Sermon Central
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Sermon # 32 - Reflecting God's Image Series
Contributed by Andrew Dixon on Apr 28, 2023 (message contributor)
Summary: We are created in the image of God, and when we choose to reflect His image through our lives we may be hated or even persecuted. Let’s see how God’s justice and righteousness will always prevail over every evil plot of the enemy.
We read in Genesis 1:26, And God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (KJV)
Why was man made in God’s Image?
When God created man, He made man in His own likeness and image, in order that he could rule and have authority over all that He had created. Man was the last part of God’s creation, but he was made in God’s likeness and image as a reminder to all other creation that when they beheld man, they would be reminded of God. However, when Satan beheld the image of God in man, it infuriated him, and it was his crafty evil scheme, to destroy the flawless image of God in man, which he carried out most cunningly. All other created beings were made differently, but only man was made in God’s image, as men and women are the crown of God’s creation.
We are made in the image of God, and should reflect Him in such a way when people look at us they must recognize that there is a God of justice. When a baby is born, have you noticed how parents are overjoyed when we tell either of them that their baby resembles them in some way? So also when God made us, His original intention was that when people considered us, they can behold the image of God in us. The image of God does not please everyone, and sometimes even without a cause people may hate us. The reason for this is because something inside of us reminds them of God, and that probably disturbs them.
Let us look at some examples from the bible to see how this image of God was perceived and how they were hated for it.
Cain and Abel
Cain and Abel brought an offering to the Lord, while Abel’s offering was accepted by God, Cain’s got rejected by Him. This filled Cain with hatred and anger toward his brother.
We read in 1 John 3:12, Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. (KJV)
The fundamental reason Cain hated his brother, was because his brother Abel was righteous, and the image of God was reflected through Abel, which Cain despised.
Joseph and his brothers
Joseph’s brothers also hated him without a cause. As Joseph approached his brothers with food which their father had sent for them, as they beheld him at a distance, they plotted to kill him.
We read in Genesis 37:2, “These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.” (KJV)
The reason Joseph’s brothers hated him was because he was a righteous young man, who when he saw the evil deeds of his brothers, brought it to his father’s notice.
John the Baptist and Herod
We read in Mark 6:17-18, “For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.” (KJV)
John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness about the Kingdom of God and baptizing those who believed. King Herod resented John the Baptist, for the one reason that John the Baptist rebuked Herod for taking the wife of his brother Philip to be his own.
The Pharisees and Jesus
We read in Mark 3:6, “And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.” (KJV)
Though Jesus did so much of good among the people, the Pharisees and other religious leaders hated him and conspired to kill Him, mainly because Jesus was righteous. He reflected the Father, and this annoyed the Pharisees and the religious leaders in Jesus’ day.
The world hates us without a cause simply because they see the image of God being made evident in us. We should therefore not be perturbed or surprised if we are despised by people of this world. The people of this world wish to forget that there is a just God, and when we reflect the image of God as we should, the reaction we receive is one of antagonism. Instead of being afraid we must sincerely desire that the image of God be reflected through us in a powerful way.
