other stuff that I lost it was okay now he didn't get to that

point overnight it was a process but he got there and his identity in Christ is deepened

but his testimony got me to thinking wow what if I lost all the feeling on one side of my body

what if I had to learn to walk all over again what if I couldn't use my gifts or skills would I

still trust that I was a value to God and others solely on the fact that I was created in the image

of God that I am his child well I sure hope I would some of you know Greg Allen Greg is the

campus pastor at Crestwood but back in the early 90s he was the worship leader of Southeast when

we only had one campus and he used his amazing singing voice constantly every week but eventually

he developed polyps and nodules on his vocal cords and he had three surgeries in three straight

years he had to go on complete voice rest several times through those years he would come into

staff meetings I mean here's a guy who's a gregarious this can be extroverted love to be with people

and he'd have this dry erase board and to say anything he'd have to write it down on this board

and he'd turn it around and we'd make fun of him and raise him and every sometimes he'd be trying

to put a thought down that might be two sentences and and he's getting about the second sentence

if I ask and I even worth it you know with you guys and I remember a Christmas

when for the month of December Greg wasn't allowed to say a word to his wife or his daughters for

that entire month of December but if you would have talked to Greg Greg would say that during that

stretch he went on a physical and spiritual journey for those three years and Greg discovered that

even if he was never able to sing again that he was loved by God not because of his job but because

he was a child of God and Greg's voice never returned to its original quality or strength

but his faith grew deeper and his identity and Christ was solidified and that's much more important

than whether your voice is on a scale of one to ten a ten or whether it's an eight or whether it's a

three you have value not because of what you do but because of who you are you have been created

in the image and likeness of God and those two stories drive at home blaze past gal a 17th century

philosopher said there is a vacuum in every person that cannot be filled by any created thing

but only by the creator that's the void that God feels perfectly what we've seen the privilege

let's see the responsibility of being an image bearer earlier we talked about how when we have

that jersey or that uniform from work on how this we are representing there's a name on it it's

an honor but there's also accountability and responsibility that goes with it I don't know if

you know this but years ago we used to have southeast bumper stickers and we would encourage

everybody oh you need to get a bumper sticker need to get a bumper you know follow me to

southeast christian church and we encourage everybody to have well I had a bumper sticker on my car

for for quite a while finally my wife pulled me aside and said hey I'm not sure you're really

helping the cause and because I can drive a little faster than I should and I was witnessing to a

a lot of officers which she felt like was defeating the purpose of what the the bumper sticker

was all about I wasn't bearing that image very well at that time number one image bearers

are known by his name names have always been important to God that's why one of the 10 commandments

is all about treating God's name with reverence in the first gospel sermon in Acts chapter 221

Peter says and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved in Acts chapter 4 speaking

of Jesus says salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name given to mankind by which

we must be saved how about later in Acts 22 when Paul is recounting his conversion and when

and Anias is challenging him and and Anias says in verse 16 and now what are you waiting for get up

be baptized and wash your sins away calling on his name are you getting the impression just how

important names really are in the book of Acts where we read all of the beginning of the church

there's a mention that people were followers of the way and then in Acts from that point on it

refers to followers of God in a different way Acts 1126 it was at Antioch that the believers were

first called Christians they were simply called Christians meaning little Christ that's what that

word means so not only are you created in his image you bear his name the name Christian should

mean something when you speak truth is the only thing that comes out of your mouth when you listen

you have a compassionate heart when you're at the office party and the jokes get kind of raunchy

you bear the name of Jesus Christ if you're a Christian you see there's a better way to approach

life to be an example for Christ let me put it this way rather than removing the Southeast

bumper sticker instead a few years ago I could have kept it on there and decided that I was going to

start obeying the law and driving the speed limit hmm that's a novel idea I thought that didn't

even cross my mind at the time but what if I chose to bear his name by obeying his word what if I

were to avoid going to those places that actually have a hold on my life or being at that party with

those people who I know are going to bring me down rather than lifting me up what if I just looked

at life differently and saying Lord I want to do your will I've been at Southeast a member here

for 36 years and this has happened frequently where I'll be out somewhere in someone will find

my connection with the church and they'll say oh do you know and they'll say a name and sometimes

I'll hear the name and I'm like oh yes oh I love that person they're incredible and they'll say oh

yes what a person of integrity and other times they'll say the name and in my heart I don't let my

face shoot I kind of cringe and I'm like oh wow because you kind of are like I bet they see a lot

of inconsistency and that I'm not trying to be judgmental I'm certainly not trying to say that I've

got my act together in most areas I don't but I think you understand what I'm getting at here's

what I'm saying what's the purpose of the church if we live like the rest of the world I mean do we

really need to come here for an hour and 15 minutes every week just to check a box and then to

go back to living the lives we were living before you think that God really is impressed by that

sometimes our inconsistency and our hypocrisy becomes the barrier in between a person who

doesn't know Christ and Christ and I don't want to be that wedge I don't want to be that person

but consistency and authenticity make Christianity win some and attractive image barriers are

known by his name secondly image barriers carry his cross daily the cross idea is one we embrace

if you're talking about a gold chain around your neck or a cross that hangs from your rear view mirror

but if you take it back to the context of the first century and you realize that they're not talking

about a decorative trinket or a way to accessorize your wardrobe the cross was the Roman instrument of

death if you saw a cross it made the hair on your arm stand up and Luke chapter 9 verse 23 says this

then Jesus said to them all whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves take up their

cross daily and follow me what's that mean I like what a w tozer said he was a missionary back in

the 20th century and he he talked about three different signs or marks of a crucified person you

might want to take a picture of these three his observations are spot on what's the three things

that a person on a cross has in common one they're facing in only one direction two they can never

turn back and three they no longer have any plans of their own that's what it means to take up

your cross daily so if you're in a church shopping please don't look for a church it has great

facilities don't make your choice based upon how funny the teacher is in your your kids elementary

class make your decision based upon whether or not that church will help you die to yourself

and live to Christ Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 Paul says I have been crucified with Christ

nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ lives in me the life I now live in the body I live by

faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me thank of it like this when

singleness seems like it will last forever you don't lower your standards because you're facing

in only one direction when marriage is hard you can never turn back because you've chosen

faithfulness when the budget is tight you continue to tithe because you no longer have any plans

of your own look with me at one more responsibility image bears are known by his name they

carry us cross daily and finally image bears leave the fragrance of Christ wherever you go I

want the aroma of Christ to be left behind where people sense and know what that person marches

to the beat of a different drummer second Corinthians chapter 2 verse 14 he speaking of God

God uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere like a sweet perfume our lives are like a

Christ like fragrance rising up to God you be that aroma you share your faith you be a walking

witness for Christ their response is not your responsibility but spreading the knowledge of Christ

and trying to put the fragrance of Christ into others is our task it's a higher calling it's

why we're here we're image bearers president John F Kennedy loves to tell the story of during

the early days of the American space program he visited the NASA headquarters and he shares it

in one hallway he walked past a janitor carrying a broom and he asked what what are you doing

and the janitor replied Mr. President I am helping you put a man on the moon

he said the janitor understood something profound his role mattered because he was parts

of a greater purpose and so are you you really are you're an image bearer when God created

humanity in his image in Genesis he didn't just give us value he gave us purpose every person

carries divine fingerprints and has a significant role to play in God's story but I'm guessing

that there are some of you who still don't think you're worthy there's a man who's listening to me

now who's been bypassed for the promotion again and again in your job feels more like you're serving

time rather than you're using your gifts there's a disciplined gal who's been doing the fitness

plan for 10 weeks straight now you've stuck with the diet you're seeing results your friends say

that you are beautiful and you look in the mirror and you see some of that beauty and yet you still

feel empty on the inside and as I've been speaking you're realizing it's more of an identity

thing than it is an appearance thing and your mind drifts back to the women and that prison

and that video that we watched earlier who seem to have incredible meaning and purpose

how do I say this how is it the people behind bars are more free than some of us who are on

the other side and it's because their identity is now rooted in Christ and that's what gives them

that's what gives them purpose I realize that the idea of being an image bear is daunting and Satan

is quick to point out how poor we do at it but rather than feeling shame why not let it motivate you

to surrender to crucify your agenda and to take up his you say well Dave I don't I don't resemble

Christ very well okay could you look more like Christ this month than you did last month by

bearing his name carrying his cross and leaving the fragrance of Christ wherever it is that you are

I want to go back to something that was said uh I think it was Angela that said it in that video

they said who who who are you Angela she said Angela today is a child of the most high god

and I mean that just really hit me and I think some of you need to be reminded of that

and so on this screen you'll see there's a blank there that blank is for your first name

and I'm gonna have you in just a minute put your first name in there and we're just gonna say

this three times in a row Dave today is a child of the most high god I'm gonna have you put your name

in there I want you to say it like you mean it okay we'll do a three times in a row here we go

ready one two three today is a child of the most high god again today is a child

louder today do you believe it will you live like it

our Father in heaven we say it three times because we need to hear it three times

because Satan is saying something totally different he is the author of confusion he does not

want us to find our identity in Christ he will do anything he possibly can to mess with our minds

what I know there are people here who who need Jesus who have never humbly bowed a knee to him

and said Lord you you are the master you are sinless and I am sinful so Lord I pray that people

will step out in faith and that they will begin to bear that image and wear it well by starting

by turning your life over to you would you help them make that commitment Lord at every campus we

have people in the next step area down toward the front all I have to do is just come talk to them

pray with them share whatever their prayer need is or whatever's on their heart but Lord

today is the day of salvation the Holy Spirit will never say tomorrow he only says today

Satan won't tell us that there's no heaven Satan won't tell us that there's no hell but he will

tell you there's no hurry so Lord may we get this identity piece right and it begins

with accepting use our Lord in the Savior and Lord for the rest of us who sometimes feel that

shame that we don't always wear your name well we're like I think I better take that bumper sticker off

would you help us move toward obedience surrender and humility to Jesus name that we pray amen

thanks for listening if today's message made you realize you need to take your next step with

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